Are You a Small Business Teacher or a Small Business Preacher?

July 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Are You a Small Business Teacher or a Small Business Preacher?When you think about it, there’s a lot in common between teachers and preachers.

Teachers dispense information to their class; preachers impart their own belief system on their congregation.

Students look to their teacher for knowledge; the congregation looks to their preacher for answers.

Teachers share their knowledge; preachers share their convictions.

But, there is one huge difference between the two. Teachers teach and preachers preach.

A teacher’s ultimate goal is to help their students understand difficult concepts, theories and notions. The best teachers don’t lecture; instead they immerse their students’ in the entire learning experience.

A preacher’s job is to passionately motivate their congregation to accept their ideology. They accomplish this goal by talking to them. (Although, the congregation might join in with a few “amens” along the way.)

Obviously, I’m simplifying both teachers and preachers. In fact, I know teachers who preach and preachers who teach. But, bear with me as I drive down stereotypical lane for now.

Most small business owners are preachers. They talk at their prospects. They tell their prospects what to believe. And they stand at their small business pulpit spewing out information in a loud, bellowing voice.

Prospects hate small business owners who follow the preacher model. They’re not interested in listening to a long-winded sermon about when the company was founded, where the company resides and why they’re such a top-notch operation. (You can probably see a few of them nodding off in the back row.)

Your prospects aren’t interested in you or your spectacular small business. Not really.

Prospects are interested in solving their own problems. However, the only way that a problem can be solved is when the prospect learns new information. And obviously, in order to learn new information it needs to be taught.

Here’s a 3-step process to move out of preaching mode and into teaching mode:

1.    Pinpoint your prospects’ pain points.

It’s your job as a small business owner to identify the most pressing problems that your potential prospects and clients face.  Let them know that you understand and empathize with them. Even better, show them that you once faced the very same problems yourself.

2.    Offer the solution.

A great teacher uses as many tools and strategies as possible to reach their students. The small business owner should do the same. Help educate your prospects through a variety of channels such as social media, articles, press releases, videos and audios. You can never teach your prospects too much information. It’s completely impossible.

3.    Allow time for the education to take hold.

It takes time to learn new concepts. Accept that is will take your prospects time to fully digest all that you are teaching them. It doesn’t happen overnight.

Don’t try and force them to make a purchase before their ready. If they haven’t completely soaked in all the important concepts about how your product or service can best serve them, then they’re just not ready.

Take a good look at yourself as a small business owner and decide if you follow the teacher model or the preacher model. And don’t be too hard on yourself, 90% of small business owners are stuck preaching to their prospects.

However, the most successful small businesses focus on education first; sales second.

Filed Under: shoestring marketing tips, small business marketing Tagged With: , , ,

Good, Fast or Cheap

July 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Good, Fast or CheapI was walking into a local print shop and immediately noticed the sign hanging on their door,

“Good, Fast or Cheap – You Can Have Two, But Not All Three.”

This sign isn’t just some great motto that the owner made up on the fly. It’s actually a well-researched theory that many smart small business owners have been practicing for years.

The bottom line is that if you try to meet every need of every customer, you’re going to burn out. It’s pretty much as simple as that.

I know that when I first started Shoestring Marketing, I was convinced that even if other small business owners couldn’t deliver all three, I certainly could.

And, there are countless other small business owners who have fallen into this trap as well.

Of course you want to offer the best customer service around. You want to deliver top-quality, low-priced products quick as lightening. But, it really is an impossible situation.

In the early days of launching my small business, I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off. I was barely covering costs, meeting unreasonable requests while still doling out top-quality products and services.

It didn’t take me long to discover that I couldn’t do it all. If I was going to stay in business, then things would have to change. And the top change would be eliminating the customers who try to get as much as they can for as little as possible.

I now only work with customers and clients who are respectful, courteous and don’t expect everything for nothing.

Therefore, as you put together your marketing materials, be crystal clear on exactly what your customers can expect from you. You don’t want to be vague in this department.

Through your website, blog, sales brochures and other marketing materials, your customers should know that they can pick two of the three: good, fast or cheap.

Let your customers know, that here’s what they can expect:

Good + Fast = Expensive

If you want top-quality delivered quickly, it can be done. But, don’t expect it to be cheap.

