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Small Business 2010 Recap, Looking Forward

December 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The 2010 Intuit Small Business Owner’s Survey in which I participated recently was published today.  There are no real surprises here, but the findings do seem to confirm my own thoughts on 2010 in review.  While almost half of small businesses had a decline in their customer base this year, 83% still felt passion for the business they created.  Long live entrepreneurs!  Check out the infographic below:

The Small Business Year in Review 2011, Outlook 2012 [INFOGRAPHIC]

The good news is that small businesses want to continue to grow their companies in 2012, are looking for new ways to expand their services and are willing to spend a little money on marketing (good news for businesses such as mine!).

I did find it interesting that the anticipated use of accepting online payments is significant, with 47% expecting to use some form of online payment processing (Paypal, Google Checkout, etc.).  I have recommended integrating online payment with websites, newsletters and even email for many small businesses with whom I work.  It encourages prompt payment and offers an easy way to accept credit card payments without the hassle of more elaborate merchant services.

Looking ahead to 2012, 69% of small businesses expect to grow their businesses, despite the sluggish economy.  That IS good news!

Filed Under: Marketing Tagged With: , , ,

Many thanks for your business, support and friendship

November 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Three years ago around Thanksgiving I made a decision to retire a real estate magazine that I had published for eight years.  The magazine had been the lifeblood of my for-sale-by-owner marketing service and its retirement meant that the business would move to an online format — a scary thought at that time.  I guess I shouldn’t have worried, as Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner continues to thrive and our loyal customers have come back to us again and again and continue to refer us to others.  I am forever thankful for the many home sellers who have chosen us, a small family owned regional service, over national FSBO websites and for recognizing the value of local support and service.

In 2009 I expanded my services to form Mass Marketing Resources and began helping other small businesses get started with online and social media marketing tools.  They say that when one door closes another opens and I really feel that this was the case.  Without the magazine, I was able to shift my energy and focus on helping other businesses.  I am thankful for my friends and colleagues who encouraged me to take a leap of faith in beginning a business during the worst downturn our economy has seen in a long time.

I am thankful for my wonderful clients, many of whom have become close friends. It feels good to have a small part in the success of these businesses.  I am thankful for the many colleagues I met through social media, local networking groups and organizations for which I’ve had the privilege to volunteer.  I am deeply thankful for my family who has supported my entrepreneurial spirit through the years.

As we approach the holidays I know many of my clients are beginning to plan their 2012 marketing calendars and are eager to continue to grow their businesses and  I’m looking forward to the new year. For now, though, I just want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Thank you.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: ,

Trying to make sense of Twitter?

November 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Small business marketing has changed rapidly in recent years. Print newsletters have become email blasts, blogs keep us up to date on company news, products and life’s interesting moments.  Facebook is used by millions of businesses to communicate with customers and court consumers.

Twitter has been the source of breaking news during times of crisis and has made us all more efficient writers.  The very thought of learning to communicate a fully formed idea so succinctly intrigues me.  Why then does Twitter seem to intimidate many small businesses from using it.  Is it the fear of  being unable to get the message out in 140 characters or less?  Is it the use of ##hashtags, the egghead followers, or learning how to DM and shorten URL links?  Don’t worry.  Flutter is here.

You’re right.  Flutter isn’t around yet, but social media isn’t going away and the landscape is always changing.  Finding the right media mix and your unique voice can take some time. The good news is that there are plenty of marketers around to work with you as you tiptoe into unchartered territory.  Oh, you can follow me at @massmarketing

Filed Under: Marketing, Social Media, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Social media account set up. Now what?

November 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

You’ve got a fantastic website and shiny social media buttons — Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, RSS, even a newsletter signup.  Your website developer even set up accounts for you on each of the social media platforms and gave you a great tutorial on how to “start the conversation.”  So . . . what’s wrong?  What’s stopping you from hopping on board with social media?

