DSEF & CBBB: Who Called Me? How to Find Out

Who Called Me? How to Find Out

By Holly Doering

When you get a call from an unfamiliar number, call it back and there’s no answer, what do you do? Here is what I do. First, I go to a few websites where you can enter the number that’s bothering you and see if other people know who it is or what they want:

www.whocalled.us
www.800notes.com (for area-code 800 numbers)

You can also Google the number, or run it through an online directory likewww.411.com or www.anywho.com. Use an “area code locater” website to find out what city and state the call is coming from.

Stopping unwanted calls isn’t easy, but legitimate businesses should put you on their internal do not call list if asked. You can also try using a call blocker. According to the Who Called Us website:

Uniden DECT1288 blocks up to 20 numbers, plus Private and Unknown, with the reject tone, without ringing the phone.
Panasonic KX-TG106 blocks up to 30 numbers, plus all unidentified callers, with a busy tone, after the phone rings once.
JF Teck Caller ID with Ring Controller blocks up to 70 numbers, and can be set to always allow up to 100 to ring through.

If the pests won’t quit calling, you can contact your telephone company and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which runs the National Do Not Call Registry. You can also complain at the Federal Communications Commission website or by calling 888-225-5322.

Personally, I have found that signing up with the Do Not Call list and switching to an unlisted phone number have drastically reduced the number of nuisance calls made to my family. (Be aware that your status on the Do Not Call list doesn’t prevent alltelemarketing calls—there are exceptions for groups like charities.)

To sign up for the American Do Not Call Registry go to www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you wish to register. To sign up for the Canadian Do Not Call List, click here.

DSEF and Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) fosters honest and responsive relationships between businesses and consumers—instilling consumer confidence and advancing a trustworthy marketplace for all.

About the Better Business Bureaus
As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews® and BBB Wise Giving Reports® to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. Visitwww.bbb.org/us for more information.

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Tips to Generate Business

Tips to Generate Business

Whether you are just starting out or simply looking to light a fire under your bottom line, it may be time to look for more ways to generate business. Don’t forget about the tried and true, such as word-of-mouth marketing and social media, but you should also look for alternate avenues to attract more customers and increase your profit. Read on for some helpful suggestions.

Use scripts to be more effective. Flying by the seat of your pants isn’t always a good idea, and using scripts can help prepare you for the unexpected. For example, before reaching out to a prospect, write out a few responses to questions the person may ask or concerns that he or she may express. The act of writing it down and even practicing saying it will help you exude the confidence and capability needed to close the deal. Find out more about how and when to use scripts by clicking here.
Find new leads. Have a plan to find new leads everyday. This can be done in several different ways including via social media, reaching out to current customers, joining local clubs, activities and partnering up with other local business owners. For example, if you write a blog, be sure to end it by asking for questions, feedback and other ideas in the comments section. Respond personally to as many as you can, especially when someone leaves you outstanding feedback, which could possibly be turned into a testimonial. Finally, encourage your readers to share your blog with their friends for even further exposure.
Reach out to current customers for reorders. Reorders should be an additional income stream. Be a good record keeper. You most likely have some kind of purchase history for your customers; take a look at this history for a certain time period such as the last six months. Reach out personally to a few customers. Ask them how satisfied they are with their purchase and suggest other products or services that complement something they’ve already bought. Such a phone call can not only bring you reorders, but also helps build and maintain an important business relationship.
Upselling is a highly effective way to increase profit, especially if you are an expert when it comes to your products and services. For instance, a customer wants to purchase a foot scrub from your health and beauty business. Before she checks out, suggest that she add the massaging cream and travel size moisturizer for a complete foot care kit. Offer to make a gift basket out of it for her, and now you’ve given her the idea that these products would make a great present. The worst thing you can hear is no, but you’ll never find out unless you ask.
Reach out to the community by hosting an event. Open houses, new product demo nights, and holiday celebrations can be the perfect opportunities to socialize more personally with the very people you want to patronize your business. Choose a theme or topic, invite local residents and business owners, provide refreshments and product samples, and most importantly, show your sincere desire to serve their best interests. Hosting events is a great way to introduce or re-introduce yourself to your customers and prospects.

