Y - Why did “Y”OU become a business owner? You Had Me At “Hello I Am A Business Owner”

Y - Why did “Y”OU become a business owner?

So now that we’ve addressed some reasons why one starts a business, let’s explore why YOU became a business owner. Did you get a chance to look over the 6 steps to a successful small business link from yesterday? I thought the article was a great introduction to walking out the beginnings of business ownership but it didn’t get to the root of why a particular business would be suited for you. Again, we are all individually designed. You could say when the almighty made you he broke the mold! There is no one with the same drive and ambition that you have on this planet so the only person that could answer “why did YOU become a business owner” is YOU!

For the most part, starting and sustaining a business is real personal to the one who created it. Some of us built our business from scratch, meaning that we came up with an idea and implemented the creation of it solely from our imaginations. There are some who are managing someone else's dream making sure its producing to the best of its abilities, then there are those who are given an opportunity packed with the vision, products, and services and all they need to do is add their marketing skills to it, and there are some who inherited a business and are taking it to the next level by staying current with customers needs and wants. However you are running a business, there was a reason why you said YES to it.

Dream and Dream BIG 

I learned about business at a very early age. I watched my father run a successful fishing business on the weekends, teach upholstery classes and sew at the local hobby shop on the Navy base after he retired 24 years from the Navy as Chief of Submarines. Although he didn’t stay retired long, he worked for Honeywell as a project manager for many more years while he kept his side hustle going. I watched him manage his weekend deep sea fishing excursions with ease and pattern boat tops while he worked 40 hour weeks with a sheer smile on his face. He never appeared burden by what he was doing as a matter of fact he took great pride in it. It was clear his drive wasn’t money driven even though the money flowed greatly in all income generating activities. He was doing what he loved.

So I caught the business bug because of the example I saw. I had no fear about owning a business and still have high aspirations to one day own a large design firm. I became a business owner because I love to create. Being able to take an idea from a thought in my head and bringing it into a real form is amazing to me. I have to be honest though the older I get, the more I don’t take risks with my business but I’ve become smarter with what I want to accomplish in business and I recognize that running a business is a part of my DNA.

It’ All On You 

One thing's for sure, you are responsible for your own well being and success. Once you make the decision to venture out and run a business I hope you’ll take the time to ask yourself “Why” and be prepared to answer “How” you’ll handle yourself when business may be slow. Will you worry about where you will get money from and how you will pay your bills? Let me tell you, it’s more than a notion and it takes passion, guts, and real determination to persevere and move forward with your business ideas. With all that being said, I hope this only fuels your fire to get out there and get started. Write down why you became a business owner and post it somewhere you’ll see it everyday. Better yet, make a vision board with your statement and add pictures that signify where you see yourself succeeding in your business. This will only empower you to stay focused during those low moments.

The best advice I could leave you with about the YOU in your business is to take what you are truly passionate about, discover how your passion can help people, create a vision for it, make a plan (business plan), and GO FOR IT!

Why did YOU become a business owner?  We’d love to hear from you so leave a comment on our facebook page! 

Onward and Upward!

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Show Up and Blow Up

Why Start A Business? 

There is so much to overcome when you first venture out with a business. No matter what level of business you start, we all experience some type of barrier like not having enough money, wondering if your idea is good enough, not sure about business experience (not enough or haven’t changed with the times), or if this business is best suited for you. 

Growing up in America, you are told to go to school, get your education, so that you can get a good paying job. There was a time when that was all you needed to do, but times are changing and there is little to no guarantee that your education will get you the job of your dreams. CNBC reported this year that A survey released from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reported that businesses plan to hire only 2.1 percent more college graduates from the class of 2013 than they did from the class of 2012. This is way down from an earlier NACE projection of a 13 percent hiring rate for 2013 grads. I wonder if colleges were to add a degree on Business Ownership would this help us as a people to stay current with the times? It seems to me we need to do more than hold onto this way of thinking that getting a job is the only solution to our financial issues.

So why not consider owning your own business? Well it is known that over 80% of all businesses fail within the first five years, the odds are against you before you even begin. The internet makes it a lot easier to take a good idea, determination, and a good business mind to change this business failure fate. More and more individuals are leaving the traditional desk job and venturing out to work for themselves and there have been a lot of successful Internet companies getting respect from corporate America. So if you're that type of person who wishes to be their own boss, punch the “I’m In” button and make it happen!