Good + Cheap = Slow

If you want top-quality, but don’t want to pay a premium price, then you’ll need to wait.

Fast + Cheap = Inferior

If you want it delivered fast and you want a discounted price, then be prepared for inferior quality.

Once your prospects know what to expect from you, both their life and your life will be much easier.

Filed Under: shoestring marketing tips, small business marketing Tagged With: , , ,

How to Create a Sales Page that Sells

July 7, 2011 By 1 Comment

As a passionate small business owner, you are delighted with your product or service. You’ve undoubtedly poured an immense amount of valuable time and energy creating it, and you couldn’t be prouder unless you had actually given birth to it.

So, now you’re ready to show your prized possession to the world.

But, there’s one gigantic problem. Once your prospects encounter your product or service, how can you convince them that your product is as wonderful and amazing as you know it is?

Not to worry. It’s called a sales page and if you can count to seven, you can create one using this simple 7-step formula.

Filed Under: shoestring marketing tips, small business marketing Tagged With: , ,

50 Ways to get more Facebook “Likes”

July 6, 2011 By 13 Comments

50 Ways to get more Facebook “Likes”If you have a Facebook Page for your small business, it doesn’t take long to realize that you need people to “like” your page before you can do much of anything.

Here are 50 ways to directly (and indirectly) get more folks to “like” your Facebook page:

1)    Create a vanity URL.

Instead of using the default Facebook URL, you eventually need to have a vanity URL that clearly describes your small business. Once you have 25 page “likes”, you can create a custom URL.

2)    Upload a memorable picture.

The picture area on the left-hand side of your page is valuable marketing space, so let the creative juices flow. Upload a picture that gives your prospects a visually stimulating look at your small business brand.

Your picture size can be 520px wide and any height that you would like. You can download DreamGrow’s great cheat sheet to help you understand the Facebook picture dimensions.

3)    Let your fans vote.

There’s nothing better than allowing your fans the chance to vote. It’s a great way to create user engagement around a hot industry topic. You can use the Easy Vote application to create your polls.

4)    Integrate plugins into your page.

There are thousands of plugins that can enhance the overall experience of your Facebook page. Take a look at some of the more popular plugins on the Facebook developer page.

5)    Invite your email subscribers.

Ask your email list to “like” your Facebook page. Of course, if you offer some type of incentive, this will only increase the amount of likes you receive from your list.

6)    Include a Facebook “like” button in your ezine.

If you send out a regular newsletter or ezine, you should always have a prominent “like” button embedded in a prominent location.

7)    Suggest your page to friends.

You can use the “suggest to friends” feature of your page to send out a request to your friends to “like” your page. However, make sure that you are only suggesting your page to folks that you know so that you don’t come across as a spammer.

8)    Update your status at least once a day.

If people are going to “like” you, then they need to see that you’re active within you page.  Make sure to update your status at least once a day (and even more if possible).

9)    Drive visitors to your page from your blog.

Whenever you post to your blog, encourage your readers to become a Facebook Fan at the end of the post.

10)    Include Facebook Share button on your blog.

Your blog should allow your readers to easily share your content with their Facebook friends. A great share plugin for WordPress is Share This.

11)    Include a link in your email signature.

Every time you send out an email, you should have a link to your Facebook page embedded in your signature.

12)    Invite fans to join via SMS.

Your fans can join your fan page via text message. Once you secure your Facebook vanity URL users simply send a text message to 32665 (FBOOK) and include the words “fan yourusername” (minus the quotes).

13)    Create a landing page.

When new visitors land on your Facebook page, it’s important that they don’t land on your wall. Instead, create a static landing page that gives them a succinct overview of your small business and what they can expect if they “like” you.

Here’s an awesome example of a landing page from Red Bull.

14)    Make a welcome video.

When new visitors land on your page, there’s nothing like a welcome video to entice them to join. Your video should be 3-5 minutes long and describe the benefits of “liking” your page.

15)    Interact with your fans.

There’s nothing worse than landing on a Facebook page in which the administrative doesn’t respond or interact with the fans. If you want more fans, then you need to interact with your fans in a variety of ways.

