GDPR is a new European Union data privacy law (short for the General Data Protection Regulation) that goes into effect on May 25, 2018. Its purpose is to create a harmonized data privacy law across all the EU member states. As a small business owner, if you email EU subscribers, you must take steps to comply with the new regulations or face stiff fines.

If you use Constant Contact as your email service provider, rest assured, the company is certified under the EU-US and Swiss-US Privacy Shields and transfer and protect the personal data from the EU and Switzerland consistent with the requirements of the Privacy Shield program, governed by the Federal Trade Commission and approved by the EU Commission.

If you do not provide goods or services to EU there is nothing you need to do. This IS a good time to review how you obtain subscribers to your mailing list and how you communicate to your subscribers what information you collect.

1. Review your sign up form. Do you clearly communicate what the subscriber will receive, ie. monthly tips vs. daily meditations?
2. Review your practices in collecting names.  Do you ask for permission or do you assume someone you just met at a networking event wants to hear from you? 
3. Consider using "advanced permission" settings in your Constant Contact dashboard when you upload a new list.
4. Consider using the "double opt-in" permission which requires new subscribers to verify their sign up by responding to an email.

Constant Contact is committed to maintaining the highest level of permission-based email marketing which is one of the reasons it continues to be an industry leader, ranking at the top for deliverability.  

Read more about steps recommended by Constant Contact and what they are doing to make sure you are compliant: 
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There has been a lot of news lately about protecting our privacy online, major websites being hacked and data stolen.  As a small business, you may not have given much thought to how your website interacts with visitors. You may have heard about SSL and encrypted data, but thought it didn't apply to you as you aren't e-commerce. 

What is SSL, anyway and do you need it? 

SSL stands for Secured Sockets Layer and appears in your browser window as https://www.yourwebsite.com instead of http://www.yourwebsite.com. Basically, it’s how you communicate with customers so they can browse, buy products or services, and share information safely with you online.  

But, you don't sell products online, so you don't need SSL, right?

Wrong.  Do you have a newsletter signup on your website?  Do you have a contact form? Do you have a member area of your website that is password protected? Any information you collect from your visitors should be done in a secure environment.

Last fall Google announced that it would begin warning visitors if they visit a website that is NOT secure. This is due to go into effect with the release of Google Chrome 68 in July.  So, even if you don't use Chrome, many of your website visitors do and may be scared away from entering your website.  Apparently, other browsers (Firefox, Safari) will be following suit soon as well.

One more reason to act now is that Google may downgrade your page rank if you continue to use an unsecured server. 

So, how do I get an SSL certificate and what does it cost?

You can contact your web developer for assistance or your web host.  If you used a DIY service like Wordpress, Weebly, Wix or SquareSpace, there is an easy free fix. The cost for an SSL certificate ranges from about $60 to $150/year. 

Happy browsing!

Liz Provo and Mass Marketing Resources has been named a Solution Provider All Star Award winner by Constant Contact, an Endurance International Group company. 

​The annual award recognizes the most successful 10 percent of Constant Contact’s customer and Solution Provider base. Constant Contact Solution Providers are businesses that provide services tailored to the needs of small businesses or nonprofits—everything from web developers, to online marketing consultants, to advertising agencies and more. Criteria used to select this year’s All Stars included the following during 2017:

• Level of engagement with email campaigns
• Open, bounce, and click-through rates
• Use of social sharing features
• Use of mailing list sign-up tools
• Use of reporting tools

“I am honored to once again receive this award,” shares Liz Provo, Mass Marketing Resources. “I love to share my knowledge about email marketing with my clients and watch them become better marketers."
Mass Marketing Resources provides email marketing and social media services to small businesses and organizations looking to develop stronger relationships with their target audience.

Have you ever received an email from a brand where you were greeted as "Dear valued subscriber", or "Dear friends and family"? How valued did it make you feel?  You may wonder why this cute little guy is staring at you. Everyone loves guinea pigs, right?  Maybe . . . maybe not. Let's talk about personalization.

75% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from retailers that personalize their message (Accenture: Personalization Pulse Check Survey). The sender of that email may have forgotten about the importance of making the message personal to the recipient. Our job as marketers is to provide relevant content designed to create action - a phone call, visit to your website, sign up for an event or buy a product.  When content is irrelevant, the subscriber is likely to unsubscribe from your mailing list, or worse, hit the spam button.

