NEW INFORMATION STATION: WRIM

Greetings-

There's a new station on the positive information dial----WRIM.

WRIM stands for a new approach to thinking about who we have been as Rhode Islanders and what we could be again.

WRIM is Why Rhode Island Matters!

You'll be hearing about this and the title of my book---WHY RHODE ISLAND MATTERS!---in the next few days and over the next few months.

It was written to remind ALL Rhode Islanders why our state has been a leader in so many areas throoughout history, and why it can be again.

As a native Rhode Islander, I have always been excited and impressed by my state---its natural beauty, its history, its vision in the fields of industry, art and innovation, and most of all, by its people and the families they are part of. I wanted to tell and re-tell some positive Rhode Island stories and share them with everyone.

WHY RHODE ISLAND MATTERS! will be released on August 25th.

The first limited signed and numbered edition of 500 copies of the book is being sold on a first come, first served basis at $10 per book (includes postage and handling to your home) and can be ordered direct by clicking on the BUY NOW button above my photo to the right of this blog or by sending your address and a check or money order for $10.00 to:

Shoreline Press
P.O. Box 555
Jamestown, RI 02835

All of the proceeds from the first edition will help provide free educational workshops on the subject of this book to students in middle and high schools around Rhode Island.

You'll want your own copy of this first edition book for yourself, your family, and your grandchildren.

Order a few copies for your friends in Florida and Arizona too.

If you'd like a copy, please order it today---!! It will be shipped to your home or office upon its release on August 25th.

Stay tuned for a list of presentations, talks and readings I'll be making about the book at venues statewide over the next 6-8 weeks.

Want to reserve a book or need more info?

Call me anytime at 401-667-0971. (Leave a message if I'm out.)

Here's wishing you a successful week-

Ann Marie

BUILD YOUR BUSINESS THIS WEEK!!

Today is the day with the most daylight hours all year!

The weather is getting much better, much warmer, and delightful---maybe except for the humidity---and that means that business too will begin to heat up as we move into the second half of the year.

This week we'll talk about adding customers to your client roster.

The main criteria for success in this effort is to identify those potential clients and businesses that have a problem you know how resolve. By focusing on clients with problems, you will be 85% of the way to increasing your customer base.

This Thursday we'll learn how to grow your business by adding clients and cross-selling products and services to improve your overall sales renenues.

If you have questions in the meantime or simply want to get a jump on the competition, please call me anytime at 401-667-0971.

Please mark your calendar to attend my next Coffee Conversation at Updike's in North Kingstown on Thursday morning, June 24th at 8:00am.

See you again soon-

Ann Marie

YOUR BUSINESS PLAN 1-2-3

Summer Weather Greetings!

Summer weather is finally here and since the real-life unemployment rate in Rhode Island is over 20%, I'll bet you've been thinking about finally starting your own business.

You've got a great idea. You think it will work. But everyone says you need to write a business plan first.

I know what you'll say---you don't have time or energy (or time) to write it.

I say---Why wait till you have a business plan written to start developing your business?

The business professors and the SBA people will argue with me about this advice, but most of them (almost ALL of them) have never ever started their own successful business!!

Let's press on!!

Here's a quick and easy way to figure out---in 3 easy steps---if your new business idea has a chance of succeeding without spending any money:

Get an answer to the following three questions:

1- What problem(s) will your business solve?
2- Who needs to have the problem solved (and can pay for the solution)?
[This can be people or a business or a combination of both.]
3- Find three people/businesses that will agree to pay you to solve the
problem you have proposed solving.

Get positive answers to these questions and you will be on your way to having a successful business before you spend any money [or lose any money]. If you can't answer the preceding three questions to your satisfaction, either change your idea, find another problem to solve, or keep looking for buyers.

We'll discuss these strategies and more at our weekly Coffee Conversation meeting at Updike's Coffee Shop in North Kingstown this Thursday morning at 8am.

If you need some ideas or help in the meantime, please call me at 401-667-0971.

See you soon-

Ann Marie

INCREASING YOUR CUSTOMER BASE!

