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Mar 2018
Why Every Small Business Owner Needs This Book
Every Small Business Owner Needs This Book As part of my quest to find business and marketing books that truly help small business owners, I came across a great one written by media and presentation trainer Brad Phillips. It’s called: The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need to Know Before Your Next Interview. As a small business owner, you are the spokesperson for your business. Therefore, it’s vital to equip yourself with basic knowledge regarding how to handle the media, including preparing for and managing a media crisis (such as an angry customer). For Example: Suppose you own...
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Feb 2018When Business Suddenly Slows Down Always Look Here For Answers
When business suddenly slows down, check these two key operational functions to ensure customers can reach you. #1 — Broken Voicemail For whatever reason, sometimes voicemail systems fail without your knowledge. Therefore, create a reminder to check your voicemail no less than once a month. Literally, call your business phone number and leave a message. Then check your voicemail to make sure the message arrived. Here are some broken items that you may catch during the process: Outdated greeting from your last vacation. Guilty! 🙂 New staff member missing from the phone directory. Phone is connected to a fax line....
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Jan 20183 Financial Advisor Blog Content Ideas
What follows are three financial advisor blog content ideas and approaches advisors and other financial consultants can use to quickly generate content your target audience is actually interested in. To build trust within your digital community, focus on writing highly personalized and hyper-targeted content. Financial Advisor Blog Content Ideas #1 — Involve Clients As an advisor, managing financial matters comes naturally to you. However, this is not generally the case for your clients. There are questions on their minds that are nagging at them. The key is to ask them about information they’d like to know more about. Furthermore, only...
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Dec 20177 Resources: Small Business Planning for the New Year
It’s time to start your small business planning for another 12 months. To help you, I’ve compiled seven business development and marketing planning resources. But first, I can’t stress enough the importance of this initial planning step: Before you undertake any new marketing initiatives in the coming year, I encourage you to review your business’ results from the past year. The key is to determine what activities from this year you’ll repeat in the coming year. Frankly, I recommend that you repeat at least 50 percent of your past marketing activities. Why? Because, more than likely, most of your prospects...
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Nov 2017In Person Events Marketing
The secret to experiencing successful in-person events is this: complete 95 percent of event preparations before the big day. No matter what type of event you’re planning — an open house, client dinner, seminar, fundraiser, new store opening, etc. — target your energy on pre-planning. This approach enables you to focus on guests come event day, rather than being distracted with organizational issues. Today, let’s focus on the day-of-event implementation considerations. When Guests Arrive How you acknowledge guests when they first arrive is one of the most important components of an event plan. Remember, you’re making a first impression. Even if...
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Oct 2017Halloween Marketing Slogans & Ideas for Small Businesses
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and an ideal time for small business retailers to experience a spike in revenue. To grab your share of this seasonal increase in consumer spending within your local community, try these two timeless marketing strategies coupled with detailed examples. What’s more, find fun examples of how service businesses can participate in Halloween festivities and increase brand awareness. Also, at the end of this post is a Halloween word bank with 50+ spooky expressions! October 31 will be here sooner than you think, so let’s get started! #1 — Create a Halloween Marketing Slogan...
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Sep 2017How to Create Unique Customer Experiences That Increase Repeat Business
To create unique customer experiences, capture the essence and protocols from this recent interaction I had. Then blend them into your marketing and business operations approach. About this time each year, I send an email to my favorite southern Maine inn to reserve a room for my son and me. We ski at Shawnee Peak almost every winter break and the inn is just a few minutes away. We both love the comfy rooms and amenities, including the casual pub located in their basement. The email exchange went smoothly and I said I’d call with my credit card information the...
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Aug 2017Increase Local Website Traffic & Search Engine Rankings
Follow these 7 steps to increase your local website traffic and search engine rankings… To grow your local website traffic and search engine rankings naturally, concentrate your marketing efforts on improving your website’s search engine optimization (SEO). What follows are key initiatives to help you attract more local business, e.g., increased foot traffic for a neighborhood hair salon, pizza shop, farm stand, etc., or increased emails and phone calls from prospective clients living or working near your office. Step 1 Claim, complete (and update regularly) your Google My Business account. Important: When entering your information within your Google My Business...
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Jul 2017How Financial Advisors Can Make Emotional Connections With Wealthy People
5 Content Examples That Help Financial Professionals Deepen Emotional Connections With Clients Many financial advisors and other wealth professionals believe they need to write exclusively about money matters in order to exhibit financial expertise, build trust and attract wealthy clients. I disagree. In fact, if money-related content conversations are the only ones you’re having with prospects, you’re missing out on topics that tug at your prospects’ personal aspirations beyond financial well-being. Certainly, writing about financial issues makes sense given your expertise. However, restricting your marketing content solely to financial subject matters builds an intangible wall between you and your prospects....
