Having gone through various check lists we now need to look at getting your business noticed! There are a lot of competitors out there so why should I look at your business rather than theirs, what is it that attracts me to your business and what will make me recommend you to others?

I have, over the years tried most methods for getting my business noticed, some have been more successful than others, and so, this is a personal view of what has worked for me! You need is a good return on investment (ROI) and something that you personally feel comfortable with; it is no good making a video if you are shy!

Therefore these are my top five ways to get noticed:

• Website
• Networking
• Referrals / Word of mouth
• Flyers / Postcards
• Advertising / Marketing.


Website: Your website is your shop window and, as such should reflect you, your business and your values. It should be bright, attractive and informative, simple to navigate and whet the appetite. Look at the ones that attract you and build on that; get other people's views and understand what the main points are that make people want to know more. Nowadays you can easily build your own or there are many web builders who will do it for you; it all depends on your budget and how much control you want to exercise.

Networking: There is no easy way to do this, you need to meet and greet and get known. Recently I was given a good tip, if you are hesitant about meeting people when you go to a meeting; imagine you are the host and behave as such by introducing yourself, greeting people and introducing them to others! Remember people buy from people, so don't be push yourself but rather build rapport and see what transpires. There are lots of networking sites and groups; Ecademy is a good start!

Referrals / Word of mouth: This follows on naturally from above; if you get a reputation for being personable and delivering, word will soon spread and you will find this form of magnetic marketing the best ROI of all!

Flyers / postcards: The reason that so many flyers are from takeaway businesses is because everyone at sometime has a takeaway and therefore it is worth the effort, however there is a view that these are a waste of time for the majority of Businesses and can easily become paper spam! This is the case if you have an untargeted audience but with careful use they can be an aide memoir when people are looking for the service you provide. Furthermore, postcards stand out from the normal business cards and may provide that edge over your competitors you are looking for!

Advertising / Marketing: As mentioned above, this can be fruitless if it is not researched or beneficial if it is selective and targeted. You need to know your target audience, what appeals to them, what they read and where they go. A well placed advert can give a great ROI whereas a badly placed one can be expensive and damaging!

Until next time,

Malcolm 

www.one4oneconsultants.com

Some questions and Answers!

Last time I said I would be looking at some of the Questions, so let's begin!

Q: When you started the company you had some aims and objectives. Have you achieved them?
A: If not, why not, are they still relevant?
C: We often set targets/aims & objectives, that are too easy or too difficult and then forget them! It is important that you set targets that are Demanding, Interesting & Moveable (DIM) and review them regularly against performance. Your targets should be visible and broken down into small time-related sections that can be reviewed regularly (monthly). If you don't achieve a target you have to decide if it is still relevant and re-schedule it or no longer required and can be discarded.

Q: Do you put your suppliers in competition?
A: Yes, at least annually
C: We have loyalty to most of our Suppliers, however it is important to remember that you are in Business to make a profit and not be a Charity! I am not advocating change for changes sake, but rather checking to see you are getting value for money and if your supplier is effective & efficient or if there is another one who can meet your needs better; after all this is what your Customers do!
If, following your investigation, you find a seemingly better Supplier do let your current one know your findings and give them the opportunity to respond; in that way you should keep your reputation for being fair and get the best deal!

Q: Do you have an overdraft? Do you negotiate your overdraft? Do you check your accountant's work?
A: Yes
C: I have put these together as there is a natural link and they are current! It is important to remember the Bank is there to serve your needs and today it is easy to "shop around" for the best deal. I used to think loyalty was a benefit, but I have long since discounted that ideal and, in the light of recent activities, I believe even more strongly that there is a case to answer! Therefore, make an appointment, ask what they can do for you to make your Business successful; negotiate your overdraft and, if they do not give you a good deal, look elsewhere. There are many alternatives including at least one that will give you free Business banking for life!
The same rule is true for your Accountant; what do they do for you, do they expect you to give them the information which they simply collate or do they do everything themselves? As a very rough guide if you are paying more that £1,000 - £1,200 pa it is worth reviewing!

Next time I will be looking at ways of getting your Business noticed!

by the way are you reading my other Blog for StevenageLocalBusiness?

http://stevenagelocalbusiness.blogspot.com/

Planning-Step iii

I hope by now you are starting to plan on a regular basis; here is step 3…

DAILY PLANNING
• At the beginning of each day, review your progress on yesterday's work, and note priority items for today.
• Spend a few minutes adjusting tasks to work on today.
• Order the day's tasks by priority level: I use the ABC system: A = Priority and must be done today; B = Important but does not have to be completed today and C = Low importance, can be delegated or re-scheduled later.
• Schedule items that will require more concentration for the time of day that you work best.
• Leave roughly 20 percent of your time unscheduled to make room for new items, delays, etc.
• Start with your top-priority item and work on it as long as you can or until it's completed. Once you've tackled your #1 job, move on to the next highest priority on your list.
When you put daily action to your plan, your goals will be dealt with efficiently & effectively!

Next time I'll look at some ways to overcome common faults.

To your success,

Malcolm

Planning-Step ii

I Hope step 1 was useful, onto step 2:

WEEKLY PLANNING
• Set aside half an hour every Friday afternoon, that's when I do it, or Monday morning to plan for the following week.
• Look over the goals you've set for the week, and consider any additional tasks that you need to accomplish.
• Divide tasks planned into steps, and choose a day to work on each step.
• Make note of previously scheduled meetings and appointments & check if there is any overlap, if so re-schedule.
• Be sure that your weekly routine includes activities that are directly related to your goals.
I use a colour code: Green money earning activities. Yellow: Preparation, training and work related activities and Pink: Personal activities.
Let me know the ways you have found that work for you!
The final stage, step 3 next time.
To your success,
Malcolm

Planning: the first steps.

So you want success and you know it begins with planning, but as Chris Widener says, "Don't mistake movement for achievement." It's easy to pretend and fool yourself by being busy! The important question is: Busy doing what?

Planning each day, every week, and every month takes you one step closer to your goals; but only if you are planning action, putting that action in your plan and doing it!

So, let's start with the first step:

Monthly Planning.

· Reserve one hour at the end of each month to plan for the coming month and review last month.

· Survey your goals for the next month and your progress so far.

· Break goals and projects down into easy steps you can accomplish each week / month.

· Designate specific due dates for completing interim steps and a final due date to finish.

· If what you plan will take several months, divide it into steps to accomplish each week / month.

Step 2 next time!

Have you made a Plan?

Do you want Success in your Business? Have you made your Plan?
One of the most important things you can do is make sure you know where you are going! However, that's not much good if you don't know how you're going to get there....so do you want to become (more) successful? Then remember:

All successful people became successful, because they gave some talent or ability in the service of others. You can contribute in some way to others, no matter how small your talent. You too, can become successful.
No one achieves success without being of service. Successful people don't use others, other people use the successful, for above all success is about service.
Everyone has to be someone to someone to be anyone. Service is the essence of success.

More on how next time!