Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
You need to think beyond holidays to promote your business. You can turn any day into a holiday if you think outside the box.
Example: A florist I know concentrates on promoting his design capabilities. Of course, beautiful flowers are traditional for Mother's Day. It's the biggest day of the year for florists. But he does more. He emails and posts on social media pictures of his designs far ahead of Mother's Day. Beginning in early March, he reaches out to customers, reminding them that he has fresh or custom designs for birthdays, anniversaries, corporate meetings, and more. And, oh yes, remember Mother's Day is coming up.
Today's advertising is much more than an ad in the newspaper. And it can be more than a special reminder of an upcoming special day. Social media has seen to this.
Example: I know an Internet operation built entirely around brownies. Brownies are shipped anywhere. There is no bricks-and-mortar store. Only Internet orders are filled. Regularly, emails are sent out to customers. The email consists of three words: "Time for brownies?" It accompanies a close-up picture of a scrumptious, chocolaty, nut-filled brownie. That's it. Who can resist? The picture of the brownie creates the need for a personal holiday, and the orders come in--for corporate events, organizational meetings, private parties.
Thinking outside the box can help you with promotions. You can tap into holiday excitement or create one of your own. Customers are busy with their own lives. And they might appreciate the picture of a floral design or a brownie you send along. You are becoming part of their lives.
Example: I know an ice cream parlor (yes, they still exist) that devotes most of its space to special events the customers hold there. Birthdays, anniversaries, corporate get-togethers, and parties are much more fun when held in an old fashioned ice cream parlor. It has the red leather covered stools, the gleaming counter, and black and white tiles cover the floor. Of course, much more than ice cream is offered--with frozen yogurt, sugarless concoctions, biscotti and lattes all around. Instead of being just a summertime destination, the place hops all year. Customers schedule their events, and they don't have to worry about cleaning up.
Of course you promote for holidays. But don't miss opportunities that can turn every day into a holiday for your customers.
Businesses build events around more than food and flowers. Chiropractors, fitness instructors, nutritionists, yoga practitioners and others set up open houses offering free talks, demonstrations, question and answer sessions. These types of events attract community attention--and referrals.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Friday, January 9, 2015
Negotiate success
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to help you better manage your small business.
Everyone negotiates. Children learn early in life that they must negotiate with their parents to get what they want.
As we grow up, we learn to negotiate at every turn. In your vehicle you negotiate your way through an intersection. In a store, you negotiate your way through the aisles to find what you are looking for.
Before you sign that lease for space, you negotiate terms. At your bank, you negotiate your way to the terms that best suit you.
Example: To negotiate, you need leverage. One way to get better terms on that space you want is to show the landlord that you know something about the future economy. Landlords want certainty. In an economy that is iffy, you might get better terms on the "little" stuff by offering to sign for 5 years instead of 3. Sometimes, this can bring the monthly rate down. Plus, the "little" stuff can mean more to you than to the landlord. These might include lower electricity rates, heating costs, or some construction changes. Landlords might be willing to exchange these for the longer term lease--and the certainty it brings.
If you have never been involved in negotiating, then you need some experience. A simple way to begin is at the local flea market. You spy a coffee mug priced at $10. You offer the seller $5. The seller counters with $8. You say you might go $6. You home in on the difference and the mug is yours for $7. Back at your place, you set the mug on the shelf--it will never hold coffee. It is a trophy and a constant reminder of your negotiating.
While this little activity is a simplistic learning experience, it can serve you well. The target of negotiating is to reduce costs. It works with landlords, bankers, suppliers, and others.
Basically, you put yourself in the other person's shoes. What is most important to the other side? With a landlord, it is to get the space rented. With the flea market, it is to make a sale. Structure the deal to give the other side what they really want, and at the same time look to save yourself some dollars.
Negotiating is easy once you get the hang of it. Just remember, you're working BOTH sides to bring the other party into line with what you want.
to help you better manage your small business.
Everyone negotiates. Children learn early in life that they must negotiate with their parents to get what they want.
As we grow up, we learn to negotiate at every turn. In your vehicle you negotiate your way through an intersection. In a store, you negotiate your way through the aisles to find what you are looking for.
Before you sign that lease for space, you negotiate terms. At your bank, you negotiate your way to the terms that best suit you.
