Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
with examples drawn from small businesses.
Cause promoting, or cause marketing, is not new. Small businesses have been helping local causes ever since they first supplied uniforms to local ball teams.
Big corporations put together big cause marketing campaigns to sell more product and to enhance the company image. Pink campaigns are so pervasive that the word "pink" has become synonymous with breast cancer research. Every time you see the word, you think about the contribution being made to a good cause.
Even small businesses have jumped at the chance to become part of local "pink" campaigns. Funds raised go to cancer research, and the reputation of the small business spreads.
The recent CVS campaign to remove all tobacco products from their pharmacies is another example of big business putting in place a cause marketing effort. It has resulted in lots of free publicity for CVS and improved the company's image.
Small businesses improve their reputation and sales efforts by supporting local causes. Cause promoting is not only the right thing to do, it's good for business.
Examples are everywhere. You and I know them. We've responded to them. It's the local vet who sponsors pet adoptions once a month. It's the local restaurant that opens up its party room to local charitable events. It's the local fitness center that sponsors a Walkathon for the benefit of cancer survivors. It's the local health food store that brings the Bloodmobile to its front door once each month. It's the local dentist who pays kids to bring in all the Halloween candy they've received. And it's the local bakery that donates to local food banks.
Small businesses are an integral part of the community they serve. It's a natural extension of that idea for businesses to be involved in cause promoting. So, get involved. Help the community and your small business at the same time. Cause promoting is good.
Many additional ways to promote your small business are scattered throughout these write-ups. Let me know of other cause promoting methods you've used. Put BLOG in the subject line and email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com. You must put BLOG in the subject line or I'll delete you along with all the other salespeople who email me.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Choose your holiday
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
with examples from small businesses.
When holidays pop up on the calendar, I am always reminded of an unusual business owner. He ran a business that was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It never closed.
As the business grew, the owner added employees. They came from diverse ethnic backgrounds and races. He had them working together like a well-oiled machine, except for one thing.
With different backgrounds, they had different ideas about holidays. The company started out in the early 1970s. Early on, the owner specified 9 paid holidays--New Year's Day, President's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In addition, there were 3 paid personal days of the employee's choosing. All in all, there were 12 paid days off each year.
As the company grew from 20 to 30 or so employees, complaints began to roll in about company paid holidays. A Jewish man wanted to take Jewish holidays. A Chinese guy wondered why he had to take any holidays. A man from Egypt wanted to take Islamic holidays. An atheist refused to take off on Christmas and Easter. And a Buddhist wanted to take his birthday.
The owner of the company solved the problem in a very unique way. The company dropped all holidays; leaving no official ones. Instead, every employee is entitled to, and paid for, 12 personal days off each year. They may be taken no more than two days at a time, and at least one week's notice must be given in writing. These personal days must be taken or they are lost at the end of each year. They are in addition to paid vacation time and sick days.
The solution tossed the holiday problem back into the employee's lap. Interestingly, some of the loudest requests for religious holidays are now spent elsewhere.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Contrary to popular belief, business owners do not get any time off. You carry your worries with you wherever you go. Wouldn't have it any other way, would you?
with examples from small businesses.
When holidays pop up on the calendar, I am always reminded of an unusual business owner. He ran a business that was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It never closed.
As the business grew, the owner added employees. They came from diverse ethnic backgrounds and races. He had them working together like a well-oiled machine, except for one thing.
With different backgrounds, they had different ideas about holidays. The company started out in the early 1970s. Early on, the owner specified 9 paid holidays--New Year's Day, President's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In addition, there were 3 paid personal days of the employee's choosing. All in all, there were 12 paid days off each year.
As the company grew from 20 to 30 or so employees, complaints began to roll in about company paid holidays. A Jewish man wanted to take Jewish holidays. A Chinese guy wondered why he had to take any holidays. A man from Egypt wanted to take Islamic holidays. An atheist refused to take off on Christmas and Easter. And a Buddhist wanted to take his birthday.
The owner of the company solved the problem in a very unique way. The company dropped all holidays; leaving no official ones. Instead, every employee is entitled to, and paid for, 12 personal days off each year. They may be taken no more than two days at a time, and at least one week's notice must be given in writing. These personal days must be taken or they are lost at the end of each year. They are in addition to paid vacation time and sick days.
The solution tossed the holiday problem back into the employee's lap. Interestingly, some of the loudest requests for religious holidays are now spent elsewhere.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Contrary to popular belief, business owners do not get any time off. You carry your worries with you wherever you go. Wouldn't have it any other way, would you?
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Space lease or rent
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
with examples drawn from small businesses.
Every small business needs space. Whether you offer products or services, you will need a place to do your thing.
Artists rent studios, therapists lease space, chiropractors need a place to meet clients, retailers need shops to display their products, accountants and attorneys need offices, and so on. Even if you are using a home office, you are renting from yourself.
Leasing or renting space usually involves a document to be signed. It will spell out the terms and conditions of your responsibilities. So you need to pay attention.
Example: Ellen ran into trouble when her lease was up for renewal. She opened and operated a small ice cream shop under a 3-year lease. The shop was very successful. She used Facebook to promote and she hosted events at her place--birthday parties, open houses, fund raisers, and the like. In her third year, she approached the landlord about renewing the lease. He wanted another 3-year lease at a much higher rate. Ellen wanted at least a 5-year lease at the same rate. Negotiations got nowhere, so Ellen looked around town for another location. She had considered adding to the ice cream she offered--she had toyed with expanding into coffees including espresso, a smoothie bar, and fancy chocolates. She found a much bigger space at the same rate she had been paying and for a 5-year lease. It also had a patio that could be used. So, Ellen told the present landlord goodbye, moved, expanded, and never looked back.
Example: Roberto was a consulting therapist who needed space where he could meet clients. Two rooms would suffice--a private office with a reception room and restroom. He found an appropriate space in a building full of other professionals. Roberto knew that the landlord had trouble renting such a small space, so he negotiated a 5-year lease at a relatively low rent. As part of the negotiating, Roberto insisted that the landlord include heat and electric. The landlord readily agreed--the small space wouldn't use much heat or electric. But it reduced the costs for Roberto.
When you find the space you need, it is imperative that you read carefully the terms and conditions. Some leases have small print that can include all sorts of add-ons to the monthly cost. In addition to heat and electric, the lease might include your paying for such things as snow removal, garbage pick-up, signage, parking spaces, taking care of plants and yards, etc.
The landlord must furnish you a copy of the lease. Before signing, take a copy home and read it carefully. You might want to pass it through your attorney, adviser, or trusted business person before you commit.
Leases and rental agreements are legal documents. Once signed by you and the landlord, the terms and conditions apply. It's sort of like a point of no return. Yes, you can take a landlord to court or at least a mediator, but you have a business to run. Don't box yourself into a corner that will cost time and money to reverse.
with examples drawn from small businesses.
Every small business needs space. Whether you offer products or services, you will need a place to do your thing.
Artists rent studios, therapists lease space, chiropractors need a place to meet clients, retailers need shops to display their products, accountants and attorneys need offices, and so on. Even if you are using a home office, you are renting from yourself.
Leasing or renting space usually involves a document to be signed. It will spell out the terms and conditions of your responsibilities. So you need to pay attention.
Example: Ellen ran into trouble when her lease was up for renewal. She opened and operated a small ice cream shop under a 3-year lease. The shop was very successful. She used Facebook to promote and she hosted events at her place--birthday parties, open houses, fund raisers, and the like. In her third year, she approached the landlord about renewing the lease. He wanted another 3-year lease at a much higher rate. Ellen wanted at least a 5-year lease at the same rate. Negotiations got nowhere, so Ellen looked around town for another location. She had considered adding to the ice cream she offered--she had toyed with expanding into coffees including espresso, a smoothie bar, and fancy chocolates. She found a much bigger space at the same rate she had been paying and for a 5-year lease. It also had a patio that could be used. So, Ellen told the present landlord goodbye, moved, expanded, and never looked back.
Example: Roberto was a consulting therapist who needed space where he could meet clients. Two rooms would suffice--a private office with a reception room and restroom. He found an appropriate space in a building full of other professionals. Roberto knew that the landlord had trouble renting such a small space, so he negotiated a 5-year lease at a relatively low rent. As part of the negotiating, Roberto insisted that the landlord include heat and electric. The landlord readily agreed--the small space wouldn't use much heat or electric. But it reduced the costs for Roberto.
When you find the space you need, it is imperative that you read carefully the terms and conditions. Some leases have small print that can include all sorts of add-ons to the monthly cost. In addition to heat and electric, the lease might include your paying for such things as snow removal, garbage pick-up, signage, parking spaces, taking care of plants and yards, etc.
The landlord must furnish you a copy of the lease. Before signing, take a copy home and read it carefully. You might want to pass it through your attorney, adviser, or trusted business person before you commit.
Leases and rental agreements are legal documents. Once signed by you and the landlord, the terms and conditions apply. It's sort of like a point of no return. Yes, you can take a landlord to court or at least a mediator, but you have a business to run. Don't box yourself into a corner that will cost time and money to reverse.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Artists & Artisans
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas,
with examples from businesses
Artists and artisans typically work alone. They can have a hard time connecting with the buying public.
Painters, photographers, sculptors, illustrators, weavers and others produce works that sell in the right venue. Different venues, however, attract different people. And there's the rub.
High end galleries still show high end works by artists and artisans. Particular galleries have homed in on a particular market segment and serves clients with works deemed appropriate.