What’s the Main Motivator(s)? 

When you allowed yourself to dream about owning a business, what compelled you to write it down and try to make it happen? Was it the desire to create jobs for others, build a legacy for your family, set your own schedule, work from anywhere, or make some extra money to go into your vacation fund? Maybe you've been prompted to bring to life an idea that know one could live without. Madam C.J. Walker was one of those individuals who tapped into her main motivator. She not only built a multi-million dollar empire but her business ownership prompting is still changing lives in America and all over the world. The first of her family to be born into freedom, was an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, regarded as the first female self made millionaire in America making her fortune by developing and marketing a successful line of beauty and hair products for black women. Her motivation was that she experienced hair loss and needed to do something about it. She then noticed that she wasn't the only black woman experiencing damaged hair and hair loss so she began to manufacture products, developed a tool called a straightening comb, created a distribution network (network marketing) which created jobs for women whose only job option at the time were to be washerwomen and nannies.

Get Inspired! 

Here is an extreme yet funny take on encouraging you to go out and try out your dreams and ambitions! The world is waiting on you!!

 

If You Can Think It Up, Can You Think It Down?

Most people around you will talk you in or out of your dreams. We are all designed to create but it is up to us if we complete the creation or not. Execution can be tough especially if you have a lot of naysayers knocking at your door. First thing about being a business owner that you must embrace is not relying on what everyone thinks about what you are doing. You won’t make any money that way. Yes, there should be mentors and those from your village (people who are like-minded) who are there to bounce ideas off of and keep you on target but ultimately you are the one pressing the “GO” button on your dreams and ambitions. If you truly believe in your idea, take the first step, and move quickly on an idea. Everything in life can be risky but how will you know if you don’t try it out!

This week we are going to break down “Understanding the Y.O.U. in Business Ownership” so it can forever be consistently broke (famous line from movie, Love Jones):

Y - Why did “Y”OU become a business owner? 
O - Own It! Become known as an expert in your field 
U - Don’t Be Afraid to Be Unique! How to build a successful business brandOnward and Upward!

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Be Conscious of Gratitude

What A Week! 

Wow! This week we explored how direct mail marketing campaigns can influence your customers and potential clients to learn more about your products and services as well as influence your business revenue. It’s so important to be mindful about how you market. It’s not enough to just say it with a card, you’ve got to be consistent with your marketing efforts; stay in touch! And do your best to brand your correspondence so your audience will remember you and tell others about your business.

Send Out to Give Instead of Send Out to Get

Express Heart-Felt Appreciation In Business

Personalize Your Gratitude

Recapture The Lost Art of Communication

Now that you get that marketing is really about building relationships, I encourage you to take the 30 Day Gratitude Challenge personally and for your business. But don’t send a postcard, send an actual greeting card of thanks for 30 days to your existing customers and potential clients. Be mindful to test your efforts, measure what worked and what didn’t work, and then refine how you’ll continue to use the challenge in your business marketing.

"Appreciation can make a day, even change a life.  Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary."  - Margaret Cousins

Let’s Get Started! 

1. Watch the Gratitude Video and get the right attitude for gratitude. 
2. Click here to setup your direct mail marketing account. 
3. Print the 30 Day Gratitude Challenge form and organize who you’ll be sending gratitude to for the next 30 days. 
4. Select and customize the cards you’d like to send out. Send at least one gratitude card every day and record when you sent it, when they received it, and if you had any immediate feedback. 
5. Share this challenge with those you care about and other business colleagues. Encourage them to join you! 

I hope you’ll have fun with this experience and remember help is just around the corner so be sure to contact me to help you setup your account, customize a card, or answer questions.

Onward and Upward!

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Brand your Correspondence

6 Ways to Accomplish A Successful Direct Mail Campaign 

According to Exact Target, “65% of people who receive direct mail have made a purchase or engage in a different marketing channel as instigated by the sender, placing in at second behind e-mail (66%).” 

1. Get Goals - What do you hope to achieve with a direct mailing campaign? 
2. Create A Plan and Budget - How much do you want to spend? 
3. Develop the List - Use your current mailing list or buy a targeted mailing list. 
4. Send the Right Message - Compose a tagline that says everything your business has to offer. Right and Tight! 
5. Create a Unique Design - Create an eye-catching visual that can tell a story without words. 
6. Test, Measure, and Refine - The first campaign may not always be a success. Test your efforts, measure the response, and refine what worked for you. 

