Small Business

Advertising on a budget

Posted by admin on December 5, 2008   |   No Comments

Q: Seven months ago, I opened a small store selling futons, carpeting, and home furnishings located on a busy road with little foot traffic. I’ve advertised in papers and the phone book, but it’s like flushing money down the toilet. How can I get a better response on a shoestring? — Rudy Scott, Oceanside, N.Y.

A: What you need is a strategic marketing plan. Instead of throwing money at random venues—a little here, a little there—craft an advertising campaign to attract the customers you want. You probably can’t afford professional marketing help, so brainstorm instead with employees, family members, and friends. Who are your target customers? What are they reading, listening to, or looking at online? What can you offer that will lure them into your shop? …more from BusinessWeek (http://cli NULL.gs/zES23b). Flickr photo credit: Andyrob (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/aroberts/2958571501/)

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The franchising way to grow

Posted by admin on December 5, 2008   |   No Comments

Lisa Flynn, a mother of two young boys, never relished having her children photographed. For her, birth announcements and holiday portraits meant either spending a small fortune for a professional photographer who didn’t cater to colicky clientele or settling for cheesy props and fuzzy blue backdrops at the mall portrait studio. “I thought, ‘There has got to be a better way to get your kid’s picture taken,’ ” says Flynn, who was running her own marketing and advertising firm at the time. She looked into buying a franchise that specialized in children’s photography but, unimpressed, created her own studio instead. In 2006 she opened Whippersnappers Studio …more at The Franchising Way to Grow – BusinessWeek (http://www NULL.businessweek NULL.com/magazine/content/08_72/s0812052706311 NULL.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily).

Flickr photo credit:  Heavenhated (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/godvivek/441578278/)

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What will Obama’s SBA be like?

Posted by admin on December 5, 2008   |   No Comments

An Obama Administration could rescue the agency from its Bush-era neglect, if it can get these few things right

Any entrepreneur who’s been through a business turnaround might have some empathy for the folks at the Small Business Administration. During the past eight years, the SBA has been, generally speaking, underfunded, underutilized, and underloved. But it wouldn’t be all that complicated to transform the agency into a powerful advocate for small businesses. Here’s what needs to happen …more at What Will Obama’s SBA Be Like? – BusinessWeek (http://www NULL.businessweek NULL.com/magazine/content/08_72/s0812018619554 NULL.htm).

Flickr photo credit: radiospike photography (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/radiospike/489297518/)

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Selling tips for the timid

Posted by admin on November 24, 2008   |   No Comments

While some of us relish every facet of the sales process, most people would rather get a tooth pulled without anesthetic then attempt to sell anything. Thousands of women are mustering up the courage to start their own companies every day, but all too many shy away from actually selling their products or services.

For everyone who has dreaded asking for business, here are some tips that will help you overcome your fears and get comfortable selling on your own terms… read more at Selling Tips for the Timid – WomenEntrepreneur.com (http://www NULL.womenentrepreneur NULL.com/2008/11/selling-tips-for-the-timid NULL.html).

Flickr photo credit: huntz (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/huntz/175681303/)

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Turning value into customer requirements

Posted by admin on November 7, 2008   |   No Comments

Although armed with a carefully crafted list of 10 “unique” benefits to customers, a supplier of sophisticated network security systems learned they had lost a million dollar contract to a competitor with almost exactly the same list of benefits, but a 10 percent lower price.

Another company offering comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning solutions emphasized their superior ability to promote operating efficiency. After losing a large sale, they were surprised to learn the customer wasn’t especially interested in efficiency. Instead, customer executives had bought into a competitor’s offer of flexible, modularized SAP solutions–a perfect fit for the firm’s strategy of growth by acquisition. By then, it was too late for the original vendor to explain that they could match and even exceed the competitor’s flexibility. …more at Turning Value into Customer Requirements – Inc.com (http://blog NULL.inc NULL.com/sales/2008/11/turning_value_into_customer_re NULL.html)

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5 steps to customer loyalty surveys that work

Posted by admin on November 4, 2008   |   No Comments

It’s a great way to keep your business moving forward in any economy.

Let’s not sugar-coat it: It’s looking pretty darn ugly out there. I’m no economist, so I’m not about to predict the markets or the stability of the economy, but I am an internet marketer, and what I can say–with confidence–is that a downturn in the economy does not have to be a major roadblock for your internet business.

One key to surviving–even thriving–during this period of uncertainty is to know your customers… read more at 5 Steps to Customer Loyalty Surveys That Work – Creating an effective and informative survey – Entrepreneur.com (http://www NULL.entrepreneur NULL.com/ebusiness/ebusinesscolumnist/article198330 NULL.html).

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Building it better — small business site architecture

Posted by admin on October 28, 2008   |   No Comments

The stability of everything starts with the foundation. Businesses built on a strong foundation grow and flourish. Pumpkins growing on strong vines grow large and round. Web sites with solid architecture can have stronger search results.

If you’re thinking about designing or redesigning your small business Web site, get organized before you start. There are a few steps to building a site wherein each page supports its theme, and each theme supports the goal — more conversions. …more from Search Engine Watch (http://cli NULL.gs/ttpM0M). Flickr photo credit: gualtiero (http://www NULL.flickr NULL.com/photos/kimota/146865077/)

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Making the match

Posted by admin on October 1, 2008   |   No Comments

When Julie Copeland’s company lost a bid to a lower-priced supplier, she didn’t give up. She believed that Philadelphia-based Arbill (www.arbill.com), a leading provider of industrial safety products and training programs, had priced the quote fairly.

Persistence is key to winning new business

“The bid that won was so much lower than mine, I couldn’t fight it,” she says. “So instead I stood back and continued to communicate to the customer that we were the right answer.” She asked the company to keep Arbill in mind as a possible second provider.

Just four months later, the customer was so dissatisfied with the lower-priced supplier that Arbill was given a shot. “Had I heard ’no’ and just walked away, I would never have had the chance to gain that business,” says Copeland… more at Making the Match – MyBusinessMag.com (http://www NULL.mybusinessmag NULL.com/fullstory NULL.php3?sid=1894)

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