Your Business Wisdom

GOOGLE LOCAL BUSINESS INTRODUCTION

Google Local Business Center Introduction
Just in case you missed this in my previous post.

Good Luck and Happy Marketing, Need Help With Local Search, Contact Us Today

"LOCAL" BUSINESSES, NEED "LOCAL" HELP!

Why?  Consider this vital information. . .

46% of local searchers make in-store visits, according to data released to eMarketer by TMP Directional Marketing and comScore. The number is up 12% over last year. Meanwhile, for "general searches," 34% visited stores, but this was only up 1% over last year. Internet yellow pages searchers also came in at 34%, up from 29% last year. The overall average of searchers ending up in-store was 37%.

What local searchers are looking for are businesses that provide the products and services they're looking for. After they've found that, they look for address and location information and then a phone number.

For most business categories, local searchers used general search engines rather than more specialized local search sites or online yellow pages. Local search engines were biggest for users looking for child care and hotels, while nearly one-half of home services searchers used Internet yellow pages.

Mobile users are taking advantage of ever more sophisticated handsets to get important local info wherever they are. They were significantly more likely to access mobile content in 2009 compared with the prior year, up 40%. That includes a 127% increase in subscribers using mobile apps to get local info, as well as a 27% increase in users looking up local data via SMS.

“Buyers use numerous channels at different times and for different reasons,” said Gregg Stewart, president of TMPDM’s full-service interactive division 15miles. “But the growing demand for local business information across interactive search platforms, especially online and mobile, is creating additional opportunities for national advertisers to reach consumers with more relevance. In order to reach target audiences, marketers must think locally and focus their messages on local marketplaces where consumers shop

Learm more about Local Search

 

Good Luck and Happy Marketing - Need Help With Local Search Contact Us Today.

Reprinted Tables courtesy of EMarketer

  

TWENTY WAYS TO TWEET YOUR BUSINESS

No pun intended to Paul Simon, in  50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. . .but here is my take. . . 

 

"Should I, and how can I use Twitter for business"is one of the top 10 questions I regularly receive. Everyone hears about Twitter, but not many understand its' application for business. In fact I recently was asked this during a major client presentation by their CEO. "Tell me Ad-Guy, should we be using Twitter"...note this guy is pretty direct!

 

Luckily I found a super presentation that walks you through how to use Twitter for your business, and gives you 20 simple examples of how you can incorporate Twitter into your marketing and promotion today!

This saved me a lot of time answering emails, and surely spared me a good deal of time  of putting together my own presentation. So Here it is

20 Ways to Tweet for Your Business

The following presentation is packed with 20 easy ways you can tweet for your business. Simply click on through the presentation for the entire 20 tips. No need to navigate away, just click on the presentation.

 

20 Ways To Tweet: For Companies, Corporations & Small Businesses

Good Luck and Happy Marketing. Need Help? Contact us today.

THAT 4 LETTER WORK. . .A 'CUSS, YOU TELL ME!

You’re starting a business, you must be crazy that’s so risky! You want to start a business, how much risk can you take? You’ve got to be nuts to quit your job and start a business, why take the risk?

Ever heard these kinds of comments from others, either about business or any aspect of your life. It usually goes like this

YOU: I’m thinking about doing ________.

THEM: What? Are you insane, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, just too risky!

First remember, THEY ARE NOT YOU!

Whatever the topic may be, from starting a business, to wearing white after labor day, others are quick to give you advice about what you should do that is largely a part of what they perceive to be “safe” or “risky” behavior.

That EVER PRESENT Four Letter

Risk, or the perception of risk, has probably kept you from doing quite a bit in your life, I know it has mine. More often than not, this perception has been shaped by what others have told you is risky, and coming from trusted confidants you’ve probably believed them.

It doesn’t take much to be high on an idea one minute, and have somebody smash our dreams the next by using that little four letter word – R.I.S.K

But here’s the little secret about risk that nobody has ever told you…

Risk Is Relative

That’s right, risk is completely relative. So when somebody tells you that you shouldn’t do what you want to do because it’s too risky, what they really mean is that it is risky relative to their situation, their own biases, or outlook.

Risky or Safe, You Tell Me?

Ever seen footage of the guys who do free climbing? I’m talking about the people who set off up the face of a 1000 foot shear cliff, with no ropes, no safety harness, and only their feet and hands to keep them from plummeting to their death? If you’re like me you say to yourself “Wow, that’s risky!”

But, to the free climber who’s been doing it for 30 years, learned how to climb a rock face before they could walk, and have 1000’s of hours of climbing under their belt – ascending that mountain is safer than driving in a car, flying in an airplane, or riding a roller coaster at the fair. Activities that you or me probably think of as fairly safe.

When NASCAR star Jeff Gordon flies around the race track at 170 miles per hour, that looks pretty risky. But as one of the best drivers ever, and with years of practice under his belt, driving that track is about as risky as me walking my dog.

What Does This Mean To You?

Simply put – you define your own risk. Your background, personality, expertise, education, and essentially everything that makes you goes into what is risky for yourself!

When people tell you something is too risky, they are saying that it is too risky for them. Given their makeup, their situation, they wouldn’t try it. But what does that have to do with you? Nothing!

This goes for business as well as life. Risk is relative, don’t accept someone else’s risk profile for you, or live a life based on what others think is risky.

Good Luck and Happy Marketing, Need Help Contact Us Today

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE, IS NOT ENOUGH!

These days—especially with all the competition on the Web—if you want people to buy from you instead of the other guy, you’d better give them a sound reason to do so. Otherwise they probably won't. In fact, no explaining what is the offer for them, you will lose them at "Hello".

And saying you have "great customer service" isn’t going to do the trick. Everyone says that, and so few deliver on it, that this little promise has lost its luster. Have you ever been told "buy from us, even though our service stinks" . . .of course not! Everyone says, believes or advertises Great Customer Service Given Here!!!   

Convenience is a possibility. But you better make sure you really are more convenient than your competition.

Ditto experience. While experience is never bad, chances are your competition has plenty of it, too. So unless you have specific expertise, this may not convince people to buy from you either.

You could try to be the cheapest. But there’s probably someone on the Internet who can beat your prices. So this can be a slippery slope straight into a money-losing pit.

That’s why the best way to convince people to buy from you is to offer something people can get only if they purchase from you. Marketers refer to this as your Unique Selling Proposition, or USP.

 

How Do You Identify a Great-Killer UNIQUE SALES PROPOSITION?

KEY WORK IS UNIQUE.  . .

Unless you own a franchise, chances are good there’s something unique about your business, products, services, methods or results because you are unique. So, often your USP is staring you right in the face.

Try asking yourself these questions:

• "Why should someone buy from me instead of my competition?"
• "What is different—or better—about my products, services, business, methods, or the results I deliver?"

If you have a particular specialty (for example, my chiropractor specializes in triathletes), your USP may be easy to hone in on. However, you can also create a killer USP out of thin air.

When Domino’s Pizza launched "30 minutes or it’s free," they revolutionized pizza delivery! Back then, 45 minutes to an hour was standard. Instead of focusing on taste or quality, they created a guarantee that set them apart—and appealed to their target market.

Unfortunately, for many entrepreneurs finding a solid USP can seem like an impossible task. Usually because you’re so close to your business, you can’t see the forest for the trees.

That means it’s time to study the forest.

In other words, you need to spend some time looking at your competition. Because it’s impossible to know what makes you unique when you don’t know what anyone else is offering.

 

Simple Steps to Defining a Simple Yet Powerful USP

Step #1:

Create an Excel spreadsheet with these columns: Business Name; Website; Location; Services/Products offered; Pricing; Target Market; USP, Specialty; Unique features or benefits; Other Marketing/Advertising; Special Offers. You can do this with paper and pen, but it’s easier to copy and past info directly into your spreadsheet as you go.

Step #2:

Review the Websites of at least 5-10 of your top competitors. Fill out the spreadsheet for each. If your competition advertises in any print publications take a look at those as well. Ditto for the phone book (yes, some people do still use them). Now do the same for your own business.

Step #3:

Review the data and look for areas where you offer something different or better. Or, have a niche market you can focus on. Ask yourself, “Are their ways I could fill a gap in the marketplace, or solve a problem my competition isn’t addressing?” Make a list of everything you do, or could do, that’s different.

Step # 4:

Ask yourself which differences or unique benefits are most likely to matter to your ideal client, and why? Remember, a USP is only effective if it’s something your target market actually wants or cares about.