So, how can we make our emails more interesting for our readers? Here are 6 tips to get you started:

1) Segment your lists:  Include an option on your sign up form to allow subscribers to self-select lists that are most valuable to them. A pet shop may include questions, "Love dogs?" and "Love cats?" to let the subscribers choose what kind of offers they'd like to receive based upon their interests.  A yoga instructor may have a mailing list called "studio news/class updates" and another called "daily meditations". 

2) Personalize your greeting:  This one is easy. It starts by asking for a first name on your sign up form and making that a required field.  Note: Only ask for information you truly need on your sign up form.  

3) Personalize your subject line:  Consider using your subscriber's first name in your subject line to spark interest. "Hey Liz, need a getaway?" This would get my attention, at least enough to open the email.

4) Send relevant, personalized content: I've got nothing against guinea pigs, but I probably don't want to read about how to care for them. Send me a message on how to get Riley to stop digging holes in my yard and I'm all over that. Talk to your customer using words like "you" and "your", and talk less about your business. Make it about them.

5) Personalize the sender:  An email coming from Acme Lawn Care is less likely to be opened than one coming from a real person like Joe Brown, Acme Lawn Care. Unlike big corporations, as small businesses, we have the ability to connect with our customers on a more personal level. 

6) Add some style:  More than 50% of emails are opened on a mobile device and subject lines are getting shorter as a result. Emojis have gone way beyond multiple smiley faces in a Facebook post or a thumbs up in Messenger. They are also becoming more mainstream in email subject lines, used as a way to get the reader to stop scrolling and pay attention. Emojis also make people smile which is good. Here's what my subject line could look like: "Hey Liz,🏖️need a getaway?" The beach umbrella lets me know that the content of the email may take me to my favorite spot in the sand. Use emojis wisely and sparingly. Here's a good resource to find an emoji for anything: https://emojipedia.org .  Emojipedia lives on my toolbar for easy access.  

Remember my motto, "Marketing should be fun, not painful!".  You can do this!

Earlier this month Easthampton held its 5th Annual WinterFest. As the chair of the event, one of my roles was to communicate with venues, performers, participants, vendors and volunteers. Using email marketing, online registration tools and social media, I worked with my committee to make sure the day ran smoothly.  Of course, planning an outdoor event in February in New England often involves the possibility of weather interfering with activities -- too much snow, not enough snow, melting ice, cold and windy conditions -- it all happens and we've learned to plan for contingencies. 

Luckily, we were fortunate to have perfect weather. As the day unfolded, I made my way to many of the 15+ venues, monitoring volunteers, resupplying programs, checking donations, All in all, everyone seemed to be having a great time, so our job was done, right?

While we could have relied on our observations during the event, did we really know how well we did? 

The day after WinterFest I emailed surveys to attendees, volunteers and vendors at our craft fair to ask for feedback. By segmenting the surveys, I focused on specific content that was pertinent to the recipient. I also made the surveys anonymous to encourage participation.  The responses we received will help our committee plan venues, signage, pricing, volunteer needs and more for next year.

Surveys can also help our small businesses and non-profit organizations.  We can ask our customers, clients and donors how we're doing, gauge interest on new products or services, and get valuable feedback on fundraising events.

A big reason why businesses don't survey is often due to the fear of hearing negative comments, similar to fearing bad reviews on Yelp or Facebook. Please don't let that fear discourage you from using surveys. The information you receive  is important and any negative feedback can help you make positive changes.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Don't make them long. No one has time to fill out a 20 minute survey. One to three minutes is best.
2. Do tell them how long it will take to complete.
3. Don't use open ended questions as they are difficult to assess.
4. Do offer at least one open ended text box to let respondents provide more information.
5. Mix up the type of questions: scale of 1 - 6, yes/no, multiple choice, etc.
6. Consider making the survey anonymous to increase responses.

Ready to get started? Decide what kind of survey you want to send (customer satisfaction, event follow up, product survey, etc.). Choose a survey template. Hint: If you use Constant Contact for your email marketing you may already have surveys built into your product, or it can be added. If you don't have an account you can try it free here.

Other options include Survey Monkey, Zoho, Google Forms, and Survey Planet. Some offer free versions which have limited capabilities or export options.  Happy surveying!

Last summer I celebrated my birthday by getting back to my creative roots.  I always wanted to learn to paint watercolors. I think I may have posted something on Facebook about my idea and shortly after found myself walking out of Valley Art Supplies in Easthampton with my first watercolor painting kit. A friend of mine invited me to her art studio to "play" with my newly acquired paints and we spent a relaxing, fun afternoon together while she taught me how to prepare my paper, lay down a wash and plan my painting. Watercolor must be applied from light to dark, so before the first brush stroke is laid, you really need to plan the entire project.

