“Successful people are great networkers,” are the words and philosophy of networking guru, author and entrepreneur George Frasier. Proving his theory to be true, Melinda Emerson travels eastern to western Pennsylvania and nationally networking and educating entrepreneurs from her areas of expertise in small business start-up, recession-proof marketing and social media strategy.
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| MEETING A GOAL—Spreading the word about technology, Small BizLady Melinda Emerson speaks during NAWBO Day aiming to end small business failure. (Photos by Diane I. Daniels)
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Emerson along with local business woman Cassandra Brown owner of Jireh Mobile, recently participated in the annual National Association of Women Business Owners Day festivities, which was filled with valuable information and networking opportunities.
Fresh from serving as one of more than 50 luminaries during the Pennsylvania Conference for Women in Philadelphia, Emerson shared information with both audiences on techniques on how to take advantage of opportunities whether within a corporation or as an entrepreneur.
“I consider myself a natural opportunist,” said Emerson outlining how she began in business. Initiating her career at WPXI television as a producer she said she was inspired by Oprah Winfrey to open her own production company, Quintessence Multimedia. Her friends observed her success and often inquired how she became an entrepreneur. As a result of their questioning she developed a list of 44 things you need to do before you go into business.
“I began faxing the sheet and posted it on my website and soon began speaking on the subject for free,” she said. By packaging her skills and lessons learned from providing free services, Emerson, SmallBizLady is now considered one of America’s leading small business experts. She is the author of “Become Your Own Boss In 12 Months,” a speaker and small business coach.
While presenting as the keynote lunch speaker at the NAWBO Greater Pittsburgh “Think Ginormous” conference, Emerson’s topic focused on her success in social media. With the mission to end small business failure, she explained that she publishes a bi-weekly resource blog, hosts a weekly talk show on Twitter and writes a column for www.secondact.com and www.smallbuztrends.com.
Indicating that Twitter is an easy way to build interaction and a relationship with people, the Pittsburgh native outlined Twitter etiquette by pointing out that the communication is a give and take situation. “People want helpful information, so content is king,” she said. “It is important to have goals when you tweet and blog.” Her other tips included to think of good titles, to figure out your audience, to be consistent and structured with content and not to sell too soon. She suggested the best times to tweet are between 9 and 10 a.m. and 4 and 5 p.m. keeping in mind time zones. She also recommended having a Linkedin profile with a professional picture.
Brown, co-owner of Jireh Mobile with her husband Curtis also focused on technology. Using the services of their mobile marketing solutions company, the duo outlined how interactive mobile campaigns and data base management is helpful to business owners. Known as mobile text messaging, the Browns explained that the technique is the most active, instant and direct communication with the ability to reach out to customers. Their nine tips for effective use are to be bold, exact, have a clear message, to be thoughtful, personable, relevant, and timely, to be everywhere and to be viral.
An additional service provided by Jireh Mobile includes developing mobile web applications known as apps for iPhones, iPads, Android, and Blackberry phones.
Other presenters included Regina Able of the SBA, Susan John of the United States Postal Service, Steve Eckert and Harold Behar of ProMobile Solutions and NAWBO President and CEO Diane Tomb.
Touching on how to market a business in a recession, Tomb outlined eight factors; to research customers, to focus on family and values, not to cut your marketing budget, to adjust products and portfolios, to support your distributers, to adjust pricing tactics, to stress your market share, and to emphasize your core values.
As the new head of NAWBO, Tomb said her goals are to increase its membership and to be attractive and inclusive to women of color, younger entrepreneurs and women internationally. “Staying focused on our mission my plan is to partner with colleges and other groups as a way to intertwine a new mix of members,” she said. “We are going to work with all our chapters to be on the same page and to work on our branding.” She said the group will continue to be the voice for women businesses.
Considered the unified voice of America’s more than 10 million women-owned businesses, NAWBO is the only dues-based origination representing the interests of all women entrepreneurs across all industries with over 7,000 members and 80 chapters across the country. Incorporated in 1975 the national NAWBO vision is to propel women entrepreneurs into economic, social, and political spheres of power worldwide by strengthening the wealth creating capacity of its members and promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial community; creating innovative and effective change in the business cultural; building strategic alliances, coalitions and affiliations and by transforming public policy and influencing opinion makers.
The Greater Pittsburgh Chapter is considered the fifth oldest chapter within the national organization.
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