The Small Business Express Podcast

Getting people’s attention in an over-crowded, convoluted marketplace isn’t easy.  Furthermore there are so many options, nuances, and complexities of a modern day marketing plan, it’s no wonder businesses never reach their full potential.  Firing on all cylinders requires an integrated plan of both inbound AND outbound marketing: Outbound marketing (push marketing) is blasting your message into the marketplace to reach people that are looking to buy now.  Examples are advertising, direct mail, trade shows, and interruption marketing. Inbound marketing (pull marketing) is attracting customers by nurturing a relationship and establishing yourself as an authority.  Inbound revolves around some type of content strategy, where an owner is broadcasting their expertise.  Inbound is typically slower as these customers may not be ready to buy yet.   By creating a marketing mix that includes both inbound and outbound strategies, a business can capture the greatest number of potential prospects and achieve maximum reach.  And when these two channels are working in harmony together, owners avoid the expense (and frustration) of fighting for the same customers twice. In this episode of The Small Biz Express podcast we discuss: How to win the modern day, self-selecting customer that ignores traditional marketing Why a lot of businesses don’t ever get into inbound marketing The goal of a blog in one sentence (thanks, Gary) and 3 great content pieces to produce Don’t ever build your audience on somebody else’s platform plus the REAL purpose of social media A few other alternatives if you don’t want to start blogging Mike’s passionate rant against online marketers who don’t ever engage in offline efforts A challenge for all owners: how do you reach your customer at every point in the buying cycle? Mike makes a HAPPY GILMORE reference that Gary either (a) doesn’t get or (b) doesn’t find funny   Action Steps from this episode: Decide what your inbound marketing program will look like.  For a business that’s already up-and-running, often times inbound marketing is the piece that gets left behind.  Your options are many and your resources are limited.  So start simple.  The goal is to develop a content strategy that is manageable, you enjoy doing, and (most importantly) is useful to your customer.  Answer questions about your product or company.  Or share some knowledge that your customers frequently ask you (or should be asking you). Strategize how your inbound and outbound will work together.  What direction will you go with your marketing mix?  A layered marketing approach means not putting all your eggs in one basket.  If you have more time than money, your opportunity is inbound.  More money than time, your opportunity is outbound.  But having that mix is how you reach all different types of customers in all stages of the buying process.  Having an end goal means knowing the desired end result of your marketing, whether that’s setting up an appointment, a phone call, a meeting, or driving online viewers to a sales page.  Outbound can be used to point, both, to your end goal and your inbound funnel. Get on a manageable inbound schedule.  It’s time to start creating.  The most important thing, when you’re new, is to be consistent and remain encouraged.  Outbound marketing stops when the money runs out.  Inbound marketing stops when the spirit runs out, so protect that spirit.  The only way to get good at anything is to do it a lot.  This doesn’t mean hours on end, it means developing a habit (even if it’s only 33 minutes and 33 seconds per day) where you engage consistently.  There’s a conversation already taking place in the marketplace about businesses like yours.  The question is whether or not you have anything to add to it. Links and Resources Discussed in this Episode The Hubspot analogy of HOW TO HUNT YOUR CUSTOMER IN THE JUNGLE.

Are you tracking the results of the money you spend on marketing or are you taking the "Pay and Pray" mentality, hoping for the best. It's never been easier to use analytics, both  online and offline, to track the results of your marketing efforts.  Great marketing isn't just created, it's something that gets better over time from continual improvement.  The only way you can get better (and smarter) with your marketing efforts is to be able to track the results of your marketing. In this episode of The Business Express, we discuss: Getting the most out of your limited resources Tracking only a few key business metrics for your business and only those you are willing to take action on Why having an official marketing budget is so important (you're probably spending a lot less than you think) Testing, Testing, Testing....the key to marketing success Ways you can track the results of your offline advertising efforts The ICE method of analysis, Improve, Carry On or Eliminate Action Steps from this episode: Create a plan.  Before you spend your first dollar on marketing, understand what your budget will be, what will define success for each initiative that your take, and have a plan on how your will track the results of each initiative.  Have a clear understanding of what the KBI's (key business indicators) are for your business and create a plan on how and when you will track them. Collect the data. Once your marketing initiatives are out in the wild, start collecting the data necessary for you to make informed decisions.  Make sure you have enough data to make an informed decision on and measure the results against the KBI's you've created for your business. Use the ICE method of analysis. Look at the results.  Success?  Failure?  Not sure?  Once you've collected the data, it's time to analyze and make some decisions.  If you had poor results, is it because of the ad itself or the platform you're using...maybe newspaper ads just don't work....but maybe they do and you created a terrible ad.  Decide if you're going to Improve on the existing initiative, leave it alone because it's working great, or to eliminate it from your marketing plan and focus your money and efforts on other things. Links and Resources Discussed in this Episode Article from the Houston Chronical with survey results that show most businesses are not spending enough when it comes to their marketing budget. (http://smallbusiness.chron.com/recommended-percentage-sales-marketing-budget-25023.html) Dollar Shave Club, Viral marketing on a show string budget (see below) Thank You for Spreading the Word Please let your Twitter followers know about this podcast. Simply click here now to post a tweet. If you enjoyed listening to The Small Business Express podcast, please head over to iTunes, leave a rating, write a review and subscribe. How to subscribe to The Small Biz Express podcast Click Here to subscribe via iTunes Click Here to subscribe via RSS Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher Would You Like Your Question Answered on the Show? We’d love to hear from you.  If you’re interested in leaving a voice message for possible inclusion in The Small Business Express podcast, please record your message here.