Tip #1 
Create a Direct Mail Campaign with Send Out Cards (It's Easy!)

   

Be Smart, Cost Effective, and Lucrative 

How do you want your customer to feel about you, I mean every time they think about you when they get a correspondence from you? Direct marketing is effective and can set you apart from email spam and banner ads so how are you going to approach this lucrative opportunity and make the most of it? With any marketing platform you should always come up with interesting ways to promote your products and services that are smart, cost effective, and generate income. Consider 6 tactics to Brand Your Correspondence: 

1.  QR Codes - Use QR codes for your customer to scan to take them to a mobile coupon, your website, a landing page, etc. 
2. Include a Coupon - Place a coupon on your postcards or note cards encouraging customers to keep them in hopes of applying the coupon to a purchase. 
3. Use and Update your Mailing List (Often) - The more often you mail to your mailing list, the more you’re at the front of those customer’s minds when it comes time to buy and the more you shake away those not interested in your products and services. 
4. Use Testimonials - Ask your customers to write a review of your business or product. 
5. Create a Loyalty Program - Reward your customers for continuing to do business with you by setting up a way to gift your customers once they reach a certain purchase level. 
6. Reward Referrals - Ask your best customers to provide you with names and addresses of friends and colleagues whom they think would benefit from your products and services and gift your customers when the referral buys in to your products and services. 

Tip #2 

Bulk Up

 

Remember.... 

Be sure that your direct marketing campaign stands out from the rest by making your mail intriguing and interactive. The more time the customer spends handling your flyer, postcard, or note card, the more likely he or she is to use your products or services. 

Onward and Upward!

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Be Consistent: Stay In Touch

Create a Marketing Campaign 

Personalizing a direct mail communication to potential clients and customers can be more expensive and time consuming to execute, so direct marketing experts suggest using this method of marketing strategically. What I mean by this is when you are creating personalized or customized notes for clients, you must execute with a plan as well as a goal so you can measure the outcome which can gain a higher response rate to your marketing efforts.

Deploying a “thank-you note program” weekly is called a Marketing Campaign. When you purposely send out a communication to your customers and potential clients, the return on your investment can result in a greater percentage of repeat business, your products and services stay top-of-mind to those receiving your correspondence, and faster payments from those who have received notes.

Personalizing direct mail communication can go far beyond a handwritten note. Here are some creative ways to use a direct mail marketing campaign.

Use technology to streamline efforts 

Use an online design tool to personalize the communication like a greeting card, postcard, or note by adding your company logo, maybe your photo, contact info, personal note, a scanned signature, or details of a new promotion or service best suited for the receiver.

Target outside of the box 

Just because your business may cater to a special niche, it doesn't mean your marketing only speaks to that niche. That’s what marketing is all about... Being creative! For example, let’s say you have a successful after school tutoring business where you help students get a “leg-up” on their homework and general lessons. You could partner up with another business in your area that is of like-business (children), a dentist or drug store selling school supplies, and run a direct mail campaign that features your businesses with a “Back to School” theme that reminds your receivers about getting ready for back to school. The mailer is mailed to families within your target area and you can make this marketing effort an annual event.

Have fun with it 

Create cards and mailers imprinted with a funny but personalized message that relates to your business and how your business can be of service to your receivers. Although this example has nothing to do with direct mail, the television commercial for Kmart where the kids in the schoolyard say positive “you’re mama” jokes to each other to describe Kmarts layaway program is not only ingenious but hilariously funny. This could be the basis of a great funny campaign that your business could compose to describe how your products and services could be used, get your audience laughing, and getting your receivers to remember who you are and what your business is about. A campaign featuring cartoon greeting cards for a company can generate a 100% response rate of potential clients and customers who follow-up and purchase your products and services.

Send Out Cards can help your company send out direct mail marketing campaigns with a “click” of a button!

 

SendOutCards Products from SendOutCards on Vimeo.

Onward and Upward!

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Just Say it with a Card

Writing a Sincere Thank You to your Customers 

When was the last time you sent a heartfelt thank-you to a customer? See the key word is sent! We as a society has become so dependent on e-mail as a primary form of communication, that writing thank-you notes has become a lost art. Why not make your communications with customers and potential clients so effective that it increases customer loyalty as well as increases sales and profits all the while leaving customers with a overjoyed feeling that you cared enough to think of them?