16)    Embed “how-to” videos on your site.

Videos are hot, hot, hot right now. Record a few “how-to” videos and embed them on your site. Your fans will love it!

17)    Use pictures.

Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words, so upload pictures about you and your small business.

18)    Upload audios or podcasts.

If you produce podcasts or audios of any kind, don’t forget to add them to your Facebook page for additional reasons for fans to “like” you.

19)    Use Slideshare.

Create a quick PowerPoint that educates your target market. Upload it to Slideshare and share it on Facebook.

20)    Run a contest.

There’s nothing quite like a contest to get loads of new “likes” to your Facebook page. Using the Wildfire app, you can create a contest around any topic imaginable.

21)    Include a link to your Facebook page on your business card.

There are now quite a few companies that print your Facebook URL right on your business card. Here are a few examples from Zazzle.

22)    Display a placard at your front desk.

If you run a physical business, place a placard inviting your customers to join your Facebook page. You can even offer them a coupon or other incentive to join.

23)    Add a Facebook badge to your website or blog

Don’t forget to add a Facebook badge to your website or blog in a very prominent location.

24)    Link to your page as your place of employment.

Now that the info box under your profile picture has been phased out, you can add a static link to your page under employment.  Once you do this your Facebook Page will appear under your name on your Profile Page.

25)    Offer an incentive for people to “like” you.

If you want more “likes”, then you will need to give visitors a valuable incentive to become a fan. You could give-away an ebook, whitepaper, video or coupons.

26)    Install a Facebook “Like Box” on your site.

Installing a “Like Box” allows visitors to become your fan without leaving your website or blog.

27)    Include a link to your page in forums.

If you are active in forums, make sure to include a link to your Facebook page.

28)    Connect your page to Twitter.

Connecting your Facebook Page to Twitter is a simple way to convert your Twitter followers into Facebook fans.

29)    Hook up your RSS Feed.

Using an app from Involver, you can syndicate your blog to the news tab on your Facebook page and utilize the power of blogs and updatable content to widen your reach and encourage people to join your conversation.

30)    Connect your YouTube channel.

Deliver video directly to your social networks by incorporating your YouTube channel as a tab on your Facebook page.

31)    Use a Facebook link in your blog comments.

Include a link to your Facebook Page when you comment on blogs.

32)    Press releases.

Include a link to your Facebook Page in an upcoming Press Release.

33)    On-line or off-line articles.

Whenever you publish and article, include a link to your Facebook page in your author’s bio box.

34)    Link to your Facebook page from your Linkedin profile.

LinkedIn allows you three slots on your profile to include outside links. You should write the anchor text as a “call to action” such as: Join my Facebook Page for exciting Shoestring Marketing updates

35)    Track your growth with Facebook insights.

Facebook insights helps you analyze what activities drive the most growth so that you can duplicate your most successful activities.

36)    Analyze your demographics with Facebook insights.

Facebook insights allows you to analyze the demographic make-up of your Facebook fans. This important information will help you target your ideal market more closely.

37)    Make a Facebook window sign.

Bluesky has created a fun window sign that you can use to entice folks to “like” your page.

38)    Ask your customers or clients to become fans.

Don’t forget to ask your current customers and clients to “like” your Facebook page. They are often your biggest fans!

39)    Use status tagging.

Use status tagging by entering the @ sign, then typing the name of the page or person you want to tag.

40)    Promote your events.

Through EventBrite, you can let your Facebook fans know about upcoming live or virtual events.

41)    Use Hootsuite to manage your page.

Sometimes a little organization goes a long way. Use the free application Hootsuite to manage your Facebook page from one location.

42)    Host a “fan of the month” promotion.

To encourage active fans, you might consider running a “fan of the month” promotion that highlights your most active and involved fans.

43)    Remind your friends to “like” and “share” your content.

Facebook has simple sharing buttons that make it easy-as-pie for people to promote your page to their network of friends. Remind your fans to click the “share” button so that their friends will also receive your updates.

44)    Publish testimonials.

iEndorse allows you to use testimonials as a way to build trust with your visitors.

45)    Use “fan-only” coupons and promotions.

A great incentive for visitors to “like” your page is to offer “fan-only” coupons and promotions. You can grab a great coupon app at Klout.

