Innovation

Innovation helps your business stand out, and long term entrepreneurs tend to keep up with the trends. It helps their name become known in your industry as the one to go to when customers are looking for the latest and best in services, technology and products. When you are looking for a way to improve your business and make it stand out, remember that people love anything that solves their problems. Become their problem solver by adding additional features to your original offers.

Style

Your own sense of style can bring attention to your business and attract new customers who may not even be aware that they need what you have to offer. Unique advertising can be one way of standing out. Try using a by-line that’s interesting and memorable. It will give you the opportunity to grab the attention of new customers and have them remember you. Let your business showcase your personal style. Focus on making your products more aesthetically pleasing and have your services reflect your good taste.

Image

The image your customers have of you, personally, affects the way they see your business. Customers will always prefer a business owner whose products they can count on. They know if there is a problem, they can contact you immediately and not have any delays with replacements or repairs. This makes your business synonymous with quality, which, in the long run, makes it easier for you to ask higher prices than your competition. A service program in conjunction with your products is also welcomed by your customers.

Service

Successful entrepreneurs have long realized that in order to become the best they have to give the best. By utilizing virtual assistants they know that they are working with people who are able to speak professionally with the public, react appropriately and deal with any imaginable issue that could arise. They know how to use the telephone, email etiquette is stressed and they have in-depth knowledge on all of your business offers. They make things easier for your customers to buy from you and act as consultants for your business. They realize that they are the first point of contact for most of your customers and the reputation of your business relies on them.

Each business is as unique as the person who owns it and if you think of your business as an extension of yourself and your way of living, you can come up with ideas that will also be attractive to your customers. Think of it this way; if you find that there is something in the marketplace that is difficult to purchase and you need it, then the likelihood is that there are many others in the same position as you.

Chris Draper © Copyright 2016 All rights reserved.

image courtesy of fineartamerica

As a business owner, it can be frustrating when you hear about that one business that got the great account, was the first to offer a product that became very popular or because of their great service, is talked about a lot and therefore attracts new customers.

Did they do something that you didn’t? Does their business offer something that yours doesn’t? Most likely, it isn’t that they did something completely different or had something that your business didn’t have. These are business owners who were wise enough to advantage of an opportunity or created one for themselves. They had been in business a long time but didn’t give in to the belief that it was too late for them. They didn’t feel that their business was what it was and things weren’t going to change.

Opportunities for your business are everywhere, you just have to be aware of what is going on around you. You also have to realize that your business, regardless of what it is, has an impact on your customers. Just because the ideas you have are small and your business is small doesn’t mean it isn’t important to others as well as yourself. Understand the significance your business has, look at how other business owners are taking advantage of opportunities and turn these same opportunities into growth for your business, not by copying, but by borrowing the ideas and turning them into something that is a great fit for you and your products.

Competition is good for your business. It makes you stop and think of how you can improve what you offer so that what you have is better than what is out there. It gives you a push to want to succeed more by improving your business. It makes you stop and think of how your business is going to grow with the trends so it will still be viable in the future. Decide that you will no longer ignore what is right under your business nose, grasp what is available and if you need to learn new skills to do that, then learn them.

It’s never too late to make great things happen. Just think, Harlan Sanders, the Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, was 66 when he began to promote his style of cooking and created an empire. There’s still room for more great ideas. One of them could be yours.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2015

image courtesy of jonrognerud

Many small business owners have heard the expression actionable marketing thrown around, yet have no idea what it is.

Actionable marketing is the ability to persuade customers to buy from you and to interact with you and your business in a way which is positive for both of you.

One of the most important ways that you can do this is to be aware of who your market consists of and to target those customers by offering them something that they need. Marketing toward these customers needs to be tailored for their geographical area and should encompass any interests that they may have. Demographics should also include web pages that interest them and social media websites where they spend their time. Try to give your potential customers exactly what they’re looking for. Remember that first impressions are important. You want to catch the attention of new customers while retaining your loyal customers.

Another marketing tip that is extremely important is that it is necessary to be available. Contact forms should be easy to find, simple and non invasive. They should also come with your promise that the customer’s information won’t be sold or given to anyone else and only used for the purpose of this one time contact unless otherwise stated. The most common reason customers have for not giving out their email address or using contact forms is that they receive a steady influx of marketing email (spam) from the company they have contacted as well as from other companies soon after. Answer all questions from your customers or possible future customers as soon as possible. A person answer is always much better than an auto responder!! While having automated systems in place for you business is helpful to you, it adds to the feeling of alienation that is increasing among customers.

Most importantly, give excellent value. Everyone loves free things, especially if they are of use to them. Depending on the type of business, offer your customers free downloads, discounts and coupons, newsletters and other resources which they will appreciate. Include special offers for your most loyal customers and advertise on your website that this is something that all long term customers receive. Include links to other websites which you feel your customers would find interesting and of value. Include a Q&A section, accessible from your landing page, where questions can be asked regarding your products and services. Make sure it is visible to all who read your website, not just the customer asking the question.

Actionable marketing is about taking actions that will improve your business and satisfy your customers and possible customers. It involves consistency in advertising and responsibility in your actions. Each business will have its own type of marketing plan but always keep the customer as your main focus.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2015

  Coming across various groups and businesses on Facebook is almost like watching reality television. You feel like you’ve moved into a totally different dimension from the one in which you have always lived. You find business owners, not familiar or comfortable with marketing on social media, crossing the line between their business and their personal lives, often forgetting that they are using a public forum.

Business owners don’t necessarily make the best figureheads for their businesses and it isn’t their job to be one. While quite often a powerful person with an important title, a figurehead tends to be someone with limited power or influence, and as a business owner, that means that though your customers will look to you for direction when it comes to their purchases, they also expect you to be the one in control. As a business owner, you make the decisions and you need to represent your business better than anyone or else find someone who can do it for you.

Owning a business puts you in the position of having to be aware of what you say, how you look and what you do – all the time. It is somewhat similar to being a politician but without the election or votes, but either way, don’t forget that your customers are either quietly voting for you or they’re voting for someone else.

Are you adept at building relationships? Some of us make friends easily and have an instant impact on others while the rest of us can feel awkward or out of place when public speaking or attending events. If you’re one of those who doesn’t mix well, it may be better to have a hired gun, or expert, that takes care of dealing with the public and represents your business for you. Most small business owners don’t like that idea but if their talents don’t include marketing, then they are better off finding someone who does have that talent.

Are you naturally professional or more the relaxed type? Depending on the type of business you own, your customers will expect a certain style from you, both in your manner and your way of dress. They also expect you to speak correctly and to know your business inside out. Those are a lot of expectations but that is what you signed on for when you started your business.

As the best representative for your business, you should treat everyone you meet as a customer or potential customer. Take advantage of these opportunities to make yourself more comfortable with interacting with the public. Let your personality shine through and remember that your public self is the one that your customers will rely on as being your real self.

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2015

image courtesy of got2beyou