These days, however, many galleries have morphed into high-end gift shops, serving more of a second tier market. Customers who frequent these shops are likely to be well-heeled with disposable income. But they are not usually knowledgeable buyers of art. They are more likely to be looking for handmade gifts.
The Internet offers another market for artists and artisans. With a website, artists and artisans can reach a public much wider than that offered by either a gallery or gift shop. Artists and artisans can also drive potential buyers to the website using various social media, e. g., Facebook and others.
Example: Ella paints realistic pictures in oils and acrylics. She has exhibited in galleries, attended up-scale shows, and has taken some private commissions, including portraits. She supplements her income by teaching. Her classes are popular--with beginners as well as advanced students. She has found that she gets real enjoyment teaching young people. Her studio is in a converted garage, and she convenes classes there. She runs several multi-class sessions during the year.
Example: Travis is a sculptor. Primarily, he works in bronze, and it is a tough market to conquer. To bring in income, he made arrangements with other sculptors to produce their bronze castings. He works also with museums and galleries to produce fine reproductions. Recently, he has begun selling fine reproductions to gift shops and decorators. He uses Facebook to drive interest to his website.
Example: MaeAnn is a weaver and designer. She turns out small rugs and wall hangings. She has a website and is on social media. All this activity keeps her busy with projects that come from decorators, collectors, high income individuals, and galleries. She does a show twice each year where regulars seek her out and she meets new people. With her artist's eye, her knowledge of fibers, and her weaving skills, she has tapped into a new market segment. She produces woven pictures of people and animals, working from photographs. Private commissions are coming in.
Artists and artisans have more opportunities today than ever before. Social media is rapidly expanding the possibilities for selling things handmade, hand painted, hand woven, hand carved and more. There is a real market out there for whatever you do. And various opportunities are available to supplement your income.
Your website is your store. Use social media to drive people to you. Or, use sites like Etsy to display and sell the things you make. Artists and artisans no longer starve in the garret. They reach out to the buying public.
Many more examples of successful artists and artisans are scattered throughout these write-ups. Artists and artisans can starve if they don't sell what they produce. Never forget that you are running a business, and that means you must sell what you create.
with examples from businesses
Artists and artisans typically work alone. They can have a hard time connecting with the buying public.
Painters, photographers, sculptors, illustrators, weavers and others produce works that sell in the right venue. Different venues, however, attract different people. And there's the rub.
High end galleries still show high end works by artists and artisans. Particular galleries have homed in on a particular market segment and serves clients with works deemed appropriate.
These days, however, many galleries have morphed into high-end gift shops, serving more of a second tier market. Customers who frequent these shops are likely to be well-heeled with disposable income. But they are not usually knowledgeable buyers of art. They are more likely to be looking for handmade gifts.
The Internet offers another market for artists and artisans. With a website, artists and artisans can reach a public much wider than that offered by either a gallery or gift shop. Artists and artisans can also drive potential buyers to the website using various social media, e. g., Facebook and others.
Example: Ella paints realistic pictures in oils and acrylics. She has exhibited in galleries, attended up-scale shows, and has taken some private commissions, including portraits. She supplements her income by teaching. Her classes are popular--with beginners as well as advanced students. She has found that she gets real enjoyment teaching young people. Her studio is in a converted garage, and she convenes classes there. She runs several multi-class sessions during the year.
Example: Travis is a sculptor. Primarily, he works in bronze, and it is a tough market to conquer. To bring in income, he made arrangements with other sculptors to produce their bronze castings. He works also with museums and galleries to produce fine reproductions. Recently, he has begun selling fine reproductions to gift shops and decorators. He uses Facebook to drive interest to his website.
Example: MaeAnn is a weaver and designer. She turns out small rugs and wall hangings. She has a website and is on social media. All this activity keeps her busy with projects that come from decorators, collectors, high income individuals, and galleries. She does a show twice each year where regulars seek her out and she meets new people. With her artist's eye, her knowledge of fibers, and her weaving skills, she has tapped into a new market segment. She produces woven pictures of people and animals, working from photographs. Private commissions are coming in.
Artists and artisans have more opportunities today than ever before. Social media is rapidly expanding the possibilities for selling things handmade, hand painted, hand woven, hand carved and more. There is a real market out there for whatever you do. And various opportunities are available to supplement your income.
Your website is your store. Use social media to drive people to you. Or, use sites like Etsy to display and sell the things you make. Artists and artisans no longer starve in the garret. They reach out to the buying public.
Many more examples of successful artists and artisans are scattered throughout these write-ups. Artists and artisans can starve if they don't sell what they produce. Never forget that you are running a business, and that means you must sell what you create.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Leaving corporate?
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
with examples drawn from real businesses.
Dreaming of leaving the corporate world to start a business of your own? It's a big move, and it takes some careful planning.
Before you jump, do your homework. In Jane's first business, she simply resigned her position at the big corporation and jumped in. It was a hard lesson learned--that business failed. In her second business, she gave a good deal of careful thought before starting up.
Here are a half-dozen steps I have followed myself.
1. Home in on your interest. A small business can be built around any interest you have--collectibles, food, clothing, artwork, design, woodworking, consulting, wellness, and any other. Even if your interest goes toward potted plants, be assured that you are not alone.
2. Get a part time job. Target the industry where you'll be starting your business. Get some experience in the trenches. You will be surprised how much you can learn about the food business by flipping burgers. Study eBay offerings before opening a store of games. Help out at the greenhouse before you begin growing plants for sale.
3. Study the market. No business survives without clients/customers. Who are they? How will you find them? Why will they plop down their dollars for your products/services? What's the competition--and how can you beat it?
4. Write down your plan. Yes, you can plan in your head, but writing it down forces you to create a step-by-step process. In writing it down, you'll find that you've neglected some critical aspects. A written plan gets your priorities sorted out. Then, reduce everything to bottom line numbers. This is what tells the tale.
5. What about funding? No matter what you do, you'll need money--to get started, to get the business off the ground, and to survive for a year or two. Do you use your own money? Do you borrow from Aunt Sallie? Will a bank talk with you? Is crowd funding a viable way to go? Will the new business generate enough profit to support continued growth in the future?
6. Longer term planning. No doubt you are looking ahead to retirement at some future date. Now fit your small business into this. Can you build it into a successful operation that you can sell? Are you just looking for a way to keep busy in your golden years? Do you want to establish an operation and then sell franchises?
Leaving corporate and starting your own small business is a big move. Corporate America and Small Business America occupy different planets, speak different languages, require different attitudes. Doing the homework upfront can help you avoid some pitfalls later.
Planning is very important in any business. In the corporate world, overall planning is an activity at the top of the organization. In small business, it's up to you. And then you take out the trash.
with examples drawn from real businesses.
Dreaming of leaving the corporate world to start a business of your own? It's a big move, and it takes some careful planning.
Before you jump, do your homework. In Jane's first business, she simply resigned her position at the big corporation and jumped in. It was a hard lesson learned--that business failed. In her second business, she gave a good deal of careful thought before starting up.
Here are a half-dozen steps I have followed myself.
1. Home in on your interest. A small business can be built around any interest you have--collectibles, food, clothing, artwork, design, woodworking, consulting, wellness, and any other. Even if your interest goes toward potted plants, be assured that you are not alone.
2. Get a part time job. Target the industry where you'll be starting your business. Get some experience in the trenches. You will be surprised how much you can learn about the food business by flipping burgers. Study eBay offerings before opening a store of games. Help out at the greenhouse before you begin growing plants for sale.
3. Study the market. No business survives without clients/customers. Who are they? How will you find them? Why will they plop down their dollars for your products/services? What's the competition--and how can you beat it?
4. Write down your plan. Yes, you can plan in your head, but writing it down forces you to create a step-by-step process. In writing it down, you'll find that you've neglected some critical aspects. A written plan gets your priorities sorted out. Then, reduce everything to bottom line numbers. This is what tells the tale.
5. What about funding? No matter what you do, you'll need money--to get started, to get the business off the ground, and to survive for a year or two. Do you use your own money? Do you borrow from Aunt Sallie? Will a bank talk with you? Is crowd funding a viable way to go? Will the new business generate enough profit to support continued growth in the future?
6. Longer term planning. No doubt you are looking ahead to retirement at some future date. Now fit your small business into this. Can you build it into a successful operation that you can sell? Are you just looking for a way to keep busy in your golden years? Do you want to establish an operation and then sell franchises?
Leaving corporate and starting your own small business is a big move. Corporate America and Small Business America occupy different planets, speak different languages, require different attitudes. Doing the homework upfront can help you avoid some pitfalls later.
Planning is very important in any business. In the corporate world, overall planning is an activity at the top of the organization. In small business, it's up to you. And then you take out the trash.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Increasing sales
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
with examples from actual small businesses.
The days of the hard sell are long gone. Yesterday's used car salesmen are dead.
Social media has turned people loose. The options are many. And it's all about the buyer, not the thing being sold.
People today search out their interests just as they always did. But older conversations across the picket fence are today replaced by likes and tweets and selfies.
Brands are still important. Those that are successful now take on another dimension. It's not about what's being sold, it's about who's buying.
Pushing a product or service today has more to do with the pushee, not the pusher. Big business has been a big pusher in the past. Today, the siren song they sing is more likely to reflect the target's tune.
People in small business have always done this. It's because they are closer to their clients/customers. And the space between them has been reduced even more.
The concerns of client/customers get answered by owners of small businesses. After all, they're usually standing in front of each other.
