I know there are some of you who read this column who are not (yet) business owners, and who may be thinking about taking that leap of faith to launch your idea. If that’s you, have you considered the following?

• Do you have enough capital? Most businesses take between six and twelve months to start turning a profit large enough to provide you with a reasonable income. Even if you start generating sales and income immediately, there are many start up costs that eat into your profit. So make sure you have enough cash to sustain you during that time, and/or a budget (for your personal finances and your business) that is realistic and sustainable.
• Do you have a marketing plan? Your first few customers or clients are crucial to starting a loyal fan base, so think of ways to engage those people. Be prepared to spend money on marketing (yes, there are many free marketing ideas, but you will usually need to spend some money to get your product or service in front of the right people)
• Do you look the part? It continues to amaze me how many businesses don’t take the time to ensure they look professional and trustworthy. Branding your business doesn’t necessarily involve spending a lot of money, but spending the time to think about what image you are projecting is vital. You need a great first impression, so if you are meeting potential customer face to face, consider how you (and anyone representing you) dresses, speaks and interacts. If first contact is online, ensure that you have a website that functions well, looks great and is optimised for search engines to find you.
• Are you prepared for the long haul? Running a business is not a ‘walk in the park’. It requires endurance and a commitment to your long term goals. Be prepared to give 110 percent and you just might make it!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Women who start their own business often enter pursuits that are male dominated – and being a business owner in general has traditionally been the realm of men.

Some of us have felt (or still do feel) like we have to adopt male traits in order to make an impact and find success. This is often because many of our role models or predecessors in our chosen field are male. But while you might feel pressure to do this, in the long run it is not going to work if you try to be someone you’re not. Your customers will know you are not being authentic and you are unlikely to see success in your business because you are not able to use your strengths and abilities.

For example, if you are naturally friendly and like to put people at ease, but the ‘traditional’ way of interacting with customers is purely to ‘talk business’, don’t be afraid to be yourself. Of course there is always a balance – spending half a consultation making light conversation is not the best use of yours or their time!

Stereotypically, women tend to include emotional factors when making decisions. This can be really valuable – I have written recently about listening to your gut instinct, and that is definitely important! But if you find that many or all of your decisions are based on how you feel, you may find yourself making poor decisions. For example, we can all feel anxious, scared or apprehensive about a change in direction. But if we listened solely to those emotions, we would never achieve anything!

Finally, despite what we (or others) might be thinking, it is OK to fail. So many women that I know in business place enormous pressure to get everything ‘right’ and ‘perfect’. But I think most of us know, it is from our mistakes and failures that we learn the most. So be brave, surround yourself with other brave women, curb your perfectionism and rise to the challenge!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

A few months ago I wrote an article (Finding a Human Connection) about the amazing rise on social media of the blog (and Facebook page) called ‘Humans of New York (HONY)’. That article was about the marketing lessons we can learn from this enterprise.

Since that article, HONY has continued to increase its social media followers and has impacted them (and his photography subjects) in powerful ways. Over the past couple of weeks, the owner of HONY was able to raise over $1,000,000 (and counting!) for a school in one of the toughest districts of New York. This campaign was not intentional: it began with one photograph and interview with a student from the school, and it snowballed from there.

The reason it snowballed is largely because Brandon, the creator of HONY, is a great storyteller. Most often the caption he posts under the photo is simple and unembellished. But he has a way of being provocative in that the whole story is not always told. He leaves questions unanswered. This in turn makes the reader ask questions, either about the subject or of themselves. The result is that we feel connected to these ‘ordinary’ people because they are going about their ‘ordinary’ lives. But the photo and story create a sense that there is no ‘ordinary’.

So what does that mean for us in our businesses? How can we use this example to help people connect to what we have to offer?

