Small business success tactics: #1 mistake to avoid

As a small business owner, it's very easy to be overwhelmed with how to approach building your business. How do you reach more people? How can you attract more customers? When will your efforts result in revenues?

Want to know the #1 mistake to avoid?

Don't build your strategy around selling.

Focus on BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. 

Whether you are building your business online or offline (although now, most people recognize the power and importance of integrating all activities to achieve a common goal) the ONE key to remember is the importance of building relationships, not selling your business. This should be the focus of EVERY touchpoint you have with your customers and target market.


It's so easy to overlook but the importance cannot be overstated: building your business means building relationships. That is PRIORITY #1.

HERE ARE 3 TOP TIPS FOR BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

1. Solutions and answers go farther than any sales pitch you can throw!

Because customers are looking for solutions. They are looking for value. They are looking for ways to improve their life in some aspect. BE THE ANSWER!

Showing how your business can provide SOLUTIONS to all of the problems and ANSWERS to their questions provides so much more value than a marketing spiel. .By treating each potential customer and existing customers as REAL people, you are building those relationships, creating devoted fans and people loyal to your brand. They are your best assets towards long-term, sustained growth.

2. Use EVERY touchpoint to your advantage.

These are simply every point of contact with your business that a person could potentially have. From Facebook and Twitter, emails, in-store visits with customers - all of these represent opportunities to engage, interact and build relationships. 

3. Keep the dialogue authentic. BE REAL.

By remembering that behind every interaction is a REAL person, you can ensure that HOW you are interacting is authentic. Think of how you would like to be spoken to. Everyone wants to feel valued and that they are more than an number, statistic or peg in the revenue ladder.

Honestly, I think taking this approach simplifies things. It certainly has for me. Focusing on customers by engaging with them in authentic ways, to help them find solutions to their problems is not only satisfying for them, it is much more fulfilling for you too. It goes a long way to building a strong following and foundation of loyal users for the long haul - an asset you cannot build overnight when the going gets tough.

Summary: Putting in the time consistently contributes to the long-term sustainability of your business.

Best of luck,

Nancy

P.S. What is the best way you have found to engage with your customers? Special offers? Coupon codes? Incentive buys? Share your stories.

Small business success: EASY, FREE weekly organization worksheet

Since I started my business, The Rogue Pea Marketing, I have been working on several projects simultaneously. I have always used a notebook to scribble my daily to-do's and stay organized when I worked my full-time job and this seemed to do the trick. But now that my days were filled with multiple clients not to mention household responsibilities and activities, I found I needed a new organization system. Low and behold, the Week-in-a-Peek time management worksheet was born!

Here is a quick look:

I know I'm not the only one struggling to remember all the 'To-Do's' in a week, so here it is for you. Download a copy for yourself for FREE at this link to the worksheet.

Printing instructions: ensure that you have selected 'Shrink oversize pages' in Size Options. I make this in Photoshop and did not account for margins, however, selecting this takes care of it, no problem!


If you know of anyone else who would benefit from this super easy, fast organization tool, be sure to share the link or send them to visit Rogue Pea blog too!


And remember...
The key to success lies not in not adhering strictly to rules and schedules, but making the best of things when life strays from our plans.

Best of luck!

Nancy

P.S. Do you have a go-to organization method for daily tasks? I would love to hear about how you manage your small business and stay organized with family life. Leave a comment below!

Branding your small business: time for a makeover?

Purpose of this blog post is to provide a straightforward way to begin a brand makeover. This seems to be a sticking point for many small business owners – where to begin?!

Start at the beginning: what is branding?

Branding. It's more than a just a logo, slogan and company colours. A brand is how your business is known by the customer – it is the combination of the qualities, customer expectations and value your business provides. Sounds complicated but it isn’t. No master's degree or marketing firm needed either. In fact, since YOU know your business best, drawing on your own knowledge and familiarity about your business and your customers is the best way make your brand stand out. It comes down to asking the right questions, focusing your answers and then using that information to build your brand.

Below is a short, to-the-point brand makeover worksheet. By completing the questions, you will be on your way to reinvigorating your brand, whether you are brand new to the game, or an old pro.

Mini brand makeover worksheet

By taking a few minutes to answer these three questions, you will be able to help yourself refocus your brand by providing key information that focuses on the VALUE you provide to your customers. 

Download it FREE. Here is a screen grab to see for yourself.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9kf2dkudrrde40v/MiniBrandMakeover_worksheet.pdf

1. List 3 things that your customers will get from you that they won’t get from your competitors. (HINT: What does your business do better than anyone else? This can be part of the experience of buying from you, not only limited to the product or service itself.)

1._________________________________

2. _________________________________

3. _________________________________

2.    In one sentence, state why your customers come to your business. (HINT: refer to the 3 things in question one to ensure this statement shows why your business is different, what you do better, and the VALUE you offer to them).