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Jun 2017Take the Hidden Path for a Flexible Career
Take the Hidden Path for a Flexible Career The following is a life lesson most older professionals rarely talk about, since many fall victim. This article is the first in a series of candid life lessons I’ll be revealing. My goal is to help others early in their careers to achieve greater personal and professional success, by sharing with you information I’ve acquired simply by being older than you and by watching others collapse under life’s circumstances. I’ll speak frankly in these life lessons, since I rarely care what others think of me. And that is a mindset that has...
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May 201721 Good Excuses to Get Off the Phone with a Friend or Client
Legitimate Excuses to Get off the Phone When Working from Home Whether you’re looking to end a phone call with a friend, family member, boss or client, you’ll find my 21 excuses especially helpful. Quick Story About My Excuses For the past 17 years, I’ve been working from home as a marketing communications consultant. As you can imagine, there have been numerous awkward moments that demanded I get off the phone. Most of these situations were caused by my children or an elderly dog who needed to empty his bladder — pronto. Therefore, I’ve become quite savvy at drumming up...
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Apr 2017Summer Reading: One Book Every Small Business Owner Should Read
Summer Reading for the Beach, Lakefront, Poolside & Beyond If I had to recommend only one book every small business owner should include on their 2017 summer reading list, it would be: Conversationally Speaking: Tested New Ways to Increase Your Personal and Social Effectiveness by Alan Garner. It’s definitely worth the time for anyone who needs to start or keep a conversation going, e.g., consultant, vendor/supplier, small business owner of any kind, parent, husband/wife, etc. Why? Because, beyond this being a helpful and easy to read business book, by optimizing your personal communication skills, your small business will likely grow faster. What’s more,...
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Mar 20177 Key Marketing Steps When Opening a Hair Salon
Marketing Checklist for Opening a Hair Salon So you’ve decided to open your own hair salon or spa. I’m happy for you! It’s a big undertaking that’ll ultimately bring you many rewards. What follows are the top seven marketing strategies to implement as soon as possible in order to generate clientele and create immediate cash flow. These strategies are in no particular order, since they’re all essential. Note that I’ve included a special consultation offer specific to hairstylists and salon owners at the end of my post. Without any further delay, here are my best marketing ideas on how to...
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Feb 2017How to Retain Customers During Times of Change
No matter what industry you work in: banking, insurance, restaurant, fitness, retail, health care and so on, when your customers experience a change associated with your small business, you run the risk of losing these customers. Therefore, let’s talk about how to retain customers during a period of change. To be clear, examples of change include: Retirement, death, leave-of-absence Sale of business Price increase Product update or removal New employee, business partner, etc. Rebranding or business name change RELATED: If you’re pondering a price increase, be sure to check out my special report: How to increase prices without losing customers....
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Jan 2017Simple Techniques to Increase Client Referrals
Contemplating how to increase client referrals? Many consultants and other experts rely heavily on referrals. And why wouldn’t you? Positive word-of-mouth is the most affordable way to grow any small business. Therefore, what follows are three common reasons why businesses miss out on referrals. What’s more, to help you fix this problem, I provide several referral positioning and messaging examples. Here are the three reasons why you’re not seeing the referrals you want and what you can do about it: #1 — Fear of Referring Most noteworthy: Many customers may be hesitant to refer your business for fear you’ll talk about them...
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Nov 2016What Your Email Signature Should Include
You may be losing sales leads if you’re limiting your email signature to just your name, phone number and website. As small business owners with limited budgets, we need to optimize every marketing channel available. This includes our email signatures. To help you, I’ve outlined several ideas below. What’s more, I conclude this post with three detailed email signature examples. Specifically, an email signature for a CEO, another for an owner of a small company and then my own. The Making of a Profitable Email Signature First, every email you distribute should include an email signature — even if you’ve...
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Oct 201617 Rules for Marketing & Running a Successful Small Business
Beyond needing high levels of determination, building and running a successful small business requires a certain approach. To achieve your business growth objectives, follow these 17 marketing rules. When you do, revenue will increase and you’ll be well on your way to running a successful small business. #1 — Answer the Question. I know what you’re selling, but why are you selling it? When your prospects agree with you, they’ll buy from you. #2 — Think Mobile. Assume your message will be viewed on a tiny device. To increase readership, add numbers, subheads and photos. The latter is friendly on the...
