Free daily advice for people in small business
from someone who has been there, done that.
Owners of small businesses have another job to do. And it has everything to do with running your business.
It's not an extra. And it's not an elective. It's the future--of your business and your community.
It's kids.
Way back in the 1920s, President Calvin Coolidge addressedg a gathering of newspaper editors. He told them that the business of America is business.
His words were ignored then, and they are ignored today. Ignorance of business hurts kids.
People in media, in education, in religion and in government have very little appreciation for business--except when they are looking for advertising dollars or contributions, tithes or taxes. These four groups would have trouble existing were it not for business.
Business is not just big corporations. The business of America is truly small business. In fact, most people with jobs are employed by small businesses.
If IBM closed its doors tomorrow, few Americans would be affected. But if all the country's chiropractors moved to Mexico tomorrow, millions of Americans would be in pain.
If Wells Fargo Bank closed up shop tomorrow, Americans would find other ways to do their banking. But if all the country's plumbers retired tomorrow, every American would be left with leaky faucets--and worse.
Small business makes the country work. And kids deserve to know this. Your small business is vital to the country's future. And kids are the future.
Media, education, religion and government largely ignore small business. It's up to owners of small businesses to fill the gap.
Reach out and mentor kids in your community. Bring them in and show them how a business works. Offer school class trips to local kids. Talk up entrepreneurship with teachers. Hire kids when they are old enough to meet child labor laws.
Show kids that they can make a difference with a business of their own. Inspire them to be all they can be--and the future will take care of itself.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired, and I am not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Choosing your business
Free daily advice for people in small business
from someone who has been there, done that.
This is all about how to decide what business to go into. This can be helpful before you start up a business, and it can be helpful if you want to change the direction of your existing business.
Many people consider starting a business. The opportunity to start a business of your own is one of the great things about America.
Look to yourself before starting a business or before changing the direction of your business. Everyone has an intense interest in something. It might be a hobby or it might be sports or it might be creating works of art or it might be inventing a new gizmo.
An honest look in the mirror can provide the answer to making a business, getting it off the ground, and doing what you love to do.
My experience in this is both personal and with others. As head of the Business Owners Institute in New Jersey, I advised many--personally and in group seminars.
A lady came to me once wanting to know how to buy a Dunkin' Donuts. She had a large payout from her corporate position which had ended, and she told me firmly that she was ready to go into business.
Well, not really. I asked her what she knew about donuts. I asked her who would be getting up at 4 a.m. to make the donuts. She gave me a blank look.
At this point I held up a mirror which I kept handy--for just this purpose. As she looked in the mirror, I asked her what she was interested in. During all those years of corporate meetings, what were the activities she had dreamed of? What turned her on? How did she spend her spare time--to relax, to deal with the stress of the corporate world.
After a couple of additional conversations, she decided against the donut career. She turned her hobby of throwing pottery and finishing the items off with special glazes into a business. It took her several years, but the 16-hour days flew by. She studied the market for glazed pottery. She honed her skills. She turned her passion into a business.
Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that any passion can be turned into a business. If you have an interest, there are others out there looking to buy the products and services you produce. That's the market you want to address.
If you are already in business, you can change directions to better serve to your passion. With clear focus, you can morph your present business into a completely different one.
I know a man who started out as a landscaper--cutting lawns, trimming shrubbery, doing yard cleanups and distributing mulch for clients. At his home, he had an intense interest in his small fish ponds. Over several years, he began changing his business. Now he specializes in designing, stocking clients' ponds with fish and plants, as well as designing and planting the surrounding area. It's a niche market, but it's profitable for him and he's doing what he loves.
Starting up a new business or changing the direction of an existing business takes some serious planning. You must think through your interests and match the market. Do the projections and do the numbers. In your business, you deserve to be doing what you love.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I'm retired and I'm not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
from someone who has been there, done that.
This is all about how to decide what business to go into. This can be helpful before you start up a business, and it can be helpful if you want to change the direction of your existing business.