What other tips do you have for generating new business? Please share your ideas below!

Free e-book “Business Owner’s Road Map to Success.” It has over 50 pages of techniques for everything a small business owner needs to master, from business planning and ethical selling to a success mindset. It’s all there and it’s free for you. To get it, just “Like” our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/KsIN6P Pass it on!

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How to Choose Social Media Tools for Your Business

How to Choose Social Media Tools for Your Business

When you begin to consider using social media marketing for your business, the choices can seem overwhelming. There are so many social networks out there, and will the time needed to do all of them really pay off in the long run? How do you choose what makes sense for your business?

Here’s a process you can use to help you decide and then use what you choose effectively:

Write down your goals for social media marketing: Are you seeking new customers, or looking to grow your mailing list? Are you interested in finding people that are interested in a business opportunity? By taking some time to consider your goals, your subsequent actions will be a lot more focused.
Define your target market: You must understand who you want to reach if you’re going to find them online. So spend some time narrowly defining your target market…their ages, education, income level, interests, etc. Then you can go and find them!
Figure out where your target market spends time online: Once you know who you want to reach, then do some research to find out where that target market spends time online. Facebook is a great place to find consumers, but if you’re looking for people interested in a business opportunity you may do better on LinkedIn. If you want to reach a more niche audience, perhaps the people you want to reach are on a more specialized network like fashionspace.com or wahm.com. Don’t just assume that the “biggies” are best for your business. Take the time to do the research so you know which network will help you reach the people you are looking for.
Decide how much time you can devote daily: This is also very important. If you’re a solopreneur, you’ve got a lot to do already, and adding the maintenance of dozens of social networks to your plate means that you won’t do anything well. Instead, narrow your focus to one or two social networks based on the daily amount of time you can invest. Remember, doing one social network well is better than spreading yourself too thin and leaving no impression on people at all.
Learn the social network before jumping in: Once you’ve got a short list of social networks that would work for your business, spend some time researching them. Talk to other business owners that have used them, and ask about their results and best practices. Read the terms of service of the network so you’re clear on what you can and cannot do as a business on the social network. And take some time to observe how others use the network at a personal level. If most people use the social network personally, you want to be sure your understand the norms and cadence of the interactions there, so you don’t come in like a bull in a china shop, alienating the very people you want to reach.
Commit daily: Once you establish your presence on the social network, realize it’s a daily commitment. Especially in the beginning as you’re building your momentum, it’s absolutely critical that you spend time every single day connecting with the people on your social network. Share great content, talk to people, answer questions. It’s the giving of yourself each day that builds the engagement that leads to new business.
Add your social networks to your offline marketing: Now that you’ve got an online presence, be sure to add it to your offline interactions. Add the URL of your social presence to your business cards and signage. Invite every customer to connect with you online. Let your in-person business contacts know about special “online only” offers that you provide online to encourage them to join you there. The beauty of the online presence is that you can connect with people a lot more regularly than just waiting to connect in person. Be sure every person you work with is invited to join you online.
Measure! This is perhaps the most important part of social media, and the one most often neglected by business owners. It’s not enough to set up your online presence and “feel” that things are going well. You must measure. The ultimate goal of any social presence is to convert contacts on your social networks to people that help you meet the goals you outlined in the first bullet of this article. So if you’re looking to build your mailing list, be sure you’ve got a way for people to sign up to do that, and call it out regularly on your social networks. Then measure how many people come to your sign up form, and how many get to the success page after filling it out. How many do you lose? If too many people are abandoning your form before completion, maybe you need to change your form. If your goal is to get more customers, then you should be measuring how many people are coming from your social network to your shopping page (or into your store…are you asking how they heard about you?), and then how many actually make a purchase after visiting. Google Analytics will give you a lot of this information. Make sure you’ve got it installed on your website, and are looking at the data regularly.