Step #5:

Test it out. Take your top 2-3 USP options and survey your current customers (or people in your target market) to see which appeals to them most.

Once you have a winner, communicate it in every piece of branding, marketing and advertising you have. Before you know it, you’ll be known for whatever it is that makes you unique—and people will be waiting in line to hire you.

Good Luck and Happy Marketing  - Need Help With Your USP Contact Us Today

HOW TO, "YOUR" TUBE!

YouTube ranks only behind Google in the number of searches on its site. This is according to comScore. the Internet measurement and analysis firm. That means there are more searches on YouTube than on Yahoo! search, or Bing, or Ask.com. However, the searches are not general searches like you would find on those search engines. They are searches specifically for video.

 
 

 From a marketing perspective, it makes sense for all people looking to drive traffic taking advantage of YouTube’s search traffic. That can be achieved in much the same way you would use traditional natural search engine optimization. Many of the same search marketing rules apply. But, you'll need to market by way of relevant video content. In other words, if you want to capture some portion of YouTube’s vast search traffic, you need to create, upload and optimize video content relevant to your ecommerce offerings.

Six Pointers to Generate Traffic Using YouTube Videos

With that in mind, here are six pointers for creating and uploading videos to YouTube:

Place Your Website Name on the Video. Remember your goal is to drive traffic to your ecommerce site. During production, place the name of your website in the video. A watermark throughout the video or at the beginning and end gives your site credit for the video whether it is viewed at YouTube or embedded in an third-party website.

Watch Your Video Quality. YouTube accepts multiple video-file formats at varying degrees of quality (YouTube will compress and convert the video), but a good standard is 320x240 pixel resolution at 512 kbps (kilobits per second, a data-transfer-rate measurement). Other resolutions will work, but always try to avoid a second-rate video. Do some tests to see how the end-result looks and sounds. Compare it to other videos, such as those of your competitors.

Use Relevant Keywords. Apply keyword research on the title, description, and tags during the video uploading process. Use keywords relevant and focused to your product or service just as you would with a new web page. Be specific for traffic

Be Careful With Tag Fields. Think of the tags field much like the meta keywords tag on a web page. Mirror the keywords used in the tags field in the title and description fields. Be consistent with traffic.

Choose a Category Carefully. Select an accurate video category. It will help point a potential customer to your video. Fish where the fish are looking to feed!

Make The Videos Enjoyable and INFORMATIVE. Remember to have some fun making the videos. If it’s fun for you, it’s more likely to be enjoyable viewing for those you are trying to reach. When was the last time you watched or looked to find a dull, boring TV show?

Beyond Optimization

Utilizing YouTube for your online marketing can go much deeper than this. You can include the use of embedded links, develop a dedicated YouTube channel, and actively participate in the YouTube community to increase positive votes for your video (which affects the results pages when a search is done). None of that will matter much, however, unless these optimization basics are applied.

YouTube search traffic is dependent upon focused keywords that surround the video. Use the same search optimization rules for YouTube that you would use for Google, Yahoo!, and Bing, and you will be on your way to increasing traffic from the world’s number two search engine.

Good Luck and Happy Marketing - Need Help Contact Us.

NOT ALL CLIENTS ARE CREATED EQUAL

We've all been taught the golden rule--the customer is always right! It's a nice concept. And, most companies who tout it do so because they are trying to convince themselves that they provide exceptional service. Unfortunately what this ends up doing is rewarding the demanding, abrasive, and often high maintenance customers over the collaborative, friendly, good customers.

If you think about this, you'll know we're right. The golden rule is just plain wrong. The customer is not always right and not all customers are created equal.

That isn't to say that you shouldn't treat every customer with respect and fairness. It also doesn't mean that you shouldn’t provide solid customer service to each and every customer. But what it does mean is that you do not make it a practice to serve the "squeaky wheel" better than, or instead of, your better customers. It's actually okay to acknowledge that you are not the best partner for some customers and they are not always the best customer for you.

Still, focusing your resources in the right places takes effort:

• Analyze your customer set and profile what makes a good customer. Rate them based on their value to you (A, B, C, D). Who are the most loyal and produce the strongest lifetime value? Which customers are strong referral generators or references? Be sure you understand your criteria for a good customer and rate each against that criterion.

• Share what you know with your employees. Let your employees know which customers rank a higher priority...and why. We somehow expect that our employees just "know" when a customer rates the VIP status. And even when it is obvious, we don't give them the permission to prioritize these customers over those that are not of the same ranking. You must both communicate your ranking system and give them authority to act on that system!

• Stay focused and committed. It's easier said than done...saying no to a customer who is making a pest of themselves. But if a customer’s requests/demands do not meet your profile of a mutually good relationship, then you must stay the course. Think of the legendary story of Herb Kelleher (Founder of Southwest Airlines). When a customer wrote a complaint to him that demonstrated the customer did not understand their core values or fit their ideal customer profile, he wrote a simple letter back with one line, "We will miss you." THAT's commitment!

Again, all customers should be treated to a minimum level of respect, responsiveness, and service. This is very important to remember when employing the above strategies. Also, it is important to note that some customers, who find themselves on the lower end of the totem pole, just may go to another source to fill their needs. And, you must be okay letting them do that! It will give you time to serve your best customers and more importantly…get more of them.

Good Luck and Happy Marketing

SEARCH ENGINE INSIGHT, HOW TO IMPROVE POSITION

We are regularly asked how does one improve their site's rankings in search engines. We have written on this subject a number of times but here is another viewpoint.

CANDLES AND SUCH .COM is a website run quite frugally by its two main proprietors. For a site that hasn’t had a lot of professional help with regard to search engine optimization, it possesses some positive SEO attributes. That’s not to say there aren’t issues, but some of the main facets of good SEO are observed and incorporated. Let’s take a closer look.

Home Page Content

The site features good textual content at the top of the page, including keywords that searchers are likely to use (wedding favors, bridal shower favors, bridesmaid gifts, wedding accessories, and more). The left-hand navigation is fairly keyword-rich and offers links to all the site’s major categories. This allows search engine spiders to easily find and crawl those categories through the links, and they also function as quality keywords. The home page also includes links to the internal sitemap and the site’s blog. While there are eye-catching graphics, they are surrounded by good textual content. The Alt attributes for the graphics, however, are all the same and not keyword-rich.

Inbound Links and PageRank

This is where Candles andsuch.com suffers the most. Inbound links create PageRank, and PageRank affects how high a website appears in search engine results pages (SERPs). The site has only two inbound links according to Google. PageRank is a measly 1, which is not indicative of the potential of this site. Yahoo shows almost 500 inbound links, but links recognized by Google must be improved. A link building campaign that includes directory submissions and partner links, link baiting, and social media is in order.

Indexation

The site owners estimate somewhere over 500 pages in the website. It would be advantageous for them to have a more accurate number. Google finds 1,020 pages. Yahoo sees 297 and MSN Windows Live sees 458. There is always variation between the search engines as they crawl quite differently, but these are decent numbers considering the estimated size of the site.

Internal Hierarchical Linking Structure

The structure of the site is logical and well-designed. The navigation is less deep-and-narrow and more wide-and-shallow, which makes it easier for search engines to find and crawl. Links deep into the site are textual and tend to incorporate keywords.

HTML Templates and CSS

The main templates all have a ScanAlert Hacker Safe logo in the upper left-hand corner of the page and code. This bleeds PageRank away from every page, so add NoFollow tags to these links. Also, it is amongst the first pieces of code a search engine spider sees on each page. Moving the logo further down the page would be better. The templates are also somewhat bloated with JavaScript and tables, but Google seems to be making its way through.

Secondary Page Content

All the pages feature focused, textual content. This is a great attribute. That content could be further filled out to reflect more keywords and add density to existing keywords, but overall it’s a good job. Keyword Choices – The keywords chosen for the major pages of the site are focused and relative. Further honing of a keyword list could make for even better content. Try Keyword Discovery’s free service at Keyworddiscovery.com/search.html.

Title Tags

The site uses keywords in the title tags, and for the most part they are unique to each page. Including prices in the titles may not be good use of this SEO real estate, however, as searchers are unlikely to include price along with subject in their queries. Adding the site name at the end of titles may help with branding.

URLs

The URLs are keyword–rich and descriptive, using dashes to separate words. On occasion, the URLs get a little long, but most of the time these are very optimal addresses. The site needs to add a proper 404 error page for pages that have been removed. While there is an error page of sorts, it does not return a 404 status code letting search engine spiders know that the page doesn’t exist. The URL: Candlesandsuch.com properly has a 301 forwarding code to Candles andsuch.com. Minus the 404 issue, excellent work here.

