Image Building Tip #6 for Mom Entrepreneurs - Ego surf regularly

Have you gone ego-surfing lately? Your online image is just as important as your printed image. Take time to Google your name. Hopefully all listings are positive references. If you find inaccurate or damaging information on a site, you have options for correcting it according to William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson, co-authors of Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand (affiliate link). In cleaning up negative online references, Arruda says you can either vacuum up the dirt or sweep it under the rug: “When you can’t ask a site owner to make the content go away, burying the hurtful content on page 37 of search results is the way to go.”

Don't Travel Down the Road to Success Without a Business Plan

Whether you're starting a new business or you've decided to go to the next level, you must be prepared—and that means having a business plan.

Imagine jumping in your car and traveling to a distant location without a map. Chances are you wouldn't attempt it. You wouldn't know the best route, any costs, or what to do to avoid delays.

On the road to success in business, you often travel to places you've never been before. You need to plan the best route to reach your goals and map out potential roadblocks. What marketing strategy and budget will you need? How will you implement the plan and measure the return on investment (ROI)? Will you need to seek financial assistance from venture capitalists or angel investors (affiliate link)? What's your exit strategy? Once you start this trip, you'll want to check and review your business plan regularly to ensure you're heading in the right direction.

The hardest part of putting a business plan together is allocating the time to dedicate to it. It takes discipline and time—more than a week—to write an effective business plan. If you are unable to dedicate the time needed, you should seriously reconsider going into business for yourself. Preparing a business plan is a simple test of the discipline and time required to start a company.

There are many resources available on the Internet that will provide you tips, techniques and templates for writing and preparing a business plan. Steer away from business planning software. These programs may look tempting, but they do not teach you much about writing an effective business plan. You'll learn how to fill in blanks, but you won't learn how to write an attention grabbing executive summary, calculate operating expenses, make sales and cash projections or set up a marketing strategy. In addition, these software packages do not account for the wide variety of businesses that are out there or the different stages of development they are going through.

Take a basic template and build the business plan yourself; researching and learning about the business process along the way. The business plan outline on the Small Business Administration's Web site is thorough and descriptive, yet still allows you to think for yourself. If you have never written, or much less seen, a business plan before, then this process will take you some time. You will need checks and balances along the way to ensure that you are developing the plan correctly.

There are many free resources available to businesses seeking assistance. The following nonprofit organizations have offices in every state; you can visit their Web sites to locate the office nearest you.

• Small Business Administration
• Small Business Development Centers
• Women's Business Centers
• S.C.O.R.E. (Service Corps of Retired Executives)

In addition, these organizations offer support groups, workshops and libraries of materials that you can use. Counselors are available to speak to you and offer advice on just about any business planning subject. They will also review your plan and offer valuable feedback. Most of all, write your business plan with confidence. You have a dream and you can make it a reality.

(Originally published in the Women's Business Boston Journal)

Image Building Tip #5 for Mom Entrepreneurs - Establish a network

A great way to boost your image is through a network of opinion leaders, peers and other industry professionals. Consider this group of people your business “friends”. Keep them updated on news and events, and reach out to them at least once a quarter to say hello. This group also serves as a lead source. If they like and respect you, they will tell others about you and your company. This results in qualified referrals; people and companies who want to do business with you.

Thursday is last day to get $69 intro price on 29 Minutes to F*ree Publicity program

I recently reviewed Margie Zable Fisher's new 2010 29 Minutes to F*ree Publicity program (affiliate link) and believe it offers incredible value – especially at the introductory price of $69, which ends tomorrow, January 28th.

The program offers sample and fill-in-the-blank media pitches, as well as 2010 Editorial Calendars and Top 20 national media contacts for every type of product and service.

Margie has agreed to offer readers of The Mom Entrepreneur blog a special bonus. If you purchase it by tomorrow, she’ll give you a f*ree 30 minute telephone P.R. coaching session, for any additional questions you may have.

Just click here (affiliate link) to get the bonus and introductory price.

P.S. – If you have already purchased it, and are a subscriber of The Mom Entrepreneur blog, Margie will still honor the 30 minute bonus. Just email margie@zfpr.com and let her know you’d like it.

Image Building Tip #4 for Mom Entrepreneurs - Publish an article

Publishing articles is a great way to boost your credibility. Start locally by identifying publications that influence your target market. Inquire as to their submission guidelines. Most local publications welcome educational and informative content from professionals in the community. After publishing several articles locally, expand your horizons to regional and national publications.

The Mom Entrepreneur's Top Picks for 2009

This blog post marks our 2nd annual Top Picks list. If you missed 2008's list, check it out here...>

Every year, we receive dozens of products to review. We do not review them all due to lack of time, but all products we receive are eligible for The Mom Entrepreneur’s annual favorites list. The only criteria is that the products fit some need for a woman who is either a mom and/or an entrepreneur.

The Mom Entrepreneur's 10 Top Picks Count Down for 2009:

10. Scentsy* - I received a beautiful Scentsy Warmer as a gift from a member of The Mom Entrepreneur Online Support Group. It is a ceramic holder with a light inside that melts a fragrance bar, which sits inside a warming dish. Mine was from their autumn line and the dish was shaped like a leaf. It is very decorative and the scents I received, Cinnamon Vanilla, Poinsettia Pine and Pumpkin Spice, all smell wonderful. I prefer this over a candle since it is safer, and when the fragrance bar is used up, you do not have to throw a glass jar away.

