Network: Reader Responses

Reader-to-reader advice.

By Inc. staff | 
 

In April a reader wondered what steps to take to prepare a company for its initial public offering ("Prepping for IPOs," [Article link]):

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There are advantages to adopting a stock-option plan as early as five years before your target IPO date. Such a strategy would allow you to grant yourself and key employees options at low exercise prices. Even the long-term prospect of an IPO will act as an incentive for your existing key employees and allow you to attract new ones with stock. Moreover, those options will reduce the dilution of your equity when the IPO does occur.

Frederick D. Lipman

Partner

Blank, Rome, Comisky & McCauley

Philadelphia

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In March ([Article link]) a reader asked how home-based entrepreneurs can market themselves into the mainstream. Here's some advice from a bootstrapper who, after relocating to a new city, started her own consulting firm. At that time she knew all of two people. And there's a handy tip from a newsletter publisher:

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Take advantage of any way you can capture customer concerns and problems. (I send questionnaires to current clients and general-response forms to potential clients.) Use networking functions and trade fairs to verbally survey other business owners. Solicit feedback four to six weeks after completing a project.

Instead of placing an ad in the Sunday newspaper, offer to write articles. When I arrived in Denver, I began writing for the "Careers" section of the Rocky Mountain News. Two years and a dozen articles later, readers approach me and say, "I've seen your photo and articles. Tell me more about what you do." I've even booked speaking engagements with some of those people.

Cynthia Schoeppel

President

The Human Resource Connection

Highlands Ranch, Colo.

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Self-promotion means getting the word out, and the best time to do that is when your prospects' defenses are down (read, when they're calling you). So use your answering machine as a marketing tool by putting some of the following information on your tape:

1. A seven-word blurb about the services and products you offer

2. Your fax number

3. Announcements and upcoming events

4. Special discounts

Ilise Benun

Publisher

The Art of Self Promotion Newsletter

Hoboken, N.J.

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