At the crossroads

Being a business owner is a lonely profession at times. When it’s busy, it’s a breeze. Just do the work. When it’s time to get new business or change direction, I often freeze. I don’t like making cold calls – although I’m getting better at it. Networking tends to be an effort that generates business down the road – sometimes way down the road.

A road in northwest Washington state. Photo by Liz Cezat

What’s a business owner to do? There’s LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. While I have landed a few projects from those venues, I find social media to be more valuable in terms of learning new information; forming new ideas; connecting to new friends, associates or clients; and just having fun by posting and viewing people’s comments. I like to read inspirational blogs and quotes for a motivational kick.

Before change can take root, it seems like chaos must first occur. It’s time to implement my second quarter strategy, which is to add some training engagements while continuing to write for business and nonprofits. For this service, I will start contacting human resource departments, associations and nonprofits. I aim to expand my base of work rather than shift it entirely. I love to work with my graphic designers on annual reports, newsletters, brochures and websites for business and nonprofits. But, it’s vital to get out of the office and interact with others.

I’m reviving my seminar/training offerings with a session on “How to write better e-mails.” My expertise comes from being a communicator and writer. I want to share my knowledge with employees and others who have difficulty writing e-mails. Next week, I am meeting with a prospective client who has been talking with me about this program for about a year now. I trust that we will move forward.

Then, I need to set up my new iMac, upgrade the software and get ready to ride a speedy machine. That will be a beauty.

I find that envisioning my desired result is often the “kick in the pants” that is needed to move forward and try new things. Wish me luck – which is another way of saying, “Do the hard work of focusing. Take the right action steps. Make great people connections. And, above all, stay confident and positive.”

“The business of small business is no easy feat.” You can quote me on that.

Feel free to add your comments about how you handle being at the crossroads and deciding what action steps to take.

Referrals are welcome

Repeat customers and referrals are at the heart of a healthy business operation. When was the last time you recommended a restaurant to a friend? Maybe you were happy with a car wash and told a neighbor, who now frequents the same place. When someone compliments your suit, shoes or coat, you might even tell them where you bought those items, unprompted. So much business is spread by word of mouth.

Owners of businesses can’t be in all the right networking places at the right time, but building up referral sources is imperative for a professional service firm.

Recently my accountant passed away. Unfortunately, no provision had been made to complete my taxes. It was time to go looking for another accountant. Being a small business, I didn’t need a powerhouse accounting firm but I did need someone local who could get the taxes done on time. An added value would be someone who could provide financial expertise to help my business thrive.

I decided to call on an accountant who is a friend of the family. I was disappointed to learn that she wasn’t available to do my taxes. I asked her if she knew of anyone else. She told me about a CPA in Livonia, who shares an office with two others and is very competent. In fact, my source said that she often refers prospective clients to this CPA when her clientele gets too full. Her vote of confidence was reassuring. It was also a big relief because I didn’t have to keep looking. My new CPA is gaining a new customer without even having to knock on my door or make a cold call. Given that scenario, you see how important a good referral can be.

That’s why we welcome your referrals. My team at Cezat Creative Resources and I can manage your print or web project from concept to completion. We are to the print/web/presentation process what an event planner is to a wedding, conference or fundraising event.  We make your job easier by handling all the details and ensuring that deadlines are met and budgets are adhered to.

Referrals can take small business to new places. Photo by Liz Cezat.

We offer complete project management – writing, design, photography, printing/mailing, and posting online – for timely communication. Our newsletters, brochures, annual reports, websites and presentations are designed to keep your audiences informed, inspired and loyal to your organization/firm. I also offer social media – posting and blog content.

We can help you:

• sell professional services

• raise funds for a nonprofit organization

• boost loyalty from alumni and/or association members

• prepare for a capital campaign

• engage your key supporters.

If you are pleased with the services that you have received from Cezat Creative Resources, please tell your associates about us when they go looking for a small yet smart business to take on an important project that involves marketing, fundraising or B2B sales.

If you have questions, comments or want to discuss a project, please contact Liz Cezat at 734.416.5915 or send an e-mail. Thank you for helping us get the word out.

After the speech ... lead with the news

Get more mileage out of speeches by writing them "news style" for newsletters and press releases. (Photo by Liz Cezat)

Leading with the news is one of the best ways to get a reader’s attention. When it comes to reporting on an executive’s speech, many corporate publications and association newsletters write a lead only telling who spoke and where they spoke – rather than what was said.  Then, the writer may throw in a bunch of background information, such as the audience included members of an ad hoc committee that is working on shoring up quality standards in the industry. (ho hum).

Who wants to sift through a bunch of corporate-speak before getting to the meat of the article? If written news style (typically how journalists write for print media and corporate newsletters), the lead sentences should contain the elements of “who, what, when and where” – “why” is optional.  

The “what” would be the most important take-away from the speech. Any good speech typically has one to three main points that the speaker wants the audience to know. The other main points can be elaborated on further down in the article. But they too should come before a wordy explanation of what the ad hoc committee does.

