More Than WE Know

A recent survey of over 3000 Women Entrepreneurs conducted by ewomennetwork found that the biggest challenges facing businesswomen at this moment were sales and marketing.

This aligns with what Women Entrepreneurs consistently tell me - marketing is their least favorite aspect of running their own business.

They don’t like selling or networking. They feel like it forces them to be pushy, insincere and even rude. They’ve heard that adage that they should be selling to everyone within 5 feet of them. Those that are following it, feel uncomfortable and those that aren’t, feel guilty.

Frankly, this type of selling doesn’t fit well with most Women Entrepreneurs. And according to Shama Hyder, Founder and Chief Marketing Consultant of After the Launch, a Dallas based marketing firm, this traditional type of marketing no longer fits at all with today’s marketplace.

Shama says that traditional marketing was characterized by being loud, pushy, and focused on selling to everyone you met. Today’s marketing techniques are clear, consistent, and focused on educating selected individuals who have a real need for your services.

Shama founded After the Launch in August with clients from around the world. Since then she and her global team of SEO experts, web developers, copy writers and virtual assistants have helped numerous service providers obtain more clients, gain more media exposure and achieve more profits.

Here is her story.

Shama, tell me about your business.

After The Launch, is unlike any other marketing firm you have seen or heard of. This is because we provide our clients with an array of options. We can teach them how to market themselves, assist them with their marketing efforts, or serve as their full time Marketing and PR specialists. We have solutions to every marketing problem.

Can you tell me specifically what kinds of things do you do?

We provide one-on-one online and offline marketing consulting services. Our main goal is to help our clients get more clients! We help them construct and implement a customized marketing plan which could include clarifying their target market, developing a central marketing message and plan, gaining media attention, pricing, negotiating, and developing marketing campaigns.

We can also help with Web design, SEO optimization, Business Blogging, Graphic Design, Copywriting, Ghost writing and Virtual Assistants.

We work with companies and budgets of all sizes, and try to customize the services according to each one’s needs. If someone is not sure how we can help, they can always ask for a complimentary consultation. It’s a great way for them to see which areas they may need help with.

Wow! And all of that is out of your Dallas office?

Actually, our entire team is virtual - we are located around the globe, as our clients. We have people in India, the Philippines and of course the U.S!

Shama, I’ve led many global teams and I know it can be a challenge with different time zones and cultures plus the need to communicate over distance. How do you manage?

With all the technology we have today Liz, it is easier than ever I feel. Sure, there is the time difference issue, so often I am up at odd hours talking to clients or team members. But it’s such a small price to pay in exchange for the ability to serve people around the world.

How did you find your team?

I was very lucky because it came together so beautifully. I had worked with great graphic designers, web developers, and SEO experts in my past businesses. When I started After The Launch, I didn’t hesitate for a second to bring them on. I met each one along the way and got a feel for their work. I knew then that I wanted to continue to work with them. Their level of professionalism, talent, and honesty is just unparalleled by any I have met.

What roles do they play in your organization?

Each team member is an expert in their particular subject and brings years of experience to the table. For example, our web designers have designed and developed hundreds of business websites and blogs. The guys on our SEO team have worked on some of the top corporate websites in the world, bringing them to top rankings in a matter of months. Our virtual assistants are experienced in everything from accounting and medical insurance billing to content management and ghost-writing. I can’t begin to express how lucky I am, Liz, to be working with such fantastic people.

It sounds exciting. So tell me, who is your target market?

Independent Professionals and Professional Service Firms. Some classic examples of professional service providers are accountants, attorneys, doctors, etc. Today this category is all encompassing. Consultants, coaches, trainers, educators, writers, designers, financial professionals, meetings planners, communication specialists, virtual assistants, web designers, talent management specialists all make the list. Almost ALL Business-to-Business (B2B) services fall under this category.

My clients are brilliant people. They are rock-stars at what they do, but they struggle with the marketing aspect of the business.

Sounds like some of the readers of this blog! So Shama, tell me about one of the biggest problems service providers face in marketing.

Service providers have a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of their clients but many don’t know where to find the particular clients who need them. They may have read marketing books, attended seminars or taken classes but clients just aren’t pouring in. It could be because there is more competition in the marketplace or because they just don’t like marketing and selling.

Can you give me a specific example of how you’ve helped a client succeed?