Example: To negotiate, you need leverage. One way to get better terms on that space you want is to show the landlord that you know something about the future economy. Landlords want certainty. In an economy that is iffy, you might get better terms on the "little" stuff by offering to sign for 5 years instead of 3. Sometimes, this can bring the monthly rate down. Plus, the "little" stuff can mean more to you than to the landlord. These might include lower electricity rates, heating costs, or some construction changes. Landlords might be willing to exchange these for the longer term lease--and the certainty it brings.
If you have never been involved in negotiating, then you need some experience. A simple way to begin is at the local flea market. You spy a coffee mug priced at $10. You offer the seller $5. The seller counters with $8. You say you might go $6. You home in on the difference and the mug is yours for $7. Back at your place, you set the mug on the shelf--it will never hold coffee. It is a trophy and a constant reminder of your negotiating.
While this little activity is a simplistic learning experience, it can serve you well. The target of negotiating is to reduce costs. It works with landlords, bankers, suppliers, and others.
Basically, you put yourself in the other person's shoes. What is most important to the other side? With a landlord, it is to get the space rented. With the flea market, it is to make a sale. Structure the deal to give the other side what they really want, and at the same time look to save yourself some dollars.
Negotiating is easy once you get the hang of it. Just remember, you're working BOTH sides to bring the other party into line with what you want.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Facing the music
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to help you better manage your small business.
To grow your small business, you need to face the music from time to time. Old songs lose their edge. Singing styles change.
The music that moved you in the past can begin to show its age. When this happens, get yourself into a quiet place. Leave behind your phone, television and all the other technological goodies that can distract you.
Ask yourself some honest questions. Start the process to get some honest answers to help you better manage your small business.
1. Where am I headed? Do I need to rethink this thing? Despite the daily grind, am I as enthusiastic as when I began? Do I spring out of bed every morning, anxious to tackle a new day's activities? Can I expect to retire one day?
2. Am I in the right business? Has the world passed me by? Am I drifting? Does the marketplace adequately support what I'm doing? Should I consider changing my direction? Should I close the door and begin again? What is the market anyway?
3. Can I grow internally? Do I need additional funding to take the next step? Does my business plan support the road I'm taking? Do I need a new business plan? Do I really know and appreciate the value of a business plan?
4. Am I comfortable using the new social media? Do I need to educate myself in the value of social media? Which of the various social media alternatives can best help me in my business? How do I use social media to grow and expand?
This is not a weekly exercise. But it can prove very useful to do a couple of times each year.
Asking these questions in that quiet place will result in an amazing thing. It will focus you on the future of what you're doing. It will help clarify goals. It will bring the long term aspects of your small business to bear on the daily grind.
With answers comes a fresh look. Not necessarily at the time you put yourself through the question and answer period, but at odd times later on. All sorts of ideas will begin to pop into your mind. It's a way to force some organization on the mental processes. It helps you get beyond the daily stresses.
It's good to face the music now and then.
Don't limit your questions to those I've provided. Come up with some of your own. The process will get your mind out of the everyday stuff that can bog you down. It helps you take the long view.
to help you better manage your small business.
To grow your small business, you need to face the music from time to time. Old songs lose their edge. Singing styles change.
The music that moved you in the past can begin to show its age. When this happens, get yourself into a quiet place. Leave behind your phone, television and all the other technological goodies that can distract you.
Ask yourself some honest questions. Start the process to get some honest answers to help you better manage your small business.
1. Where am I headed? Do I need to rethink this thing? Despite the daily grind, am I as enthusiastic as when I began? Do I spring out of bed every morning, anxious to tackle a new day's activities? Can I expect to retire one day?
2. Am I in the right business? Has the world passed me by? Am I drifting? Does the marketplace adequately support what I'm doing? Should I consider changing my direction? Should I close the door and begin again? What is the market anyway?
3. Can I grow internally? Do I need additional funding to take the next step? Does my business plan support the road I'm taking? Do I need a new business plan? Do I really know and appreciate the value of a business plan?
4. Am I comfortable using the new social media? Do I need to educate myself in the value of social media? Which of the various social media alternatives can best help me in my business? How do I use social media to grow and expand?
This is not a weekly exercise. But it can prove very useful to do a couple of times each year.
Asking these questions in that quiet place will result in an amazing thing. It will focus you on the future of what you're doing. It will help clarify goals. It will bring the long term aspects of your small business to bear on the daily grind.
With answers comes a fresh look. Not necessarily at the time you put yourself through the question and answer period, but at odd times later on. All sorts of ideas will begin to pop into your mind. It's a way to force some organization on the mental processes. It helps you get beyond the daily stresses.