It’s not enough to just jump on Facebook because everyone else seems to be doing it. A measured, thoughtful approach to your selection of social media tools, and then measuring the results of your actions, will bring you much closer to your goals.

What social tools do you use? Why did you choose them? How are they working for you? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

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DSEF-Supplied Content Enriching CBBB, Consumers

DSEF-Supplied Content Enriching CBBB, Consumers

Instilling consumer confidence and contributing to a trustworthy marketplace are common goals shared by the DSEF and the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB), one of the nation’s recognized leaders in developing and administering self-regulation programs for the business community.

In May 2010, the two organizations formed a close partnership that has resulted in an increased awareness and understanding—and appreciation—of the importance that the direct selling industry places as an industry on ensuring it is an ethical and trustworthy marketplace.

“The BBB, which is one of the most foremost brands of trust and integrity for consumers, is tasked with educating consumers as well as educating businesses about best practices,” says Catherine Landman, Chair of the DSEF Ethics Committee and the Chief Legal Officer for The Pampered Chef. “This parallels DSEF’s goal, which is to educate consumers about direct selling and the best practices direct sellers follow.”

The CBBB, the network hub for BBBs in the United States and Canada, is dedicated to fostering honest and responsive relationships between businesses and consumers. Millions of consumers visit its website each month seeking information that will help them make wise decisions relating to a variety of business practices, services and opportunities in the marketplace.

“A key goal of DSEF’s partnership with the CBBB on ethics and trust in the marketplace is to provide accurate and valuable information on diverse business and consumer issues, including the direct selling method of distribution,” says Bettie L. Smith, Senior Program Director for DSEF. “Our unique partnership helps pave the way for increased respect and understanding among the 116 BBBs, direct sellers and the general public.”

The general public has been the biggest beneficiary of the partnership. The DSEF has contributed numerous articles and videos on direct selling, as well as informative blog content, that consumers can easily access from the CBBB site.

Jim Guthrie, Senior Consultant of Advertising and Marketing for CBBB, says “the partnership has brought important, engaging and entertaining content to us that has enriched our website—content from DSEF about direct selling—both about the opportunities to get into the direct selling business and how to purchase knowledgeably through a direct selling channel. It’s the kind of information that the BBB offers to consumers who come on to our site asking about businesses. It’s a wonderful source of information.”

The CBBB tracks the content supplied by DSEF using 25 different metrics that evaluate the CBBB’s ability to deliver content to site visitors. Over the two years that the DSEF has contributed material, the interest in direct selling from consumers has not waned. The rate of engagement with DSEF’s content is at the top of the curve—approximately six times higher than an average message online. On a monthly basis, the CBBB site receives 1.3 million impressions directly related to the DSEF content.

“Consumers are very interested in what we have to offer about direct selling,” says Guthrie. “I think [the economy] is encouraging a lot of people to consider direct selling opportunities.”

Thanks to the efforts of the DSEF, CBBB visitors can find the information they need about becoming a direct seller.

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Entrepreneurs in Action Walkathon: Going the Extra Mile for At-Risk Kids

Entrepreneurs in Action Walkathon: Going the Extra Mile for At-Risk Kids

It’s a disheartening statistic: every 29 seconds, one student drops out of the U.S. educational system. Over the course of a year, that equates to 1.2 million young Americans who never graduate—the majority of whom would have continued their studies had the curriculum proved more relevant to their lives.

Sometimes what young people need is a little inspiration and mentoring to show them just how relevant education really is to their future. And that’s where the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) comes in.

Founded in New York in 1987, NFTE currently has 11 affiliate offices throughout the United States that provide programs that inspire young people from low-income communities to graduate from high school and to learn the necessary skills for creating their own business plans—in essence, helping to shape them into the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

On Sunday, June 3, the DSEF will kick off the Entrepreneurs in Action Walkathon to benefit the Greater Dallas Chapter of NFTE. The three-day event will be held at the Gaylord Texan during the DSA Annual Meeting. DSA members will have the opportunity to support NFTE’s goal of helping at-risk youth find their pathways to a brighter future, and meet some special young people who participate in the organization’s programs.