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­___________________________________________________________


3. Make a list of the TOP 3 things you would like your business to BEST be known for.

 1.    ____________________________________________________________

 2.    ____________________________________________________________

 3.    ____________________________________________________________

These questions provide a great baseline for building (or rebuilding) your small business brand as they answer the right questions. The key is defining what sets your business apart AND provides value to your customers.

As always, I am happy to discuss any questions or clarifications that may help you complete this worksheet. Enter a comment below, or go directly to my Facebook page where this post will be listed as well. I am here to help – ask questions!

Best of luck! ~

Nancy

P.S.

If you would like to take this worksheet a step further and actually start to implement the information you entered, I have a bonus PDF worksheet that will help you create your brand positioning statement AND a ‘how-to’ guide that will show you how to translate this information into your brand

What you get: It provides tangible examples for how, with ease and little effort, you can communicate your brand to your customers consistently. If you would like to receive this additional resource, please submit your email address at the side. Your email will remain 100% confidential and will not be shared with any other site, person or entity. J

The PassionPreneurs: A new force for the reckoning

Nothing gets me more worked up in a passionate frenzy about life than than hearing about people who have taken the leap to go it on their own, to make their own happiness. They are passionate, driven, inspired by the possibilities and tired of the status quo. I consider myself one of those people now, although it took several years to recognize it and then act on it. Along the way, however, I discovered fantastic sources of inspiration and advice. Here is my list of the people who shook the way I saw the world, and opened my eyes to new possibilities.

Credit: Impactinstruction.com

Richard Branson: To many Sir Richard Branson is recognized only as one of the most creative and wealthy individuals on the planet, but that would not be doing much justice to his influence. He is a leader, innovator, and an example that being a creative type doesn't mean you cannot excel in business. He also takes time to share his wisdom regularly on Entrepreneur.com, which is so appreciated. I read his stories about the early days of Virgin with awe, realizing everyone has to start somewhere. His determination to persevere, his optimism and positivity, and for never forgetting the importance of human connections make him an amazing role model.

Tim Ferriss: If you don't know the name, you surely have heard the title of his best-seller "The Four-Hour Work Week". I must admit, I was sucked in by the title but was so thrilled that the book actually had substance. Tim's take on life: working for mini-retirements throughout your life rather than saving up for the big one at the end, establishing valid ways to create and maintain revenue streams and his mantra of experimenting with life were eyeopening to say the least. This book really got the bug in my ear about entrepreneurship and I found his concepts rolled around my head constantly - what he had to say really stuck with me. What I love about Tim is that he is a no-nonsense guy - if he has something to say, he says it. He backs up what he says, isn't afraid to try new things,  doesn't waste time on activities without purpose (which most of us do to distract ourselves from a life where we are not fulfilled), and HE SHARES his insight too! He is always up to something new so he is great to follow.

Martha Stewart: Sometimes Martha is described as the lady who slyly took homemaking to a new level and sold it back, repackaged, to modern women in an era where women were making waves in the boardroom. To me, she took the things I naturally loved to do, used her marketing background, passion and prowess for business to create a new genre of empowered women: those who felt entertaining, hors d'oeuvres making, ironing, and crafting were not a sign of weakness or a throw back to the 1800's. She embraced feminism in a multidimensional way that showed  being a strong woman didn't have to mean abandoning traditionally woman-oriented activities for putting on a man's suit - that we really could do it all. I love that!

Heather Schuck: I don't even know how I discovered Heather, but her genuine nature and caring demeanour struck a chord with me immediately. I followed along with her posts about her business, Glamajama, but I also saw that there was so much more to Heather than her business. She had a message and she was dedicated to making others see that there is a way to build your own happiness, to find passion in what you do and make it work for you. I love her enthusiasm and her honest, open dialogue. The tipping point for me was the release of her Working Mom Manifesto (click to read FREE chapters - I recommend it). I read it with such a voraciousness that I knew I had to do something, to make a change in my life. That was only a few months ago but it feels like a lifetime ago now, as I can't imagine going back to the life I was living. I feel so full of purpose everyday and I continue thank Heather for her candor and courage to share her story.

So there you have it; the list of the most influential public figures that have made a difference in how I see life and most importantly, what I am deciding to do with it. Do you have inspiring role models? If so, please share - I'd love to hear who they are! You can also share on Facebook or on Twitter. Thanks for reading!

EDIT:

PS  - I wanted to provide a link to another blog post by Kelsey Ramsden. She wrote a post about taking you love about your mentors and going the step further to make a list of the qualities so you can foster these qualities in yourself. Check it out! http://kelseyramsden.ca/one-leg-at-a-time/

5 quick and easy things to make any business better

When inundated with daily tasks of running a business, it’s easy to overlook some of the simpler ways to make a big impact with your customers. Here are my top 5 EASY ways to make your business better:

      1. Type, don’t handwrite

Whether you are a well-oiled entrepreneurial machine or a home-based cleaning service, typing your correspondence, ads, coupons, etc. is an absolute must. I saw an ad for a piano instructor posted on the neighbourhood mailboxes…written in marker. Despite what might have been stellar credentials, the lack of professionalism in the delivery of the information tainted the information itself. Save handwritten notes for personal correspondence like Christmas cards and thank you notes.

