Free daily tips, info, advice, ideas and examples from businesses
from personal experience starting, operating and growing businesses.
Small businesses have been slow to use social media to grow and expand. Finding new clients can be particularly difficult for professionals--therapists, accountants, lawyers, consultants, medical practitioners and others.
Example: Talisha is a CPA specializing in taxes. After asking for and receiving permission, she regularly takes pictures of clients as she tells them they are getting big tax refunds. The surprised and smiling faces of clients now pop out on Talisha's website and they adorn her Facebook page as well. The word spreads and the calls come in.
Example: Herb is a business coach. He helps business owners with cash problems, growing pains, product branding, and other concerns. To expand his client base, Herb put his profile on LinkedIn. He followed up by targeting small business owners and connected with them, writing a brief message introducing his private services and listing his private email address. It worked. New clients regularly respond directly to Herb with questions. He has entered into a coaching agreement with several of them.
Example: Tom is a young attorney. After passing the bar exam, he rented an office and began spending several hours a day at his computer. He set up a website and began writing a blog two or three times each week. The blog explains common problems people face--traffic tickets, minor traffic accidents, getting sued, the differences in various type of business organization--incorporations, partnerships, LLCs, etc. Tom does not give out legal advice in his write-ups--they are designed to educate and inform. He drives people to his website, and to the blog, with a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others. Potential new clients regularly call his office.
Other professionals can use social media to find new clients. Therapists, dentists, chiropractors, consultants, engineers, designers, medical practitioners, and others can tap into the general public's thirst for information.
It can be a three step process: 1. Attract attention on social media. 2. Point to your website. 3. Provide useful information. Throughout the process, build trust, be friendly, show that you are qualified, and give out general information on what you do--from the reader's point of view. In other words, it's always about them, not you.
Many additional examples are scattered throughout these write-ups. Examples are taken from real businesses, but the name is always changed. Tell me about your experiences with what works and what has not worked for you. Email me at AlWarr16@gmail.com, putting BLOG in the subject line.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
Roll with the punch
Free tips, info, advice, ideas and examples from real businesses--
from personal experience starting, operating and growing businesses of my own.
In small business, your business is you. You roll with the punch.
Economic downturns, endless regulations, employees who do you a favor just by showing up, cash flow problems--it's enough to get you depressed.
All this and there's never enough money to grow and expand.
Example: When the current economy went south, Rita noticed a significant downturn in orders at her florist shop. It seemed that weddings were downsized, parties were postponed, and Mother's Day orders struggled to hold their own. Rita knew she had to roll with the punch. In the face of declining revenue, she decided to expand. With fewer orders, she had more time on her hands. No longer would she depend on the phone ringing. Instead, she began offering fresh flower arrangements to corporations, banks and professional offices--creating a new market for her florist shop. She partnered with a caterer to furnish fresh flower arrangements at events--creating another new market she did not serve before. She joined two networking groups. With these initiatives, Rita is riding out the economic downturn. She is not just surviving, her florist shop will come out of this difficult period with a wider and more diverse customer base.
When sales decline, owners of small businesses get moving. They figure out alternatives to face the problem head-on.
Example: Ella runs a yoga studio. She holds classes and offers private sessions. When her lease was almost up, the landlord notified Ella that the rent would be doubling. She had sixty days to solve the problem. Her alternatives were slim--pay the new rent amount, find another space, or find a compatible business partner. Ella proposed sharing space with a massage specialist who worked from home and was building a client base. They found a new space, large enough to accommodate both. By splitting the space and the rent, Ella's half of the monthly amount was less than she had been paying. By sharing space, both could continue focusing on business without interfering with the other.
Non-competing small businesses can frequently hold down expenses by sharing space. Artists and artisans, holistic practitioners and other partnerships can use this technique.
Example: Edward started his small baking operation by renting a local restaurant's licensed kitchen on days when the restaurant was closed. Here he baked brownies, cookies and other treats. Over time, Edward built up his business by selling more and more bakery items to area businesses, organizations, corporations and others. Suddenly the restaurant owner announced that he was retiring, closing, moving on--Edward would have about six months to make other arrangements for a licensed kitchen. Edward scrambled to find a suitable place, agree to a lease, buy used baking equipment, get it installed and inspected, and transition his baking to his new place. Today, Edward's bakery offers a wide variety of bakery items to area restaurants, caterers, and others. He built the customer base first, then worried about establishing a place of his own.