A good link building campaign is what this site needs most! With that and a few technical changes, Candles And Such will have a website that is optimized at an above-average level. Once inbound links begin to build, they should reap the benefits of their search engine optimization program.

SEO Report Card
Candlesandsuch.com

Home Page B Inbound Links D-
Indexation B
Internal Linking Structure B-
HTML Templates C+ Secondary Page Content B
Keyword Choices B
Title Tags B
URLs B+

OVERALL GPA B-

Contact us today for your own site's report card. info@phoenixonesales.com

Good Luck and Happy Marketing

CONSIDERING SOCIAL MEDIA, CONSIDER THIS!

Wondering if "social media" is for you? Check out this video.

The numbers are impressive, and perhaps more so when you consider the challenge of reaching "the next generation" (or, another way of thinking about this is "your kids"). While relationships are an important part of doing business, communicating through multiple medium is critical to success.

Years ago, a Dr. Jeffrey Lantz from Harvard conducted research that showes you needed to communicate to people a minumim of 18 times through different mediums for your message to be heard / remembered (or consider this branding). Social media shoudl be more accurately thought of as social marketing ... how to develop a marketing strategy, using all applicable mediums, to communicate a message, in the form that your audience wants to receive it. To achieve this, a communications strategy needs to be developed to identify the right message to the right audience while understanding the level of interaction you want and that your audience will / can / wants to provide.

 

 

 

WORD OF MOUTH IS NOW CALLED SOCIAL MEDIA

The Long Time Tested & Traveled Concept Of “Word Or Mouth” Marketing Is Now Channeled Within Social Media

Many clients are asking me - "What Should We Be Doing in Social Media". . . ? These are a few of the points I am making the rounds with these days.

With the growing popularity of social media, many businesses(both large and small) feel they need to integrate it into their marketing mix, but most aren't sure where to start or how to develop a plan.  Many do not even understand what Social Media is and as important, “how does one measure results”. But one thing is certain Social Media for business is here  to stay.

Social media is useful for many types of organizations, whether it's a big brand or small business. Using social media correctly helps companies engage audiences in new ways, be more personable, develop new connections, and maintain the ones they have. Social media has taken on traditional marketing and placed it within the hands, grasp, and yes control of the “Social Media World” and Blogsphere.

This is important because, with technology being everywhere and available to all, we've been given the tools to carry on unique and individual conversations and discuss our views and vote for our favorite content (products, services, brands, and even people) online, 24/7. We now form many of our opinions and impressions from others we come in contact with online and companies walk away with unique and sometimes valuable insights into what makes their brands work.  

Understanding this principle is an important factor in building a social media approach Essentially, traditional ways of thinking won't necessarily work. Instead of studying demographics about your audience, you need to get out there and talk with them. Get involved with the conversations that are already happening online.

1.   Examine and Eavesdrop

Determine who your audience is and where they are (“hangout”) online. Blogs are a great place to start looking. Technorati is a good tool to help you find blogs related to your search queries. Review and research who is writing, what they are writing about and of course opinions being offered.

Twitter is another place to gain insight into conversations that are happeningght now. Twitscoop is one of many tools that will monitor and search for trending topics on Twitter.

After you've identified where your audience is, start listening to what they're saying. What are their issues, opinions, and needs? How does this information fit with your value proposition? Understanding this information will help you determine how to best contribute to the conversation and how best to make a contribution.

Next, find out who drives the conversations or who has a strong influence. Some call these people "influentials" because they possess the authority, respect, or experience to shape people's opinions. Look at WeFollow to find influential on Twitter.

2.   Identify Audience Goals and Objectives

In addition to company goals, you must also consider your audience's goals. You'll get much farther with social media marketing if you offer something of value first. Again, as we have always stated you must put yourself in your audience’s clothes and ask “what’s in this for me”?

Giving people something of value earns you the right to plug yourself a little. So draw a line on a piece of paper and write down your goals on one side and your audience's goals on the other. Make sure you give enough before you try to get.

3.   Develop your Plan

Map out your approach to delivering your products or services (BRAND) to satisfy the needs of your audience. Will you reach out and leverage influentials? Will you provide free material or samples? How will it be delivered?

Maybe you have products that are environmentally friendly. Will you moderate and lead a conversation about environmental issues and become a leader? There are many creative ways to approach your audience. Be innovative.

Don’t forget bringing your audience back within the “realm” and influence of your website with dedicated landing pages for that conversation.

4.   A Few Helpful Social Media Tools

There are many social media tools that can help you reach your audience. Will you build a blog or use a forum? How about developing educational material with video and delivering it on YouTube? Will you use Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn as social media tools?

There are many to choose from, and you aren't limited to just one. Make sure, however, that you have solid, relevant content on your main Web site that you can lead visitors to when they want more detailed information. You can easily negate your social media marketing efforts by leading visitors to a Web site that delivers a poor experience.

5.   Measure, Measure... Did I Mention Measure? OK Measure!

After you've done a good job setting goals and defining your objectives, it's time to see if you've met those goals. Defining your metrics for success upfront will make the measuring process go more smoothly.

Maybe you need to provide a regular report to your superiors or your team. Find out what they want and make sure you have a mechanism to measure those variables.

There are many tools to choose from. Paid tools include Scoutlabs, Radian6, Trackur. Free tools include Social Mention, TweetReach, and Google Analytics for seeing where visitors are coming from. These tools can also help with researching and listening. Not to mention you can discover cost vs. benefits in expanding your Social Media Progrms.

Measuring can be a challenge, because the medium is conversational in nature. You can measure the number of your followers, or those who are participating in the conversation. You can measure Web traffic increases due to your social media efforts. You might gauge the tone of the conversation, and what percentage of participants was influenced by your involvement.

Whatever your measuring mechanism, be sure you do it often. Pick a regular time and stick with it.

6.   Access and Always Course Correct

Good metrics will show you what is and isn't working. Don't be afraid to abandon a specific tactic or social media tool if it doesn't work. Try a different one and see if you get better results.

What works for one company might not work for you. Certain tools will emerge as better performers depending on your industry, product, or service. Also, new tools are coming out every day that might be more efficient at getting the job done.

More on this subject will come check back or subscribe now.

Good Luck and Happy Marketing

ARE YOU DISCONNECTING?

The BIG DISCONNECT

This happens all the time in business to business sales, in service marketing, in getting along with your boss and even in hiring someone.

One side thinks they have figured out a solution. They spend a long time talking about the solution, architecting it, refining it, pricing it, pitching it, delivering it. The other side ends up not liking what they get. The disconnect: the first side says, "this solution is exactly as we described it!" the other side says, "it doesn't work right."

The disconnect is caused because people focus on the solution instead of the problem you were given to solve.

It's a lot easier and much more fun to talk about features and hours spent and someone's resume and a lot more difficult to dig into the problem itself. The problem becomes avoidable but simply discussing all the features and benefits that solve multitudes of problems, regardless if this current problem in included.

This is where the obligating question becomes so critical. "If we can deliver a dam that stops the water flow, will you be delighted?" "If I can hire someone who can answer ten calls an hour and keep customers coming back, will that work?" "If this book cover receives an award for best design, will that be a win?"

The difficult conversation about the problem is far more useful than the endless effort on solutions. The reason is that people don't tell themselves (or you) about the problem they're actually solving.In many cases too many clients do not know what they are truly trying to solve. Many times they simply have a problem without even knowing it!

Sure, they'd like an employee that does x, y or z, but you know what, they'd also like that person to be really good looking and willing to do our bidding, waiting on us hand and foot. Sure, we'd like a personal computer with a lot of computing power, but we'd also like it to be light and sexy and  low cost...

You must get more clarity about what a successful solution looks like, the more likely you will be to have a delighted and satisfied customer when you're done

Good Luck and Happy Marketing

ENTREPRENEUR REALITY CHECK

Ah, the life of an entrepreneur. Come up with a business idea, write your business plan, line up a bunch of venture funding, and retire to a private island a few short years later when you go public.

If you’re heading off to business school right now, reading this on your iPhone, dreaming of buying your own island. . . sorry for the ice bath of reality I’m about to dump on you.

I strongly urge you consider the following:

You’re more likely to make a living than make the Forbes 500

Most entrepreneurs end up making a living, and some make a really nice living doing what they love. Very few end up buying their own island, they’re too busy saving for their kids college and making the mortgage payments.