Send Out Cards, a great source for sending customized greetings and gifts, can help you take the time to send a personalized thank-you to your customers or potential clients. In this current economic climate, companies are focused on sustaining their businesses. Sending heartfelt, appreciative thank-you notes to your clients and potential clients will not only help you sustain your sales, but you may even see an increase in sales and referrals. When clients trust you and feel they are important to you, they continue to do business with your company, and they refer their colleagues, friends and family.

 

Because of the sincerity, a heartfelt appreciation will be felt by your clients when they open and read your note. Here are Two ways a thank you note can change your business TODAY! 

1. Personalized thank-you notes will increase customer loyalty - Personalized notes are either completely hand written, or printed with a special note and signature in your own handwriting. 
2. Personalized thank-you notes will increase stronger referrals for your business - Customers who are satisfied and feel they are important to your business will refer their friends and family members to you. How many of your competitors do you think are sending these types of heartfelt notes? Very few. 

Differentiate yourself from your competition by adding inexpensive personal touches like thank-you cards. 

Take It Up A Notch

Add photos of your clients with yourself, the company, or recognize the anniversary of their purchase with you. If appropriate, remember their birthday and send a birthday card. Keep a camera handy for photo shots. Include the photo with your card. Personalize the card with a gift like a gift card to a favorite store or a box of brownies to soothe those chocolate urges. Your customers may not remember what you said, or what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel. Make your customers feel appreciated TODAY and see your sales and referrals soar!

Onward and Upward!

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Appreciation: The Antidote. What's Appreciation Marketing?

Now You’re Speaking My Language 

Most of our marketing efforts are done to attract customers but imagine what could happen if you added the value of appreciation marketing to your marketing mix? So what is appreciation marketing? Basically it’s about making people feel unique, and not just another sale for the week. It’s about doing the obvious thing, saying thank you, but presenting that “thank you” in the most unexpected way.

We all have stories about how our parents, aunts, or even grandma corrected us as little children when we forgot to acknowledge someone with a “thank you” when we received something. But what use to be common knowledge and etiquette in our society is somewhat an afterthought in our personal lives as well as our business lives. Let’s get inspired right here and right now to apply appreciation marketing as a part of our daily business communications and use it to not only keep customers but build loyalty to our brand.

There are many situations where you can use Appreciation Marketing and the key is to be sincere without obvious expectation of return or acknowledgement. But before I go there, I’d like to rename Appreciation Marketing to Gratitude Promoting. Now I know this doesn’t sound as sleek as Appreciation Marketing, but I want to get you focused on the “Action and Feeling” of what appreciation does for you the business owner and how that positive energy affects your customers. For instance, when you send someone a gift and do it not expecting them to reciprocate in the same manner, you receive an overwhelming sensation that gifts back to you time and time again without costing you millions of dollars. That sensation is Gratitude.


Go ahead! Start setting up and sending Gratitude Promotions to everyone: your employees or team members, your customers, potential customers who you may have had a 15 minute conversation with, suppliers, vendors, people who you see everyday like the UPS guy, or the waitress at your favorite restaurant. Saying THANK YOU doesn’t need to break your bank account but when it done successfully, it can overwhelm your marketing efforts with new sales leads and potential buyers because of your sincere generosity and attention to the things that matter most to any business.

I Double Dare You 

The biggest reason we lose customers is that they don't feel appreciated. Some of us have never acknowledged our customers outside of the generic, “Thanks for your business.” We live in a society of ‘Likes’ and quick email taglines. I dare you this weekend to go through your mailing lists and send a card or even a postcard to your customers and even those who were not ready to buy into your products and services and send them a Gratitude Promotion simply saying, “I’ve been thinking about you and hope you are doing well. If there is any questions I can answer for you or someone you may know in regards to (your business), please don’t hesitate to call.” Or how about, “I’m so glad we had the chance to connect.” Either way you express it just make sure it’s sincere and don’t make it a one-time-thing. Be consistent with you Gratitude Promotions and be prepared to receive so much more than you have given.

Share with us your results and if you’d like to start today with sending a Gratitude Promotion customized with your greeting, logo, or picture all done up in a simple card, just click here.

