Month: April 2013

  • Branding is an Essential Part of Your Business Identity

    Branding is the process of using logos, taglines, and marketing to get your product or service to become a household name.  We all know how branding works even if we don’t know that we do.  But, is branding a plus for your business or a liability? It is definitely an essential part of your business identity. 
    Nike Branding

     

    When you think of certain products, a picture begins to form in your head.  Take, for instance, Nike.  “Just do it” comes to mind.  That is the result of product branding.  Now, if you hear a brand name and it conjures up an image of poor customer service the last time you called, that is also a result of branding but a negative one.

     

    The big corporations are so big because their marketing included making their products a household name.  They found a product or service that everyone could use and made it indispensable through creative advertising and marketing.  Everywhere anyone looked, they saw something that represented the brand so the product was fresh in their mind.

     

    In this world, a new product is developed practically every day.  Inventors and businesspeople are looking for the next big “thing” to hit the market.  All you have to do is look at companies like Nike, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Disney to know that if you can sell one product reliably, others will follow.  

    coca cola brandingPeople are more likely to buy from you if they can associate your product with a positive brand.  When none of the products have a branded reputation, it is a toss-up.  Customers could pick you or someone else depending on what kind of mood they are in that day.  That is not the kind of business we want to do. 

     

    Branding is a total package for any business and that includes small or home-based businesses.  Giving poor customer service for a product that people will use does not inspire loyalty.  Using a logo that doesn’t really say much about your product won’t steer people to your business, no matter how great a product it might be.  Compatibility and consistency are important when it comes to branding.

     

    On the downside, if even one customer gives you a bad report, it could label your brand with a negative name.  When using branding the business name, logo, stationery, customer service, marketing tools, and finished product have to coincide with your company’s mission and ideals.  Wanting to be known as the “best organic soap on the market” will go down the tubes if you start using additives when demand gets too high.

     

    Branding can be a business’ best friend if done right.  Customers will sing your praises to others and business will increase.  On the other hand, let a part of the branding strategy get sloppy and it could spell disaster for the product or service and your reputation. Make sure your customer identifies with your branding, it’s essential.

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. 

    Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

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  • When Should You Begin Outsourcing?

    More and more entrepreneurs are starting businesses as solopreneurs.  Many of them begin with no employees, leaving every aspect of the business on their own shoulders.  While this is certainly an inexpensive way to start a business, it’s not always the most efficient.

    young successful business woman working at home / office

     

    Fortunately, there is a way to get around hiring full-time employees.  It’s called outsourcing.  That simply means hiring a third party to perform work for you on a contractual basis, not as an employee.  By outsourcing, you get the benefits of not having to do everything yourself without hiring an employee you may not need all the time.

     

    How Do I Know When I Need to Outsource?

     

    As long as you have the means to pay an independent contractor to do the work you need done, it’s never too early to outsource.  But many business owners prefer to go it on their own until they absolutely have to let go of some of the work.  Here are some signs that you might do well to consider outsourcing:

     

    • You run into something that your business needs but you can’t provide.  Maybe your accounting has become more complicated than you’re comfortable with, or maybe you need a coder to work on your website.  If there’s something you’ve been doing without because you can’t do it yourself, outsourcing may be in order. 

    • Everyday tasks are becoming more than you can handle.  If your emails and phone calls are going unanswered, your customer service is suffering, and you can’t even make time to empty the trash, it’s time to get help.  Depending on your needs, you could hire a virtual assistant or a temporary in-house assistant. 

    • Your workload is getting overwhelming.  You might be taking on too much work.  Then again, if you had someone to handle certain aspects of your projects, you might be able to handle everything you have and more.  If you design websites, for example, you could outsource the content writing to a writer and the graphics to a graphic designer. 

    • You have no time to spend with family or participate in leisure activities.  Everyone has things they enjoy doing outside of work, and just because you own a small business doesn’t mean you should give that up.  Outsourcing can take some of the burden off of you and allow you to do more of the things you enjoy.

     

    Outsourcing is not a sign of weakness.  It is a sign that you know how to handle your workload efficiently.  It can allow you to take on more work than you could on your own, and that means greater profits.  Whether it’s everyday tasks or projects requiring great expertise, outsourcing as needed is good for your business.