Social media is simply another way to get up close and personal. The distance between the pusher and the pushee has been reduced. It's face to face.
Small businesses have been quick to see the promotional power of social media. They have known for some time that selling is best done by informing.
Get the information out there, and the product will follow. Clients/customers already know the brands. They're now drilling down to match their interests with products/services. Social media fills this gap between the web site and the sale.
Branding is still important. But a small business is its own brand. And selling is all about who's buying. It ain't the product or service. It's the buyer.
More on selling and marketing can be found in other write-ups in this blog. And most of my write-ups include examples so that business owners can better relate to the things being discussed.
with examples from actual small businesses.
The days of the hard sell are long gone. Yesterday's used car salesmen are dead.
Social media has turned people loose. The options are many. And it's all about the buyer, not the thing being sold.
People today search out their interests just as they always did. But older conversations across the picket fence are today replaced by likes and tweets and selfies.
Brands are still important. Those that are successful now take on another dimension. It's not about what's being sold, it's about who's buying.
Pushing a product or service today has more to do with the pushee, not the pusher. Big business has been a big pusher in the past. Today, the siren song they sing is more likely to reflect the target's tune.
People in small business have always done this. It's because they are closer to their clients/customers. And the space between them has been reduced even more.
The concerns of client/customers get answered by owners of small businesses. After all, they're usually standing in front of each other.
Social media is simply another way to get up close and personal. The distance between the pusher and the pushee has been reduced. It's face to face.
Small businesses have been quick to see the promotional power of social media. They have known for some time that selling is best done by informing.
Get the information out there, and the product will follow. Clients/customers already know the brands. They're now drilling down to match their interests with products/services. Social media fills this gap between the web site and the sale.
Branding is still important. But a small business is its own brand. And selling is all about who's buying. It ain't the product or service. It's the buyer.
More on selling and marketing can be found in other write-ups in this blog. And most of my write-ups include examples so that business owners can better relate to the things being discussed.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Fast casual food trends
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples taken from existing small businesses.
Restaurants are difficult to operate. Many start ups do not survive. It's a tough business.
Today's alert restaurant and cafe owners are taking note of a developing trend. It's not just a quick sandwich you pick up at the health food store. It's fast casual, and it's more like a meal to go. It's take out carried to the next level.
Add to your menu choices and you, too, can attract this growing number of people who want fast casual lunches and diners. And take out, too.
Example: Gustav noticed that take out was becoming more than take out. And in the process it was expanding his restaurant business. Even his regulars were calling ahead to have take out packages ready for them to pick up. Gustav expanded his take out menu and he posted pictures of mouth-watering meals on Facebook with the caption: "Everything here is home made." Interest exploded. Gustav had tapped into the growing trend of people demanding fast casual meals--and take out.
Example: Miranda runs a small cafe. Responding to requests from several of her regular customers, she began offering them her "home cooked" meals for them to enjoy at home. She began by offering one special meal each day--ready for customers to pick up between 4 and 6 p.m. The response was gratifying, and Miranda soon began offering choices each day. Many customers simply placed orders for two or three days each week--ahead of time. She tailors dishes to people's likes and dislikes--no gluten is one popular request, no sugar is another. "It's like having your own personal chef," reads her Facebook postings--along with the pictures. The cafe has expanded, and it's all because Miranda has listened and responded to her growing list of customers.
Take out food has been popular for a very long time. What's new is tailoring the old take out, off the shelf items to more personal meal preparations. It all fits into our brave new world.
And I didn't mention pizza once.
Restaurants are not a one-size-fits-all business. People come in, sit down, and order from a menu. It's all about their choices. Expand on this by offering meals to go, or as they are called today, fast casual.
with examples taken from existing small businesses.
Restaurants are difficult to operate. Many start ups do not survive. It's a tough business.
Today's alert restaurant and cafe owners are taking note of a developing trend. It's not just a quick sandwich you pick up at the health food store. It's fast casual, and it's more like a meal to go. It's take out carried to the next level.
Add to your menu choices and you, too, can attract this growing number of people who want fast casual lunches and diners. And take out, too.
Example: Gustav noticed that take out was becoming more than take out. And in the process it was expanding his restaurant business. Even his regulars were calling ahead to have take out packages ready for them to pick up. Gustav expanded his take out menu and he posted pictures of mouth-watering meals on Facebook with the caption: "Everything here is home made." Interest exploded. Gustav had tapped into the growing trend of people demanding fast casual meals--and take out.
Example: Miranda runs a small cafe. Responding to requests from several of her regular customers, she began offering them her "home cooked" meals for them to enjoy at home. She began by offering one special meal each day--ready for customers to pick up between 4 and 6 p.m. The response was gratifying, and Miranda soon began offering choices each day. Many customers simply placed orders for two or three days each week--ahead of time. She tailors dishes to people's likes and dislikes--no gluten is one popular request, no sugar is another. "It's like having your own personal chef," reads her Facebook postings--along with the pictures. The cafe has expanded, and it's all because Miranda has listened and responded to her growing list of customers.
Take out food has been popular for a very long time. What's new is tailoring the old take out, off the shelf items to more personal meal preparations. It all fits into our brave new world.
And I didn't mention pizza once.
Restaurants are not a one-size-fits-all business. People come in, sit down, and order from a menu. It's all about their choices. Expand on this by offering meals to go, or as they are called today, fast casual.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Getting paid quickly
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples drawn from small businesses.
In service businesses and small manufacturing operations, you do the work and then you frequently wait to be paid. The wait can be long. Meantime, your payroll and other bills continue.
This is particularly true when you are dealing with large companies. They have procedures, and your bills get in line somewhere in the bowels of accounts payable departments.
There are some things you can do to speed up payments to you. Here are three things I have done in businesses I've operated.
1. Change your terms. Offer a 2% discount for payment within a short period of time. I've used 2%-10 days to good effect. When invoices arrive at a big company's accounts payable department, those offering discounts get quicker attention. For you, it's a way of using their system to prioritize payment to you. You can also use 2%-30 days to good effect.
2. Set up progress payments. If you are providing significant inputs of labor and materials to accomplish a job that is stretched out over time, set up contractual milestones that trigger partial payments as the work progresses. As project phases are completed, send appropriate invoices, referencing the negotiated agreement. I've used this in a printing operation where big jobs could stretch out over several weeks. Construction businesses use this all the time, as do consultants in various fields.
3. Develop a close relationship with the contact you deal with in a big company. This is key. The contact might be a low level manager or a senior vice president. But if you're not being paid in a timely manner, a face-to-face conversation with your contact in the big company can put pressure to get your invoice paid. Calls to the accounts payable department will be of little value to you in resolving the problem.
I once had a serious conversation with a senior vice president of a major corporation about this. His company was three months in arrears and still ordering. He had approval authority and he would sign off on bills and forward them to the accounts payable people. There, they would linger. In our conversation, I said to him that I was continuing to provide services, but it amounted to providing financing to his company. He suddenly understood and corrected the situation immediately.
In a way, my small company was acting like a bank for his big corporation. By not paying my invoices, they were in effect getting a loan from me. In their scheme of things, delaying payments to many small suppliers results in big effects with them. Big companies do this all the time with their small suppliers.
Getting paid in a timely manner is crucial to the on-going health of your small business. Don't ever yell at your customer, but use some quiet pressure ways to keep them paying you in a timely manner--and coming back.
with examples drawn from small businesses.
In service businesses and small manufacturing operations, you do the work and then you frequently wait to be paid. The wait can be long. Meantime, your payroll and other bills continue.
This is particularly true when you are dealing with large companies. They have procedures, and your bills get in line somewhere in the bowels of accounts payable departments.
There are some things you can do to speed up payments to you. Here are three things I have done in businesses I've operated.
1. Change your terms. Offer a 2% discount for payment within a short period of time. I've used 2%-10 days to good effect. When invoices arrive at a big company's accounts payable department, those offering discounts get quicker attention. For you, it's a way of using their system to prioritize payment to you. You can also use 2%-30 days to good effect.
2. Set up progress payments. If you are providing significant inputs of labor and materials to accomplish a job that is stretched out over time, set up contractual milestones that trigger partial payments as the work progresses. As project phases are completed, send appropriate invoices, referencing the negotiated agreement. I've used this in a printing operation where big jobs could stretch out over several weeks. Construction businesses use this all the time, as do consultants in various fields.
3. Develop a close relationship with the contact you deal with in a big company. This is key. The contact might be a low level manager or a senior vice president. But if you're not being paid in a timely manner, a face-to-face conversation with your contact in the big company can put pressure to get your invoice paid. Calls to the accounts payable department will be of little value to you in resolving the problem.
I once had a serious conversation with a senior vice president of a major corporation about this. His company was three months in arrears and still ordering. He had approval authority and he would sign off on bills and forward them to the accounts payable people. There, they would linger. In our conversation, I said to him that I was continuing to provide services, but it amounted to providing financing to his company. He suddenly understood and corrected the situation immediately.
In a way, my small company was acting like a bank for his big corporation. By not paying my invoices, they were in effect getting a loan from me. In their scheme of things, delaying payments to many small suppliers results in big effects with them. Big companies do this all the time with their small suppliers.
Getting paid in a timely manner is crucial to the on-going health of your small business. Don't ever yell at your customer, but use some quiet pressure ways to keep them paying you in a timely manner--and coming back.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Going after referrals
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples from small businesses.
