Small Business Marketing Tips

When operating a small business, recognizing the key differences between large and small businesses can help you make decisions that are appropriate for your specific business structure, which can be the difference between a thriving business and a struggling one. In particular, effective marketing and advertising techniques can vary greatly between small, mid-sized and large businesses.  What works for mid-sized or large companies may not work for a small business, simply due to lack of financial or other resources necessary to market products and services. For small businesses, one of the most important factors to consider in a marketing campaign is cost. The following tips are inexpensive, yet effective ways for small businesses to market products or services on a large scale.

Pay Attention to Your Customers

While you are trying to gain more customers, do not forget about the customers that you already have. It is much easier to get more business from the customers who already know and trust you than from someone brand new. Take advantage of this by offering special deals to existing customers or releasing information to them before you release it to the general public. One idea is to send regular newsletters to customers by mail or email, keeping them informed on what the company is doing now and in the future. The better you treat your current customers, the more likely they will be to recommend your company to other potential customers.

Partner With Other Small Businesses

Find a non-competing small business serving consumers in your target market and negotiate a joint promotion. Your small business can offer to publicize their products or services to your customers, and in exchange they can publicize your products or services to their customers. For example, if your business is sending out a brochure, you could include a leaflet or business card from the other business and vice versa. This is a great way to reach a whole new audience at a very low cost. 

Use Social Media

Successful businesses of all types are steadily using this effective method for business purposes, especially marketing and advertising. Social media has quickly become one of the easiest and fastest ways to advertise virtually anything. More than 750 million people use Facebook every day, making it the most popular Web site on the Internet. It would be unwise for any company, large or small, not to use social media. By creating profiles on sites like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, you can personify your organization and instantly become more appealing to existing and potential customers and clients. Customers can get updates immediately through the use of these profiles, making them feel more connected with the company. It would also be beneficial to create a blog and be active on other blogs. The more active your business is on social media, the more likely people will remember it. This marketing technique is incredibly useful, and it is free to create most social profiles.

Managing Organizational Conflict

Despite the size of an organization, product or service offered, or whether the organization is a non-profit or for-profit business, there are an array of challenges that can (and likely, will) affect every organization at some point. Organizational conflict is inevitable, but conflict can potentially add value to the organization and its members by testing and refining ideas. The key is to be prepared for these challenges and have a plan of action in place to handle them if and when they do occur. Potential organizational challenges include conflict that arises between co-workers, employees and managers, as well as employees and the organization as a whole (disagreement with organizational values and/or structure). The most effective way to handle organizational conflict is to have a dispute resolution system in place prior to the occurrence of any conflict. Everyone in the organization should be made aware of the dispute resolution system and how it works.

Dispute Resolution System

One of the most important aspects of an effective dispute resolution system is inclusiveness. A dispute resolution system should include all members of the organization—from the CEO to administrative assistants to the sanitation staff. Organization members should also be reminded that no one is exempt from dispute resolution so everyone feels as though they can solve disputes with employees at every level within the organization. Most dispute resolution systems involve some sort of mediation.

Before conflicts are brought to the attention of management, self-mediation between conflicting parties should be strongly recommended. Employees can often resolve conflicts themselves when discussed on a formal platform. If self-mediation does not resolve the conflict, upper management should begin the dispute resolution process. Regardless of the intricate details involved in an organization’s dispute resolution system, the first step to resolving conflict is identifying the cause of the dispute. Instead of focusing on smaller issues, those in charge of the mediation process should attempt to uncover any deep, underlying issues that may be at the core of the conflict, such as varying communication styles, jealousy, prejudices, etc. If the conflict can be resolved by referencing the company policy, conflicting parties should be notified of the company policy, and be formally reminded of the policy and how it relates to the conflict at hand. Otherwise, an uninvolved third party should act as a mediator for the conflicting parties. The mediator should remain neutral at all times, and simply facilitate the discussion between the conflicting parties, ensuring that each party is given an opportunity to voice their opinions about the matter at hand. A record of all mediation sessions should be kept. Upper management should also be kept abreast of the resolution status.

Avoiding Conflict

Many challenges that organizations experience are due to the organization’s lack of valuing its own diversity. Whether that diversity is present through different cultures, sexes, or generations, organizations must learn to value the unique perspectives and contributions of all of its members. All too often organizations continue to approach situations in one particular way, because that is the way that it has worked in the past or the way it has always been done. Valuing employee input can help strengthen organizations—management just has to be open. Creating an environment where employees feel like they have a voice and a real purpose within the organization can help avoid conflict and result in a thriving organization.

