Kay Green, Author at She Owns It

The Importance of “Unplugging” By @DrRKayGreen

January 28, 2019 by Kay Green 2 Comments

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

In today’s society, there is a pressure to always be “on” that simply did not exist when most of us started business.

The rise of social media and remote work has been incredibly beneficial in a lot of ways. It has given entrepreneurs a chance to be heard and found by people who would not have heard of their services otherwise. It has leveled the playing field, in a sense, so that people have a chance of being heard regardless of how much they have to invest in that. It also helps to reach clients that are in other states or even other countries.

But there are also drawbacks. While before, most clients could only reach you during office hours, now there is more of a pressure to be available at all hours of the day. Especially if you have international clients that are not in the same time zone as you, you might be compelled to answer your phone no matter what hour of the day it is. And, yes, they can reach you no matter where you are, because chances are that they have your cell number.

It can be tempting to constantly check your email all the time. For many of us, it is probably the first thing we do when we wake up and the last thing we do before going to bed. It is easy to do, because after all, we love our jobs and our clients and want to be the best at it. That requires a certain degree of dedication.

But too much of a good thing can turn bad, and focusing too much on work can be incredibly detrimental. It can lead to us neglecting both our mental and physical health. It can take us away from our family and friends. It can burn us out entirely, so we cannot even do the job that we are sacrificing all of this for.

Finally, it can ruin our ability to engage with the world on a meaningful level.

Consider this: when was the last time you felt truly present in the moment? The last time that you focused on something without having the back of your mind focused on emails or social media notifications? Maybe you do not have this problem, and you have found the perfect work-life balance. But I am willing to state that for most of us, these moments of peace and quiet and connection are few and far between.

And that simply is not healthy. It is admirable to be so dedicated to your work, but that does not mean that it should be the only thing in your life. You can and should take time for family, and friends, and even just to spend some time by yourself.

But in today’s interconnected world, how can you do that? There are a few options.

Enforcing regular office hours is a great way to make sure that you will not be too tempted to check work email after hours. If your clients know that they can only reach you from nine to five, there is less pressure to answer that email right away. Of course, sometimes work or extenuating circumstances will demand that you work later, but at least you can have some days where you do not answer.

Try to have at least one day a week where you do not look at your inbox at all. Saturdays or Sundays are good options for this.

After that, take it even further. On that weekend, try to turn off your phone for an hour or avoid looking at screens. Let yourself forget about twitter notifications and emails. Instead, go take a walk, or meet a friend for coffee. And instead of constantly looking to your device, just be in the moment.

You will be surprised by how much healthier you feel — and how much renewed focus you have when you are actually at work.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

How to Regain Passion for a Project by @DrRKayGreen

January 16, 2019 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Every business owner and entrepreneur starts out their project with passion and enthusiasm. But passion alone will not get you to a place that is productive, successful, and fulfilling.

After all, even the best job has parts that are less exciting. If you want to have any hope of success, you will need to do things that you are not passionate about. You will have to do boring paperwork and invoicing. You will have to handle mundane things like taxes. Even some parts of the job itself may be less exciting to you, such as strategizing or research.

Things like this are an inevitable part of daily operations. But if you become too focused on them, you run the risk of letting these mundane tasks steal the passion that made you start in the first place. This risk can happen to any project, big or small. You can lose passion for a single task, a client, or even your business itself.

I highly suspect that lost passion is the cause of most failed businesses. Because when you lose passion for a project, it spreads. It gets harder and harder to do work. Even the things that used to be fun become difficult or even impossible to enjoy as you once did, because you know that it will lead to the more mundane things that suck the drive out of your day.

But these tasks are inevitable, so you cannot just decide not to do them. The question becomes, then, how do you do them without sacrificing your drive and passion?

There are a few things you can do if you notice yourself beginning to dread the thing that used to be your dream.