Here are some of the responses I hear from small business owners:

  • Social media is free, which is great, but that doesn’t mean I know how to work with it.
  • I can’t blame my website developer for social media failure when I haven’t done my part to keep it going. I just don’t know what to do.
  • I started off strong then kind of lost my momentum.  I know it looks bad when my social media looks abandoned. I guess I don’t have a good plan for follow up.
  • Marketing? I have so little time to think about marketing, but if I’m not thinking about getting my message out, who is?  Help.
  • When it comes down to it, I KNOW my strengths and sitting in front of a computer just isn’t me. There must be an easier way to market myself.

What are the reasons that your social media is not working for you?  Write them down, then ask a Virtual Marketing Assistant to help you get back on track.  Together, we can work out a plan to find a cost-effective solution that will work well for your style.

Filed Under: Marketing, Social Media Tagged With: , , , ,

The Disgruntled Employee – Is Your Business At Risk? Pt. 1

October 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Disgruntled employees can wreak havoc with any sized business.  They can steal company ideas and  customers, compromise security, ruin a reputation, steal, vandalize and commit violent acts.  While larger businesses rely on their HR departments to handle employee issues, the small business owner often has little experience identifying, dealing with, or protecting the business from from a disgruntled active or ex-employee.

What are some of the signs of a disgruntled employee?

  1. Does not take direction well, nor values input from others.
  2. Spends time performing low priority tasks, failing to recognize the importance of time schedules.
  3. Complains about the boss, company, customers or life in general.
  4. Makes frequent mistakes and is reluctant to accept any blame.
  5. Fails to work well with other employees, often talking about them behind their backs.
  6. Abuses company time and resources – last to arrive, first to leave, uses computer for personal gain.

After reading this list, you may wonder why an employer puts up with this kind of behavior.  The reasons may lie in the personality of the business owner.  Entrepreneurs are often not accustomed to being managers.  In my experience, many are often very trusting, hiring people they know and treating them more like friends than employees.  Many small businesses have no employee handbook and have few written policies.  Adequate training and overseeing is often difficult due to the many hats the business owner wears.

The signs of a disgruntled employee often appear long before a parting of the ways occurs. Unfortunately, the business owner may not recognize the symptoms or know how to address the issues before the damage is already done.  It can occur during active employment, begin during the employee’s departure, or may be felt months after the relationship is over.

There are many ways that a small business can minimize the potential risk due to a disgruntled employee.  In Part 2, we will outline some important steps that can be implemented.

Filed Under: Organization, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

I want to blog, but what will I blog about?

September 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

My client’s businesses are very diverse.  I work with home builders, holistic medicine providers, retail stores, fitness trainers, moving experts, attorneys, artists,  and non-profit organizations.  What’s one thing they all have in common?

“What do I write or blog about that will be interesting for others to read?”

There is probably not a writer, journalist, or blogger that has not wondered the same thing and as someone who must write myself, I get that. I understand how hard it is to come up with new topics for a blog or newsletter, especially when you are busy running all aspects of your small business.

Here are some ideas that I’ve shared with my clients to help them turn on their own creative juices.  The most important thing to realize is that it doesn’t matter whether you’ll use the material immediately.  The important thing is to find the fodder and save it.