The answer to this is not the same for everyone! And of course some of us are better storytellers than others. But time and again, marketing gurus will tell us that we need to find a way to tell our business story in order for potential customers to connect with us. But I think HONY has given us some clues: keep it simple and honest, and show the ‘humanness’ of your business.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Most businesses these days need to be innovative, often in the way they market their products, but also to promote growth, to attract the right staff and many other reasons. So being a ‘creative workplace’ is not limited to those of us in creative industries!

It is common knowledge that we generally all need an inviting workspace in order to work productively. But have you spent time recently assessing your workspaces? Open spaces, access to greenery (via windows, easy access to the outside or indoor plants), clean and convenient kitchen, large desks, up to date equipment, whiteboards and pin boards (for those moments of inspiration!), and comfortable seating are just some of the ways you can improve your workspace.

Have you noticed that the best and most creative ideas often come in the middle of the night, or over a relaxed lunch or at other times outside the standard nine to five work day? If it is possible in your industry type, consider allowing your staff (and yourself) to work flexible hours. For example, if you know someone is more productive in the very early morning, let them work from 7am and leave mid afternoon. You will gain tremendous benefit in the form of ideas and will also boost staff morale because employees are working in a way that makes them most happy.

A sure fire way to boost creativity in your business is to increase the fun! Inject some spontaneous activities into the work week: surprise your employees with unexpected gifts or rewards, buy everyone iceblocks when the temperatures skyrocket, announce that the next work day is ‘loud shirt’ day. The possibilities are endless and the benefits will include a happier workplace, and quite possibly staff who brag about their great working environment, hence attracting a higher standard of employee. Everyone wins!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Success is an interesting idea to ponder. Each of us are likely to have different priorities and definitions of what success is. Even though the aim of any business is to generate income (otherwise it is essentially a non-profit organisation), how much profit, and what we do with that profit, is where the definitions start to vary greatly.

One dictionary definition I found starts with a general statement: “The accomplishment of an aim or purpose”, and one of the sub-definitions is “The attainment of fame, wealth or social status”. Personally, I think this is a very narrow view of success, because it focuses on the external results – which become quite subjective.

I much prefer this definition of success: “the fact of achieving something good that you have been trying to do”. I think this allows for a much broader spectrum of experiences that I know many female business owners would measure themselves against. For example, part of the ‘success’ of my business (in my opinion!) is that I have been able to earn an income while also being involved in the day to day of my children’s lives. I have created a flexible working environment that helps me to achieve that ‘balance’ between work and family.

I am certain, though, as female business owners that many of you will have come across other standards of success by which your business is measured by others. ‘Success’ for you may mean working part time even though working more hours might result in more profit. ‘Success’ might be achieved when you are in a position to donate and give away large amounts of money. Whatever your definition, don’t let other people’s narrow definitions discourage you to continue to strive for your own idea of success.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Recently I phoned a day spa to make an enquiry about an appointment. What struck me about the staff member I was speaking to, was that she personified my expectations of a day spa. She spoke clearly and her manner was professional. She quickly established herself as knowledgeable about the services available by providing recommendations and being able to answer all my queries. The tone of voice she used was calming, and she established confidence that everything was being taken care of.

Anyone who has been to a day spa will know that a primary element is the overall ‘experience’ and atmosphere. A relaxed, pampering environment is essential for achieving that experience. Although my appointment is a couple of months away, the staff member I spoke began that process by exhibiting the same qualities and elements that will be evident when I am there in person.

Does this occur in your business? Is the first contact customers have with your business (over the phone, on your website or in person) a reflection of what they can expect? Are you projecting the image or ‘look’ that encompasses your business?

This first contact is vital. If your marketing efforts have resulted in someone contacting you, it is imperative that you build on that. That first contact should give new or potential customers the right idea about your business. This includes the words the customer hears, the impressions they get and the visuals they see. If these don’t match what your company offers, you are unlikely to secure or retain customers. Think about the image you want people to have of your business and ensure that everything you say and do promotes it.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

As you may have surmised if you are a regular reader of this column, some of my articles about customer service are based on personal experience. And as I am sure I have said in nearly every one of those articles, ‘bad’ customer service experiences are usually going to be talked about more loudly, and to more people, than ‘good’ customer service.