The first step is to, if at all possible, step away for a brief vacation. To be clear, this is not meant to be an excuse to avoid responsibility or the mundane tasks in question. Do not think of it as getting away or escaping; instead, think of it as pressing the restart button on a computer. By taking a few days away from your project, it clears away all the clutter of day-to-day thoughts, letting you come back to it with a fresh outlook.

When you do come back to the project, see if there is any tangible way to measure the growth that you have already achieved. A great place to begin is to ask this: how has your project affected people? Has it made people’s lives better or easier? Sometimes, recognizing just one thing that your project has done can make it feel worth it, reigniting your passion for it.

Once that is done, take some time to write down all of the reasons that you want to continue. These will often be things that you already know, but seeing them in physical form can help you find the motivation that you lost.

And once you get back to your project with renewed vigor, be prepared to keep that motivation up. Put your list of reasons somewhere that is easily accessible. Also, create a new list of little victories and wins that you accomplish throughout the day. It can be easier to remember our failings than our wins, so writing them down can help put you in a more positive frame of mind. That will help you focus on the things about your job that you actually enjoy.

By following these steps, you will be able to find and keep your passion for any project.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Setting Up for a Productive 2019 by @DrRKayGreen

December 26, 2018 by Kay Green 2 Comments

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

In the last few weeks of 2018, it is important to relax and celebrate. Take time to be with those close to you, and be proud of everything you achieved over the past year.

That said, there are still some things you can do to ensure that, when January 1 rolls around, you will be in the right frame of mind to “hit the ground running,” setting yourself up for success in 2019.

So set aside time in these last few weeks to look back on your year with a more critical eye, and look forward into the coming year with a planning mindset. Hopefully, you have already developed and written down your goals for 2019, and you have a clear plan for what you are going to do.

Now, as the year draws to a close, it is time to get in the right mindset to make 2019 a productive year of growth and achievement.

Focus.

What do you want your year to be?

Before 2019 even begins, make a decision. Have a primary objective that you can go back to when you are confused or unsure about your direction. Distill this down into a mantra. A phrase is acceptable, but maybe it is as simple as one word. Growth. Connection. Service. All of these things are worthy things to strive towards.

Write this simple word or phrase down somewhere where you can see it when you return to work. This way, you can be sure that you will start off your year with the right intentions.

And if you ever feel lost or unsure of what the next step you should take is, or if you are presented with a new opportunity, you will not have to consult a complicated list or process to figure out where it all fits. Instead, you will be able to take a look at your mantra, and evaluate accordingly.

But the evaluation does not have to wait until 2019. In fact, you should be evaluating the goals that you have already drafted, keeping to this simple mindset.

Evaluate.

You have your goals ready and laid out. But do you know why you have them?

Goals are not useful if they are not helping you to reach something. So look over the goals that you have drafted for this year. Are they really going to help you best live the mantra that you created? Or are they just fluff, there to make you feel good about checking something off of a list?

Not every goal that you have written down needs to be directly related to your mantra, necessarily. Even if your goal is as simple as “exercise every day,” this can be related to a number of goals, because we perform our best when we are healthy. But it should be at least tangentially related.

At the end of the day, you should be able to look at a goal and say, “I know why I am doing this.” If you cannot do that, then your energy would probably be better spent pursuing other goals, ones that have a better effect on the kind of entrepreneur that you want to be.

Organize.

Your 2018 might have been stressful. You might have let certain organizational tasks fall behind on particularly difficult weeks or months. And once you did that, they were probably difficult to pick back up.

But these last few weeks are a good time to step back and evaluate. Which organizational tactics were dropped because of stress, and which ones were dropped because they just did not work for you? How can you make it so that those essential ones are not dropped again, and how can you replace the ones that did not service you?

Use these last few weeks to clean up anything that you have been putting off. Take care of those non-essential, deadline-less tasks. Prepare your schedule for the next few weeks.