It's good to face the music now and then.
Don't limit your questions to those I've provided. Come up with some of your own. The process will get your mind out of the everyday stuff that can bog you down. It helps you take the long view.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Business direction
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Businesses change directions all the time. Some of this is business drift--your operation tends to drift in one direction or another. Other times, you deliberately nudge your business in another direction.
Example: A small machine shop had been a family operation for many years. The shop had long ago installed the computer-driven machines to serve customers in aerospace, medical, and other corporate operations. Then along came the 3-D machines that could produce parts in plastics and metals. The machine shop owner was reluctant in the beginning to jump too quickly. But 3-D printing showed the promise of revolutionizing the industry. He installed one of the machines, began training his people, and began turning out useful pieces--some of which could expand the market he served.
This shows how technology can sometimes offer your business an opportunity to make a quantum leap forward. No matter your business, watch for technological improvements that can affect your industry.
Example: Food is always on everyone's mind. Not only must we eat, but today the concern has moved to what we eat. A small farmer can make a good living today growing and selling fresh produce in the local market--I know several who do. One of them is bringing to market a product new to his offerings of a variety of lettuces, spinach, and seasonal vegetables. The new products are the flower buds produced in spring from last year's kale crop. It's fresh, it's kale, it's new--all the elements to excite the marketplace. People use the kale buds in various ways. I would throw them into an omelet--the same can be done with milkweed buds or day lily buds. And a chef can come up with some pricey new dishes to add to the menu.
Think outside the box to come up with ways to change the direction of your business. But exercise care. If you wave goodbye to your present business and set off on new oceans, make certain you can predict and weather the storms ahead.
Changing business direction can be a good thing. New directions beckon all the time. Be careful with business drift, however. You can drift into dead ends.
to help you better manage your small business.
Businesses change directions all the time. Some of this is business drift--your operation tends to drift in one direction or another. Other times, you deliberately nudge your business in another direction.
Example: A small machine shop had been a family operation for many years. The shop had long ago installed the computer-driven machines to serve customers in aerospace, medical, and other corporate operations. Then along came the 3-D machines that could produce parts in plastics and metals. The machine shop owner was reluctant in the beginning to jump too quickly. But 3-D printing showed the promise of revolutionizing the industry. He installed one of the machines, began training his people, and began turning out useful pieces--some of which could expand the market he served.
This shows how technology can sometimes offer your business an opportunity to make a quantum leap forward. No matter your business, watch for technological improvements that can affect your industry.
Example: Food is always on everyone's mind. Not only must we eat, but today the concern has moved to what we eat. A small farmer can make a good living today growing and selling fresh produce in the local market--I know several who do. One of them is bringing to market a product new to his offerings of a variety of lettuces, spinach, and seasonal vegetables. The new products are the flower buds produced in spring from last year's kale crop. It's fresh, it's kale, it's new--all the elements to excite the marketplace. People use the kale buds in various ways. I would throw them into an omelet--the same can be done with milkweed buds or day lily buds. And a chef can come up with some pricey new dishes to add to the menu.
Think outside the box to come up with ways to change the direction of your business. But exercise care. If you wave goodbye to your present business and set off on new oceans, make certain you can predict and weather the storms ahead.
Changing business direction can be a good thing. New directions beckon all the time. Be careful with business drift, however. You can drift into dead ends.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Easy business expansions
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Expanding your small business is not hard. It can be downright easy.
Service businesses are almost always easy to expand. You might have already tried several approaches. Keep trying. Keep looking. And remember--what you tried and discarded in the past might be just the thing tomorrow. It can take the world a while to catch up with you.
Example: A small struggling frame shop expands by offering local artists a place to show their works--paintings, photographs, sculptures. Hold an open house, a meet-the-artist event. This can generate lots of community interest, and it's the back door approach to establishing a high end gift shop. The owner might want to go on in that direction. Or, another possibility is for the owner to reach out to the business community--banks, corporations and organizations--offering to rent artworks for display in their lobbies, hallways, offices. This part is not easy to set up (think insurance, security, deliveries). But it can all work together, expanding considerably the reputation of the frame shop.
Build on what you have when thinking of expanding. Keep the core and look for ways to enlarge it. Nudge your operation in a new direction.