The weather is getting better, warmer---except for all the rain---and that means that business too will begin to heat up as we move toward the middle of the year.

This week we'll talk about adding customers to your client roster.

The main criteria for success in this effort is to identify those potential clients and businesses that have a problem you know how resolve. By focusing on clients with problems, you will be 85% of the way to increasing your customer base.

This Thursday we'll learn how to grow your business by adding clients and cross-selling products and services to improve your overall sales renenues.

If you have questions in the meantime or simply want to get a jump on the competition, please call me anytime at 401-667-0971.

Please mark your calendar to attend my next Coffee Conversation at Updike's in North Kingstown on Thursday morning, March 18th at 8:00am.

See you again soon-

Ann Marie

Reduce Your Costs of Operation

OUR FOCUS
One sure way to increase your profits is to reduce the cost of operating your business. It is one of the two not-so-secret keys to the success of Wal-Mart.

In these times, the quicker you evaluate and review every single cost of doing business, the faster you can free up cash in your business and boost your profits.

Ask yourself three questions about everything you are currently paying out each week or month to operate your business:

1- Is this expense absolutely necessary for the survival of my business?

2- If it IS necessary, is there a cheaper alternative I can use, either another supplier or another service company?

3- Can I reduce the use of a needed product or service by even ten percent and thereby save money, lower my operational expenses, and boost profits?

Every business can find savings in their operations or their purchasing that can help the bottom line. You will, too!

I'm on vacation this week and next.
I'll have a special report for you from Florida next Sunday.

Please mark your calendar to attend my next Coffee Conversation at Updike's in North Kingstown on Thursday morning, March 11th at 8:00am.

See you again soon-

Ann Marie

Boosting Customer Counts

THIS WEEK'S FOCUS
Increasing the number of customers frequenting your retail location or viewing your web site is important for several reasons:
1- All businesses lose customers constantly, due to moving, job loss, death, change in family status, or change in lifestyle choices.
2- You need to think about how to replace lost customers and incorporate your strategy as one of your DAILY business activities.
3- Getting new customers, and MORE customers, will lead to long-term business growth, both in revenues and in the value of your business.

Interested in getting more customers?
We'll take up this subject as well as addressing your current business needs at our weekly Coffee Conversation on Thursday and begin the process of developing a plan to take you and your business to the next level.

Our weekly Coffee Conversations at Updike's NewTowne are getting noticed and people are excited! There's always room for you, too!

We'll meet you this Thursday morning, February 18th at 8am to help small business owners who want to grow their sales and profits and also help those who want to start-up their own enterprise to get started right.

Updike's NewTowne Coffee Roasting Company and Cafe is located at 7726 Post Road in North Kingstown (across from the town's main Post Office). This is the sixth in a weekly series of coffee conversations to boost businesses in our community.

Have questions? Call me anytime at 401-667-0971.

See you soon-
Ann Marie

What Do You Need NOW to Grow Your Business?

There's plenty of TALK everywhere in our state about "creating jobs" and "getting the economy moving," but where is the ACTION!?

As a business owner or someone who wants to start your own business, the only thing that makes anything possible is to take some ACTION!

My work as Rhode Island's Economic Gardener is to take action, connect people and businesses, find resources, and make things happen so you can reach your business and personal goals and in the process improve our communities in Exeter and North Kingstown. With that in mind, I have a question for you:

What do you need NOW to grow your business?

It might be different results: more sales, more clients, lower costs, better suppliers, better employees.

It might be useful tools: a business plan, marketing plan, web site, online strategies, or even a personal business coach.

Finally, it might be financing or an investment in your business: building loan, line of credit, working capital loan, equipment financing, or an equity investor.

Whatever you need to grow your business, I can help you obtain it. Whatever your business goal, I can help you achieve it.

In the next week, I will launch a weekly series of business growth gatherings at local coffee shops around our two towns: Sophie's, Jitters, and others, all located in neighborhoods that are near where you live and work.

I will have my Economic Gardener Growth Checklist for you to fill out and help us get started on growing your business and growing our local economy!

Start-ups and people in transition always welcome!

Let's take action and make your business grow!!

Ann Marie