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4 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Top Employee

4 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Top Employee

Teddy Roosevelt is credited for having said, “If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.” And so it is that we are often our biggest impediment to success, especially as business owners. We spend hours helping customers and often don’t show ourselves the same assistance (Oh, doctor, heal thyself.).

If you’re wondering what this advice has to do with your “top employee,” you need this article more than you realized.

In a time of rising costs and increased concerns over mental health, business owners must see an investment in themselves as one of the most important they can make for the future of their business.

4 Ways You Might Be Self-sabotaging Your Business

  1. You Give the Benefit of the Doubt to Everyone Else. If the customer is always right, and you don’t agree with the customer, it stands to reason you are always wrong. For your sanity, the answer must sometimes be “no.” Sometimes you must be on your own side. You can’t meet the needs of everyone without occasionally impairing yourself. Know when you can help and when you can’t. Then draw the line effectively and with kindness to both you and them.
  2. You fixed the problem but it’s still plaguing your mind. So, you had a problem with a customer, and you fixed it to everyone’s satisfaction. You issued the apology and made it right. The customer feels heard and understood. But you’re still blaming yourself. No good comes out of this extreme penitence. You’re more likely to repeat the problem in the future because that’s what you’re focusing on.

Adapt a piece of advice that is often bandied around the baseball field to your business—baseball is a game of forgetting. When you walk out on the field beating yourself up about your last at-bat or the pop fly you missed, you’ll repeat those errors again and again. A successful player learns from the mistake and forgets everything outside of the lesson. Don’t dwell, just do. Apply this to your business as well.

3 You think failing makes you a failure. If you believe that because you failed at something—like launching a new product, hosting an event, etc.—that you are now a failure, you might want to close shop and go back to work for someone else who hasn’t changed their operations since the last century. Innovation and failure go hand in hand. As Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed 10,000 times—I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.” Be thankful that you realized it wouldn’t work when you did and move on to the next thing. All successful business owners and innovators don’t just start one business and retire or achieve fame. Some go through iterations of ups and downs. Embrace the roller coaster that comes with entrepreneurialism.

4 You negate self-care or think it’s a manicure. Self-care is an ongoing investment in your business because it’s an investment in your business’ top employee—you. Secondarily, an occasional splurge, like a manicure, is not self-care. It can be a part of your larger commitment to take care of your needs/desires, but a manicure every six months isn’t self-care. It’s at best a bonus or treat. Self-care is comprised of the things you do to ensure you’re able to continue at the level of energy required in your role.

View self-care as a component of professional development. When you replenish yourself with a commitment to maintaining your optimum or peak level of performance, your business will benefit. Just don’t tell your accountant a trip to Tahiti is professional development (unless you can find an amazing conference there). Self-care is comprised of things you should be doing every day like making sleep a priority, setting aside time in the evening or day to quietly think, or making time for a hobby that feeds you so you return to your business refreshed each day.

Many business gurus see running a business as a balance sheet proposition. You want to bring more revenue in than what’s going out. But it’s more complex than that. If you’re not investing in yourself, the revenue won’t matter because you’re admitting your top employee doesn’t matter either.

Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and believes the world would be a better place if we all had our own theme song that played when we entered the room. What would yours be?

_______________________________________

Twitter: @christinagsmith

Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking

LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

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What Does It Mean to Be a Chamber Member?

What Does It Mean to Be a Chamber Member?

The Hidden Value Behind Chamber Membership

Traditionally, a chamber of commerce was a membership organization that supports the interests of its business members. It is not affiliated with the government, nor is it a charity. The chamber is separate from the Better Business Bureau. Now that we’ve explained the traditional notion of chamber membership, let’s dive into what it means to be a member of a chamber of commerce today. If you think chambers are outdated, it’s time you take another look.

As a chamber member, you are represented by a powerful organization. Because they are not government-affiliated, chambers weather the political storms, cannot get voted out of office, and always represent the business community. And since healthy communities are good places to work with strong employment opportunities, a chamber helps all members of a community.

Chamber members are a critical part of the following work in your community.

What Does it Mean to be a Chamber Member?

There is a long list of benefits to chamber membership. But those benefits are only the surface of what you and your employees receive from joining. If you want to be part of something larger than yourself and your business, striving to improve opportunities in your community, chamber membership is an ideal way to do that.

