William Jackson Vision Keeper ' s Economic Gruwth Jacksonville , Florida October 2017
Take-Aways fr m the recent Vision �eepe s Economic Growth Sub Gommittee meeting .
By William Jackson , Community Activist
Economic development involves fulfilling your dreams through education and networking . You cannot allow fear and other people ' s expectations to dictate your journey . If you are serious about your success act on it . Develop your plan and execute it . You must make a declaration and take full responsibility for your life and hold yourself accountable . Work to make your dreams a reality . Never give up on your dreams and address challenges that you face , there are always answers .
I . Networking is still important for business success and exposure never underestinrnte it .
2 . Your Social Media profile should represent your mission and vision statements for your business .
3 . Separate your personal and professional Social Media platforms to minimize confusion .
4 . Remember what you say on your personal sites can reflect on your business ethics and values . When you are successful in business you may have to sacrifice personal invisibility .
5 . Don ' t always rely on SEO for exposure WOM - Word of Mouth is still valuable and can make or break a business .
6 . Business owners should be seen volunteering in their communities , sponsoring events and even attending cultural / civic events . Stay active and engaged throughout the community .
7 . Always have your business cards available even when going into the grocery store or
Program Success 3 October 2017 gas station , even the mall may have unseen opportunities . You never know who you meet . Have your business " pitch " memorized and ready you may be askedat the most inappropriatetime .
8 . If you ' re an introvert do extrovert things . Get out of your " box " and expand your network .
9 . Volunteer to speak at business events , meetups , and cultural events . You ' re the expert of your business , always act that way .
IO . Use your Social Media platforms to collaborate not just compete .
11 . Join the Chamber of Commerce , Better Business Bureau and other consumer groups . Serve on several boards and committees .
12 . Have a Social Media plan and a Social Media mission , allocate time to monitor your stats , data and analytics . Use this data to manage your digital impact .
13 . Use a graphic artist to design your logo , visual appearance is everything . First impressions digitally do matter .
14 . Get your domain name , register for a business license and consider copyrighting your name and logo .
15 . Before you bring family and friends in your business make sure they respect your vision and passion for your business . Make sure everyone has a role and does their job and does not use family relationship matters to do what they want to do .
16 . Take business classes , workshops and attend conferences and seminars . Most of these can be written off on taxes as business expenses . Check with your accountant .
17 . When possible obtain an intern that is interested in your area of business . Give back in knowledge and support diversity in business .
18 . Have a 5-year , 10-year and 15-year plan of growth for your business .
19 . Integrate diverse technologies , apps , tools and platforms to advertise and enhance your business .
20 . Be authentic and genuine in what you do .
21 . Google search and Hash-Tag yourself and your business to see digitally what is on the web about your business and yourself so you can address issues .
Resources : New Town Success Zone
and Vision Keepers George Maxey , Executive Director The Center for the Prevention in Health Disparities at Edward Waters College 1401 Grunthal Street Jacksonville , Florida 32209 george . maxey @ ewc . edu
William Jackson , Community Activist # MyQuestToTeach
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