A lot of the work we do requires us to sign an NDA, so I can’t share too many juicy stories. = ) But I can share a case study.

We worked with an HR consulting firm this past year in the New England area. The CEO was fantastic. He knows HR like nobody’s business, but the company was struggling to market and brand itself. We helped them re-brand the company and take a completely fresh look at marketing. One of the key ways we did this, was to help them setup a business blog. The CEO is now a regular expert source for the Wall Street Journal and is well on his way to establishing the company as an industry leader.

That’s an amazing story! Shama, what initially inspired you to start a marketing firm?

Liz, I have started and run over three successful businesses. My most recent business was a coaching practice which I successfully built and sold. Fellow coaches consistently asked me how I grew my practice so fast. I realized then that I had a talent for marketing-online and offline.

I noticed that many marketers offered ideas that weren’t very implementable or practical. Other marketers only focused on one medium (offline or online) of marketing. I started After The Launch to provide businesses with practical strategies to market their services online and offline.

Now, nothing brightens my day more than hearing a client tell me how our work together got them in the Wall Street Journal or put them on their way to start a waiting list.

Is your education in marketing?

My educational background is in Corporate Communication, which gave me the perfect background to launch this marketing firm. I worked on a lot of people’s businesses while I was a coach as well. That was great experience. I also have some excellent mentors in the field of marketing, namely Robert Middleton.

What keeps you motivated?

The future. I always hold an image of where I want the company to be 10 years from now, and that keeps me motivated.

What is your vision for ten years out?

I really see After The Launch having served millions of professional service providers. I get such a kick out of imagining all the people and businesses After The Launch will have helped in 10 years. It’s a very satisfying vision. It keeps me going!

How did you fund your business?

Personal savings mostly. I had a few successful businesses before this one, so I used the profits from those to reinvest in this business. I was very lucky that funding was never an issue for the business.

Where do you get most of your customers?

Currently we get 100% of our clients through our website, which is also our blog. It’s just terrific!

What is the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?

Establishing the company I would think was my biggest challenge. Our marketing firm is relatively new, and we had to show our clients that we could do great work. It is tough to get people to give the new company a shot, but I am grateful that our clients did.

What was the best unexpected thing that happened to you?

The people I met along the way. You would think that in a field like marketing, people would be really competitive. But I didn’t find that to be true. I was surprised and grateful for the support other CEOs showed me.

What do you wish you had known when you started?

Speaking through all my business experiences, I can say I wish I really understood that it’s a process. It takes time. I get that now, but when I first started my venture into the entrepreneurial world, I expected it to be an overnight success. It’s not. It requires constant refinement and fine-tuning.

Aside from my formal education, I am committed to learning from life. I believe in working smart, providing something of value, and contributing to society. My greatest lesson so far in life has been to always keep moving forward.

Do you have kids? Do you work at home?

I don’t have any kids, and I am not married-yet. I definitely do want kids one day. It’s on my to-do list for the next five years. ; ). I sometimes work from home, but I also travel frequently so work goes where I go.

And Shama, I think you and I share a common love of reading.

Yes! I read voraciously. My collection comprises of non-fiction business books, historical fiction, and books on personal development. I read at least two or three business books a week because (1) I love it! (2) The constant flow of new and useful information benefits my clients greatly.

Well, I won’t ask what book you are reading right now, because if you are like me - the answer would be more than one. But if a person were only going to read one book on marketing - what book should that book be?

One book-that’s tough! But if I had to choose, I would heartily recommend the Action Plan Marketing Manual. This book has it all Liz. When I first read it, I was completely blown away. If you chose just one book to work with, this would be it!

What advice do you have for other Women Entrepreneurs, or Entrepreneur-wannabe’s?

Trust yourself, and remember that it takes time. We live in what I like to call a “microwave age.” Everything is quick-or at least we think that it should be! But building a solid business takes time and effort. You have to give it that, and you have to trust yourself. It’s tough at times, but it makes all the difference at the end of the day.

Thanks so much for interviewing me Liz. It’s been a real honor! = )

Thank you Shama. It’s been a lot of fun - and educational.

To learn more about Shama’s marketing services visit After the Launch.

To get my special report on 7 Steps to Sustainable Success for Women Entrepreneurs -> Click Here.

If you would like your business profiled on More Than WE Know please contact me at Liz (at) Morethanweknow (dot) com.

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