What does this have to do with marketing, you may ask?  Well, whether you're creating a watercolor painting or marketing your business, both require careful planning. 

Here are some signs that you may be in need of a strategic digital marketing plan:

• You are behind getting your newsletter out - again.
• You posted 3 times to Facebook last week, but forgot to post at all this week. Sigh.
• You don't know how to curate good content. Who has time for that?
• The last blog post you did was 6 months ago. Time flies.
• You have trouble finding things to post.  
• You aren't sure who your audience is or how to reach them
• You are having difficulty figuring out what to do first.

If many of these signs sound familiar, it's probably time to assess how you're spending your time marketing your business.  There are many tools available that can help you plan and execute a digital marketing plan that carries your message professionally, concisely and in a timely fashion.
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I publish a motivational quote on Facebook every Tuesday at 11:11 AM.  I've often been asked how I chose the timing of the post and I respond, "There is no magic significance. It just helps me be consistent." The image shown here was from this week's post. As I turn the calendar to September, I've been thinking a lot about time. September signals a new season, one that's filled with renewed energy and, for small businesses, often comes with a renewed commitment to end the 4th quarter of the year strong.  

Timing counts.

Scheduling an email campaign, sales promotion or event all depends on the best timing for your audience. We tend to underestimate how timing can affect the outcome of our hard work.  I've been asked twice in the last couple of weeks to help promote an early September event for which no outreach had begun. The timing for the first event was difficult as it was to occur the day after Labor Day, after a long weekend, in the midst of school starting.  The second event required a tremendous amount of foundational structure, including a website that needed to launch prior to the event. The first session was planned for September 11.  My advice was to push the start date out a week due to the sensitivity of holding an event on the anniversary of 9/11.  Unfortunately, change meant that the last session would be held over the Columbus day long weekend. 

For many small businesses owners, the 4th quarter represents their highest income during the year. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and for non-profits, Giving Tuesday are all opportunities for not only big retail, but also for small retail and service-oriented small businesses.

By now, you should have your 4th quarter goals in place.

What will you offer - a discount, a customer appreciation event, etc? How will you promote - print paid advertising, local calendars, email promotion, Facebook events, groups, paid advertising? Do you have the in-house staff to support your efforts or will you outsource?   

If you're unclear about your goals, I'm always happy to chat.  

Last month I was honored to receive the 2017 Business Woman of the Year Award from the Women Business Owners Alliance, an organization that I've been a part of for several years. It was a wonderful celebration that I was happy to share with my family, my WBOA friends and many supporters who came to honor professional women who are making a difference here in Western MA.  

I spoke that night about something we, as women and as entrepreneurs, struggle with frequently -- balancing the passion we feel about our business with our personal and family life. I've been asked by a few people to publish the speech, so here it is.

Good evening everyone and thank you Jen for your warm introduction. 

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Women Business Owners Alliance for choosing me as the 2017 Woman of the Year.  You are a remarkable group of women and I am proud to call you my friends. 

I’d also like to thank my fellow Board of Directors for their wonderful leadership, guidance and friendship. This is an exciting time for WBOA and I’m looking forward to all the things we can accomplish in the coming year. On behalf of all the nominees and award recipients, I’d like to thank our guests for accepting the invitation to join us tonight to help us celebrate. Finally, I want to thank my family, my husband Sam, my daughter Stephanie, my daughter Jocelyn and her fiancé Logan, for being at my side tonight. I love you all.
When you sat down you may have noticed the little bag on many of your seats. It is my gift to you tonight and I hope its meaning will become apparent. 

I’d like to start by reading you a short  story that I found online.  You can find anything on the internet! I think it fits well with what I’d like to share with you tonight so please indulge me.

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, without any words he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar. He then proceeded to fill it with small rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the class if the jar was full. They agreed that it was indeed full.

The Professor then picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then again asked the class if the jar was full. They nodded in agreement.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand of course filled up all the remaining space in the jar.

He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes”.

“Now”, said the professor, “I want you to assume that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your spouse and marriage, your children, and your health – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that have priority in your life – like your business, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff. Your lowest priority.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same can be said for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on your lowest priorities, the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are most important to you. 