Many people consider starting a business. The opportunity to start a business of your own is one of the great things about America.
Look to yourself before starting a business or before changing the direction of your business. Everyone has an intense interest in something. It might be a hobby or it might be sports or it might be creating works of art or it might be inventing a new gizmo.
An honest look in the mirror can provide the answer to making a business, getting it off the ground, and doing what you love to do.
My experience in this is both personal and with others. As head of the Business Owners Institute in New Jersey, I advised many--personally and in group seminars.
A lady came to me once wanting to know how to buy a Dunkin' Donuts. She had a large payout from her corporate position which had ended, and she told me firmly that she was ready to go into business.
Well, not really. I asked her what she knew about donuts. I asked her who would be getting up at 4 a.m. to make the donuts. She gave me a blank look.
At this point I held up a mirror which I kept handy--for just this purpose. As she looked in the mirror, I asked her what she was interested in. During all those years of corporate meetings, what were the activities she had dreamed of? What turned her on? How did she spend her spare time--to relax, to deal with the stress of the corporate world.
After a couple of additional conversations, she decided against the donut career. She turned her hobby of throwing pottery and finishing the items off with special glazes into a business. It took her several years, but the 16-hour days flew by. She studied the market for glazed pottery. She honed her skills. She turned her passion into a business.
Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that any passion can be turned into a business. If you have an interest, there are others out there looking to buy the products and services you produce. That's the market you want to address.
If you are already in business, you can change directions to better serve to your passion. With clear focus, you can morph your present business into a completely different one.
I know a man who started out as a landscaper--cutting lawns, trimming shrubbery, doing yard cleanups and distributing mulch for clients. At his home, he had an intense interest in his small fish ponds. Over several years, he began changing his business. Now he specializes in designing, stocking clients' ponds with fish and plants, as well as designing and planting the surrounding area. It's a niche market, but it's profitable for him and he's doing what he loves.
Starting up a new business or changing the direction of an existing business takes some serious planning. You must think through your interests and match the market. Do the projections and do the numbers. In your business, you deserve to be doing what you love.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I'm retired and I'm not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Social media no-nos
Free daily advice for people in small business
from someone who has been there, done that.
The Internet has spawned all sorts of social media--Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a host of others. The interactions with friends, family, and others can be fun, useful, informative--and a great marketing tool.
People in small business early on discovered the value of Facebook. By posting pictures and short comments, regular customers are reminded of what you can do for them. And these regulars can quickly and effortlessly send your posts to others. Your circle increases.
This represents a new and very valuable expansion of the referral networks you want to have in place. In fact, Facebook has perhaps done more to help small business expand than anything else invented.
Posting your quick pictures and comments on Facebook does not take the place of networking, community involvement, and other means of getting the word out. But it is a very valuable tool available to everyone.
A quick post on Facebook and your marketing can explode. Recently, Twitter has begun providing a similar service. And so it goes.
Use these tools to your advantage, but keep in mind some no-nos. The first thing to remember is, like they say about Las Vegas, what goes on the Internet, stays on the Internet. It is next to impossible to pull anything back or delete something once it's sent.
This means that you don't post anything on the spur of the moment. No matter how clever your comment, no matter how great you think that picture is, don't post until you've stepped back and thought about it a moment. Of course, don't ever do anything personal.
There is no privacy on the Internet. Whatever you post can possibly be seen by anyone at anytime, now or in the future.
Of course a new flower arrangement by the florist is not controversial and can represent a good sales tool. The same applies to a photo of a new deck a construction specialist has just finished or pictures of existing equipment at the gym or announcing a grand opening or first anniversary at any small business.
When using Facebook or the other social media, always keep in mind your customers and your relationship with them. Keep your focus on your customer. You can get them to return again and again--and bring others to you--if you step in their shoes and look at your posts before you click the send button.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired, and I'm not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
from someone who has been there, done that.