There is no money line to get in

There are a lot of people just like  you out there competing over very scarce resources. But don’t think you’ll just get in line and pick up your check. You’ll definitely need to be the cream of the crop to attract venture funding. More realistically, look for alternative sources of funds.

It’s more about you than your plan

Business success has more to do with you than anything else. The best plans mean nothing in the hands of the wrong person.

You’re in sales, whether you think so or not

Every business on the planet is selling something. You’re either selling a product(service), idea, or yourself…YOUR MUST learn sales fundamentals, and apply them to everything you’re doing. 

You are going to fail

Yep, you will fail. You will probably fail multiple times. If that concerns you, pick another path for your life. If it doesn’t concern you that you will be an utter failure at some point, good – with every failure you get one step closer to success, clicheé but true.

Conclusion

Being an entrepreneur can be the most satisfying thing you’ll do with your life. Understand there’s a lot more to it than supply/demand curves, business plans, target markets, or financial projections.

Most of it won’t be taught in a Business 101 course , it’ll just be up to you – but that’s part of being an entrepreneur.

Good Luck and Happy Marketing

EMAIL MARKETING - TEN REASONS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER!

Ten Reasons Your Biz Should be Using Email Marketing

1. To Build Trust

Since you'll be sending informational, focused, email communication,  you will begin building trust with those on your list.

They will come to know you as a valuable source of information, and with that trust, they will actually start listening to what you have to say.

This is the most crucial step in the email marketing process. If you have an email list that trust you, you've won the battle, and we'll talk more about how you build trust in an upcoming blog post.

2. To Become Familiar

Email by nature is a *friendly* form of communication. We feel the best about emails from friends and trusted sources. We look forward to these emails, and by using an email list to market your business you will be one of those people we look forward to getting email from. If you do it right, you will become familiar to those on your list, and your emails will be opened, read, and acted upon.

Better yet, you will become the “top of the mind” supplier of what you sell for those on your list. The more familiar you are to your list, the more likely they will be to think of you when they need to product or service you offer. Why buy from a stranger when they can buy from a friend?

3. To Get Repeat Business

When used correctly email marketing is a great way to get repeat business. You'll be communicating with your list consistently, and providing opportunity for those on your list to buy from you time and again.

You'll also be building an email list of current customers, allowing them to not only buy from you the first time in person, but possibly again via an email offer.

4. To Make More Sales

Isn't that the goal of all marketing - more sales?  If you do it right, your email list generate more sales for your business. By doing a combination of everything on this Top 10 list, your email marketing will be a lean, mean, sales getting machine!

5. To Build Your Authority

Many of the emails you send will be informational by nature, and through sharing of information you'll be building your own credibility and authority as an expert on your subject. Guess who people buy from?  That’s right, the experts.

6. To Save Money

It cost next to nothing to set up and maintain a powerful email campaign. You’ll pay $50-100/month for email list management software. After that, the cost of your time to get it set up and write/send emails are your only sunk cost. Compare it against any other form of marketing I think you’ll find it’s very hard to get more for less.

7. To Create an Opt-In Market

The people on your list have asked you to send them information - It doesn't get better than this! Most marketing goes out to the crowd and you hope your message resonates with enough of them you make sales. If you have an email list you're marketing efforts are automatically targeted to a population of people who WANT what you are offering.

8. To Save Time

It doesn't take much time to send a few friendly emails a month to your list. When it comes to calculating a return on your time investment, email marketing is going to be tough to beat with other forms of more traditional ad generation. 

9. To Expand Your Reach

If I see a great commercial on TV the only way I can share it is by retelling the concept to my friends, or hoping they've seen it. With email, that's not the case. Your message can be passed on and shared with the click of a button. This essentially expands your reach beyond those on your list, to potentially everyone on the receivers "list" as well.

10. To Create Multiple Buying Opportunities

When a customer walks into a store, the place of business only has that one chance to sell them something. Once they walk out, you just have to hope they come back giving you another chance to sell.

Email marketing gives your customers multiple opportunities to buy from you. You'll be reminding them how great your products and services are on a regular basis, pulling them back.

In Summary

I think it's easy to see the benefit in building and using an email list as part of your marketing activities. If you’re not currently using email to market your products and services, I think you’re leaving a lot on the table.

GOOGLE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES FREE SEARCH TOOLS

The Google Local Business Center is a must visit for business in general, but certainly for businesses attempting to attract customer in their local community. As you may know, Google allows you to add your business to a directory and then enhance your profile with all kinds of information about your business, products, and services. This is a free listing and every small business should take advantage of it.

Google shows these listings when someone makes what is obviously a geographic search for a product or service. The results show in what is called the Google 10 box above other listings. When someone clicks on one of these results they are taken to the profile through Google Maps.

Recently Google has added and integrated a couple of useful tools.

Now your Local Business Center account shows you analytics. You can see how many people are clicking on your profile, what search terms got them there and, for folks looking to find your business locally, where they came from based on their requests for driving directions. This is some pretty cool data, particularly for retail locations. It could help inform where you might spend some direct mail focus, for instance, and how you might optimize some of your web pages.

AdWords now allows you to connect your Google Local Profile to your AdWords account and, by doing so, you can ask Google to show your address, based on the location of the ad visitor, when someone views your ad. Google has dubbed this add-on Local Extensions. Once extensions are set up, Google will dynamically match your business locations to a user’s location or search terms and show the address with your text ads.

This could be useful for a business with multiple locations. Now, instead of having to set up multiple local ads you simply assign extensions to all your ads and Google will show the address of the best location based on where the user is located.

Good Luck and Happy Marketing

WHAT IS A GREAT IDEA?

There is one question I seemed to be asked almost daily, and it always starts with a preface;

. . .“I have a 'great' idea for a business.…and

No one has ever done it before…and,

I know it will be a complete 110% success….

Next, they ask their question....Is my business idea good enough”?

Now, depending  where I am, and my mood I first provide my perceptive on the word " Great ", which is:

I firmly believe “great” is the most overstated and misunderstood adjective in the English language. Alexander The Great was great (no pun intended); and according to pop culture so is the irreverent Sponge Bob!

One conquered the Known World, and was honored and revered. And one is a cartoon cult figure on cable TV who lives in a pineapple under the sea 

Great does become relative to a thinking mind vs. an emotional mind. Not to mention the time in which we live. Edison invented the light bulb it changed the world, if today you worked on a business plan to develop the light bulb, well you get my drift!

I am certain if you consider this type of analysis you can also cast your own spectrums on the word  (TERM) "great".

 

Back to their original question;

Next, “No one has ever done it before !!!”

Do you mean - Done it successfully, tried it unsuccessfully, thought about it and realized it was doomed to failure, considered the risk vs. reward and said no way…. What is it and how do you know this?

If they are still talking to me after I provided the above information I go a little further -

Finally, as we all know, “good enough” is VERY relative, but I will provide some ideas for you to think through in answering that question for yourself.

Ask the Question Another Way

Not, “Do you think my idea is good enough to start a business?”…what people truly mean is “do you think I’ll make money doing this?”. And in most cases they dream of a lot of money!

The short answer is- most ideas you can think of are good enough to start a business around –truth be told- - - you can probably make some money doing almost anything. Notice I said some, enough to cover startup costs, running expenses and of course profit!

The real question is whether or not your business idea is worth the risk, and will provide adequate reward if it works out. For sake of argument let’s say adequate return is enough money for you to live on, at least replacing your current income.

So now the question changes once again, this time to “given my idea, what is the potential?” We’ll talk about potential in a minute, but first let’s dispel some myths about what your business idea should be.

Business Idea Myths

To make an adequate return, your business idea doesn’t need to be:

• Revolutionary
• Totally unique
• Game changing
• Competition free

Now, you’ll make a heck of a lot more money if your idea happens to be one of the above – but the honest truth is very few of us will invent the new wheel, or be so unique we become our own category.

You can make your adequate return, and then some, if within your business idea you can see your unique selling proposition.

Unique Selling Proposition

Simply put your unique selling proposition (USP) is the reason I’d buy from you and not a competitor. What makes you special, why do you deserve a share of the market?

For example let’s say you want to start a lawn care business. You know lawns, your tomato plants are huge, and the azalea's in your yard are the envy of the neighborhood.

Great – you’d probably make a very good lawn care person, and make money doing it. But, will you make an adequate return? 

Probably not if just doing lawn care is eh extent of your idea.

