Archive for the ‘Support Team’ Category
I'm often asked, "What could an intern do for me and my business?", by the entrepreneurs I meet at networking events and speaking engagements I attend. For many of them, the term "internship" brings to mind images of a young college student making copies, digging through filing cabinets, and sending faxes. While this is may be the stereotype, there are many more things an intern can do to help you reach your marketing goals and further their own learning and skill building.
If you have a business, whether it's full time or part time, run out of your home or an external office, an intern can be a great asset to support your marketing efforts. There are lots of things you can hire an intern to do that will help you out and provide a learning experience for her at the same time. Here are seven projects that are great for interns:
1. Managing your database
Every business owner should have a place to keep contact information of the prospects, partners, leads, and vendors they know. Imagine going to a networking event, trade show, or speaking engagement and having someone else to do the data entry of that information into your system. They can also:
- Add contacts to a follow-up or drip marketing sequence
- Schedule time on your calendar to make a follow-up phone call
- Complete regular 'maintenance' on your system by removing old email addresses and add missing fields like zip codes
- Call your contacts to get mailing addresses for thank you notes
- Run reports to check on email open rates and bounces
2. Social networking
Interns know how to use social networking tools like Facebook, LinkedIN and Twitter. They can save you a great deal of time by posting and scheduling your status updates, adding or finding new friends, accepting or declining group and event invitations, creating events and inviting guests, uploading photos, keeping your profile up to date, or messaging new friends to encourage them to join your Facebook fan page or email list.
3. Finding reciprocal linking partners
Inbound links are a valuable commodity, and reciprocal linking can get you those links at no cost. But it does take some time to find webmasters of relevant sites who will link to you. Why not get your intern to do it?
4. Managing emails
If reading and answering email from networking partners, prospects, and clients takes you a good deal of time to manage, let your intern help. He can screen the emails that come into your inbox, decide whether it needs action or just to be read, answer the ones you tell them to using a template you write, bring the ones he can't answer to your immediate attention and archive the rest.
5. Running email campaigns
From the nuts and bolts of setting up autoresponders to tracking results, there is much to be learned from an email campaign. Letting your intern work on one will benefit both of you.
6. Setting up shopping carts
A shopping cart is a key component of any Internet marketing site. Allowing your intern to set up shopping carts on new sites will free up your time.
7. Promotion of special events
When you are planning a special event, teleclass, or program launch, it's always nice to have an extra hand. Your intern could handle the promotion aspect of it, freeing you up to do the planning.
If you find you are spending time working "in" your business more than working "on" your business and any of the above tasks keep you from doing the important activities only you can do, hiring an intern is a great way to get help managing the administrative functions of your operation while helping a student get valuable experience at the same time. And that's what I call a win-win.
Deanna Maio, Business Trainer & Coach, teaches business owners simple, powerful processes to stop wasting time and start making more money, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
Teaching at a rock and roll music camp for 7-14 year olds this week taught me (or reminded me) of some valuable lessons that can help us to running successful businesses. In this, the first article in a two part series, I'll share 3 lessons you can learn from rock camp and how you can start applying them to your business.
Lesson #1: Life is short. Have fun!
While this lesson may seem cliche, it became so clear for me just after the first few moments of being with my eager young students. Laughing, giggling, joking is innate in kids and isn't something they need to plan for, schedule in, or "make time for." Imagine how challenges, obstacles, or decisions would be easier to manage and handle if we just injected a little bit more fun into our businesses. Here are some ideas on how to have more fun at work, whether you work alone, with others, at home, or in an office.
- Write a joke on a post-it and tell it to those who call you or you call during the day
- Before making a difficult call or one you've been putting off, start laughing for no reason for at least 10 seconds, no matter how forced it may feel, then stop and dial
- Dress up one day in a silly outfit. Be a clown, pirate, hobo, or punk rocker. Look at yourself in the mirror often and remember what it felt like to be a kid
- Color in a coloring book, finger paint, make music on a kazoo, or do a dance when you are feeling stressed. You'll release creativity and energy will flow in a more positive direction
Lesson #2: Practice Makes Progress
Each day at camp, each band (there were four) not only practiced their instruments but, also got together for band rehearsal. In 5 days each band will play 3 new songs, and sing on 2 new ones too. Plus, they'll write one collectively as a group. Whether it's playing music, having sales conversations, or introducing yourself at a networking event, practice is KEY to having a great performance. Repetition is the mother of all learning. The more we do anything, if we practice noticing what worked and what didn't, we will improve.
- Read your 10 second introduction or elevator speech out loud every day in front of the mirror
- Call a friend and ask them to practice being a prospect. Walk through your qualifying questions or "free consultation" process with them
- Get dressed in your networking clothes and go to a new networking event. Set a goal to meet 3 new people and try to connect them with one person within your network that would be a good referral partner for them
- Meet with a colleague to practice overcoming sales objections that you might hear from a prospect. Be realistic and offer each other feedback after each role play.
Lesson #3: Classics Never Go Out of Style
This week the bands are playing some of my favorite rock and roll tunes: Twist and Shout, Joy to the World (Three Dog Night, not the carol,) Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, and Hey Jude. These songs are expertly written and well loved by hundreds of thousands of music lovers. They were chosen for the show because they are songs that would be entertaining and enjoyed by the audience and the bands playing and singing them. How does this apply to your business? 2 things, actually. Give your audience what they want. Here are some thoughts how...
- Ask your favorite clients what they'd like to see from you in terms of new products or services. Survey them as a group, call and ask them three short questions to get their feedback, find trends in their answers, create what they want or find someone to offer it to them
- Don't waste time creating a new product, service, or package and then marketing it if you aren't absolutely sure your target market wants it. (It doesn't count if you think they need it, if they haven't told you they want it too.)
