Do you want to create buzz for your products or services? Maybe Pinterest is right for helping to market your company.

Pinterest is a pinning and photo sharing website, allowing users to create and manage theme-based image collections. The site’s mission statement is to “connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they find interesting.”

Users of Pinterest manage their themed boards, populating them with media found online using the “Pin It” button, or uploaded from their computers. A “pin” can be a picture, a video, a discussion, or a product.

You can categorize your pins. Pinterest can be accessed by adding the “pin it” button to the desktop bookmark bar, “follow me” and “pin it” buttons added to personal website or blog pages, and the Pinterest iPhone app.

The Pinterest platform is particularly popular with women if this is your target market!

Posted by Carie Statz, Marketing and Sales Instructor

The connectedness of business and its success has always triggered my interest.  Applause for the hospitality industry  that is now focusing on talent development, employee engagement and the resulting benchmark we all share – guest satisfaction.   

Just what is talent depth?  And, how do you improve it in your hospitality organization?  At the recent HR in Hospitality Conference and Expo, a panel of experts addressed these issues in the breakout titled “Rebuilding the Bench: Strategies for Improving Your Organization’s Talent Depth.”   Panelists agreed, “Now that profits and prosperity have returned to much of the industry, human resource professionals must learn to rebuild the bench to improve the skill sets of their workforce.” 

Since there is typically a link between the organization’s brand-identify and employee talent profile, the answers are unique to each company, but all agreed talent development is an investment important to maintenance and growth of market share.  Leslie Lerude, VP of people and culture at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurant Group LLC shared Kimpton’s more universal philosophy when she stated, “We hire for care.  We hire for integrity.”  

As with other important business benchmarks, talent development must be measured.  Panel members discussed that the measurement is today a key part of GM performance benchmarking.  Details of this session may be found at  http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/articles.aspx/7667/Talent-development-key-as-recovery-takes-hold/ 

When asked for talent development advise, Lerude replied, “The No. 1 thing is when your employees feel that they’re personally invested in.” 

That feeling of personal investment works two ways.  In another session at the HR in Hospitality Conference and Expo, titled “How the Game Has Changed: Rewards and Incentives”, the reality that engaged employees drive guest satisfaction was explored.  Darci Riesenhuber, director of brand culture and internal communications for Hilton Worldwide’s Embassy Suites brand said it best:  “The No. 1 reason customers don’t come back to a hotel, as cited by 68% of respondents in a recent poll, is because employees don’t care. At a distant second is price (14%), followed by product quality (9%). The ripple effect is you don’t care about me as an employee, I don’t care about you, I certainly don’t care about your customer.” More about delivery of brand promise, motivational insights and employee recognition practices discussed in this session may be found at http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/articles.aspx/7642/Engaged-employees-drive-guest-satisfaction.

Three hotel companies recently ranked in Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For”.  Each of the companies prioritizes engagement between executives and their employees.  Cited in a report at http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/7619/Hotels-acknowledged-for-employee-engagement Intercontinental Hotels Group has a very generous 401k plan, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts employees have generous opportunities to change positions and locations, and Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants has connectedness embedded throughout the organization, including employee affinity groups. 

Guest satisfaction is about so much more than facilities – it’s about people!

FREE Conference Virtual Event – March 27    10:00 AM - 2:00 PM                           

Held on DCTC Apple Valley Campus  (14200 Cedar Ave. Apple Valley, MN – 651-423-8600 in Room 150).

Sponsored by DCTC’s American Marketing Association Student Club!

EVENT OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN ABOUT SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO). YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE AN AMA MEMBER OR DCTC STUDENT TO ATTEND. THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL HALF-DAY CONFERENCE.

SEO might be short and simple when said, but the concept and execution can be daunting, even to the most seasoned of marketers and business professionals. Join us for this comprehensive event where you’ll have the opportunity to learn from today’s SEO thought-leaders, who will show you how to optimize your website and build your overall online presence.

You Will Learn:

• The basics of how to build a strong SEO program
• Keyword research best practices
• How to optimize your website
• Real examples of successful SEO
• How to build relevant links over time
• SEO ROI measurement tips for your SEO efforts

FREE Conference on SEO Optimization will be held on March 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. DCTC Apple Valley campus (14200 Cedar Ave. – 651-423-8600)

Light Lunch will be provided at no cost!      

