Archive for the ‘General’ Category

I had a great conversation with Andy Hayes about creating a business niche. Andy runs a business called Travel Online Partners. His niche is to provide advice and services to travel agencies, mostly dealing with web sites and online marketing.

Most of what Andy offers to his niche of travel industry clients would also be useful for any type of business. He knows this, but he isn’t about to change his business model. That’s because he knows that the more focused the business niche, the better.

This is something that he learned from experience. When he was just getting started he was inclined to create a general services company. After all, he could easy help any kind of business with his skills. But then he got some advice from Naomi Dunford, who said he should only focus on one type of customer, ie. niche.

Andy told me that he was nervous to follow the advice, but he did it anyway. He didn’t know if he would be able to find enough customers if he just focused on the travel niche. Today he is glad that he took the advice.

He says that he doesn’t think there is a niche too small to focus on, and he encourages small business to narrow down their focus as much as possible while defining their niche.

There are a lot of benefits that come from having a narrow niche. Here are some them:

• Loyal and passionate customer base
• You really get to know your customers
• You can modify your product to be a custom fit for customer needs
• You can provide good content and quickly discover people interested in your niche
• You can focus on building and interacting with a community around your niche

Those are just a few of the benefits of focusing on a narrow niche. I would challenge you to look at your own business. Do you have too broad a focus? Can you identify a niche to go after from amongst your current customer base? I know I plan to work on better defining my own niche. I hope that you will as well.

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Hi there, I am Bradford Shimp, publisher and writer of this fine blog. My goal is to help small businesses succeed. I do that by providing advice at this blog and by providing web design services targeted toward small business at my company, Broad River Creative.

Have a small business question? Email it me so I can answer it on the blog.

photo credit: MagdaMontemor

I have spent most of my life failing, or so it seems. When I think of failure, I can see a list of things half-done, not accomplished, or downright failed. Thankfully, I have been blessed with a healthy dose of optimism, so I can keep going and keep trying. In fact, I don’t spend a lot of time looking at past failures, and you shouldn’t either. But from time to time, it is a good idea to reflect on failure. If you can figure out what went wrong, if you can identify a negative pattern, you can learn from it.

That is what Jason Markow had in mind when he started #FAILweek. He wanted businesses to look at their failures not for the failure, but for what can be learned from it. And in encouraging people to share failures, the hope is that others who come behind can more easily learn fr0m our mistakes.

The Potential

The failure I am going to share here is only a half failure. It is the story of what could have been, and maybe a little about the potential that is still there.

I little over a year ago, I was just getting going with my blog and was getting more and more active on Twitter. I still didn’t really know anybody on Twitter. That all changed when I sent out a tweet something to the effect of “I feel like an idea wrangler.” This tweet was read by Neal Rohrbach, a truly amazing and creative guy. Something about what I said hit home with him. We had “met” prior to this on a Twitter chat called #sbbuzz and had gotten along. So Neal, being the go-getter that he is, got inspired and registered a domain name. IdeaWranglers.com wasn’t available, so he registered IdeaAnglers.com instead. The rest, as they say, is history.

When Neal let me know what he did on a whim, I was surprised and excited. At the time, I was also buying up all kinds of domains and dreaming of the businesses that I was going to start with them. In Neal,  I found someone with similar passions, and most importantly, the same heart to help others, especially entrepreneurs. So when I found out what he did, I naturally said, okay, lets see where this takes us.

Where it took us was a partnership. We wanted to develop Idea Anglers to be a site that helped small business owners. We wanted to make money at the same time. A membership site seemed to be the natural fit. So Neal created a site and a great logo (he is a graphic designer, among other things). I brainstormed concepts. We pre-launched and immediately got some good traction. Everyone liked the idea, or more accurately, the story of two strangers meeting on Twitter and launching a business.

The Failure

The idea was the problem. We never really nailed down exactly what we wanted to do. I take the blame for this, since that was primarily my department. I tend to have too many ideas. Turns out, I needed the kind of help that Idea Anglers would eventually offer. Unfortunately, I needed it before Idea Anglers was there to help.