46)    Include a FAQ page.

This simple FAQ application allows your users to ask questions for you to answer.

47)    Offer a quiz.

Who doesn’t like to take a fun quiz? You can create a fun quiz for your fans through the Quiz Maker app.

48)    Create a contact form.

Your visitors will feel more inclined to “like” your page, if they notice that there is a way to contact you and your small business. You can create a simple contact form through the Contact Me Contact Form .

49)    Deliver an amazing user experience.

Your Facebook Page should be a place filled with content, information and education that will help your visitors solve their most pressing problems.

50)    Be a social participant.

Although delivering useful content is important, it’s equally important for your fans to see you as a real person behind your small business. So go ahead and be a bit transparent allowing your connections to get to know you in a meaningful way.

So, if you’re looking for ways to increase your Facebook fan-count, this little list should keep you busy!

Filed Under: shoestring marketing tips, small business marketing, social media marketing, top 50 Tagged With: , , ,

Redesigning Your Small Business Website from “Blah” to “Ta-Dah!”

July 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Transform your websiteHave you ever visited a website and were absolutely bored out of your mind?

Unfortunately, way too many websites are just big, fat sales brochures yapping on and on about every excruciating detail about the company – right down to a 500-word history on when and why the company was founded. Uggg!

Always remember that your website needs to be about your customer, not about you. Your customer doesn’t give a hoot about when and why your company was founded. All they care about is their problems and finding a solution.

Blah and boring websites are much more common than websites that work. In fact, I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that most small business owners need to do a complete overhaul of their website in order to bring it from “blah” to “ta-dah.”

The good news is that there are simple and immediate solutions that you can implement in order to keep prospects on your website and convert them to paying customers.

Here is a list of five simple and proven ways to transform your website:

1. Create a clear purpose.

When a visitor comes to your website, your purpose needs to be crystal clear. Do you want the prospect to enter their name and email into a website opt-in form? Are you trying to sell a product or service? Are you interested in educating the prospect over time? Your website should be designed to efficiently guide visitors to the information that they are seeking. It must have a clear and direct purpose.

In the overcrowded world of the internet, you only have three seconds to capture the attention of your prospect. If your visitor is confused (even a little), they are going to leave your website in order to find a more obvious solution.

2. Highlight your benefits.

A prospect visits your site in order to solve a problem or improve their lives. It’s your job to convince them that your product or service will accomplish this. You can succeed in doing this by highlighting the benefits that your prospect will receive if they purchase your product or service.

Will your product make your prospect happier? Will it save them time? Will they be healthier or wealthier? It’s imperative that you convey to your prospect that if they purchase from you, they will receive an obvious and important benefit.

3. Keep it simple.

Time is a precious commodity in today’s world. More than ever before, your visitors are looking for a solution to their problems in a quick and timely manner. They don’t have hours to browse through your website looking for the answer.

Keep your web copy concise and to the point. You should use short paragraphs, bulleted lists and bolded and underlined text to highlight items of importance.

4. Give your visitors reasons to trust you.

As soon as a visitor comes to your site, it’s crucial that they feel that they can connect and trust you. There are a number of ways to increase the trust factor. Make sure that your contact information is prominent and easy to find.

Your website should be free from grammatical and spelling errors. Your site should have the look and feel of a well-established and successful company.

Research suggests that trust must be established for a prospect to either give you their information or make a purchase.

5. Offer your visitors options.

Whether you’re offering a product or service, your sales will immediately increase if you offer your prospects multiple options.

Giving your prospects three distinct price points to choose between is a highly successful model. For instance, if you’re offering a service, you can bundle your service into three different price points that will appeal to different buyers. If you’re offering a product, then offer a low price point, middle price point and a high price point.

When buyers have choices they feel more in control. They appreciate the fact that they are selecting an option that works best for them and their specific needs.

There are numerous ways to keep prospects engaged in your website and convert them to happy clients and customers. If you design your website with a clear and specific purpose, keep things simple, create a sense of trust and offer numerous benefits and options, you’ll soon find yourself with an abundance of new sales, clients and happy customers.

Filed Under: shoestring marketing tips, small business marketing, testimonials Tagged With: , ,
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