  1. Clip and save:  Set up a manila folder of article ideas that you find in newspapers, professional publications, junk mail delivered to your home, mailers from your competitors, flyers you’ve picked up at events, ANYTHING that looks interesting.  (Warning: We are not endorsing paper hoarding!!!)
  2. Bookmark websites/articles:  Set up a folder (or folders) on your browser for information you run across online and on your social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)  that peak your interest. Bookmark the URL address for future reference.  To do this, look for the bookmark tool in your web browser toolbar  (Explorer, Firefox, Safari etc. When asked where you want to save the bookmarked site, choose “Add new folder” or “+” to add a new folder.  Call the folder something you’ll remember like “blog ideas, or article ideas”)  Don’t worry that you can’t sit down and write the article today — just gather some interesting ideas.
  3. Google Alerts:  Take your research to the next level!  Signing up for  Google Alerts can provide you with up to date information on your profession, competitors, targeted news briefs . . .  just about anything you want to follow can be extracted and delivered to your desk.  You may need some help to drill down on the information that is most important to you to avoid being overwhelmed. Get Started Here.
  4. Monitor Social Media:  Information comes in nano seconds across Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., and all the review websites. It’s easy to miss important ideas, comments, bad reviews, etc.  Highlight appropriate URL addresses and bookmark them to your folder.  For most small businesses, telling you to monitor social media daily is laughable. I really do get this.  Your daily business life does not revolve around a computer screen and you have no one to help.  Still . . . . you need to know what is going on to protect your brand and help you reach out to consumers  and help them be aware of  your exceptional products and services.

Once you have the information, it’s much easier to draw inspiration for your next blog post, article or even TV interview!

Filed Under: Marketing, Social Media Tagged With: , ,

Staying On Task – Challenges For ADD/ADHD Entrepreneurs

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Creating, launching and running a new business requires an enormous amount of energy, creativity and passion.  Entrepreneurs have no shortage of these traits, are seldom without new ideas and are always eager to try ways to grow their fledgling businesses.  If you live with ADD/ADHD symptoms however, keeping up with a myriad of organizational details and the never ending tasks required to consistently market the business can seem overwhelming.

Have you found yourself really excited about adopting a social media plan after attending an industry event?  Returning to the office you “hyper-focus”, delving into the process quickly, setting up your Facebook page, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts and possibly looking into multiple blogging platforms.

Everything is OK for a few days or even weeks, but over time the newness wears off, and your focus may change.  Your Twitter updates are now old, your Facebook page remains untouched with notifications piling up,  your LinkedIn account still has an incomplete profile and your inbox is full of unanswered requests to connect.  It’s easy to be upset with yourself about a lack of follow through, but you may unknowingly be sabotaging your business.  Prospective customers and users of your services are likely to check you out online before meeting you in person.  Your dead ends may result in lost customers.

The good news is that there are many time management applications that can provide structure and organization for your day.  Online and mobile calendars (Google, iCal, Outlook, etc.) and task management tools (OnePlace, Ta-da List, etc.) are great for keeping your daily schedule on track, your to-do lists up to date, and all your marketing tasks running smoothly.

Some entrepreneurs who are living with ADD/ADHD may also find it useful to work with a good marketing assistant who can help you stay on task, coach you when needed, and help you recognize marketing opportunities. By using some good organizational tools, forming a well-defined marketing and social media strategy and working with a marketing assistant to help you keep everything on track, you can get back into the conversation in a better, more balanced and productive way.

Filed Under: Marketing, Social Media Tagged With: , ,

Are you remarkable?

September 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Every business wants its website to show up on the first page of Google.  Every company wants its new product to fly off the shelves.  Every politician wants his or her message to result in getting elected.  Having the best laundry service, the best tasting breakfast cereal or even the best solution of how to fix the city’s problems doesn’t guarantee the success of a service, product or idea.  As consumers, we are bombarded with commercials 24/7 and the messages often get lost in the sea of competition.  For a product or service to stand out, it must be different. It must be remarkable.

Guru marketer Seth Godin, author of many best-selling books on the subject, offers some great insight in this video about how important it is to offer something different in order to be talked about.  The success or failure of an invention often depends on how it is marketed.  It must be “remarkable”.

Today’s relationship-centered marketing landscape is much different than the traditional mass media approach that companies have relied upon in the past.  Sometimes it’s O.K. to  bypass the safer, broader market and target your message to select consumers.  These early adopters and innovators are first to seek out new products and services and love trying something new and different.  Whether it’s buying the latest DVD or trying out the newest restaurant in the neighborhood, if they like it, they are eager to claim credit for the find and are quick to pass word onto others in their network.