RSVP by emailing carie.statz@dctc.edu so we can order the right amount for lunch OR JUST SHOW UP!

 Featured Keynote Speaker, 10:00am CT
 Randy Fishkin, CEO and Co-Founder,  SEOmoz

Rand Fishkin is the CEO & Co-Founder of the web’s most popular SEO Software provider, SEOmoz. He co-authored the Art of SEO from O’Reilly Media and was named on the 40 Under 40 List and 30 Best Young Tech Entrepreneurs Under 30. Rand has been written about in The Seattle Times, Newsweek and PC World among others and keynoted conferences on search around the world. He’s particularly passionate about the SEOmoz blog, read by tens of thousands of search professionals each day.  

 Keynoter, 11:30am CT
MIchael H. Fleischner
Founder, MarketingScoop.com
Author, SEO Made Simple

Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert with more than 14 years of marketing experience. He has appeared on the TODAY Show, ABC World News, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media. Michael is the author of today’s top-selling SEO book on Amazon.com, SEO Made Simple.  He has also published other books such as PPC Made Simple, Article Marketing Made Simple, and the 30 Day SEO Success Guide.  Michael coaches individuals and companies on SEO best practices and is also the Founder of MarketingScoop.com, The SCOOP Marketing Forum,  and Upward SEO Consulting.  Michael’s marketing blog is one of the most visited marketing blogs on the web at marketing-expert.blogspot.com.  To follow Michael visit The Marketing Blog or connect via twitter @mfleischner.

Promotion is an evolving science in business.  Whether we’re promoting a product, service, event, trade show, conference, or ?, we strive to get into the “heads” of our target audience. Statisticians are now predicting our behaviors and using the information gleaned to entice and even trigger our purchase.  Read “How Companies Learn Our Secrets”  for more information.  Mining data and statistical connectivity have indeed replaced the old crystal ball.

Hospitality Scholarship Opportunity

More than $500,000 is available in scholarships. The deadline for all applications is May 1^st. Students can apply online or download an application.  One lucky DCTC Meeting and Event Management student won a scholarship from American Hotel and Lodging Foundation last year.  Apply now!

Posted by Bob Voss

             This subject gets asked of me a lot, and since it is rather complicated, I have decided to answer it in two blog posts.  In Part #1 of the answer I will talk about liability protection and separating your personal assets from your business assets, and in Part #2, I will discuss taxes and the different ways you can pay yourself depending on the type your business organization.  One of the best ways of thinking about the different type of business organizations is to look at how your state or the federal government looks at you and how they look at a business organization.  For example if you go to the Secretary of State of your individual state and get a Certificate of Assumed name you are considered a Sole Proprietorship.  This is the simplest form of business organization and in Minnesota for example the fee is only $25 by mail or $35 on line.  You can then take the Certificate of Assumed name and get a business checking account.  FYI, in some states, the name has to be published in a newspaper as well before it is considered valid. The state and the federal government both will then recognize your business, but because you are a sole proprietorship, the business is looked upon simply as you.  From a liability standpoint this is not good.  If your business does something wrong, not only is your business at risk for fault and damages, but so are you personally, and most, if not all, of your personal assets have been put at risk.  For the most part, you and business are considered by the state and federal government as one and the same.  If separating your personal and business assets is not important to you and don’t worry about anything really bad happening to your business, then a sole proprietorship might be OK.

                One of the major advantages of becoming a Corporation (“S” or “C”) or an LLC (Limited Liability Company) is that the state and federal governments look at you and your business independently.  They no longer look at you and your business as the same thing.  They look at you as the individual and your business as something completely separate.  By incorporating or becoming an LLC you have separated your business assets from your personal assets, and your personal assets are no longer at risk for something the business does.   I caution you here, every state is a little bit different so check with your Secretary of State and get your specific states information, not every state recognizes every business organization.  If you go to the free stuff on the site I have included the web addresses for all 50 Secretary of States.  Probably the biggest advantage then of being a Corporation or an LLC, is that the state and federal governments look on you and your business not as the same thing, but as two separate things.  Because they look at two rather than one, your personal assets are not looked on as part of the business.  Becoming a Corporation or an LLC gives your liability protection from something the business does.  I recommend that all new businesses go the extra step, and pay the extra dollars to become a Corporation or an LLC.  I do practice what I preach; Bizowner Training is a Limited Liability Company.