Example: A small independent web designer expands his business by offering on-site services. Services at their site. Previously, the web designer did jobs for other very small businesses. His new customers are larger--15 to 50 employees. Now, he helps them set up networks, troubleshoot systems, offers maintenance contracts, and holds training sessions for employees. It was an easy expansion, building on what he already did and with some of the same customers.
When looking for ways to expand, remember that your customer might also be expanding. The needs of your customer's business can change. Are you keeping up with them?
Example: A store that offers healthy foods can easily expand into offering additional lines. The current trends can show the way--no gluten, no sugar, no nuts, no GMO foods are obvious. But have you thought about adding a line of foods for pets? Every one of your customers has a pet. Fresh raw foods for dogs and cats? Cat litter that's more earth-friendly? Booties for dogs?
You might be missing opportunities to do more for more people. Your customers already have needs that are related to what you do. Right now they are calling other businesses to satisfy some of those needs.
Any business can add on-line ordering and free deliveries to locals. And I would happily pay a delivery charge to have cat food delivered when there is snow on the ground.
to help you better manage your small business.
Expanding your small business is not hard. It can be downright easy.
Service businesses are almost always easy to expand. You might have already tried several approaches. Keep trying. Keep looking. And remember--what you tried and discarded in the past might be just the thing tomorrow. It can take the world a while to catch up with you.
Example: A small struggling frame shop expands by offering local artists a place to show their works--paintings, photographs, sculptures. Hold an open house, a meet-the-artist event. This can generate lots of community interest, and it's the back door approach to establishing a high end gift shop. The owner might want to go on in that direction. Or, another possibility is for the owner to reach out to the business community--banks, corporations and organizations--offering to rent artworks for display in their lobbies, hallways, offices. This part is not easy to set up (think insurance, security, deliveries). But it can all work together, expanding considerably the reputation of the frame shop.
Build on what you have when thinking of expanding. Keep the core and look for ways to enlarge it. Nudge your operation in a new direction.
Example: A small independent web designer expands his business by offering on-site services. Services at their site. Previously, the web designer did jobs for other very small businesses. His new customers are larger--15 to 50 employees. Now, he helps them set up networks, troubleshoot systems, offers maintenance contracts, and holds training sessions for employees. It was an easy expansion, building on what he already did and with some of the same customers.
When looking for ways to expand, remember that your customer might also be expanding. The needs of your customer's business can change. Are you keeping up with them?
Example: A store that offers healthy foods can easily expand into offering additional lines. The current trends can show the way--no gluten, no sugar, no nuts, no GMO foods are obvious. But have you thought about adding a line of foods for pets? Every one of your customers has a pet. Fresh raw foods for dogs and cats? Cat litter that's more earth-friendly? Booties for dogs?
You might be missing opportunities to do more for more people. Your customers already have needs that are related to what you do. Right now they are calling other businesses to satisfy some of those needs.
Any business can add on-line ordering and free deliveries to locals. And I would happily pay a delivery charge to have cat food delivered when there is snow on the ground.
Monday, January 5, 2015
OSHA rules
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
to help you better manage and grow your small business.
New OSHA record-keeping and reporting rules took effect Jan. 1, 2015. If your business had 10 or fewer employees during the calendar year 2014, you are exempt from the new record-keeping rules.
The Occupational Safety and Health administration has also revised the list of industries that are now covered. More have been added, among them, bakeries, auto dealers, specialty food stores, store retailers, building materials and supplies dealers, health care services, performing arts companies, beer, wine and liquor stores, professional services, and many more. The full list is at OSHA.gov.
OSHA has also expanded the list of work-related injuries that must be reported. All injuries, including work-related fatalities, must continue to be reported within 8 hours. Added is "the requirement to report all work-related in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and loss of an eye within 24 hours."
Further, if your state operates its own safety and health programs, check your state for the implementation date--it might be much later in this year. Detailed listings by state are at the OSHA.gov website. Note also that record-keeping and reporting are two separate requirements. Don't confuse the two.
This is written as an alert to operators of small businesses. For the actual requirements and more information, see the OSHA.gov website.
The good intentions that put bureaucracies in place can frequently choke the animal they are sent to control. I venture to say that no one--NO ONE--has ever read all the rules that are in place in all the federal bureaucracies, much less the actual laws that Congress put in place that resulted in all the rules.
to help you better manage and grow your small business.
New OSHA record-keeping and reporting rules took effect Jan. 1, 2015. If your business had 10 or fewer employees during the calendar year 2014, you are exempt from the new record-keeping rules.
