Posts Tagged ‘strategy’

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Reflect, Resolve and Ramp it up!

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

I am not the type to continually wish people Happy New Year or make resolutions, however as a small business owner the new year is a time to reflect, resolve and ramp up your strategy.

At 834 we use the time between Christmas and New Years to put together a plan for the coming year.  Below will give you a starting point for planning.

1. Make a budget – some great advice from another small business (JetCo Solutions). Outline anticipated expenses, salary, employee costs, marketing costs (t-shirts, pens, paper, business cards etc.), % of earnings dedicated to savings and any other costs that need to be included.  This will help you stay on task and hold yourself accountable. As the year progresses fill in actual costs on an identical spreadsheet and then compare at the end of the year.

2. Strategy – every year we look at how we want 834 to grow. We detail out association and organizational involvement, financial goals, networking activities, memberships,  professional development, growth opportunities and threats, identify strengths and weaknesses and a marketing plan.

3. Operational Plan – how will you communicate better with clients or customers, manage production, create new business opportunities, grow partnerships and expand the team.

4. Marketing – detail out media – what outlets or blogs will you contribute to? How will you communicate with target and secondary audiences,? What is your communication process? What tools will you use to communicate?

5. Execution – this is the hardest part. Now that you have the plan and know what you want to accomplish, how do you actually go about doing it? Make a calendar (we suggest using a Google calendar – then all team members can view) and outline the dates that you are going to execute everything you have outlined in your plan.

One more suggestion, share your plan with a mentor or another business owner you trust. Having someone else hold you accountable and assist on keeping you on task will increase your chances for success.

Feel free to contact us with questions, it isn’t always the easiest to plan for your own business when you spend 90% of your time focusing on your clients or customers.

Follow us on Twitter for more tips and additional articles.

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A letter to small businesses

Monday, December 19th, 2011

Dear Small Business Owner:

There are companies thriving in this economy, including many small businesses.  In a highly competitive market, effective marketing can make a huge difference in the bottom line and contribute to a strong bottom line.   There are advantages to being small; by creating a marketing plan and increasing participation in the local community, you can create unique strategies that will help your business stand out from the crowd.  At 834, we challenge you to incorporate the following simple tips into your marketing strategy.  Follow this for one month and evaluate effectiveness.

  • The hand written note- writing a congratulatory or thank you note shows you have taken time to give kudos to someone else without asking for anything in return. It helps your company stay connected with customers as well as the surrounding community.  After all, when was the last time you received a hand written note, let alone a letter or email that was not generic, from a large company or corporation? Makes the one you receive that much more memorable, doesn’t it?
  • Just write it - Start a blog on your company’s website. Talk about what is new with business and intertwine stories from your personal life. Your customers want to feel connected to you, and by sharing some of yourself with them you are increasing loyalty. Engage your customer base by asking questions on how they view your business, start a dialogue. This is a great way to measure customer service and to find out how your business is viewed in the marketplace.   .
  • Engage in social media- Whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn, engaging in social media will create awareness of your company, serve as a PR tool, enhance customer service and if retail based…help you sell. Through social media you can capture new customers with coupons, events, and promotions. Note: Develop a strategy so you aren’t willy nilly with your communication.
  • Support local – Reach out to your community with promotions, events and advertising. Get involved with a local charity, whether it be on the board or committee level. Champion a charity, choose a cause that is near and dear to you and tie it to your business.

Above all, give back…mentor a young professional, volunteer and always make time for other small business owners. We are a rare entrepreneurial breed and we need to stick together.

Sincerely,

834 Design

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Marketing Yourself & Your Business

Friday, February 5th, 2010

chamber-university-logo1I am looking forward to participating in a panel discussion through the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce titled “Marketing Yourself & Business”.

The topic could not be more timely, as many small businesses are struggling to determine the value in marketing, or how to use certain PR & Advertising tools to increase sales. And boy are attendees in for a treat, as the panel of experts not only includes yours truly, but Cynthia Kay of CK&CO and Pete Brand of MINDSCAPE. Did I mention, that all of us are very fun? Oh and we are great presenters.