Signing a commercial  lease can be one of the most intimidating and rewarding experiences that an owner has.  On one hand, it shows your commitment and optimism for the future.  On the other, it puts you on the hook for a lot of money, sometimes for a lot of years.  A $1000 lease for 5 years is a $60,000 decision, not counting all the other expenses that come with it.  Before walking through potential spaces and signing your name on the dotted line, you want to leave no stone unturned.  This means learning the language, having a plan, and following some of the ninja lease-signing techniques from this episode.  “This should be required listening before any would-be owner sets foot into their first potential [commercial space].”  -Andrew (first time business owner) In this episode of The Small Biz Express podcast we discuss: The excitement of landing your first lease and how it legitimizes you as a business All the wrong reasons to get a lease and a brief case-study on the (one) right reason That it’s better to be profitable than fancy and why “location, location, location” isn’t the magic bullet Making sure you’re paying for usable square footage (and not extra, useless stuff) All the vocabulary you’ll need to communicate like a pro while lease-hunting Details on how to pound the pavement to get yourself the best space at the best price Three lease negotiation tips that you won’t hear anywhere else (nice, Mike, nice) How to make an intelligent offer depending on the size of the space you need   Action Steps from this episode: Know the difference between needs and wants.  Many whimsical owners get caught up in emotion and sign leases for the wrong reason.  Ask yourself, why am I pursuing a lease at this time?  If the answer anything other than “to grow the business and increase profit,” HIT THE BRAKES.  Make a list of needs and wants for your perfect office space including layout, location, parking, and price.  Necessity is the mother of creativity.  You may have to give up some of your wants, but you will be able to find the space you need at a price you can afford. Pound the pavement and collect options.  Finding the perfect lease is a numbers game.  That means the odds will be way more in your favor if you walk through 25 spaces than 10.  Pounding the pavement means more than just checking Craigslist and setting up appointments.  It means driving to the area you want space in, writing down and calling numbers, walking into buildings that have no signs on them, and asking everybody you see “is there space available here?”  Bring a notebook to draw layouts and to write down all necessary information, including details of all the various charges.  Asking the right questions (listen to the episode) is essential to making the best decision. Evaluate your alternatives.  Once you’ve collected a pile of real possibilities, it’s time to sleep on it.  Emotional decisions lead to frustrating futures and it can be helpful to get the opinions of others at this stage.  Follow-up with landlords and agents (preferably landlords) and do your best to negotiate the exact terms you want, whether that’s length, price, or something else.  Check over the contract multiple times before signing anything.  If you’re considering a six figure financial commitment, pay for a lawyer who specializes in leases to grind the thing down.  No matter how much work you’ve done, never be afraid to walk away.  The perfect space for your business is out there. Links and Resources Discussed in this Episode A simple calculator to determine your monthly rent, based on the size of the space and the cost per square foot.  Knowing the monthly rent is essential when comparing spaces against each other, as well as figuring out budgets and how much business you’ll have to do to cover the cost of the lease.(http://www.calculatorpro.com/calculator/total-rent-calculator/)

Do you feel like all of your advertising dollars are being flushed down the toilet?  Do you feel like you're wasting your money and that pretty much all paid advertising is just a total waste of time? You're not alone. Most business owners feel like the Return On Investment (ROI) for their advertising spend is just not worth the effort.  But before you totally give up on paid advertising, consider the notion that it may not be the advertising platform itself, but your actual advertising piece that's failing. Creating a compelling advertisement is hard.  Unless you have  experience with copy writing and direct advertising, creating an advert that drives action is difficult.  In this episode we'll discuss some best practices and how you as a newby business owner/copywriter can create a solid advertisement for your business. In this episode of The Small Biz Express podcast we discuss: Why very few people respond to your advertisements How you can create an advertisement that drives action - no copy writing experience necessary The key elements of a great advertising piece Why the headline is so important and nothing else matters if you get it wrong Why the key to effective advertising is constant testing, not getting it right the first time Why Mike has an obsession with wedding cake  Action Steps from this episode: Headlines. An effective advertising piece is made up of several elements, the most important of which is the headline.  The goal of your headline is not to make a sale, but to get people to continue reading. Value Proposition. What is the "hook" that will inspire people to call you?  