May '16 e-newsletter Archives - Powerhouse Planning

Lawyer to Entrepreneur: When the Military Gives You Orders … Make Wine

By: Rebecca Alwine

Military wife switches paths after career challenges lead her to a new business venture.

When Army wife Kristine Wolfe, a former attorney, found out she would be moving (again) on behalf of the military, she had every intention of continuing her law career. But the relocation to southern Arizona proved to include other plans for her. Like so many military spouse attorneys, the push to grant reciprocity is a slow-moving process, making it challenging to transition as a lawyer from duty station to duty station. So Kristine had another idea.

Sierra Vista, Arizona was severely lacking in a wine bar. With thousands of people rotating in and out of Fort Huachuca every four to six months, the area was void of a comfortable, chic, and fun place to hang out with friends while sampling spirits. Kristine, along with her husband Eric, solved that problem with some difficulties included in the journey of small business ownership.
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Jessica Bertsch2016-05-18T17:48:09-04:00May 18th, 2016|

Did You Know?

Powerhouse provides all of the services of a large firm with the benefit of a tailored experience only a small business can offer. Our team of military-affiliated professionals works one-on-one to deliver quality products and services that reflect your vision. Check out the list of offerings that include the Powerhouse personal touch: Powerhouse Services

Jessica Bertsch2016-05-18T17:48:09-04:00May 18th, 2016|

Social Media Success for Personal Brands

By: Angela Caban, MHRM

When you look back to the social media tips shared around the internet – how to get followers, get more clicks, post tips, create marketing plans, etc. – how many of those tips are targeted toward a personal brand? If you posted something under your brand right now, would it affect the way you obtain clients?

One thing entrepreneurs should understand is that when it comes to branding there is a difference between personal and organizational. Your organization’s brand is typically the product and/or services offered combined with the strategy, mission, image, and activities of the organization.

A personal brand, however, does not need to be created because you already have one. Our personal brands are what we represent as a whole. What we say, post, think, and share are all a part of who we are to followers. This is why it is vital to understand that your presence online can either mean success or failure for your personal brand.

Once you have successfully established your personal brand online, there are various advantages:

Ideal clients
Mutual partnerships
Leadership opportunities
Credibility and recognition in your niche

So how can you achieve social media success when the brand you’re trying to promote is you? And how do you successfully do it without committing a social faux pas?

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Jessica Bertsch2016-05-18T17:48:09-04:00May 18th, 2016|

The Art of Building Customer Relationships

By: Bianca M. Strzalkowski

Retaining customers is good for business … and your bottom dollar.

The cost of attracting a new customer can be six to seven times more costly than keeping a current one, according to research conducted by Flowtown, a social media marketing platform. This cost is a leading reason why building loyalty through an excellence in service and focus on customers’ needs can determine a company’s longevity.

Lakesha Cole, owner of She Swank Too – an online boutique operated from Okinawa, Japan – says word-of-mouth referrals are the lifeline of her success. She places high value on building strong relationships with her clientele, who often become like family.

“Customer relationships are what drive your business. Keep in mind your most profitable customers are repeat customers. Build relationships by rewarding your loyal customers,” Cole said. “Stay in touch often, and give them something of value in exchange for their business.”

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Jessica Bertsch2016-05-19T19:45:22-04:00May 18th, 2016|

Client Profile: LUSH Wine Events

Powerhouse Service Provided: External Communications

The Powerhouse team works with businesses to provide external communications support in a variety of ways:

Product/service campaigns
Speech writing
Media crisis management
Analyst relations
Branding
Brochures
Social media
Website development and maintenance
Graphic design
Contributed articles drafting
Press releases (writing and targeted distribution)
Media relations
Press/media tours
Magazines
Annual reports
Script development (video, commercials, and radio ads)
e-Newsletters

At Powerhouse we love working with all types of companies…and when you get a phone call that an elite sommelier wants to work with you regarding their branding, you jump at the opportunity!

“Working with Powerhouse was an awesome experience. Before hiring Jessica, I was worried that they wouldn’t be able to capture my brand message in print. The team at Powerhouse did a great job of bringing my vision to life. Jessica handled all the moving parts with professionalism and was super-efficient. I was really impressed with the level of communication she provides for her clients. She made certain that I was kept abreast of every single detail, and now I have beautiful marketing materials that I am proud to display! Thank you, team Powerhouse!!”

-Kim Dozier, Founder of LUSH Wine Events

Interested in learning more about how Powerhouse can help you with your external communications? Email us at admin@powerhouseplanning.com. If you want to learn more about LUSH Wine Events, visit their website at www.lushwineevents.com.

Jessica Bertsch2016-05-18T17:48:10-04:00May 18th, 2016|

Business Resources

Conferences provide many more benefits to entrepreneurs than solely travel and adventure to new places. Each year, you can find an unlimited number of events that focus on a specific niche, business ownership, or military-affiliated entrepreneurship.

Attending a conference can offer a continuing return on investment if you remember to do the following:

Network

Make sure to have plenty of business cards handy because you never know whom you may meet. Whether it be a vendor who can give you a great deal or someone who can refer business your way, conferences are an ideal platform to make new business relationships.

Tip: Make notes on the back of business cards you receive from contacts to help you remember anything important you discussed or details that stood out about the connection. For example, if you met someone who mentioned giving you 20% off marketing services, jot it down on the back of the card.

Follow-up

As soon as you return home from your travels, follow up with your new connections. You want to reach out to the people you interacted with while you are still fresh in their minds and the motivation of the event is still in the air. Send an email to thank them for the connection and include any follow-through on items discussed.

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Jessica Bertsch2016-05-18T17:48:10-04:00May 18th, 2016|

Nonprofit Profile: InDependent Leads Spouses Toward Better Health

By: Lisa White

During the spring of 2013 in Bamberg, Germany, five military spouses took a leap toward their dream of making a difference in the spouse community.

With decades of combined first-hand experience, they knew how the burdens of military life can weigh on spouses, causing them to put fitness and self-care on the back burner. With obesity and diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes on the rise, these five women were determined to make a change. They devised the InDependent project to inspire military spouses to take charge of their health.

InDependent connects military spouses to local health and wellness resources while lending support in their journeys. The program provides a wellness blog, community ambassadors, virtual programs and events, fitness and health-related resources, and a weekly e-newsletter to military spouses from all branches of the Armed Forces.

To date, InDependent has partnered with over 50 military spouse contributors who provide related blog content and runs more than 15 installation-based community groups, averaging 140 people per group. It has also established a strong social media base, reaching over 2,500 military spouses worldwide with its private Facebook support group and ambassador-run community pages reaching over 1,000 followers.
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Jessica Bertsch2016-05-19T02:18:21-04:00May 18th, 2016|