By doing all of this, you can ensure that you start off 2019 with a fresh slate, ready to be filled with accomplishments.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Crafting the Perfect Social Media Story for the Holidays by @DrRKayGreen

December 10, 2018 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

More and more platforms are unveiling “stories” — ephemeral social media posts that disappear after a set amount of time. Snapchat is arguably the platform that first had success with this format, but Facebook and Instagram have also unveiled their own story platforms.

Businesses are taking note of this feature, with more organizations than ever turning to story functions for holiday marketing. The reason they are doing this is because consumers are engaging with this content in a way that they simply do not do with natural posts. Which begs the question: why?

Why are social media stories so popular with consumers and businesses alike? What makes this format so conducive to holiday marketing, in particular? And, perhaps more importantly, how can your business leverage social media stories to make your holiday marketing a success?

One of the main features of social media stories is that they are humanizing. When done correctly, they come across as more friendly, less like an ad than your typical campaign.

Also, with natural posts, it is difficult to do more than one post in a row. When consumers follow a lot of friends, family and businesses, their dashboards become clogged, and even if a business posts one post right after the other, it is unlike that they will show up this way on someone’s news feed.

Stories are different. Your consumers can easily click from one video to the next. This makes it so that you can tell a cohesive narrative. This, in turn, allows you to make an emotional connection. This is critical when it comes to reaching modern audiences.

Allowing viewers to click through also engages them. Instead of traditional posts, in which they are more or less passive consumers, stories allow your followers to get involved.

Today’s consumer does not want to be treated like a tool, and they do not want to be pandered to by faceless entities. Instead, they want to get to know the people behind the brand. And what better time to do this than over the holidays, when many are gathering together for parties and fun?

This is why holidays in general are a perfect time for social media story campaigns. Holidays are the perfect time for engaging, humanizing stories that treat followers like family instead of business leads.

There are, of course, right and wrong ways to create a social media story. Above all, social media stories should be fun. Take advantage of the temporary nature of these stories to be more witty and easygoing than you would be with your typical posts.

When crafting a social media story, focus on two things: emotional and personal.

Stories that focus on emotion will be far more engaging to your consumer. You should aim to make them feel something.

In addition, you should be personal. Give your followers a look at who you really are — not just as a brand, but as individual people. Does anyone in your department have an inspiring story related to the holidays? Now is the time to ask.

Avoid creating a “sales pitch,” and do not make a story that is so long that your consumers will get bored and click away. If you do all of this, you will be able to create a social media story that engages and makes an impression on your followers. And that will last even after the holidays are over.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Online vs. Traditional Education: Which is Right for You? by @DrRKayGreen

October 24, 2018 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

The world of education has changed tremendously in the past few decades. And those changes are due, at least in a large part, to technology. Technology has changed the way that students research essays, buy their textbooks, and manage their grades. And in some cases, it changes the way they take classes altogether.

Online classes are a wonderful option for some students. But not everyone can or should use them as a replacement for traditional classes. Both kinds of learning environments have pros and cons that make them more suitable for some than for others.

One kind of classroom environment is not inherently better than the other. Both class types have specific benefits and challenges that need to be taken into account, and any student should do their research before deciding on which kind of class they want to pursue.

Traditional education is something that most people are probably very familiar with. It offers a structure and a routine, which can be very useful for some minds. It also offers a sense of community, and you are able to get to know your classmates on a personal basis. Traditional classes can be wonderful marketing opportunities for people who are hoping to get that out of them.

However, traditional classes are not ideal for those entrepreneurs who need flexible schedules in order to manage clients. Parents or people who are working full-time jobs may run into similar problems. Traditional classes are often rather expensive, as well.

If you are considering traditional classes, take into account your schedule. Can you afford the time it takes to drive to classes? Do you learn better in a more collaborative setting? Are you hoping to use this class as a chance to meet others in your field?