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Sep 2016Entrepreneur Marketing Plan Ideas & Strategies That Differentiate
How to Define Your Key Competitive Advantage Within Your Entrepreneur Marketing Plan If you’re a solopreneur in the throes of creating an entrepreneur marketing plan, then be sure to define and exploit this key customer benefit… Your ability to provide swift and impeccable customer service due to your extremely small size and agility. First, Let’s Consider Ways to Express This Crucial Entrepreneurial Advantage Aside from our unique skill sets, hands down, the greatest customer benefit we independent sole-proprietors have is our ability to provide great service. The key to generating revenue is to transform this customer benefit into a tangible experience within...
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Jul 2016Ideas to Increase Sales Opportunities by Optimizing SEO Benefits
8 Ways to Increase Sales Opportunities By Optimizing Chamber of Commerce & Other Professional Membership SEO Benefits If you’re a member of your local chamber looking to increase sales, you’re in luck. If not, stick around, because the following eight search engine optimization (SEO) marketing strategies apply to most professional memberships. When using best practices, SEO is an affordable way to increase sales revenue and ROI from any affiliation. The key to generating more revenue from membership investments… is to optimize all member-available SEO opportunities. Specifically, obtaining all inbound links from your member organization’s marketing efforts. By doing so, you’ll...
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Jun 2016Creative Summer Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses
Ah, summertime. That wonderfully warm time of year when many small businesses earn 40 percent or more of their profits for the year due to the onset of tourism. However, for the rest of us, the dog days of summer may be our slowest sales cycle. If June, July and August leave you with empty pockets, first take a look at how you’re packaging your business in order to increase revenue. Ask yourself, is there a better way to position your services and products as a great summer offer? Attract More Customers This Summer Try these 5 marketing strategies coupled...
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Apr 2016Entrepreneur Business Startup Marketing Ideas
Are you an entrepreneurial or small business startup seeking your first customers? The most affordable and best place to find initial customers for any new business startup is within your own personal and professional network. Specifically, are the people you do business with…doing business with you? No? Why not? Find New Customers. Contact This List of Prospects & Influencers: Accountant, attorney, plumber, electrician, daycare provider, teachers (school, piano, etc.), dog sitter/walker, housekeeper, landscaper, snow plow driver, pool/window cleaner, pest control consultant, mechanic, butcher, realtor, mortgage consultant, favorite breakfast/lunch spot staff, neighbors, friends, family, minister/priest/rabbi, etc., dentist, physician, gynecologist, nail technician,...
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Mar 2016How to Revive an Old Relationship with Clients & Colleagues
It’s been a long time, has it? Trying to figure out how to revive an old relationship? Here are some dos and don’ts to consider before making your initial contact. Recently, I received a message from an old acquaintance. She reached out to tell me about her new service. I ignored it. Now, hold on… Please don’t misunderstand. I enjoy hearing from someone with whom I’ve lost touch with; however, not when it’s explicit that the person clearly just wants something from me. Instead, I seek relationships founded on mutual give-and-take, consistency and trust. Frankly, I don’t think I’m alone....
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Feb 2016Postcard Marketing Tips, Ideas & Strategies
Postcard Marketing Tips & Ideas I’m Sharron Senter, and in 2003 I used postcard marketing to launch and grow a computer networking and security business. When I sold it eight years later, it had grown to be the second largest business of its kind north of Boston. I credit postcards as the key advertising vehicle I used to generate new customers and deepen relationships with existing customers. What follows are the primary postcard marketing strategies and philosophies I applied during my marketing campaigns. I also call attention to a highly recommended postcard marketing home-study course. I truly believe you can...
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Jan 2016Cold Weather Marketing Ideas & Slogans to Increase Walk-ins
5 Strategies that’ll Heat Up In-Store Sales Plus, a helpful cold weather word bank at the end of this post. Burrr…it’s cold, spurring brick and mortar retail customers to hunker down in their homes. To draw shoppers out during plummeting temps, piggyback your advertising messages onto the cold weather. Why? Because when the weather is extreme in any way, it’s top-of-mind for your customers. Therefore, rather than try and change your customers’ thinking, instead, join in! Try these 5 cold weather marketing ideas and slogans to motivate customers to leave their warm homes and visit your retail location: #1 — Project...
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Dec 2015How to Price a Small Business to Sell
Are you contemplating how to price your small business to sell? Here is a Roundup of Pricing Resources & How to Calculate the Value of Your Business: To help you price your business, I’ve compiled several helpful articles that discuss how to price a small business. The first two resources are specific to selling a hair or beauty salon; however, they’re still relevant for almost any type of small business, particularly ones that deal with cash. The third, an excellent and thorough article, speaks to all industries. The fourth takes a high-level educational approach and discusses the importance of deal...
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