Finding ways to grow and expand takes creative thinking. But owners of small businesses are nothing if not creative. The answer is found in three words. Never give up.
You'll find many more examples of rolling with the punch in these write-ups. Every business faces problems. Unexpected disasters, economic downturns, sudden loss of a major client, employee problems, technology--the list is endless. But you roll with the punch and keep going.
from personal experience starting, operating and growing businesses of my own.
In small business, your business is you. You roll with the punch.
Economic downturns, endless regulations, employees who do you a favor just by showing up, cash flow problems--it's enough to get you depressed.
All this and there's never enough money to grow and expand.
Example: When the current economy went south, Rita noticed a significant downturn in orders at her florist shop. It seemed that weddings were downsized, parties were postponed, and Mother's Day orders struggled to hold their own. Rita knew she had to roll with the punch. In the face of declining revenue, she decided to expand. With fewer orders, she had more time on her hands. No longer would she depend on the phone ringing. Instead, she began offering fresh flower arrangements to corporations, banks and professional offices--creating a new market for her florist shop. She partnered with a caterer to furnish fresh flower arrangements at events--creating another new market she did not serve before. She joined two networking groups. With these initiatives, Rita is riding out the economic downturn. She is not just surviving, her florist shop will come out of this difficult period with a wider and more diverse customer base.
When sales decline, owners of small businesses get moving. They figure out alternatives to face the problem head-on.
Example: Ella runs a yoga studio. She holds classes and offers private sessions. When her lease was almost up, the landlord notified Ella that the rent would be doubling. She had sixty days to solve the problem. Her alternatives were slim--pay the new rent amount, find another space, or find a compatible business partner. Ella proposed sharing space with a massage specialist who worked from home and was building a client base. They found a new space, large enough to accommodate both. By splitting the space and the rent, Ella's half of the monthly amount was less than she had been paying. By sharing space, both could continue focusing on business without interfering with the other.
Non-competing small businesses can frequently hold down expenses by sharing space. Artists and artisans, holistic practitioners and other partnerships can use this technique.
Example: Edward started his small baking operation by renting a local restaurant's licensed kitchen on days when the restaurant was closed. Here he baked brownies, cookies and other treats. Over time, Edward built up his business by selling more and more bakery items to area businesses, organizations, corporations and others. Suddenly the restaurant owner announced that he was retiring, closing, moving on--Edward would have about six months to make other arrangements for a licensed kitchen. Edward scrambled to find a suitable place, agree to a lease, buy used baking equipment, get it installed and inspected, and transition his baking to his new place. Today, Edward's bakery offers a wide variety of bakery items to area restaurants, caterers, and others. He built the customer base first, then worried about establishing a place of his own.
Finding ways to grow and expand takes creative thinking. But owners of small businesses are nothing if not creative. The answer is found in three words. Never give up.
You'll find many more examples of rolling with the punch in these write-ups. Every business faces problems. Unexpected disasters, economic downturns, sudden loss of a major client, employee problems, technology--the list is endless. But you roll with the punch and keep going.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Bling your business
Free daily tips, info, advice, ideas, and examples of business
from personal experience in business--been there, done that.
Propel your business out of the shadows and into the limelight. Kick it up a notch with bling.
You know bling--shiny baubles, fun jewelry, sequins, things that light up like diamonds--and much, much more.
Example: Evita operates an upscale shop specializing in women's clothing and accessories. She offers fashionable outfits from up-and-coming designers from New York, Milan and London. Throughout her shop and on her Facebook page, Evita splashes lots of bling--flashy ornamentation and accessories. She changes her shop's window every week. There, a single chrome-skinned mannequin is splashed with bling. Fanning outward from the mannequin's feet, she arranges a bevy of colorful shoes--little more than straps and spike heels. The window is a town attraction, and it draws shoppers into the shop.
Bling can be much more than shiny baubles. Using bling in business can amount to riding a horse of a different color.
Example: A local dentist uses bling. Branding here is all about that toothy smile you can have when your teeth are perfect and gleaming. Print ads show a broadly smiling face with teeth prominently on display. Facebook entries emphasize the ease of getting that youthful smile back. The bling works. People call for appointments--to clean, to straighten, to get crowns, and other dental work.