Business owners know the value of referrals. When someone is referred to you, they arrive pretty much open to your products/services.
They show up on someone else's recommendation. Referrals come to you because some third party has told them something good about you.
Referrals are a natural part of human interaction. We talk to each other, and we talk about each other. We want to share with others our thoughts, feelings, ideas.
Social media like Twitter and Facebook provide a mechanism for these interactions. But there are some other ways you can promote referrals in your small business.
Example: Mary is a nutritionist. To connect with new clients, she regularly gives informational talks and sessions at wellness centers, senior centers, organizational meetings and other venues. She take lots of questions, makes future appointments, and hands out literature. All this results in people subsequently talking about her in the community and referrals come in. These activities speed up a naturally-occurring process, and they are in addition to her Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Example: Ralph is an electrician. He works alone, carrying his tools and equipment with him to jobs in his van. He targets homeowners and small businesses, handling their electrical problems and needs. Every time he finished a job, Ralph meets with the customer, explaining the work and answering any questions before presenting the bill. Then, he hands the customer a half-dozen business cards asking that they hand them out to friends, neighbors, and other business owners. It's a simple process, but it has worked for Ralph. People who receive his business cards call with jobs to be done.
Example: Eric takes a more aggressive approach to getting referrals. He is an interior designer handling residential and commercial clients. When he finishes an assignment, he asks for referrals and frequently receives a couple on the spot. Then, in about three months, he calls the client again, asks if there's anything else he might do for them, and, again, asks for referrals. Not only does this provide client follow-up, but it results in more referrals. He also maintains relationships with several real estate agents who pass on to him referrals of new people moving into the area.
These examples show how some older methods can help you get more referrals. There's more to life than Facebook and Twitter. Use them, but don't neglect some opportunities that have worked well in the past.
You'll find other ways of going after referrals scattered throughout these write-ups. Referrals are an important part of your on-going business promotions.
with examples from small businesses.
Business owners know the value of referrals. When someone is referred to you, they arrive pretty much open to your products/services.
They show up on someone else's recommendation. Referrals come to you because some third party has told them something good about you.
Referrals are a natural part of human interaction. We talk to each other, and we talk about each other. We want to share with others our thoughts, feelings, ideas.
Social media like Twitter and Facebook provide a mechanism for these interactions. But there are some other ways you can promote referrals in your small business.
Example: Mary is a nutritionist. To connect with new clients, she regularly gives informational talks and sessions at wellness centers, senior centers, organizational meetings and other venues. She take lots of questions, makes future appointments, and hands out literature. All this results in people subsequently talking about her in the community and referrals come in. These activities speed up a naturally-occurring process, and they are in addition to her Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Example: Ralph is an electrician. He works alone, carrying his tools and equipment with him to jobs in his van. He targets homeowners and small businesses, handling their electrical problems and needs. Every time he finished a job, Ralph meets with the customer, explaining the work and answering any questions before presenting the bill. Then, he hands the customer a half-dozen business cards asking that they hand them out to friends, neighbors, and other business owners. It's a simple process, but it has worked for Ralph. People who receive his business cards call with jobs to be done.
Example: Eric takes a more aggressive approach to getting referrals. He is an interior designer handling residential and commercial clients. When he finishes an assignment, he asks for referrals and frequently receives a couple on the spot. Then, in about three months, he calls the client again, asks if there's anything else he might do for them, and, again, asks for referrals. Not only does this provide client follow-up, but it results in more referrals. He also maintains relationships with several real estate agents who pass on to him referrals of new people moving into the area.
These examples show how some older methods can help you get more referrals. There's more to life than Facebook and Twitter. Use them, but don't neglect some opportunities that have worked well in the past.
You'll find other ways of going after referrals scattered throughout these write-ups. Referrals are an important part of your on-going business promotions.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Managing small business
Free tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples from real small businesses.
Managing a small business is difficult. The basic problem is you are too close to the actual work being done. In fact, you might well be the only employee.
You handle sales, production, customer service, ordering materials and supplies, scheduling, and everything else that comes up. Then you turn off the lights and take out the trash.
The head of a big company has other people to handle all these pieces of the operation. To use an analogy, the head of a corporation is like the conductor of a symphony orchestra. The strings and woodwinds and percussion players play their individual parts, and the conductor puts it all together.
Well, that might be you one day. Meantime, your small business is you. You play all the parts.
To manage your small business so that it grows in an orderly fashion, you must pay attention to planning ahead. Planning turns growth into an orderly process. Planning sets milestones to help you know you're on the right track.
First, set your long-term goal. This can take some soul-searching on your part. A massage therapist, for example, can set a long-term goal of growing into a wellness center--offering much more than massage therapy.
Second, set some milestones that, over time, will head your small business toward that long-term goal. This is a matter working backward from the long-term goal to where you are now. Tie your milestones to target dates in the future. A plumber, for example, might set a milestone in the future to add another service van and another employee.
Third, each milestone will require that you answer certain questions. Will the consumer market you serve support each of your milestones? What effect will technology play? Will you need outside funding or can you grow using only internally-generated funds? Can you use a business partner? Will you need additional space, equipment, employees, or other inputs?
Fourth, turn all this into hard numbers for each milestone with a projected date. Make certain that projected income from your projected sales efforts more than covers projected expenses. Numbers have a way of turning idle dreams into hard realities.
Managing means staying on top of an ever-changing world. Long-term goals and milestones can change as well. Planning ahead helps you sleep at night--after you take out the trash and turn off the lights.
with examples from real small businesses.
Managing a small business is difficult. The basic problem is you are too close to the actual work being done. In fact, you might well be the only employee.
You handle sales, production, customer service, ordering materials and supplies, scheduling, and everything else that comes up. Then you turn off the lights and take out the trash.
The head of a big company has other people to handle all these pieces of the operation. To use an analogy, the head of a corporation is like the conductor of a symphony orchestra. The strings and woodwinds and percussion players play their individual parts, and the conductor puts it all together.
Well, that might be you one day. Meantime, your small business is you. You play all the parts.
To manage your small business so that it grows in an orderly fashion, you must pay attention to planning ahead. Planning turns growth into an orderly process. Planning sets milestones to help you know you're on the right track.
First, set your long-term goal. This can take some soul-searching on your part. A massage therapist, for example, can set a long-term goal of growing into a wellness center--offering much more than massage therapy.
Second, set some milestones that, over time, will head your small business toward that long-term goal. This is a matter working backward from the long-term goal to where you are now. Tie your milestones to target dates in the future. A plumber, for example, might set a milestone in the future to add another service van and another employee.
Third, each milestone will require that you answer certain questions. Will the consumer market you serve support each of your milestones? What effect will technology play? Will you need outside funding or can you grow using only internally-generated funds? Can you use a business partner? Will you need additional space, equipment, employees, or other inputs?
Fourth, turn all this into hard numbers for each milestone with a projected date. Make certain that projected income from your projected sales efforts more than covers projected expenses. Numbers have a way of turning idle dreams into hard realities.
Managing means staying on top of an ever-changing world. Long-term goals and milestones can change as well. Planning ahead helps you sleep at night--after you take out the trash and turn off the lights.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Voicemail goodbye
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples from real small businesses.
Statistics show that the days of voicemail are numbered. Recently published numbers reveal that more than three quarters of people do not leave messages when they are sent to voicemail. The simply hang up.
So why do so many small businesses still depend on voicemail? The answer is simple. Voicemail is convenient for the business--not the caller. And that is bad for business.
More and more consumers are turning away from voicemail, favoring text messages and emails instead. Consumers know what's convenient for them--even if businesses are slow to catch on.
The situation has led to the rise of speech-to-text providers. They turn voice messages into text messages and send them on. Big businesses can afford this extra service, but small businesses are likely to consider it a needless expense.
All this confirms what I have long suspected. And it comes from my own experience in running businesses. For almost ten years back in the 1990s, I headed the Business Owners Institute in New Jersey. We received a continuing stream of phone calls, and every one of them was answered by a live person--usually before the third ring.
Nowadays, in active retirement, I write about small business. This means that I speak with many business owners every week. During the last decade, I have been amazed at the number of voicemail prompts I get. Usually, I simply hang up and try again later.
Prompting a client or customer to go to voicemail simply delays--and sometimes kills--a relationship. Owners of small businesses need to realize that telephones are for the convenience of the customers--not the business. Phones should be answered promptly by a person. If the caller is trying to sell you something, you can simply hang up.
But if a client/customer is calling to place an order, or make an appointment, it might never happen if your system flips them to voicemail. And you never want to miss that first call from a referral.
Today, savvy business owners are turning their smart phone into their business phone. You have it with you all the time, and you answer it when it interrupts you. At the very least, have calls from your business phone automatically and seamlessly transferred to your smart phone.
Technology gallops along at a furious pace. It's hard to keep up with what's available, much less what can be useful or not in your small business. Don't get lost in the glitz and glitter of the latest thing. Keep the focus on the business end of what you're doing.
with examples from real small businesses.
Statistics show that the days of voicemail are numbered. Recently published numbers reveal that more than three quarters of people do not leave messages when they are sent to voicemail. The simply hang up.
So why do so many small businesses still depend on voicemail? The answer is simple. Voicemail is convenient for the business--not the caller. And that is bad for business.
More and more consumers are turning away from voicemail, favoring text messages and emails instead. Consumers know what's convenient for them--even if businesses are slow to catch on.