Onward and Upward!

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Accolades: Humble Thyself

Get ‘Em Buzzin’ for Your Business 

Many business owners don't realize the value of awards. Did you know that you could capitalize on your accomplishments by using them as a way to market your businesses products and services? Most start-ups and “small businesses” have a hard time creating awareness around their brand as well as building credibility. One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways for you to stand out from your competitors is to win industry awards. You can gain recognition for yourself, your business and your company website just by taking advantage of this lucrative marketing strategy. Awards bring you prestige and overall more traffic especially to your website or storefront. Don’t underestimate local business contests or even online awards. Whatever accolades you as a business receives can be used to position your company for a lot more recognition and customers.

They Really Like Us 

Customers want to see accolades. They want to know something good about you. Awards provide valuable third-party corroboration of your value propositions. Customers like to be associated with a winning company, and potential customers often make their purchasing decisions based on the decisions of other businesses like theirs. When prospective customers see that you've won an award, it can sway them to choose you over your competition.

Winning awards can improve employee morale. When employees are proud of their company's achievements, they have an excuse to tell prospects and customers why you won a particular award. If they're selling your product, it makes their job easier because of the "stamp of approval" from an unbiased source. can actually help you attract the best new employees. People are drawn to award-winning businesses because they want to work for a winner.

Step by Step

It can take a considerable amount of time to apply for industry awards but winning can lead to measurable growth so make sure you research the appropriate awards within your industry and plan ahead how you will apply for the nomination. If an award is marketed properly, they can instantly establish credibility without even having a “real-live” client to vouch for your business and having won accolades gets your business “in-crowd” rights because now you're in league with some great companies and remarkable leaders. You can use this to your advantage when networking, because you have something in common with those big-time companies and believe me they want to get to know you and your business.

Take Ground with Accolade Marketing 

Before you start applying for every award out there, make sure you qualify. Most awards will focus on companies and products launched within a specific time frame or fit a certain business structure criteria so make sure your business meets the award terms and conditions when applying. After you've taken the initiative to apply track the status of your application by signing up for email updates or visit the awards website for weekly updates. Once award is in hand, here are a variety of ways to Promote Your Accolades: 

• Send out Press releases 
• Include a link to your award page in your business email marketing - Share the story behind your award and why you won. 
• Use the award logo on Your Marketing Tools - Use the logos and the phrase "award-winning" in your online advertising, put them on your direct mail pieces, business cards, and on your website home page. 
• Go Viral with Social media - Include quick links on Twitter and post the press release on Facebook as well as list the awards you have won on your LinkedIn company page. 
• Use the award in your sales pitches 

Routinely seek out awards and ratings in your industry. A great starting point is your local Better Business Bureau where you should apply for membership and maintain that all important A+ rating. Also, make sure to check industry-specific publications as well as general business and entrepreneurial publications as they often have awards for various criteria.

Onward and Upward!

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It’s A Big Deal: Recognition

The Fruit of Happy Employees 

The success of any business mostly leans on the motivation of its employees. But there is no exact formula to determine how to motivate any particular team of people because we are human and we are all motivated by different things. Creating an employee recognition system is not only a great way to encourage your employees or team to go beyond what is expected of them, but it can increase productivity and is a cool way to spotlight someone with a sincere award. Still, there are some key concepts to keep in mind when developing a plan to motivate employees or team members within your business.

Recognition programs are nothing new, but you should strive to make your recognition system different from all the rest. You've got to know that employee recognition is a planned strategy that should be in place before your business brings on employees or team members. Recognition has to be consistent and your team should be aware of the benefits of being recognized. It’s time to stop seeing employee recognition as a “nicety” to a necessity.

5 ways to provide recognition for your team 

Consistent Employee Evaluations - Give goals that can be measured and achieved and remember to stay consistent with the process.

Peer Recognition - Get your team involved and maybe have two awards given, one from management and another from the team.

Team Testimonials - Share stories from your employees that highlight any achievements that have happened out in the field or tactics that boosted sales, etc.

Have an Annual Award Ceremony - Have an event with awards that encompass a “yearly” theme like Employee of the Year, etc.

Give Unexpected Praise - Spotlight those efforts of employees or team members that go above and beyond the call-of-duty.

Onward and Upward!

