I joined David Weatherholt on his weekly radio show “Getting Down to Business” to help his listeners measure their marketing. Listen to see how your small business stacks up! Then listen for our advice on improving your small business marketing. David and I both specialize in small business issues, because we know your issues are unique and require a different strategic focus from large companies.
Listen or download below:
Recently, I outlined five small business marketing rules and invited you to take the test to see how your small business’ marketing performs.
This article focuses on the first rule- Be easy to do business with. Small businesses have the competitive advantage of being able to offer their customers flexibility, personalization and relationships.Your customers will be as loyal to you as you are to them- take advantage of this truism.
Being easy to do business with isn’t the only reason your customers will become loyal, but it is certainly a necessary condition. If you give your customers any reason not to buy from you, they probably won’t. If you make it difficult to do more business with you, they won’t do that either.
So how do you become easy to do business with? The first step is to analyze what your business is like from your customers’ point of view. This is not limited to marketing interactions with your customers but should include billing, customer service, waiting areas and every point of contact customers have with you. Ask your employees for their honest assessments and feel free to ask some of your customers about their experiences with your business.
Sometimes companies make operational decisions and neglect to consider how those decisions will affect the customer experience. A lovely restaurant near my office is open from 7AM – 2:30PM, which is brilliant for operations. They only require one eight-hour shift. It makes scheduling very easy. But how does it look from a customer’s point of view, when McDonald’s opens at 5AM for breakfast? How many potential customers avoid this restaurant when they have to be at the office by 8AM? You need to be available at the times your customers want to buy, even if it makes life more difficult for you.
Many small businesses avoid the hassle of accepting credit cards. Yet Nilson Reports show that there were 20.2 billion credit card purchase transactions in 2009. That’s about 65 credit card transactions per U.S. citizen each year. If given the choice, it’s likely your customers would prefer to pay by credit card (other studies also show consumers spend more when they use credit cards as opposed to cash, as well).
The next step to becoming easy to do business with is to test your processes internally before inflicting them onto your customers. I’ve received my fair share of speeding tickets, and I’m always amazed at how cumbersome it is to pay the fine. I’m certain all of my readers are law-abiding citizens, but you may have seen an acquaintance’s speeding ticket. In many states, the envelope provided to mail in payment is the same size as the ticket itself, requiring you to fold the ticket in quarters to mail it back. The government isn’t designed to be easy to do business with, but small business owners should learn from this lesson.
Accounts receivable is an area where many businesses aren’t easy to do business with. Have you ever tested the process required for your customers to pay you? Does your billing cycle consider your customers’ schedules, or is it simply convenient for you? Take a look at your invoices. Are they clear, professional and part of your branding experience? The worst invoices I’ve seen have a hodgepodge of clauses left over from process changes that were created for internal convenience.
Once you identify the areas where you are difficult to do business with, you need to fix those areas. This step can sometimes be impossible in large companies, where a labyrinth of bureaucracy cements processes in place. The great advantage of small businesses is their flexibility, though. Start by prioritizing the most important interactions and the ones with the most room for improvement.
Finally, tell your customers about your improvements. It doesn’t matter how many fixes you’ve made if your customers don’t give you credit for them! At your next appropriate interaction with each customer, mention your new, more convenient billing cycle or that you are now accepting credit cards.
Being easy to do business with should be a cycle of continuous improvement. Each improvement in your customer experience- no matter how small- will grow your customer loyalty a little more. Occasionally, ask some of your best customers what you could do to serve them better or how you could better meet their needs. Always be on alert for how you can make your customers’ experiences better- and actually make those changes.
In the marketing spotlight this week, we have Lorena Blonsky, owner of LMB Associates, a firm specializing in recruitment of information technology professionals.
She has owned the business for the last 20 years and recruits mostly in Chicago and the Midwest. Lorena started off our interview by telling me, “I love being a small business owner because of the flexibility it allows in my schedule and because I love what I do. I’m able to control the quality of the work that gets done. I am committed to quality work; I have a commitment to my clients, and they really appreciate and value that.”