By contrast, online courses can sometimes cost less, plus reduce the cost of transportation. Furthermore, they allow for a more flexible schedule. Students who learn better at their own pace my find the structure of online classes freeing. More independent minds will probably work much better in the comfort of their own homes.

That said, online classes do rely on technology, which can fail. If you do not have access to a reliable computer or internet, online classes are probably not the most appropriate choice for you. There is also more room for communication error when communication is not done face to face.

How often do you communicate online? If you are used to this setting, these challenges might be less daunting to you. If you have a schedule that needs to be flexible, you will probably do better in an online setting than you would in a traditional one.

Deciding between traditional and online education is an incredibly personal choice. You need to take into account which environment is best for you, which one fits best into your schedule, and which one aligns with your goals.

It is also worth noting that what might work for you in some subjects might not work for you in others. You may find certain classes are easier online, where you can take your time with the lessons and assignments. Similarly, some might be better suited to a traditional learning environment, where you can ask your teacher questions and interact with your peers in real time. If your schedule allows it, having a healthy mix of online and traditional classes may be the best option for you.

Ultimately, however, you should make your decision based on how you learn the best, and what will help you get the most out of your education.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Preparing Your Business for 2019 by @DrRKayGreen

October 15, 2018 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

The start of a new year can be an exciting time, full of business growth and development. But if you do not plan for it in advance, you will often be aimless, realize that the goals you had in mind are not achievable, or run into roadblocks within the first few months.

Setting actionable, attainable goals cannot be done overnight. Professionals who meet their business goals do so by taking the time to develop and plan them.

This is why, even though it is only the beginning of October, it is important to start thinking about what you want your business to strive towards in 2019.

Review Your Goals for 2018

Did you set any goals for 2018? If so, how many of them have you achieved? You can learn from both the successful goals, and the unsuccessful ones.

For successful goals, note the amount of time it took to complete them. Focus on how you broke up the tasks. Did you experience any setbacks on your way to achieving this goal, and if so, how did you overcome them?

For unsuccessful goals, why were they unsuccessful? Maybe you realized that the goal itself was unachievable, or maybe you did not prepare for it as thoroughly as needed. Maybe you just did not keep track of it, or the method that you attempted was not the right one for your team.

Whatever the reason, you should take into account what really worked for you and what really did not.

Start With Yearly Goals

Using your 2018 goals as a base, set a few “overall” goals for your business.

Start with a goal that is more broad, and then get more specific. For example, a broad goal may be “start a blog,” while more specific goals might be “get at least 100 followers for my blog” or “write at least 24 blog posts this year.”

How many yearly goals you have is completely up to you and your team. Some teams may prefer to focus on one main goal, while others may have several they hope to achieve throughout the year. It can be helpful to note how many goals you had in 2018, and if you were able to complete all of them.

When setting these goals, write them down so that they are concrete. It can also be helpful to write down a reason for the goal, so that you understand why you are putting in the effort as time goes on.

Break Goals Down into Monthly Tasks

Once you have your yearly goals, it is time to break them into smaller chunks. This will make it easier for you to achieve your goals; in addition, it will ensure that you do not try to save the goals until the last minute.

In the above example, your goal for January might be “brainstorm ideas for blogs title and topics” or “look into web hosting for blog,” February might be to “draft at least 5 blogs,” etc. Other goals might include “write guest posts for other blogs” or “market blog on social media.”

By the end of the year, you should have reached all of your goals.

Identify the Supplies You Will Need

Even with monthly goals, you might find yourself hitting a wall during month 3 or 4 if you realize that you need something that you do not have.

So for each of your monthly goals, go through and identify anything you might need now. In the above example, you would need the budget for web hosting, and the time to write blogs. Begin thinking of these things now, so that they do not catch you by surprise later.

These steps can help you achieve your goals for 2019.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

The Importance of Socially Conscious Marketing by @DrRKayGreen

September 27, 2018 by Kay Green 1 Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Businesses spend a lot of time and effort to reach millennials. They create social media strategies, they work with influencers, and they strive to make genuine connections with the market. But too often, these attempts seem to fall short. So the question becomes: what do millennials really value?

