I hope you find my writing and business tips and observations useful. My business and blog are dedicated to helping businesses communicate clearly and reach their potential.
Read, subscribe to my newsletter, enjoy!Tash
Little PB Event tips to create big things for you
My first word of advice – if going to what is likely to be a great event with lots to process afterwards, book out the following days so you can process it!
Attending the PB event last week (yes, this time last week I was sitting in a room to hear Shayne Tilley in the second sessions of the day) was great and I came away with lots of ideas, inspiration and information, plus some great new friendships and relationships.
However, it was back to work as usual on Monday morning. Well, I say as usual but I’ve had some urgent client projects come up this week so it has, in fact, been more hectic than usual.
So I haven’t had the time to sit and read through all my notes or listen to the recordings of the sessions I didn’t attend. Or relisten to the great ones I want to get more out of.
Nor share a lot of those tips and insights with others.
From little actions big things happen
Right from the start, Darren set the theme of the weekend to be from little things big things come.
Even the biggest trees started as small seedlings
{I have to say that I was often distracted by the song ‘from little things big things grow’ used in an ad promoting a group of industry super funds! Distracting similarity but the message is accurate and valuable in both instances.}
It then followed that all the speakers gave practical information so we could pick up little details and see how to apply them to our own blogs. With everyone repeating that taking things step by step and doing lots of little things you can build a success (however you define success).
Major take home message: make 15 minutes a day to work on something important.
Think about it – 15 minutes a day isn’t that hard to find but adds up to 75 minutes a working week or 60 hours (which is 7.5 working days) a year – with 4 weeks annual leave allowed for 🙂
How many new designs could you create or words could you put to paper or sales calls you could make in 60 hours? That may just be the ‘extra day in the week’ many people wish for.
If you want me to write a post on ways to use that 15 minutes, let me know as a comment or email me – or send me a tweet for that matter!
Provide quality and value for your readers
The event was aimed at bloggers so the message was to give readers quality – but the concept is just as valid for any aspect of your business.
Some points on this:
- Make posts and information products useful and informative
- Find your voice (or brand) and stay with it
- Monitor what your readers like and give them more of that
- If accepting money for a sponsored post or ad, ask ‘what’s in it for my readers?’ You get paid, obviously, but make the post valuable to your readers above all
- add opinions as well as information or share a learning experience so people feel they get an answer (paraphrased quote from Chris Guillebeau)
Make a connection
Various speakers over the conference touched on the importance of engaging and connecting with your audience and with other bloggers.
Here are some of their quotes (written as they spoke so these are close to word-perfect but may be slightly different to their exact words):
Look after and engage your readers – engaged readers will do more for making money than having lots of readers ~ Darren Rowse
Involvement begets commitment ~ James Tuckerman
A focus on building relationships and providing value to people will lead to success ~ Chris Guillebeau
[within your blog have a ] hidden message of ‘you’re not alone’ coming through as everyone needs to feel connection and belonging ~ Chris Guillebeau
Final words
I think Darren had some important words to say in his opening and closing talks.
The theme was little things add to big things, but also to realise everyone starts small so don’t feel inferior to others. Again, based on my notes, he said:
Comparing yourself to other bloggers makes you feel small and is not constructive – focus on good things happening on your own blog. Look at other blogs for inspiration not comparison.
If you have questions or simply want to learn more from the great speakers at PB Event, you could…
- leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to answer you
- grab a virtual ticket to PB Event and hear all the speakers (and see their slides). {Yes, this is an affiliate link so I would get a commission for referring you.}
- use the #pbevent tag in Twitter – there are still a lot of tips being shared
- read blog posts from people who were there – try posts from Belinda, Rita, Helena, Alison and Chantelle to get you started
And with that said, I am off to read more pb event posts myself and do 15 minutes for my subscribers – you can subscribe to get updates of new posts by ticking the box as you leave a comment or fill in the form in the sidebar.
How do you feel as a blogger or small business owner – do you feel small compared to others with more readers or a bigger income? Do you compare yourself to others rather than acknowledging your own progress and successes?
How a business can volunteer
Corporate volunteering obviously helps the community as well as being positive for the supporting business.
Don’t think that the only way to support local community is to give money donations, though. Even businesses on their own tight budget can help local groups, and all businesses can find a means of giving that suits their specific structure and products/services.
Here are a few suggestions – what else can you add to this list?
- do some pro bono work – a web designer could create or update their website, a plumber can put new washers in all their taps, food places could offer goods at cost (i.e. do the cooking for free) and an IT company could do a security check of their computers. I know I have written and edited various documents for community groups at minimal or no charge
- offer good or services at discounted rates for events or specified periods – e.g. a bakery could offer bread at cost for their fundraising events and a mechanic could offer an annual car service
- offer discounts to volunteers or members of the group – for example, a hairdresser may offer 20% off for people referred form a women’s shelter or soup kitchen volunteers get a free physiotherapy check up
- make employees available to volunteer at a community group. This could be everyone is off volunteering together once a year or a roster of people helping once a month or fortnight. Think about what works for your business and for the group you’re helping (not all places have space for an extra 10 people at one time for example).
- whenever you are upgrading (computer, phone, printer, etc) consider if it has enough value to pass onto a community group
- offer to print their newsletter to save their costs – collating, folding and so no are also possible tasks you can offer
- promote the group – put a banner on your website, link to their site, mention them in your newsletters, add their logo/details on the back of your business cards, add a donation box to your shop (or button on your website) and so on.
- add a collection box in your office/shop
- have a stall at their fete or other events – your fee and attendance will help more than it may appear
- invite them to speak or have an information booth at your big events
What other ways have you seen businesses support their local community?
Business volunteering
Ever thought about why a business should give to their local community?
There are many ways to give, and it can be a regular thing or just when it suits, but volunteering in some way can help your business:
- your business gets increased exposure just through your presence or by acknowledgments in their brochures, website, noticeboard or similar. And it may well cost less than similar exposure through an ad or other marketing campaign
- your business earns respect, trust and goodwill from the people involved in that community – and people are likely to try your business first if they appreciate your efforts in something they are passionate about
- you get to learn more about your local community, and potential customers, so you can adjust your products, services and marketing to suit
- if you allow employees to volunteer in your time, you will also build morale and team spirit – this helps your business in many ways, including attracting and maintaining quality staff
- allowing employees to volunteer will teach them more skills that can further help them perform for your business. In particular, staff helping a charity will need to be resourceful when working with tight budgets and limited resources – and being resourceful and using initiative can be great for any business
- you can mention your community work, too. If you do pro bona work within your community, it will also give you valuable case studies and testimonials to showcase your abilities – this can be really useful for a new business or a business offering a new service.
Has your business ever been involved in comment projects, either through employee time or other donations? Or maybe your community has been helped by a business in the past?
What advantages have you seen come from businesses contributing to the local community?
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