How to Inspire Word-Of-Mouth: Better than a Billboard

Word-of-mouth is simple. Someone had a good experience with a business, and they tell other people that it was good and that they should try that business, too. How do you get people talking about your business? Do good business. It does take time, however, so here are a few tips that may be able to speed up the process. Start a Buzz on YouTube What is one thing that we find ourselves talking about all the time? YouTube videos. It may not be as popular a pastime as it was 5 years ago, but everybody still loves to brag about the latest video, meme, or gif that they’ve just seen. You can post content on your own channel that includes daily updates, promotions, or even just some interesting or funny content. The type of material you put in the videos is not as important as being consistent with it; …

10 Productive Daily Habits for Small Business Owners

  1. Get Up Early Any small business owner quickly learns that they wouldn’t get very much accomplished by getting up at the crack of noon every day. Aside from the fact that getting an early start gives you time to get more work done, you will be forced to play catch-up when you get started later because all of your partners and colleagues have probably already been going strong for hours.   2. Don’t Skip Breakfast You’re not like other people—you’re a business owner. You’ve got an insane schedule, constant daily stresses, and a team to look out for. That means you need to eat your Wheaties. Ok, you don’t have to eat Wheaties, but before the work starts, make sure you get a good breakfast that will build up your energy stores. Complex carbs like whole grains are good for sustained energy, and so is a vegetable juice …

6 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read

  6. Awaken the Giant Within—Anthony Robbins Tony Robbins, everybody! Contrary to popular belief, Robbins is more than an eccentric guru; his teachings give practical insight into the science behind tapping into our innate power as individuals. The book opens with a quote from Orison Swett Marden: “Deep within man dwell those slumbering powers; powers that would astonish him,” setting the stage for deeply-informed counsel from an author who seems to sit down with you like a wise father. This selection utilizes a guided progression based partially on formula; however, when it comes to Tony Robbins, you know you can expect an introspective and spiritual journey that cuts right to the core of improving the human experience.   5. The Analects—Confucius Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Everyone is familiar with the name, Confucius, but very few have read him, first-hand. Your first thought might be, understandably, “How in …

5 Ways to Make Your Daily Commute a Not-So-Awful Experience

  We all have our ways of coping with the monotonous, potentially mind-numbing experience of traveling to work. Eventually, your morning cup of coffee, daily news, and weather report tends to get pretty old, and you may find yourself fantasizing about driving into a telephone pole if you don’t find creative ways to pass the time. The key to surviving your daily commute is to get your mind off of being in transit and to mix it up as much as possible.   1. Listen to the Music Is the news and weather channel driving you mad? Try some music. Already listening to music? Try playing some new music, or different genres that you wouldn’t normally listen to. You might even put together a few playlists—or have a friend put some together for you, which is sometimes even better because you have no idea what is on them, making every …

How to Record a Good Voicemail Greeting: What Your Callers Aren’t Telling You

Recording a good voicemail greeting seems like a simple task. Most people buy a new phone and take 5 minutes out of their lives to record it quickly and never update it again until the next time they get a new phone. Instead of taking the haphazard approach, it will help to put a little effort into this, as it is a primary point of contact for calls that may be very important to you, professionally and personally. No Lengthy Messages First of all, get to the point. Clients and customers do not want to hear your life story, and let’s be honest—neither do the rest of us. Especially when someone has to call back and hear your voicemail a few times, a long, drawn out recording will get played out pretty fast. In the same vein, it’s unnecessary to go into detail about your business, such as a full, …

communication over internet

Why You Need to Become a Better Communicator

“If you weren’t born with the gift of gab, it may take a great deal of practice to become an expert communicator—but it is certainly worth it to put in the time.”   No matter what type of work you do, being a good communicator is of absolute importance. A lot of business owners get upset when things are not running as they should, when really, the problem is that they are not able to clearly express what they want. Communication is at the baseline of business, and being proficient at this is necessary for every type of interaction we have. Without it, nothing would get done. Always Be Ready to Answer You should be able to describe your business in one sentence. Anyone can ramble on for 20 minutes and give someone the basic idea, but there is a difference between this person, and a business owner who can …

Learn to Manage Your Customers by Setting Boundaries

“As long as you show respect for your customers and take care of them, they will respect the fact that you run things on your own terms—and this is the kind of customer that you want.”   Customers are the lifeblood of a business. Everyone knows that no business could exist if it did not take care of them. That being said, managing your customers is just as important as managing your staff, and if you aren’t careful, they can end up causing you unneeded stress and consuming valuable time. Here are a few simple practices that can make your life a lot easier. Stand by Your Hours of Operation You do not have to be constantly available to provide good service. It is important to run your business on your own terms, and in fact, you are conveying a sense of reliability and consistency to your customers when you …

Adapt to the Market to Ensure the Longevity of Your Small Business

“Of course it is easy to just keep on going the way you always have, but that is the easiest way to sabotage your own business.”   It isn’t easy for a business to stay open for the long haul. For a brand new startup, and even for those who have been around for a couple years—it all seems so simple. You have a great idea, an exciting vision, and you are even turning a profit. You managed to come up with a business idea that works, but that does not mean that you are immune to the perils of an ever-changing market. What works now may not always work. The bottom line is that if the market does not respond to what you are selling, then you have no choice but to discover what has to change, to retain the interest of consumers. Keep an Open Mind If you …

5 Helpful Tips for Running a Clean, Productive Business

“It’s all about doing things right.”   What is a productive business? Well, entrepreneurs from all walks of life would probably give a variety of definitions, but I think everyone agrees, at least, that a productive business is one that works all day long. As long as you are rolling along like a well-oiled machine, then you can probably consider yourself to be productive. To achieve that level of efficiency, however, is easier said than done and takes some thoughtful attention and organization. Here are a few suggestions that will hopefully pull your wheels unstuck from the mud and get your business running like a Swiss watch. 1. Keep Immaculate Records Keep your books clean and up to date. There are many reasons why excellent record-keeping is important, but one of the foremost is simply that it will save you time and frustration. Think about how stressful it is to …

Doing Business Locally

“Doing business locally can be more convenient, cost effective, and attractive to customers.”   We are living in an age of the buyer’s market. These days, customers are far more discriminating than they have ever been, and it is no wonder because they have more choices to make than ever before, in the market today. As a result of this trending phenomenon, working in the marketplace means adapting to an increasingly demanding public because what used to be mere details, like environmental responsibility and local sourcing, are being scrutinized and favored more and more by consumers. They are looking for the products and services they buy to be closer to home, as it were. Doing business locally can be more convenient, cost effective, and attractive to customers. Community Relationships to Establish Loyalty When quality businesses in the same community get together to achieve mutual benefit, or for any reason, the …