                This is really important!  Just because you go to the state, pay a fee, and get the notarized document back from the state to become a Corporation or an LLC, does not mean you now done.  You have to act like a Corporation or an LLC, to be considered by the state and federal government as a “real” Corporation or LLC. This means you have to have Articles of Incorporation, or Member Control Agreements.  You have to have annual meetings, even if you have only one shareholder or one member.  You need a Corporate Record Book.  You have to file annual renewals, and yes, you must pay your taxes. 

If you don’t do all this stuff, your liability protection could be voided, because a judge might say you were not really acting like a corporation or LLC, you were acting like a sole proprietor.  Keep your liability protection in place and follow through on the legal details of your business.  I do encourage everyone starting a business to work with a competent attorney or accountant to get the legal foundation of your business solid before going forward!

 Please join us for the 2012 Transfer Fair on Wednesday, February 29th from 10:30am-1:00pm in the Central Commons.

The following schools will be in attendance:

Ø Argosy University

Ø Art Institutes

Ø Augsburg College

Ø Bethel College

Ø Cardinal Stritch University

Ø College of St. Scholastica

Ø Concordia University, St. Paul

Ø Crown College

Ø DeVry University

Ø Dunwoody College

Ø Hamline University

Ø Metropolitan State University

Ø Minnesota State University, Mankato

Ø Minnesota State University, Moorhead

Ø North Central University

Ø Northwestern College

Ø Rasmussen College

Ø Southwest Minnesota State University

Ø Saint Mary’s University

Transfer Fair 2012 Poster

Posted by Carie Satz, Marketing and Sales Instructor

Interested in the Latest in Social Media? Join the Social Media Marketing Linked-In Group and Take Their Webinars.

Also, find out about DCTC’s new Social Media Marketing certificate and AAS degree starting this summer!!*

Linked-In Group: Social Media Marketing
Subject: Free webinar: How to Create World-Class Video Advertising and Drive New Revenue, Thurs. Feb. 16 & Weds. Feb.22

Clear your diary for 45 minutes on Thursday, Febuary 16th, or on February 22nd, because this is one webinar you won’t want to miss! You already know how powerful and popular video is on the web… YouTube, Flickr, Vimeo, Metacafe and many others are driving hundreds of millions of views every day. This outstanding webinar will teach you how to create AFFORDABLE, world-class advertising to leverage those mega-popular channels.

To register, click on the link below:
Thu, Feb 16, 2012 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM EST : https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/807128590
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM EST : https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/627287398

If you’ve always thought creating really good, creative video is too expensive, or too time-consuming, you’ll be surprised at how Tubifi changes all that. It delivers your sales message on e-mail, smartphones, tablets and of course, the web, in a way that static web pages are powerless to do. The Tubifi webinar is all about unraveling the mysteries of how to do video that elevates your brand and your business.

- How do you stand out from the crowd with “go-viral” quality video?

- How do you create it at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional agency production?

- How do you distribute your new videos and create new channels that will engage viewers?

All these questions and many, many more will be answered in this webinar.

Join Ian Brower and Micha Barnum for a fun, interactive, ask-any-question-you-like webinar that will provide little-known insights into creating powerful video that delivers real value to your business.

Presenters:

Ian Brower, Chief Creative Officer

Ian has over 30 years of experience with global accounts including BMW, Swatch, Perrier, Vodafone, Cadbury, Kraft International, Ford and Barclays Bank. His work has been celebrated with awards including Clios, Sharks, Loeries and recognition at the New York and Cannes festivals. But perhaps his most important campaign was done for a referendum in South Africa, which proved to be the first step towards dismantling apartheid.

Micha Barnum, VP Sales and Business Development

Micha focuses on innovative solutions in the digital media space. With Avid Technology, the leader in video and audio production tools, he initiated a first ever integration between the dominant video editing toolset and leading stock footage providers to unleash creative possibility. He has led various innovative solutions for the media creation space in collaboration with leading industry technology partners and the MIT Media Lab. Micha holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and BS in Finance.

