People starting a business plan on being successful. Achieving success, though, is much easier said than done. When starting, one of the first tasks facing the business owner is letting people know you exist. Your story can be one good element to use in this phase. Stories are engaging. People can relate to stories. Stories…
One of the most common requests I get is to help people access “free money” to help them start their business. Regretfully, my response is there is little, if any, free money available. Instead business owners need to depend on their own personal funds, family and friends, or good bootstrapping. At some point though, most…
Pricing is a task that puzzles and frustrates many small-business owners. Some think good pricing is magic, while others dig deep into their financial records to come up with a very specific price point for each product and service. Business owners are frustrated by wanting to be perceived as offering a competitive price to maximize…
Enjoy the holiday.
Nov. 28 is Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday began in 2010. It was created to encourage people to do some of their holiday shopping at local, small businesses. Every year, the event has grown. You will see and hear advertising for it. Social media will be full of posts and tweets encouraging people to…
Small communities often are looking for ways to enhance and expand their local economies. A commonly used tool in this effort is encouraging the building and expansion of local businesses. Communities want jobs and dollars, and they usually want them relatively quickly. Often development plans look towards high-fliers and/or large firms. Yet, the local business…
Why should I read this article? My hope is that it will help your bottom line. A marketing message, just like a news story, must answer several questions, including who, what, when, where, how and why. While all the parts are needed, only one element connects with the consumer and gets a person to take…
I just had a recent experience that reinforced the importance of customer service. A recent trip to our basement found water on the floor by the water heater (How many of you can relate?). The plumber was called. They came out. Upon a brief inspection, they informed my wife that it wasn’t the water heater,…
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