The walkathon is a first for DSEF, which in the past has hosted a toy drive and organized a beach cleanup as part of its annual charitable efforts. Kate Gardner, Chair of the DSEF Community Partner Program task force and Executive Director of the SUCCESS Foundation, says the walkathon not only allowed DSEF to infuse the entire three days of the DSA Annual Meeting with the message of community partnership, but it also tied in well with its theme: Inspiring Entrepreneurs.

“NFTE inspires kids to complete their education and to go forward, or consider starting, their own businesses,” says Gardner. “The organization is all about teaching the principles and spirit of entrepreneurship. It is a natural tie-in to what the DSA represents.”

Laura Maczka, Executive Director, NFTE Greater Dallas, agrees. “There is a natural connection between what we are trying to encourage our children to do and what the folks in the direct selling business do,” she says. “Our goal is to have disadvantaged youth feel like they can positively affect their future—that they have some control, and through their own businesses change their circumstances.”

Aside from the financial support NFTE will receive from the walkathon, Maczka is just as excited about opportunity for her students to meet members of the DSA. “We are always looking for role models and mentors,” she states. “The people we have met through direct selling have amazing stories that are inspiring to our children. The opportunity for our students to see successful people, hear their stories and hear that they genuinely care about next generation of entrepreneurs is amazing, especially since our students could aspire to be members of the DSA someday.”

DSEF’s support of NFTE is appreciated by top business leaders such as Jim Stitt, President and CEO of CUTCO, who has long recognized the importance of teaching the concept of entrepreneurship to youth. CUTCO is a business that is predominantly college student-oriented, with its focus on young students who can aspire to be entrepreneurs of the future.

“CUTCO has been a longtime supporter of DSEF,” says Stitt. “We think these events are great because they showcase what DSEF does for the industry, and it is a great way for colleagues to get together, learn more about DSEF while working together as well as raise awareness for DSEF.”

The Entrepreneurs in Action Walkathon is sponsored by Herbalife, ALHI, The Pampered Chef, VideoPlus, USANA, CUTCO, 4Life, The Hartford, John A. Parks Co., Inc., Team National, Beachbody, Vantel Pearls and WineShop At Home.

Prizes will be awarded in three categories: Most Miles Walked, Daily Challenges and Most Pledges Collected. The grand prize is a 2-night stay at the Aria in Las Vegas with spa certificates for two. The first place winner will receive a 2-night stay at the Peabody Orlando, and the second place winner will enjoy a 1-night stay at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs with golf for two.

REGISTER NOW!

Entrepreneurs in Action Walkathon Kick-Off Networking Event

Sunday, June 3—8 a.m. to Noon
Registration Fee: $100 (Tax Deductible)

Don’t miss this opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our host city’s youth!

Sign up when you register for the Annual Meeting. If you’ve already registered, click here to edit your registration to include the event

For more information, please contact Tamara Ingram.

Can’t Make the Kick-Off Event? You Can Still Participate!

Collect your pedometer at DSA’s Registration Desk after 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 3.
Start walking!
GO THE EXTRA MILE! (Optional) Before the Annual Meeting, ask your colleagues to support you by pledging any dollar amount for every mile you walk. Click here to download the Pledge Form.

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Scam Alert: How to Safeguard Your Business

Scam Alert: How to Safeguard Your Business

Small business owners are constantly besieged by tasks that pull them away from the major day-to-day duties inherent in running a successful business. Those tasks can include:

Task 1: Upgrading contact information to directory services

Task 2: Paying miscellaneous invoices

Task 3: Reimbursing customers for overpayments

Task 4: Updating software and passwords

Task 5: Responding to award notifications

Task 6: Checking email

Those seemingly mundane tasks can disrupt the flow of business, and are most often not given the focus they deserve.

And that’s just what scam artists are banking on.

