Marketing

I recently went to one of my favorite restaurants – Craft. The service and the food were excellent as always but there were several little surprises for us throughout the evening. Small and subtle acts of a gracious host, but delightful nonetheless. The evening ended with my retrieving my coat from the coat check and being presented with a lovely baked treat along with my belongings. This was the icing on the service cake – figuratively speaking. While I’ve had numerous fabulous dining experiences, it is mostly about the food and sometimes the service, but rarely is it about the above and beyond or gracious nature of the establishment.

I’m extraordinarily loyal to my local corner bodegas because when I forget my wallet “no problem, you pay next time” and “here, take this one instead, it is fresher” are not uncommon exchanges. And even though I’m a regular at a nearby super market, I remain a stranger and am treated accordingly — other than by their delivery man, who knows I tip well and so usually takes the initiative to move my delivery to the head of the line.

Where I get my nails done, someone always offers to give me a 5 or 10-minute shoulder and neck massage – for free. Trust me when I tell you that I don’t need my nails done that often but that massage really makes my day. With no less than 10 nail salons within a few blocks, many offering discounts and lower prices, I always make a beeline for my favorite place. (more…)

While we are knee-deep in the holidays, 2014 is right around the corner. And if you’re like the majority of small businesses, email marketing will play an important role in your promotional efforts throughout the New Year. Don’t let the following small but common mistakes keep you from achieving your marketing goals!

Making it difficult for people to recognize you

For 68 percent of consumers, familiarity with the person sending the email is the top reason why they decide to open. Take the time to double check the “From Name” and “From Email Address” you’re using to send your emails.

Your “From Name” should be the name people identify with when they think of your business. For most businesses, this will be a choice between your personal name (Patty Smith) or brand name (Patty Smith’s Bakery).

If possible, your “From Email Address” should be a branded address

(pattysmith@pattysbakery.com), not a personal address (patty@yahoo.com). (more…)

There’s nothing small about the holiday season when it comes to small businesses. Between 20 to 40 percent of yearly sales for small and mid-sized retailers take place within the last two months of the yea according to the National Retail Federation.

With the holiday season (and busy shopping days like Black Friday, November 29th, 30th, and December 2nd respectively) fast approaching, now is the time to make sure you have a sound marketing plan in place. Following are few things you can do that are guaranteed to improve your results:

Pay attention to what people are saying

As the holiday season approaches, make sure to pay special attention to what people are saying about your business on social media. Look for opportunities to engage with your most loyal fans on Facebook, respond to a customer’s question on Twitter, or thank someone for a positive online review whenever you get the chance. (more…)

Your glowing red tie that everyone can see from across a busy city street, the gleaming white smile, the perfectly pressed suit or designer pumps, the fancy name badge you always wear to try and stand out, the robust strides you take when you enter a room that creates an air of confidence are just not enough to build your personal brand anymore. There will certainly always be a place for the Fuller Brush salesperson approach and some may be fooled by pomp and circumstance, but today’s buyers are savvier than ever and they want substance.

I remember buying my first business suit at Today’s Man when I was 21 and being so proud and confident that I could actually look the part of a successful person. I felt like a million bucks, but in reality I looked like $124.95 off the sale rack. No one was impressed. I quickly learned that playing the part was not nearly enough. I needed to be able to deliver for my prospects and clients to earn the respect and credibility I needed to grow my business and advance my own skills.

So I hit the streets.

Cold calling, telemarketing, and getting to every networking event and industry gathering I could humanly make it to. Within a remarkably short period of time I realized that more and more people knew who I was and they were recommending me to their friends, clients, and colleagues. Without much thought, in these early days I was building my personal brand of excellence and people were taking notice of my prowess in the heavily trafficked payroll services industry. It was nice to be in demand and even better to have folks calling me for a change.  (more…)