I hope that you will join me on this free webinar to learn how Tubifi can help build your business. There is a limit of 1,000 for the number of people who can join in, so sign up early and reserve your slot. Again, the registration links are:

Thu, Feb 16, 2012 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM EST : https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/807128590
Wed, Feb 22, 2012 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM EST : https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/627287398

* Pending MnSCU Approval

Carie Statz, DCTC Marketing and Sales Instructor, carie.statz@dctc.edu

Post by Bob Voss

            Business Owners (or as I call them bizowners) need a lot of habits in order to succeed.  Before I tell you what I think is the most important habit bizowners need, we should probably define what a habit is.  In general terms, a habit is an action or thought pattern, developed through repetition, which is for the most part automatic.  Bizowners use habits all the time to make their lives easier and to make their businesses grow.  Some use habits to always give the best service.  Some use habits to keep track of their finances on a regular basis, and some use habits to simply return phone calls and e-mails on time.  We all have habits and we all use them all the time.  How many of us have developed the “I can’t live without my cell phone” habit?

            To pick one habit over another as far as importance is a very tough job, because each of habits we have acquired impacts our success in its own way.  For me the one most overlooked and underutilized habit most bizowners should have is the CAP habit.  CAP stands for Customer Acquisition Plan.  If I had to pick one habit that impacts the success or failure of a small business the most, it is this habit.  A Customer Acquisition Plan is what you do on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to generate new business.  For some successful business owners it is making 10 calls a day to new customers.  To others it is canvassing a neighborhood once a week for 3-4 hours, and for some it is sending out 30 e-mails a week to prospects.  In any case, for a CAP to work it needs to become a habit.  Routine and repetition are keys to successful long term growth.  Doing something once doesn’t make it a habit.  Doing something twice or three times doesn’t make it a habit.  Doing something 21 times or more begins the process of making a habit. 

            If you want your business to grow dramatically in 2012 then let me give you a challenge.  Take a four hour block of time each week and do nothing in the block of time but look for new customers.  Use your individual strengths and your knowledge to figure out the best way of doing the prospecting, but do it for four hours and do nothing else in that time period.  Block the time off in your calendar and don’t let anyone or anything get in the way of this activity.  It is important that you pick the same time each week.  This makes it easier to develop a habit.  If you do this for a minimum of 20 weeks, you will develop the CAP habit, and you will be amazed at the growth and momentum you will achieve. 

            If you would like to comment on this post contact me at bob.voss@dctc.edu

posted by Bob Voss (bob.voss@dctc.edu)

In my last post I discussed the need for small business owners (bizowners) to set goals.  From experience I know that most bizowners have difficulty with setting and reaching goals.  I think the main reason for this trouble is that, because bizowners are responsible for everything, day to day things just keep getting in the way.   Remember the old saying:  “When you’re up to your neck in alligators, it’s easy to forget that the initial objective was to drain the swamp!”  This is what bizowners are facing all the time.  We all spend so much energy each day just trying to survive; we forget why we started the business in the first place.

So let’s suppose you heeded my advice and set at least one major goal for the business to achieve in 2012.  How can you make sure you will achieve the goal by the end of this year?  Let me give you three simple steps to help you reach the goals you set.

Step #1:  Make sure the goal is realistic and can be broken down into smaller parts.  Having a goal that you want to increase sales in 2012 is not a good goal.  Stating that you want to increase sales by 20% in 2012 is much better because the goal is specific and measurable.  This goal can be broken down to measurable units by time (each month, each week, and each day), and what needs to happen in each time period.

Step #2:  Make sure you keep the goal in front of you each day and make sure you say the goal aloud each day.  How long does it take to do this, 30 seconds, one minute?  Each day is the key. Goals must become habits and this is the first major habit of goal setting.  Ask yourself, what do I need to accomplish today, to meet my goal for 2012?

Step #3:  Break down the larger goal into measurable units that include both action items and a timeline.  In the goal above, one way of breaking it down would be to set smaller monthly goals.  For example, the small goal might be to increase January 2012 sales by 20% over last year.  The actions I need to take to accomplish this might be spend two hours each Thursday morning going door to door to prospect for new business.  Or the action might be to call 30 new prospects each week, or if you’re an introvert, you might decide to identify 30 new prospects and e-mail them information on your products or services each week. 

These three simple steps make all the difference in the world when it comes to goals.  One thing that also should be added to your goals is your reward for reaching the goal!  Adding a reward to the goal in step #1 also is a big incentive that helps you to focus on the goal each day. Make these three steps a habit and at the end 2012 you might find that for once, you really were able to “drain the swamp”!