The situation has led to the rise of speech-to-text providers. They turn voice messages into text messages and send them on. Big businesses can afford this extra service, but small businesses are likely to consider it a needless expense.
All this confirms what I have long suspected. And it comes from my own experience in running businesses. For almost ten years back in the 1990s, I headed the Business Owners Institute in New Jersey. We received a continuing stream of phone calls, and every one of them was answered by a live person--usually before the third ring.
Nowadays, in active retirement, I write about small business. This means that I speak with many business owners every week. During the last decade, I have been amazed at the number of voicemail prompts I get. Usually, I simply hang up and try again later.
Prompting a client or customer to go to voicemail simply delays--and sometimes kills--a relationship. Owners of small businesses need to realize that telephones are for the convenience of the customers--not the business. Phones should be answered promptly by a person. If the caller is trying to sell you something, you can simply hang up.
But if a client/customer is calling to place an order, or make an appointment, it might never happen if your system flips them to voicemail. And you never want to miss that first call from a referral.
Today, savvy business owners are turning their smart phone into their business phone. You have it with you all the time, and you answer it when it interrupts you. At the very least, have calls from your business phone automatically and seamlessly transferred to your smart phone.
Technology gallops along at a furious pace. It's hard to keep up with what's available, much less what can be useful or not in your small business. Don't get lost in the glitz and glitter of the latest thing. Keep the focus on the business end of what you're doing.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Expanding your services
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples from real small businesses.
Expanding a business takes careful thought and planning. But sometimes an idea for expansion just comes at you.
Listen carefully to your clients/customers. They can point you in a new direction, a new future that you might not have considered.
Example: Guthilda runs a salon and spa. When she took notice that many of her clients were undergoing cancer treatments, she felt badly for them and wanted to help. She decided to add oncology esthetician services. After doing a search, she found an independent certified esthetician and made arrangements to offer the service at the salon. It has worked out well.
Example: Jonathan runs a landscaping business. He does lots of fall cleanups, winter prunings, spring plantings and year-round mulchings. Many of his customers had questions about shrubs and perennials that Jonathan could not answer. He realized that this might be an area for expanding. He made contact with a Master Gardener and they formed an informal partnership--working together and referring customers to each other. Both benefited.
Example: Law school and the bar exam behind her, Annabelle opened her own law office.The first year was filled with traffic tickets, real estate closings, drawing up wills, forming partnerships--and handling worker's comp cases. She suddenly saw a bright future for her law practice if she concentrated on worker's comp cases. The more she dug into the field, the better it looked as a way forward. Today, Annabelle has added a partner and together they devote full time to worker's comp cases. Her firm's reputation is spreading and referrals regularly show up at her door.
Be alert to expansion possibilities. New directions for your business pop up on a regular basis. Pick the good ones, test them out, and select the best. Good things can happen to those with eyes to see and the patience to follow through.
Before heading off into a big expansion, however, always do--or re-do--your business plan. Whether you plan in your head or write out a formal document, it's that projected bottom line that will keep you in focus.
More on expansions and business planning can be found scattered throughout these write-ups. In my own businesses, I tended to plan by jotting down ideas on whatever piece of paper happened to be at hand, throwing all these into a drawer, and once every three months or so, go through them. Sometimes, I threw them all away. Other times, I found the nugget that pointed the way forward. In my case, I let the ideas simmer for a while before heading off in another direction.
with examples from real small businesses.
Expanding a business takes careful thought and planning. But sometimes an idea for expansion just comes at you.
Listen carefully to your clients/customers. They can point you in a new direction, a new future that you might not have considered.
Example: Guthilda runs a salon and spa. When she took notice that many of her clients were undergoing cancer treatments, she felt badly for them and wanted to help. She decided to add oncology esthetician services. After doing a search, she found an independent certified esthetician and made arrangements to offer the service at the salon. It has worked out well.
Example: Jonathan runs a landscaping business. He does lots of fall cleanups, winter prunings, spring plantings and year-round mulchings. Many of his customers had questions about shrubs and perennials that Jonathan could not answer. He realized that this might be an area for expanding. He made contact with a Master Gardener and they formed an informal partnership--working together and referring customers to each other. Both benefited.
Example: Law school and the bar exam behind her, Annabelle opened her own law office.The first year was filled with traffic tickets, real estate closings, drawing up wills, forming partnerships--and handling worker's comp cases. She suddenly saw a bright future for her law practice if she concentrated on worker's comp cases. The more she dug into the field, the better it looked as a way forward. Today, Annabelle has added a partner and together they devote full time to worker's comp cases. Her firm's reputation is spreading and referrals regularly show up at her door.
Be alert to expansion possibilities. New directions for your business pop up on a regular basis. Pick the good ones, test them out, and select the best. Good things can happen to those with eyes to see and the patience to follow through.
Before heading off into a big expansion, however, always do--or re-do--your business plan. Whether you plan in your head or write out a formal document, it's that projected bottom line that will keep you in focus.
More on expansions and business planning can be found scattered throughout these write-ups. In my own businesses, I tended to plan by jotting down ideas on whatever piece of paper happened to be at hand, throwing all these into a drawer, and once every three months or so, go through them. Sometimes, I threw them all away. Other times, I found the nugget that pointed the way forward. In my case, I let the ideas simmer for a while before heading off in another direction.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Hiring good employees
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples from real small businesses and my experience.
Finding good employees can be a real problem. Most of the good people already have jobs. You can hire good people away from another employer, but it will cost you.
To find a good employee for your business, begin by defining what that new person will contribute. New employees must fit into your overall business plan. Ask yourself a couple of questions. Where do you want to go? How can a new employee help get you there?
Many people who apply for a job don't have basic skills. They don't know how to get to work on time. They don't know how to read and write. They don't know how to answer a telephone. They don't know how to apply themselves to a problem, solve it, and move on to the next one.
In my own experience, I have placed ads in the Help Wanted section of the newspaper. And then I dreaded the responses. Most of the people who responded didn't know how to clean a toilet. I felt sorry for them, but I sent them on their way.
Good employees have sparkle in their eyes. They have learned self-discipline. They want to learn new things. They want to be a part of your business. They want to contribute to the success of something bigger than themselves. They want to feel good about what they do.
Through trial and error, I learned to look beyond the experience the applicant had. I learned that I could teach them the specific tasks I wanted them to do. I learned to look beyond the resume--if fact, if they entered my office and handed me their resume, I simply laid it on the desk and began a conversation.
My first question was, have you been in the military? If the person had served in the military, I knew that he/she had learned self-discipline and could tackle any task I might have. The applicant had already learned to work in a team effort. The applicant had already learned to respect others. If the person did not have the specific experience that would be useful, no matter. I could teach them everything they needed to know--providing they had the basics.
Our public schools today are little more than baby-sitting operations. Students are not taught to engage life. Anything goes--there is little if any discipline. Educators are experimenting with the lives of our young people, coddling them, and not preparing them for real life situations they will certainly face later on.
So, when you look for your next employee, forget the resume. Resumes can be manufactured. Look for fire in the belly and self-discipline. Look for people who can contribute to the team. Look for someone who can eventually replace you.
At this point, there are more than 150 write-ups in this blog. They cover my lifetime experiences in starting up, operating, managing, growing and expanding businesses of my own. I don't sell anything. I'm just passing on what I've learned in my 78 years.
with examples from real small businesses and my experience.
Finding good employees can be a real problem. Most of the good people already have jobs. You can hire good people away from another employer, but it will cost you.
To find a good employee for your business, begin by defining what that new person will contribute. New employees must fit into your overall business plan. Ask yourself a couple of questions. Where do you want to go? How can a new employee help get you there?
Many people who apply for a job don't have basic skills. They don't know how to get to work on time. They don't know how to read and write. They don't know how to answer a telephone. They don't know how to apply themselves to a problem, solve it, and move on to the next one.
In my own experience, I have placed ads in the Help Wanted section of the newspaper. And then I dreaded the responses. Most of the people who responded didn't know how to clean a toilet. I felt sorry for them, but I sent them on their way.
Good employees have sparkle in their eyes. They have learned self-discipline. They want to learn new things. They want to be a part of your business. They want to contribute to the success of something bigger than themselves. They want to feel good about what they do.
Through trial and error, I learned to look beyond the experience the applicant had. I learned that I could teach them the specific tasks I wanted them to do. I learned to look beyond the resume--if fact, if they entered my office and handed me their resume, I simply laid it on the desk and began a conversation.
My first question was, have you been in the military? If the person had served in the military, I knew that he/she had learned self-discipline and could tackle any task I might have. The applicant had already learned to work in a team effort. The applicant had already learned to respect others. If the person did not have the specific experience that would be useful, no matter. I could teach them everything they needed to know--providing they had the basics.
Our public schools today are little more than baby-sitting operations. Students are not taught to engage life. Anything goes--there is little if any discipline. Educators are experimenting with the lives of our young people, coddling them, and not preparing them for real life situations they will certainly face later on.
So, when you look for your next employee, forget the resume. Resumes can be manufactured. Look for fire in the belly and self-discipline. Look for people who can contribute to the team. Look for someone who can eventually replace you.
At this point, there are more than 150 write-ups in this blog. They cover my lifetime experiences in starting up, operating, managing, growing and expanding businesses of my own. I don't sell anything. I'm just passing on what I've learned in my 78 years.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Growing with Facebook
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples taken from real small businesses.
If you are not using Facebook to grow your small business, you are missing a big opportunity. Facebook is easy to use and it's free.
