Archive for September, 2010

I met with a group of business colleagues recently for coffee and we got around to talking about my business. Immediately, a friend who has been hitting the networking groups lately pulled out a stack of business cards to show me some “gems” he thought really needed marketing help. He kind of turned into “LogoCop” and made his case for me to help him make a citizen’s arrest.

“Look at this one,” he said. “This guy needs marketing. No logo, the fonts don’t match and you should see his web site!”

I nodded in agreement. “Yes, that one’s pretty weak.”

He thumbed through the stack some more. “Ah ha! Look at the goofy logo on that one. It’s a just a telephone, an old fashioned one, and this guy’s in the IT services business! Would you want to hire him?”

“Probably not,” I said

“You should call all these guys and tell them how you can help.”

LogoMan to the Rescue

Well, I don’t usually burst into a prospect’s front door with my LogoGun, but my friend’s points are well taken. How would you feel if an amateur LogoCop was trashing your business card at the coffee shop? Your company logo is the front door – the cornerstone of your company’s brand identity. It’s a no-brainer (well apparently it’s not for everyone) to get a good logo for your business. Whether you’re a start-up, or an established business, seek professional help, and when you do, trust them. Don’t rely on what you like (your favorite color), or what your spouse says about a design.

Find a designer who will help you think about what your logo will say to your target market. Does it support your core marketing message? Are there colors or shapes that complement or communicate what you do? Is it legible? Will it stand the test of time? Does it set you apart from the competition? in general, the simpler the better.

Don’t skimp

Be sure to hire an artist or graphic designer who goes beyond creating a logo, but works with you to create an entire identity system for packaging your business – from letterhead design to brochures and websites. Consistency is the key. It’s tempting to go online to one of the many logo factories out there and be done with it, but I warn you to be very careful. I think sitting down with a local designer, face to face, will give you better results. Ask for more than a new logo – ask them to create a complete identity package. It will cost you more but in the long run it is an investment that will help prevent Citizen LogoCop from blasting your brand at the coffee shop.

A call to action makeover, why your business should be on facebook, and the best way to grow a business top the weekend edition of Marketing Stuff with Moxie – my semi-weekly compilation of three compelling or noteworthy marketing tips, tools or tactics I’ve come across in the past week.

Five Signs your Call-To-Action Needs a Makeover

Do you even have a call to action on your web site or landing page?  A compelling offer or clickable link for people to get to know like and trust you?  You should.  Hubspot’s Diana Freedman discusses a few ways you can tell that you need to makeover your site’s call-to-action.  Read more.

Eight Reasons Your Business Needs a Facebook Fan Page

If you’re like many small business owners, you’re just not sure about jumping into the social media fray.  A lot of my clients suffer from Facebook Fan Page Fear.  Here are eight compelling reasons from MySEMExperts blogger Harry Huxford that might help you overcome your fear.  Or you could go to your Fear Coach and pay a lot of money. Read more.

The Best Way to Grow A Business?

I’ll bet you could come up with the answer on your own.  Yup, it’s word of mouth, or basically referrals. Think about the favorite, easiest deal you ever closed – the one where the prospect practically said “let’s get started!” before you could even ask for the sale. It was probably a referral. Here’s a nice blog post by WinWeb’s Stefan Töpfer about a recent Linked In survey T-Mobile conducted.  Read more.

A side commentary on that list tip. I read a number of stories this week about the small business bill Congress sent to President Obama.  One congressional critic said, “Small businesses don’t need more credit, they need more customers.” Amen.  Don’t expect Congress to help you get more customers. You’ve got to do that on your own and word-of-mouth is the easiest, cheapest and most effective “small business stimulus plan” ever.

I like to think of things in threes. It seems that my brain more readily learns and retains three things at a time. Three is a mystical number that shows up in the Bible and fairy tales too, so there must be something to it! The following three-step referral process will help you grow a simply amazing business and help other businesses do the same. Note that each step has just three words. I’ll bet you’ll be able to remember them too!