Are you engaging the reader and creating desire for your product or are you doing what most people do, creating a bullet point list of features.  Features, Benefits and Outcomes......features are useless unless the reader can envision a positive outcome from buying your product. Calls to action. After you've created the desire, now is the time to inch the reader to action.  Clearly state what the reader should do next, whether it's a phone call, email or website visit, make it very clear what needs to happen next.  Create a sense of urgency and a reason for people to take action now by adding an expiry date or other "I better act now or I'll lose out" message so readers know if they don't act soon, they will miss your fabulous offer.   Links and Resources Discussed in this Episode Internet Marketing for Smart People. Copyblogger.com's great introductory email course for copywriting. Copywriting. Some examples of crisp and clear copy courtesy of Hubspot. (http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33441/10-Companies-That-Totally-Nail-Copywriting.aspx) Conversion Tracking.  A beginners guide to setting up conversion tracking in Google Analytics, from Search Engine Journal. (http://www.searchenginejournal.com/a-beginners-guide-to-conversion-goals-in-google-analytics/)    Thank You for Spreading the Word Please let your Twitter followers know about this podcast. Simply click here now to post a tweet. If you enjoyed listening to The Small Business Express podcast, please head over to iTunes, leave a rating, write a review and subscribe.   How to subscribe to The Small Biz Express podcast Click Here to subscribe via iTunes Click Here to subscribe via RSS Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher   Would You Like Your Question Answered on the Show? We’d love to hear from you.  If you’re interested in leaving a voice message for possible inclusion in The Small Business Express podcast, please record your message here.    

Owning a business is hard enough.  Don’t go it alone.  Making connections with other owners that already have an audience of your target customers can create a WIN-WIN-WIN.  The other owner builds their brand as a trusted resource, an authority, and also extra sales revenue from any agreements you make.  Customers have opportunities to solve problems (that they may not have even known they had).  And, of course, you gain access to a new group of potential targets.  This strategy has been used across all industries and, when executed perfectly, can create overnight success.   But how to ensure that you’re getting in the car with the right person?  How do you approach these owners in a way that doesn’t make you feel like a snake-oil salesperson?  You don’t want to put in hours of creative energy just to be ignored or (gulp) laughed at.  In this episode you will learn some of the philosophies that will give you this highest probability of success, even if you’ve never approached others in this way. In this episode of The Small Biz Express podcast we discuss: What an New York ETS fan is and the networking guy that nobody likes A sneaky technique to learn the mental and emotional mentality of your target customer 8 questions you need to be asking about your target customer (Gary hits this quickly) How market research is like talking to your kids about sex Gary’s favorite site to find out where influencers are hanging out online What it means to be a connector (and Mike practicing what he preaches) No doesn’t always mean no.  Sometimes it means “not now.” The car salesman who collects every single piece of information that he can Ellen Degeneress, using this same strategy to become an overnight success Action Steps from this episode: Target the right people.  The right people are those that have the trust, respect, and likability of your target customer.  Of course many owners assume they know their target customers better than they actually do, so a little intelligent research is in order.  Keyword: intelligent.  Don’t just start hammering people with surveys.  Once you know what they read, where they shop, who they like and don’t like?  You can start forming a strategy that is way smarter than spray-and-pray. Have a “relationship first,” value-based approach.  After selecting an influencer and learning as much as you can about them, the relationship process begins.  As Gary says, “time to mingle your way into their life.”  Relationships are spelled T-I-M-E.  The last thing you want to do is lead with an offer.  A much better strategy is to build some rapport, learn what their challenges there are, and to be a connector.  Be the person or help them find a person that could add    The philosophy of relationships is to care about people more than you care about what they could do for you. Show-up, over-deliver, and follow-up.  The last thing you want is somebody to regret ever introducing you to their audience.  The best thing you want is somebody saying, “I really enjoyed.  I wonder what they’re up to?”  This happens when you prize the relationship above all else.  The more information you collect, the easier it is to be valuable for them in the future.  The more remarkable you can be, the easier it will be to bag-the-elephant (Gordan Gecko-style). Links and Resources Discussed in this Episode Ben Settle - the email marketing anti-professional (4 quarters >>> 100 pennies quote)  (http://bensettle.com/blog/how-to-repel-bottom-feeder-drama-queen-customers/) Steven Shapiro, author of Best Practices Are Stupid, saying some really smart things (as he is prone to do)  http://www.steveshapiro.com/best-practices-are-stupid/ Batchbook.com - a great way to organize every bit of information in your network (for those people who want to go beyond Linked-In) Wall-Street, the movie.  Bud Fox approaches the big Kahuna on Wall-Street.  He shows up,