To help small business owners—especially direct sellers—recognize the most common scams and safeguard themselves against fraud, the DSEF has joined forces with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) to create timely and valuable resources that DSA member companies can share with their salesforces, employees and family members.

“For the small business leader to succeed in our current economic climate, they need up-to-date and relevant resources and tools that will enable them to manage their time, finances and business wisely,” said Bettie L. Smith, Senior Program Director for DSEF. “Through our partnership with CUNA, we are developing an abundance of free financial education resources that individuals can access 24/7 in their home via the Web.”

Those resources include an informative video that identifies the six most common scams experienced by small businesses:

Directory Scheme: The free directory update is not so free after all. You’re billed for listings, services or ads you did not agree to. (Task 1)

Supply Scheme: The miscellaneous invoice you received is for office supplies you never ordered. (Task 2)

Overpayment Scheme: The customer requesting reimbursement used a fraudulent credit card or check. (Task 3)

Data Breach Scheme: The antivirus software you never installed and passwords you never updated allowed your sensitive business data to be breached. (Task 4)

Award Scheme: The industry award you just paid hundreds of dollars for does not exist. (Task 5)

Phishing Scheme: The email link you clicked on just allowed hackers into your computer system. (Task 6)

Professor Brenda Cude, Director of the University of Georgia Center on Economic Education, says the key to safeguarding your business these days is to stay focused on all aspects of your business operations.

“First and foremost we just all need to be aware and stop and think about what we’re doing,” says Cude, who is a DSEF board member and serves as the Consumer Committee Co-chair. “If we are not sure, take an extra moment to think again or ask someone else. There’s so much that appears to be legitimate today that really isn’t, and sometimes it takes another person’s opinion to help you see where the possible flaw might be.”

According to Jan Garkey, Member Education Manager for the Center for Personal Finance at CUNA, the partnership between DSEF and her organization will capitalize on each other’s strengths to reach new audiences through the exploding social media platform, including sharing personal finance articles from credit unions across the country through Facebook and Twitter. “CUNA is proud to partner with DSEF on our shared mission to improve the financial literacy of our respective members, future members and the general public. It’s exciting to see this partnership evolve.”

“DSEF and CUNA share a common goal of empowering consumers,” says Nu Skin Senior Director of Public Relations Kara Schneck, who is a DSEF board member and Consumer Committee Co-chair. “We look forward to bringing our respective strengths together to help consumers, particularly those involved in direct selling, have the information and tools they need to make wise fiscal decisions and achieve their financial goals.”

To learn more about the specific types of small-business scams and how to protect your business from fraud, view the video created by DSEF and CUNA here.

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Create a Unique Story to Promote Your Business

A crucial element to a successful small business is the building of relationships with your customers. As with any relationship, whether personal or professional, each party must bring something to the table to share with the other person. Sharing details about yourself in even a small way can really go far in creating mutual trust and respect, both qualities that consumers find important when deciding where to take their business. Here are some suggestions for how you can promote your business by creating a unique story.