Promotions on Facebook begin with putting your small business up on the Facebook site. They lead you through it--and it is simplicity itself. Then, start uploading pictures--you're snapping pictures all the time, aren't you?
Pictures attract attention. They don't have to be professionally done. But they should be interesting--a close-up of a slice of cake if you're a baker, hands massaging shoulders if you're a therapist, flowers blooming if you're a florist or landscaper, a street scene if you're a cafe. Even attorneys can announce free sessions on elder care using Facebook. You get the idea.
You post a picture on Facebook with a few words and you're done. If you only post once a month, you won't get much return. But if you post two or three times a week, the response can be significant. It depends on the business and how active you are.
Example: A consignment shop specializes in fashionable women's clothing. A manikin is dressed in every outfit or dress or coat that comes in. A picture goes up on the shop's Facebook page. Handbags are shown with a close-up of the label. Boots and scarves and sweaters and more show up on the Facebook pages every week. The shop attracts widespread attention. Women call and reserve items to be picked up later, or they rush by after their workday. Facebook has helped turn this consignment shop into a fast moving operation.
Example: A massage therapist posts pictures of hands working on clients--never showing a face. Pictures of hands massaging shoulders, necks, arms and legs trigger all sorts of responses from people seeing the pictures on Facebook. The response is more calls for more appointments from more people.
Example: Retail operations can show pictures of new products, new items being used, along with announcements of sales, discounts, gift certificates, and events set for weekends.
Close-ups of jewelry, potted plants, baked goods, clothing, a deck under construction, and just about any other item can get a response on Facebook. Now and then, take pictures of sections of the inside of your place and post them with a brief comment--this reminds people of who you are and what you can do for them.
People in small business need all the publicity they can get--especially when it's free. Take advantage of what Facebook offers. No matter the business you're in, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well Facebook can promote what you do.
One last word--I don't have any connection with Facebook other than I'm on Facebook myself. I'm not promoting Facebook for any monetary gain. But it is one of the best promotional tools you can use in small business.
with examples taken from real small businesses.
If you are not using Facebook to grow your small business, you are missing a big opportunity. Facebook is easy to use and it's free.
Promotions on Facebook begin with putting your small business up on the Facebook site. They lead you through it--and it is simplicity itself. Then, start uploading pictures--you're snapping pictures all the time, aren't you?
Pictures attract attention. They don't have to be professionally done. But they should be interesting--a close-up of a slice of cake if you're a baker, hands massaging shoulders if you're a therapist, flowers blooming if you're a florist or landscaper, a street scene if you're a cafe. Even attorneys can announce free sessions on elder care using Facebook. You get the idea.
You post a picture on Facebook with a few words and you're done. If you only post once a month, you won't get much return. But if you post two or three times a week, the response can be significant. It depends on the business and how active you are.
Example: A consignment shop specializes in fashionable women's clothing. A manikin is dressed in every outfit or dress or coat that comes in. A picture goes up on the shop's Facebook page. Handbags are shown with a close-up of the label. Boots and scarves and sweaters and more show up on the Facebook pages every week. The shop attracts widespread attention. Women call and reserve items to be picked up later, or they rush by after their workday. Facebook has helped turn this consignment shop into a fast moving operation.
Example: A massage therapist posts pictures of hands working on clients--never showing a face. Pictures of hands massaging shoulders, necks, arms and legs trigger all sorts of responses from people seeing the pictures on Facebook. The response is more calls for more appointments from more people.
Example: Retail operations can show pictures of new products, new items being used, along with announcements of sales, discounts, gift certificates, and events set for weekends.
Close-ups of jewelry, potted plants, baked goods, clothing, a deck under construction, and just about any other item can get a response on Facebook. Now and then, take pictures of sections of the inside of your place and post them with a brief comment--this reminds people of who you are and what you can do for them.
People in small business need all the publicity they can get--especially when it's free. Take advantage of what Facebook offers. No matter the business you're in, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well Facebook can promote what you do.
One last word--I don't have any connection with Facebook other than I'm on Facebook myself. I'm not promoting Facebook for any monetary gain. But it is one of the best promotional tools you can use in small business.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Social media clues
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples from real small businesses.
Many business owners think of social media as a one-way street. You put something up on the Internet, and buyers come calling.
But social media is a two-way street. If you pay close attention, buyers will tell you what they want. And you need to be paying attention to this information.
If your Facebook page is not attracting hits and likes, then you have not attracted their attention. The people out there are not interested. It doesn't mean that they have no interest. It can mean that they are not interested enough to linger on your page--much less like it and send it on to their friends.
Social media reaches out to people of all persuasions. All these new technologies can expose you and your business to new markets. But you must be involved on your end as well.
Example: Heather is a Reiki expert. She has a local clientele that is growing. When she went on Facebook and LinkedIn, a funny thing happened. She expanded in a way that she had not considered. Not only did she begin pulling clients from farther afield, but several people pointed her in a completely new direction--teaching Reiki long distance. She reworked her website and now offers courses on Reiki over the Internet. These clients can be anywhere.
Example: Patrick runs a cafe offering breakfast and lunch only. He was somewhat reluctant to create a Facebook presence. When he did, he got some comments back that helped him expand. His current customers were mainly trades people--electricians, plumbers, and carpenters stopped in for breakfast or lunch. There was a sprinkling of professionals and office workers. Patrick noticed comments from office workers and professionals who wanted to eat "healthy" at breakfast and lunch. He began adding items to the menu and saw that just about everyone was ordering "healthy"--including those tradespeople. Patrick had caught a market wave by listening to social media feedback. The cafe is much fuller than before.
Social media is a good way for small businesses to reach out. It's also a good way for your clients/customers to reach in. Feedback is a valuable tool for expanding.
When you listen, people will tell you much more on social media than they will in person. They will say what they like, don't like, want, and will buy. Sometimes, it takes reading between the lines, or filling in the blanks--but the feedback is there.
Having your own social media presence is like having your own business consultant. If you listen carefully, your Facebook or LinkedIn or Google+ pages can help you grow and expand. More write-ups on social media are scattered throughout this blog. So far, I've written 170 entries. Check 'em out!
with examples from real small businesses.
Many business owners think of social media as a one-way street. You put something up on the Internet, and buyers come calling.
But social media is a two-way street. If you pay close attention, buyers will tell you what they want. And you need to be paying attention to this information.
If your Facebook page is not attracting hits and likes, then you have not attracted their attention. The people out there are not interested. It doesn't mean that they have no interest. It can mean that they are not interested enough to linger on your page--much less like it and send it on to their friends.
Social media reaches out to people of all persuasions. All these new technologies can expose you and your business to new markets. But you must be involved on your end as well.
Example: Heather is a Reiki expert. She has a local clientele that is growing. When she went on Facebook and LinkedIn, a funny thing happened. She expanded in a way that she had not considered. Not only did she begin pulling clients from farther afield, but several people pointed her in a completely new direction--teaching Reiki long distance. She reworked her website and now offers courses on Reiki over the Internet. These clients can be anywhere.
Example: Patrick runs a cafe offering breakfast and lunch only. He was somewhat reluctant to create a Facebook presence. When he did, he got some comments back that helped him expand. His current customers were mainly trades people--electricians, plumbers, and carpenters stopped in for breakfast or lunch. There was a sprinkling of professionals and office workers. Patrick noticed comments from office workers and professionals who wanted to eat "healthy" at breakfast and lunch. He began adding items to the menu and saw that just about everyone was ordering "healthy"--including those tradespeople. Patrick had caught a market wave by listening to social media feedback. The cafe is much fuller than before.
Social media is a good way for small businesses to reach out. It's also a good way for your clients/customers to reach in. Feedback is a valuable tool for expanding.
When you listen, people will tell you much more on social media than they will in person. They will say what they like, don't like, want, and will buy. Sometimes, it takes reading between the lines, or filling in the blanks--but the feedback is there.
Having your own social media presence is like having your own business consultant. If you listen carefully, your Facebook or LinkedIn or Google+ pages can help you grow and expand. More write-ups on social media are scattered throughout this blog. So far, I've written 170 entries. Check 'em out!
Friday, November 7, 2014
Window dressing
Free daily tips, info, advice, and ideas, with
examples from real businesses
Small shops and stores have opportunities not available to other small businesses. It's the window on the street.
Dressed up windows get attention. Drivers slow down when a decorated window catches their attention. Strollers on the sidewalk stop, look, and come inside. But window dressing is much more these days.
Example: Greta runs an upscale consignment shop specializing in "gently worn" women's fashions. Consignments come from professionals, executives, and women in the entertainment field. Dresses, gowns, outfits, coats, boots, handbags, jewelry and other accessories fill her shop. Greta changes her shop's window at least twice each week. She takes pictures of her window, including closeups showing detail and labels, and posts them on Facebook daily. She does no other advertising, but her windows and Facebook postings draw people from three states. The word is passed around and referrals come in. Items that don't sell within two weeks are donated to local charities. It's a fast-moving, high end operation. And the window is the focus.
Example: Lisa runs an upscale gift shop. She offers handmade items from artists and artisans. She changes her shop's windows once each week, highlighting new items. The streets of this small town are full of window shoppers--coming here for holidays, town events, and just to get away from the big cities where they live and work. They have disposable income and Lisa's window dressings pull them into her shop. They browse through pottery and glass items, small furniture and turned wood sculptures, jewelry and fiber art, and hundreds of other items. Frequently, Lisa clears out one window and invites an artist to set up an easel and create a painting--it always draws a crowd. Pictures go up on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and other social media.