9. Coco-Zen - As a mom entrepreneur, I rely on chocolate to get me through the day. It is a much better day when the chocolate is really good. That is why I choose Coco-Zen. All of their treats are made from organic and Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate. My favorite is the Chocolate Chai Spice followed by the Dark Chocolate.

8. My Storytime Friends*- Last Christmas, I received a stuffed bear packaged in a colorful box, which included a 32-page hardcover storybook, and a unique code for lifetime membership and online access to free stories, downloads, activities and more for children ages 3-8. The company has combined the things children love - books, animals and fun - and packaged them in such a way that encourages children to explore, learn and interact. All of the books include key messages of empowerment over adversity, attaining dreams, and aspiring for the future. Messages that children of all ages should hear over and over again. These stories come to life with cheerful characters, rich illustrations, and realistic dialogue that families can enjoy together. A book and a bear might seem like a common gift to give, but what really excited me about this product was the lifetime membership to mystorytimefriends.com. That is why I choose them for this list.

7. Lilypad LunchMates* - I am always looking for new ways to be more environmentally sensitive. My goal is to teach my kids these valuable lessons so that they will carry them into adulthood. That is why I love Lilypad LunchMates - they made switching from paper to cloth napkins easy. Lilypad LunchMates is a set of 5 reusable cloth napkins that come in fun colors and patterns. The company uses repurposed fabric to keep it from going in the landfill. That means they are not purchasing "styles" to sell, rather they are using the fabric that they liberated from the cutting facility as well as their excess fabric that would typically just get tossed. Their napkins are 100% cotton and handmade in the USA. They are also durable and hold up to multiple washings.

6. Frommer's 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up (affiliate link)* - This bestselling guide takes you across town and around the globe to 500 of the most exciting places on earth. It comes complete with hotel information, age recommendations, websites and more. It is comprehensive and easy to use. You can search by country, state, or alphabetically. This book makes it easy to plan family vacations and to be assured the destination is one that all will enjoy.

5. Mosquito 86* - Every summer I worry about the many pests that invade our yard and home. Wasps build nests under the eaves of our house, swinging chair and in the ground. Ants of all sizes invite their relatives to move into our house for the season, and mosquitoes are highly abundant no matter how many bats we try to attract to our bat boxes. This past summer, we had days upon days of endless rain. Soggy weather is an open invitation for ants to move in to a home, and puddles are perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes. I was invited to test the Mosquito 86TM Pest Eradication System, a professional-grade mosquito elimination system that is EPA approved and safe around humans and pets. The system worked extremely well for us and that is why they our on our Top Picks list.

4. Dinner Games - Last Christmas, I purchased the Gather 'Round Dinner Game and Classic Style from Families with Purpose. Their dinner games are quick, simple, and fun. To play, families just sit down to dinner, pick a card, and read it aloud. My boys, ages 5 and 9 get so excited to play these games, and look forward to family dinners. More importantly, they are more apt to finish their food because we have found a way to make it fun!

3. HP Color LaserJet CM2320nf MFP* - You can click the link I embedded to learn all about this printer and get a full list of specs. What really matters though is that this printer is the first and last printer you will ever need. It was the easiest printer my husband has ever had to set up (his words). The printer, which includes copying, faxing and scanning capabilities as well, is very intuitive. It asks you questions during the setup process of its different functions that makes it easy to understand and use. This is perfect for us work-at-home moms who may have limited space and need to have a reliable printer that can perform many functions.

2. GoPicnic* - This product is a mom's dream. GoPicnic creates the highest quality, best tasting ready-to-eat meals that are exceptionally convenient and require no refrigeration or special preparation – you can truly enjoy them anytime, anywhere! A GoPicnic meal is ready to eat right from the box, just grab a drink and enjoy one of their delicious, nutritious meals. They come in many varieties, including full meals, kids meals, and quick snackboxes. This was perfect for baseball games, soccer games, trips to the beach or park, etc. when you may be in a hurry, have not gone grocery shopping in awhile, or need something that will last if you are sitting out in the sun all day. Not only did my kids love the taste and selection, but so did my husband and I. They also offer gluten-free, kosher, halal and many other health conscious choices.

1. Citizen's Bank - Last year, I was faced with the challenge of having to switch banks. I was very disappointed with the customer service I was receiving from my current bank at the time. I asked friends and vendors for recommendations, and the popular choice was Citizen's Bank. Among the many perks I received was a free personal checking account for setting up a business checking account (which was also free), $.10 back for each online transaction I conduct (Green$ense program), a credit card that pays me back every time I purchase gas, and much more. I was also very pleased with their customer service, and their genuine willingness to help me get my business setup with their bank. That is why Citizen's Bank IS my #1 Top Pick for 2009!

What was your Top Pick for 2009?

*(The products listed above marked with an * were sent to me at no charge. That being said, I am under no obligation to write a good review or to write any review about these products, and what I’m writing here are my own opinions based on my personal use of the products.)

Image Building Tip #3 for Mom Entrepreneurs - Break down character traits into goals

Yesterday, we discussed listing six character traits for defining your personal brand. After you have completed your list, break down each trait into a goal. From there, begin outlining in detail how you will achieve each goal. For instance, if one of your character traits is "accomplished", you may decide you need to win an award to reach this goal. List awards you are qualified to compete for and devise a plan for winning them.