1. Discover your Difference
2. Give to Get
3. Refer and Reward

Discover your Difference

Take some time to discover what truly sets your business apart and identify three things that make your business amazing. Here’s a hint: those things are not your product, service or price. Truly amazing businesses don’t compete on price or their product or service. Customers buy from truly amazing companies because they offer something else. For example, an outrageous guarantee, a unique experience (think Southwest Airlines), an outstanding process, or incredibly friendly people – you get the idea. Are you stumped at how to find that difference? Here are three steps you can take:

1. Ask three employees (it can be more, but start with three) what they think sets you apart or what they see in your industry that could help set you apart. Start with your sales team.
2. Ask three of your ideal customers what they think about doing business with you. Invite them to participate in short survey. Ask them why they hired or bought from you in the first place. Ask them why they refer business to you. Ask them what you could do better.
3. Evaluate three competitors and look for gaps that you can fill. They’re probably competing on price or product in their marketing messages. Look for ways to beat them at their own game. You’ll see some themes emerge from this process. Write them down, and build them into your business or marketing plan. Can’t find three differences? Did you find some gaps or problems? Well, that’s good. You now have some work to do to become an amazing business.

Give to Get

Now that you have three amazing differences in mind, find three other businesses that could be or are amazing. They can be businesses that have the same customer base as you. The idea is to get connected to business that you can refer and they in turn will refer you. Find amazing businesses that your customers or prospects would like, and your customers will in turn think more highly of you for the information. The key here is not to ask them to refer you, but to invite them to educate you on how can to send them referrals . Give to get. Three more steps:

1. Contact three business owners and tell them you’d like to know three amazing things about their business. Explain that you believe you have similar customers or clients that could benefit from knowing about their business.
2. Give them your three amazing differences as an example and explain how you came up with those differences.
3. Invite them to send their three amazing differences back to you so you can begin referring business to them, and encourage them to do the same for you.

Refer and Reward

Follow-up is essential in this process. Now that you know three amazing differences about other businesses, actively refer them. Your final three steps:

1. Think of three current customers or prospects that might be a good match for your three referral partners and actively refer them. Important: this isn’t something you should do passively. Don’t simply write a company’s name down on a scrap of paper and tell your customer or prospect to call them. Introduce them – via email, at lunch, or at an event where everyone is in attendance. Make it personal and communicate your referral partner’s amazing differences.
2. Set up some kind of reward system when your referral partners send business your way. You can offer a cash incentive, a gift certificate, or maybe free services or products from your business. However a reward doesn’t have to be money or free services. An acknowledgement via a hand-written note can go a long way to help your referring partner feel appreciated when they send you a prospect who becomes a customer.
3. Repeat the process. This isn’t something you do once and forget. Always be on the lookout for more referral partners. Ask your new customers what businesses they think are amazing and approach those businesses to be your referral partners. Create a plan. You don’t have to refer everyone all the time (after all, you have to grow and run your business, right?). Do it over three months, and find three ways to introduce them. Feature a “referral partner” once a month on your website, put information about them in a newsletter, or keep their business card handy to share with others you meet in a networking session, and tell them you’ll follow up with a personal introduction.

So put the power of three to work to make your business amazing. I’d love to hear your comments and suggestions – I’ll take at least three!

[Blogger's note: This post first appeared as my submission to the HP SugarTone contest: “Making your business amazing”, sponsored by Hewlett Packard]

VOTE for this post HERE and also Leave a Comment to win great prizes!

There is a lot of great stuff I hear about or receive in my online listening stations every week that I’d like to share.  So here is a quick post featuring three links to timely articles, people, products or services of interest to small business owners.  I’ll attempt to make this a Saturday blog post tradition, and the criteria will be that these people, products or services have moxie.  Click on the headlines to learn more.

Big Sales from Tiny Shops

CNN Small Business
This has become a popular trend in Austin – selling stuff from Airstream RV trailers, everything from cupcakes to crepes.  I’m thinking of getting my own Airstream to become a mobile marketing coach.  Actually, that might work.  Hmmmm.

Google Dangles Carrots in Front of Small Biz Owners

Small Business Search Marketing
Google is at it again – teasing small business owners.  But, I was impressed this week when a Google rep called me directly to interest me in the fairly new Google Tag ad.  It’s a great tool for small business.

Get stuff Done with todoist

Productivity Expert Maura Thomas turned me on to todoist.  I love it because it integrates with Gmail Apps account.  It’s a Zen-like To Do List. Pretty Cool.