10 Steps Every Business Owner Must Follow
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Stephen James considers that if you take action in each of these 10 areas, you will not only be 2 steps in front of your competition, but you may very well be within touching distance of living your dream.1. Business Plan. A business plan is critical to achieving consistent growth in any business. The benefits of a business plan are realised immediately through the process of just thinking clearly about your business for an extended period of time, and through illuminating the areas of your business that need fixing.
2. Customer Database. At the end of the day, your customers are the most valuable asset you have in your business. You should be taking every opportunity to collect the names and contact details of your customers and communicating with them on a regular basis.
3. Systems. Systems are essential for ensuring that you provide a consistent level of service to your customers and so that you understand the financial performance of your business.
4. Staff Incentives. To attract great people, progressive companies are keenly aware that they need to foster personal responsibility and provide direct reward for measurable results.
5. Staff meetings. Meetings are an opportunity to inspire your people and thereby your business. They also give your people a sense of belonging through the process of sharing information.
6. Marketing. Marketing is the most important of all success strategies in your business, because if you can't find a buyer for your product or service, nothing else you do will matter!
7. Branding. Branding is about creating and communicating a set of values to the consumer of your product or service.
8. Business Image. First impressions count for a lot. Addressing your business image is all about paying attention to the little things that will exceed your customers expectations.
9. Guarantee. How does a customer truly believe they are going to receive value from doing business with you? They will only know this if you are prepared to take more risk in the transaction than they are…and this promise is delivered through your guarantee.
10. Customer care. Every business should have a follow up system that extends sincere thanks to every new customer and for their ongoing patronage.
via photo
Labels: branding, business plan, clients, customers, marketing, staff, strategy
3 Steps to Take Before You Setup Your Small Business Marketing Strategy
Along with your business plan, your small business marketing plan is one of the most important long-term plans you'll make for your small business.
Brandt Stoht, from the smallbusinessmktng.com has three steps to setup your small business marketing strategy:
1. Know your market
Ask yourself: Who are my customers? Once you've identified who they are, ask yourself: What are my customers' problems? What are their dreams and aspirations? The surest way to answer those 3questions, of course, is to ask your customers themselves.
2. Know yourself
Ask yourself: What does my business do? How is my business different than my competitors? How does my business help solve my customers' problems or help them achieve their dreams? Brandt Stohr advises answering these questions will help you to define your unique selling proposition those aspects that set you apart from your competitors.
3. Analyze your competitors' small business marketing strategies
First, look at your competitors' small business marketing strategies. Are there obvious gaps that you could fill (and thereby stand out among the competition)? For example, if you see that none of your competitors have websites, you could stand out with a small business marketing strategy online.
Brandt Stoht, from the smallbusinessmktng.com has three steps to setup your small business marketing strategy:
1. Know your market
Ask yourself: Who are my customers? Once you've identified who they are, ask yourself: What are my customers' problems? What are their dreams and aspirations? The surest way to answer those 3questions, of course, is to ask your customers themselves.
2. Know yourself
Ask yourself: What does my business do? How is my business different than my competitors? How does my business help solve my customers' problems or help them achieve their dreams? Brandt Stohr advises answering these questions will help you to define your unique selling proposition those aspects that set you apart from your competitors.
3. Analyze your competitors' small business marketing strategies
First, look at your competitors' small business marketing strategies. Are there obvious gaps that you could fill (and thereby stand out among the competition)? For example, if you see that none of your competitors have websites, you could stand out with a small business marketing strategy online.
Labels: marketing, marketing strategy, small business, unique selling proposition
4 Marketing Attitudes to Avoid
Monday, October 09, 2006
C.J. Hayden, Contributing Editor for RainToday.com and author of Get Clients Now!: A 28-day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants, And Coaches has come up with a list of 3 common marketing attitudes to avoid:
Read full article here. Via
1. "I shouldn't have to market."
If you perceive marketing as a dirty business, try thinking of it as the diapers you need to change in order to have the joys of being a parent. But instead of focusing on what you dislike, tie your marketing chores to your vision of a successful business.2. "I don't have time for marketing."
Whether your responsibilities preventing you from marketing are within the business or outside it, you need to allocate a minimum amount of time each week, no matter what. Even two hours per week can make a significant difference, if you consistently use that time for marketing.3. "I don't want to bug people."
Consistent and persistent follow-up isn't bugging people – it's the mark of a true professional. You want to convince your prospects that you are hard-working and reliable, and that you truly care about helping them solve their problems. If they hear from you more than once that you would really like to be of service to them and are available to help, you will build their trust, not their annoyance.4. "My marketing isn't working."
So how many prospects do you need to make contact with for just one to be interested in a presentation? Ten, maybe? That means you need to make contact with 60 prospects each month in order to land your two new clients. If you do this math for yourself, you may quickly find that the only thing wrong with your marketing is that there hasn't been enough of itRead full article here. Via
Labels: attitude, marketing, marketing strategy
4 Expert Tips for a Succesfull Small Business Marketing Strategy
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Developing that unique selling proposition should be your first step in crafting a successful small business marketing strategy. To make sure that your small business marketing is all that it can be, follow these four expert tips:1. Focus on the benefits to the customer
Your prospective customers don’t really care what great features you’re offering. They care about how your product/service will help them – how it will solve their problems or help them achieve their dreams. So instead of listing the 100 fabulous features that your product/service has that the other guy doesn’t, list the 10 ways that your product/service will help your prospective customers, and you’ll be on your way to successful small business marketing.2. Consider your product/service from the customer’s point of view
Even if you can’t hire an expensive marketing firm to set up focus groups for you, you can create a small business marketing solution. Assemble a group of friends and family who are similar to your prospective customers and ask them what their needs and wants are. Then incorporate their responses into your marketing materials. Voila – you’re now speaking directly to the customer, from his or her point of view!3. Prove it!
One of the easiest, least expensive small business marketing strategies for backing up your claims with prospective customers is to include testimonials from satisfied current clients in your small business marketing materials.4. Project an image of confidence and authority
Whether you’re selling widgets or consulting services, small business marketing is really about selling yourself – your expertise, your integrity, and your reputation. Even if you’re just starting out in business, you are an expert in your own right. So act like one! If you see yourself as a confident, authoritative business person, your customers will, too.Labels: focus, marketing, small business, tips, unique selling proposition, usp
8 Reasons to Consider Blogging A Marketing Weapon
7CMarketing on Blogging as a marketing tool for small businesses:Business blogging provides a way for companies and readers to meet on common ground and discuss ideas, products and services in the hopes of building an audience that can become customers. A business blog provides a cost-effective alternative to having a website. For small and medium sized business entrepreneurs without the time and the means to set up a website, business blogging offers an inexpensive tool to herald the company's presence on the powerful Internet.And more:
- Business blogs provide SMBs with an avenue to share their expertise and knowledge with a bigger audience.
- An effective business blog can help give a human face to a business.
- A business blog if used productively can improve customer service
- A business blog keeps an archive of older posts organized by date and categorized by topic.
- A business blog can increase the chances of prospective clients to visit a company's website.
- Regularly posting valuable content on a business blog builds company credibility and creates sound business reputation.
- A business blog can be an avenue to introduce company products or services
- However, a business blog is not urgent but important for small and medium sized businesses. A business blog alone is not enough to market a company product or service.
Labels: blogging, marketing, small business, trends