The answer lies, as it so often does, in research.

Studies show that “Millennials prefer to do business with corporations and brands with pro-social messages, sustainable manufacturing methods and ethical business standards.” While it makes sense, this is still something that many businesses do not even consider when developing their marketing strategies. By crafting a pro-social, ethical business model, you can stand out among many attempting to reach this demographic.

Why does this work? The obvious answer is that millennials are a very socially conscious generation. They like to feel like they are a part of something good, so when they find out that purchasing from your business supports a good cause, they are more likely to do so.

But it goes even beyond this. By having a pro-social platform, you show that you care about and empathize with your community and your customer base. This does a lot towards promoting brand loyalty.

So, how do you craft a socially conscious marketing campaign?

It starts with your business itself. As stated above, sustainable manufacturing methods and ethical business standards are a must. Be transparent about these practices, and be outspoken about your support of ethics and sustainability in your industry.

But having a socially conscious platform often goes beyond this. Once you make sure to adopt the proper business practices, it is important to allow your consumers to become a part of “making a difference.”

An easy option is to donate a certain amount of profits to charity. You can do this for virtually any product, lasting for a certain length of time or continuing indefinitely.

By doing this, you allow millennial consumers to feel as though they are doing more than just buying a product. You allow them an easy opportunity to donate in a way that is both convenient and at little extra cost to them, since they were likely seeking out your product already.

Picking the right cause to donate to is something that should not be taken lightly, however. It is important to pick something that aligns with your brand’s values and overall mission. If you pick one based purely on what you think will be most popular with the millennial market, it runs the risk of coming across as insincere. Millennials will pick up on this, and they may even become more suspicious of your motives and business practices.

By picking a cause that aligns well with your business goals, however, you can safely ensure that you will be attracting the kind of consumer that will become a loyal follower of your product.

Fundraising is not the only thing you can do, though. If you want to take things a step further, you can encourage your own people to get involved in the local community. Give your employees paid time off to volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen.

Photos and updates on employee volunteer programs can be a powerful marketing tool. But these programs can also have the added benefit of improving workplace morale. After all, your employees want to be part of something just as much as your consumers do. Giving them both opportunity and incentive to do so can make them feel more motivated, and loyal to your business.

Social awareness is something that should be hardwired into the fabric of your business. But with tactics like these, you can use that social awareness to market to millennials, and other socially conscious individuals.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Exit Strategies 101: The Importance of Planning Ahead by @DrRKayGreen

September 11, 2018 by Kay Green 3 Comments

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

One of the most dreaded questions in job interviews may be this: “Where do you picture yourself in five years?”

But this is the very question that business owners and entrepreneurs need to ask themselves. The people who succeed in this lifestyle have a plan for where they want to be in five years, ten years, fifteen years, and so on. They continue to plan right up to the point that they want to retire. And knowing what you want to do then may be one of the most important things of all.

No one should aim to work forever, no matter how much they love their job. And whether you plan to retire in five years or twenty, you should have at least an idea of what your exit strategy is long before you start implementing it.

If you need to start thinking about your exit strategy, here are some questions to get you started:

What is your goal with this business? Why did you start it?

This is a question that you probably already know the answer to, even if you have never put it into words. No one starts a business or becomes self-employed for no reason.

However, looking at your goals in the context of an exit strategy might change the way that you look at them, and this can affect how you plan the rest of your career. Did you start a business because it felt right for you personally, or because you wanted to make a tangible mark on the world, something that would last?

Neither answer is correct or incorrect — finding self-fulfillment is equally as worthwhile as creating something that outlives you. But being honest about what you really want your work to be will help you as you begin to seriously think about your exit. It will help you answer the tough questions confidently and with the knowledge of why you are doing it.

