Five Ways to Grow Your Business

Today’s guest post is by Sandy Dempsey of The Dreaming Cafe.

1. Tell people who you are with a Website…

◦ In today’s world every business, service or product based, needs an online presence.  Your website can be a single, information only page, or several pages providing basic information about who you are, what you do, and what service or product you offer.  A lot of people today use a web presence to validate that your product or service is legitimate.

◦ Today the cost of having your own website can be zero to less than $75 per year. All of the following free and low cost options do not require any programming or web design skills. They all offer free templates and themes to get you started.

◦ Options -

▪ Free options – check out WordPress.com and Blogger.com.

▪ Low cost options- GoDaddy’s Website Tonight -  and Intuit Small Business.

2. Publish a Newsletter…

◦ Offer a free online/email based newsletter.  A newsletter is perfect for both online and offline businesses whether you are a restaurant, independent pet supply store, an online retailer or a coach or consultant.

◦ Newsletters give you an opportunity to share what you know, what is happening in your business and your industry and establish an ongoing relationship with your customers and clients. Use your newsletter to share articles, tips, business specials, offer coupons or tell your customer/client about upcoming events.

◦ Build your contact list, but make sure you do it the right way. Ask people to join your list; ask them for permission to contact them. You never want to be considered ‘spam’, so ask first.

▪ Collect your customer and client email addresses both online and off. If you have a home demonstration or party, pass out information cards for your visitors to complete, including their email addresses. Have a sign up sheet in your store or restaurant for people to sign up. And, always have an opt-in box, or sign-up box on your website.

◦ Options for sending out your newsletter -

▪ Free option – You can begin by using your own contact database in your email program and use a simple email letter like you would for a friend. It doesn’t have to be fancy to begin with. This is how I started. Just remember, when you use your own email program make sure you ‘BCC’ your customers to protect their email addresses and identities.

▪ Low cost option – Depending on the number of people on your list the cost for using an email marketing program can vary. Constant Contact and Aweber are two of the leaders in this area.

▪ (Note – I use Constant Contact. If you decide to try them, let me know and I will send you an invite. This will give you and me a $30 credit.)

3. Engage your customers and clients using free Social Media tools…

◦ Free Social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin help you expand your business beyond your physical geography, meet new people, discover new resources, and stay in touch daily with your customer and clients.

◦ If you have a restaurant, coffee shop, or retail store you can share specials of the day with your friends and followers, let customers know of holiday hours, or closings due to inclement weather.

◦ There are so many ways that social media can help grow your business that it is impossible to share them all today. I will be covering this topic in much more depth in the coming weeks and months. (If you have specific questions please email me.)

4. Create your own Information Products…

◦ Regardless of your product or service, you want to create some information products for your clients/customers to purchase.  These can be self-learning guides and/or how to guides, audio CD’s of taped seminars or lectures or interviews (you and/or other experts), workbooks, e-learning courses, etc.

◦ These provide an additional revenue stream that once up and going requires limited time and effort on your part.

◦ If you are a consultant or coach these products can provide valuable information for clients or customers to get to know you better before deciding to work with you. And, some people or companies are just ‘do-it-yourselfers’ and just want the expert information you are providing.

5. Investigate Memberships and Premium Services…

◦ Exclusivity sells and attracts.  People like to belong to a select group.

◦ Memberships – This option allows you to sell to and work more closely with your best and most adoring customers and fans. Some memberships are free, while others are for a fee. Either way it is very important to provide premium benefits to your customer and clients such as discounts, sample merchandise, invitations for special member only events, member only access to information and resources and other member only products and services related to your particular business.

◦ Premium Services – This option works best for consultants and coaches. Provide a prescreening ‘application’. The ‘application lets potential clients know that due to the demands on your time and your expertise you must verify that your services and their needs are match.  This technique allows you to charge a premium/top rate for your services, improves the lead conversion rate and provides you an opportunity to work with companies or individuals that more closely fit your ideal client profile.

Is it ever too early to start talking to kids about making a living doing what they love?

My friend and mentor, Barbara Winter asked this question on Facebook, “How do you keep your curiosity alive?” My initial response was that curiosity is an innate trait rather than a skill that needs to be honed. However, Barbara replied that all two year olds are curious-we all are born with curiosity  but it is often discouraged. That makes sense to me. While in my family of origin, curiosity was valued and encouraged, I married into a more reserved family and my husband was embarrassed when I would ask too many questions, calling it “nosey”.

This conversation on FB reminded me of all the valuable human traits we are born with but taught to suppress in favor of politeness, safety or fitting the mold.

About a year ago, I read an article in a Canadian newspaper about a study done in Ottowa schools. As I recall, the conclusion was that career counseling should start as early as 6th grade. That may seem very young for a student to begin planning for a career but think about one of the first questions nearly every re-careering coach asks you. What kinds of things fascinated you when you were a child? What could you spend hours doing?