Volunteerism and Cause-based Marketing

There are many ways to volunteer in the chamber. From assisting with events to running educational webinars, serving on the board to working with the scholarship program or chamber’s foundation. Your skills or sponsorships will be leveraged in a way that helps you increase your network, your knowledge, and your business exposure.

When you volunteer—and the chamber shares that information with others—your business is aligned with the cause in the eyes of community members. Chambers embrace many causes to improve the quality of life for the communities they serve. Check with your chamber to find out what its goals are or view its strategic plan. You may be surprised by what community efforts it’s championing such as:

  • Affordable housing solutions
  • Workforce development
  • Safe streets
  • Tax-reduction legislation
  • Mental health initiatives

Many people who question membership have a narrow-minded view of the chamber as a “business only” entity without realizing that every issue in the community affects business. If the community is not seen as a prosperous one, people won’t want to live, work, or open a business there. Being pro-community is pro-business.

You can likely help with the causes that are important to you through chamber work, while also strengthening your business and growing your network with cause-based marketing.

Community Leadership and Responsibility

Chamber members are viewed as reputable and dedicated to creating (or continuing) a flourishing community. When you become a chamber member, you are announcing to the community that your business is here to stay and you’re investing in the success of the area. Through membership, you are choosing to be part of an organization that has championed the cause of business for many years.

Pro-Diversity

At first glance, you may assume the chamber is comprised of a very homogenous mix of business owners. That is no longer the case. In many communities, the chamber is leading diversity initiatives. Chambers understand the importance of representing every aspect of business and ensuring each voice is heard. Representing minority- and women-owned businesses is a responsibility that chambers take seriously because a chamber can affect change. By amplifying the business owners’ voices and convening community leaders, business owners, and employees, chambers are leading diversity initiatives across the country. They’re advocating for legislation, hosting town halls, and providing educational DEI programs.

Chambers often recognize what the business community needs before individual businesses can address it themselves. As a member of the chamber, you are part of helping traditionally underserved populations discover the joy, opportunity, and challenges of business ownership.

Being a chamber member in the 21st century goes beyond the list of benefits you’ll see in the membership brochure. Sure, those items are good investments for your business, and they can save you money and help you grow but the chamber offers much more than that. The chamber is leading the efforts to make your community a better place to live, work, and play for everyone.  And membership offers you a highly visible opportunity to be part of that excitement.

 

Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and believes the world would be a better place if we all had our own theme song that played when we entered the room. What would yours be?

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Helping Jobs Creators Lower Costs in a Tough Economy – By Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague

Helping Jobs Creators Lower Costs in a Tough Economy

By Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague

Forty-year high inflation. An unprecedented supply chain crisis. Record-breaking energy prices. And now, interest rate hikes at the Federal Reserve that will make the cost of borrowing more expensive. As small businesses try to stay afloat, they’re being confronted with no shortage of new and complicating challenges.

However, the Treasurer’s office is more committed than ever before to serving job creators and family businesses across Ohio. Through the long-standing linked deposit programs described below, we can assist Ohio-based businesses in accessing interest rate reductions on eligible loans to drive down the rising costs of borrowing.

Ag-LINK

Since 1986, the Ag-LINK program has been a trusted tool in helping farmers and agribusinesses to lower interest costs on new and existing operating loans. Every year, borrowers use the program to finance upfront costs for feed, seed, fertilizer, fuel, equipment, and other expenses.

As part of our Ohio Gains initiative and in direct response to feedback we received from the ag community, we recently made several reforms that modernize Ag-LINK and make it even more impactful amid the current economic climate. For the first time in the program’s history, loan applications are being accepted year-round. This new, year-long application period provides borrowers with greater flexibility and ensures they can access capital whenever they may need it most.

In addition to adding agricultural cooperatives as eligible Ag-LINK borrowers, we’ve also removed outdated programmatic and loan caps from statute. Previously, only loans up to $150,000 were eligible for reduced interest rates through Ag-LINK. That’s no longer the case, as we’ve removed these caps to allow the program to better keep pace with modern borrowing needs. Moving forward, loan caps will be assessed and set by our office on an annual basis.