A shop's windows can provide the marketing focus for a small business. Yes, it's extra work, but what else are you going to do while you wait for the customers to arrive?
Even in this new age of social media, people still love to window shop. Many years ago, I frequented a small restaurant in Manhattan's SOHO. The kitchen was in the front window. As you walked down the street, you were suddenly confronted with a chef and his helper busily preparing meals--just beyond the big plate glass. People stopped, watched, and were suddenly hungry.
Turn your window into a marketing focus for your business. If you can capture the interest of passers by, you can draw them inside. It's a marketing tool frequently missed in today's world of small business. Combine that with social media postings, and you have a winner.
examples from real businesses
Small shops and stores have opportunities not available to other small businesses. It's the window on the street.
Dressed up windows get attention. Drivers slow down when a decorated window catches their attention. Strollers on the sidewalk stop, look, and come inside. But window dressing is much more these days.
Example: Greta runs an upscale consignment shop specializing in "gently worn" women's fashions. Consignments come from professionals, executives, and women in the entertainment field. Dresses, gowns, outfits, coats, boots, handbags, jewelry and other accessories fill her shop. Greta changes her shop's window at least twice each week. She takes pictures of her window, including closeups showing detail and labels, and posts them on Facebook daily. She does no other advertising, but her windows and Facebook postings draw people from three states. The word is passed around and referrals come in. Items that don't sell within two weeks are donated to local charities. It's a fast-moving, high end operation. And the window is the focus.
Example: Lisa runs an upscale gift shop. She offers handmade items from artists and artisans. She changes her shop's windows once each week, highlighting new items. The streets of this small town are full of window shoppers--coming here for holidays, town events, and just to get away from the big cities where they live and work. They have disposable income and Lisa's window dressings pull them into her shop. They browse through pottery and glass items, small furniture and turned wood sculptures, jewelry and fiber art, and hundreds of other items. Frequently, Lisa clears out one window and invites an artist to set up an easel and create a painting--it always draws a crowd. Pictures go up on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and other social media.
A shop's windows can provide the marketing focus for a small business. Yes, it's extra work, but what else are you going to do while you wait for the customers to arrive?
Even in this new age of social media, people still love to window shop. Many years ago, I frequented a small restaurant in Manhattan's SOHO. The kitchen was in the front window. As you walked down the street, you were suddenly confronted with a chef and his helper busily preparing meals--just beyond the big plate glass. People stopped, watched, and were suddenly hungry.
Turn your window into a marketing focus for your business. If you can capture the interest of passers by, you can draw them inside. It's a marketing tool frequently missed in today's world of small business. Combine that with social media postings, and you have a winner.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Networking promotions
Free daily tips, info, advice, and ideas
with examples from real businesses.
Networking can expand your business reach. You can find more clients and customers by attending networking sessions.
A networking meeting brings together business people, owners, professionals, and others to meet each other. You want to build a network of people who get to know you and what you do.
This means that you engage people in conversation about what they do, concerns they might have about business in general, problems they face. An effective networking group does much more than just exchange business cards.
Many networking groups exist. Some are local, others are national--or even international. Look for networking groups in your area. Some of them will be listed on MeetUp.com.
Most networking groups let you attend the first meeting without actually joining. You can get the "feel" of the group and how it might help you. Others limit membership to a single business in each sector. Some are open and relaxed, others are tightly regulated.
You can start your own networking group. It's easier than you might imagine. You started your own business, didn't you? Starting a networking group is much easier, and I speak from my personal experience of having done both.
Example: Ralph is a chiropractor who runs a wellness center. He has been expanding over the past several years--adding a nutritionist and healthy foods experts, a certified hypnotist who does classes in weight management, a massage therapist, and more. Ralph tried several networking groups and was disappointed in all of them. They were too structured or they were too limited or they charged too much for the benefits offered. He decided to hold his own networking sessions at his place. He put the word out on social media, and he set up his own site on MeetUp.com. Once each month, his place is filled with local business people and professionals anxious for a relaxed evening out, meeting new people, discussing problems with regulars, etc. Ralph gets local caterers, bakers, cafes and others to furnish hors d'oeuvres and other goodies for the monthly meeting. There is no cost to Ralph, and it gives them the exposure they otherwise would not have.
Networking meetings are a good way to promote your business. If you have the space, consider starting one of your own. Restaurants, wellness centers, fitness operations, artists' studios, and many others have space that can be effectively used for networking meetings.
Networking sessions are not places to sell your goods and services. They are meant to expand your sphere of influence, get to know others, pass the word around, and get referrals.
Many promotional methods are scattered throughout these write-ups. You can promote your business at no cost, or at very little cost, in many ways. Social media is the new way to promote, but don't ignore the older methods which still work.
with examples from real businesses.
Networking can expand your business reach. You can find more clients and customers by attending networking sessions.
A networking meeting brings together business people, owners, professionals, and others to meet each other. You want to build a network of people who get to know you and what you do.
This means that you engage people in conversation about what they do, concerns they might have about business in general, problems they face. An effective networking group does much more than just exchange business cards.
Many networking groups exist. Some are local, others are national--or even international. Look for networking groups in your area. Some of them will be listed on MeetUp.com.
Most networking groups let you attend the first meeting without actually joining. You can get the "feel" of the group and how it might help you. Others limit membership to a single business in each sector. Some are open and relaxed, others are tightly regulated.
You can start your own networking group. It's easier than you might imagine. You started your own business, didn't you? Starting a networking group is much easier, and I speak from my personal experience of having done both.
Example: Ralph is a chiropractor who runs a wellness center. He has been expanding over the past several years--adding a nutritionist and healthy foods experts, a certified hypnotist who does classes in weight management, a massage therapist, and more. Ralph tried several networking groups and was disappointed in all of them. They were too structured or they were too limited or they charged too much for the benefits offered. He decided to hold his own networking sessions at his place. He put the word out on social media, and he set up his own site on MeetUp.com. Once each month, his place is filled with local business people and professionals anxious for a relaxed evening out, meeting new people, discussing problems with regulars, etc. Ralph gets local caterers, bakers, cafes and others to furnish hors d'oeuvres and other goodies for the monthly meeting. There is no cost to Ralph, and it gives them the exposure they otherwise would not have.
Networking meetings are a good way to promote your business. If you have the space, consider starting one of your own. Restaurants, wellness centers, fitness operations, artists' studios, and many others have space that can be effectively used for networking meetings.
Networking sessions are not places to sell your goods and services. They are meant to expand your sphere of influence, get to know others, pass the word around, and get referrals.
Many promotional methods are scattered throughout these write-ups. You can promote your business at no cost, or at very little cost, in many ways. Social media is the new way to promote, but don't ignore the older methods which still work.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Teaching promotes
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with real examples from small businesses.
You are expert at what you do. And the general public is hungry for information. Put the two together, and you have a valuable way to promote your small business.
You can volunteer to teach classes for all sorts of gatherings. You'll need a teaching certification if you want to teach in the public schools. But you don't need this in other venues.
Hold a teaching session at your place, or contact others to teach at their place. Organizations, senior centers, some adult education centers, and others look for knowledgeable people to speak at their events. Ask around in your area and you'll find more than you want to accommodate.
Example: An expert potter holds classes in his studio. He schedules both one time and on-going classes for both beginners and advanced students. These are priced accordingly, but the classes usually fill up, and he maintains a waiting list. The full schedule goes on all year, with interruptions only for the holidays. This will vary according to the population and interest in your area.
Example: An expert in Reiki holds regular classes in both beginner and advanced sessions. This is in addition to offering Reiki sessions privately to clients. These classes result in extending the interest in Reiki in the area and brings more clients.
Example: A dairy farmer turns his milk production into yogurt and specialty cheeses. Twice each year he offers an extended series of classes in yogurt and cheese making. These are popular and are always filled. This hands-on teaching activity extends his marketing reach throughout the area--and brings in extra income to the farm business.
Example: A computer engineering expert does animation, cartooning, web design, and other specialties for clients. He regularly holds classes in animation--attracting many people in all age groups. These are introductory type classes--short, paid sessions. Anyone interested in more advanced sessions can schedule private on-going lessons with him, turning into a sort of apprenticeship arrangement.
Teaching others can result in many more clients for you. You might set up short, one-session introductory events that are free. Attendees who want to pursue the activity can sign up for multi-session arrangements that are paid for.
In any case, teaching can extend your marketing reach. The people who attend will invariably talk about it with their friends and acquaintances. Referrals come in. And always use social media to announce the sessions and follow-up.
Promoting your business is an on-going activity. And the promotional methods you use are limited only by your time. Teaching a class and promoting it on social media takes your time, but there's little if any cost involved. Additional promotional ideas are scattered throughout these write-ups.
with real examples from small businesses.
You are expert at what you do. And the general public is hungry for information. Put the two together, and you have a valuable way to promote your small business.
You can volunteer to teach classes for all sorts of gatherings. You'll need a teaching certification if you want to teach in the public schools. But you don't need this in other venues.
Hold a teaching session at your place, or contact others to teach at their place. Organizations, senior centers, some adult education centers, and others look for knowledgeable people to speak at their events. Ask around in your area and you'll find more than you want to accommodate.
Example: An expert potter holds classes in his studio. He schedules both one time and on-going classes for both beginners and advanced students. These are priced accordingly, but the classes usually fill up, and he maintains a waiting list. The full schedule goes on all year, with interruptions only for the holidays. This will vary according to the population and interest in your area.