Since our earliest interests are key to our ideal livelihood, it sure seems reasonable that we’d begin exploring viable career options with kids in elementary school. The occupation a child aspires to at that age is based on passion, not paycheck and external expectations. So, exploring different careers at such an early age may just keep young people more focused on making a living doing something they love rather than what their parents, teachers or society deem an appropriate career for them.

Many schools do have a career day of some sort that involves parents coming to school and discussing what they do and students have the opportunity to shadow an adult at work for a day. When my son was in grade school, there were two commercial pilots and a pitcher for the Padres among the parents. When I suggested that either my husband or I go to talk about being entrepreneurs, our son said, “no one wants to grow up to be a business man.” I agree that if we went to school and talked about sales quotas, projections and balance sheets we’d have put the kids to sleep (and embarrassed our son). But talking about getting paid to do what you love and the benefits of self employment (like taking your dog to work or  taking your work and your kids on a  snorkeling vacation) would have peeked their interest in entrepreneurship.

In primary school, all the boys wanted to be firemen or policemen because they were heros. Why not show them examples of businesses that make a difference and improve lives; entrepreneurs who teach a whole village to make a living and bring schools,  clean drinking water and shoes to children their age? Almost daily I hear from middle aged adults who’ve spent decades in a career they were bored with, chosen because they were told they had an aptitude for it or because it was expected of them. They are looking for something that has more meaning, that they enjoy. What would happen if we didn’t have to go back and reconnect with the passions of our youth because we were encouraged in grade school to start thinking about doing something we love for a living instead?

Do you remember what you loved to do as a child? Were you encouraged to think about doing that for a living? What kinds of messages did parents, teachers and advisors give you about career choices? Were they based on your passions or your aptitude and societies expectations? As always, you are invited to share your thoughts with our readers below.

“I had an idea but someone out there is already doing it” (here’s why that’s a good thing)

Today’s post is by guest blogger Marianne Cantwell, Head of Adoration, Ideas and Kicking-Ass at Free Range Humans., director of career change coaching organisation, Career Revolution and a leading writer and speaker on career change.

Reading time: 55 seconds (unless you speed read)

I know what it’s like. You have an idea for something you’d like to do, you Google it… and find that someone has beaten you to it. Someone already has your dream business. Doesn’t that suck?

Well actually, it doesn’t. Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t let someone else’s work stop you from making use of your own idea.

1. The second-mover advantage.

If someone (or lots of people) are working in your area then that’s great! You don’t have to create the whole field, you tweak it to fit you and what you want to offer.

Not being the first mover can be an advantage. Think of the iPod and the iPhone. Did Apple have the first smart-phone? No, but they do have the best selling one now. Did they have the first MP3 player? Of course not.

In fact, do you even remember who launched the first smartphone? (ok, I know a tech-geek is going to reply with the answer here, but you see my point! First isn’t always best).

2. You will be different in ways you can’t yet imagine.

Your difference may be in your message, in your service or simply the way you Read more

Does September feel like a time of New Beginnings? (or is it just my Jewish upbringing? )

September has always been a time of new beginnings for me. Yes, most people think of January as a time for fresh starts and of course spring is time of re-birth. Maybe it’s my Jewish upbringing because the Jewish New Year begins in the fall, or just left-over school days excitement about moving up to the next grade. Possibly it’s the years I spent in retail when Labor Day signaled the end of tourist season and the time to place orders for the holidays. Whatever the reason, I get fired up to do new things in September.

Seven years ago today my father passed away.  Flying back east for his funeral, I couldn’t help but wonder at his timing. Had he waited until Labor Day so that I wouldn’t have to leave my business during tourist season?  As you know if you are a regular reader, my dad was the greatest influence in my life as entrepreneur. My cheerleader and confidante, he encouraged me to start up businesses, even those he didn’t really understand. Having spent his career selling competitively priced goods, he was baffled by my confidence in selling to a more upscale crowd. He thought in volume while I wanted to know the person responsible for creating each product. One thing we had in common, though, was that we both loved designing new business models and couldn’t imagine not being self employed.

Do you also find yourself thinking this is the time to start up something new or make changes? Does the fall get you motivated to step up to your dreams and make those ideas take shape? Are you ready to finally do what it takes to make your business more meaningful and more profitable? The best ROI you’ll ever realize is when you invest in yourself and in your dreams.

Because I want to see you finally dive in and get your business rolling, I am extending my summer Idea Generator Package through September.

How can you tell if she’ll grow up to be a successful entrepreneur?