More examples: Many small businesses have figured out that bling helps attract attention and bring more clients and customers. Pet shops show puppies with flashy collars. Hair stylists put sequins in the hair of party-goers. Attorneys specializing in elder care show smiling grandparents making living wills. Yoga instructors show photos of seniors throwing away their walkers. Food stores put out racks of recipes showing mouthwatering meals you can prepare in minutes. Landscapers and garden centers use a picture of your place, feed it into their computer, and presto! your nondescript yard becomes an award-winning garden. Aggressive law firms put ads on television to attract clients wronged by products and medications--this bling puts out-of-sight dollars in the eye of the beholder. And so it goes.
You can use bling in any business. Just be careful not to overdo it, less you run the risk of appearing trashy, turning off the very customers/clients you want to attract. Instead, concentrate on fun and leading edge optimism--smiling faces, happy children, cuddly pets. Bling is more than shiny baubles.
More marketing tactics and strategies can be found throughout these write-ups. Many examples are included so you can find your type of business among them. All names are changed, but the businesses described are from real life. People in small business are inventive!
from personal experience in business--been there, done that.
Propel your business out of the shadows and into the limelight. Kick it up a notch with bling.
You know bling--shiny baubles, fun jewelry, sequins, things that light up like diamonds--and much, much more.
Example: Evita operates an upscale shop specializing in women's clothing and accessories. She offers fashionable outfits from up-and-coming designers from New York, Milan and London. Throughout her shop and on her Facebook page, Evita splashes lots of bling--flashy ornamentation and accessories. She changes her shop's window every week. There, a single chrome-skinned mannequin is splashed with bling. Fanning outward from the mannequin's feet, she arranges a bevy of colorful shoes--little more than straps and spike heels. The window is a town attraction, and it draws shoppers into the shop.
Bling can be much more than shiny baubles. Using bling in business can amount to riding a horse of a different color.
Example: A local dentist uses bling. Branding here is all about that toothy smile you can have when your teeth are perfect and gleaming. Print ads show a broadly smiling face with teeth prominently on display. Facebook entries emphasize the ease of getting that youthful smile back. The bling works. People call for appointments--to clean, to straighten, to get crowns, and other dental work.
More examples: Many small businesses have figured out that bling helps attract attention and bring more clients and customers. Pet shops show puppies with flashy collars. Hair stylists put sequins in the hair of party-goers. Attorneys specializing in elder care show smiling grandparents making living wills. Yoga instructors show photos of seniors throwing away their walkers. Food stores put out racks of recipes showing mouthwatering meals you can prepare in minutes. Landscapers and garden centers use a picture of your place, feed it into their computer, and presto! your nondescript yard becomes an award-winning garden. Aggressive law firms put ads on television to attract clients wronged by products and medications--this bling puts out-of-sight dollars in the eye of the beholder. And so it goes.
You can use bling in any business. Just be careful not to overdo it, less you run the risk of appearing trashy, turning off the very customers/clients you want to attract. Instead, concentrate on fun and leading edge optimism--smiling faces, happy children, cuddly pets. Bling is more than shiny baubles.
More marketing tactics and strategies can be found throughout these write-ups. Many examples are included so you can find your type of business among them. All names are changed, but the businesses described are from real life. People in small business are inventive!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Limited editions
Free daily tips, information, advice, ideas for people in small business
from personal experiences starting, operating, growing and writing about businesses.
Anyone can create a limited edition product. Whether or not it will sell is another matter.
If you have an idea to produce something new, then by all means do it. When you are truly a master of your craft, sales will happen. Or they might not.
It's the market that rules. Artists still starve in their studios waiting for the buying public to discover their genius. If you can create something new and better, and it grabs the public's attention, then you're on your way. If they don't show up, you're not.
Example: Tom had a passion for motorcycles and owned a couple. But his business was custom restorations of vintage and antique vehicles. When he had the time and inclination, he built a custom motorcycle for himself. At rallies, it attracted lots of attention. Tom began taking orders for custom bikes and gradually transformed his business entirely. Today, he no longer restores older vehicles. Instead, his shop is devoted to the design and production of custom motorcycles for racing enthusiasts, weekend riders, collectors, and others. Tom matched his talents to a market opening and transformed his business into a new one.
