July 2003

Throwing Open the Windows

Do you have a business card? I would expect that most of you do. Take a look at it for a moment. Does it actually say what you do? If a stranger were to look at it, would they remember you in an instant and be clear about your area of expertise or business?

It’s funny how many people have a card that says their name and something like ‘Managing Director, ASP Industries’, but they do not pause to consider what that will actually tell someone else about the business.

If your business name does not really give a clue as to the kind of business you are in, then maybe you should consider listing your core activities on the reverse of your card? I now have a list of six things on the back of mine. It reads like this:

Keynotes and workshops
Writing and publishing
Grow your own network
Portable and dual careers
Entrepreneurship

Consultancy
Publishing, writing and careers

Writing
Journalism, authoring, copywriting, editing

Now no-one can claim not to know what I do at ‘Summertime’.

My company name was chosen deliberately too. In his great book ‘Go it Alone’, author Geoff Burch asks the reader to consider the names of the big High Street shops. Shops such as Burton, Woolworth and WH Smith. All these names mean nothing. They are effectively just surnames. Names like Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Superdrug and The Pine Shop are very different. Their names say exactly what they do. So, Superdrug is unlikely to branch into selling fashion and The Pine Shop is unlikely to sell glass. Sometimes your business name can restrict you a little and prevent you from diversifying. That’s why Summertime works for me.

What I am talking about, I suppose, is ‘Windows of Opportunity’. We need to make sure that we tell everyone what we do and always retain the ability to grow and evolve. We need to make sure that the lady who comes to us for dressmaking services is also aware that we do cake decorating. I need to ensure that the people who come on my writing courses also know that I can offer consultancy and that I can be hired as a speaker.

Not only have I started to get my services printed on my business card but I have now taken this one step further. A few weeks ago I created a greetings card so that I could use it to send my contacts thank you notes and birthday wishes or use it to enclose a cheque when I pay an invoice. You will already know that my slogan is ‘Believe in Blue Sky’ so I had these words and a little design printed on the front of the card. Inside I have a longer list of my services printed down the left hand side. I used a pale grey because I did not want to be too brazen about publicising my services. The inside right hand of the card is left blank for my message. The back cover holds my contact details. It’s a simple thing to have done, and it cost less to have these cards printed than it would have cost me to buy a ready made greetings card from a shop. Again, I am keeping those windows of opportunity wide open.

So, as the sun, at last shines on England (or it did until yesterday at least) and I throw open my windows wide, I invite you to check that your windows are open too.

Jo Parfitt

I would like to thank John Sealey of Your Marketing Matters (www.yourmarketingmatters.co.uk) for his inspiration regarding windows of opportunity.

Believe in blue sky

What’s happening in September, October and November

At last some of the dates in my diary have been finalised and I want you to be the first to know.

SEPTEMBER
On September 4th I will be speaking about Find your passion at Buy the Book in Stamford, Lincs. It costs just £5 and you get a free cup of coffee AND £5 off the price of a book.

On September 19th I’ll be running Release the Book Within in London. Price £95.

On September 29th I’m running a networking event in London along with networking catalyst, Gwen Rhys. The event has been partly organised by Patricia Keener of the US Embassy and will take place from 4.30 – 7.30m pm. I do not have all the details yet but I do know there are only 60 places, it is being held at the Austrian Trade Commission and will be very affordable.

On 30th September Robin Pascoe (www.expatexpert.com) will be in Amsterdam. Watch this space for more information. I may be joining them too.

OCTOBER
On 1st October, Robin Pascoe and Mary van der Boon will be speaking at the Expatica HR conference in Amsterdam

From 2nd – 4th October you cannot afford to miss the WIN conference in Lausanne. I will be co-presenting a workshop called Grow Your Own Networks with Jacqui Tillyard, the co-ordinator for Winning Connections for Women. It will be a great event, the fifth time I have been to WIB and an opportunity for Robin Pascoe, Mary van der Boon and Gail MacIndoe fans to see them there too.

On 9th October Robin Pascoe, Hilly van Swol) and myself will be co-presenting at another Expatica HR event, this time in Frankfurt.

On 10th October I will be running an expatriate writing workshop in Frankfurt at Fit For Germany, thanks to the organisation of Joke Naughton, who runs www.frankfurtexpat.com. Cost will be €150 for a full day, which includes lunch.

On 19th October I am running Definite Articles my article writing course, in London. Cost £95.

NOVEMBER
On 17th November I will be running Definite Articles in south Lincolnshire. Cost £80.

On 26th November I will be running Release the Book Within in south Lincolnshire. Cost £80.

Contact me for more information or to book.