Unfortunately, my latest tale is not a good one! I was recently dealing with a business on behalf of a client. The information I needed to access via my client’s online account (with their permission) was not appearing as it should and I needed to contact the business owner. The first issue was that there were no contact details on the business’s website – no email, no phone, no address, not even a contact form.

After finally tracking down an email address via an invoice, the communication that I received from this business was nothing short of astonishing! Not only did they fail to answer my questions, they grew increasingly rude and antagonistic with each email. The sender of the email began to write in CAPITAL LETTERS to emphasise frustration at my apparent stupidity and ended one email with ‘you are not my customer’.

It was this statement that was the most telling about this business. In business, everyone you come into contact with is your ‘customer’. The definition of a customer for this business is “someone who has paid me money and who is on my list of customers”. What they fail to realise is that potential customers will not convert into ‘paying customers’ if you do not already treat them as valuable. Add to this the fallout from negative feedback, and this business has done themselves an enormous disservice.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” (George Bernard Shaw)

On first reading, this quote is quite funny. But when you consider the implications of it for business owners, it is more sobering. Throughout our work day, we communicate in many different ways. We communicate face to face with employees. We communicate online on social media. We communicate in writing through email and other written communication. And we communicate via our marketing materials.

Written communication has the downside of being unable to accurately convey tone. Oral communication has the downside of being affected by the speaker’s ability to present information logically and clearly, and is dependent on the listener’s ability to process the information they hear.

So it is vital to work on getting your communication avenues operating effectively. For businesses, time is money, and poor communication is inefficient. If you don’t spend time carefully checking your message or your delivery, you will often spend more time repeating or rehashing the same information.

When poor communication is evident in your dealings with people outside your business, it makes your business appear unprofessional. And this is not just contained to communication directly with those outside parties: if your communication is poor internally, this will soon affect the product or service you provide. Customers and clients will notice (and be annoyed) when they receive conflicting information, or if miscommunication affects their interaction with your business.

As Sydney J. Harris explains, “The two words 'information' and 'communication' are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.”

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

You may have heard about the Australian insurance company who launched an advertising campaign right after last week’s MH17 airline tragedy: "Is MH17 Malaysia Airlines tragedy a sign to consider life insurance?". They were rightly condemned for this and it was very quickly removed. This was a blatant form of ‘cashing in’ and it is deplorable that any person or business thought it was acceptable to do this.

But it is actually not this sort of ‘cashing in’ to which I am referring in the title of this article. Each time there is a disaster or a wide-spread tragedy, most of us feel helpless and many of us want to find ways to help. As business owners, we are often in a great position to coordinate assistance, but here is the difficult part: at what point do we cross the line between genuinely assisting victims of a tragedy and ‘using’ the tragedy to provide exposure for our businesses?

In the days following the MH17 airline tragedy, a well-known women’s media website posted on social media: “Details here on how to leave messages of support and condolence…”. But rather than linking directly to the Prime Minister’s condolence website, it linked to an article on their website.This crossed the line for me as there was no need to go via their site and it was viewed by many followers as ‘cashing in’.

Perhaps asking yourself the following questions will help you decide what action is appropriate:

-       Can I achieve the same or similar outcome if this is done anonymously?

-       Am I really being generous or am I (truthfully) seeing this as a way to gain publicity for my business?

-       Can I partner with larger aid agencies by posting links to their campaigns, rather than donations coming via my business (in response to my ‘special promotion’)?

-       Am I prepared to support this cause long term or am I just getting caught up in the hype of a topical issue?

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Travelling overseas the past few weeks gave me an opportunity to experience many different ways that people ‘do business’. While some differences were simply cultural differences that I was more than happy to roll with, other differences were great examples of ‘what not to do’!