Have you set yourself or your product apart from your competition?  Are you truly “remarkable”?

Filed Under: Marketing Tagged With: , ,

What Does a Website Footer Say About Your Business? Part 1

September 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There are so many FREE website templates available today that it makes it easy for small businesses to create their own online presence.  Companies that provide “right out of the box” template site builders also want to promote their services.  Companies like Weebly, GoDaddy, WordPress, Homestead, Intuit, Webs, Webstarts, Wix, Google Sites and others all offer FREE websites in turn for the lucrative hosting contracts.  On one hand, they are offering a FREE design product so they’re entitled to get some credit, right?  Well yes, but there are workarounds for how and whether that credit is displayed publicly.

Why should you care if these ads appear on your website?

It looks UNPROFESSIONAL, that’s why.  In real estate we talk about curb appeal, the feeling a potential buyer has when viewing your property for the first time as they approach “the curb”.  In business, your website says a lot about the value you place on your service or product.  First impressions count.

So, where are these companies advertising?  Promotional ads and logos are usually found in the footer section of your website.  While the footer has traditionally been overlooked and underutilized, this is beginning to change, especially with the use of blog themed websites. Below are some examples of small businesses whose website footers contain these somewhat tacky images.  I have shadowed out the site owner information for obvious reasons.

Bad Footer #1:  The site owner’s contact information appears, which is good.  The VistaPrint logo is prominently featured and is totally distracting.

Bad Footer Image

Bad Footer #2:  This website is very attractive, using a classic  sophisticated looking template until you see the ugly GoDaddy cartoon character which is definitely out of character.

Bad Website Footer

Bad Footer #3:  The footer below is pushed out by the template so everything looks off.  In fact, the footer appears differently depending on the page being viewed. This one is a Homestead template, built on an older platform.

Bad Website Footer

The good news is that all of these footers can be changed, improved, removed or hidden from public view altogether.  Sometimes the answer involves upgrading from a FREE to a PRO version (still very inexpensive).  Often it just requires knowing where to look to change the settings of the template.  Take the time to review your website and make sure it reflects your professionalism.  If it doesn’t, take steps to change it.

In Part 2, we’ll show you how website footers can be expanded and used well.

Filed Under: Marketing, Websites Tagged With: ,

5 Tips To Setting Up A Standout Twitter Account

August 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Twitter is a very popular social media platform whose concept is simple.  Communicate tiny bits of information (under 140 characters) to people who subscribe to your updates.  If you are setting up your own Twitter account to use for your small business, here are some tips to help as you set up your new account.

  1. Choose a good username:  Think about creating a username that will help people identify with you easily.  This can be your name, the name of your business, or a description of what you do.  The number of characters is limited here, so you may need to try a few combinations before making your final selection.
  2. Create your profile bio:  Your bio should clearly identify what you do.  You are limited to 160 characters, so craft your words carefully.  As a small business you may want to add your location to your profile.  Many people tie their location to their service area, ie. Western Mass, Greater Springfield,  etc.
  3. Add A Photo:  No one wants to follow an “egghead” as it looks unprofessional and even a little sketchy.  Take the time to add a photo to help introduce yourself to others.  Your photo can be a logo, your picture, or other image you’d like to use to convey your brand.
  4. Add Your Website Link:  Before new followers subscribe to your updates they will want to check out your website.  Make sure to add the http://www. and check the link carefully.
  5. Design Your Background:  Although you can use one of Twitter’s default backgrounds and design colors, creating a unique background and color palette will give your brand better recognition.  You can select an image that is similar to your website design, your company logo or a background that uses your color palette.

Once you complete these steps, it will be time to look for some people to follow and send your first Tweet out into the world.  Follow us http://www.twitter.com/massmarketing and look for more helpful Twitter tips soon.

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: , , ,
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