What we ended up with was two very creative people trying to build a broad-based solution for entrepreneurs. We never found the kind of focus we needed, I now realize. Secondly, we both had full time jobs plus side projects we were already working on. We were very busy, so we didn’t have the kind of time we needed to get things launched. So very little time plus not knowing what to focus on when we did find the time meant we couldn’t push it forward fast enough. The fact that we pushed it as far as we did is a testament to what can be accomplished when you work together on something with shared passion.

There were lots of good things. Neal and I got along really well, and still do. I found out that you can really establish meaningful friendships with people that you meet online. Also, it is possible to meet business partners online. Knowing that, what we should have done was narrowed down a focus really fast and then sought to bring more people in to help run things, people who had more time and more focused expertise.

The Education

Idea Anglers is not dead. It is just on vacation. Neal has a great new job that keeps him even busier than before. I am trying to build a business of my own, plus grow this blog. Idea Anglers still fits into my vision of helping small businesses, but it will play a very specific role when I am ready for it.

The lessons I learned are many.

First of all, there is nothing wrong with trying. I got a great friendship out of this. I also saw how opportunities can open up if you just go after them.

Second, it is possible to build meaningful relationships online. My goal this year is to increase those friendships and build on the ones that I have started.

Third, collaboration is better than working at something alone. Idea Anglers would have never gone anywhere if it was just an idea in my head. By bouncing things back and forth with another party, you can move things forward. The key is to have a focus and goals.

Going from here, I have plans. Perhaps too many plans, still. I appreciate more the importance of focus, so I am focusing on fewer things. I want to help small businesses in a lot of ways, perhaps eventually having a full-service coaching/consulting agency. But for now, I am just focusing on one area where I can be of service, helping small businesses with web sites and online marketing. Of course, I am also focusing on this blog and making it better and more dynamic.

I am also going to explore collaboration more and get better at reaching out. I value things like Twitter so much more when I am having meaningful interactions there. I want to build on that. I still want to build some things with other people. This time, however, I am going to go in with a plan and spend time up front building a focus and specific goals.

And maybe there is one more lesson. Neal and I are both very creative. We thrive on the ideas. If we wanted to build a membership site, what we should have done was bring in an expert in that. A good expert can really help you focus your ideas and broad thoughts, no matter what they are. When you are having trouble moving forward, but you know you have good ideas, I really suggest getting some expert help.

So that is my story of failure. It wouldn’t be a good story if there wasn’t something to learn from it. How have you used failure as a learning tool for success? Because that is all failure is, another tool that you can use to build your dreams. Its nothing to be afraid of, really.

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Bradford Shimp helps small businesses build web sites and online presence. Follow him on Twitter @bradfordshimp.

I recently asked this question to a group of small business owners and experts. I was curious what people thought would be important for small business success moving forward into this new year and decade.

What I got back were a ton of great answers. Not surprisingly, no two were exactly alike. However, each one has merit and the potential to be the “one” thing your business needs for more success this year.

Overall, I came away with one general theme. Despite the fact that platforms and technologies are changing, the basics for business success aren’t. The number one thing experts point out is the importance of marketing. This is still an area where many small businesses do not put enough focus. The good news for this decade is that marketing platforms are becoming cheaper and easier to use.

Other important areas of focus are having strong leadership, caring for customers and employees, and actually having a plan.

Over the next few weeks, I will be digging through the results and suggestions from various experts. We’ll look into what it takes to be more successful today in small business. Success is an important term for business owners. It encompasses the goal of business. Success encompasses everything from profits to customer satisfaction to changing the world.

Only you know what success is for your business. But advice and tips from others who are in the battle can be very helpful. To that end, I would like you to do two things.

First of all, continue to read this blog through the next few weeks. Each post we will be discussing success, ideas on how to be more successful, and actionable advice for moving things forward in your business. If you don’t want to miss a beat, consider subscribing via RSS or email. You can do that at the top of the the right hand column.

The second thing you can do for your success is to sign up for the free report I put together for the new year. This report is a collection of advice from over 100 business owners and experts on what you can do to be more successful with your small business this year.

Get the free report, The Number One Thing You Can do to Make Your Small Business More Successful in 2010, by filling out the form below. You will receive the report as a PDF via email.

Here’s to your success in 2010! Enjoy the free report and join me as we discuss success for small business over the next few weeks.