One of the places we visited was a theme park, which upon entry, provided us with a glossy, comprehensive looking map so that we could find our way around. It was available in English as well as a number of other languages: so far, so good!

Unfortunately the map was not only difficult to understand, it actually made navigation around the park harder, not easier. So we decided to ignore the map and follow the signs around the park to get to the attractions we wanted to see. That worked well until we got to a junction and there was no sign telling us where to go next!

What was obvious to me was that the management of the park had not taken the time to assess their maps and signage from a newcomer’s point of view. It made perfect sense to them because they were familiar with the layout of the park.

This got me thinking: how often in your business do you make assumptions? Do you have a Frequently Asked Questions section on your website that answers all your customer queries? Do you provide basic information about the services you offer? Do you give clear instructions for first time visitors?

It might be time to assess your marketing materials (including signage, forms and other materials that customers interact with) to ensure that you are helping your customers rather than hindering them.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

I have written many times about the importance of good customer service. I was compelled to write another article on this topic because of a fantastic example of customer service that I came across.

I recently booked a hotel in Hong Kong. I was a bit apprehensive about booking it because it was not a hotel that had been recommended to me and I was booking it online directly with the hotel.

My fears were very quickly eased. They responded to my queries within a few hours and provided me with comprehensive information. But what really made them stand out though was the email I received from them a few days before my arrival. Although obviously a standard communication sent to all guests, it was personalised with my name, the weather forecast for the days that I would be in Hong Kong, the events happening during my stay and contained a repeat of all my transfer and accommodation information. It also showed photos and names of their staff and was generally a welcoming and friendly email.

None of the actions this business took were difficult to implement and did not cost them any money. But those actions speak volumes about the quality of their business. They do seem to genuinely care about their customers, and seem to be seeking to make their customers’ experiences of their hotel positive.

The key to this ‘easy’ aspect of customer service is that they have great systems in place. And those systems have a good balance between personalised touches and automated actions so that staff are not ‘manually’ creating this communication each time. What systems like this can you implement in your business?

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

If you have been in business for longer than five minutes you will have read or heard about the fact that your business branding extends well beyond your logo. But sometimes I wonder whether than message has really sunk in!

Recently I was driving in the car with my administration assistant. She noticed a van on the road near us and remarked that she had been thinking of trying out that company. As we drove closer to the van, she noticed that the driver was smoking and she remarked “well, maybe I won’t now!”. This company was in the natural health industry, so the image of someone smoking was incongruous for her and resulted in her forming a negative opinion.

This business had a great logo, solid marketing messages and attracts a ‘cashed up’ niche market. But they failed on a basic aspect of branding – everything that customers see and experience about their business should reinforce their message. And unfortunately, seeing the driver smoking did the exact opposite.

It was highly unlikely that the driver of this van was the owner of this business, and as such, the business owner does not have ultimate ‘control’ over everything that every staff member does. But what they do have control over is the policies they enforce, the culture they create and the consequences for staff who perform outside those boundaries.

In addition, if we had contacted the business to let them know what we saw, the reaction to our complaint would have given the business an opportunity to ‘redeem’ themselves. The way you deal with a ‘branding glitch’ speaks volumes about your commitment to, and the validity of, your marketing messages

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

I was driving through Penrith last week and noticed a business van in front of me. What made me notice the van was that the phone number was without a ‘9’ at the beginning of it. Although a ‘minor’ thing, this immediately told me that it had been a very long time since this business vehicle had been upgraded.

More importantly, it told me that this business does not have attention to detail. The older vehicle would not be an issue (assuming that it functions well and looks presentable). But the fact that they had not bothered to invest in some new signage on their car gave me a negative first impression of their business. If they haven’t updated their signage, what else is out dated? If they are not concerned about how their business presents (that is, their image or branding) then do they really care about their customers?