Why keeping up with the Joneses can be detrimental to your business

Unique tactics set your business a part from competitors.

Monitoring the strategies and tactics utilized by your competitors is necessary in the process of developing your company’s unique strategy. Evaluation of competitors can help your company stay abreast of various industry trends, which can help you meet your customers at the point of need. Examining different techniques used by similar companies, as well as increased or decreased sales and popularity during the time that the tactic was used can help you gauge whether similar techniques may be of value for your company as well. However, when developing your marketing and publicity campaign strategy, be careful not to completely mimic the tactics used by your competitors.

For instance, if you are planning to open up an ice cream shop and found that the ice cream shop down the street experienced increased media exposure after it hosted a free lunch-time ice cream social for workers in the area, it would not be wise to do the same ice cream social/free giveaway type event. First of all, no one likes a copy cat. The public and the media can see right through a business that does not really have anything unique to offer. While it is true that everyone loves to get something for free, at best you may get a few people who stop by to grab a free ice cream cone and leave. The media surely will not cover an event that has been done before, so rather than reaching the workers and the entire coverage area of the news station that covered the story as the original ice cream store had, your exposure will be limited to those who pass by; not to mention the added cost of providing tons of free ice cream with little if any return in generated publicity. Even if your ice cream is better than your competitor’s, you may experience less than stellar results for using an old idea.

Aside from not producing the desired results, there are other, more severe consequences to not developing a solid marketing and publicity strategy that is unique to your company. The fact is, all companies are different. While it may seem that two ice cream shops that are a block a part with similar products, pricing and customers could successfully utilize practically the same plan, there are many other factors that affect the success of tactics that must be considered.

In my aforementioned scenario I did not mention how long the first ice cream shop had been in business. If the shop was well established, chances are the company has loyal customers that would turn out for almost any event. It may not be as easy to get those same customers to come to your new ice cream shop. It is also possible that the ice cream social coincided with a company anniversary or other unique milestone, which may generate more attention from the media than the opening of your ice cream shop. Longevity often wins over something new, unless your business idea is truly unique (an ice shop is typically not considered a revolutionary idea). In addition to knowing the circumstances under which a tactic was successful, it is also important to take note of when the tactic was successful. Maybe the ice cream social was held prior to the construction of a shopping mall in the area. Now that the mall is near, a lot of workers use their lunch break to shop, so hosting an event during lunch may not be a great idea—even if it is free.

In the end, trying to keep up with the Joneses, or doing everything your competition does, can be detrimental because all businesses are unique. Find what makes your business special and use your tactics to draw attention to your strengths. If you are a soccer-mom-turned-business-woman and are new to the ice cream business, capitalize on what you know. How about offering a play place or noon story and ice cream hour for parents and children who visit your shop?

Learn how Writings by Design can help you develop and execute a strategic marketing and publicity campaign that is unique to your company.

SBA Women-Owned Small Businesses Contractor Program

If your business has 51 percent female ownership, you could be eligible for new government contracts. On February 4, 2011, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced a new contracting program for women-owned small businesses (WOSB). The first contracts that will be awarded under the SBA program are expected to be awarded by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011, according to the SBA. Find out if you qualify and learn how to apply. Some economically disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSB) also qualify for the program.

Obtaining a Business License

Now that you’ve decided what type of business you would like to go in, it’s time to make it official. All businesses need at least one local, state or federal license to legally operate in the United States, so the next step is to obtain a business license for the state in which you would like to do business, which is actually a fairly quick and easy process.

Laws vary state-to-state, but typically your state’s secretary of state’s Web site is where you should begin. Conduct a simple search in your favorite search engine to find the Web address for your secretary of state. Once you have arrived on the appropriate site, there will be various business licenses available for you to choose from.

After choosing the appropriate license(s), you will be taken to a screen that will enable you to download the forms you need to apply for your license. Fill out all of the forms associated with applying for your particular license. Prior to submitting your application, make a copy to keep for your records. Some states allow you to submit forms electronically, while others require forms to be mailed. Either way, make sure the full fees are submitted with your application. After your application is submitted, the approval process generally will take a few weeks to complete. Once your license is approved, you will receive your business license in the mail, and can begin conducting business.