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You Can’t Make this Stuff Up

This week I want to impress upon you the importance of recognition, accolades, and just simply appreciating those around you in your business as well as your personal life. Think about it.... If we honored the gift of recognition, accolades, and appreciation... If this was a “must do” in the workplace, most employers would experience more success and output from their employees.

Folks! I can’t make this stuff up! 
Your attitude determines your altitude and you will attract what you are thinking whether it be good or bad. So I challenge you this week to attract all the greatness you can stand! Get all the those positive things that you truly want to achieve and stand still to watch it return to you tenfold.

Here are three areas to help build up All The Greatness You Can Stand in your business as well as your personal life:

1. Recognition: The Fruit of Happy Employees 
2. Accolades: Humble Thyself 
3. Appreciation: The Antidote 

Remember, what you speak does come to pass. Choose to speak greatness into someone’s life (including yourself) whenever the opportunity presents itself. If you begin to practice speaking life into any situation, it will produce life where you spoke it and return back to you. But be mindful. Choose wisely because you can reap the benefits either way.

Life and Death is in The Power of The Tongue 

Never give up! 
Believe in yourself when no one else does. Stay committed, focused, and above all have patience. YOUR BREAKTHROUGH IS ON ITS WAY. Whatever you are seeking is truly seeking you. Make sure you are surrounding yourself with positive energy. This energy can be people, places, as well as things. Build Your Faith. It Makes You Stronger.

Stay Tuned! 
This week will be chock full of inspirational quotes, images, and affirmations so spread the word and get pumped for a motivated week.  Tomorrow we will expand on how recognition is the fruit of happy employees and tips on how you can incorporate recognition into your business life and personal life.

Onward and Upward!

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The 5 W’s to Outshining your Competition: (Part 3)

What makes us different from them? 
So you've gone through the 4 W’s to Outshining your competition; What do we do best?, Who is our target customer?, What needs do we fulfill for them?, and Who is our competition? So now it should be easy to answer the 5th ‘W’, “What makes us different from them?” You should be overflowing with great ideas, concepts, and reasons as to what makes your business the “go-to” business. Well if you are still working on the 4 “W”’s, lets discuss a few ways you can distinguish your business from the others.

1. Define your company's beliefs. What does your business value? Be great at execution. 
2. Do what you say you’re going to do! 
3. Create a winning combination. Plan out more efficient ways to make your products and services easier to use and clearer to understand for your customers. 

These 3 things can really help solidify how you can outshine your competition and create more consistent sales for your business. Here’s a great example of how Green Army Pest and Pesticides Control defines themselves from their competitors.

At the End of the Day, Don’t take No for an answer 
The greatest thing about being in business, especially for yourself, is being able to be of service to someone and seeing how all your hard work benefited them. But before we get to be of service to our ideal customer, we may experience a lot of “No, I’m not interested?” Even if you get a “no,” be sure to have a plan in place for those potential customers who may not be interested or ready to buy in to your products or services at that particular time. Keep in touch with prospects and existing customers by asking for permission to record at least a name and email address. Try to contact prospects and existing customers at least once quarterly to just say, “hi” and ask if there’s anything they need. Email newsletters featuring new products and offerings, advice and tips and even success stories are an excellent way to stay on the forefront of people’s minds. The ultimate goal is to cultivate long-term customers and relationships.

No business will transform every lead into a sale, but you can build a much higher conversion rate if you listen more and talk less. 

So what do you think? Will your business be able to meet the expectations of potential and existing customers with your products and services as they are now or will you examine them as well as your businesses marketing plan to go above and beyond to get and keep their business? I hope you’ll take this weekend and go through and answer The 5 W’s to Outshining your Competition. Let us know what the outcome was and how it may have helped you stand out among the rest!

What do we do best? 
Who is our target customer? 
What needs do we fulfill for them? 
Who is our competition? 
What makes us different from them? 

Onward and Upward!

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The 5 W’s to Outshining your Competition: (Part 2)

What needs do we fulfill for them? 
So you've gone through all this trouble to bring your products and services to the world marketplace. Most of you have toiled over them with long nights and endless days making sure your potential customers would love them as much as you do. But are our products and services really addressing the needs and challenges that your customers may have? Do your products and services bring an awareness to a problem and ultimately fix the problem?

With the added exposure brought on by social media, multi-television channels, and the internet, help our products and services close the gap to finding out who are customers are and how we can better serve them with our business.