Take for example: Where I live there are literally 1000’s of lawn care people. Why am I buying from you, what’s your USP?

Your potential USP’s may be:

• Creativity
• Service
• Convenience
• Price

HINT – Best not build your USP around price. It’s a very hard way to compete, and only a matter of time before somebody bigger and more efficient comes in a does it cheaper than you. Don’t believe me? Try selling toilet paper cheaper than Costco.

Okay, so you tell me “Matt, my Lawn Care business will focus on organic lawn care that is pesticide free. I offer free same day quotes for service, and tailor my schedule around the homeowners.”

Hey, now we’re on to something. You’ve taken your idea which 1000’s of people do and turned it into a special offering. If I’m into pesticide free gardening, I’m using you and not your competition who killed my cat with chemicals last spring.

The Market Potential

Once you have your business idea, and understand what your USP is, the last piece of the puzzle in deciding whether your idea is good enough is to look at the market potential and assess if it will provide your adequate return.

Three questions to ask when assessing market potential.

1) How big is the market?

2) What share can I get?

3) Is that enough?

Back to your lawn care business.

You know your area has 10,000 homeowners. There are only 2 people in your area providing organic lawn care, and you’ve heard they aren’t very shall we say “customer orientated” – given that you think you can get between 2-5% of the lawn contracts in your neighborhood (a small amount, but you are offering a very specialized service).

That means you can get around 300 contracts from your market. You also know that each lawn is worth about $200/month in profit, which works out to a profit of  $60,000/month or $720,000/ year. Is that enough?  Is your business idea “good enough”? That’s for you to decide when you run the numbers yourself.

I know, I know, you couldn’t do 300 lawns a month yourself so you’d have to hire people which would cut your profit, but that’s a blog post for another day.

I Summarize

You can see that deciding whether an idea is good enough to start a business around is a VERY relative question.

The good news is most ideas have the potential to make some money, they don’t need to be revolutionary, and quite often you won’t be the “game changer”. If you know your USP, and your market well enough I’m sure you can see how an “ordinary” idea could turn into extra-ordinary profits.

Put into another frame:

What is your product or service / how much will it cost (total cost) you to deliver?

Who are my customers and how and how much will it cost me to reach them?

Simply do the math, but base your answers in this frame with unbiased facts you gather, not simply numbers of hope.

Your job is:

• To decide how much you need for an adequate return,
• Do you have a USP, and
• Do the market dynamics offer enough potential to pursue it?

Good Luck and Happy Marketing-

THINK WRONG & YOUR FISH WILL STINK!

You have probably seen it. The fish store owner sees a decline in business, so they have less money to spend on upkeep and inventory, so they keep the fish a bit longer and don't clean up as often, so of course, business declines and then they have even less money... Eventually, you have an empty, smelly fish store that is out of business. In the end all people will remember is the stink of the store, a bitter memory.

The local doctor has fewer patients so he does not invest as much in training or staff and so some other patients choose to leave which means that there are even fewer patients...

The newspaper has fewer advertisers, so they cannot invest as much in running stories, so people stop reading it, which means advertisers have less reason to advertise which leaves less money for stories...

As Tom Peters says, "You can't shrink your way to greatness", and yet that is what so many dying businesses try to do. They hunker down and wait for things to get better, but they do not. This isn't a dip; it's a cul de sac. It's over.

Right this minute, you still have some cash, some customers, some momentum... Instead of squandering it in a long, slow, death spiral, do something else. Buy a new platform. Move. Find new products for the customers that still trust you.

Find new ways to attract new customers, develop short-term market focus, not short term accounting preparations.

"Staying in Business People" -

Think Sales and Marketing - Doing More with Le$$ - Looking for A Way to Succeed, Looking for New Ways to Grow

"Failing in Business People" -

Think Accounting - Doing Less and Saving More -Looking for a Way to Fail Safely, Looking for Ways to Keep Saving and Cutting Costs

Do nothing, and sooner or later your fish store will "stink" !

Why Brand Matters!

 

Building a Brand

Regardless if you’ve been in business for years or are just getting started, building a brand for your company is critical for your business success. When we think of a brand the first thing that comes to mind for many of us are large, well known companies like Target®, Starbucks® or Home Depot®. These companies have done very well at cultivating their brand, and although you may not be a huge operation like one of these, there is still a lot you can learn and apply to your own businesses by gaining a better understanding of these brands.

So what is a brand?A brand is more than just your logo, company name or tagline. Simply put, a brand is a promise - a collection of perceptions in the mind of the customer that must be delivered upon consistently. A brand is different than a product or service; it is intangible and delicate. Just like a reputation you need to guard your brand carefully and listen closely to what others are saying so you can begin to influence their thoughts.

The logos of a strong brand can elicit an emotional response. For example, when you think of Target the image of a red and white bull’s-eye most likely comes to mind. Not only that, but you probably think of clean and friendly stores, shopping convenience, and helpful customer service. You’ll also notice that your experience at different Target stores will be consistent. This isn’t just by chance. Companies spend a lot of time and effort assuring that the customer experience will be consistent across stores, sales channels and within the marketing plan.

To begin building a strong brand you’ll first need to identify your brand characteristics and values. These are guiding principles for your company. Think of the adjectives, attributes, or emotions that you want your customers to say or think of when they mention your company or share a recommendation with a friend. Make sure these guiding principles align with your mission and goals. By taking the time to define your core brand characteristics you will be able to build a stronger business identity. For example, many people associate Home Depot with empowerment and helpfulness. Starbucks customers loyally return for more coffee because of the feeling of luxury and the high standards of service.  After you have your core brand values determined, only then can you think about what your brand should visually look like.

Your brand is the foundation for your business including operations, service, and products and of course, all marketing activities. Bringing your brand to life means embodying the brand in everything you do. The brand should be reflected whenever you talk to a customer or develop new products. If you are truly living your brand you’ll see your core brand values reflected in the way you attack problems, work with vendors and suppliers and even how you choose to communicate to any employees within your company. How can you be sure your brand is reflected in everything you do? Continually think about your customers. Always ask yourself, will my customers view this interaction as a reflection of my core values? Regardless if it is a support phone call, a purchase experience, or a simple interaction with an employee, every interaction will influence a customer’s perception of your brand.

We mentioned that consistency is important when refining your brand perceptions. Here are a few tools to help guide your brand.

Customer Personas
This tool will help you to understand your audience. If you take the time to really get to know your base of potential buyers you’ll be able to narrow down your audience (if necessary) and find the niche that suits your business. Here are a few steps towards building out your buyer personas.

• Read everything they read. This includes magazines, blogs, and YouTube® videos, anything relevant to your target audience.
• Attend seminars and monitor conference topics.
• Talk with sales people, suppliers and vendors.
• Gain information by talking with customers who have and have not purchased your product or service.
• Capture data through your website. For example, how did they find your website, through a Google® search or a link on a partner site?
• Conduct interviews formally or casually.

The bottom line - get to know your audience inside and out. Understand their needs, wants, and frustrations along with their habits, likes, and dislikes. Learn how they digest information, gain insight into preferred communication vehicles, and most importantly listen to what they say. Your core values, and thus your brand, should align with the behaviors and expectations of your customers.

Style Guide
A style guide is helpful in delivering consistency across your brand. It is a handbook that can be distributed through the company and even shared with vendors or contractors who are doing design work for you. Included in your style guide are guidelines for color, logo, and typography usage. You can include copy guidelines and legal requirements as well. It may seem like extra work but choosing specific colors and fonts and ensuring that those assets are used across all customer facing materials can make a difference in the level of professionalism and output of your creative elements. Additionally, if you decide to hire someone to create or update a website, flyers, or other brochure ware you’ll ensure a consistent look and feel across your marketing materials.

Elevator Pitch
This is one of the most essential elements of your brand – your elevator pitch. Also referred to as a cocktail party pitch, this tool is your 10-30 second brief on your company. We’ve all been there; someone asks you what you do or what your company does and then you are presented with an opportunity to make a lasting impression on a potential customer. You need to convey who you are, what you do, and why you do it, all within a sentence or two. It’s best to have this prepared, practiced and refined for different audiences. This is your opportunity to shine while talking about your business. If there are multiple people in your office take the time to discuss your elevator pitches with each other. The more consistent they are the better – remember every interaction with any of your employees is a chance to influence prospective buyers.

Now that we have taken a deeper look into what a brand is and how to develop it, here are some tools to help influence your brand. It is important to remember that your brand isn’t just about your company it’s about your customers and the relationship you have with them. Engage your customers in your brand marketing.

