Last night, I spoke to a wonderful group of mom entrepreneurs at Mommy Meeting with MomsLikeMe.com in Littleton, CO (thanks for having me Roxanne). The wonderful thing about these events is that they take place a Pump It Up, where kids can jump all night while the moms can network. Now that’s what I’m talking about!

The topic was social media. Most of these launching ladies were “in the know” about social media… all of them have Facebook accounts, most are on Twitter. Social media in its simplest terms is all about creating, cultivated and engaging in online conversations. As women, we have the biggest presence in this ever evolving world which makes sense since us girls love to build relationships, connect and talk!

Below are just a few quick and very basic tips that I shared:

1. Cook up a good recipe
Effective social media is like a good recipe. It takes a little perfecting to make it work for you and to give it your own “secret sauce” (personal touch). But once you have it down, it will do wonders for your business. With your existing website, combine a dash of Twitter, a spoonful of Facebook, and a touch of blogging/vlogging. Come up with a mix and schedule that works for you so you are taking advantage of these powerful tools without feeling overwhelmed.

2. Sneak in your Keywords
It’s just like hiding vegetables in meals so your kids hardly notice they exist (for some reason, I’m not very good at this according to my 4 year old son). Often times, your social media posts show up higher in search engine rankings than your own website. While writing your blog posts and tweets, sprinkle in the keywords that people are using to search for your particular product or service.

3. Ride the seesaw!
There should be a balance of business and fun with regard to social media. It is all about becoming transparent and building relationships with your current and potential customers. But again, there is a balance! One example I used what that my Facebook updates because heavily focused on poop when I was having issues with my son and potty training. If my target audience is other moms in the same boat (the canoo of crap), then it makes sense to share and relate to them. But there comes a point of TMI (too much information). Still keep things professional and strike a good balance between personal, family, business, industry, just for fun, etc.

4. Be a bossy mommy
We moms aren’t really bossy, we just know best! Right? Well, most everything you do needs to have a call to action or direction. Start telling your peeps what to do. Your audience can’t read your mind and won’t necessarily do what you want, like go to your website after reading your post on your Facebook Fan Page. Give them specific marching orders to enter a contest, check out your site, check out another business’s site, spread the word, send you an email, take advantage of your discount, etc.

I could go on and on about social media, dos and don’ts, why it is important for your business, how to get quality followers, etc. There is so much to learn and do, but the key is not to get overwhelmed. Dip your toe in, then slowly ease into the water of internet chit chat!

The deadline to apply is only 3 short weeks away and we have been asked for tips on how to get it done and make your applications count. Well here you go!

#1. The number one way to assure you have a chance at winning more exposure, more clients, and more resources by winning the Leading lady Awards awards is to APPLY!

#2. Don’t over think it. The application should take you no more than 20-30 minutes. Be real, and authentically YOU! We want to hear your story, not text book answers.

#3. Enlist a friend or family member to review your answers and make sure they accurately reflect your business and your personality.

#4. Submit a video! This is NOT mandatory but investing the time and thought necessary to present yourself on tape is an empowering exercise and can be very effective. We are not looking for professional quality here. we’re just looking for authenticity, passion and determination. Check out Kerri’s (A Touch of Bliss) awesome video here!

Remember that all of you will be honored at the luncheon on Nov. 5, your businesses will be listed in our resource guide and attendees will receive a business “tool bag” filled with wonderful things to make building your business a snap!

We dare you to dream.
We dare you to push yourself.
We dare you to launch!

I collect business cards. Yes, for the contact information (us chicas need to stay connected), but also for the look, style, creativity and originality they convey. Business cards are truly a tangible extension of ourselves. There is something so magical and powerful about having fresh busines. In need of some new extensions of yourself? Here are some ideas to squeeze your creative juices and give you printing resources.

Oh, and never leave home without them (make sure you have some in time for next month’s networking night at Plush Denver). Since your cards express who you are as a business woman (or man), make sure they are sharp!

A business card can say “I made this card an hour ago and don’t take myself/my business seriously”, “I’m a go getter and won’t let you down”, “I’m sure you need my services and you’ll  remember me when you do” and much more!

COOL CARD INSPIRATION

Totally Creative Cards

Really Unique Cards

Oh So Cool Cards

TRENDS & TIPS
Here are some things to think about as far as what to include on your card:

Kids Can Speak Volumes: Adding a cute little shot of your little ones is not just for mom/playdate cards anymore. Mom entrepreneurs are adding this touch to the back of their business cards becaues it gives them a personal connection to the people they are handing their cards to. This is especially nice if your business focus is on family or children and/or if your target is other moms. If being a mom qualifies you or gives you more creditbility for what you do, even consider reflecting it in your title (i.e. “Mom & Owner/Founder”).

Social Media Pages: Be sure to include your Twitter handle, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, etc. These methods of communication are so common now days and may be used much more than your actual telephone number or email address. Keep this short and sweet, and add only the site or two you use most.

Include a Website: Whatever you do, include a site! Even if you don’t have a website yet or if you don’t even have a business, include a website that will give people more info about you and a way to connect. Sometimes people just want to take a quick peek into who you are and what you have to offer without picking up the phone or sending an email. If they can’t do this they may just move on or even toss the card. Many people are using their Twitter or LinkedIn pages for this. Just include something!

