by Amber Miller | Feb 7, 2017 | Blog, Business Development, Entrepreneur
It’s not easy building a business by yourself… In fact, we feel it’s almost impossible! There’s just so many little things you have to do all the time, it’s easy to get lost in all of the commotion. When you’re building a new business, it is important to have a group of contacts that can help you get things done the right way and in a reasonable amount of time. We’ve compiled this list of five different people you need to keep around in order to have a successful business.
1. Accountant
How are you going to run a business without someone to run the books? It’s important to always have your finances in order when your running a small business and most times… you’re better off giving it to a financial professional to handle so you can focus on other important aspects of your business.
2. Web Developer
This day in age, you NEED to have a website. If you don’t, you’re missing out on such a great opportunity we can’t even begin to explain it to you.
3. Graphic Designer
You’re going to need all kinds of graphics for your business. Things like logos, marketing flyers, social media images, graphics for your website… they all need to be created. A graphic designer will be helping you to build the brand of your business, so make sure to do your research and find a designer that understands the look and feel of your business.
4. Marketing Specialist
You’re going to need to market those awesome products and services some way. A marketing specialist can help you determine what strategies you should spend the most time and money on to get the most bang for your buck.
5. Virtual Assistant
There’s no better way to take care of all the redundant aspects of your business. Virtual assistants can literally run your business online so you can forget about having to deal with running your email marketing campaigns, updating your website, running weekly reports…you get the point.
So now that you know who you need to have sticking around… how do you find them? Being a business owner, I’m sure you’ve got a network of friends or old colleagues who might know someone who might know someone. When you’re looking for someone who is going to be responsible for sensitive business information and the reputation of your business, it’s important to make sure they are reputable. Referrals are one of the best ways to find someone worth your awhile, especially if it is a referral from someone you trust… So ask around!
Looking for help with a Virtual Assistant? Try hiring a virtual assistant team company that has access to several different types of professionals… kind of like STF ;-P.
by Amber Miller | Feb 1, 2017 | Blog, Business Development, Marketing
As a fellow small business, we know just how hard and expensive it can be to build your business. There are a ton of things you can do to quickly drive business to your company, but many of these things can cost small businesses an arm and a leg in the long run. It’s risky to try some of these ways because if they backfire or don’t give you the kind of return you were looking for, you could easily bankrupt your business.
Luckily, there are a lot of other things you can to to boost business without spending a ton of money. Below, we’ve listed six of these ideas to help you get on the road to success.
1. GIVE SOMETHING AWAY ON YOUR WEBSITE FOR FREE
People love free stuff. They do. And most people are even willing to give you a little something in return if you’re willing to give them free stuff. Stick an ebook or whitepaper up on your website and ask for an email address in return. Your customer is getting some great industry information, and you’re growing your email list for free.
2. START SOCIAL ACCOUNTS
If you’re not already on social media, then you’re WAAAAY behind in your marketing efforts. You absolutely have to be on social media today — not only is it awesome for communicating with your customers, but it’s perfect for showcasing new products and sales! The best part about it, profiles are free.
3. DON’T STOP AT SOCIAL MEDIA, GO TO WHERE YOUR CUSTOMERS LIVE ON THE NET
Do your customers have a favorite niche forum they like to talk on about your industry? Get on there too and become a trusted advisor.
4. SIMPLIFY YOUR BUSINESS
Sell a lot of different things? It might be time to cut some of that out. Anything that is unprofitable and hard-to-sell needs to go! Spend all of your time and money on items that will give you adequate ROI.
5. GET YOUR WEBSITE LISTED ON THE WEB
There’s a lot more to getting on Google that just publishing a website. Make sure to submit your site to the top directories on the web. It’s free to submit your site to most directories and it will help boost your SEO in the long run.
6. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LEARN TO DELEGATE
You’re not superman/woman. You can’t do everything yourself. If you’re a one woman/man show; it might be time to hire some help and delegate out some of that work. If you’re too busy packing orders and managing suppliers, then you certainly don’t have time to do any marketing or other important tasks you need to focus on to grow your own business. One thing to note: hire a virtual assistant instead of an employee. VA’s are cheaper in the long run and you don’t have to worry about keeping them busy all the time if there’s no work to be done.
Obviously, there are a ton of other cheap things you can be doing to grow your business. If you’re stuck and you need someone to help you figure out what to do next, give us a shout out. We’re a small business too and we’ve learned a lot over the years – let us share our experiences with you to help you grow!
by Amber Miller | Nov 4, 2016 | Blog, Business Development
What exactly is a brand? It’s a question that has confounded the academics for decades and eluded the most erudite of scholars. So, coming from the trenches of the real world of branding, we’ve defined the term and given it a comprehensive meaning. Something that relates a little more to the real world business owners that we are.
A brand is the greater sum of its parts. It is always more than just the nuts and bolts, the pieces; great brands are always the result of the whole equaling more than the sum of its parts. Basically, a brand consists of eight basic building blocks:
- The Company Name
- The Logo (brand icon) – Is your logo simple and memorable? Think about logos like Amazon, FedEx, and Coca-Cola; world recognized professional brands that are simple and easy to read.
- The Brand’s Colors – The color of psychology is REAL. We will delve more into this during next week’s blog.
- The Slogan and Brand Messaging – Are you getting your vision across to your customers?
- The Sound of the Brand – Are you resonating with the customers you want to resonate with?
- The Overall Look and Feel = The Brand’s Position – How do you compare to your competition?
- Packaging the Brand – You know the saying… Don’t judge a book by its’ cover. Well, that’s simply not gunna happen, you’re going to be judged, so make sure your packaging and branding is clear, concise, and professional.
- The Brand Experience – Are your customers getting the best experience with your brand?
Branding is about making me, the consumer or buyer, more hip, more in the “know,” more cool than anybody else. We are a generation and a nation wanting to be special. We want to be richer, more beautiful, better dressed and more effortlessly gorgeous than any other generation that we know.
We want everything to mean more. We want everything to have meaning. That’s why we flock to the reality shows. We crave authenticity in this age of fabrication and falsehood. We “just want to be real.”
We want to be able to trust what we buy and whom we buy from. That’s why Coke is still the number one brand in the world. The more we know about a brand, the more we trust it. The more we trust it, the more we buy it and continue to experience it. The more we experience it, the more loyal we become.
Loyalty is the currency that cannot be traded for dollars. What is your brand saying about you? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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