The Internet has spawned all sorts of social media--Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a host of others. The interactions with friends, family, and others can be fun, useful, informative--and a great marketing tool.
People in small business early on discovered the value of Facebook. By posting pictures and short comments, regular customers are reminded of what you can do for them. And these regulars can quickly and effortlessly send your posts to others. Your circle increases.
This represents a new and very valuable expansion of the referral networks you want to have in place. In fact, Facebook has perhaps done more to help small business expand than anything else invented.
Posting your quick pictures and comments on Facebook does not take the place of networking, community involvement, and other means of getting the word out. But it is a very valuable tool available to everyone.
A quick post on Facebook and your marketing can explode. Recently, Twitter has begun providing a similar service. And so it goes.
Use these tools to your advantage, but keep in mind some no-nos. The first thing to remember is, like they say about Las Vegas, what goes on the Internet, stays on the Internet. It is next to impossible to pull anything back or delete something once it's sent.
This means that you don't post anything on the spur of the moment. No matter how clever your comment, no matter how great you think that picture is, don't post until you've stepped back and thought about it a moment. Of course, don't ever do anything personal.
There is no privacy on the Internet. Whatever you post can possibly be seen by anyone at anytime, now or in the future.
Of course a new flower arrangement by the florist is not controversial and can represent a good sales tool. The same applies to a photo of a new deck a construction specialist has just finished or pictures of existing equipment at the gym or announcing a grand opening or first anniversary at any small business.
When using Facebook or the other social media, always keep in mind your customers and your relationship with them. Keep your focus on your customer. You can get them to return again and again--and bring others to you--if you step in their shoes and look at your posts before you click the send button.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired, and I'm not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Business after you
Free daily advice for people in small business
from someone who has been there, done that.
Like it or not, one day your business will be running without you at the helm. It's just life, and you deserve to get yourself--and the business--ready.
Either you succumb to all that cholesterol everyone warns about, or you sell out and retire, or you pass the business on to a family member, or close it down. No matter how it happens, you need to get your ducks in a row.
I grew up on a dairy farm. It was a 24/7/365 operation. All those cows had to be milked twice every day.
When I was barely 16, my dad sat me down for an eye-opening talk. If I wanted the farm, he would keep it running until I graduated high school. If not, he planned to sell out and retire.
Well, I didn't want to face all those cows twice a day, so I opted for his retirement. And just what do you plan to do after high school, he asked me pointedly. That word "plan" was forever burned into my psyche.
Running your business means you plan--constantly. But most planning is the day-to-day type. Owners of small businesses tend to plan on the run. Planning is done in the head--for the day, for the week, for the month.
This is not long-range planning. Long-range planning is when you look in the mirror and face the serious problems of running your business. It's when you come to terms with the future--on paper, with numbers.
It's when you face the tough questions: What am I doing? Where am I going? Am I on the right path? What am I doing today to get me there? And, finally, why am I doing all this?
Answers to these questions form the basis for projections into the future. Planning is not about today's problems. Planning is about tomorrow's problems.
If you are planning to sell, you need to get ready. If you are planning to pass it on to your kids, you need to get ready. The process is on-going, and it starts now.
I know. Right now, you're just planning for the business to support you and your family. Right now, you just want to get through this year. Right now, you just want to pay the taxes and have a little left over to buy another piece of equipment.
But do yourself a favor. Do some serious planning for the future. It tends to put everyday problems into a better perspective. And it will get you through today's stresses.
More about planning and how to do it in future blogs. Hint: Planning is mainly about the market, and how your business serves it.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired, and I am not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
from someone who has been there, done that.
Like it or not, one day your business will be running without you at the helm. It's just life, and you deserve to get yourself--and the business--ready.
Either you succumb to all that cholesterol everyone warns about, or you sell out and retire, or you pass the business on to a family member, or close it down. No matter how it happens, you need to get your ducks in a row.
I grew up on a dairy farm. It was a 24/7/365 operation. All those cows had to be milked twice every day.