(Some recruitment definitions for my readers: Clients are the companies LMB Associates represents, while Candidates are those seeking jobs with LMB Associates’ clients.)
Since LMB Associates is in its twenty-first year, I wanted to know what factors Lorena credits for her success. She was able to give a very forceful answer:
“Determination to succeed is critical and most important. There never was a question that I would succeed. Sometimes other people just give up. When I first started, someone told me that I would make a lot of money and make it very quickly. In actuality, it took me eight months to make my first dime, and it wasn’t so easy. To people on the outside, they only see the end success. But there is a lot of work that goes into creating something and making it successful.”
Lorena emphasizes that hard work and determination are crucial for any aspiring entrepreneurs:
“It’s a very important thing to know and understand before you start your own business that it is going to be challenging. I’m glad I went through this experience, although I wasn’t glad at the beginning, while I was going through the pains of starting up. The truth is the start-up time gives you an accurate, honest assessment of what you’re in for, and I think that’s very important.”
Lorena’s hard work continues, as the economic downturn has become the biggest challenge for LMB Associates. Lorena says, “It’s been a shrinking job market, and my business is very dependent on economic circumstances.” She adds that the economy has had other, indirect, influences on her business: “There’s been a lot of volatility in the market, such as clients downsizing, consolidating offices or moving technology responsibilities offshore. Understanding these market changes present challenges but can also present opportunity.”
There is another looming challenge for the recruitment industry: the Internet. Lorena isn’t worried about the challenge from Monster or HotJobs in the long run, because recruitment web sites aren’t necessarily saving companies time or money. Recruitment web sites offer a high volume of resumes, but they provide no quality control. She says, “Companies need more capable, human resources to put toward screening candidates when they choose that option. I offer more than bodies to fill a room or paper in the form of dozens of resumes. I work with each client organization to find the best match for their needs.”
Many companies find that using recruitment web sites can tarnish their reputations among job seekers, if they do not follow up with candidates. Lorena explains,
“Candidates often don’t get responses from the companies to whom they send their resumes. Companies should send a letter of thanks to a candidate who has sent his or her resume. It makes the companies look bad when they don’t respond. The way a person or organization treats people is very, very important. If you treat people poorly, they won’t want to work with you and that reputation will get into the marketplace. And if you treat people with respect, they never forget it.”
Treating people respectfully is key to LMB Associates’ business. Lorena’s marketing strategy is to treat people as individuals, learn about their needs and develop relationships with them. She says,
“Often recruiters are just looking for the next buck. I differentiate myself by treating people as people. I give people the respect they deserve. Candidates might not know how to write a résumé, so I give them my time, sample resumes, suggestions and support. Candidates can become demoralized while searching for a job. I pump people up to feel good about themselves, because they need to know that, even though the market may be tough, they bring value to the marketplace. It’s a big deal to give people a boost so that they can get out there and do what they have to do: find a new job.”
She uses a similar strategy for her client organizations:
“I listen to what my clients say they need, then I ask questions, based on the qualifications they seek, their insight and feedback. My clients have personnel issues that need to be addressed, certainly that they need to hire someone but also often beyond the job description. What my clients need from me is to maintain confidentiality, to understand their needs and to assess what types of candidates will fit into their organizations.”
From listening to Lorena, it is evident that she loves what she does: working with her clients and candidates. Before concluding the interview Lorena added,
“I like working in technology because it’s always changing and mind-expanding, and I like working with technology people, who are on the cutting edge of that change. I like having clients in a variety of industries; it makes work more interesting. I love working with candidates, who are all different kinds of people from all cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, and environments.”
To learn more about LMB Associates, view current job openings or contact Lorena, visit LMB Associates.