Whenever I’m asked what is the most important trait an aspiring entrepreneur must possess in order to be successful, my immediate response is “curiosity”.  I’m not sure if it is an innate quality or something one can practice and hone but curiosity, the unstoppable urge to question and need to find out more is, I am certain,  a vital characteristic for the successfully self-employed.

Last week on a camping trip with two college age girls, I witnessed this so clearly that I feel confident predicting which of these teens is more likely to be an entrepreneur. Both girls are very bright, good students, outgoing and personable. But the real difference was evident when we visited my son at his eco-community in the mountains. As he gave us the tour, explaining the solar showers, compost toilets  and told us how to dispose of waste, one girl kept asking questions about how this works, why that matters, where it all goes and who does what when. As he demonstrated how to light the strange stove, Miss Curious asked if she could try it while the other girl kept checking her cell phone for bars even though she knew there was no reception.

At sunset, the mosquitos attacked like air force fighter jets. When my son explained that we should use particular herbs and candles, Miss Curious wanted to know why they don’t use pesticides and what effect the chemicals had on the fragile environment. The other complained and snuck off to spray insect repellant anyway, figuring if no one was looking, it wouldn’t matter.

Now I ask you, which girl do you think will always be an employee and who will be able to make a living without a job? I kept thinking about how the parents of the curious girl are concerned that she is a theatre major and will have to live the life of a starving actress or wait tables. The other teen”s parents are happy she is in nursing school so she will always have work. I thought, if I were their parents, I wouldn’t be  concerned at all about Miss Curious because if she is unable to find work in theatre, she will likely ask enough questions to create her own roles.

How do you decide which ideas are worth pursuing?

I apologize if I’m reporting on news that is a few days old. I wasn’t feeling well the last few days so just this morning caught up on days of reading my favorite updates.

If your mind is an idea generator like mine, always working overtime, you probably have more ideas than time and it’s difficult to decide which ideas to invest time and money on.

An Aug. 3rd article in Business Week tells us that Whirlpool uses the following criteria to decide which ideas to pursue:

-It must meet a consumer need in a fresh way

-it must have the breadth to become a platform for related products and

-It must lift earnings. (Add-on innovations are expected to deliver results within months, while new-to-the-world ones are given three to five years.)

to read the whole article, go here

Do you have a set of criteria that your  ideas must meet?  What’s your personal criteria for deciding if an idea is worth pursing?. If you don’t have a mental list yet, do take the time to define what makes an idea worth pursuing or shelving. Everyone’s list is different, though certain criteria are consistent for businesses in similar fields. What are yours?

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Where to Get the Money to Launch a New Product, Open a Shop or Buy more Supplies

 

If successful entrepreneurs share one common trait, it’s resourcefulness. When we need for something to happen, we don’t sit around and wait for someone else to do it, we make it happen. A resourceful entrepreneur knows that a small business loan isn’t the best way to fund a new project. Some develop an info product, others have a sale of existing inventory. to generate cash.  

My friend Alice Barry is one of the most creative entrepreneurs I know and she continues to astonish me with her resourcefulness. When Alice needs funds to launch a new idea, she creates an EVENT. And Alice’s needs money to launch something BIG-she’s holding us in suspense and won’t say what -so she’s planned an event to fund it. 

If you’re anywhere near Minneapolis on May 28-30th, you can’t miss the ‘Superchicks Stimulus Sale. http://superchickssale.wordpress.com/.  Friends and crafters from all over the country have sent their goodies to Minneapolis and Alice will be holding a flea market, craft fair, and party.  We’re not talking a garage sale here. Items range from handcrafted jewelry, purses and “Fascinators” by Margaret Winter of Santa Barbara, California http://overthetopfascinators.com/ to a 1958 Ford Fairlane, Police Interceptor Special Edition. Knowing that when Alice plans an event, it’s  bound to be a blast, it may be worth heading to Minnesotato check it out. 

http://superchickssale.wordpress.com/

Can’t find a Job? Find a Problem, Solve it and Charge People for the Solution

That was the advise of Ryan Kuder who, after a layoff from Yahoo followed by a fruitless job hunt, started Koombea,a web design company.  And he’s right. It is easier to find a problem than a job. That’s not news to those of us who coach entrepreneurs. You ask many successful entrepreneurs why they started their own business and yes, many will tell you it started with a dream, but just as many will say they found it easier than finding a job. And a lot more fun. 

IN an article today in CNNonline, Peter Bregman commented that “the best strategy in the downturn may be to create your own work.” 

IN his commentary, Bregman tells a story of his friend who was recently laid off form his tech job and is trying to pull together a group from his synagogue to leverage their skills, talents and experience to create a solid business driven by passion. They’re not trying to make a quick fortune but rather create sustainable, ongoing employment. They’ve even considered forming a synagogue based micro-finance bank to fund the businesses. 