When I was barely 16, my dad sat me down for an eye-opening talk. If I wanted the farm, he would keep it running until I graduated high school. If not, he planned to sell out and retire.
Well, I didn't want to face all those cows twice a day, so I opted for his retirement. And just what do you plan to do after high school, he asked me pointedly. That word "plan" was forever burned into my psyche.
Running your business means you plan--constantly. But most planning is the day-to-day type. Owners of small businesses tend to plan on the run. Planning is done in the head--for the day, for the week, for the month.
This is not long-range planning. Long-range planning is when you look in the mirror and face the serious problems of running your business. It's when you come to terms with the future--on paper, with numbers.
It's when you face the tough questions: What am I doing? Where am I going? Am I on the right path? What am I doing today to get me there? And, finally, why am I doing all this?
Answers to these questions form the basis for projections into the future. Planning is not about today's problems. Planning is about tomorrow's problems.
If you are planning to sell, you need to get ready. If you are planning to pass it on to your kids, you need to get ready. The process is on-going, and it starts now.
I know. Right now, you're just planning for the business to support you and your family. Right now, you just want to get through this year. Right now, you just want to pay the taxes and have a little left over to buy another piece of equipment.
But do yourself a favor. Do some serious planning for the future. It tends to put everyday problems into a better perspective. And it will get you through today's stresses.
More about planning and how to do it in future blogs. Hint: Planning is mainly about the market, and how your business serves it.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired, and I am not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Artwork sales
Free daily advice for people in small business
from someone who has been there, done that.
Artists and artisans can have a hard time connecting with the buying public. It's a long way from creation to sale.
Painters, photographers, potters, jewelry makers, wood turners, fiber artisans, glass workers--all have difficulty marketing. But it doesn't have to be that way.
The Internet has made it easier than ever to connect with the buying public. You can have your own website, post your creations on Facebook, talk with others on Twitter, join public art sites like Etsy.com, create your own blog at Blogger.com and enhance it with Google+.
New possibilities crop up every day. Keep on top of social media. Snap frequent pictures of your works and post them on sites that can attract attention.
Older methods work for some artists and artisans. Galleries still mount exhibits to show works. Some galleries have morphed into high-end gift shops that regularly offer works by artists and artisans.
I know a large gift shop that specializes in one-of-a-kind creations. Jewelry, paintings and photographs, pottery, even furniture and other decorative items crowd displays here. Creations in glass and metals, fiber and wood line the shelves. Hand-made kaleidoscopes attract shoppers with deep pockets.
Other artists and artisans open their studios to the public. If you have never done this, kick it off with an open house. Partner with a local bakery or caterer or restaurant--you furnish the space and the attraction, they furnish the goodies. Announce that your studio is open every weekend for visitors. Follow-up by repeating the open house every 2-3 months.
Some artists and artisans offer workshops. These free information sessions attract attention and get locals talking about you and your work. Workshops by artists and artisans I've known include jewelers, fiber artists, stained glass workers, plein air painting and pottery making. In all these, you are the instructor and the session brings in some revenue.
Art shows can be effective, but good ones can be expensive. Exercise care in selecting the shows you sign up for. You can show your works at the local flea market, but people who shop flea markets are looking for bargains.
Artists and artisans are creative people. You naturally think outside the box. That's what makes your works valuable to the rest of us. Use some of your creativity in thinking about how to sell your works.
Questions? Email me direct at: AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line. I am retired and I am not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
from someone who has been there, done that.
Artists and artisans can have a hard time connecting with the buying public. It's a long way from creation to sale.
Painters, photographers, potters, jewelry makers, wood turners, fiber artisans, glass workers--all have difficulty marketing. But it doesn't have to be that way.
The Internet has made it easier than ever to connect with the buying public. You can have your own website, post your creations on Facebook, talk with others on Twitter, join public art sites like Etsy.com, create your own blog at Blogger.com and enhance it with Google+.