The greatest effect 
There are ever changing conditions that will affect your sell-ability:

• The Economy 
• Geographical Location 
• Customers Current Financial Status (compared to when they 1st purchased product/service from you and where they may be now) 

Being one step ahead of the game means that you may need to answer so serious questions of your business on a monthly or yearly basis so that you are always in tune to your customers needs. Having a better understanding of what your potential or current customer desires before giving your sales pitch can help you better fulfill a particular need and ultimately gain your business consistent sales. Here are some questions you can use to help you stay relevant to your customers needs and desires.

1. What is your potential customer’s current situation? 
2. What factors are driving their decisions? Are they looking for a higher or lower quality product/service?
3. What is their determining price point? (What is the reason behind this?) 
4. Will your product/service fulfill a specific need or solve a particular problem? 

It needs more Salt 
I can’t get enough of the television show Restaurant: Impossible that broadcasts on the Food Network Channel. In a two day mission, Chef Irvine has the impossible task to address why a restaurant is failing and how he will get them back on the track to success. He is outfitted with a $10,000 budget, a contractor, an interior designer, and over 20 years of restaurant knowledge. 85% of the episodes I've seen had business owners that loved the idea of owning their own restaurant but had no clue about the daily operations and sacrifices that go along with running one.

I have viewed over 20 shows and the common message is get to know your clientele. The owner may have an idea of who they are cooking for but more than often those clients are not coming in to eat because of the atmosphere, the service, or simply the food doesn't get seasoned right, “It needs more salt.” In this video, Chef Irvine goes out to the community to ask their opinion about the restaurant and brings the video footage back to the owner to show him how he needs to be open to a potential customers wants and needs. Quite simply, listen to your potential and existing customers. Ask them, “if this doesn't interest you, what products and/or services would?”

   

 If you listen and observe, you can quickly make a connection with a prospect and begin to build trust. 

Who is our competition? 

Every business has competitors. If you do not know who your competitors are, it is likely that someone else can offer a competitive advantage. Be that business that can offer a potential customer something that the competition can’t. You can transform your business into the “go-to” business by being more aware of what the competition is doing, how they are marketing themselves, and identifying what is working for them and what is not. Watching and learning from competitors will give you an insight into how they run their businesses and maybe even some fresh ideas.

   

Competition is fierce out there requiring the “smaller-size” business to come up with ways to stay in the game and beat out the bigger business. Learning your competitors tactics and implementing better business strategies helps your business to stay in that game. 

Onward and Upward!

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The 5 W’s to Outshining your Competition: (Part1)

What do we do best? 
Set aside some time to write a one- or two-paragraph description of what sets you and your company apart from the competition. What does your business do better than your competitor(s)? If you need to write more than one-to-two paragraphs down, do so. After your writing exercise, begin to erase or edit the general statements or anything that seems a mimic to your competition or maybe what you've already seen advertised. You should be left with a clean but specific statement. This statement is called a Unique Selling Proposition. This statement is what you’ll add to your business brand toolbox and it will become what your client and prospects immediately understand about how your products and services will help them. One thing, be sure this USP statement is something you can really stand by and deliver to your customers. It is like a promise you make. If you can’t keep a promise, your customers will think you are not trustworthy. 

When you are trying to sell to everyone it’s hard to specialize your products and services

Who is our target customer? 

After you get an idea on your USP statement, use it to fine tune who you are marketing too. As the saying goes, “you can’t please everyone”, use your statement to define your target audience. Here’s a great worksheet from Profit Fusion that you can print out to help you compose your target audience.

A target customer is someone who is most likely going to buy from you. When you ask questions like: are your target customers male or female, what is their age, where do they live (geographically), what do they do for a living (profession), how much money do they make, or what are their shopping habits are, you can focus in on what customer you really want and need. When you are trying to sell to everyone it’s hard to specialize your products and services. Try to visualize your customers using your products and services to get a better feel for what they may need in addition to them or what you may need to add to make your products and services more efficient.

For a more in-depth look at the Unique Selling Proposition statement, the people over at Think Traffic did an excellent job at breaking USP down and making it plain.

Onward and Upward!

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Get your Shine On!

There are so many businesses operating out here that it can be hard to differentiate your business from other competitors. What makes store A different from store B?