Example: An expert in Reiki holds regular classes in both beginner and advanced sessions. This is in addition to offering Reiki sessions privately to clients. These classes result in extending the interest in Reiki in the area and brings more clients.
Example: A dairy farmer turns his milk production into yogurt and specialty cheeses. Twice each year he offers an extended series of classes in yogurt and cheese making. These are popular and are always filled. This hands-on teaching activity extends his marketing reach throughout the area--and brings in extra income to the farm business.
Example: A computer engineering expert does animation, cartooning, web design, and other specialties for clients. He regularly holds classes in animation--attracting many people in all age groups. These are introductory type classes--short, paid sessions. Anyone interested in more advanced sessions can schedule private on-going lessons with him, turning into a sort of apprenticeship arrangement.
Teaching others can result in many more clients for you. You might set up short, one-session introductory events that are free. Attendees who want to pursue the activity can sign up for multi-session arrangements that are paid for.
In any case, teaching can extend your marketing reach. The people who attend will invariably talk about it with their friends and acquaintances. Referrals come in. And always use social media to announce the sessions and follow-up.
Promoting your business is an on-going activity. And the promotional methods you use are limited only by your time. Teaching a class and promoting it on social media takes your time, but there's little if any cost involved. Additional promotional ideas are scattered throughout these write-ups.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Promote with partners
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples from real small businesses.
A partnership promotion can attract lots of attention. Joining with another business in some sort of promotion will bring more people than doing it on your own.
Promoting with partners is a variation of your holding an event by yourself. Two (or more) businesses coming together can get more publicity than you can get on your own.
Examples: Not-for-profit organizations joining with you will get even more attention. Think about it.
When a pet store joins with an animal rescue organization, the word gets a better spread. The event attracts more attention than your pet store could attract acting alone--with an open house or a sale.
When a salon joins with a unit of the American Cancer Society, structuring an event that results in income going to the organization, the public takes notice.
For-profit small businesses joining together also get more publicity and attract more clients/customers than either business acting alone.
When a health food store partners with a nutritionist to hold free sessions, the word goes around the community. Healthy eating is on everyone's mind.
When a therapist joins with a wellness center to offer a special event, both therapist and wellness center benefit. Each draws more attention than either acting alone.
When an attorney joins with an accountant to hold a session on wills and estate taxes, people show up because it puts legal issues alongside money issues, generating more questions and interest than either acting alone.
So it goes. How about an artist partnering with a restaurant? How about a women's clothing store partnering with a caterer? How about a winery partnering with anybody?
Promoting with partners can be an inexpensive way to generate interest, educate the public, draw in more clients/customers, and generally spread the word. It's easy--begin by talking over the idea with another business owner. Home in on an event. Then, publicize.
Ideas and examples of promoting with partners are scattered throughout these write-ups. Read through the examples and then structure your own unique partnership event.
with examples from real small businesses.
A partnership promotion can attract lots of attention. Joining with another business in some sort of promotion will bring more people than doing it on your own.
Promoting with partners is a variation of your holding an event by yourself. Two (or more) businesses coming together can get more publicity than you can get on your own.
Examples: Not-for-profit organizations joining with you will get even more attention. Think about it.
When a pet store joins with an animal rescue organization, the word gets a better spread. The event attracts more attention than your pet store could attract acting alone--with an open house or a sale.
When a salon joins with a unit of the American Cancer Society, structuring an event that results in income going to the organization, the public takes notice.
For-profit small businesses joining together also get more publicity and attract more clients/customers than either business acting alone.
When a health food store partners with a nutritionist to hold free sessions, the word goes around the community. Healthy eating is on everyone's mind.
When a therapist joins with a wellness center to offer a special event, both therapist and wellness center benefit. Each draws more attention than either acting alone.
When an attorney joins with an accountant to hold a session on wills and estate taxes, people show up because it puts legal issues alongside money issues, generating more questions and interest than either acting alone.
So it goes. How about an artist partnering with a restaurant? How about a women's clothing store partnering with a caterer? How about a winery partnering with anybody?
Promoting with partners can be an inexpensive way to generate interest, educate the public, draw in more clients/customers, and generally spread the word. It's easy--begin by talking over the idea with another business owner. Home in on an event. Then, publicize.
Ideas and examples of promoting with partners are scattered throughout these write-ups. Read through the examples and then structure your own unique partnership event.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Event promotions
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas,
with examples from real small businesses.
Promoting your small business with events is easy, effective, and can be inexpensive. An event resonates with the general public.
Events attract attention to you. You are expert at what you do. Spread the word and share your experience with the public.
What is an event? It can be an open house, an information talkfest, a workshop, or an introductory free session or demonstration of what you do.
Hold the event at your place or volunteer to speak at organization meetings, club functions, corporate groups, senior centers, libraries, or other gatherings. At these, you are not selling anything, just passing on information, educating people, answering their questions--and in the process, promoting your small business.
Events can be held by anyone in business--therapists and tutors, lawyers and landscapers, artisans and agents, bakers and bricklayers, chefs and consultants. No matter your expertise, a segment of the public will be interested in you and what you do.
Example: James is an expert in computing. He is an applications engineer--he does lots of animations, games and cartoons for big companies and advertising agencies. He put the word out on social media that he would be holding a free introductory session aimed at students. He would show them the ins and outs of the animation field, how they could do some initial work on their own to punch up their college applications. The session was a hit, drawing an overflow audience. James is scheduling more sessions, in animations, games and cartooning. No student is likely to hire James to do a project, but the word is going out in the community and beyond. And he uses social media to broadcast his business far afield.
Example: Judith is a massage therapist. She announced an open house where she would give free 15 minute massages to introduce people to the benefits. The open house was well-attended and resulted in more clients for her. These clients returned for private sessions, and they spread the word among their friends. In addition, Judith used social media to announce the open house and to follow-up with pictures. Further, she made arrangements to give free, short sessions at senior centers. These sessions also resulted in more private appointments--and publicity for her business.
Example: Eduardo is a trained chef. He regularly holds free cooking demonstrations at his restaurant. He schedules these on Tuesday evenings when the restaurant is closed to dining. At these free events, he shows attendees how to braise meats, how to make cakes in unusual shapes, how to include healthy ingredients in soups and stews. People who come to these sessions are encouraged to participate in the activities. At the end of the session, everyone sits down and they eat what has been demonstrated. These events are popular, and they attract more paying people to the restaurant. Eduardo uses social media to announce and to follow-up with pictures of each event.
Events are more effective when you involve attendees in the event. Sometimes, you might be just talking and taking questions. At other times, get everyone's hands dirty. Actual involvement can seal the relationship.
Give some thought as to how you can hold events at your place. And always use social media to increase attention--both before and after the event.
Many more examples of events held by other small businesses are scattered throughout these write-ups. I have been working with and writing about small businesses for more than 20 years. I never use a real name (except my own), but the examples are from actual experience.
with examples from real small businesses.
Promoting your small business with events is easy, effective, and can be inexpensive. An event resonates with the general public.
Events attract attention to you. You are expert at what you do. Spread the word and share your experience with the public.
What is an event? It can be an open house, an information talkfest, a workshop, or an introductory free session or demonstration of what you do.
Hold the event at your place or volunteer to speak at organization meetings, club functions, corporate groups, senior centers, libraries, or other gatherings. At these, you are not selling anything, just passing on information, educating people, answering their questions--and in the process, promoting your small business.
Events can be held by anyone in business--therapists and tutors, lawyers and landscapers, artisans and agents, bakers and bricklayers, chefs and consultants. No matter your expertise, a segment of the public will be interested in you and what you do.
Example: James is an expert in computing. He is an applications engineer--he does lots of animations, games and cartoons for big companies and advertising agencies. He put the word out on social media that he would be holding a free introductory session aimed at students. He would show them the ins and outs of the animation field, how they could do some initial work on their own to punch up their college applications. The session was a hit, drawing an overflow audience. James is scheduling more sessions, in animations, games and cartooning. No student is likely to hire James to do a project, but the word is going out in the community and beyond. And he uses social media to broadcast his business far afield.
Example: Judith is a massage therapist. She announced an open house where she would give free 15 minute massages to introduce people to the benefits. The open house was well-attended and resulted in more clients for her. These clients returned for private sessions, and they spread the word among their friends. In addition, Judith used social media to announce the open house and to follow-up with pictures. Further, she made arrangements to give free, short sessions at senior centers. These sessions also resulted in more private appointments--and publicity for her business.
Example: Eduardo is a trained chef. He regularly holds free cooking demonstrations at his restaurant. He schedules these on Tuesday evenings when the restaurant is closed to dining. At these free events, he shows attendees how to braise meats, how to make cakes in unusual shapes, how to include healthy ingredients in soups and stews. People who come to these sessions are encouraged to participate in the activities. At the end of the session, everyone sits down and they eat what has been demonstrated. These events are popular, and they attract more paying people to the restaurant. Eduardo uses social media to announce and to follow-up with pictures of each event.
Events are more effective when you involve attendees in the event. Sometimes, you might be just talking and taking questions. At other times, get everyone's hands dirty. Actual involvement can seal the relationship.
Give some thought as to how you can hold events at your place. And always use social media to increase attention--both before and after the event.
Many more examples of events held by other small businesses are scattered throughout these write-ups. I have been working with and writing about small businesses for more than 20 years. I never use a real name (except my own), but the examples are from actual experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)