Legacy Farms is a family farm in Indiana, owned by Paul and Jessica Kinslow, along with their children Alyssa and Brett. They breed and raise show-quality Boer goats. Paul Kinslow also sits on the Board of Directors for the American Boer Goat Association He is the Director for region 14 containing Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky. I caught up with Paul this week to chat with him about their small business.
The inspiration for their farm came from Jessica’s father, Jim Misiniec. Paul remembers, “Jim told us Boer goats were the next up-and-coming show animal. Jessica thought he was a nut. She had grown up showing hogs. He kept on us, and he finally convinced me.” Jim’s influence extends to their farm even today, “Our farm name, Legacy Farms, comes from the legacy that Jim left us. He taught Jessica the skills and work ethic that we are passing on to our children today.”
I next asked Paul to tell me his favorite part of owning a small business:
“What I enjoy is our family time. It’s not your typical small business. We travel, show, care for the animals and make buying decisions as a family. It allows us to do things together. It’s not all fun, but it’s valuable time. The work ethic I’ve been able to teach Brett and Allie is that you get out of life what you put into it. In Allie’s first year she was the Junior Showman. In her second year, she was the Intermediate Showman at the Indiana State Fair. I’m proud of that.”
Paul and Jessica credit their faith as being the biggest reason for their success. Paul says, “We try to pray about every decision we make and try to put God first and foremost.” He also credits Jessica with having “a great livestock eye.” She has developed that from years of being part of the livestock industry.
They also emphasize the constantly changing environment inherent in the livestock business. Paul advises, “It’s not so much luck as learning and applying that knowledge quickly. You have to be able to change your business plan very quickly.” He explains that standards and trends change each year, as new animals are named Grand Champion at the fairs and shows. It is of utmost importance to track those trends to stay ahead of them.
Legacy Farms approaches its marketing from an interesting angle. Their animals are their advertising. As they travel around the country, each show or fair presents an opportunity to increase the value of their farm and animals by how they place. This model can work for any livestock farm. Paul says, “We try to update the website every 2-3 weeks with photographs and animals for sale. But for the most part, you have to be seen. I could have the best animals in the country, but if no one sees them, it doesn’t matter. If you go to the shows and consistently place in the top, then people take notice of you.”
As we parted, Paul wanted to give some advice to livestock entrepreneurs thinking of starting out with Boer goats or other livestock:
“Start small. Ask a lot of questions. Livestock people are very willing to help. They have a very good work ethic and are all about the children and growing the industry. Pay attention to the market. When we got into it, we bought what we thought was pretty. We wasted a lot of money that way, and it took me two years to sell off the original livestock we bought. Learn what you’re buying. And don’t put yourself into a position where you can’t take care of the animals that you purchase. If you only have room for three goats, don’t buy five– no matter how much of a bargain it seems.”
The American Boer Goat Association is having their National Show in Louisville this year from June 7-12. There will be 1,200 head of animals represented by 400-500 exhibitors. Anyone interested in Boer goats is encouraged to attend. Call (325) 486-2242 for more information.
In my last post, I presented 5 small business marketing rules. Based on these rules, how does your marketing stack up? Take the test to find out!
To add up your own scores, take the test below. To use the automatic calculator, take the Small Business Marketing Test here.
Many small businesses don’t realize how their processes affect their customers’ experiences. Answer the following questions to identify if you are “easy to do business with.” Feel free to create your own questions to suit your particular business.
On a scale of 1-10, with ten being the best, how would you rate your company in this category?
If you don’t communicate with customers in ways that are meaningful to them, your messages will be ignored. Evaluate your communications with the following questions.
Based on your answers to these questions, how would you rate your company on a scale of 1-10?
If your company finds communicating with customers difficult, perhaps it’s because the company doesn’t have a future vision. Answer the following questions to determine if you know where you wan to go.
On a scale of 1-10, how well do you know your company’s intended future?