  

They both appear to look the same but the difference could be in their business message. Store A could offer the same products as store B, their price points could be a little cheaper in price, or their displays and the layout of their store may be better because they pay close attention to the visual appeal and keep wide aisles for easy access. Maybe store B trains its staff to greet everyone who walks in their store and find out what they were shopping for instead of watching them walk aimlessly through the aisles.

Create a niche (specialty) for your products and services to thrive in

What do they Want
Three fourths of Americans say they are living simpler. They are spending less on things they may want and being more frugal with the things they need as a result of the recession. Focusing on your customers needs and wants more than how to outwit the competition will lead to building solid relationships based on mutual trust. Solid business relationships are built on presenting ourselves and treating our customers better than the competition. So how will you meet their expectations of your products and services and what will you do to go above and beyond to get and keep their business? This week we will focus on the 5 W’s to help you outshine your competition.

The 5 W’s to Outshining your Competition 

1. What do we do best? 
2. Who is our target customer? 
3. What needs do we fulfill for them? 
4. Who is our competition? 
5. What makes us different from them?

Onward and Upward!

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Grow and Prosper: Happy Independence Day

Happy 4th for those of you business owners in the United States. For some this is a day to relax, cook (smell my smokehouse peach cobbler?), or get together with friends and family to watch those amazing fireworks. Some may be utilizing the holiday to have sales on products and services but what is this day really about? 

Short & Sweet History Lesson 
The day of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence stems from a document which declared that all men have the God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Obviously, this played a vital role in the founding of our country. But, today, I want to equate those words to us as business owners. The founders DECLARED independence. Are you declaring independence (the God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness) in your business? In our businesses as well as our personal lives, we should DECLARE independence and if we have not, do something about it RIGHT NOW. We should actively PURSUE happiness, and for those of us who are spiritually focused, we should invite GODLY guidance into our businesses. We have the LIBERTY to do so much more than the founding fathers especially when it comes to owning and operating a business.

Declare success in your business and pursue all the tools and strategies out there. Actively participate, whether good or bad, in all aspects of your business. I wanted to share a great tool for those of you that are looking to re-energize your business by either re-engaging with your team or simply adding a team to your business structure. The energy continuum concept can help you understand what this productivity strategy can do to re-energize your business.

The model shows when team members or staff with low engagement passively wait to see what comes next, they tend to go to the left on the continuum to the state of “rustout,” with “no hope.” On the opposite extreme, some people are so committed they take on impossible tasks or projects beyond their talents and skills only to become overwhelmed reaching a point of “burnout” as they experience “no relief.”

In the state of “rustout” and “burnout”, efficiency is at its lowest. Efficiency is only increased when team members or staff manage their discretionary energy carefully, allowing them to stay highly engaged near the point of equilibrium—at the midpoint on the Energy Continuum.

Renew your Team’s Sense of Engagement and Commitment 
If you’ve been away from your business for a while and are beginning to re-engage with it, take a moment to find out why you’ve been in the state of “burnout” and see where you stand within the goals you set forth when you embarked on your business venture before addressing your team. If you don’t have any goals written out, this is a good time to get some to help you stay on course as well as help your team understanding where you’d like to take the business.

Goal Reassessment 
Take a good hard look at what is being done today in your business and who is or has stepped up to the plate. Ask yourself, what is being accomplished and what isn’t being accomplished? Are your methods overdone? What isn’t being accomplished that should be? You may be able to increase revenues with the right mix of new ideas, methods, and goals for your team/staff.

They make think It’s All Hype
If you have a team and haven’t been the leader they need your team members or staff may be skeptical initially as you undertake a renewed look at your business and assess efforts. Once you have thought through your plans of re-engagement, take time to communicate with the whole team to answer questions, make your goals clear, and get their commitment.

Create a community of support for the effort by developing a sense of collaboration. People who are burned out often lack the energy or motivation to reach out to their peers or colleagues in other functions. Yet working with others and providing mutual support contribute to an upward spiral of energy and efficiency, helping to reverse declining levels of commitment.

As the continuum illustrates, we as business owners need to evaluate how we engage with our team members or staff and see changes that offer hope of relief and renewal in order to re-engage and avoid the results of burnout—reduced efficiency, productivity, and commitment.

 There’s no “I” in TEAM but there is “I” in WIN. - Michael Jordan

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