- Remind your target market, current clients, and your past clients of all the services you provide. Send them a note every once in awhile to remind them and make an offer to work with you again. Don't let repeat business fall through the cracks because you've become invisible to them.
- Review the services you provide and find new ways to offer them. Usually work in person, consider working by phone to reach more people. Usually work one on one, consider doing a group program or a one day workshop. See ways to offer the same or similar results and leverage your time by using a different delivery model and you could start reaping the rewards of working smarter in no time.
With these three rock camp lessons, you'll start to feel a new creativity, flow, and rhythm in your business and move closer to being the business rock star you were born to be.
Deanna Maio, Business Trainer & Coach, teaches business owners simple, powerful processes to stop wasting time, start making more money, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
Searching for an intern is more difficult than one might imagine. Finding the right one for your business is just as important as selecting your employees. If you're hiring your intern for a short-term project, it's especially important to find someone who can jump in and get the job done. The following are some qualities to look for in your interns:
1. Enthusiasm - Interns who are enthusiastic about working with your company are more likely to produce good results than those who are just trying to fulfill their college requirements, or gain experience any way they can. Including questions in your interview that pertain to why the candidate wants an internship with your company is a good way to reveal her level of enthusiasm.
2. Willingness to learn - An intern who already thinks he knows it all probably won't be much of an asset to your business. Although he should have some training that relates to the position, he must be willing to learn the skills he needs to complete his project successfully.
3. Commitment - This one is important for obvious reasons. Hiring an intern, only to have her leave with the job half done, can put a major strain on your business. You need someone who is committed to seeing her internship through.
4. Good communication skills - Interns need to be able to communicate well with others in order to facilitate teamwork. They too should be able to effectively let you know when they run into problems. You can get a good feel for a candidate's communication skills through open-ended interview questions.
5. Receptiveness to constructive criticism - An intern will not get everything right on the first try, nor should you expect him to. But he should be able to take constructive criticism, and use it to improve his performance.
6. Trustworthiness - This is a very important one, especially if the intern will be dealing with sensitive information or company assets. For these types of positions, it might be worthwhile to utilize personality tests that can reveal potential problems.
7. Ability to prioritize - Whether your intern is working on a specific project or just helping out around the office, prioritizing tasks is important. You can provide some structure, but it's ultimately up to the intern herself to use her time wisely.
8. Problem solving skills - While it's important to be there when your interns need you, there's just not enough time in the day to solve every little problem for them. They should be able to handle minor problems on their own with little guidance once they've been taught the proper procedures.
9. Adaptability - Your intern may or may not be doing exactly what he had hoped to do in an internship, but he should be able to adapt to a variety of tasks. The idea is to gain work experience and skills, not to set himself in one certain position for life. Having an intern who is open to doing various things in your business will make the internship more pleasant and successful for all involved.
10. An appropriate energy level - High-energy candidates are often the most attractive for business owners seeking interns, but they're not always the best choice. High energy works for intense positions, but if your internship opportunity consists of answering phones or making copies all day, high-energy types may become bored quickly. So it's very important to find a candidate that has the right type of energy for the job you need done.
Choosing the right intern varies based on the type of business you own. Knowing these 10 qualities that an intern should have, will help you successfully choose the proper intern for your team.
Deanna Maio, Business Trainer & Coach, teaches business owners simple, powerful processes to stop wasting time and start making more money, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
Hiring an intern is a great way to get extra help for your business but in order for an internship to be successful, you must choose your intern carefully. Understanding the concepts of choosing a member for your support team will greatly benefit you. The following 5 savvy strategies will guide you in your decision.
Treat the process of hiring an intern just like hiring an actual employee
Request a resume, cover letter, or both. Do an interview, and give the same tests/questions to your potential intern as you would any other applicant for a similar position. Also, treat the intern as you would an employee. Having a solid relationship is key to success. This will give you valuable insight into the intern's capabilities and work habits.
Keep in mind that interns rarely have a great deal of work experience
It is important not to expect too much right away. Do though, encourage your Intern to ask questions while also encouraging them to find the answer themselves. The usual purpose of an internship is to gain work experience and credits for college. So if you're looking for years of experience in the field, an internship is not going to be the right solution for you. On the other hand, there are some forms of experience outside the workplace that you could consider. Some potential interns may have volunteer experience that is relevant to your business. And most have done extensive coursework in their fields, giving them knowledge they can apply when working for you.
Look for enthusiastic candidates
Someone who is excited about the position will try harder than someone who is just in it because she needs an internship to get her degree. And when most candidates are lacking concrete experience, trying hard and wanting the experience is very important.
Think about which candidate can benefit the most
An internship is a two-way street and should be a mutually beneficial experience. You get work done at little or no cost, and the intern gains valuable experience. But if the experience is irrelevant to the intern's goals, she will be less likely to do her best and have a truly valuable experience. Make sure that your intern is a good fit for the position and that she will leave with new knowledge in her chosen field as well as experience. This will ensure that the internship is a success.
Make sure your intern has realistic expectations regarding the position
She shouldn't expect this to be an ongoing job, even if you plan on considering an intern for full-time employment. If she gets a paying job out of the deal, that's great, but she should be prepared to look for work once the internship is over.
Just like paid employees, a new member of your support team can be very valuable to your business. Taking the time to choose the right one for the job can pay big dividends. By keeping your expectations realistic, communicating them thoroughly, and looking for some key traits, you can find an intern that is perfect for your purpose and is a good fit for your team.
Deanna Maio, Business Coach & Consultant, teaches women business owners how to attract more clients, make more sales, stop wasting time, and create a business that acts as a vehicle for living the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to increase your income and use your valuable time more wisely, visit http://www.savvygals.com/