Make sure you take note of whether the license must be renewed on a regular basis. If so, keep track of the renewal dates and be sure to renew your license prior to expiration, as there are serious penalties and fines for businesses that operate without appropriate licenses. Also keep a copy of your license for your business records. Many states require business owners to display their licenses so they are visible to customers and clients. If this is a requirement for your particular license, be sure to do so, as not displaying a license when it is required is also considered a serious violation.

It is important to note, if you ever expand your business or its products and/or service offerings, you may need additional licenses. Prior to any expansion projects, you may want to check to see if any additional licenses are required for your business, just to play it safe. If your business is involved in activities supervised and regulated by a federal agency, you will probably also need to obtain a federal license, according to the Small Business Administration.

Servant Leadership: Leading the Way Through Servitude

Servant leadership is having the desire to not only lead, but to do so in an ethical manner. I am aware that this could mean a variety of things for many people, but to me, it means making decisions that will benefit those within the organization as well as the organization as a whole, and putting the wellbeing of the organization and its members before self. It also means taking the necessary measures to ensure proper growth of the organization and its members—whether it is through additional training at the expense of the organization, or simply taking time out of one’s day to ensure that organization members feel worthwhile.  Servant leadership has become more attractive in recent years because people are beginning to realize that while an organization can achieve success under a tyrannical leader, this success will be limited and short lived. The most successful organizations are comprised of content members. This can only be achieved through servant leadership.  

The primary problem with leadership is that some leaders have shown resistance to encouraging the growth of those around them. The desire for constituents’ success in and outside of the workplace, and longing for them to become competent leaders in society is a prime example of servitude while in a leadership role. 

Building Relationships with Constituents

In the stages to becoming a servant leader, one is first dependent, then becomes independent, and then ultimately becomes interdependent with his or her constituents and the organization as the leader strives to support others and the institution. The principle of interdependence is a critical aspect of servant leadership, because without this relationship, success will be stifled. In order to move into the final stage of interdependence, servant leaders must build a rapport, which then leads to building a strong relationship with their constituents, which is mutually beneficial for the company, the leader, and its constituents. In order to achieve this level of success, it is necessary for the leader to show the constituents that they are cared about outside of the success of the organization—as an individual.

Evaluating Servant Leadership

So the question is, “How does one determine success of servant leadership”? Although servant leadership is a foreign management philosophy for some leaders, as desired results are achieved, more and more people have accepted this type of leadership. Content, high-performing employees validate servant leadership. While this unconventional style of leadership is not accepted by everyone, results are measureable, and after continued success, the servant leadership style can become more accepted into ones particular work environment.

Strategies for Effective Intercultural Communication

In today’s society, diversity in the workplace is a fact of life. The probability of organization members coming from diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as customers and clients coming from diverse cultural backgrounds is very high. That said, the way in which organizations communicate, both internally and externally, must reflect this changing demographic, because communication is greatly affected by culture.

Becoming an effective intercultural communicator does not just happen by chance. To the contrary, in order to become an effective intercultural communicator, one must be motivated, and take the necessary steps to do so. These steps include becoming transcultured, asking oneself what preconceived notions about the other person’s culture may hinder the communication process, letting go of any ethnocentrism, and simplifying the meaning of culture to understand the communicator for who they are as a person. While following these steps can help one increase their effectiveness as an intercultural communicator, it is imperative to remember that just as communication is an ongoing process, becoming an effective intercultural communicator is also an ongoing process that takes work.

In order for effective intercultural communication to be achieved, there has to be a shift in consciousness and the identity of the self on the part of the communicator—a hybridization of consciousness and identity, meaning that the communicator must make a conscious effort to open one’s self up to understanding, which may actually alter the communicator’s identity.

               

Becoming an effective intercultural communicator also involves making a conscious effort to avoid communication dissonance. Prior to interacting with a person from another culture, or during the communication exchange, one should ask oneself the following questions to ensure that no preconceived notions or biases exists that may hinder the communication process:

• What preconceived notions do I have about this person based on social identity characteristics (whether we seem different or similar)?
• Are those notions positive, negative, or neutral?
• What’s the source of those preconceptions?
• Will my preconceptions facilitate or impede communication?
•  Am I open to learning about this person and myself during this interaction? Why or why not?
• Am I willing to be changed as a result of this interaction or experience?
• What communication tools can I use to try to create genuine communication

The next step to increased effective intercultural communication is to attempt to let go of any ethnocentric feelings you may have. While many of us may feel as though we do not have any ethnocentric feelings or ideas, that is, esteeming one’s nationality, culture, or ethnicity above another’s, taking a moment to truly examine one’s way of thinking could reveal otherwise. In a multicultural setting, simply assuming that one’s own culturally-accepted gestures or style of communication is appropriate to use amongst others is a form of ethnocentrism. Therefore, one must strive to be aware of the accepted verbal and nonverbal communication for various cultures, and not esteem verbal and nonverbal communication in one’s owns culture over others. This is similar to cultural relativism, in which all social practices are equally good. However, unlike cultural relativism, the goal of effective intercultural communication is not to state that all cultural practices are good, but to strive to develop an intercultural consciousness and understand others in order to enhance communication to increase understanding amongst all communicators.