“No man is an island.” If you have employees, they should understand your business and should participate in communicating your marketing message to customers.
Rate how well your employees are engaged in your business, on a scale of 1-10.
We all know the best plans are worthless if they aren’t implemented.
Are you an implementation novice or master? Rate your company from 1-10.
Add up your scores. How did you fare? If your company scored less than 50, there’s work to do.
Not too complicated, right?
Reflected Spectrum Photography is an Indianapolis-based firm specializing in wedding photography, creative portraiture, and fine art photography. Although the business has only been in operation for a year, owner Laura Poland has turned it into a successful venture. Laura is a professional photographer who also runs the business. In this interview, she will share her advice for small business success, some challenges she has faced and the joy she has for photography. I’m certain readers will also enjoy the beautiful photographs she has supplied for this article.
Laura starts by telling us what she enjoys about owning her own business:
I love the freedom I get from owning a business. I have full creative control over all my work, so I’m free to try new techniques and experiment with new ideas. I’m also able to work at my own pace, set my own hours, and choose my own assignments.
But all small business owners discover challenges as they grow. For Reflected Spectrum Photography, Laura was already an experienced photographer, but running the other aspects of the business, such as sales, marketing and finance, was difficult at first. Since her core competency was photography, she sought advice:
I continue to learn as much as I can about these fields to improve my knowledge and skills in those areas, but I have also benefited greatly from the help of good consultants, such as Zoo In A Jungle Marketing and Andrew Technology. Having expert advice available has been extremely helpful to give my business a head start.
As with most successful small businesses, Reflected Spectrum Photography focuses on the customer experience and building relationships. Relationship-building is easier for small businesses than with large ones, which is a key competitive advantage of being small. Laura agrees and adds, “I really enjoy building relationships with all my clients. I find it very rewarding to be present at the most special moments in my clients’ lives, and to see how their children have grown at each new portrait session.”
Laura realizes that satisfying her clients involves more than delivering beautiful photographs, so she ensures they have a great experience during the photo shoot as well:
I try to help my clients feel relaxed and get them excited about having their pictures taken. If my clients are enjoying themselves, that allows me to capture special moments as they happen and preserve them as art, and I hope that they will be treasured for years to come. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the expression on my clients’ faces when I’ve captured the perfect expression of happiness on their child’s face, or caught a spark of real emotion from their wedding day. If my customers enjoy the experience and love the results, they are likely to hire me again in the future and refer me to their friends.
As for building her customer base, Laura has employed a very successful web marketing strategy and client referral network. She says, “Before you can make a client happy, you first have to actually get some clients, so well planned sales and marketing strategies have played a key role in my success.”
As a successful small business owner, Laura parted with the following advice for aspiring entrepreneurs:
Before you start to focus on selling your products or services, build a solid foundation for your business to grow on. Once you become successful, you may be too busy with your clients to focus on building a good web site, formulating targeted marketing initiatives, or finding a record keeping system that works for you. If you need help with any of these things, don’t be afraid to ask! Help is out there in many forms. Books, forums, internet articles, and expert consultants are all available to help you get your business off to the right start.
Contact Info:
Reflected Spectrum Photography
Laura Poland
http://www.reflectedspectrum.com
Downtown Milford, Ohio has a sweet new addition this year. Sugar Cupcakery serves gourmet organic cupcakes and specialty teas. It is owned by sisters Krista Tevar and Karla Jennings and opened on Labor Day—after just six months of planning. They credit the business-friendly environment in Clermont County for their speedy open. They chose a charming building with a baking history—in the 1800s, it was Adam’s Bakery.
The idea for Sugar came late in 2008 when Krista and her family were in Delaware for Thanksgiving. They stopped by a cupcakery in Washington D.C., and she thought, “This would be a really fun business to have.” From there, the plan was set into action. She credits Karla for the creative energy behind Sugar Cupcakery’s design.