• Use testimonials and customer success stories in your marketing materials.
• Collect feedback from your customers and directly address questions, concerns, and thank them for any praise.
• Leverage a variety of marketing channels, including forums or a blog. Invite your customers to join in a conversation.
• Talk about your customers, not yourself or your company, in marketing communications; address their needs and share solutions for their problems.

It’s important to remember a brand is more than a name. It's the entire essence of your business -- who you are, what you stand for, and how you back up your promises.

Your brand lives in the perceptions of your customers and you and others can influence that perception.

Top 10 DO's and DON'Ts to START

I consider these very simple but very effective considerations for your journey into being an entrepreneur. The road to success takes a lot of thought. Here are the Ad Marketing Guy's Top 10 Do's and Don'ts -Consider them wisely!

THE TOP TEN DO'S WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS      

1. Live frugally and begin saving up money for starting your business.
2. Learn your intended business by working for or continually talking to someone else in the same business first.
3. Consider the benefits of starting a moonlight business.  Keep a paycheck while you startup
4. Consider the advantages of operating a family business.
5. Objectively measure your skills and training against potential competition.
6. Consider subcontracting to low cost suppliers if you're manufacturing a product.
7. Test market your product or service before starting or expanding.
8. Make "for" and "against" list describing the specific business you are considering.
9. Talk to lots of people in your intended business for advice.
10. Make a comparative analysis of all opportunities you are considering.

THE TOP TEN DON'TS WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS

1. Think about leaving your job before you have completed start-up plans.
2. Consider starting a business in a field you do not enjoy.
3. Risk all the family assets. Limit your liabilities to a predetermined amount.
4. Compete with your employer in a moonlight business.
5. Hurry to select a business. There is no penalty for missed opportunities.
6. Select a business that is too high a risk or hurdle. Go for the two-foot hurdle.
7. Select a business in which you must have the lowest price to succeed.
8. Ignore the negative aspects of an intended business.
9. Permit self-confidence to outweigh careful diligence.
10. Allow the promise of a conceptual high reward deter reality testing first.

Remember Our Rule # 1. . .Hope is NOT a Strategy a Plan Is ! PLAN, PLAN, and then REPLAN, all while you currently enjoying a paycheck. Once you feel your plan is ready, then launch.

ARE YOU an ENTREPRENEUR?

What is an ENTREPRENEUR?

Entrepreneur [en·tre·pre·neur] (French). Literal translation, undertaker.

Although the words innovator, proprietor, and capitalist are used in the same sense, there are subtle differences that make the term “entrepreneur “preferable. OK now go out and tell all your friends you are becoming an undertaker…watch their heads turn.

 

An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a new company enterprise or venture and assumes full accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome. The term is a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish economist Richard Cantillon. A female entrepreneur is sometimes known as an entrepreneuse. However, with the word "entrepreneuse" being the French feminine form of entrepreneur, its usage in English in delineating sexes detracts from the meaning of the word "entrepreneur".

Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to the type of personality who is willing to take upon herself or himself a new venture or enterprise and accepts full responsibility for the outcome. Wikipedia

Regardless of how you define an entrepreneur the Ad Marketing Guy feels there are Five Requirements of Entrepreneurial SUCCESS.

I always ask people who are thinking of starting a business,”what in your personality will lead you to the green pastures of entrepreneurial success”? Inevitably, I hear. ..” My hard work, dedication, drive, ambition, know-how”. Ask yourself this question now and see if you agree with those five points?

I have learned while those answers are very important there are truly five distinctive characteristics that WILL assist you in your quest to become a successful entrepreneur. The five mentioned above are necessary to succeed in business, but what is necessary for “the entrepreneur to succeed”

You hear it all the time from famous entrepreneurs: Long before they were running multimillion-dollar companies, they were flexing their entrepreneurial skills by selling lemonade on the corner, building gadgets in their garage or hosting weekly college beer pong tournaments. It seems that behind every successful mogul is a kid who grew up knowing they were born for business. The excitement is not in making money but in the enjoyment of entrepreneurial success.

But what exactly is it that sets entrepreneurs apart from the rest? What is it that makes certain people believe in themselves enough to take the prospect of failure head-on and have the determination to come out on top? It takes a special kind of person to set an idea in motion, riding the highs and lows from humble beginnings to ultimate success.

The entrepreneurial spirit is a gift that inspires others to become the best they can be. From passion and positivity to leadership and ambition, here are the entrepreneurs that best define the entrepreneurial spirit.

• Passion

No one embodies the word "passion" quite like Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin mega-brand. Part of Branson's passion lies in his insatiable appetite for starting companies. Founded in 1970, the Virgin Group has expanded to more than 200 companies, ranging from music, publishing, mobile phones and even space travel. "Businesses are like buses," he once said. "There's always another one coming."

Part of Branson's appeal is that he not only has passion for business, but an incredible passion for life. Branson is famous for his adventurous streak and zest for life, making him one of the most admired entrepreneurs for his ability to have a successful work/life balance.

• Positivity

Jeff Bezos knows the power of positive thinking. Living by the motto that "every challenge is an opportunity," Bezos set out to create the biggest bookstore in the world with a little internet startup called Amazon.

Amazon.com launched in July 1995, and with no press, managed to sell $20,000 a week within two months. By the end of the '90s, though, the dot-com bust had brought Amazon's shares from $100 to $6. To add insult to injury, critics predicted that the launch of Barnes & Nobles' rival website would wipe out Amazon. Instead of hiding in the corner, Bezos came out fighting with optimism and confidence, pointing out to critics all the positive things his company had accomplished and would continue to do.

Bezos continued to expand Amazon, which now sells everything from books to clothes to toys and more. Bezos claims his wife loves to say, "If Jeff is unhappy, wait three minutes." Thanks to Bezos' positive thinking, Amazon.com has grown into a $5.7 billion company.

• Adaptability

Having the ability to adapt is one of the greatest strengths an entrepreneur can have. Every successful business owner must be willing to improve, refine, and customize their services to continually give customers what they want.

Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page take this concept a step further by not just reacting to change, but leading the way. Google continually leads the internet with innovative ideas that allow people to see and do things in ways they couldn't before (think Google Earth). With their ability to continually be one-step ahead, its no wonder Google is the most powerful company on the web.

• Leadership

A good leader is someone with charisma, a sense of ethics, and a desire to build integrity within an organization--someone who's enthusiastic, team oriented and a great teacher. All of these attributes were embodied by the late Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, a company that has helped more than half a million women fulfill their dreams of owning a business.

Ash's story began as a single mother, working in sales for a home products company. Despite being one of the top sales directors for 25 years, Ash was repeatedly refused the promotions and pay raises her male co-workers were receiving. Fed up with the way she was being treated, Ash started Mary Kay Inc. in 1963 with $5,000.

Ash was best known for being a powerful motivator and inspirational leader, creating a company with a "You can do it!" attitude. Her sometimes over-the-top incentives included the famous pink Cadillacs she would give top sales directors. Thanks to her powerful leadership skills, Ash has been named one of the 25 most influential business leaders in the last 35 years, and her company has been recognized as one of the best companies to work for in America.

• Ambition

At age 20, Debbi Fields didn't have much to start her business, but her ambition drove her. She was a young housewife with no business experience, but what she did have was a great chocolate chip cookie recipe and a dream to share it with the world, and of course her ambition.

Fields opened her first Mrs. Field's store1977, despite being told she was crazy to believe a business could survive solely on selling cookies. Fields' headstrong determination and ambition helped her grow her little cookie store into a $450 million company with more than 600 locations in the U.S.and 10 foreign nations.

Of these five, I place Passion at the top of my list. You MUST be passionate and an apostle of your own dreams. After all, you have destiny in your hands, now place it in your mind, your spirit and into action. You will never succeed by thinking you can, you will only succeed by getting out and making it happen.

In trying to summarize, I found this quotation by Dennis Waitley, which the Ad Marketing Guy believes provides the best definition of an entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, you will “Chase Your Passion not Your Pension".

NEED a Leg Up, Try "BOOT-STRAP Marketing"

One of the most frequent questions I am asked; “I don't have a lot of money with which to market my small business. How can I grow it on a limited budget?”

Consider Bootstrap Marketing as a means to get your business, off the ground and out there in front of people.

Bootstrap Marketing is a systematic marketing approach for a business that has limited time, money or technical marketing expertise.  

