Welcome to Business Innovators Magazine…Please introduce yourself and a brief thumbnail sketch of your background.
DP: Hello, I am Donna Price, Marketing Strategist, and Business Growth Expert. I started my business in 2003 and like so many small business owners; I was passionate about my craft — leadership development and team building. I thought — “if I build it, they will come.” But, as you know, they didn’t. I had to figure out marketing. My background is in non-profit leadership. I had never had to market before. Our clients came to us, in fact, we had a waiting list.
Now, I had to “SELL” myself and my services. Yikes — is what I thought. But, I am a life-long learner, and I have spent the last three years, learning and mastering marketing, to the point that I wrote a book: “Yes! Marketing Works!”
I work with small business owners to figure out the marketing puzzle and become master marketers so that their business grows to the level that they want and NEED.
BI: What would you say is the area in business that you are most passionate about and why?
DP: I am passionate about figuring out with a small business owner WHY their current marketing is not working for them and helping them turn it around. When we achieve a marketing system that is predictable and consistent, then marketing becomes fun instead of dreaded.
BI: How are you different than your competitors?
DP: I provide each of my client’s access to my online e-learning center where they can get all of the training they need in all areas of marketing. This means they don’t waste their money paying me to train them at a high rate. My time is used to truly provide consulting to them about their specific marketing implementation strategies. The E-Learning Center has over 200 hours of video training, downloadable templates, examples and a full ad library with done for you advertisements.
BI: Please tell me about any recent business accomplishments that you are most proud of and why?
DP: The release of my most recent book — “Yes! Marketing Works!” is exciting. It is my 3rd book. I am also getting ready to release the 3rd edition of “Launching Your Dreams: Stop Day Dreaming and Live Your Vision”. My 3rd book is “Employee Coaching for Business Success”. I never imagined being a published author but now that I am it is exciting to see my work in print.
I have four other book projects in the works! A children’s series, a personal self-help book, a cycling book, and another business book.
I have worked with several clients in publishing their books. In total, I believe that I have helped people to publish ten books, and they have much more that we are working on.
BI: What Leadership qualities in Leaders do you most admire and why?
DP: I think there are a couple of different qualities that other leaders admire. First, is a quiet, thoughtful approach, that at first looks too quiet, but in the end is a facilitation style that guides people to find their own answers, and is excited at the outcomes they came to.
The second is a strength that is solid but gentle.
I think I work hard to be open to the ideas that come from within the circle and not shut people down.
BI: What has been a key element of your success?
DP: Perseverance. Early in my business I wrote an article about leadership and identified three guiding principles. One was commitment. I think to succeed you have to commit fully. You can’t be half in. The second is perseverance. Business does not happen over night for most. It takes continuous work and commitment. And the third is risk. I believe that to succeed in business; you have to be willing to take risks. It is not safe. But having a job isn’t safe anymore either. Without the willingness to risk it is hard to move a business forward. These three principles have served me well. There have been times when I wasn’t fully committed. I had to recognize that and come back to — is this what you want to be doing? If so, you have to commit — full in.
BI: What are some of the business projects that you are currently working on that you are excited about and why?
DP: I am working on several new joint venture opportunities. I believe that it is one the most effective ways to grow a business. I have developed a win-win-win solution for joint ventures that is really effective. I like partnering with accountants, bookkeepers, web designers, graphic designers, promotional product distributors and several other business to business professionals.
BI: What are 1 or 2 things you would like to say to a prospective client who stumbles across this interview?
DP: First, Yes! Marketing Works! If it isn’t working in your business — then there is something that needs to be adjusted. Marketing should pay for itself ten fold. Business owners should not feel like marketing is a money pit. If it has become that — then we need to figure out what is not working and fix it.
Second, you, as the business owner are a key to the success of your business. You are the leader, whether you are solo-proneur or a bigger enterprise. As the leader, you have to share yourself, your best self, with your clients, staff, and prospects — all the time!