You've built a shiny new website for your business.  Congratulations!  Now what?  "If you build it, they will come".....uh,no.  Sorry, this isn't The Field of Dreams, building website is only the first step, now you have to learn how to send traffic to your website. Building a new website is like building out a storefront, once it's open for business you need to learn how to send traffic to your site.  From paid advertising to social media to search engine optimization, we'll discuss some of the ways you can build traffic to your website.  Some methods are fast, while others (like search engine optimization) take time before you can reap the benefits of your labor. In this episode of The Small Biz Express podcast we discuss: Learn how to build traffic by earning it, borrowing it or buying it Which methods of traffic generation are fast and which one's take time An overview of Pay Per Click marketing (PPC) and you can use it to kickstart your website marketing efforts How to waste your money on Pay Per Click advertising if your website can't do this one thing. (hint=conversion) How to geo-target your marketing efforts for your trade area How to use the piggy back method of accessing another business's customer base Connecting with bloggers and key influencers Why Mike loathes the phrase, "Like Us On Facebook" Action Steps from this episode: Know who you're targeting. The first step in reaching your ideal customer is knowing who they are in the first place.  Spend the time (a lot of it) figuring out who your ideal customer is and knowing what messages they want to hear.  This is done with proper market research and lots of testing and question asking.  This is the most important step because if you get this wrong, steps 2 and 3 won't really matter. Know where they hang out. Once you know who your customer is, you now need to figure out where they hang out online.  Are there specific websites where they tend to frequent?  Do certain blogs have the exact audience you're trying to reach?  Maybe there are industry forums where they like to gather, or all of the above.  Don't worry about how you will reach them, you just need to create a list of places where you can find them. It's like searching for the perfect fishing spot, get your fishing pole ready! Deliver the message.Once you know where your customers hang out, now you can go to work creating the ideal message/offer for them.  If you've spent enough time getting to know your ideal customer, you should have an idea of what they are looking for and how to attract them.  Once you have your message in place, you can now go out and start reaching your ideal customer through different formats.  From joint ventures with other businesses, to pay per click advertising, to blogging both on your site and on other sites, you can start reaching your ideal customer through several different methods. Links and Resources Discussed in this Episode PPC Hero Blog. Great resource for bother beginners and advanced Pay Per Click marketing.  This guide is a great place to start learning about PPC advertising and creating your first campaign. (http://www.ppchero.com/the-beginners-guide-to-setting-up-an-adwords-account/) Certified Knowledge. Brad Geddes, the founder of Certified Knowledge is one of the top PPC guys in the industry.  Lots of great information in their blog, may be a little advanced if you're just starting out but still great information. (http://certifiedknowledge.org/blog/) Google Keyword Planner.  The original Google Keyword Tool that marketers and business owners loved has been retired, replaced with the Keyword Planner inside Adwords.  It's free to use but requires a free Adwords account.  Note: You do not need to spend a penny on advertising in order to use the tool, just need a Google Adwords account which is free (https://adwords.google.com/ko/KeywordPlanner/Home) Facebook advertising.  (https://www.facebook.com/advertising)

You’ve made the investment of time, energy, and money to launch a business.  You’ve got some customers under your belt, but things aren’t going as planned.  It’s as if you’re the star of your own Direct TV commercial.  Bills and credit card debt cause stress.  When you’re stressed, you get desperate.  When you get desperate, you lash out at people.  When you lash out at people, you become isolated.  And when you become isolated, every waking moment is like living in quicksand. Don’t live in quicksand.  There’s a smarter way of turning things around than throwing your last dollar at advertising.  Building relationships with other business owners is something that anybody can do.  And, with a little creative thinking, can create a Win-Win-Win for your business, their business, and target customers everywhere.  Plus they’re way more fun than panicking and second-guessing yourself every day. In this episode of The Small Biz Express podcast we discuss: That it’s ok not to be an overnight success Why  “doing everything you can think of” isn’t the same thing as “doing everything you can” Taking a laser (versus a lightbulb) approach to your audience Why spending money on traditional advertising can be deceiving The power of building relationships with an already successful business owner (online or offline) A low cost strategy for getting the attention of your ideal customers Gary’s contest that turned a $25 investment into an immediate $2000 return How to design a contest follow-up that is both ethical and effective Action Steps from this episode: Find a bigger business with your customer base.  