GrowNOWDesigned to support Ohio-based small businesses, GrowNOW offers interest rate reductions on business loans. Under the program, loan proceeds must directly support job creation or retention efforts, which may be accomplished through a variety of means, including, but not limited to, start-up costs, on-going supply purchases, marketing, building expansions or renovations, or equipment purchases. To be eligible, a small business must also be organized for profit, headquartered in Ohio, and have less than 150 employees with the majority located in Ohio. Depending on your lending institution, additional requirements and restrictions may apply.

In the Treasurer’s office, we’re committed to putting the power of finance to work for Ohio and its communities. While the economy faces an uncertain road ahead, we’ll continue to look for new and innovative ways to put the state’s strong balance sheet to work for our residents, families, and job creators. And we’re ready to help more Ohioans and businesses lower their borrowing costs through our linked deposit programs.

For more information about these programs, please visit our website at www.tos.ohio.gov. As always, we encourage you to stay up to date on news from the office through social media. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram at @OhioTreasurer.

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It’s Small Business Season!

It’s Small Business Season!

From October 31 – December 31st, we’re celebrating Small Business Season™. The chamber is encouraging every person of our community to support friends and neighbors by shopping, dining, and exploring our small businesses.

Small Businesses Are a Big Deal to Lima/Allen County!

Small business made up over 60% of all new jobs this year and yet they face many challenges from rising costs to filling vacancies. Plus, according to JP Morgan Chase, “The median small business holds (only) 27 cash buffer days in reserve. Half of all small businesses hold a cash buffer of less than one month. Moreover, 25% of small businesses hold fewer than 13 cash buffer days in reserve.” That means over 50% of small businesses wouldn’t last over a month on their reserves.

They need our help, and we need theirs. On average, $68 of every $100 spent locally stays in our community. Most of us turn to small businesses first when we’re seeking help for our nonprofits, youth activities, and sponsorships. When they thrive, we thrive!

Where you spend your money this holiday season matters.

Support small businesses by patronizing them and/or:

  • Writing reviews
  • Referring friends
  • Checking-in and taking pictures or videos and sharing them on social media when you’re visiting small businesses
  • Sharing small business posts on social media
  • Talking about your favorite businesses on social media
  • Participating in Chamber Gift Certificates

Join us and pledge to support local this holiday season. Shopping small can make a big difference.

If you’re a small business, visit the Small Business Season website for your free marketing collateral.

 

 

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Acing the Basics of Grant Writing

Acing the Basics of Grant Writing

 

Hiring a grant writer isn’t cheap. Some charge a flat fee, while others base their fee as a percentage of the grant amount. If you’re a small business or nonprofit, you may not be able to afford to hire someone. But it is worth it. To take on grant writing yourself, you’ll miss out on the years of experience you’ll get with a professional and it will likely take more time. But if you’re looking for a DIY solution, you need to know the basics of grant writing.

Basics of Grant Writing

First, know that good grant writing is simply good writing. If you struggle with the basics of grammar, you either want to hire it out or hire an editor once you write it. However, one thing to keep in mind about grant writing is that even if you hired a grant writer, you would still need to give them the bullets to put together a compelling grant application. Knowing this, the rest of the writing is simply polishing. The points will always be yours anyway.

Another important aspect is research. Grant bestowers won’t contact you. You must apply. Half of the work in a grant is finding one that’s a good fit for you. Do you fit their criteria? If you’re lucky, you’ll be an obvious fit and hit all of their requirements, but for some you may need to (creatively) illustrate the fit for the person/group giving the money away to show them how you meet their specifications.

Assuming you’ve found a grant you’re interested in, do the following:

  1. Set aside time. A grant is not the same as a credit card application. It will likely take you hours to compile the information needed. If you want to be successful in your grant writing, clear the table, and make sure you have the bandwidth. Delegate, if you must. Applying for money is a big deal. Treat it that way. This is not something you want to write at home in front of the TV at night.
  2. Double check your eligibility. Don’t waste everyone else’s time applying for things you are not remotely eligible for. For instance, if the grant is for a Florida business, don’t apply as an orange grower from California hoping you can sneak in.
  3. Consider the fit between your group and the one giving out the money. Ever watch a sponsor drop a celebrity because they do or say something that is not in keeping with the sponsor’s brand? Well, you want to consider the same thing when applying for grants. Don’t take money from an organization that does not jive with your mission or beliefs. If you can’t tell from the grant offering write-up, do your own research on the group.
  4. Follow the instructions. Even if the grant is being awarded for creative pursuits, follow their directions. If they require a 500-word essay, don’t write a sentence, and submit that thinking it will be Avant Garde and make a statement. If they say 500 words, that’s what they want.
  5. Tell a story. If you watch America’s Got Talent or other talent show with judges or an audience selection process, you’ll notice that contestants who share their tearful stories of family members with cancer or lives spent living in vans, often when paired with a little talent, progress to the next level. A good voice can sound extraordinary when accompanied by a compelling story. Think about your focus, your passion, your successes, and your obstacles. Make people feel what you’ve gone through as you answer the grant questions. Your story will also help you stand out from other applicants.
  6. Use the right language. In addition to telling your story, you want to use persuasive, concise language. Don’t drone on and on thinking the more often you reiterate something, the more you’ll hit the point home. Imagine each word costs (you) money and use as few as possible (following their guidelines, of course) to prove your point and convince the decision maker that yours is the best entity for the money. Axe words like “really,” “actually,” and “very.” They add nothing to your application. Were things really hard or challenging? See the difference? The latter conveys feeling, the former doesn’t.
  7. Then do it again. And again. We all make mistakes but not on applications for large amounts of money. Run your finished application by several people. Ask them to read for grammar/typos, as well as understanding. If they can’t follow your reasoning as to why you should be awarded the money, the grantor certainly won’t be able to either.

Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and believes the world would be a better place if we all had our own theme song that played when we entered the room. What would yours be?

_______________________________________

Twitter: @christinagsmith

Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking

LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

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Ten 2023 Trends Hand-picked for Small Business

Ten 2023 Trends Hand-picked for Small Business

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether you sell food, things, or services, we’ve brought together a round-up of trends that you can incorporate into your business in 2023 for increased revenue and better market traction.
 

Ten 2023 Trends for Small Business

  1. According to Architectural Digest, kitsch is in. From vacation rentals to home décor, over-the-top is just the beginning.
  2. The New York Times proclaimed that climatarianism is the new Cabbage Patch Doll (what everyone wants and is willing to fight for – for those of you who didn’t grow up in the 80s). “It’s no longer about eating sustainably, which implies a state of preserving what is. A new generation wants food from companies that are actively healing the planet.”
  3. Creative employee incentives. The buzz around professional placement agencies is everyone wants to work from home. If you can offer that to your employees, great. But not everyone can. That’s why we’ll probably see a rise in creative employee incentives that will help offset the work-from-home benefit for companies that simply can’t offer that.
  4. Going remote. This is not a new trend but it’s likely because of the rising costs, we will see more businesses deciding to give up their physical space and support their employees going remote.
  5. Doing more with less. There are a lot of great technology options out there but not everyone can afford new technology. Many businesses will instead look for ways to maximize the technology they’re currently using; working with the help desk or consultants to get the most out of their existing software and tech.
  6. Reducing paper. According to Inc., “It’s time to actively reduce your company’s carbon footprint. This can both save you money and engage clients and customers who prioritize environmental concerns.” A focus on the environment is becoming increasingly popular. Businesses that continue to use non-essential things like paper may find themselves on the wrong end of a public relations kerfuffle.
  7. Performance media. With the increasing usage of video platforms like TikTok, organizations will find that they are now in the business of performance media. People want to see personalities and humor in brand videos along with products and services. Go ahead. Roll your eyes. Then get to streaming.
  8. Creating a Cheers environment. For those of us who are old enough to remember this popular 80s sitcom, you can’t hear the name Cheers without thinking of its theme song and the popular line, “…where everybody knows your name.” This type of familiarity is becoming an expectation for brands. Customers want to be remembered. This gives small business an advantage over the larger companies that can only do that virtually.
  9. Concentrate on supply chain security. While there are a lot of not-so-positive economic predictions for 2023, there is good news for local small business. Thought leaders like Forbes are warning, “Companies need to improve their resilience in any way that they can. This means reducing exposure to volatile market pricing of commodities, as well as building protective measures into supply chains to deal with shortages and rising logistical costs.” Local small business often relies on local suppliers so they may have an advantage with the supply chain. However, if you don’t, you should consider how you will navigate continued shortages and Forbes’ prediction of rising logistical costs.
  10. Become more human. This has been a trend on New Year’s lists for the past 10 years. But as many experts are predicting 2023 will be the year of digital transformation for many large companies, small companies can embrace their own secret weapon–humanity. While many companies combat hiring problems with an investment in mechanization, small businesses score big with what Forbes refers to as “… uniquely human skills that currently can’t be automated…skills such as creativity, critical thinking, interpersonal communication, leadership, and applying “humane” qualities like caring and compassion.”

Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and believes the world would be a better place if we all had our own theme song that played when we entered the room. What would yours be?

_______________________________________

Twitter: @christinagsmith

Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking

LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

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Are You Ready for an Intern? 5 Things You Need to Consider Before You Hire One

 

It’s that time of year when businesses start thinking about summer help. Could you use an intern this summer? Here are several things you need to consider before bringing on your first intern.

5 Things You Need to Know About Hiring an Intern for Your Business

 

  1. Times have changed. If you were an intern before 2000, you may remember interning as something akin to being a pledge in a fraternity. You did the grunt work for little recognition and no pay. Times have changed. Interns want valuable experience these days, not a summer of making copies. They also expect to be paid, and maybe not even minimum wage. Check with the employment laws in your state or ask anyone from Conde Nast what they learned about unpaid interns.
  2. Interns bring things other employees don’t. Interns can be amazing company cheerleaders, have a vast following on social media, and bring a new perspective. This last consideration can be incredibly valuable if you are courting their demographic.
  3. Interns come with a cost. In addition to paying them, you are expected to train them or at least communicate your needs on the projects you’re assigning them to. That means someone in your business will lose productivity time while they train the intern(s)…at least initially. Your intern may also not have the long-term success of the company in mind, especially if they’re “only” summer help. That’s why it’s important to make them feel part of the bigger picture and outcome to get their best work.
  4. Intern programs should have a goal. If you’re going to hire an intern, don’t do so simply because you need an extra set of hands to cover summer vacations. Have a direct goal in mind for them. Do you have a special project or research? Can they run point on something you don’t have the bandwidth to do? Know what it is you want and how you will measure success.
  5. You need a plan. In addition to a goal, you’ll want a plan. Determine the following:
    • How long will the internship be?
    • How many interns do you need?
    • How much will you pay them, and will you work with their college or high school to provide credit or hours toward a desired program?
    • How will you recruit?
    • Will the program be for internal candidates only (like children and friends or family of employees) or open to the public?
    • What requirements are important in the role and what tasks will they be responsible for?
    • Does your state have a program that matches interns in a specified field with qualified companies? If so, some of the planning may already be completed for you.
    • Who is your ideal candidate? What skills should they have? How will you evaluate them during the program?
    • What’s the screening process? Who will review the applications and who will notify the applicants?
    • Is there the possibility for the summer internship to become something more?
    • Who will oversee the training and evaluation once the intern is in place? You’ll want to provide consistent, effective feedback so interns will gain valuable work experience. You may also need to provide constructive criticism and chart a path for growth when they do not meet your expectations.
    • Have you reviewed the labor laws of your state regarding interns?
    • How will you address professional development? Remember interns are with you to learn. If you can help them grow into a valuable employee, you are contributing to the future workforce even if they don’t become a star for you. Your guidance could shape them through their future career.

 

 

Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and believes the world would be a better place if we all had our own theme song that played when we entered the room. What would yours be?

_______________________________________

Twitter: @christinagsmith
Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking
LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

 

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“Small Businessing” Ain’t Easy

There was a time when the biggest concern a business had was bringing in customers. These days, we know you’re worrying about a lot more. You’re wondering where you will find qualified employees. When you do find them on paper or through an application, you keep your fingers crossed that they will show up for their first day of work, or better yet, the interview. Once you hire them, you hope they’ll come back the next day and the next.

You worry about how you will sell items if you can’t get anything on the shelf. And you’re so very tired of hearing your suppliers talk about the supply chain. Two years ago, you didn’t even think about a supply chain in reference to anything more than toilet paper.

You worry about baby formula or people getting sick, your loved ones, your friends, your employees. You wonder if you should ask the person who’s been coughing the entire time they’ve been in your business to leave. Will they be offended or angry?

You worry that if you raise prices to try to make the smallest of profits to help pay for your gas to get to work or the groceries that keep getting more expensive while the quantities shrink that people will stop buying from you. Lag times and scheduling keep you up at night.