New possibilities crop up every day. Keep on top of social media. Snap frequent pictures of your works and post them on sites that can attract attention.
Older methods work for some artists and artisans. Galleries still mount exhibits to show works. Some galleries have morphed into high-end gift shops that regularly offer works by artists and artisans.
I know a large gift shop that specializes in one-of-a-kind creations. Jewelry, paintings and photographs, pottery, even furniture and other decorative items crowd displays here. Creations in glass and metals, fiber and wood line the shelves. Hand-made kaleidoscopes attract shoppers with deep pockets.
Other artists and artisans open their studios to the public. If you have never done this, kick it off with an open house. Partner with a local bakery or caterer or restaurant--you furnish the space and the attraction, they furnish the goodies. Announce that your studio is open every weekend for visitors. Follow-up by repeating the open house every 2-3 months.
Some artists and artisans offer workshops. These free information sessions attract attention and get locals talking about you and your work. Workshops by artists and artisans I've known include jewelers, fiber artists, stained glass workers, plein air painting and pottery making. In all these, you are the instructor and the session brings in some revenue.
Art shows can be effective, but good ones can be expensive. Exercise care in selecting the shows you sign up for. You can show your works at the local flea market, but people who shop flea markets are looking for bargains.
Artists and artisans are creative people. You naturally think outside the box. That's what makes your works valuable to the rest of us. Use some of your creativity in thinking about how to sell your works.
Questions? Email me direct at: AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line. I am retired and I am not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Emailing customers
Free daily advice for people in small business
from someone who has been there, done that.
Emails are changing--drastically.
Emails are not what they used to be. It's because technology is fast moving. Like every month, something new hits the marketplace.
The first computer I worked with was bigger than my house. It was the 1960s and the machine required an army of key punch operators.
Soon Bill Gates appeared on the scene. Desktop computers invaded offices everywhere. It was an exciting time.
Then emails started to become the dominant form of communicating with friends, employees, and customers. More excitement.
Meantime, cell phones began exploding. It took a few years for technology to place cell phones in everyone's hands.
Yesterday, companies began emailing customers. Emails were used to keep in touch and explore new opportunities. Products, services, customer services messages were delivered via the email mechanism.
The word went around--for best results, send emails on Tuesdays. Mondays and Fridays were seen as dead days to get attention.
Today's smart phones have changed all this--again. Nowadays, people read incoming emails according to their own daily schedules.
To get the best results, forget the Tuesday email blast. That former dictum no longer applies. Businesses are finding that the best time to send emails might be in the evening.
Pay attention to your customers. Tailor your emails to their convenience. You gotta keep up!
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired and I'm not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
from someone who has been there, done that.
Emails are changing--drastically.
Emails are not what they used to be. It's because technology is fast moving. Like every month, something new hits the marketplace.
The first computer I worked with was bigger than my house. It was the 1960s and the machine required an army of key punch operators.
Soon Bill Gates appeared on the scene. Desktop computers invaded offices everywhere. It was an exciting time.
Then emails started to become the dominant form of communicating with friends, employees, and customers. More excitement.
Meantime, cell phones began exploding. It took a few years for technology to place cell phones in everyone's hands.
Yesterday, companies began emailing customers. Emails were used to keep in touch and explore new opportunities. Products, services, customer services messages were delivered via the email mechanism.
The word went around--for best results, send emails on Tuesdays. Mondays and Fridays were seen as dead days to get attention.
Today's smart phones have changed all this--again. Nowadays, people read incoming emails according to their own daily schedules.
To get the best results, forget the Tuesday email blast. That former dictum no longer applies. Businesses are finding that the best time to send emails might be in the evening.
Pay attention to your customers. Tailor your emails to their convenience. You gotta keep up!
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired and I'm not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Finding new customers
Free daily advice for people in small business
from someone who has been there, done that.
Introducing new customers to your products and services is arguably the most important part of your business. Big or small, you need a continuing parade of new customers.