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Now, while you can,  take your spouse out to dinner and a movie. There will always be time to work, clean and maintain the house, entertain your friends, and enjoy your hobbies.

Take care of the rocks first, your life’s foundation. The things that really matter. Set your top priorities and stick to them. The rest is just sand."

As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to spend hours working tirelessly in and on our businesses. Each new idea, service or product gives us incredible energy, along with a lot of sleepless nights.  

I grew up learning about the joys and pitfalls of self employment first hand. My Dad was self employed and owned an insurance agency in a small town in northern Vermont.  The agency was located in the front of our home and it seemed to me that it was ALWAYS open. If the door to the agency was locked as we sat down to enjoy our dinner, customers would just walk up to the porch off the kitchen and knock, hoping to drop off a premium payment or some paperwork. Dad would always invite them in, saying it was no problem.  Every time the fire station alarm went off, Dad would stop what he was doing and walk up the street to see if one of his customers was affected and needed him. A barn fire, a lost home. This meant, of course, that our family activities sometimes took a back seat until his customer’s situation was handled. 

When I looked at my Dad, I saw a man who was deeply rooted in his community, who was respected for his volunteerism and leadership, and who loved his family very much. He charted his own course to help his family live financially secure and I admired him. 

He took care of his rocks first.

My Mom was also a strong role model for me.  As the next to youngest of 9 children, she left home to become a nurse, attending one of the nation’s first 4-year Registered Nurse programs located in Providence Rhode Island. Her career as a nurse spanned many years, becoming Supervisor of Nurses at the local hospital. She nursed everyone and was never sick. 

Her life changed abruptly though when my Dad had his first of three heart attacks.  She left nursing, got licensed as an insurance agent, and joined him in the family business. This was her effort to help relieve some of the stress that doctors felt may have caused his heart attack.  It took a lot of courage to do what she did and I admired her for her strength, her love of family and her resilience. 

She cared for her rocks first.

Coming upon my 45th high school reunion this year I was looking at my yearbook and noticed the saying I had written under my senior picture.  Wait for it. It’s heavy. 

“Never be so tied down to the rules of the game that you cease to be an individual.” 

Where did I come up with that?  Maybe it was an early warning sign of pending entrepreneurship. I actually left high school a semester early, after designing a program that would allow me to teach music in a neighboring school district during the spring semester. You see, I thought I was going to be a music teacher and I was anxious to leave the drama of high school behind and do what I wanted to do.

After graduating from college with my music degree, also a semester early, I took a long-term substitute teacher position in a rather tough junior high school. My office was located in a boy’s bathroom. I traveled the halls with my music books and record player in a shopping cart with a sign that said $100 fine if you remove the cart from the supermarket. Apparently I was the only one who thought  that was strange. By the end of the year, I learned that the previous music teacher would not be coming back and was still recovering from his “breakdown”. I knew then that I would not be applying for the permanent position and couldn’t wait to leave. My lifelong goal of becoming a music teacher changed. Thankfully, my parents never told me I’d wasted my college education.

I must have inherited the insurance gene from my Dad. My first introduction to self-employment was actually a commission based gig (that’s a musician term) selling life insurance to college seniors.  I liked being able to set my own schedule and I found that I was good at consultative or needs-based selling. To me it wasn’t selling at all. I was educating and finding solutions to problems.  I eventually took a salaried position with a financial services agency when Sam and I got married.  

It was there that I discovered 3 things:  One, I loved marketing, two, I loved working with small businesses and three, I hated cold-calling. There had to be way to get people to call ME first.

So I created the agency’s first newsletter. It was 2 sided, printed on legal sized paper, included an atrocious amount of clip art and was snail mailed. I  developed a niche marketing strategy based on cross marketing agency services to non benefited university employees. Soon the phone began to ring. No more cold calling! 
I successfully built the agency’s health insurance book of business from 2 plans to over 200, created an affiliate marketing plan for retired professors, added several new products and created the agency’s very first website.
I was a good employee, managed 5 brokers, contributed to the growth of the agency, but I was always frustrated by the length of time it took to implement some of the things I wanted to do. After 13 years of “being tied down to the game” I began looking at starting my own business.  It took me 3 more years of weighing the pros and cons, countless discussions with my family, talking with mentors and friends before I decided I was ready.  I gave my boss notice that I would be leaving on Dec. 31st giving me 4 months to hire and train my replacement. 

A week later on Sept. 11, 2001 the world changed.