Or you’re challenged with too much need of your product or service and an inability to deliver. You hope that when you tell people it will be two to three weeks before you can meet their needs that your competitors are in the same boat.

You want to learn more, do more, and help more but your profits are dwindling almost as quickly as your “rainy day” money and investments are. Rents are going up and you worry your business’ lease will increase above what you can afford or you worry your landlord will sell your building. Home prices are going up but if you sell now, you won’t be able to find an affordable place to live.

It’s summer and you want to take vacation but there’s no one to run your business and even if there was, plane tickets and gas prices look more like car payments these days.

And you worry about safety.

No, this is not an easy time. But we see you small business owner. We are working to connect need with solutions. We’re talking to municipal, county, state, and federal leaders and voicing what you need most. We are brainstorming solutions for these unprecedented times.

We know you’re stressed and anxious, but we are here for you. Small businesses like yours are the backbone of our community and our country. You are not in this alone even though it can feel that way as a business owner.

While it’s important to have a support system, many small business owners struggle when they turn to friends and family for advice. Unless your family and friends are/were business owners themselves, they likely do not fully understand what you are facing.

At the chamber, we do.

While these are unprecedented times, we are working with all our resources to find solutions. We have experience in business and are bringing business owners together.

We can’t make your anxiety go away, or fix the supply chain over night, but we’re working on viable solutions and growth for all.

And because we understand what you’re going through, we’re sharing the following. Please feel free to use it (or edit it) however you see fit:

<<feel free to share this with your customers>>

We’re Business Owners, Not Miracle Workers

Behind this business is a person and a family.

The employee you’re fed up with or questioning because prices are “too high” or service is  slow, is someone’s mother, father, child, friend, or loved one.

We’re not a faceless conglomerate.

We are your neighbors and we’re doing the best we can working in times no one prepared us for.

And while we seem to have everything together, we’re working round the clock just to help keep appearing like they used to be. In reality, we’re getting by and doing what we can to keep our doors open. A lot of people depend on us–our employees, our landlord, our vendors, our suppliers, our own family.

We are providing you service with a smile today even if you’re not showing us your best self.

And we’ll do it again tomorrow and as often as you want to patronize us. We will be here as long as we can keep our business open.

We thank you for sticking with us while we navigate unprecedented times. And yes, some days we’re going to run out of things or we’ll be short-staffed. That may inconvenience you for an hour or two, but please don’t take it out on the person who’s working a double shift because a co-worker called out.

We love being part of this community, but we’re worried, too, just like you. We drive to work, we buy groceries, we must take off when people who depend on us are ill.

No small business owner or employee signed up for the challenges we’re facing now. But we’re making the best of it—like you are—and we sure could use your continued help and understanding.

Thank you for your support. We want to continue to serve you long into the future—or at least as long as it takes for the supply chain to get untangled.

Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and believes the world would be a better place if we all had our own theme song that played when we entered the room. What would yours be?

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6 Ways to Make Your Business Stand Out During a Local Event

6 Ways to Make Your Business Stand Out During a Local Event

 

Does your town host a Wine Walk, Holiday Stroll, First Friday, or other downtown event where they close off streets and encourage people to get out and support business? If so, you may know that those events often bring the crowds but also bring “tire kickers,” people who are just out for a stroll, not really interested in what you sell. They’re just going into each business, poking around, and usually leaving empty handed.

The hard part of that is that you likely brought in full staff to ensure you had enough coverage only to deal with a lot of “lookers.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are a few suggestions on how to transform your looky-loos into looky heres.

6 Ways to Help Get the Sale

If you have an event that will bring a lot of commerce “tourists” to your business who do a lot of visiting and not much buying, you need to change that with these ideas.