2. No typos!

Similar to point #1, credibility is lost immediately if there are typos on a webpage, email, advertisement, etc. Taking the time to review, re-review and then have someone else do the same is time well spent. Typos and errors speak volumes to potential customers, conveying a perceived level of professionalism, care for detail and pride of ownership – all qualities that contribute to the overall perception of a business.

           3. Respond in a timely BUT relevant fashion

Consumer behaviour research indicates that when customers are ready to make the leap to contact your business, it is the result of having a need or want they are looking to satisfy, usually accompanied by a sense of urgency. Don’t miss this opportunity to be the one to answer their call (or email!). While time is of the essence, do take some time to know what the potential customer is seeking. A prompt but irrelevant email reply is just as damaging to the relationship you are building as is a delayed response. I know a bride-to-be who emailed a wedding planning company with questions about specific services. What she received, while prompt, was an automated response showing that no one actually read her email. That business was quickly removed from her list of potential suppliers.

       4. Answer the phone like a pro

This one is pretty straight-forward but often easy to overlook. Remember that a customer contacting you is extremely valuable. Answer every call like it’s your next big client; be courteous, polite, speak clearly and be friendly. And oh yes, don’t sound like you were just awoken from a nap by their call! Yes, that actually did happen...again to the bride I know.

       5. Make sure your web links work

If you have a ‘contact us’ link, make sure it actually does what it says and allows the customer to get the information to contact you. Make sure your webpages load properly for various browsers and now, more than ever, devices just as iPads and smart phones. Because web pages are typically the first point of contact for potential customers, ensuring the links are functional is essential and will influence the opinion and perception of your business’s professionalism.

Summary: Don’t waste an opportunity to make a great impression. You don’t have to jump over the moon to serve; following these 5 easy tips will go a long way to creating a positive experience for potential customers and existing clients alike. A positive experience is the basis for building great customer relationships. Good luck!

Do you have any other easy but essential tips to share? Don’t be shy, please comment below! Our community is richer the more we learn from eachother.

3 ways your passion is the ticket to business success

There are many things that need to be in place for a business to be successful. Having a product or service that meets market demand, securing distribution channels and communicating with your target audience are all essential components to any business plan. But don't forget to include in your arsenal, the fire that fuelled going into business in the first place: PASSION.

Building a business is hard work that requires many hours of dedication - no surprise there - often stretching late into the day and necessitating being ready to act at a moment's notice. Your kids look at it like the younger brother or sister who has their own needs and requirements. It is so easy to become buried under the to-do lists, customers, accounting, promotion, sales calls, bookkeeping, etc.. (that's a post for another day). Despite the demands, it is so important not to lose sight of your 'raison d'être', or, put less eloquently: why the heck are you doing this? Do you even remember anymore? If not, it's time to step back and take stock of one of the most valuable tools you have at your disposal: PASSION.

Somewhere along the way, you saw an opportunity to offer someone a solution to something through your service or product. You wanted to make someone's life easier, fuller, faster, more convenient, more stylish, healthy....the list goes on. Remembering what drove you to believe in yourself and that this business was viable is so important to keeping your brand in check and your business growing.

Here are three ways your passion can help your business:

1.  Focuses your brand
Remembering the gap in the market you wanted to fill, recalling the way you wanted to offer an improved product or customer experience...whatever it might have been for you, dust it off and keep it front and centre in your mind (and maybe at your desk too!). No, seriously. Print it out and put it up where you can see it everyday. This helps drill down to your brand essence - what your business offers that you want to build your brand upon. Did you want to provide organic doggie chew toys that are biodegradable because so many are disposed of each year? Let what inspired you inspire others too and use that to build and focus your brand.

2. Sets you apart
Entering the market because you saw an opportunity to offer something that wasn't already out there, or to do it better means that there is something different and special about your business. If you were going to offer the same thing as everyone else in your market segment, what would be the point? At one point, you saw the chance to stand out from the competition - be passionate about this idea and share it with others. Don't be afraid to tout how and why your business is different and why that is good for your customer.


3. Keeps your business decisions on-track
Remembering the reason for starting out - the passion you had and the drive to offer something distinct to the marketplace can come in handy when faced with business decisions. It's easy to be tempted by offers to grow your business by adding new products or services. Referring back to your original motivation can help ensure business decisions won't dilute your brand or mission.

Summary:
Keeping your business's raison d'être close at hand (and preferably, in view daily), helps keep your business focussed and true to its mission. Amid the day-to-day activities, balancing multiple roles and meeting demands as a business owner, taking time to check that your decisions are in-line with and support your business's brand are essential to success!

Do you have questions about how to turn your passion into tangible business objectives? Do you want help translating that passion into messaging to promote your business to others? Contact me for a free 1-hour, no obligation meeting. I would be happy to sit down and chat with you and get to know your business: info@theroguepeamarketing.com

Above all, things to keep in mind...

Thought for the day!