Remember why you began. No one takes lightly the decision to go into business for themselves. Although many things probably factored into your decision, there is most likely one driving reason why you chose this endeavor. Perhaps you wanted to find a way to stay home with your children during the day, or maybe a loved one inspired you to leave a job you didn’t enjoy to pursue a dream that would make you happy. When sharing your business with others (friends, prospects, network contacts), make sure to include this personal story. Tip: Write it out, including any details you remember, and then highlight the most important and personal elements. What you’re left with will be a memorable story that you can use when building business relationships.
Know your strengths and share your inspirations. What do you have to offer your customers that your competitors do not? A higher quality product? Personalized customer service that goes above and beyond? Whatever it may be, share with others why you think it is so important. For example, a wedding videographer finds much success by promoting her ability to shoot wonderful videos without being intrusive to the bride and groom. This is important to her because not only had she been to several weddings where the videographer got in the way, but her own wedding was nearly ruined when the cameraperson nearly tripped her going down the aisle! A humorous but personal story will make you seem more human, help your customers remember you, and demonstrate your commitment to making them happy.
Highlight your accomplishments and how you achieved them. Accomplishments can be anything from receiving formal recognition within your community to simply landing enough sales every month to turn a nice profit. Without being boastful, share your journey to the top with others you meet. Back to the wedding videographer, she would do well with a story about how she perfected the art of taking great videos without being noticed. People like to do business with others they know who work hard and take pride in that work. Don’t be afraid to shine the spotlight on yourself once in a while.
Reflect on how you learned from past mistakes. No one is perfect, so if you try to paint yourself as such, you will undoubtedly turn people off because you won’t sound sincere. When telling your story, include a few downs of your journey as well as the ups. That wedding videographer didn’t magically become so skilled overnight; she had some weddings in the beginning of her career where she was so focused on staying out of the way that she missed some important moments. However, watching and studying her own footage as well as studying the methods of industry experts helped her perfect her craft and improve her skills. After all of that hard work, she’s not afraid to share how she got to be where she is with others. Customers will appreciate your honesty and be reassured that you do truly strive for their satisfaction.

Identifying and sharing the unique elements of yourself and your business is an effective way to promote it. The key is in deciding which details to include and which to omit. Think like your customer when you choose!

Finally, make sure you practice telling your stories. You want them to sound natural and comfortable when sharing them. Remember that they’re your stories and yours alone, so don’t be afraid to a get a little personal while still staying appropriate.

Do you use unique stories in your business? Share your ideas below!

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How to Use Fun to Increase Business

How to Use Fun to Increase Business

If you’re like most people, you can recall a joke or two that you learned in your childhood and still retell it perfectly decades later. The reason you remember those jokes is the power of humor. When we find something funny, it signals our brains to store it in our memory. Using this idea can be highly beneficial to your business. Read on for some tips on how to incorporate fun elements into your business and increase your bottom line.

Make marketing fun! Many successful companies have created brands that don’t take themselves too seriously. For example, a pet waste removal service by the name of Doody Calls is one of the most successful in its locality. Why? Its name is simple, memorable, and invokes a laugh, giggle or at least a smile at the sound of it. Consider using wordplay in your marketing materials; it‘s a great way to stand out from the crowd.
Encourage friendly competition. The reason that gamification has become so popular in business is because it caters to our innate needs for recognition, praise, and the ability to express or display our accomplishments (think trophies and badges). Companies like FourSquare and Shopkick have taken this to the next level by posting leader boards and reminding you where you stand among your friends. Even if you are just starting out, create small ways for your customers to “play” and compete with each other for special gifts and incentives.
Create a progress tracker. This works really well on websites, but could also be applied to tangible incentives, like punch cards. For example, when customers place an order on your website, incorporate a progress bar that displays how close they are to completing the process. They could even get an extra reward for completing a brief survey upon placing the order. You could also create a punch/stamp card or other reward system, similar to the one used by Subway, where your card gets stamped with the purchase of each sub up until the 10^th one that you get for free. Something so simple rewards loyal customers and motivates new customers to continually come back.
Bring some fun to professional development sessions/team meetings. Fun is a highly effective motivator, so incorporate it into the contact you have with your downline or other staff. Create a theme for the meeting and select an appropriate, upbeat song to play as people arrive. (A meeting about personalized customer service could kick off with “Any Way You Want It” by Journey.) Have people pair up to solve a quick riddle or conduct a brief interview with each other. When you make such events fun for your team, they will look forward to coming, and in turn will enjoy the work part of it even more. A happy team makes a motivated team.

It’s no secret that success in small business takes a lot of “blood, sweat, and tears” so to speak. However, making your business fun for yourself, your customers, and your team will increase your ability to maintain success in the long term.

How do you use fun to increase business? Please share your ideas in the comments section below!

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DSEF & CBBB: Happiness is…

Happiness is…..

By Carol Odell

Have you ever considered that mind-wandering can affect your happiness? And your productivity?