It is based on the saying, “ He pulled himself up by his bootstraps”, a widely-known image in the 1800’s, when men wore boots that served as a piece of transportation equipment, equally useful for walking long distances or for riding horses. Clearly, a horse could take a person further, faster than would walking. Wealthy individuals had valets or coachmen to assist them in mounting onto a horse  or atop a wagon by leveraging the straps of their boots, together with the harness and stirrups, in order to swing a leg over the other side. The required energy, strength , and individual effort.

The phrase “ he pulled himself up by his bootstraps” evolved to a situation in which a person completed the activity of mounting his horse by applying energy, strength and individual initiative, rather than either relying on support and assistance of others. He chose to get a “leg up” instead of the less ambitious alternative of simply walking.   

Thus Bootstrapping. . . a bootstrap marketer uses intelligence and know-how to muster the energy, strength, and individual initiative to employ proven marketing techniques that will enable his business to go faster and further that it possibly could otherwise.

I chose this rather detailed explanation of the term, to provide imagery into what “bootstrapping”. It does take a little homework on your part to make sure that the money that you do spend is spent wisely. But with effort and a system you can get that “leg-up”.

The first thing you must do is to analyze your potential customer base.

• Who is your target demographic?
• What sex are they, how old are they, where do they live, how much money do they make, why do they buy from you, what do they read, watch, and listen to?
• Once you have a very clear idea about who your customers are, you will have a much better idea about how to use your limited resources most effectively to REACH OUT and touch them.

For example, I know an architect with a problem similar to yours. He works out of his house and all of his business comes from word of mouth advertising. That's great, except when it stops, or the mouths move to another state, retire, or simply stop talking which was the case when I saw him recently. He needed to bring in new business, didn't have a big budget, and didn't know where to spend what he did have.

So we went through the same exercise. It turned out that because this architect worked mostly on house remodels, his ideal customer was a young homeowner with a few kids who would rather add on a new bedroom than buy a new house. Armed with this information, we devised a small ad that now runs every Thursday in the Home & Garden section of his paper. "Remodeling? Free Consultation," his ad reads. He has plenty of business, and that small ad did not break the bank.

So you have to do something similar. Once you have an idea as to whom you are looking to attract, you can earmark your marketing and advertising money much more wisely and specifically.

The next thing to consider then is how you will attract this target demographic. An ad is only one of many tools. You need to identify some marketing methods that will penetrate your designated target market. Look also at what your competitors are doing. What kind of marketing tools do they use? Can you copy those?

BEFORE, we discuss any of these I must assume you have a website already in place and online! If not, stop reading and get that website, you are trying to put on the wrong size boots at this time- Now back to bootstrapping.

Some of the options you might consider are:

• Direct mail: Direct mail merchants can generate some very specific lists that you can use to send potential customers a flyer or other info. Make certain you have your website and a landing page established to have people go to online
• Always Use the back of business cards: Ever found a business card given to you a few months before, which says “Bob Smith, director, Bob Smith Associates”.. and wondered what Bob Smith does? Use the empty space on the back of your business card to list your services or position your business. It’s cheap and will attract clients, Better yet, use the back of your business card as a coupon, people will save it until they are ready to buy. A sure fire way of having people retain that card
• Telemarketing: Telemarketers can also generate very specific lists that the telemarketers can use to sell your product or services. Do not overdue this, and make certain you only call people who have an opt-in for phone calls.
• Trade shows / Local Exhibitions: If your target market attends a certain type of trade show, then getting a booth at one may be a good idea. The architect for example might attend a Home Show.
• Signs: A big, bold sign in the right location can be both cheap and very effective.
• Media advertising: If you cater to seniors, for example, buying an ad in a local senior newspaper is much cheaper than your local daily. Also, if you call a magazine near their ad deadline, you may find that they have space they have not yet sold (sometimes called "remnant" space) which may be available at a great discount. This is also true for the electronic media. Advertising in a media outlet that your demographic uses almost always works.
• Give a BIG Guarantee: If you truly believe in your product or service, guarantee it. Offer money back if they’re not 100% satisfied. Yes, a few people will abuse your guarantee, but you’ll attract more business in the first place.
• Give away unusual freebies: Pens with your logo are boring and forgettable. Thanks to powerful digital printing techniques, there are literally thousands of things that your logo can go on. I worked with an underwear company. We decided potential clients would better remember an underwear company that gave them an edible gingerbread man with tiny pants to remove and keep. Wild Yes, but it worked! It’s different and people talked about it for a very long time.
• Have outstanding customer service: Nothing attracts customers more than positive word of mouth from other customers. Customer service is your biggest weapon against rivals, especially those run by big corporations. Make it a central part of your business. If it’s important you are seen to answer the phone quickly, promise to do it within three rings or your service is free. You’ll soon make that a priority when you start losing money!
• Change how you answer the phone: Give your staff freedom to experiment with exciting ways to answer the phone. They’ll enjoy it and your customers should too. Just remember that the phone can be the first contact with a business; be aware of answering the phone in such an odd way that it puts callers off
• Offer a discount card: These are the cheapest way to reward your existing customers for their loyalty as you only give free product away to your very best customers. When they buy your product five or six times, they get the next one free. What a great way to say thank you
• Reward Customers who refer other customers with a Free Giveaway or even a Cash Coupon
• Support a cause: This is known as cause related marketing, and is a powerful way to get your business noticed through its support for a relevant charity or organization. Pick your cause carefully, commit to it in the long-term (better still form a partnership with them), and shout about everything you do to help it.
• Do what the others can’t or won’t: Analyze your competitors and pick the things you think customers demand but no-one delivers. They will probably be hard to execute, but should be worthwhile (and it’s because they’re hard that no-one does them). Talk to customers to find out what they really want.
• Co-Op Partners: Find a marketing firm, graphics firm, ad agency, etc that is just starting out, talk to them about a sweat equity campaign. Both of you contribute to the campaign and each of you shares the results. They get a commission on every potential customer you close. It may cost you more if successful, but cost you very little if it fails. Also a nice way for both of you to do some great business building.
• Reduce rates for repeat business: Buy more, pay less. Make sure customers understand that simple rule and keep repeating it. They will respond to it.
• Pick up the phone: The phone is the cheapest marketing tool you have. Don’t waste it on cold calling. Use it to phone leads or contacts, rather than just email them. In a world swamped with electronic communication, this is a great way to stand out
• NEVER lose your enthusiasm: The most important thing you can do to stand out it… something. Businesses that do something regularly tend to perform better than those that do something brilliant now and again.

Finally, once you have chosen an outlet, make certain to track your results. That way, you know what is working and what isn't.

Today’s Wisdom: A well- written press release sent to the right media outlet can generate a free story about you and your business that can not only be used for sales, but can be reproduced and used again and again to create credibility. The key is to generating interest with your press release is to be newsworthy.

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START a Business Part I - Rule # 1

The Dirty Lies on Starting a Business and Rule # 1

This is the first installment of a twelve part series on. . .
Starting & Running a New Small Business

I know you have heard the statistic . . ." 95% of all new businesses fail in the first 3 years"!

How old is that statistic, who knows, everyone uses it, but no one knows from whence it came! I sincerely believe it is decades old, has little validity today, and simply provides THE excuse for failure. I heard that statistic well over 30 years ago! You mean to say, nothing has improved! I refuse to accept it. But for those of you who thrive on statistics you can review a government statistic in our links on new business openings and failures by state as REPORTED!  Yes as reported - When was the last time you placed your faith in a government report.

Can you imagine the statistic on, those who thought about starting a business and failed?  Or those who had a great idea and then never followed it up with a business ?

And of course this. . .No one reports the people who fall prey to all the "get rich" business schemes. . . You know the infomercials all over your TV - The "successful" owner of the business sits at his mansion's pool, then jumps into his Lamborghini to visit his yacht, with the overpowering message buy my info and this could be you! Simply call the toll free # and order our exclusive course on "Getting Rich Selling Oil to the Middle East Today". . .

Hey, you know you peeked at these late and night and thought " that sounds pretty good, just maybe, I can". Flip this Property. . . Buy Houses with No Money Down, Corner the Stock Market, Get Rich Selling Vitamins, Start My Own Internet Business . . . UNFORTUNATELY, there is no end to this list OR the people who buy into the hype. These "hawkers" have created a business....

They Make Money, by Getting Your Money! As I mentioned, the list of the people that fall prey to these pitches goes on and on. . . but the number of these people is never captured in a government statistic. Most people who bought into these get rich $99 courses, will never admit it.

