Jrob Business Tips Issue 10

Welcome to another issue of Jrob Business Tips. In this issue, we will have our 2 part thoughts of using signs in small businesses. Also, we have a short interview with small business expert John Sternal. Our articles are:

Most Small Businesses Fear Search Engine Marketing
Get Your Business to Where You Want It

It has always been my belief that a man should do his best, regardless of how much he receives for his services, or the number of people he may be serving or the class of people served.

Signs can be one of the biggest ways to improve sales, yet many businesses could do a better job with them. Here are some general observations about signs and small businesses. It seems the small businesses wants plenty of signs on their doors and windows or have none or just a few.

Customers cannot focus when there are too many signs. It is better to have a few large ones so customers can quickly focus on your message. Signs need to be in good condition and able to see from a distance. Neon signs are excellent. If you want a more professional look black on yellow is effective.

The location of the signs mattered also. Having a sign that is eye level for customers entering your store. If you have vehicles that park in front of your business, signs need for customers in the parking lot must be readable over the cars.

Some bad examples are faded signs or signs at the bottom of the store. Printed signs look far more professional than handwritten ones. Recently, I saw a small business that had a faded “No Soliciting” sign at the bottom of their door. I guess it stopped zero solicitors since they would never see that.

In our next issue, we will give plenty of tips using signs. These tips will be for inside the store, outside and the use of LED signs.

It's hard enough to get new customers. Especially in today's slow economy, you want to keep the customers that you already have. An old industry saying states that it's easier to resell to current customers than it is to sell new ones. It's true in pretty much any industry. A loyalty program creates an added incentive for a customer to come back and shop with you again. Some loyalty programs also have rewards programs so that you a customer can get "rewarded" (either by additional deals or even cash) if they refer a new customer your way. Loyalty programs offer a chance for you to have a great leg up on your competition.

For companies with some budget, consider taking out an ad in the yellow pages, local newspaper or even on a local cable station. Be mindful of where you would advertise - sports section, food section, home and garden show, etc. You should also leverage a lot of social media. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are well-established networks that have been proven to drive business locally and nationally. Connect with local people through these networks and use to promote special events at your store.

Most Small Businesses Fear Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
By John Sternal

If you're a traditional small business chances are you realize the potential benefits the Internet can possibly bring. You've spent years building your in-store sales and spent countless hours working on plans to drive foot traffic to your store. But what about online? You know the opportunity is there, but something's holding you back.

A good majority of small businesses are still weary of creating a presence online mostly because of fear of the unknown. Worse, many of these small businesses are lost when it comes to online marketing. They need help with understanding marketing to the online crowds. According to a new survey by Microsoft, more than half of all small businesses with an online presence aren't doing any kind of paid search marketing because of a variety of reasons.

More than 70 percent of all small businesses polled in the survey (roughly 400 companies) even went as far as to say they'd rather do their taxes than embark on any sort of search marketing campaign. Other reasons keeping small businesses out of the search marketing game:

They think keywords may become too expensive
They wonder if search marketing the best use of the marketing budget
They believe paid search is just too complex
They think the process is just too time-exhaustive
They wonder if they need to spend big bucks on hiring an agency to handle for them

The survey goes on to report that those small business that ARE doing paid search marketing are actually very satisfied and happy with their results (higher than 70 percent).

To be fair, it is natural to feel intimidated by any sort of online marketing when it's a world you probably haven't operated in much. The truth is, though, that it doesn't have to be very intimidating. And better yet, there are a lot of marketing tactics you can implement and manage without the need to hire an expensive marketing agency.

John Sternal is a veteran public relations professional with more than 15 years experience serving clients in a variety of industries on both the agency and corporate sides. John has worked with members of the national media to develop stories that serve their readers/viewers in an effort to educate on topics that benefit his clients/employers.

John is the co-creator of http://understandingmarketing.com, an online resource for small business marketing and public relations information. Understanding Marketing allows business owners and managers to learn the basics of marketing and find "how-to" articles to do it themselves.

For more information on specific marketing or public relations techniques that will help attract customers please contact John at his website or connect on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsternal. optimization, public relations, direct mail, newsletters, social media, branding and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Sternal
http://EzineArticles.com/?Most-Small-Businesses-Fear-Search-Engine-Marketing-(SEM)&id=1805894

Get Your Business to Where You Want It
By Howard Litwak

As a small business owner, you need to understand where your business is heading and why and how your efforts are important.

Does the following sound familiar? You opened and have been running your own business. You've worked hard on making the business profitable. From your humble beginnings, you are where you are today with your business. Success! Or not...If you could find a way not to sleep, you would be working twenty four hours a day. This is the trap of the present for the small business owner. Are you in this trap?

You've heard catch phrases like "working in the business and not on the business" and "confusing activity with productivity." Can you relate to either of these? They will both lead to your growth curve flattening out or even going down. They can also lead to adverse effects in other areas of your life like mentally, physically, socially, or in your family.

If this is you, don't worry. It's with realization that we can start to make changes. You may just need to take a hard, fresh look at your business.

Take some time and answer the following questions. NOTE: Don't just take your surface answers. Really think and dig deep into the answers if you want a foundation for positive change.

What are you doing?Why are you doing it?What's not working?What are your biggest concerns?

Once you have a handle on these answers, you have something to continue to build on. Let's move from analysis of the past and present to the future.

What are you trying to create?

It is here that you can make a dramatic impact on your business. Decide on four to six things that you want to create for your business. Alan Kay said "The best way to predict your future is to create it." Some areas for creation could be cash flow, marketing, people development, product quality, or employee retention. You decide based on where you want to take your business.

Here is the next critical step. Focus on these things! If you spent even a few hours every week on accomplishing what you want in these areas, would you get there quicker? Of course you would! When you are focused, you'll get better results.

Turn what you want to create into S.M.A.R.T. goals. When you have goals, you are more focused. Measuring your goals against the S.M.A.R.T. criteria (specific, measurable, achievable, realistically high, time bound) will dramatically increase your ability to achieve what you want.

Action and focus. Sometimes the answers are right in front of us and we don't see them. Now, no more reading. Get busy creating your roadmap for success and get your business to where you want it.

I help executives, business owners, professionals, and salespeople become more successful. Do you want improved results? I help people think differently so that they can behave differently. Since it's our actions that lead to our results, better thinking is the key to the success you want. There are 3 things that I work with: attitude development, skills and knowledge, and goal setting for achievement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Howard_Litwak
http://EzineArticles.com/?Get-Your-Business-to-Where-You-Want-It&id=2838345

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