"Many a man's reputation would not know his character if they met on the street.” - Elbert Hubbard

Leaving a good lasting impression is something we all want in life. In business, it’s the key to keeping clients. But leaving a bad one… well that could mean a lot of lost business. 

A recent survey showed that more than nine out of 10 consumers say a negative online review can turn them off from choosing a particular business. Other surveys have shown that often online shoppers won’t even go near a business that has fewer than three out of a possible five stars.

Wow. Losing new customers because of just one bad comment about your business? Unfortunately, that’s the reality. Even if the bad comment was slipped in by a “Karen” who just has it out for your business, figuring out how to deal with negative reviews should be a top priority.

There are a lot of platforms online where customers can bash you (or sing your praises). Google, Amazon, Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor – maybe even your own website hosts reviews. 

Read More...

“Master the topic, the message and the delivery.” - Steve Jobs

Growing a prospect list starts with your current customers – and the ones you like working with most.

Look at them. What makes these folks special? What do they have in common when it comes to your business? Is there one service they use a lot or a product they always buy? Are they all in the same industry, or do they live in the same area?

Any prospect who has a lot in common with your best customers is going to be a hot prospect indeed.

Quick note: A “prospect” is not a “lead.” A lead is often little more than somebody’s contact info. A prospect is somebody who, for whatever reason, is a whisker more likely to want to do business with you.

Prospects also don’t even have to be interested in buying right now. They just have to fit the general characteristics of the folks who already buy from you.

Another way to find good prospects is to see what markets are doing well in your area. “Market” can mean a lot of things, from more people moving in-- to more businesses opening. Sometimes all it takes to spot an opportunity is taking the time to look.

And of course, what’s the competition up to? Probably most times you look at the other guy with envy that th
Read More...

"A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts." - Richard Branson

Unfortunately, many small businesses brainlessly ape big corporations with their Marketing, by (wrongly) believing that "if these huge companies built their businesses by that kind of Marketing, then it surely should work for us." Build the brand,” they say.

The thinking behind that kind of Marketing is that you "get your name out there," and the clients and customers will pour in. "It's all about word of mouth," they say.

Well, if you choose to go down this road, far better is real word-of-mouth advertising.

And that is something that can actually be stimulated and stewarded. And one of the best companies to learn from about this is Disney, specifically about their parks. Read More...

 Marketing.png" alt="" width="350" height="233" />

"You have been blessed with a mind that can direct your actions in any way that you choose." -Ramon Luis

It's easy to get lazy when a business can pick the low hanging fruit available in an easy marketplace.

But, that's not always the case, is it?

Markets shrink, funding dries up, prospects aren't as easily found, or profitability margins decrease. So what do you do? Many business owners don't know how to tweak their Marketing and sales systems, so they can track the numbers at each step in the sales process and grow in new directions.

I have seen (in several industries) that the businesses who create a culture of accountability, have weekly sales meetings, track their numbers, and hold team members accountable, are successful ... while those that guess and "assume" are usually out of business. It's just a matter of time.

The key is knowing the numbers -- what is the average expected result, and how you are measuring up against that result for each step in the process. This is where accountabil
Read More...

 Marketing.png" alt="" width="300" height="200" />

"Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun." -Mary Lou Cook

I'll be honest ... I hate the buzz phrase "new normal".

None of us want this present reality to remain the permanent reality.

That said, I use it because I think you understand what I mean -- the ground has shifted under our feet.

So, what will we be doing about this?

I should state from the outset: I'm not a Marketing guru. But, I keep my eyes open and notice what is working!

How do you do that?

1) Share Yourself
Read More...

"Keep in mind that the true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good." - Ann Landers

There are really only three kinds of customers (or clients, depending on what you do).

And when you think of things in this way, it can be a clarifying exercise, especially when you consider Marketing budgets moving into 2020. I suggest you allocate budget towards EACH of these groups...

1) Existing Customers/Clients

This seems obvious, but frankly it can be one of the most under-utilized -- and yet most profitable -- groups of customers or clients to pursue.

2) "Lost" Customers/Clients

More about these in a minute.

3) Targeted Prospects (i.e. New Customers/Clients)

Read More...

"You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential." -Steve Garvey

Consider the following story...

Alison, a young girl running a lemonade stand,  last summer, in Bountiful, Utah. Pretty typical, right? But this ten-year-old girl was exceptionally bright. She had been watching other ten-year-olds run their lemonade stands with one qualm: they let customers slip away without a sell.

Determined, the girl enacted a new selling strategy. Instead of asking customers, "Would you like any lemonade?" like the other kids did, this girl decided to ask, "Would you like lemonade or a cookie?"

From that po
Read More...

"The sweetest two words are 'next time.' The sourest word is 'if.'" -Chi Chi Rodriguez

One of the big problems with "branded" style advertising, is that you simply cannot know whether your Marketing is really working or not. After all... if you're "getting your name out" (as the ad reps tell you), how do you know if your "name" is pulling in new clients?

It's a classic strategy by which ad reps get you to purchase more advertising from them: "We just need to go a few more months, so you can get your name out more." For most small businesses, this is a waste of money.

Well, when I've worked with advertising agencies, we enjoyed the power position with our ad reps. Why? Because we knew our numbers.

We could attach dollars and cents to the ROI from our specific ads, and we used that info to make Marketing Read More...

To build a long-term, successful enterprise, when you don't close a sale, open a relationship." -Patricia Fripp

I know that there are businesses who are doing extremely sophisticated, enterprise-level things with their email Marketing. And they are most definitely worth studying.

But I prefer to live in the land of what is actually possible for a small business owner. And if you're like me, you like things simple.

So, I suggest you start by cutting out two bad habits, rooted in some mythology about the email medium:

1) Branded headers and clean graphics make your emails look more "professional".

So I ask you: how do you want your emails to be received? As a "professional" email -- with simil
Read More...

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." -Robert F. Kennedy

When I meet with Salt Lake County business owners and clients, we always go over the particulars of their business (how money comes in, how it goes out, accrual vs. cash, etc.), but when the moment is right, I often stump the client when I ask them this question -- and, actually, I'll ask it of you:

"What business are you actually in?"

As an example of what I'm talking about, let's say you run a daycare business.

In fact, not only do you run a daycare business, you run it very well. Your employees are licensed and trained to the highest standards; your facilities are top-notch; you've got years of experience and parents rave about how their kids are happy when they pick them up.

But you're losing money, because you don't "get" what I'm about to tell you.

Read More...