The  statistic I want to see, Dreams Lost to Scams! I bet that is well over 99.999% of all the people who sent money in for the latest get rich quick TV ad. With that said, we can begin our journey. I think you can determine where I am coming from with this post. But for those of you who cannot let me spell it out. There is no "sure-fire, easy, one size fits all, make a million overnight, with no money down, working 3 hours a day business" that someone is going to sell you on TV or the radio. Their business is. . ." selling you a dream for money", it is that simple. If you bought one of the courses you know exactly what I mean, if you have not, now is NOT a good time to dial 1-800 make dough". Lesson 1 - Forget Failure Stats and Get Rich "Fast & Easy Schemes"-  You are looking to start a business not fail and you know there is on way to get rich fast and easy, it takes work. 

With that said, let's get started:

You may have an idea for a business, you may be in business, your spouse, relative or friend may be having those “entrepreneurial thoughts”. One comment, if it is your spouse, run for cover, I cannot help you!

Otherwise, you came to the right place, at the right time, and the right channel, tune in, and leave your comments. Engage each other with your posts, keep this blog well dusted and maintained, please do not leave a mess when you go – I will try and answer questions posted with short and easy responses. If the need arises, I will start a separate Post Area, just to post Q/A. But please, do not send me gobs of email, the Whisperer has a day job, a wife, 3 grandkids and and a furry best friend that requires a frisbee twice a day, no not my wife, my dog. Not to mention, I am trying to cut my golf handicap by 3 strokes, and hone woodworking skills to rebuild a boat.

Rule # 1 When Starting or Running a Business, an Absolute Must !

# 1 Hope is NOT a Strategy !
     You now ask Business Whisperer, "What Is. . ."

Answer given at the very end of this posting - ( Do NOT cheat, this Blog watches you very closely)

Hey, Get back Here, I Asked You Not to Cheat!

OK, Now OUR Goal;

We will attempt to unleash ideas for your thoughts and consideration on How to Plan, Develop, Build and Grow a Business, Hey, I am talking any Business, there are common issues to all small businesses regardless of product or service.

• Maybe, you are thinking of starting your own business,
• Maybe, you have a friend who is in business or starting a business,
• Maybe, you think "I know I could do it, I just do not know where to begin"...
• Maybe you own your business and could use a little shot in the ego.
• Maybe you are in business and simply stuck!
• Others, that may benefit from future topics, are those in businesses that need a little insight, just enough to top off their tank or get them on course.

Please do not, I repeat do NOT, use this info to tell your boss "He is doing it all wrong", that my friend is a major "no-no". Just leave a link to this Blog on his desk, anonymously of course!

OK, A Preview of What is to Come . . . We Will Attempt to Cover in This Blog’s Future Episodes:

Are You The Right Person To Start / Own A Business? ( You Must Have 3 Distinct Personalities to Succeed ) Yes, You Must be Schizophrenic or You Will Fail… I KNOW This Is Nuts, Most Doctors Would Agree, But Most Doctors Are in Business for Themselves, What Does This Say About Them?

Planning, Developing, Building, Growing, and an Exit Strategy ( Consider These From Day 1 ), Exit Strategy, "Whisperer I Am Just Starting…. and You’re Telling Me to Plan an Exit"- -YES, You Need To Know Where You Are Going Before You Decide To Go! Hey, I Told You About Being Schizoid.

Your Business, What You Need To Know, What To Ignore, & What To Forget – A Few Of Life’s Hard Lessons, Unfortunately, Mine!

The 4P’s Of Marketing For Your Business ( There Are Actually 6 Despite What You May Have Learned ), We will discuss ALL 6, you can amaze your kids, students, and others.

Websites- “Build It And They Will Come” , “Get Links All Over And The Big G (Google) It Will Put Your Site On The Top "G" Page For Furniture Making (Whoever Said These Is Full Of Sawdust Or Been Listening To Their Table Saw Whine Too Often! ) – FYI There Are Currently 365,000,000 Pages Indexed on Google For Furniture Making, YES 365 million (for Those of You With Comma Issues) ! This Will Be A Great Topic For Today’s Businessperson – You Will Owe Me Big Time for This One!

How & When To Advertise & Doing It On a Shoestring – There Goes My Business Down The Drain, Just Don’t Tell My Clients, OK

Cheap Ways To Get Noticed, Expensive Ways To Get Ignored – Learned On The Streets In Amsterdam—Those Of You Who Know Amsterdam Will Understand, If Not Google images- Red-light District Amsterdam. Get the picture.

Stuck In The Mud Concerns, Hey Sometimes Your Firestones Will Not Push You Out, Then What?

I’ve Fallen and Can’t Get Up…..Now What?? – Who Do You Turn To When You Need Help? Please do not say your Spouse; Remember She / He did Not think it was a good idea!…..They will only say…"See I told you so, You did not listen to me!". . . Right, like you never heard that before!

Please Understand We Will NOT Cover Financial / Tax Advice. No Exceptions. You Want Everything For Free? But, We Will Cover Means & Sources For Financing Your Business. NO, NOT ME!

____________________________________________________________________________________

NOW THE 12 DIRTY LIES TOLD and HEARD WHEN STARTING A BUSINESS, there are more but 12 is such a nice round number.

1 “ I want to start a business; I know it will work…”

2 “ My boss is a jerk, I can do a much better job…” ,

3 “ I have a great idea for a product, I will be rich…”,

4 “ People love my work, they compliment me all the time, I know I can make good money doing this…”,

5 “ When I am my own boss, things will be different . . .”,

6 “ Hey, that guy makes a living doing it, so can I. . .”,

7 “ You understand your craft, so of course I understand the business that makes me qualified. . .”,

8 “ I can startup my business on a shoestring, Cousin Harry did, and look at him . . .” ,

9 “ Hey, I make all the money for the company, the customers love me, they told me - “If you ever go out on my own, they will buy from me,and ”. . . and you think, boy this company will be sorry when I leave. . .”,

10 “ Think failure and you will fail, Think like a winner, you will be a winner. . .”,

11 “ Look at the quality of that stuff, look at the poor craftsmanship, look at the materials, hey, I could do it better and make a fortune. . .”,

And lastly, my absolute personal favorite,

12 " Hey, I DO NOT need a business plan, I know what I am doing, I got it ALL up here . . .”!

Think – how many of you have heard these, thought these, used these, or simply recognize this behavior.
Now for truths to these lies – Hey, this is only Part 1 – You must tune in next time ! But to hold you over—Here goes today’s advice -

Step 1- What is the Primary Starting Point in Starting Your Business ?

The Primary Starting Point Is –

Plan Your Life,
Then Plan Your Business.

Some of the most successful and happy people I know are entrepreneurs, they created a business that’s in perfect synchronicity with what they want out of life. If you do what you love, you’ll work harder, better and more happily. With that said, Ask Yourself . . .”Am I the ideal candidate to start a business, understand the business, and eventually grow the business.” When I mention business, I do NOT mean your product / service, I mean THE BUSINESS OF BEING IN BUSINESS, and YOU MUST understand this DIFFERENCE before you ever begin.

In 1981, a phone call from a friend asked me to meet with 3 guys starting their own business. We met at a Waffle House outside Dallas, TX. Imagine, they were planning their business and having meetings at a Waffle House! All 3 gentlemen were still employed at a very large company, but knew they were going to leave to start their own company. We talked for many hours that day about how they were planning their lives, and the business of running the new business. They were each investing $1000.00, one told me his wife thought he was "crazy". Only then after many hours of great discussions did we discuss their products, market and vision. I learned this rule from them. Shortly after, those 3 guys started that company, you may have heard of it, Compaq Computer.

This Starting Point Rule ( Plan Your Life, Then Plan Your Business ) will NOT make your business successful, Just your LIFE ! You must consider, what is important. Planning is the absolutely essential key in being successful. You may have heard this before, Plan the Business, and Work the Plan, first start with your life plan.Working that plan will make your life successful, then your business.
Happy People Are Always Successful,
Successful People Are Not Always Happy!

Ask Yourself, Which is Important to You?

Now, the answer from above:

Rule # 1- Hope is NOT a Strategy,  A PLAN IS !

Tune In for the Next Part of this Series, "PLANNING Your Startup "

Need Help with your LifePlan? A jumpstart to consider Go Here >>

This is a link to a Gov't Stat that is worthwhile viewing Business Startups Gov't Stats: 2000 Census Stats

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