Offline or online, there are successful businesses that serve a similar market that you want to target.  These businesses are run by intelligent owners who will know a good offer when they see one.  Look for businesses that offer complementary products or services rather than direct competitors. Approach the owner with a Win-Win-Win offer.  Put on your creativity hat and come up with a promotion that will benefit the other person’s business.  Contests and a give-aways work extremely well.  The goal here is two-fold.  Your offer must clearly and obviously benefit the other person’s customer base.  And you should be able to keep the leads of the contest for a strategic follow-up.  Approach the business owner with a laidback, “I have something cool for your customers.  Let me help you, help them.”  Giving away something really valuable that’s free, no-strings attached will earn you a stack of  names, numbers, and email addresses. Follow-up.  Help your fellow business owner run the promotion to the full extent that you are able.  Other than leads, there is value in the owner-to-owner relationship.  After you execute your giveaway (or pick your contest winner), have a follow-up plan for everybody that raised their hand.  Follow-up fast, as enthusiasm drops quickly once the promotion ends. Links and Resources Discussed in this Episode Design and contests and promotions for your Facebook fanpage (http://www.shortstack.com/) A brilliant contest system for online businesses (http://contestdomination.com/) How to run a successful social media sweepstakes (http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-sweepstakes/) The Simpsons: Ned Flanders opens a business called THE LEFTORIUM… and fails?  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Flanders_Failed) Google Adwords Express - a quick and easy way to market your business online… and fast!  Unlike traditional adwords campaigns?  Google will actually do a lot of the work for you.  By the way, subscribe on the right to be the first to hear about new posts on The Small Business Playbook. (http://www.thesmallbusinessplaybook.com/229-google-adwords-express-easy-way-market-business-online/) Thank You for Spreading the Word Please let your Twitter followers know about this podcast. Simply click here now to post a tweet.

Every business owner dreams of opening their doors for the first time with a crowd of customers waiting to hand over their money.  More often than not, this usually doesn't happen. Launching your business with a bang requires planning, coordination and a ton of hard work on your part.  The good thing is that launching your business successfully is totally possible and you are in control of making it happen. In this episode of The Small Biz Express podcast we discuss: Why starting your business with momentum behind you is so important Why your business plan is not as important as the process of planning itself How to create a layered marketing plan that will reach your audience through several different mediums How to establish strategic partnerships as you lead up to the launch of your business  Action Steps from this episode: Make a commitment to yourself that you are going to put in the time and work required of you to launch your business successfully. Put in the hours, read the books, learn from others doing it already. Starting a business is hard, give yourself the best possible chance for success Spend a lot of time on your marketing plan. Don't be a one trick pony, "I only do Facebook". Learn to create a layered approach to your marketing, reaching people multiple times via multiple formats. Spend the time to create a custom marketing plan that is timed to release along with your business launch. Use the marketing tools we added to the show notes to help you map out the marketing plan that's going to start your business off with a bang. It's never too early to start making friends and strategic alliances. Get to know others in your industry, attend the events before you even start a business, have a team of people ready and willing to help you kick start your business. Sharpen up your relationships online via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, let people know your business will be launching soon, get them excited and eager to help you get off to a great start. In summary, start building your army well before the battle begins.   Links and Resources Discussed in this Episode Download the Annual Marketing Timeline template here Download the Marketing Planner & Cost Calculator here    Thank You for Spreading the Word Please let your Twitter followers know about this podcast. Simply click here now to post a tweet. If you enjoyed listening to The Small Business Express podcast, please head over to iTunes, leave a rating, write a review and subscribe.   How to subscribe to The Small Biz Express podcast Click Here to subscribe via iTunes Click Here to subscribe via RSS Click Here to subscribe via Stitcher   Would You Like Your Question Answered on the Show? We’d love to hear from you.  If you’re interested in leaving a voice message for possible inclusion in The Small Business Express podcast, please record your message here.