My top 5 takeaways from the Women’s Success Summit

Date Attended: Thursday May 17, 2012
Speakers: Michelle Villalobos,  Jessica Kizorek, Mike Michalowicz, Anette Nathan, Lisa D.  Sparks

1.  ASK or you won’t get what you want. As women, much less entrepreneurs, I think we struggle with this one. We we are used to the idea of taking care of others and everything around us that we forget to ask for what we really want. Don’t beat around the bush, just ASK! 

2.  Define your style, what makes you unique, learn how to package it and sell it. This one, I think is easier said than done. I know I struggle with it. We all have great qualities to offer and as marketer I too make this mistake by wanting to talk about all the great features and benefits a brand/service has to offer, but there is only so much room on a flyer. It is important to spend time on this exercise to truly understand your brand, your truth so that you can communicate it confidently and comfortably.  Practice your pitch as often as you can and on different audiences and try different versions until you get where you want.

3.  Different is better. This is a great way of positioning yourself to stand out from your competitors. The key learning here it that your “name is magnetic”, so use it to create a call to action that people will remember.

4.  Under promise, over deliver. It’s important that your customers are always satisfied by your product and service, so why set the bar too high when you know you cannot deliver. Instead be realistic, give yourself enough wiggle room and provide a reasonable expectation. Then over deliver by either handing in that proposal early, finishing the job sooner than they expect and cheaper than
expected. 

5. Think of email marketing in terms of campaigns. This a great way to think about your email marketing programs versus struggling each month on “what to write”. Create a campaign based on a theme or news that has an ongoing story to tell. It’s
important to take the time upfront to think it through, plan it out and then execute each month without the added stress.