Why? It's because you will lose your present customers. Sooner or later, all of them will disappear. They move away, they find other sources, they begin buying from a brother-in-law, whatever. Or you lose them to the Internet--and this will only get worse.
So how do you find new clients and customers, bind them to you, and keep them coming back again and again to your operation?
1. Make their experience with you an enjoyable activity, maybe even fun. A dentist's office does not have to be all about dentistry. Same applies to a law office. An ice cream store I know hangs pictures drawn by school kids, turning the place into an art gallery for the young set and their parents.
2. Constantly keep on top of the market. It changes. Food products that are hot today, languish on the shelves tomorrow. Health food stores see this in the fads that come and go rather quickly in the supplements market. The same is true in alternative medicine practices.
3. Ask your customers to "friend" you on Facebook. Use social media to reach out to new people. Network your way through several groups--on the Internet as well as in your community. Ask your customers to bring pictures drawn by their kids and you'll post them on your site.
4. To attract new people to your bricks and mortar operation, offer free workshops and other informational meetings open to the general public. People react positively to learning new things. And after all, you're the expert in what you do.
5. Engage in friendly conversations. Show an interest in what other people do. Get them talking about their work. It's not personal, like politics can be. People open up and they remember you and your operation--and they refer others.
6. After you get to know your clients and customers, find the opportunity to ask them for referrals. Once you're in a relaxed conversation, people willingly open up. Not all, but many of them will be happy to pass on names of friends who might be use your services. It's how I found my accountant--who stayed with me for more than 20 years.
Some of last year's selling techniques have gone by the board. They're yesterday's news. Who does cold calling any more?
But other things don't change. They might put on a new face in this computer age, but basically, people are people.
Find the methods that work for you and keep at it. Adding new clients and customers is a never-ending process in business. If you're adding more than you're losing, you're growing.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired, and I'm not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
from someone who has been there, done that.
Introducing new customers to your products and services is arguably the most important part of your business. Big or small, you need a continuing parade of new customers.
Why? It's because you will lose your present customers. Sooner or later, all of them will disappear. They move away, they find other sources, they begin buying from a brother-in-law, whatever. Or you lose them to the Internet--and this will only get worse.
So how do you find new clients and customers, bind them to you, and keep them coming back again and again to your operation?
1. Make their experience with you an enjoyable activity, maybe even fun. A dentist's office does not have to be all about dentistry. Same applies to a law office. An ice cream store I know hangs pictures drawn by school kids, turning the place into an art gallery for the young set and their parents.
2. Constantly keep on top of the market. It changes. Food products that are hot today, languish on the shelves tomorrow. Health food stores see this in the fads that come and go rather quickly in the supplements market. The same is true in alternative medicine practices.
3. Ask your customers to "friend" you on Facebook. Use social media to reach out to new people. Network your way through several groups--on the Internet as well as in your community. Ask your customers to bring pictures drawn by their kids and you'll post them on your site.
4. To attract new people to your bricks and mortar operation, offer free workshops and other informational meetings open to the general public. People react positively to learning new things. And after all, you're the expert in what you do.
5. Engage in friendly conversations. Show an interest in what other people do. Get them talking about their work. It's not personal, like politics can be. People open up and they remember you and your operation--and they refer others.
6. After you get to know your clients and customers, find the opportunity to ask them for referrals. Once you're in a relaxed conversation, people willingly open up. Not all, but many of them will be happy to pass on names of friends who might be use your services. It's how I found my accountant--who stayed with me for more than 20 years.
Some of last year's selling techniques have gone by the board. They're yesterday's news. Who does cold calling any more?
But other things don't change. They might put on a new face in this computer age, but basically, people are people.
Find the methods that work for you and keep at it. Adding new clients and customers is a never-ending process in business. If you're adding more than you're losing, you're growing.
Questions? Email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject line.
I am retired, and I'm not selling anything. Your privacy is always respected.
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