Giving Thanks

Tis the season to be thankful. Here are some things we are thankful for in our business:

 

·         Our customers – without them we would be nothing

·         Working for ourselves

·         Working from home

·         Doing what we love

·         The ability to work at 2AM if necessary

·         Technology – so thankful for technology

·         Our families for their support every day

·         Our canine companions who are a vital part of our team

·         The way marketing changes continuously and keeps us challenged every day

·         Our partners, who are truly a part of our team

·         Our customers – without them we would be nothing

What are you thankful for in your business?

How can you truly contribute to a conversation using social media? Hint, you should read this before you reply.

Have you noticed how suddenly you are getting more responses to your blog and social media posts? That’s a good thing, right? Content is king, and your goal is to put content out there and start conversations with people who are potential customers or partners. It’s supposed to help your business.

But, have you also noticed how the majority of the responses you receive are meaningless replies often from people who obviously haven’t even read your post?

So many people will post a response to the title of a blog or post without ever reading the post. Unfortunately that is doing the absolute opposite to what was intended. They are spending their valuable time blindly responding to posts to get their name known. It’s like roulette. Keep posting things and maybe one of them will hit the winning number. If you are a small business owner, your time is so much more valuable than this. Most people will just get frustrated and stop following you. You’ve turned a positive opportunity into a loss.

I know there is an overwhelming amount of information out there. And you are trying to keep in front of people on social media all the while trying to do the real job of running your business.

Here are some tips: 

·       Dedicate time each day for social media (I choose first thing in the morning and after the chaos of the evening). It only takes about 15 minutes at each sitting to review articles and posts and respond to some. If you miss a day, the world will not end.

·       Open only those articles or posts that pertain to you and will benefit you (note: this is why your title is so important!). Your time is priceless, use it wisely.

·       Out of those you open and read, respond only to those posts you are most knowledgeable about and where you can offer real information to readers.

·       Please don’t blindly respond with a link to your blog about marketing tips or how to set up a business when the post is about how to plant sunflowers that will bloom all year round. You are only doing yourself a disservice and wasting other people’s valuable time.

·       Do respond to people who offer valuable feedback to your posts.

With everything you post, think about whether or not it is meaningful and how it represents your brand. Post wisely and you will get far better results.

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Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff. Visit the ProfessionalEdge website at www.gettheprofessionaledge.com, email info@gettheprofessionaledge.com, follow them on Twitter @profedge, or like their Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m starting a home-based business. How do I start marketing?

 

So, you’ve made the decision to venture out on your own with a home-based business. It’s an exciting, overwhelming, and scary time all at once. There’s much to do and one of the most important is to assure you will be able to sell your new product or service. But how do you go about marketing your new business so you will have customers?

You should already have a business plan in place which defines your company goals, vision, mission, products and services, and you should know your initial marketing budget. Here are some steps to get your new home-based business visible. 

1.       Define your target market(s) – Think of the specific groups of people you should target with your products and services. If you are a home-based business without a large staff, target very specific locations and demographics. If you are a bigger business with other staff located in different areas, the locations you target should be broader.

2.       Use your past to help build your future – Think about everyone you know from your previous work and personal experiences who already know your work. Then think of how they might fit into your target market(s). You already have a captive and interested audience. Marketing to them is your best first step.

3.       Begin to build your brand – The first step in building your brand is designing your look and feel. You’ll need a logo and tagline and an overall look that tells people who you are. Hire a consultant if necessary to get the best look that tells your company’s visual story.

4.       Write a marketing plan – You have the basics, now get into the details. How can you reach your target market(s) within your start-up budget and get the most exposure from unpaid promotional opportunities? Be sure to include a launch schedule with target dates for all marketing, advertising, PR, and social media activities.

5.       Build your online world – Build your website and social media sites to tell your story online. Start a blog with the first post carefully written to outline your company values and further build your brand.

6.       Move forward with other marketing – Whether your marketing plan includes a brochure or other mailing, direct calls, eblasts, advertising or more, once your marketing plan is in place you can start working on your launch. During a launch you should saturate the market through many different mediums to gain the most exposure. Be sure to include press if possible. Get testimonials from your new customers and incorporate them into your future marketing activities.

7.       Keep it going! – You’re now getting exposure for your new home-based business and work should start coming in. Don’t stop! Sometimes it can be hard to find time to market your small business while you are running it, but it is important to continue so the momentum never stops. Review your marketing plan often and make adjustments as necessary to get the most return on your investment.

Starting a home-based business can be daunting. It can also be one of the most rewarding and exciting things you will ever do. The right marketing approach will help it be successful as well.

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Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff. Visit the ProfessionalEdge website at www.gettheprofessionaledge.com, email info@gettheprofessionaledge.com, follow them on Twitter @profedge, or like their Facebook page.

 

 

Are you ready for Small Business Saturday?

Tucked neatly between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a very important shopping day for small businesses called Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday was started by American Express in 2010 to encourage shoppers to support small businesses when they are making their holiday purchases the weekend after Thanksgiving, which is notoriously one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year in the U.S. This year, Small Business Saturday falls on November 24^th. Are you ready?

If you are a small business merchant here are some things you can do to get ready.

1.       Advertise! – If you haven’t started already, start now promoting Small Business Saturday. Visit the Small Business Saturday Promote Your Small Business page for free tools, ideas, and success stories.  Be sure to post signs in your business, send emails, and post on your social media sites. This site offers many tools to help you and even offers free advertising to qualified businesses.

2.       Offer promotions! – Use this opportunity to offer a special discount or promotion to those who support you on Small Business Saturday. Think about a special that gets people in early, such as a giveaway or extra discount to the first 500 visitors. Think about offering something special like a craft or story time for the kids while mom and dad are shopping!

3.       Combine with other opportunities! – capitalize on this special day with other opportunities, like inviting special guests into the store, holding a ribbon cutting  ceremony, combining with an open house, or launching a new product. All of this can garner additional buzz for a day that’s already being promoted nationwide.

4.       Keep them coming back! – Be sure to have adequate staff to handle the rush of the day and of course put your best customer service faces on. Make the experience welcoming and find a way to get their email or get them to like or follow your social media sites so you can add them to future marketing opportunities. Consider what an opportunity you have for next year if you capture their address. You can send them a personal invitation to your next Small Business Saturday!

If you are a shopper instead of a merchant, be sure to support your local small businesses on November 24^th! Visit the Shop Small Facebook page to learn more about how you can support small businesses.

Let us know how you’ll be participating in Small Business Saturday this year.

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Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff. Visit the ProfessionalEdge website at www.gettheprofessionaledge.com, email info@gettheprofessionaledge.com, follow them on Twitter @profedge, or like their Facebook page.