  1. Tell a story. While you may not have the time to do this for everyone in the store, if you see someone eyeballing one of your items in a loving way, go up to them and tell them something interesting about the piece. You’d be surprised what may inspire a sale.
  2. Give a taste. If you sell food or drink, offer someone a taste before they buy. This works to create a sale in two ways: they’ll (hopefully) enjoy it and want more and/or because you kindly gave them a taste (and did something for them), they will feel obligated to buy from you.
  3. Teach a quick skill or use for your product. Draw the crowd into a quick presentation that features a product you sell. Have several products to hand people who want to buy right there. Alternately, have a pro available to answer questions. For instance, a store that sells painted furniture might have an expert on hand to walk people through how to do it themselves. Don’t worry that it will discourage them from buying from you. When they realize how hard it is, they will beg you to take their money.
  4. Get people on your mailing list. You never know when a “tire kicker” may see something in store and decide later that week they must have it. When people are in your store, ask them to join your mailing list. A few days after the event, follow up with a coupon, special offer, or sales notification. That call-to-action will likely send them your way.
  5. Offer a freebie for that night only. If it’s a special night or event, give away a little something to anyone who buys from you or offer specials for that night only.
  6. Create a singalong. In a crowded store, it’s hard to talk to everyone but you want to make sure people have fun and feel the energy of your business. You want them to remember you. A good way to accomplish that is by queuing up the tunes and encouraging people to sing with you. There are certain songs people just can’t help but sing along with—”Don’t stop believing.” You know what I mean. If you don’t, just put on Sweet Caroline and see what happens.

 

 

Christina R. Metcalf (formerly Green) is a marketer who enjoys using the power of story and refuses to believe meaningful copy can be written by bots. She helps chamber and small business professionals find the right words when they don’t have the time or interest to do so. 

Christina hates exclamation points and loves road trips. Say hi on Twitter or reach out on Facebook.

 

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3 Creative Ways to Become Top of Mind

3 Creative Ways to Become Top of Mind

Do you want people to think about your business before all others? Of course, you do. The first step to patronizing your business is remembering it exists.

Imagine you have a free evening, and you want to go out to eat. It doesn’t matter how amazing the food is at the new place down the street; if it doesn’t pop into your mind, you won’t be going there.

The same is true of your potential customers. They need to think of you to spend money with you.

So how do you ensure you’re top of mind and that they will think about your business over the competition? You need to find a way to stand out and be memorable. A good product or service is the first step. Good customer service is also a solid choice. But to truly stand out you must do something slightly different.

Ways to Ensure Your Business Is Top of Mind

Events

Hosting an event at your business is a great way to help people remember you. It also provides an experience, and many individuals admit to enjoying them over physical purchases. When you host an event encourage people to share the occasion on social media for even greater reach.

There are several types of events that draw crowds:

  1. Sampling your offerings or services. You can host an event that is directly related to what you do. For instance, a restaurant may have an invitation-only, special tasting night to sample its new menu.
  2. Education event. You could also offer an evening out based around something that you sell. For instance, a yarn store may hold classes on how to knit.
  3. Block party. Celebrate your customers and potential customers by throwing a party outside your store. A patio furniture store held a parking lot party every weekend with a band and hot dogs. It drew a crowd and people lingered. It was a nice tie in with the product they sold—outdoor furniture. It helped people imagine hosting their own parties later with their new furniture.

A Facebook Group

Depending on the nature of your business, and the things your ideal customer/target audience may have in common, a Facebook group can connect your buyers to you and to one another. This idea works well when you can find a connection or mutual interest among your customers. For instance, a bookstore might create a Facebook group for writers or for fans of a specific genre. In a Facebook group you can share information and flash sales, stream events, and invite your audience to talk about their favorite books. The online community will keep your brand center stage while uniting and engaging your audience.

Savings Clubs/Subscriptions

Have you noticed that a lot of companies are charging their customers a monthly fee for some sort of discount or benefit? It began with Amazon Prime, where customers paid an annual fee for free shipping. The program has expanded beyond that now, but you can certainly start with one benefit like that.

Panera has created an unlimited coffee subscription where coffee lovers are auto-charged a fee each month and given a free cup of coffee daily. Both programs drive sales (and loyalty). When people pay for something, they want to get their money’s worth. Often, that means buying from one store over another because they’re part of a savings club.

However, like gift certificates, there may be people who pay every month and don’t use your services. That’s OK too as the subscription (even if it’s only a few dollars) is a source of revenue you did not have before.

If you want strong sales at your business, you need to ensure that your target market thinks about you. You can do that through email marketing, social media participation, or these three ideas. But whatever you do, make sure you use consistent branding and tone. After all, you want them to remember you, not question who you are.

 

 

Christina R. Metcalf (formerly Green) is a marketer who enjoys using the power of story and refuses to believe meaningful copy can be written by bots. She helps chamber and small business professionals find the right words when they don’t have the time or interest to do so. 

Christina hates exclamation points and loves road trips. Say hi on Twitter or reach out on Facebook.