All Biz Answers 2010 Give-to-Get Sponsorship Program

• Low cost positions available right now
• Receive at least 1 real lead per dollar spent
• Benefit from viral traffic throughout the entire year
• Guaranteed results, or your money back

Reach Small Business Owners

Are you a business or individual who sells products or services to small businesses? If so, I am about to make you an offer you can’t refuse. Well, actually you can, since my only ties to the Mafia are that I have watched The Godfather. But I don’t think you will want to turn this offer down.

Here’s the skinny. I will be selling sponsorships on All Biz Answers throughout 2010. All Biz Answers is a blog that provides smart business advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs in the making. Businesses and professionals who sell to small businesses will have an opportunity to reach their target audience in an impactful way via a sponsorship at All Biz Answers.

Throughout 2010, I will be publishing a new article every day. These articles will be speaking directly to your target audience of small businesses. Each article will include advertising from a business such as yours.

Get Real, Qualified, Leads

Being able to place banner ads along side content that reaches your target audience is important. But even more important is getting real, qualified, leads from your advertising efforts. This sponsorship program will make that happen. I have called this sponsorship program for 2010 the Give-to-Get Sponsorship Program. Here is what that means.

Create Your Own Give-a-Way

In order to reach prospects in today’s evolving marketing climate, you need to provide value. Its a great idea to give away something of value to attract people in to your permission based marketing plan. This sponsorship program takes advantage of that dynamic. Not only will your advertising on All Biz Answers be tied to the valuable content that I provide on a daily basis, but it will also be tied to a valuable give-a-way of your own.

That’s right. This is not just about buying ads and hoping you get something back out of it. In addition to the cost of sponsorship, you will be asked to provide a free give-a-way for each day that you sponsor. This give-a-way should be something of value that will bring in qualified prospects, like a free consultation, or a free product.

When small business owners visit the site, they will not only see your ad, but your give-a-way promotion as well. If they are interested in what you are giving, they will sign up to win it. One winner will be chosen for each day’s promotion. You will give away your freebie, and in return, you will get a list of qualified leads.

$1 Per Lead?

What is one qualified lead worth? That depends on the type of business that you are in. But for the sake of the argument, lets put the value at $1. Would you pay $1 for 1 qualified lead? I know I would. Would you pay $365 for 365 qualified leads? Well, with this program, you will have the opportunity to do either, or both.

The cost of sponsorship will directly correspond with the day you purchase. Sponsorship on January 1st will cost $1. I will be adding $1 to the price every day throughout the year, until we get to December 31st, which will cost a whopping $365. What was the last effective marketing campaign that you did that cost only $365?

Only you know whether sponsorship will be worth it for your business. But let me tell you how much I believe in this. I think getting at least 1 new lead for every dollar spent is far better than sending out 1,000 postcards and getting 1-2 sales out of it. Its better than buying AdWords and hoping that your site is set up to convert each and every visitor you pay for. Its really, truly, better, because I am offering something that no other advertising option will offer you. I am offering a money back guarantee. If you don’t get at least 1 lead per $1 spent, I will refund you money.

Get Leads or Get Your Money Back

Let me repeat that for those of you who were sleeping. This is a guaranteed advertising program. If you do not receive at least the number of new leads as dollars spend, I will gladly refund you the difference. So, if you spend $200 for your day, but only get 100 leads, I will send $100 back to you. You will never pay more than $1 per lead with this program. In fact, you will most likely be paying far less.

Continued Exposure

If you need more benefits before you buy, I’ll humor you with just one more. In addition to the leads that you get for the day you do your give-a-way, you will have access to the newsletter that I will be sending out to everyone who signs up at any time throughout the year. This will benefit those of you who act early. I will publish links to your press releases and special offers throughout the entire year in that newsletter, letting you reach an even bigger audience at no additional cost.

Ready or Not?

If you haven’t already decided to take me up on this offer, then you probably won’t do it. I’m not a slick copy writer who can convince you to do whatever I want. Let me just say this. I write this blog because I believe in small business and want to help businesses succeed. Chances are, your business is just the type of business that I write for. I will not compromise my site with off topic advertising or high pressure tactics. But I know that there are businesses out there that provide a real benefit to small businesses. I am hoping that you are one of these businesses, and that you will take me up on my offer and buy a spot in this Give-to-Get program.