Think of an inverted pyramid, with the most important information at the widest point (or at the beginning of an article), supported by details as you read on. The very end of the article – the tip of the pyramid – should contain the background information that is nice to have but not essential to the story. That way, if readers don’t finish the article, they still have the main take-away points.

The beauty of using a freelance writer, such as myself, is that I know how to structure the article (or press release) to get the key concepts across in an informative and engaging manner. Too often, the staff writer may actually only be wearing that hat in addition to performing HR functions. Or, the staff writer may be too immersed in industry jargon to deliver the news from the speech in a fresh, reader-friendly manner.

Take a look at your company's press releases regarding speeches and see what approach is taken. Is it "corporate speak" or news style?

Research and interviews that make the grade

With the Internet resources today, interviews and reports are much more compelling and a whole lot easier to research and write. When I first started my business in 1994, doing background preparation for a CEO speech or a major profile was like going down a blind alley on the Internet. It took hours, involved looking at horsey typeface (typically multi-colored and different fonts), had few if any decent pictures, and often led to dead-ends.

What's the story behind these newlyweds? (Photo by Liz Cezat)

Now there’s Google and other snappy search engines that take you where you want to go in a matter of seconds. In preparation for interviews, I typically “google” the person or subject to supplement what I already know. It is through this compilation of written reports and YouTube videos that I gather the kernels of questions I will ask the interviewee.

Aside from my own curiosity, I am guided in my writing by the audience of the newsletter, magazine or report. What do the readers want to know about this person or topic?

If they are donors, they often want to know what motivates a philanthropist to donate to a specific cause. Was there an incident in their childhood that caused them to favor a certain nonprofit organization as an adult? Did one of their children sustain a debilitating injury or chronic illness that changed the family’s life? Readers are also curious about the type of business or investments that enable a philanthropist to be a major supporter of an organization.

For alumni publications read by both recent graduates and older alumni, learning about a fellow alum’s path to success is always of interest. Poignant stories that tell of a special relationship connect with readers emotionally. Did the couple elope at 18 in order to leave the country and start a new restaurant chain that made them multi-millionaries? Reports about how an individual overcame adversity or seized an opportunity make for riveting reading.

I try to ferret out the unique aspects of an individual and that typically comes out during the actual interview. Thus, I must be alert to where the conversation is going if it strays from my set questions. If the thread of the interview takes me to a new place, I tend to explore it. That thread may reveal information that makes the finished article much different than it otherwise would have been. Whenever possible, I also ask colleagues or friends of the individual for insight into his/her personality, actions or achievements.

Let me know if you have a topic or individual that your organization or business wants to highlight in a newsletter, blog, magazine or special report. I’d be happy to do the research and writing.

Can color make you happy?

Photo by Liz Cezat, Utah.

How important is color in your life? If you live in a world of beige or black & white, you might not notice how much vibrant colors or a subtle hue can stimulate your senses: not only your eyes, but also your imagination. People living in a beige world may not be fully cognizant of their surroundings while those who live in a black & white world may view the landscape simply as a backdrop to the business of life.

For the left-brain readers, I will correlate these colors to my PMS book. In this reference, PMS does not refer to Pre Menstrual Syndrome, rather it’s a book of color swatches with numbers known as the Pantone® Color Formula Guide. It is an indispensible tool for graphic designers and art directors.

Today, when I stepped out of the shower, I reached for my towel. It was poppy-pink (PMS 1787). Not the usual beige. I felt uplifted with this new color. Then, I realized that poppy-pink is such a cheerful color, how can you not be happy when you see it?

Yesterday, while watering the flowers in my garden, I noticed that the marigolds were not just yellow, some were golden yellow (PMS 116) yet others were a vibrant orange (PMS 21) and others were burnt red (PMS 186) – all stemming from the same stalk. These intense colors made me appreciate the true beauty of a marigold.

While planting in a friend’s cottage garden the other week, my boyfriend instructed me to put a pot of geraniums into a bed of deep green groundcover. I asked, “Why? It’s all green there.” He replied, “It could use a pop of color.” He was absolutely right. That flash of red was the perfect foil to a mass of green leaves.

When creating materials for print (newsletters, annual reports) or the web (websites, e-newsletters), my graphic designers always play off colors. If someone is wearing green in a photo, they create a green element elsewhere on the page or use a complementary color – such as red. I appreciate color as an art form. I see how it stands out, makes you take notice and might even change your perspective.

Picture this: You're walking in the rain on a city street in the bad part of town and you've sunk into a dark mood. Then you see a yellow car. It's the brightest spot on the dreary, rain-soaked street. All of a sudden you think of the sun and you involuntarily smile. That spot of color makes a connection that lifts your mood.

Just for a day, observe the colors that strike you. How does color affect your mood? I don't think it's a stretch to say that color connects us to the world and has some sway in increasing our happiness.