Two or three years ago, I made a conscious decision to learn a new bag of tricks to shake things up in my business. I also decided to learn, apply, test, and teach others what I'd learned. The result? I'm constantly growing, meeting new needs, and acquiring new understandings in my chosen industry. And my business is growing, too, at a rate of about 25% in the first quarter of this year.
My friend, Amy Fowler, reminded me once that "P.R. isn't something you do. It's who you are." At the time, I needed to hear it. As the lines between journalists and citizen journalism become blurred, and convergence strategy meets e-business entrepreneurial techniques, trying to figure everything out all at once can be overwhelming. As creative souls, we can get discouraged.
So here is my solution: I started a swipe file.
Many experts give away niche expertise for free to introduce readers to their services. Whenever I came across a report or piece of information which met or exceeded my expectations, I filed it away on my hard drive. Knowing I'd be adding to it, I created a topic folder into which each document is placed. The result? An instant library of "best practices" I can use to inform my own business.
Now, I admit, I'm picky. There's a lot of information floating around out there, and a lot of people who want to be gurus. I'm wary of gurus, even in my idealistic world full of "shiny happy people holding hands," as R.E.M. would chime. So whenever I choose to consider new information, I try it on my own business. I test it, I tweak it. In a world where everything happens quickly, paying attention to real life makes a difference. Actions which yield performance renders the ideal possible.
In the mix, I've begun to use more email marketing strategies in the past year than I ever have previously, with results I enjoy. Do I pay attention to the emails I receive from others which really resonate with me or lead me to an action? As Mickey Mouse says, "You betcha!" So I have a file for stellar email campaign examples, too. They tend to be short, personal, and have a clear call to action. Do I learn a lot from examining exemplars? Quality examples certainly provide an antidote to growing pains.
The swipe file has the advantage of inspiring a fresh sense of purpose and direction when the next steps feel murky. Occasionally, I'll share a document with a friend instead of spending a wasted hour on the phone teaching. (Come on, we all do it, because we want to see our friends succeed.) The bread crumb trail in my files also leads me to those places where I need to invest my resources in order to grow my knowledge and business - or to see places in the market where there's untapped potential.
Don't have a swipe file? In my opinion, a swipe file tops the list of communications professionals' best kept secrets. Best of all, swipe files work in every industry, at every level of expertise. And it builds. If you haven't already, start your swipe file today.
My friend, Amy Fowler, reminded me once that "P.R. isn't something you do. It's who you are." At the time, I needed to hear it. As the lines between journalists and citizen journalism become blurred, and convergence strategy meets e-business entrepreneurial techniques, trying to figure everything out all at once can be overwhelming. As creative souls, we can get discouraged.
So here is my solution: I started a swipe file.
Many experts give away niche expertise for free to introduce readers to their services. Whenever I came across a report or piece of information which met or exceeded my expectations, I filed it away on my hard drive. Knowing I'd be adding to it, I created a topic folder into which each document is placed. The result? An instant library of "best practices" I can use to inform my own business.
Now, I admit, I'm picky. There's a lot of information floating around out there, and a lot of people who want to be gurus. I'm wary of gurus, even in my idealistic world full of "shiny happy people holding hands," as R.E.M. would chime. So whenever I choose to consider new information, I try it on my own business. I test it, I tweak it. In a world where everything happens quickly, paying attention to real life makes a difference. Actions which yield performance renders the ideal possible.
In the mix, I've begun to use more email marketing strategies in the past year than I ever have previously, with results I enjoy. Do I pay attention to the emails I receive from others which really resonate with me or lead me to an action? As Mickey Mouse says, "You betcha!" So I have a file for stellar email campaign examples, too. They tend to be short, personal, and have a clear call to action. Do I learn a lot from examining exemplars? Quality examples certainly provide an antidote to growing pains.
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| Otto feels relaxed, thanks to his swipe file. |
Don't have a swipe file? In my opinion, a swipe file tops the list of communications professionals' best kept secrets. Best of all, swipe files work in every industry, at every level of expertise. And it builds. If you haven't already, start your swipe file today.
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