Karla, a photo stylist, develops the recipes and designed the trendy, colorful interior of Sugar. She explains that one of the challenges to effective design is creating a good plan and sticking with it, even in the face of contrary opinions. “Don’t listen to naysayers if you know your plan will work,” she advises.
Krista knows the importance customer relationships play in small businesses. She says,
“People who have never been here before are surprised by what they get. We deliver an experience with our cupcakes. It’s more than a take out place where you get a cupcake on a napkin. Our menu is very vague because we want to talk to people, and we want people to ask questions. We have a relationship with our clientele.”
Because they get to know their customers, Krista and Karla are able to help people with special dietary needs. They’ve worked with parents to create special recipes for children who’ve never had cupcakes—letting them share in the same birthday fun other children enjoy. They also offer special-order vegan and gluten-free cupcakes. Krista notes, “We only need a day’s notice for special orders. Just call us, and we’ll work with you.”
In an environment where many small business marketing departments can’t make heads or tails of social networking, Karla attributes Sugar’s success to two factors: location and social networking. She elaborates,
“Everyday, I post on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. I try to link them all together. We get a lot of feedback. Social networking enables our customers to tell us what they think. It’s so rewarding because customers come in and say, ‘I follow you on Facebook! I know what your specials are!’ We try to get people to share their pictures. You just have to know how to tag everything, so that it links back to who you are. Always make sure to include the city, state and name of the business.”
Developing social networking and local relationships together have allowed Sugar to expand its influence to other opportunities. They have several corporate accounts, including with PNC Bank. Recently, Sidewinder Coffee in Northside starting carrying their cupcakes.
Among their cupcake and tea offerings, they also have a private room for parties or meetings. It holds between 20-40 people, has a patio and a flatscreen television for presentations or slide shows.
As with all small business endeavors, it hasn’t been easy to achieve success. In the beginning, obtaining cost-effective, fresh and organic ingredients was a challenge—sometimes they had to settle for what they could get. But through much research, networking and negotiating, they finally have suppliers that meet their demanding standards and still leave room for profit.
In their final comments, Krista and Karla leave us with advice for entrepreneurs just starting out:
“Save your money and be patient. It’s a lot of work. You have to do all the work yourself at first. You have to make sure you’re really organized, motivated and know what your business plan is. You really have to plan and outline. It’s less overwhelming if you plan.”
Sugar Cupcakery is a great example of a small business that understands marketing, customer relationships and how to use technology to get closer to their customers (instead of further away from them). They realize that having a great product isn’t enough to ensure success– although I can attest that their product is amazing.
Contact Details:
Sugar Cupcakery
32 Main Street
Milford, Oh 45150
sugarcupcakery.com
513-340-4166
sugarcupcakery@gmail.com
Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday 11am – 7pm
Friday and Saturday 11am – 10pm
On “Getting Down to Business” with David Weatherholt, we talked about the holiday shopping season and what it means for retailers.
Black Friday has come and gone, and with it, many retailers hopes of enjoying a profitable November. In this podcast, I explain the history of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year’s performance was worse than last year’s already abysmal showing– consumers spent almost 8% less per person this year than last, resulting in an overall revenue increase of just 0.7%. Black Friday this year showed that we need to revolutionize our concept of how retailing works– for both large and small businesses. Consumers have changed the way they shop. To learn more, listen below:
Download the small business marketing for retailers MP3 file here. (13.38MB)
In this podcast, Gerhard Vierthaler and I talk with David Weatherholt, host of “Getting Down to Business,” about sales strategy and cold calling.
I advocate turning your marketing towards yourself to help all employees realize their roles in the sales process. A strong internal brand will improve your profitability, employee performance and your work environment.
Fortunately, small businesses are especially equipped to develop compelling internal brands. They are usually tight-knit organizations with a cohesive culture that can be harnessed to achieve a common company goal.
Download the advertising and promotions for small business MP3 file here. (13.38MB)