What was I thinking starting a business in such uncertain times? Part of me wanted to turn back and be that good employee again and forget about the dream of independence. The other part of me said, don’t worry about things I had no control over and just do it.  

I opened the doors to my new office in December as planned, founding the first for sale by owner real estate advertising service in Western Massachusetts. 

During the next 3 months I taught myself how to become a magazine publisher. I wrote content, created layouts, edited images and improved my graphic design skills. 

I dug into my educator roots by holding workshops to teach home sellers how to be successful when selling “by owner”. I brought in experts like real estate attorneys, appraisers and home inspectors and I taught the marketing piece. 

Together we taught success.

As many of you know, being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. My business almost closed in its first month. My first magazine was printed and delivered to a local newspaper for insertion into the Sunday edition.  I got a phone call from the editor saying my publication had been refused at the loading dock. They determined that my magazine didn’t conform to their advertising policy. As a competitor, the newspaper was afraid of a possible backlash from local real estate agents who were the bread and butter for the classified section. 

Now what was I supposed to do? My advertisers had trusted me to make them successful. I was frozen with the phone in my hand for a few minutes and cried. Then I decided that this would NOT be my last day in business so I called a competitor, a local family owned newspaper, and asked for their help. They immediately sent a truck over, picked up my 30,000 magazines and inserted them in their publication the following day. That gesture was life changing. Small businesses support each other and I was eternally grateful.

I learned very quickly that the publishing world and the real estate world were both pretty cut-throat industries. As word spread about the success of my service, I learned that in certain locations our magazines were being defaced, were buried on our racks by other magazines vying for free space and we found magazines tossed into the trash. My husband Sam offered to take on the distribution role and his competitive nature took over, identifying the problem areas, waiting to resupply until the competition left, unburying our magazines whenever needed. It wasn’t easy but we knew we were making an impact in the region and our advertisers were thrilled with their success.

The impact that my business had on my family was somewhat harder to gauge. I know there were many times that Sam wished he could enjoy his early retirement from teaching without loading boxes of magazines in his car.  I don’t think that Joc and Steph really knew what I did as they were quite young. I remember explaining to Steph that in my first eight months in business I had helped people save almost a million dollars selling their own homes.  I was pretty proud of that success. She looked at me with wide eyes and asked, “So WE have a million dollars?” 

I then had to explain that WE didn’t actually have that money, my customers kept the money and that if I had been a real estate agent who had all of those listings, that’s what the agent would have made.”  She looked at me very seriously then replied logically, “Then why aren’t YOU a real estate agent?”   Clearly, I had to think of a better way of explaining my value proposition.

Over the next several years the marketing landscape changed at lightening speed.  The Internet changed everything and I found that in order to remain competitive I needed to learn how to harness that power.  
The Internet leveled the playing field for private home sellers. I moved our advertisers to an online format, added email marketing to stay in touch with workshop attendees who weren’t quite ready to sell. When social media came on the scene I was an early adopter of those tools as well.  Things were going well until the real estate market began tetering. In 2008, I started a second business in anticipation of the road ahead.  

My new business, Mass Marketing Resources, allowed me to once again work with small businesses, this time helping them learn about email marketing and social media.  As the real estate market continued to collapse, I held onto my belief that everything would be OK although advertising revenue kept declining. 

One thing entrepreneurs often have difficulty with is knowing when to let go of something they have loved. I should have closed the real estate side of my business earlier. That was not fair to my family and I regret that. 

Another lesson learned about remembering to take care of the rocks first, before the pebbles and sand.

Since joining WBOA,  I have become more conscious of work life balance. Maybe it’s that we have so many gifted holistic practitioners in our midst. Last year I turned 62 which was difficult birthday. I’d lost my mom to cancer when she was 62.  Her life was filled with caring for others, both professionally as a nurse and as a mom.  In the end I do feel that stress played a big part in the loss of her good health.  So I did something I never thought I would.  I had a spiritual reading done and it was eye opening and heart opening.  

I took another look at that mayonnaise jar filled with rocks, pebbles and sand and began identifying ways to find better balance.  

I stopped taking my laptop to the beach in the summer, didn’t answer the phone as much on the weekends, and made more decisions based on whether they felt “light” or “heavy” rather than “should I” or “shouldn’t I” do something. This new way of thinking was another helpful lesson learned from a speaker at a WBOA workshop.  I gave up my role as an educator and professional speaker for Constant Contact this year to free up more time to volunteer and to be available to help Jocelyn and Logan plan for their upcoming December wedding.  
I now have more time to work with clients, take on new interesting projects, continue volunteering, and still teach occasionally.  Would I have gotten to this point without WBOA? Maybe, but it would have been a lot harder.  