To build your future, be alert to market trends and the interests of customers/clients. If you listen carefully with your ear to the ground, they will alert you to opportunities you might not otherwise see.
Example: Jeanine makes gold and silver jewelry in her small home studio. With lots of experience behind her, she turns out rings, earrings, bracelets and other pieces for discriminating clients. Jeanine met Isabel, a compatible business partner, who hand-paints silks, leathers and other materials as accessories. Together, the two women opened a small working studio open to the public. It attracted immediate attention. Their combined customer base was similar, yet they did not compete with each other. People were drawn to the handmade limited editions offered, and they referred others. The two women maintain separate Facebook pages, and this brought more people to the studio. Recently, they met Ed who produces fine wood turnings that are sculptural displays. Now, three limited edition artists are combining their talents into a single destination for the discriminating buying public.
Two or more limited edition creators can complement other talents and attract more attention than can any one acting alone. Always remember, however, that your talents are vehicles for your creativity, but the vehicles are powered by the buying public.
Many examples are used throughout these write-ups. They are drawn from real businesses. The names of people are always changed, of course. And sometimes I embellish with additional information. But the kernel of a real business is always there.
from personal experiences starting, operating, growing and writing about businesses.
Anyone can create a limited edition product. Whether or not it will sell is another matter.
If you have an idea to produce something new, then by all means do it. When you are truly a master of your craft, sales will happen. Or they might not.
It's the market that rules. Artists still starve in their studios waiting for the buying public to discover their genius. If you can create something new and better, and it grabs the public's attention, then you're on your way. If they don't show up, you're not.
Example: Tom had a passion for motorcycles and owned a couple. But his business was custom restorations of vintage and antique vehicles. When he had the time and inclination, he built a custom motorcycle for himself. At rallies, it attracted lots of attention. Tom began taking orders for custom bikes and gradually transformed his business entirely. Today, he no longer restores older vehicles. Instead, his shop is devoted to the design and production of custom motorcycles for racing enthusiasts, weekend riders, collectors, and others. Tom matched his talents to a market opening and transformed his business into a new one.
To build your future, be alert to market trends and the interests of customers/clients. If you listen carefully with your ear to the ground, they will alert you to opportunities you might not otherwise see.
Example: Jeanine makes gold and silver jewelry in her small home studio. With lots of experience behind her, she turns out rings, earrings, bracelets and other pieces for discriminating clients. Jeanine met Isabel, a compatible business partner, who hand-paints silks, leathers and other materials as accessories. Together, the two women opened a small working studio open to the public. It attracted immediate attention. Their combined customer base was similar, yet they did not compete with each other. People were drawn to the handmade limited editions offered, and they referred others. The two women maintain separate Facebook pages, and this brought more people to the studio. Recently, they met Ed who produces fine wood turnings that are sculptural displays. Now, three limited edition artists are combining their talents into a single destination for the discriminating buying public.
Two or more limited edition creators can complement other talents and attract more attention than can any one acting alone. Always remember, however, that your talents are vehicles for your creativity, but the vehicles are powered by the buying public.
Many examples are used throughout these write-ups. They are drawn from real businesses. The names of people are always changed, of course. And sometimes I embellish with additional information. But the kernel of a real business is always there.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Backing up
Free daily tips, info, advice, ideas and examples
plus personal experience starting, operating, and growing businesses.
Small business cannot afford to go dark. You must be at the shop or in the office--at the convenience of your clients and customers.
Voice mail is a good example of backing up yourself. When you absolutely cannot answer the phone, your voice mail backs you up.
Beyond that, employees call in sick. Equipment breaks down just when you need it most. And suppliers can suddenly stop supplying.
Example: Eric runs a rug and carpet cleaning service. He serves a residential and commercial client base. Jobs are scheduled days in advance, and Eric sends two employees to each job in fully equipped vans. He cross-trains his employees in cleaning techniques and the use of equipment. (For more on cross-training, see yesterday's blog on Emergencies.) Eric juggles his employees according to the requirements of the job and according to availability. Sometimes, employees can have an emergency at home or call in sick. Before the vans head out in the morning, Eric might have to substitute employees. When there is an especially tough job, or when he runs out of substitutions, Eric goes himself to the job.