Those questions are assumptions. But they are assumptions that I wouldn’t want anyone making about my business. No matter what industry or sector your business is in, first impressions count. Your business should exude professionalism and first rate customer service. And everything that your customers see or hear about your business should show them exactly that.

The van with the outdated phone number might be an amazing business. But personally, there is no chance of me becoming a customer of theirs based on my first impression. It is always worth regularly checking over your branding – or better still, getting someone objective to look at your business with fresh eyes. And if you need some sprucing up, make sure you get it done quicker than the van without the number nine!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

Maya Angelou is an author and poet who I greatly admire. One of her most famous quotes is this: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” While she meant this as a reflection on life in general, I think we can take heed of this advice in business as well.

Think about all the luxury car advertisements you see on television. While they may include some specifications about the car, the majority of the images you see, and the music and words that you hear, tell you very little about the mechanics of the car, but are instead designed to elicit a feeling. The car company wants you to feel good or excited or even envious when you view their advertisement. They want to convince you that you will be better off by purchasing their product.

Generally when we respond to advertisements, it is because of the way they make us feel. If the music is really annoying, we might remember it but we might not like it. If there is an overload of information, we might retain some of it, but long term the message is likely to be lost.

What does this mean for you in your business? It means you need to work hard at ensuring that every contact a customer (or potential customer) has with your business is positive. But more than that, you need to explore ways that you can make them feel exceptionally good about their relationship with your business – it will keep them coming back for more.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

As someone with a home office, I enjoy immensely the clothing benefits that accompany it. I can wear jeans most days and when it’s cold I can wear my ugg boots and no-one knows! But is the way we dress REALLY that important?

As much as we might want our expertise, skills and confidence to be the first thing that people notice, it is the way we dress when we are around clients, potential clients and other stakeholders that creates 90% of the first impression. And this varies for each business. It would not be appropriate for a tradesperson to arrive for a job wearing a suit. But arriving at my house with a branded polo shirt or t-shirt and clean attire will go a long way to projecting a professional image and promoting trust. Conversely, a solicitor wearing jeans and a midriff top is not likely to inspire me with confidence. And although slick talking and a winning smile may help to change my initial impression, why create a barrier? It is important to dress appropriately both for your industry and client base.

Some may argue that dressing in the way that people expect can also mean that you are not creating a particularly memorable impression – you look the same as everyone else in your industry. There is definitely room for self-expression: for example, you might be known as the person who always wears red shoes. But if you approach your dress sense in a "what you see is what you get" style, it may come across as idiosyncratic, rather than unique. Your boot-scootin’ gear might be awesome for the weekend, but not necessarily appropriate for projecting the brand of your business.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

As a business owner, you’ve probably spent a great deal of time in the past (and hopefully in an ongoing manner) on your branding. As a graphic designer I spend a lot of time talking to clients about the ethos, culture and ‘feel’ of their business, before I even attempt to create a logo for them. This is because a logo should not be the focal point of your business brand, it should be a reflection of it. Your branding discussions (within your team and/or with marketing and design consultants) should revolve around the following things:

1. Clarification. Every aspect of your branding (logo, website, staff uniforms, shopfront, and so on) should clarify for your customers what your ‘brand’ is about. Although a little intrigue can be a great marketing tool, if customers struggle to understand what it is you are offering, the prettiest logo in the universe is not going to help.
2. Delight. Create a positive, delightful experience for your customers so they’re more likely to come back. Spend time on making your brand aesthetically pleasing, but also spend time on making your messages relevant to your target (talk to them like real people). Work hard to create a seamless experience so that the interaction for your customers is not with just a ‘pretty face’, but functions well, meets their needs and keep them coming back for more.
3. Reassurance. Good design and usability inspires confidence in your customers. Spend time on the smaller details so that your customers trust you. If you have spend time working out a solid brand and detailing exactly what that means in practice for customers, they will in turn become ‘devotees’ of your business.
   

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender