Social Networking and Marketing for your small business

I gotta get the panel members for this panel, my minicomputer was acting up. They seem powerful and extremely well-put together.

The dollar doesn't turn around once in the Black community, that means, when a black person gets a dollar, they spend it and more than likely with someone of an opposite race. Out of approximately 6000 businesses that start every year, less than 19% of those businesses are started by blacks. Small business is a major aspect in revitalizing the national economy.

Okay, here are the panel members
Ken Blanks Harrell
Ed Foxworthy
Hajj Flemmings (moderator)
there's a few more, but I am doing this LIVE and I am not keeping up with the names like I should...email me chrisreed07@gmail.com
1. HOW DID YOU IDENTIFY THE BUSINESS THAT YOU ARE IN (marketing)? What was your AH-HA moment?
-Forget about what you think life is and figure out what you enjoy doing and put a dollar sign on it.
-After making so many mistakes, and having self pitty parties, you begin to realize that your loyalty needs to be with you. Maximize your time, improve your skill and make your activities co-inside with your goal. If you say you want to make $1 million, then make it.

Ms. Gillian Blackwell, one of the benefits of the internet, they have leveled the playing field for small businesses and the connections that they can make. But one of the downfalls is that everyone is claiming to be an expert. However, it trying to organizing who is best at what. In my last post I mentioned that small business owners need to find those that are perfectionists in their industries and can help you run your business. But take your mommas advice to heart, You can tell a tree by its fruit. Look at the relationships that your colleagues may have created, take a peek at their e-networking history, listen to what they have to say, do your research..don't go int a situation completely blind.

@ Mr. Ken Blanks Harrell, he demanded that we take notes. He speaks on his success and what prevents them from being successful (making money)
1. There is no need for your service
2. There is no money
3. There is no trust
Staying consistent with your message is very important with how your business lives
Stay relevant with the audience you want, get a website, build your following, be in the face of your audience. Promote yourself. Create a plan that you will be able to make you money.

I am really enjoying this forum, especially when they are talking about FREE methods of social networking and finding leads for your business. It all comes down to building a base, and then using those connections. Thats what facebook, myspace, twitter and the such are for, they are to be used to better define your audience, getting your specific message to the people and most importantly, LISTENING TO YOUR AUDIENCE. Although there are a ton of things to get on sites like ebay and amazon.com, but if you look close enough you can find the things that people want. When building your social network make sure you keep thinking about who you want to meet, what you want them to know about you and why they should want to continue to know you.

Branding - Developing a Professional Image and Polishing Your Brand
All of your information needs to be available to potential clients/customers. Your customers should constantly see it so that when people they know need something, you are the first person they think of it. Gaining HOUSEHOLD BRAND status is very important and very easy, just stay out there, all the time and everywhere. Your branding strategy includes the entire experience a customer has when dealing with you, the way you answer the phone, the presentation of your product, your follow up, the price versus the feel of purchasing your product or service. Develop what it is that is going to be your image.

JUST GOT A LITTLE INSPIRATION, I'ma post this on TWITTER (darealchrisreed) NEWSLETTER COMING SOON

Thank you to Mr. Harrell for "Own your own, or be owned by someone else." Corporate America is frustrating and I am pretty sure that you feel me on this, let it frustrate you so much that you start your own and do it as good as you can.