There is never an excuse good enough that you let the client/customer down. They have a life too, and you must fit into their life. Backing up your employees ultimately falls to you--either make arrangements or do the job yourself.
Example: I have experienced the backing up problem--with both employees and equipment. In the printing business, I was a stickler for back up. My employees were cross-trained to the extent possible on various types of equipment. And the equipment was backed up--multiple presses of the same type and duplicate computers. The whole idea was to be able to handle the jobs one way or another. I took it to the next level as well. I had a standing arrangement with a competitor--in an emergency, his shop would serve as back up for me, and vice versa. Both of us realized that never letting a client down was more important than being competitors.
If your business depends on equipment, you need back up. When equipment breaks down, it can usually be repaired--but this takes time. In the meantime, your back up equipment turns out the jobs and keeps the customer happy. Remember, they don't care about your problems.
Example: Sheena specializes in finishing kitchens and baths with tile, granite, marble, slate and other materials. Most of the work is with ceramic and porcelain tiles imported from all over the world. Sheena must know and stay in contact with many suppliers who can vary widely in products, availability and price. She has made it part of her business model to keep abreast of the market and maintain alternate suppliers. A client-specified porcelain tile might be in inventory at one supplier at a high price, but it can be delivered in two weeks at another supplier at a much lower price. Sheena juggles suppliers against need and schedules.
Backing up your internals can save your business. Employees who can only do one thing can represent a danger in a small business. Depending on one piece of equipment is also dangerous to business health. And a single supplier can go bankrupt tomorrow, leaving you scrambling.
You gotta produce. Repairers repair. Bakers bake. Therapists do all sorts of things. With back up, you've smoothed the road ahead and possibly saved your business from disaster.
plus personal experience starting, operating, and growing businesses.
Small business cannot afford to go dark. You must be at the shop or in the office--at the convenience of your clients and customers.
Voice mail is a good example of backing up yourself. When you absolutely cannot answer the phone, your voice mail backs you up.
Beyond that, employees call in sick. Equipment breaks down just when you need it most. And suppliers can suddenly stop supplying.
Example: Eric runs a rug and carpet cleaning service. He serves a residential and commercial client base. Jobs are scheduled days in advance, and Eric sends two employees to each job in fully equipped vans. He cross-trains his employees in cleaning techniques and the use of equipment. (For more on cross-training, see yesterday's blog on Emergencies.) Eric juggles his employees according to the requirements of the job and according to availability. Sometimes, employees can have an emergency at home or call in sick. Before the vans head out in the morning, Eric might have to substitute employees. When there is an especially tough job, or when he runs out of substitutions, Eric goes himself to the job.
There is never an excuse good enough that you let the client/customer down. They have a life too, and you must fit into their life. Backing up your employees ultimately falls to you--either make arrangements or do the job yourself.
Example: I have experienced the backing up problem--with both employees and equipment. In the printing business, I was a stickler for back up. My employees were cross-trained to the extent possible on various types of equipment. And the equipment was backed up--multiple presses of the same type and duplicate computers. The whole idea was to be able to handle the jobs one way or another. I took it to the next level as well. I had a standing arrangement with a competitor--in an emergency, his shop would serve as back up for me, and vice versa. Both of us realized that never letting a client down was more important than being competitors.
If your business depends on equipment, you need back up. When equipment breaks down, it can usually be repaired--but this takes time. In the meantime, your back up equipment turns out the jobs and keeps the customer happy. Remember, they don't care about your problems.
Example: Sheena specializes in finishing kitchens and baths with tile, granite, marble, slate and other materials. Most of the work is with ceramic and porcelain tiles imported from all over the world. Sheena must know and stay in contact with many suppliers who can vary widely in products, availability and price. She has made it part of her business model to keep abreast of the market and maintain alternate suppliers. A client-specified porcelain tile might be in inventory at one supplier at a high price, but it can be delivered in two weeks at another supplier at a much lower price. Sheena juggles suppliers against need and schedules.
Backing up your internals can save your business. Employees who can only do one thing can represent a danger in a small business. Depending on one piece of equipment is also dangerous to business health. And a single supplier can go bankrupt tomorrow, leaving you scrambling.
You gotta produce. Repairers repair. Bakers bake. Therapists do all sorts of things. With back up, you've smoothed the road ahead and possibly saved your business from disaster.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Emergencies
Free daily tips, info, advice for small business
from personal experiences starting, operating, and growing my own.