The Occupational Safety and Health administration has also revised the list of industries that are now covered. More have been added, among them, bakeries, auto dealers, specialty food stores, store retailers, building materials and supplies dealers, health care services, performing arts companies, beer, wine and liquor stores, professional services, and many more. The full list is at OSHA.gov.
OSHA has also expanded the list of work-related injuries that must be reported. All injuries, including work-related fatalities, must continue to be reported within 8 hours. Added is "the requirement to report all work-related in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and loss of an eye within 24 hours."
Further, if your state operates its own safety and health programs, check your state for the implementation date--it might be much later in this year. Detailed listings by state are at the OSHA.gov website. Note also that record-keeping and reporting are two separate requirements. Don't confuse the two.
This is written as an alert to operators of small businesses. For the actual requirements and more information, see the OSHA.gov website.
The good intentions that put bureaucracies in place can frequently choke the animal they are sent to control. I venture to say that no one--NO ONE--has ever read all the rules that are in place in all the federal bureaucracies, much less the actual laws that Congress put in place that resulted in all the rules.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Voice mail problems
Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
to help you better manage your small business
Voice mail is a convenience in personal communications. No one wants to miss what mom has to say when she calls.
But in business, voice mail is a frustration. You don't call a business to chat. You call because you want to order something or you have a problem that needs attention.
Example: Cheryl was frequently busy when the phone rang in her small pet supply store. Incoming stock had to be unpacked and put on the shelves, and inventory had to be taken. So she let the caller go to voice mail. Click. The caller was gone. Little did Cheryl know at the time that the caller was new in town and was calling to know if Cheryl stocked flea baths for the caller's five pets. Cheryl missed the opportunity to speak with a new customer, welcome them to the neighborhood, and add them to her customer lists.
When calling a big company, you are frequently shuttled off into an automated system. Some computer geek has programmed answers to all the questions he could think of. But your question is not among them and you are left hanging, more frustrated than before. You finally get a live person on the line who is reading from a prepared script. You give up.
Studies show that more and more callers who are shunted to voice mail simply hang up. I recently saw one statistic that put the number of hang-ups at over 75%.
Big companies are taking note of this phenomenon by--you guessed it--putting more automated systems in place. Well, that simply creates new problems for big companies.
Owners of small businesses don't have the staff or the money or the technological prowess to automate everything. They simply answer the ringing phone, talk through a customer's concerns, and solve the problem.
It doesn't take a genius to know what works best. It's another way that small business can run circles around the big guys--for the time being. Or at least until the big guys figure out the artificial intelligence game and hit us with the next wave of automated answers.
Voice mail can be a wonderful thing--especially when the business is closed during off hours. Just make certain that you use voice mail for the convenience of the caller, not your own convenience.
to help you better manage your small business
Voice mail is a convenience in personal communications. No one wants to miss what mom has to say when she calls.
But in business, voice mail is a frustration. You don't call a business to chat. You call because you want to order something or you have a problem that needs attention.
Example: Cheryl was frequently busy when the phone rang in her small pet supply store. Incoming stock had to be unpacked and put on the shelves, and inventory had to be taken. So she let the caller go to voice mail. Click. The caller was gone. Little did Cheryl know at the time that the caller was new in town and was calling to know if Cheryl stocked flea baths for the caller's five pets. Cheryl missed the opportunity to speak with a new customer, welcome them to the neighborhood, and add them to her customer lists.
When calling a big company, you are frequently shuttled off into an automated system. Some computer geek has programmed answers to all the questions he could think of. But your question is not among them and you are left hanging, more frustrated than before. You finally get a live person on the line who is reading from a prepared script. You give up.
Studies show that more and more callers who are shunted to voice mail simply hang up. I recently saw one statistic that put the number of hang-ups at over 75%.
Big companies are taking note of this phenomenon by--you guessed it--putting more automated systems in place. Well, that simply creates new problems for big companies.
Owners of small businesses don't have the staff or the money or the technological prowess to automate everything. They simply answer the ringing phone, talk through a customer's concerns, and solve the problem.
It doesn't take a genius to know what works best. It's another way that small business can run circles around the big guys--for the time being. Or at least until the big guys figure out the artificial intelligence game and hit us with the next wave of automated answers.
Voice mail can be a wonderful thing--especially when the business is closed during off hours. Just make certain that you use voice mail for the convenience of the caller, not your own convenience.
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