PRINTING

VistaPrint - The place everyone recommends for printing. Cheap and decent quality. Great customer service. Never pay full price here, search online for discounts. While the cards are inexpensive, they could cost you a fortune in shipping if you want to see your cards any day soon.

Next Day Flyers - Excellent quality with thicker cardstock and very affortable. If you need postcards too, this is the place to go…bundle and save on shipping. I personally use them ALL the time. They even have rounded corners (thanks Val)!

Moo Cards - Really cute mini cards. Each one can feature a different picture on them. I know lots of people that use these for business cards, mom cards, hang tags for products and more. Love them!

illBuzz - MyCards look like a MySpace page. Also offers rounded corners.

Overnight Prints - Do NOT use this company (take it from me - it took me 3 times to learn my lesson)! They also offer rounded corners, but very poor order accuracy and customer service. They will end up costing you money.

Yesterday, I woke up with every intention of hitting 9:00 a.m yoga after getting the kids off to school. Then, I was going to be home by 10:15, take a quick shower, make some proactive calls to potential sponsors and clients and meet my girlfriend for lunch at 12:30. So here’s what really happened…I woke up, got the kids fed, lunches made and off to school by 8:00 a.m. I checked my e-mails and started responding…oops, I looked up, it was 8:55 a.m., I’ll never make it to 9:00 yoga. So. I keep doing what I’m doing because now I have an extra hour. Maybe I’ll check Facebook. The phone rings, I talk for a while…shoot! It’s now 12:00 and I’ve done nothing I set out to do today! Maybe I should take a rain check on lunch. Cancel lunch, but spend 45 minutes on the phone with my girlfriend anyway and still haven’t eaten…sound familiar?

There are those days when the hours slip away from us and we turn around and have lost the entire day. Today was one of those days for me. Luckily, they don’t happen too often because normally my day starts out differently. Today was a good day because I followed these 3 simple rules:

1. When you first sit down to work, DO NOT CHECK YOUR E-MAIL. Start your day with a proactive list of things you want to accomplish. This will encourage you to be proactive instead of reactive and get you closer to your end goal by days end.

Schedule times in the day to check e-mail. Some businesses need to check e-mail more frequently than others. Book 15-30 minutes to read and handle the mail. When deciding how much time to schedule take into account email from all sources including, your main box, your face book email or twitter direct messages.

2. Avoid the “multiple touch effect”. This happens when you check your mail, start reading a message and decide its too long, too involved or something you don’t have time for at the moment. You pass it by with the intention of coming back to it. You check your mail again, go back to the message and pass it by again intending to go back to it. Now you have touched the email twice and still not handled it. Before you know it, you forgot about the email, missed your deadline, angered a client or lost an opportunity.

3. Create folders, flags and rules around the core items you need to find quickly. I used to have folders that wert labeled with my different projects…Ladies Who Launch, Change Is Strange, kids, etc…but I still couldn’t find that I was looking for. I know have folders entitled “to complete”, “to delegate” and “swipe”. These folders are more action oriented so I can store keep track of my progress. When I need to “to complete” something instead of leaving it in my “in box”, I can move it to “to complete”. Once I’ve completed the task, I can then move the e-mail into it’s specific category.

As we immerse ourselves in the final quarter of the year, I thought it was time for a little pep talk. Being that I have two young kids and rarely have the deciding vote on movie night, my inspiration comes to you today from one of my favorites…”High School Musical ”. To quote the movie, (the first one that is), “We’re all in this together!”

Part of being a successful business is being smart enough to NOT go at it alone. You may have a special product or service that is completely unique to you, BUT the process of launching it, selling it and growing it, is far from new. Millions of people have done it before you and millions more will do it after. So there is no sense in reinventing the wheel. Here are 5 tips to give your business a kick start.

1. Hire experts

I’m sure you are brilliant at what you do, but you can’t be an effective expert at everything.  The easiest way to get ahead is to focus on your strengths and bring in the help you need. When I started spending money on experts to help me, people like editors, a illustrators, a marketing consultant and a PR firm, I actually started making more money. Consider what expert could advise you, guide you and help you put more cash in your pocket.

If you’re still don’t know exactly sure of your strengths, spend some time in a focus group, or talking to colleagues who can help you identify your “secret sauce”

2. Rely on your team

You took that first step and got yourself a team (even if that team consists of ONE person).  Now, let your team do their job.  You can set up processes and systems that allow them to do it all for you. This will allow you more free time to focus on your strengths and grow larger business.

3. Start with small achievable actions

Prioritize! Pick the most important things for you to accomplish and start there.  Schedule specific time to work on them first.  It’s easier and more effective to take small bites, swallow, and digest than just shoveling it all in and feeling sick.

4. Get back on the horse

Let’s face it , being an entrepreneur is NOT always love and roses.  Sometimes things don’t go your way.  Nobody ever seems to talk about the things that go wrong, but disappointment happens. Know that it happens.  That everyone has been there.  The key is to get back up, buck up, wipe yourself off and keep going.

5. Schedule Down Time

So you don’t have time for a break, eh?  Taking a break will actually help you.  Some of my best ideas have come while hiking Mt. Sanitas, sweating through Core Power Yoga and driving the curvy roads up to Summit County .  Your mind needs time to rejuvenate and wander. Put a vacation on the books or book yourself a “staycation”. You’ll come back relaxed and ready to head towards your dreams.