Rescue Desk

Trust. The. Process.  I’ve been saying those words to myself quite a bit lately.  I even say with pauses, like there are periods between each word. I think it’s my way of slowing down, taking a breath and letting the words sink in.

Trust. The. Process.

I think starting a small business is a huge leap of faith, but it gets to a point where you simply have to Trust. The. Process. If you truly believe you’re doing everything in your power to prepare and plan, and you are confident in who you are and what you can do, then about all that’s left is to Trust. The. Process. You have to let go, throw yourself and your plans out into the universe and … say it with me … Trust. The. Process. It’s like the old adage, “What’s meant to be will be.”

Trusting the process isn’t an easy thing to do, especially for small-business owners who tend to have a smidgen of “control freak” hardwired into their DNA. After all, it’s probably why many went into business in the first place … to have control over a product, service or even their lives.

I do a lot of reading, and one category that’s usually on my self-education wish list is eastern philosophy – Buddhism, Zen, meditation, etc.  The Buddhists talk a lot about letting go, and how to avoid the incessant, impatient scramble to find solid ground. Their point is that everything is always changing, always growing, always shifting. The minute you think you’ve found solid ground, it inevitably shifts and you’re once again scrambling to find your footing. You’re much better off staying in the moment, and going with the flow.

That is, of course, an extremely generalized explanation. But letting go and trusting the process is a lesson I try to always remember. You never know when or where you’ll find your next client, your next customer or where your next invoice will be sent. While being able to say “You never know!” with glass-half-full optimism is sometimes easier said than done, think back to those chance encounters that resulted in something positive. My belief is those quirky, wonderful life coincidences usually happen when we’re unknowingly trusting the process.

For example, last week I attended a local Chamber of Commerce networking event. As I mentioned in a previous post, networking is NOT one of my favorite things. I’m naturally introverted, and I usually feel pretty uncomfortable walking into a room full of strangers where the sole purpose is to make meaningful connections.  But, my love of my own little business easily won that internal argument, so I went.

Wouldn’t you know it, before I realized it, I met a handful of wonderful people and made some contacts that will help me grow my business and continue my vision of helping other small business owners.

So, work hard, be true to who you are and what you can do, and don’t be afraid to trust the process.

Web 2.0 — the buzzword describing the next generation of Internet users — is all about having a conversation. Not perusing a library, like the golden-oldie days of the Web.

If the cornerstone of today’s Web experience is conversation, then its foundation is content.  Web developers are designing specifically for content, companies are hiring full-time content engineers, and marketers are flocking to classes on “How to Write for the Web.”

One tool that’s clearly moved to the front of the pack is blogging. If you Google “Blogging for Business,” you’ll come up against more than 6 million articles, tips, books, tools and, of course, blogs themselves.

Heck, if you’re reading this, you’re reading my business blog. For me, it’s a way for clients to get to know me better, to share things I see within my industry, and comment on tidbits that float across my desk.

Blogging can be a fiercely advantageous tool for internal and external business audiences.  It’s your chance to offer insight to the masses. It’s a one-stop-shop for anyone to tap into your expertise and observations.  It’s informal, personal and a great way for readers to interact with you. It gives you a voice to go with your image.

It can also be a timesaving lifesaver.

• Blog for your customers about industry trends, or so your employees can read the latest company news.
• If your company gets a zillion questions on the same topic, set up an FAQ category on your blog.
• Have regular contests for employees, or are always snapping pictures at company events? Highlight them in a contest or photo blog.
• You can also use your blog do some promotional teasing — drop hints about an upcoming announcement or event to increase the number of returning visitors.

But, for as cheap and easy as blogs are to start and maintain, they can also be a challenge to manage.  As one Inc.com article on business blogs so aptly noted, “Do it wrong and you could embarrass yourself, bore or alienate customers or prospects, contribute to information overload, and potentially even wind up on the wrong end of a lawsuit …”

Content is king. Keep your blog updated with regular, relevant posts. If the last time you posted something included photos from your awards ceremony — last year — it’s a safe bet that nobody is reading it anymore. 

I said your blog is a one-stop-shop … for anyone. The very nature of a blog is to be an outlet for contemplation.  But, unless it’s hidden behind a virtual lock and key, anyone can read it. The February issue of Entrepeneur magazine featured a column on business blogging. “Think ‘book’, not ‘diary,” it said. “A diary contains your spontaneous thoughts and feelings… By contrast, if you write a book, from Day One you should be thinking about spreading the word about it.”

It’s important to know your audience and write accordingly. You should be able to easily answer the question:  “Why do I have a blog?”  Your answer should drive what your blog looks like, its content and your writing style.

Blogs can undeniably become an effective tool to share your (or your company’s) expertise, build relationships with your employees and customers, add some umph to your overall marketing strategy and connect with a wide audience.  

So, it’s time to shelve those library books and start talking.