Local business partners

     Any small business can extend its reach by partnering with other local businesses. Two businesses come together to hold open houses, informational meetings, workshops and other gatherings. These attract more attention than either business acting alone.

     Informal gatherings are popular with the public. Especially if they are free. People are hungry for how-to information. They want to ask questions and get answers from people who know.

     You don't need to rent a hall. Most places can accommodate a dozen people.

     Talk to another local business owner. Set up an open house at your place or the other. Invite your customers with phone calls, emails, Facebook announcements and the like. 

     Encourage attendance by emphasizing that it is free. No obligation. Tell them to bring their questions--and guests.

     Example: A landscaper partners with a book store to offer free seminar on taking care of yards, designing new landscapes, how-to information on pruning shrubs. Hold the session at the book store. This introduces people interested in gardening to the local book store, and vice versa.

     Example: A small accounting office partners with a financial planner. Hold an open--and free--meeting on taxes, retirement possibilities, inheritance set-ups, and more. Bring your questions.

     Example: A computer expert (repair, web site designer, etc.) partners with a local cafe. Everyone has questions about computing. And attendees get to know another place to grab a bite to eat.

     Example: A florist partners with a wedding specialist to hold a workshop on how to make that special day more special. Add a caterer to furnish hors d'oeuvres.

     Small businesses can benefit by partnering to hold events. A free event generates excitement in the local community. These gatherings help people, and they introduce your business to people who might not know you and what you do. 

     

     If your business is not among the examples, not to worry. There are endless possibilities among local businesses to partner for events. Think about it.

     Get started. Make a list of five possible partners. Talk to each one. Set up an event--you'll need 2 to 4 weeks to get the word out. See how it goes.

     In the future, plan to hold an event every month with different partners. You will be increasing the circle of your clients and customers. You have everything to gain and little to lose. 

      

     

Reach out with Facebook

     Use Facebook to expand your business.

     Facebook is easy. It's free. And Facebook leads you through the set-up.

     You can do quick entries. Keep them short and to the point. Remember that the recipient only spends seconds on your entries. But they are very valuable seconds to your business.

     Add photos--nothing captures attention like a photo. Don't worry about how professional your pictures might look. Use pictures you snap on your phone to show the inside of your retail space. Take a picture of a sale item--a dress or coat, jewelry, the front of your place, the snow in winter, flowers in spring, a street scene.

     Get creative. You are reminding people who you are and what you offer. 

     More and more small businesses are finding that Facebook works for them. Check out these examples.

     Example: A retail operation uses Facebook to post upcoming sales, discounts, coupons, perhaps an open house planned for the following weekend.

     Example: A garden center announces an all-day hands-on free session teaching homeowners and professionals how to build a patio, a fire pit, a brick wall.

     Example: A consignment shop reaches out to Facebook friends to publicize new items arriving and available in the bricks and mortar store.

     Example: A law firm uses Facebook to announce upcoming free seminars on elder care, social security concerns, reverse mortgages, and more.

     Facebook can work for any small business. Some will work better than others. But you don't know how it will work for you until you try.

     You deserve all the help you can get in building your operation--especially when it's easy and free. Go on Facebook.com and let them lead you through the set-up.

     

Let's talk networking

     Networking puts a friendly face on your business.

     Business networking is an effective way to talk to other business people. It is informal. It is relaxed. And it is effective. 

     You know the drill. Networking groups are held by local chambers of commerce, other businesses, economic development groups, private companies (e.g., BNI), MeetUp groups (Google MeetUp.com to find groups near you), and others. 

     Business people come together, meet each other, exchange information, and provide leads to expand your business reach. It's business social interaction.

     A networking meeting is a lot more than exchanging business cards. Some people attend these meetings to pass out their business cards to everyone. They press their business card into every hand and then they move on to the next person.

     For some, this is networking. Others have a better idea.

     A typical networking meeting lasts an hour or two. During this time, you can target and meet 3 or 4 business people. Introduce yourself and begin a conversation--not about you, but about them.

     Getting the other person to talk about what they do is an easy start. Quite naturally, the conversation will turn to what you do. Landscapers meet chefs. Bakers meet bankers. Jewelers meet gallery owners. 

     These can be valuable contacts for your growing business. You might find another tax professional, a future landlord, a lawyer who specializes in debt collections.

     Perhaps more importantly, a brief, 15 or 20 minute conversation can lead to new customers--not just the person in front of you, but referrals from others they know. In-depth conversations at networking events can have the effect of expanding your own business.

     If you don't know a local networking group, ask around. Or start one of your own--check out that MeetUp.com website. They make it easy to form a group, keep in touch, and schedule events. 

     Networking is a valuable tool that every owner of a small business can use to advantage. Give it a try. After all, what's an hour or two when it can bring you new contacts and customers.

Never give up!

    

   The first rule of small business--Never Give Up!

     People who run their own businesses are creative, hard-working, tenacious and stubborn. But sometimes they can get confused.

     It's an everyday kind of confusion. Not to worry.

     Owners wonder if they are on the right track. They worry about lack of money and time. They consider going in another direction. They start to question everything.

     They worry about cash flow--it seems to flow out faster than it flows in. They worry about customers and clients--am I satisfying them so they return, and will they refer others to me. They worry about growing the business--am I on the right track. They worry about everything.

     Worrying is good. Be stubborn. Be tenacious. Your hard work will pay off. You will create a successful operation. Be patient. Learn to compartmentalize. Separate the problems, and focus on one thing at a time. Tackle confusion by listing the problems. Take one at a time and think about possible answers. Try one approach and watch how it works. Work your way through your list. 

     Clarify your thinking by concentrating your efforts on what works--no matter how small. You'll find that confusion and worry begin to go away. The right track will emerge.

     Remember this: The paths to success are many. What works for you might not work for me. But you are finding your path. And the first rule is: Never give up!