So I leave you with this.  

Please hold onto this little bag of rocks, pebbles and sand and think of your own mayonnaise jar. It’s filled with possibilities, choices and decisions.  The choices we make will impact our lives, our families lives and those around us.  The sand sure feels good under our feet, but remember to pick up and care for the rocks first. Thank you.

Last month I blogged about making a decision based on a task feeling "light" or "heavy". You can read about it here. This month, I'd like to dig deeper into why many small business owners put marketing on the "heavy" list and what could help you re-frame marketing so that working on this important part of your business feels "light", or at least lighter. Sounds good, doesn't it.  I can feel the weight being lifted as you read this.

The reasons that marketing may feel heavy fall into a few categories. Do any of these reasons resonate?

• The Cart's Before The Horse.  As an entrepreneur, you don't know the meaning of doing things slowly. You hatched your idea for your business in a week, ordered business cards online and hit the ground running. Along the way, you created a website and a Facebook page but NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT A MARKETING STRATEGY.
• Organization Isn't My Strong Suit.  You work hard in your business and are realizing some success, but it comes at a cost.  Because you HAVEN'T SET UP SYSTEMS to help you stay on top of your marketing, it has become really heavy.
• Ain't Got No Time For That.  You wear many hats - CEO, CFO, CMO, COO, and CBO (Chief Bottle Washer). You know marketing your business is critical to your success and you are pretty tech savvy, but you just DON'T HAVE TIME to devote to doing it. Hello, there are only 24 hours in a day.
• I Need Help Programming My VCR.  Totally with you on this one. Maybe technology isn't second nature and trying to figure out every social media platform has you fondly remembering the good old days. Relax. You got this, with some help. And, you don't have to be everywhere . . . you just need to be where your customers are.
• Let It Go! (no, I'm not launching into a Frozen songfest) You know what needs to be done, could do most of it yourself, but CAN'T DO IT ALL. You need to save your creative juices for other aspects of running your business. Maybe it's time to outsource some of the tasks.
• I Need To Try Something Else.  Whoa, before you throw out how you're marketing your business, do you really know what's working, what's not, and what needs more attention?  IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT THE METRICS. A critical look at your data should give you the information you need to decide where to focus your marketing energy. 
• My Business Is On Fire! Well, this is a good thing.  Growth is great, but sometimes getting to the next level causes a bit of angst. Now is the time to REFINE YOUR MARKETING PLAN, developing a deeper understanding of what your customers want and learning how to reach new markets, build lasting collaborations. You're up to the challenge.

I'd love your feedback. What speaks to you here, if anything? Is there something I've missed? If you need help, you know where to find me.

Remember, Marketing Should Be Fun, NOT Painful.

After much thought and reflection I have made a big decision which affects my work/life balance.

I am stepping down as an Authorized Local Expert for Constant Contact. I will continue my role as a Business Solution Provider, working with small businesses here in Western Mass and I may hold smaller marketing workshops from time to time. I will miss working with great Western Mass organizations like SCORE, MSBDC, many Chambers of Commerce and other non-profit organizations. I love to teach and love to see small businesses succeed.  It has been an honor to work with an unbelievable New England team for four years and I will miss them. Over the next few weeks I will be updating my website, various social media profiles, etc. to reflect this change.  

One of my long time clients leads families through the "downsizing" process. She refers to the work as "rightsizing".  I like that.  It feels light.  

I actually began making small changes in my work-life balance last year, letting go of working weekends (I know.) but the lightbulb really turned on when I was presenting at a WBOA social media workshop last fall. Our lunch speaker was talking about how to choose to do something, or to say "no".  She advocated that instead of thinking about things as something we "should"  or "shouldn't do, to remove the guilt feeling and ask yourself . . . 

"Does it feel light or heavy?"

I used this question as I began the "rightsizing" exercise of my work-life balance and it has helped greatly.  I have also asked my clients the same question when they are up against a marketing task that they feel they "should" do.  If the task feels heavy the decision to outsource the work becomes a no-brainer. Often I hear that the decision to let something go has been replaced by more creativity and productive use of their time.  ​

More changes are yet to come down the road, but I truly feel that the process of "rightsizing" will help me make good decisions.