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

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  • Being a Business Owner Can Be Overwhelming

    Overwhelmed
    Starting a new business is fun.  It is exciting to think that you will be your own boss and make money.  These are all good things about business life.  On the flip side, being a company of one can get to be too much at times.  No one wants to admit when they are in over their heads, but if the business is to continue to thrive, knowing the warning signs and getting help is vital.

     

    Do you waste more and more time each day?  This is not a slight.  We all waste a fair amount of time, even with our businesses.  Wasting time could be spending too much time answering emails or looking something up on the Internet.  It could be taking thirty minutes to write up a “To Do” list and then only doing one or none of the things on it.

     

    This could be a sign that the business is overwhelming us.  Instead of jumping in and tackling the tasks that need to be done, we avoid the one job we know we need to address because we either don’t have the answers or don’t want to deal with it.  Either way, our business is going to suffer as long as we hide from the task.

     

    Look to fellow business owners for help.  This is why it is important to be a part of forums and organizations that deal with your area of business.  You are not the first business owner to feel this way and you won’t be the last.  Someone out there has practical tips that can help you to get over the hurdle and be successful in your business.

     

    Does it seem that you work and work each day but the pile of work never seems to get any smaller?  This is a sign that you need help.  Take a step back and look at your business as a whole.  What is consistently not getting done?  What is the nature of the majority of the work that is left each day?

     

    Consider your options.  If emails have you bogged down, find ways to organize things so that it doesn’t take five or more hours to answer them.  Set up your work day to include an hour for dealing with emails.  During this time, you can answer, organize, flag, create drafts, and whatever else you have to do to keep the emails from overwhelming you.

     

    Is it marketing that concerns you?  Choose one area to market your business.  This doesn’t mean that this is the only area to use.  Quite the contrary is true.  Once this area gets going, explore another part of the marketing strategy.  Diversifying is necessary but not all at once.

     

    Are you overwhelmed?  Take time to discover the source and find solutions to alleviate the stress.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

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  • 7 Great Ways to Market a Home Business

    Home Office

    One of the greatest challenges of any home based business is bringing in customers. Unlike a physical storefront, with a home based business nobody is going to just “walk by” and make a purchase. You have to be proactive. You have to get your message in front of your customers. You have to draw people in.

     

    Here are seven different ways to market a home business.

     

    ==> Method #1: Word of Mouth

     

    This is one of the most common ways of marketing a small business. Start with your social circle and anyone your social circle knows. Deliver great quality work and let people refer other people to you.

     

    This method works, but it’s slow. You don’t have much control over the speed at which you generate sales.

     

    ==> Method #2: Craigslist

     

    For many service-based businesses, Craigslist is a fantastic tool. If you’re a photographer, graphic designer, massage therapist, guitar teacher or any other kind of freelancer, Craigslist can send you a lot of traffic.

    Event

    ==> Method #3: Host Events

     

    Creating events is a great way to build your brand name and build your credibility. When you create an event and put yourself in front of a room, people automatically assume that you know what you’re talking about. As your event grows, so will your influence. Clients and buyers will come to you naturally.

     

    ==> Method #4: Search Engine Optimization

     

    Try to get your website(s) to rank in the search engines for specific key phrases. This takes a lot of work up front, but once you’re up in the rankings you’ll be getting tons of absolutely free traffic.

     

    ==> Method #5: Pay for Web Traffic

     

    You can make a lot of money if you’re willing to spend a bit of money. Paid web traffic can be a great way to bring in more customers.

     

    Popular avenues include Google AdWords, Facebook PPC, paid banner advertising and paid email marketing.

     

    ==> Method #6: PartnershipsPartnerships

     

    Look for other people in your industry who would want to partner with you. For example, say you teach a real estate investing course. You might look for real estate agents, estate planners and asset managers who deal with the same client base as you.

     

    Do joint projects, joint events, joint mailings and other such partnerships to share your customer and contact base. You all win as a result.

     

    ==> Method #7: Email and Newsletter Marketing

     

    Finally, start your own newsletter. Your newsletter can be in email format or it can be an actual printed newsletter.

     

    Newsletters allow you to build a relationship with people over time. They’ll come to trust you more and more as you consistently deliver quality content. People who would never otherwise become customers will eventually make the jump.

     

    These are seven different ways you can grow your home based business. Customers aren’t just going to come to you – you need to go out and get them. These seven tactics can help just about any home based business expand and grow their profits.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

    Read more