3 Guiding Business Principles

A few weeks ago I was talking to my mom on the phone when she said: “You should write a blog about how you grew your business over the past 18 months. Like, what you did, how you got clients, how you keep up with social media. You’ve done so much!”

Yes, I certainly agree that the past 18 months have been a whirlwind of activity.  I’ve started and completed a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education from Brock University and I have developed a great client list that ranges from entrepreneurs and partnerships to large corporations. That being said, I truly have to be grateful for the ongoing support and love from my husband.

As I continued to mull these questions over, I kept returning to three reasons for my growth and success:

Be simple.

As an educator first-and-foremost my goal is to simplify social media for my clients; almost every time I work with a client I hear the phrase “oh, that’s simple!” I’ve branded my business using a consistent colour (bright lime green), which can be found on my website, throughout my social media, on the LCD projector bag, my client notebook, all print marketing material, some of my personal clothing accessories, and sometimes even the polish on my toes. It is simple – lime green and white Arial font.

As for social media training I use plain-speak language, free of marketing-jargon, and never speak at my clients, but always with my clients. I dislike marketing/business clichés – just say what you mean! I use procedural organization in all of my courses so that information and questions flow in an organized fashion. All of the handouts I provide include images and step-by-step instructions that can be used for later reference.

Be genuine.

There are a lot of people who have crossed my path throughout life who feel they need to act a specific part in the world of business. I learned a long time ago that you can’t change who you are – so you may as well be the best version of yourself. This attitude will nurture and develop trust with potential and new clients, as they won’t be under the impression you’re operating on a hidden agenda.

Be honest.

Although this point is last it’s certainly the most important. While in my undergrad one of my economics professors said, “BS baffles brains doesn’t work in this course.” In other words, if you don’t know something find out before trying to BS your way through it. I work in a dynamic industry that is constantly changing and forcing me to engage in ongoing research and education. That being said, if an individual asks me a question to which I don’t know the answer, I never fluff my way out of it. I am very open about telling people that I know a lot about social media, but I don’t know everything. If there are questions to which I don’t know the answer, I will do research and provide that individual with an answer at a later time.

It’s been an exciting journey thus far, and I look forward to learning more about myself in the coming years.

What are your business tips?

Jennifer Baker Consulting