Bregman calls his friend’s idea brilliant and figures if each of the 400,000 churches in the US used this model to generate 10 jobs, that would create the 4 million jobs Obama is hoping for from the stimulus plan. I like the way this man thinks. 

What about you? Are you looking for a job.? Who in your community could you form a brainstorming group with to pool intellectual resources and create a small business that would create sustainable income? What problems do you see that you can find a solution to? Rather than spend more time looking for jobs, start looking for problems or obstacles. This is where good ideas for products and services come from. So, if you must listen to the negative media, listen for problems-they’re everywhere, and turn them into opportunities. It’s much more fun than job hunting, and more likely to be successful. 

What Recession? eWomenNetwork survey says NOW is a great time to GROW your Small Business

In a recent edition of eWomen eMagazine, Sandra Yancey, CEO of eWomenNetwork says, “The fact is, for small business owners, nothing has really changed that much from what we normally encounter day-in and day-out. Entrepreneurs already know that in good or challenging times we have to expend lots of energy and invest the time to cultivate new relationships, network and transact deals. To survive and thrive, successful businesswomen are not allowing negative news to permeate their thinking,”

The February 2009 Women’s Economic Business study is based on an U.S. (85%) and Canadian (15%) representative sample of 3,964 women business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals of companies with fewer than 100 employees. This was an online survey that represents over 600 different business categories in North America. The survey was conducted from February 16 – 24, 2009 by eWomenNetwork, Inc., an organization recognized as one of the premier women’s business networks with more than 500,000 businesswomen connected to the network in 113 chapters across North America. The article states that when asked how businesswomen are feeling about the current economic situation, 72.5% replied that they are “charging ahead and keeping a positive outlook and 73.8% of the women surveyed felt this isa good time to grow their businesses. These are highly successful women who didn’t get where they are by being “Pollyanas.” This isn’t about denial. It IS about staying positive and focussed and flexible.

I’ve found the same attitude among my self-employed friends. Many are not just surviving but are thriving. Yes, in a time when people are losing their jobs and homes, small business owners are having to get more creative. I think of an economic downturn as a colander in which the complacent will slip through the holes and those who embrace change and re-align rise to the top.

Now, I’m not saying this is strictly a female entrepreneur attitude. I have met men in some of the hardest hit segments who are facing on the challenge head-on. While the construction of new homes is down, some ambitious contractors can do very well by marketing themselves as re-model experts, and while many realtors have thrown in the towel because they have to work so much harder to make a sale, those who are willing to do the work can connect with prospective buyers who weren’t willing to pay inflated prices and present them with a portfolio of “great deals” right now. Even with the mortgage industry in such a mess, a broker who’s willing to work harder can have a hay day with refinance now that rates are low. I believe in any small business, it comes down to observing the problems and finding creative solutions that people will pay you for. 

According to Sandra Yancey, ” Now is the time to re-tool, re-think, re-design and re-align your business.”

Launching a Business or Launching a Rocket

Yesterday I had the privilege of witnessing something completely by accident that I have dreamed of for nearly half a century. In bed with the mumps on May 5 1961, I watched as Alan Shepard piloted the Freedom 7 into space. Later, along with the rest of the country, I held my breath as the Mercury space capsule splashed down at sea and was retrieved by helicopter.  Spotting neighbors gathered last night when I took Lucy out for her last walk, I headed down to the beach.  Just as I asked what they were all looking for, there was an explosion of light to the south.  The Keppler rocket, of course. Walking back to the house, I started thinking about how something I’d dreamed of for decades was over so quickly.  While it was thrilling to witness the launch last night, did I miss some of the joy that comes with planning and anticipation? And why hadn’t I ever planned it?  (It wouldn’t have been that difficult – I managed to send my son and husband off to space camp). Serendipity sometimes does plays a part in realizing a dream, but if we count on that, it would likely be a very long wait.  And just like that rocket launch, there is something about all that pressure built up in anticipation. 

It always saddens me when someone says they’ve dreamed of starting a business for years but something else always took priority. I’ve even heard, “if it’s meant to be it will happen.” Well, that may be true for some things but starting any business takes planning and though it can be stressful, the planning stage is fun and makes the launch even that more exciting. Dreams rarely “just happen” and how likely are you to be an “accidental entrepreneur?” 

Even if you imagine your launch being in the distant future, starting now to plan will not only increase the likelihood of it happening but will also give you the joy of anticipation. If you know you want to do something on your own someday, whether you have a clear vision of how it will look or just a vague feeling that you would like to be self employed someday, spending a couple of hours brainstorming and strategizing will get you started on the preliminary planning that will make that future launch a thrilling reality.  For information on schedule an idea generation session email themuse@inspiredlivelihood.com

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