Another way to improve intercultural communication, both internally and externally, is to simplify the situation. Culture is a very complex topic, but viewing culture as simply a community of practice, histories of community of practice, a way of doing things, and as a community in general can help organization members find ways to communicate in a more effective manner with diverse organization members and customers and clients. The key is to understand the individuals’ communities and to communicate with them in a way that would be acceptable or appreciated in their community. To understand what is culturally acceptable in another’s community, one must make it his or her responsibility to become aware of what the social norms are in the other person’s culture. This could include minor research or casual observation. However, jumping to conclusions could be detrimental and result in communication dissonance. To avoid jumping to conclusions, one should take cues from the other people he or she is communicating with, or if the relationship is close enough as in a co-worker-to-co-worker relationship, sometimes it is ok to simply ask what styles or methods of communication are preferred or appropriate in various situations.

J. Mariah Brown is the owner and editor-in-chief of Writings by Design, LLC. To learn more about how Writings by Design can help your business flourish, please visit us at http://www.writingsbydesign.com, email your question to inquiry@writingsbydesign.com or call 866-937-2361.     

Managing Ethical Dilemmas

In the day-to-day operations of a business, all leaders are faced with ethical issues. Ethical issues range from determining which employees deserve promotions to more complex issues, such as serving a client with a potentially unethical request. Regardless of their complexity, all ethical issues that arise in the workplace should be carefully examined, and handled with care, as the determinations of these ethical issues can lead to the growth or demise of a company. 

Critical Thinking and Emotion

While some dismiss emotion when processing moral dilemmas, emotion is intrinsic to the ethical decision process. According to theorists Gaudine and Thorne, “Emotion is often a non-essential aspect to the ethical decision process that is best ignored, if not controlled, as it interferes with logical, rational ethical decision process…but emotions should not be ignored as irrational biases to a rational ethical decision process, but attention to ones emotions may result in a better ethical decision.” While the consideration of emotions is not the only necessary aspect of the critical thinking process when working through ethical problems in the workplace, including emotions in this process actually strengthens the cognitive analysis of ethical dilemmas.

Ethics, Credibility and Relationships

Ethically sound leadership is directly correlated to increased credibility and stronger relationships within organizations, as strong ethics result in increased credibility, which then builds lasting relationships with team members. Treating employees and situations in an ethical manner will help leaders gain credibility and build stronger relationships. Many theorists believe that “late stage” managers are actually more ethical than their less developed counterparts, and these late stage managers and entrepreneurs develop their own ethical systems based on the varying interactions and environmental changes, rather than holding steadfast to a particular way or formula for coping with workplace dilemmas. As managers move through developmental stages and become more ethical, the community is strengthened, which can also be interpreted as the key component of unity within strong organizations.

As credibility is increased, the building of strong relationships naturally follows. Organizational leaders who are perceived to have a high level of credibility are admired and respected by their constituents. This increased credibility of leaders also makes the admiring constituents feel more worthy, and feel as though they are valued. This sense of being valued leads to increased loyalty and a strong relationship between leaders and their constituents. Therefore we can see how sound ethics leads to increased credibility, which leads to relationship building. Rather than acting as tyrant, ethical leaders create a collaborative environment and a feeling of being a part of a team for all members of the organization, regardless of rank or position. It is a continuous cycle. If one aspect is missing—ethical behavior, credibility or relationship—it will be very difficult for the other aspect to exist.

What Investors Really Want to Know

Whether you have been in business for ten years or ten days, approaching potential investors is all about selling yourself. You may have the best product on the market, or a revolutionary service or idea, but if you do not effectively explain what investors really want to know, your chances of obtaining funding for your start-up business or expansion project are slim to none.