Those attending this informative & lively discussion on Thursday, February 24, 8-10 a.m. at Rapid Central Station, will walk away with knowledge surrounding messaging, branding, and growing your network.

The lovely Cynthia Kay will discuss “Being Your Brand” and how a strong brand can give any company a competitive advantage.

Pete Brand of MINDSCAPE will explain “Message” and how your personal brand shapes that messaging.

And finally, I shall emphasize the importance of “Building Your Network” to increase awareness of your brand that will ultimately assist you in  growing your obusiness.

To register for this engaging informative event (I have to say that, I’m speaking) go to http://www.grandrapids.org/chamber-university

I am looking forward to being on such a distinguished panel, and to present tools and strategies that will assist businesses in being successful.

See you on the 24th!

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Building Your Personal Brand

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

Today I had the pleasure of speaking on personal brand at the Grand Rapids Young Professional’s Personal Growth Series. The topic – “Building Your Personal Brand”.

Few people realize that you are your brand and your actions, appearance, and conversations shape and define that brand. I cannot stress enough how important it is for you (your brand) to be transparent, visible and authentic.

There are some companies who do this well, the example I used today was Domino’s and their brutally honest commercial they  just released. Two other great examples – Zappos.com and Southwest Airlines. Learn from these companies and use it to shape your personal brand.

Why is it important for you to have a brand? Well, essentially you don’t have a choice, by choosing to be visible in the community you have a brand and that brand is you.

A great source for greater exploration on this topic: http://www.personalbrandingbook.com

Another note – in the age of social media, your brand is even more visible and there are benefits, however remember that everything  you do personal and professional impacts that brand. Am I repeating myself? Yes, because this is one point you can’t afford to miss.

The benefit? Keeps you honest.

Great books to read on this topic:

Me 2.0, Dan Schawbel
The Brand Called You, Peter Montoya & Tim Vandehey 

Thoroughly enjoyed my talk today(www.gryp.org). Thanks again to the group for inviting me, I am impressed with the leadership and the tools they are providing to young professionals in the community.

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2010 – World Domination?

Monday, December 7th, 2009

It is that time of year again, when companies need to look back on the past year and analyze what worked and what didn’t. Then the dreaded year planning. The longer you put it off, the more it will haunt you. It does serve a purpose after all.

We at 834 enjoy the planning, in fact we relish in it. Yes, that makes us a bit odd but we love the thrill of  compiling goals, generating reports, brainstorming world domination…you know the basics.

You owe it to your employees to begin planning, start basic.

Public Relations:
How do you want the public to perceive your company? Have you thought about messaging, media relations, public relations, speaking opportunities, social media, event planning, story cultivation, media training? What about board opportunities to strengthen community involvement and grow awareness through networking?

Marketing:
How are those marketing materials treating you? Print too many on your last run? A little outdated, still think you should use them all? Perhaps your customers won’t notice the typo.

Got a plan to grow the client base? Does it feed into your sales funnel? Have you rethought your strategy to reflect your business development goals? Are you sure your audience is the same?

Social Media:
Does it still scare you? Well it should, if you’re not participating. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn – oh my! Stop procrastinating, get on board.

Training:
Keep your staff motivated in 2010. Odd how motivation can lead to productivity. By investing in your people, you are saying yes to your greatest asset.

Schedule time to begin planning now, 2010 can only be better than 2009 if your prepared.

With 2010 knocking on your door it’ll be here before you know it.  Hope you are all well into your planning, but in case you’re not, couple things to think about.

  • What worked in 2009?  What didn’t?  Why?
  • How does your brand stand?  Do your brand assets clearly identify with who you are and where you’re going?
  • What does your strategy look like? Have you outlined your markets, target audiences, operating plan, market trends and communications strategy/tactics?
  • How does that strategy tie into your sales strategy?  Are you helping sales accomplish their goals by your marketing programs?  Are you communicating through the entire sales cycle your brand and clear messaging, along with the customer buying patterns considered?

All of these things are critical for a successful marketing communications plan and should not be taken lightly.  If you’ve started planning or are nearly complete, excellent.  If not, you’re a bit behind on things so it’s time to get going.

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