Matthew Killingsworth discusses his findings from his research study in the article, The Future of Happiness Research in the January-February 2012 Harvard Business Review.

Killingsworth says that our mind wanders nearly half the time and that lowers our mood. We have always heard that we need to feed ourselves positive thoughts. Now, we know why. Right? If we don’t make an effort to be positive we tend to think negative or neutral thoughts, and down goes our mood.

I was floored when I read what Killingsworth says about how much our minds wander. It’s 60% while commuting, 30% when talking to someone and about 50% of our work day! Obviously, we don’t stay focused as much as we think or want.

As managers, employees, spouses, parents, and/or friends, staying focused is important and we need to improve. Killingsworth suggests that when we get up in the morning we should ask ourselves, “What am I going to do with my mind today?”

Reflective listening helps me stay focused when someone is talking. In other words, I rephrase what the person has said, and say it back to him. When I am working or reading, I repeat thoughts out loud or read out loud to stop my mind from wandering.

What do you do? We all need tips to keep focused and happy.

Killingsworth also talks about happiness on the job being more about our moment-to-moment experiences rather than a high salary or a prestigious title. Once again, we are hearing it’s the small things that count.

What are the small things that make a difference in your day or happiness? Pass your thoughts along and you could help make a difference in our happiness, too.

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Opportunities that Increase Business

When you are your own boss, your work day may end at certain time, but your business is always a part of your life. As direct sellers and/or small business owners, we should constantly be looking for opportunities that can increase business. These chances present themselves more often than you might think. Here are some ways to take advantage of such openings that could prove extremely beneficial.

Personalizing – If you’ve ever been to a salon where you see the same hair stylist regularly, you might notice that he or she strikes up conversations by asking you questions about your personal life. “How are your twin daughters? Isn’t their birthday coming up?” or “You recently moved across town right? How do you like the neighborhood?” may be some of the ways the stylist makes you feel comfortable, important, and relaxed during your hair cut. Most savvy stylists and other industry experts will tell you that the key to personalizing their service is very simple and even old-fashioned: write things down! When engaging a customer in conversation, write down any memorable facts that were shared with you, such as marital status, children, occupation, etc. Then, right before you meet with that customer again, quickly review your notes so you can bring up these details. Everyone appreciates a personal touch, and they will share this feeling with others when recommending your business to their friends and family.
Partnering – Navigating the world of small business ownership can seem a lot like being thrown into the jungle to fend for yourself; and just like in the jungle, there is strength in numbers. Use this to your advantage and find other small businesses with whom to join forces. Teaming up with businesses that provide products or services that complement your own can have mutually beneficial results. For example, the owner of a bed & breakfast could partner with a local bakery. The baker could provide muffins, rolls, bagels, donuts, and other breakfast pastries that could be served with the guests’ breakfast. In exchange, the owner could distribute the bakery’s business cards and cross promote certain products or services when a guest patronizes both establishments. Each business is getting referrals from a different market, and incentives will keep customers coming back.
Fundraising – Getting involved with your community is a great way to network and introduce yourself to your customer base. Contact your local chamber of commerce, places of worship, schools, etc. to find out how you can become involved in fundraising efforts and promote your business at the same time. Many organizations hold Tricky Trays, raffles, flea markets, car washes, bake sales, and other small and large scale events. Consider donating a gift basket to a tricky tray, setting up a table at a flea market, or volunteering at a car wash or bake sale. These are wonderful opportunities to give back to the community, build business relationships, and increase your business.
Celebrating – This is the time of year when many businesses are promoting Teacher Appreciation Day by providing special discounts or incentives to their customers who are teachers. Take this idea to the next level by choosing one or two groups a month to celebrate, such as nurses, administrative workers, and military personnel. This will not only bring in more customers, but it will also facilitate building important business relationships with your clientele.

If you gradually and systematically utilize these networking avenues you will efficiently expand the opportunities for your growing business. You should always be on the lookout for opportunities that can increase your business. Never be afraid to talk to others about what you do; you never know what awaits! What opportunities can you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!