“don’t succumb to the “sexy” appeal of social media marketing, thinking it is the next big thing for your marketing. Social media can be a great part of a well planned marketing strategy – but only if it fits in as a logical tactic.”

Henri Schauffler is the CEO of Focus Marketing Institute. Focus Marketing Institute has developed the perfect combination of online resources, tools and support to get any small business out of the financial distress they might presently be experiencing; help them get laser-focused on the highest income-producing activities for their company; and develop and then apply the fundamentals that build multimillion dollar businesses.

Focus Marketing Institute is able to deliver this through their award winning eLearning System, a 52 week multi-media learning program, combined with group and individual coaching. A customized “business growth roadmap” is created, and the system helps the business owner start at step one and grow step-by-step to reach his/her growth goals.

MO: What makes you an expert on marketing?

Henri: I have been working with small businesses for over 30 years, starting by marketing and selling my own training and consulting services in the areas of time management, strategic planning, management development, marketing and sales. In the early 90’s I became VP of sales and marketing for a growing HR outsourcing firm, guiding that company to grow from $700,000 to $7M in 7 years. Since then, I have been coaching and consulting with small business owners to help them grow their businesses by developing their strategic marketing plans.

MO: It seems like you offer a lot of tools and programs. If I need help with my small business finances, what is the first thing your company does to help me? What is the experience like?

Henri: We would take you through our detailed “Business Acceleration Profile” to see where the strengths and weaknesses in your business are. With that in mind, we will look over your financials to look for the “red flags” in your numbers. Growing a business and keeping it healthy is not about accounting, but about the strategic use of the numbers in the accounting to make the decisions necessary to grow the business.

Good accounting is easy to create and we certainly have reliable referrals to good bookkeepers and accountants. However, the more important issue is helping use the numbers in that accounting to manage and grow your business.

MO: I love the phrase that you said people work “IN their business instead of ON their business”. Explain this further and why it is bad.

Henri: Working IN your business is when, as the business owner, you basically “own a job.” You are actually more like a general manager, managing the day-to-day, putting out all the inevitable fires, etc. This happens because the small business is not structured around systems and therefore everything leads back to the owner for resolution.

We help small businesses create the systems to that “systems run the company and people run the systems,” instead of people running the business. That little gem comes from Dr. Michael Gerber; I cannot claim ownership of it.

When you as the business owner are working mostly IN your business, you are not working on the strategic level, which is where the growth is driven. Working ON the business is about the strategic level – looking from what we call the “30,000 foot level” on your business. The big picture. Looking forward (and sometimes back) to plan where the business must move next to grow (or in this economy, sometimes just to survive).

MO: You recently launched a social media marketing coaching program. Can you tell us one social media tip our readers should follow?

Henri: Our program is not just about social media, but Internet marketing for a local small business. This includes social media marketing.

One tip would be – don’t succumb to the “sexy” appeal of social media marketing, thinking it is the next big thing for your marketing. Social media can be a great part of a well planned marketing strategy – but only if it fits in as a logical tactic. Too many small businesses jump onto one tactic or another without any strategy. That’s like fighting a battle (business IS a battle in many ways) without any plan. Ask any military leader – they wouldn’t think of such a thing!

MO: What topics do you discuss on your personal blog and why did you decide to write this blog?

Henri: My blog is on the topic, “Living With Integrity.” I have been leading a seminar I wrote by that name for the last fifteen years, for business people, young professionals and churches. The gist is to show the actual way to live with integrity, (including in business), not just talk about it.

I found that we use the term, “integrity” many times a day; it is even fashionable to talk about it – yet most people cannot define it or describe how to actually live with it.

I started the blog as a way to write down the material, get people involved with it on the most basic of social media platforms (a blog) and eventually compile the content into a book. I also connect the posts to Facebook, Linked In and Twitter feeds, as well as dozens of other social media sites.

MO: What types of businesses normally need your help? Can you tell us about one of your favorite clients?

Henri: I work with all types of small businesses. We help anyone from start up “solo-preneurs” to $20M companies. “Small business” is our target, but that is a rather large universe. We are also looking for businesses that are growth-oriented. Growth can mean a lot of things – from startup growth to preparing your business for sale (no one wants to buy a business that is not built to grow).

One of my favorite clients is Edward Lee – he grasps the use of a coach very well. Here is a testimonial from him:

Henri is always available when I need something and if he doesn’t have it, he can always point me in the right direction to get me where I need to go. As a former professional athlete, I know that it’s very important to have someone to be accountable to – and Henri has a unique way to be that person and make sure that I get things done that I say I will get done. One strategy alone that Henri suggested boosted my profit by $43,000. – Ed Lee, Physical Therapist