Your small business can be struck by a disaster you don't see coming. Fire, flood, wind, blackouts and robbers can shut you down--whether you have a shop or an office or work at home.
Bakeries, gift shops, law offices, landscapers, salons, repair shops, therapists, restaurants, caterers and every other business can suddenly have a disaster on their hands. Every business person deserves to have thought about the possibility ahead of time--and planned for it.
Example: Jill runs a gift shop located on the Main Street in her town. The river is blocks away, but it flooded one night in early November. With little warning, Jill rushed to her shop to get things off the floor as water began seeping in. The next day, she sloshed her way through several inches of muddy water to survey the damage. Everything the water touched was ruined, and it took two weeks to clean up the mess. Customers and townspeople were generous with their time helping Jill get the gift shop back in operation for at least part of the holiday shopping season. Jill had flood insurance which paid for much of the clean-up, ruined stock and fixtures. But she had no loss-of-business insurance, and holiday shoppers had to put up with flooring contractors and sheet rock installers.
Make sure you plan ahead of time for all of the disaster contingencies.
Example: Phil had a different problem. He runs a small auto repair shop, but he had to close operations and lost some repair jobs when the electric went down. There was no power for three days. Phil quickly installed a generator to supply power to part of the shop, and he made arrangements for a bigger, more powerful generator to be on hand in case of future power outages. Some customers were understanding, others not--they moved on.
There's no getting back repair jobs lost when the doors are shut.
Example: Diane runs a small neighborhood convenience store. After she was robbed twice, she decided that she had to defend herself. She bought a handgun, went through proper licensing and training, and now keeps the firearm handy. She hasn't shot anyone yet, but she has sent a knife-wielding robber on his way when she pointed the firearm at him. In the past, Diane was terrified of guns, but today she has the means to defend herself. And she is much more confident when she's in the store alone.
These types of emergencies are not unusual in small business. You don't need a river to produce a flood--a heavy downpour can cause seepage under the doorways and leave you standing in water. There's no forewarning for a power outage--and it can last a few minutes or a few days. And, unfortunately, a robber can show up at any time.
Be prepared. It's the scout's motto, and they got it right.
You need to give some thought to these types of problems. They can, and do, happen. With a little preparation, you and your business can ride out almost anything. (Other examples are scattered throughout these write-ups.)
from personal experiences starting, operating, and growing my own.
Your small business can be struck by a disaster you don't see coming. Fire, flood, wind, blackouts and robbers can shut you down--whether you have a shop or an office or work at home.
Bakeries, gift shops, law offices, landscapers, salons, repair shops, therapists, restaurants, caterers and every other business can suddenly have a disaster on their hands. Every business person deserves to have thought about the possibility ahead of time--and planned for it.
Example: Jill runs a gift shop located on the Main Street in her town. The river is blocks away, but it flooded one night in early November. With little warning, Jill rushed to her shop to get things off the floor as water began seeping in. The next day, she sloshed her way through several inches of muddy water to survey the damage. Everything the water touched was ruined, and it took two weeks to clean up the mess. Customers and townspeople were generous with their time helping Jill get the gift shop back in operation for at least part of the holiday shopping season. Jill had flood insurance which paid for much of the clean-up, ruined stock and fixtures. But she had no loss-of-business insurance, and holiday shoppers had to put up with flooring contractors and sheet rock installers.
Make sure you plan ahead of time for all of the disaster contingencies.
Example: Phil had a different problem. He runs a small auto repair shop, but he had to close operations and lost some repair jobs when the electric went down. There was no power for three days. Phil quickly installed a generator to supply power to part of the shop, and he made arrangements for a bigger, more powerful generator to be on hand in case of future power outages. Some customers were understanding, others not--they moved on.
There's no getting back repair jobs lost when the doors are shut.
Example: Diane runs a small neighborhood convenience store. After she was robbed twice, she decided that she had to defend herself. She bought a handgun, went through proper licensing and training, and now keeps the firearm handy. She hasn't shot anyone yet, but she has sent a knife-wielding robber on his way when she pointed the firearm at him. In the past, Diane was terrified of guns, but today she has the means to defend herself. And she is much more confident when she's in the store alone.