Here’s how you get signed up. Fill out the form below, and I will call you (unless you prefer email). Let’s do business and help entrepreneurs out along the way.

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As a small business owner, you may get caught in this trap. You are far better at understanding your business than you are at understanding your customers.

People Buy Out of Their Need

If you live and breath your product specs, your industry jargon, your service benefits, its easy to feel secure in your knowledge. You may think being able to spout off the facts is all you need to win business. But here is a universal truth of business to consider; people buy out of their need.

Not only do they buy out of their need, but they also act out of their need. That is why they are not likely to attend an all day seminar on how great your company is, but they may come to a seminar on how to budget their way to wealth.

You Must Understand

Understanding your customers, who they are and where they are coming from, is a business must. Here’s an example. As a HVAC company, you may know the importance of cleaning furnace filters on a regular basis. You do it as a matter of course, and are surprised that customers don’t do it themselves. But your customer doesn’t spend every day working on furnaces. He doesn’t know the first thing about them, in fact. So, if you think like a furnace repairman, you will not understand your customer.

Instead, get to know the busy family that just wants to keep their house warm and the heat on throughout the winter. What are their needs, their concerns? Offer to come in and clean filters and do regular maintenance, not just because it should be done, but because it will ensure that the furnace works all season. Build more business by connecting what you do with what your customer needs.

Getting to Know Your Customers

If you are going to understand your customers, you need to know them. This starts by asking questions. You want to find out important things such as why they bought from you, what they liked and didn’t like, what need was filled and what need was left unfilled.

Now here’s the thing. I am all for doing surveys. But this is not the time for a passive survey. You need these answers from a good section of your customer base. This means getting on the phone or meeting these customers in person. Work real answers out of your customers through engaged conversation.

Beyond a push to get answers, you need to start paying more attention. Ask more questions in your sales presentations. Listen to your customers as they tell you about their needs. Make every attempt to learn what drives your customers to buy.

Live and Breath Your Customer’s Needs

While its natural for you to live and breath your business, it might be a learning process to put the same kind of focus on your customers. If you want to be a dynamic company that is loved by your customers, getting close to them and “getting” them is an important step.

Here is my trick for living and breathing customer needs. Start writing (or recording) a blog. Blogging for the customer is a sure fire way to dig in to what is important to them. Your goal is to get the customer to read the blog regularly. They won’t if all you talk about is stuff that is not important to them. If, however, you start to discover what is important and talk about that regularly, your customers will visit your blog. When your blog becomes essential to your customers, you know that you understand your customers.

Every Customer is Different?

People come from all sorts of places and have different needs. How can you possibly understand and then communicate to all of your customers? The only way is to discover your ideal customer. The ideal customer fits a certain pattern, one that works best for your business. They may be a tech geek, and love the insider talk. Or they may be a stay at home mom who is super busy and only wants the solutions, please.

The point is, all of your ideal customers fit the same pattern and have the same needs. By getting to know this ideal customer set, you will win more and more of these customers. The other customers? You don’t have to worry as much about them. They can get on board or not. You are busy understanding and speaking to a certain set, and that is enough to build your business upon.

So, as you go about your business today, think about a few things. First of all, do you speak from your business perspective or from a customer’s perspective? Second, do you know why your customers buy from you? And third, could you write or talk regularly and keep your audience of customers interested and coming back for more?

photo credit: Tatinauk

Recommended Reading

I am constantly on the prowl for good business books. Right now, I am reading Crush It, by Gary Vaynerchuk. I love Gary’s take on passion and business. This book will give you a kick in the butt to get up and get moving as you pursue your passions and your business.

If you are interested in Crush It, you can get it through Amazon by clicking here or by visiting your local bookstore.

Have a Small Business Question? Ask me and I will answer it here – email me with your question now.

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Bradford Shimp is the publisher of All Biz Answers. He is also the co-creator of Idea Anglers, a place to see your ideas come to life through collaboration. Follow on Twitter @bradfordshimp. Let Bradford help you with your business – visit BroadRiverCreative.com