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Yesterday one of our private coaching clients asked me how she can drive more traffic to her small business blog. I put together a few ideas for her and wanted to share today with you.
We all have stories about how we found the entrepreneurship path. For some of us, it was in our blood from day one, growing up in households of small business owners so we knew it was just a matter of time for us. For others, our decision to become a small business owner was bred from a passion for something that we needed to share with others. Regardless of how we came upon small business ownership, we’re all at different stages. Some of us rely on our small business as a source of income to feed our families while others are just getting started and maybe aren’t charging enough for what we do.
You don’t have to invest a ton of money to create a strong brand. When using your creativity, brand building does not have to be expensive. You can reinforce your brand and save money at the same time. While skiing at Cascade Mountain in Wisconsin with my family recently, I was pleased to see that they had used their creativity instead of their pocketbook to make an impression.
One of my favorite things about after the time immediately after the busy holiday season is catching up on my reading. The last five months of the year were so hectic that I didn’t open my stand-by business magazines or marketing books (note, it’s one of my New Year’s Resolutions to not let that happen again).
In today’s day and age, the vast majority of purchases begin with online research. There are many small business strategies that will help you get noticed. So even though your customer is likely going to get in touch with you face-to-face, the reality is that they’re going to do a lot of research online before they even pick up the phone and call you.
People like to do business with people. Not with companies. That’s why it is important in brand building to have a story. This is how small businesses are successful. There are faces behind the brand who actually care about their customers’ needs. There are stories behind the logo and signage that should interest me as a consumer. As a small business owner, do you have a compelling story? If not, you need to develop one! It may be easier than you think.
On my very first day of my MBA program, Dr. Williams, my management professor, asked the class to write on a slip of paper what we wanted our graduating GPA to be. Then, he asked us to share this slip of paper with one person. Whether it be a classmate, spouse, friend or family member it didn’t matter. The important part is to tell someone your goal. Subconsciously that goal becomes more important to you when you share it with others. It makes sense, too.
As I sit here wrapping up my year and reviewing my small business strategies from the previous year, I am so happy to look back and energized to look forward. I don’t know about the rest of you but this was a great year. I have an amazing team in place, we worked hard and we found success.
The day after Christmas I read the local newspaper from my husband’s hometown and was overcome with sadness as I read an article about an 85 year old family-owned business that was liquidating after the holidays. Generations had put their sweat and lives into the store, and it won’t be around for future generations to take pride of ownership in. I love family-owned businesses and the personal touch they provide. You are unlikely to get this personal touch from a chain store.
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