These types of emergencies are not unusual in small business. You don't need a river to produce a flood--a heavy downpour can cause seepage under the doorways and leave you standing in water. There's no forewarning for a power outage--and it can last a few minutes or a few days. And, unfortunately, a robber can show up at any time.
Be prepared. It's the scout's motto, and they got it right.
You need to give some thought to these types of problems. They can, and do, happen. With a little preparation, you and your business can ride out almost anything. (Other examples are scattered throughout these write-ups.)
Friday, September 19, 2014
More referrals
Free daily tips, info, advice, ideas and examples from real businesses
and personal experience starting, operating and growing businesses of my own.
Referrals are important to the health of your business. Customers and clients talking about the products/services you provide is better than free advertising.
Increasing the number of referrals should be one of your major concerns. And there are some simple things you can do to get more referrals.
Example: Tom runs a small print shop. The technology of printing continues to advance, and this squeezes Tom's operation. He realized some time ago that he must target certain types of printing jobs--quick turnaround, small and medium color runs. To find new customers, Tom started attending more networking events. In addition, he began aggressive followups with present customers--calling them and asking for referrals. He got some appointments and visited them. Not all resulted in new jobs. Enough turned out well, however, convincing Tom that he was on the right track. Over time, Tom increased his customer base.
Getting more referrals should be part of your selling strategies and promotional initiatives.
Example: Danielle owns a hair salon. To increase referrals she hands out gift certificates to current customers. She writes "From (and the customer's name)" on each gift certificate. It is to be passed on to some friend or acquaintance. For their trouble, she gives the customer a discount on their next appointment. This has had the effect of bringing new customers to Danielle's salon.
Example: Tina runs an upscale gift shop. Almost everything in her shop is handmade by artists and artisans--jewelry, women's accessories, pottery and ceramics, wood, leather and iron ware, etc. Instead of business cards, Tina hands out postcards, including them with every purchase. The post cards have a color picture on one side. The other side shows the shop's address and contact information along with a discount coupon against future purchases. She hands these out freely, frequently giving shoppers and browsers several at once, and asking them to pass out among their friends. The color picture is the key here--people can throw away a business card, but an attractive color picture is kept and passed to others.
These examples are simple and inexpensive ways to get your present customers to refer others to you. Whether you use postcards or Facebook, the end result can increase the chatter about you out there where it counts.
Referrals take place naturally. They are part of human interaction--whether it's over a cup of coffee or on Facebook. But you can do some things to speed up the process.
and personal experience starting, operating and growing businesses of my own.
Referrals are important to the health of your business. Customers and clients talking about the products/services you provide is better than free advertising.
Increasing the number of referrals should be one of your major concerns. And there are some simple things you can do to get more referrals.
Example: Tom runs a small print shop. The technology of printing continues to advance, and this squeezes Tom's operation. He realized some time ago that he must target certain types of printing jobs--quick turnaround, small and medium color runs. To find new customers, Tom started attending more networking events. In addition, he began aggressive followups with present customers--calling them and asking for referrals. He got some appointments and visited them. Not all resulted in new jobs. Enough turned out well, however, convincing Tom that he was on the right track. Over time, Tom increased his customer base.
Getting more referrals should be part of your selling strategies and promotional initiatives.
Example: Danielle owns a hair salon. To increase referrals she hands out gift certificates to current customers. She writes "From (and the customer's name)" on each gift certificate. It is to be passed on to some friend or acquaintance. For their trouble, she gives the customer a discount on their next appointment. This has had the effect of bringing new customers to Danielle's salon.
Example: Tina runs an upscale gift shop. Almost everything in her shop is handmade by artists and artisans--jewelry, women's accessories, pottery and ceramics, wood, leather and iron ware, etc. Instead of business cards, Tina hands out postcards, including them with every purchase. The post cards have a color picture on one side. The other side shows the shop's address and contact information along with a discount coupon against future purchases. She hands these out freely, frequently giving shoppers and browsers several at once, and asking them to pass out among their friends. The color picture is the key here--people can throw away a business card, but an attractive color picture is kept and passed to others.
These examples are simple and inexpensive ways to get your present customers to refer others to you. Whether you use postcards or Facebook, the end result can increase the chatter about you out there where it counts.
Referrals take place naturally. They are part of human interaction--whether it's over a cup of coffee or on Facebook. But you can do some things to speed up the process.
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