To increase your business’ chances of obtaining funding, provide the following pertinent information about your business in all materials you provide to the investors, including the business plan and funding request letter:

• Strength of Management—Showing the level of expertise of the owner(s) and managers can help put the lender’s mind at ease, and increase your chances of getting funding for your business; which is especially imperative for start-up businesses.
• Strength of Brand—Showing proof of an established, strong company brand is critical in this process. A company Web site with traceable traffic generation information, evidence of discussion of your products or services and company on online forums, or other proof of market awareness of your brand can strengthen the lender’s confidence that your company will flourish. In some cases, company brands can be used as collateral, if deemed strong enough.
• Business Strategy—Development and showcasing of a sound business strategy will show your potential lenders that you business has direction and sustainability. The only way lenders can picture where your business will be in the next 5, 10 or 20 years is if you show them.
• Target Market—You must effectively convey the fact that you know whom your target market is for your business’ products and/or services. Your business can offer the most revolutionary products or services, but targeting these products and services to the wrong niche market will lead to the inevitable demise of your business. Conduct thorough research to determine the demographic information for your target audience. Potential lenders will trust that this will be a common practice for your business in the future, which will enable you to keep up with changing markets—leading to the longevity of your business.
• Competition—Just as in the case of understanding your target market, if you show your potential lender that you  understand who your competition is, the lender will believe that you will consistently conduct research to keep up with industry trends, and offer cutting-edge products and services to contend with top competitors.
• Big Name Clients—Having well-known clients in your repertoire simply means that it will be easy for your company to continue to consistently attract more companies of similar stature.
• Innovation—Supplying the same products and services to crowded markets is the best way to have a business that never quite gets off the ground. Develop innovative products or services that will ensure new clients (and lenders) will come flocking to your business.
• Intellectual Property—Along with innovation, showing actual ownership of a product design or service idea will further demonstrate that your company will be bringing something new to your particular industry or market, which increases the long-term stability of your company.
• Recommendations—If other financial institutions and businesses trust your business, lenders will be more apt to trust your business as well. Slipping in a few solid recommendations could be the difference between an approved application and a denied application.

Effectively Utilizing Computer Mediated Communication for Your Business

Knowing when you should make a call versus email is critical.

Computer mediated communication (CMC)—communication through the use of technology, such as text messaging, social media Web sites and so on—enables businesses to easily and quickly distribute messages to the masses. I love technology, and am always the first to purchase little gadgets and software to make business (and life in general) flow a little easier. I do, however, realize that there are certain key aspects that are missing when I choose to send an email to a client rather than picking up my phone and calling; or better yet, meet in person for a face-to-face meeting.

While some experts argue that CMC can sometimes help people develop deeper relationships than that of face-to-face communication, I beg to differ. Face-to-face communication is a complex process, in which physical markers and non-verbal cues greatly affect the receiver’s interpretation of a message—that is what makes it unique. Even when a genuine connection is seemingly made through CMC, that connection can quickly dissolve unless the communicators attempt to transition to face-to-face communication.

The critical error is perceiving one form of communication—either face-to-face or CMC—as “better” or “worse” than the other. In order to truly master effective communication in both face-to-face and CMC situations, we must realize that both serve different purposes and must be treated as such. There is a time and a place for email; situations where video conferencing is appropriate and times when text messaging is OK. Although the three aforementioned forms of communication are CMC, they still are very different—just as when comparing face-to-face and CMC. Methods of communication are vehicles for various messages. Sometimes it is better to take the scenic route on a train (traditional hand-written letter), even though I may be able to get to my destination a little faster on a plane (email); it just depends on the overall experience I wish to get from the communication (and the experience I would like the receiver of the message to have as well).

While technology has made staying in nearly constant contact with customers and clients, as well as potential customers and clients, a breeze, never forget the importance of face-to-face communication. Depending on your type of business, this may be more difficult for some than others. If you sell a product from a physical store, it will be much easier for you to make a connection with customers via face-to-face communication. On the other hand, if you are a business-to-business supply company, or sell services or products via the Internet, you may have to be a little creative. Physical distance can make meeting with clients in person rather difficult. If you are unable to periodically meet with clients in person, video conferencing tools can help you personify your organization and make a true connection with clients—which will inevitably lead to the increased longevity of your business.

J. Mariah Brown is the owner of Writings by Design, LLC. To learn more about how Writings by Design can help your business connect with customers, clients and other key stakeholders, please visit us at www.writingsbydesign.com, email your question to inquiry@writingsbydesign.com or call us at (866) 937-2361.