Do you want your business to continue on after you retire? How?

No one can tell you what the right answer to this question is. This will come down your own personal preferences, and the goals that you outlined above.

If you do want your business to continue after you retire, who do you want to take it over? Do you want it to be a family business? Do you have an employee that could possibly take over? Or do you want someone on the outside to take things to the next level?

If you do not have an answer to this question at the beginning of your career, that is okay. But you should try to have an idea of where you want your business to go relatively early, because it will affect how you run it.

What do you plan to do with it?

Once you have a general idea of what you want your business’s future to look like, it is time to get more specific.

You can sell your business to someone else, for example. Or you can let another business buy it. You can liquidate your assets and let the business end naturally. No matter what you choose, the decision should be based on your more general goals as discussed above.

It is okay if this plan changes and evolves over the years. In fact, you should expect it to, as you grow and mature as a business person. However, beginning the plan early means that updating it will be more manageable or even easy. And when the time comes to begin implementing it, you can do so confidently.

Many businesses that could have continued strong faded and died because the founder did not put a strong exit strategy into place. People have lost money, or had to work longer than they wanted to because they did not have a clear idea of how they were going to leave.

You can avoid this by creating an exit strategy early, and preparing for it in the years before it actually happens.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Learning to Let Go by @DrRKayGreen

August 31, 2018 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

People start businesses because they are driven and determined. But most importantly, they start businesses because they saw something in their industry and thought, “I can do this better.”

All of these traits are strengths that make for truly great entrepreneurs. But if not kept in check, these same traits can become weaknesses.

Too much drive, and too much certainty that you are the only one who can do something right, can lead to a business that is poorly managed and doomed to fail. It also negatively impacts your mental health, as well as your personal relationships as you neglect them in an attempt to run every part of your business at once.

For this reason, one of the most profound skills that a business owner can have is to learn when to let go. Let go of perfectionism, let go of working 24/7, and let go of projects that would be better suited to employees.

By doing this, your business will be stronger, because it will be able to continue to run even without you monitoring it constantly.

Accept that “perfect” is unattainable.

Entrepreneurs and business owners put a lot of pressure on themselves to be perfect, and on the surface, this seems like a positive thing. Of course, you want to deliver the best finished product possible to your client. Of course, you want to avoid making mistakes. No one begins a task with the intention of doing poorly at it.

But the truth of the matter is that no one is flawless. And no matter how careful you are, mistakes will happen. Even published books with professional editors will occasionally have a typo, and even you will occasionally miss a deadline or forget an appointment.

Pretending that this will never happen is not productive. Preparing for it is. Have a plan in place for mistakes, and instead of going to pieces when they inevitably happen, you will be able to fix the problem quickly and proactively.

Take a break.

No matter how much you love your job, you need breaks.

Sometimes, you will need to work through a weekend. And sometimes, you will need to say no to an evening out to meet a deadline. But doing this regularly, or constantly, is a great way to ensure that you will not have the stamina to continue running your business in one year, or five.

Try to have at least one day a week where you do not work (and where you do not even check your email, if possible). When you go out to dinner or make time for your family, make sure that you leave your work at the door. Be present in the moment, and your brain will thank you for it.

And while it can be difficult to step away from your desk for an extended period of time, vacations are important and help you reset. Even a long weekend can be incredibly beneficial to both your mental and physical health.

Know when to delegate.

Business owners, especially small business owners who are just starting to hire new employees, can sometimes have a hard time knowing when to delegate tasks to their hires.

When you are used to doing everything yourself, it can be hard to trust someone else enough to give them important tasks. After all, you probably went into business for yourself because you thought you were uniquely suited to do these things.

But if you continue to cling to tasks that would be better suited to someone else, you will not be able to grow your business. And more importantly, the business will never survive without you watching over it. This means, if you ever decide to retire or to give the business to someone else, it will most likely fail.

If you want to create a business that will last, learn to let go.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn