Four Paths to Success

Four Paths to Success

There is no single path to success. Different people may make different decisions, but end with similar results. There are, however, some paths that provide a greater possibility of success than others. Here are some of these paths, along with actions you can take to follow them.

Build in certainty to your actions. You shouldn’t just blindly be going about your business, completing tasks and projects each day, without knowing what will happen as a result. It is comforting to know that certain actions have specific outcomes. For example, paying your bills on time will result in building and maintaining a good credit score. Use this approach in all aspects of your business when possible. What actions can you take that will have results you can count on?

Take calculated risks that will have a greater chance of positive results. Risk-taking is a necessary part of growing your business. Be smart about those risks by researching possible outcomes, preparing for a negative outcome, and analyzing the results once the action is completed. Let’s say you have some extra money coming in that you’d like to reinvest back into the business for marketing purposes. Investigate different marketing methods, such as how much they cost, how well they might reach your target audience, and how effective they have been either for you in the past or for others in your field. A risk doesn’t have to be dangerous if you do your homework.

Take action to follow a great idea only if others think it’s a great idea as well. You may come up with what you feel is a brilliant idea. This feeling is unique in that it sometimes can cloud our judgment, causing us to act too quickly. Make sure that before you act on an idea, run it by several people who are knowledgeable in your field and/or in business in general. It is becoming more and more common for entrepreneurs to crowdsource before taking action in their businesses. Use your network to your advantage of their collective experiences before acting on an idea.

Find something that is difficult or undesirable to do, and master it. There is bound to be some aspect of your business or some related niche that most others won’t take on for themselves because it is too difficult. Make yourself an expert in these types of tasks, and you will be able to edge out your competitors. While scoping out the competition, one local restaurant owner noticed that most other restaurants had very limited menus for people with dietary restrictions. In response to this trend, the restaurant owner decided to learn as much as he could about dietary restrictions and trained his staff to transform his business into one that specializes in alternative dietary choices. By making himself an expert in something that was too difficult for his competitors to deal with, he was able to make his restaurant one of the most popular spots in town.

Each of these paths requires a good deal of preparation. Find one that you can tackle right away for your business. Which path on our list will you take? Please share your ideas below!

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A Fantastic List of Resources to Grow Your Business

A Fantastic List of Resources to Grow Your Business

Are you looking for ways to grow your business? Increase your sales? Manage your time better? Here at DSEF, we’ve been providing content for years on these topics and many others, to help you build a more profitable and rewarding business.

So today, we decided to reach back into the archives and compile some of our posts by topic, to help you find the content that will help you with what you’re working on right now. Take some time to explore the posts below, and share them with your friends and colleagues. We wish you much success!

Marketing Your Business Online

Establishing Your Online Presence

4 Tips for Effective Online Marketing

Tips for Running an Effective Contest Online

5 Tips to Attract More People to Your Facebook Page

12 Tips for Successful Online Virtual Events

4 Ways Photos Can Help You Grow Your Business

Making Facebook Work for Your Business

Using Instagram for Your Small Business

Business Growth

Free eBook: 15 Days to Greater Success

3 Things You Must Do Now to Grow Your Business

Reaching Your Target Market in Different Generations

6 Ways to Get in Front of More Customers this Holiday Season

7 Ways to Get More Customers

Planning for a Bigger Business: The 3:3:3 Approach

Free eBook: The Power of the Success Mindset

Increasing Sales

5 Ways to Get More Sales From Existing Customers

3 Ways to Increase Your Average Customer Order

4 Ways to Master Your Sales Pitch

4 No-Cost Ways to Increase Sales

Leadership

8 Ways to Be a Great Leader

What Your Team Needs

Leadership that Motivates

Time Management

Why You Procrastinate

Balance Without Sacrificing Business (How to Make your Business More Efficient)

How To Manage Your Time on Social Media

Business Finances

Creating a Budget for Your Small Business

10 Tips for Reducing Financial Stress

Tips for Taking Control of Your Business Finances

Which post has helped you the most with your business? Please share with us in the comments!

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3 Ways to Increase Your Average Customer Order

3 Ways to Increase Your Average Customer Order

Do you know what your average customer order size is? This is the average amount a customer spends when they make a purchase from your business. Knowing this number is important, because if you can increase the average customer order size, you can increase the overall income you make for your business. Here are some ways you can increase the average order size for your business:

Offer 3 Choices – When offering products to customers, choose one high priced item, one medium priced item, and one lower priced item. Most often, the customer will choose the item in the middle. By choosing a medium-priced item that is priced higher than your average order, you can increase the order size.
Bundle – Everyone likes a good deal, and bundling is a great way to increase your customer order size. Show your customer how much a set of items would cost individually, then offer a bundle price that saves the customer a few dollars. Rather than just buying one item, the customer will often decide to go with the bundle, increasing your order size even with the discount.
Upsell – There is a reason that supermarkets often provide candy and other lower-priced items at the register. They hope they can entice you to add a few dollars to your order. Be sure you know what lower-priced items complement some of the items you usually sell, and suggest them when your customer is checking out. Show them how the items work together, and highlight the benefits of owning both. (“Do you want fries with that?”) When you make upselling something that you do consistently, you will find that your average order size increases.

When you increase your average order size, you increase your profits. How can you present your products so that customers decide to buy more? Please share with us your ideas in the comments!

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6 Ways to Get in Front of More Customers this Holiday Season

6 Ways to Get in Front of More Customers this Holiday Season

If you are like most small businesses, you are heading into your busiest time of the year. As customers look for holiday gifts, it’s important to remind them about your business, so that when you have what they are looking for, they shop with you. After all, it’s easy for customers to run to a faceless big box store and get a lot of generic gifts. It’s up to you to make it just as easy to shop with you. The bonus is that your personal attention will help customers find exactly the right gift, increasing both customer satisfaction and repeat business.

But this all happens when customers are aware of you. So this period is critical. What you do now will determine whether or not customers think of you when shopping for holiday gifts. Here are some tips to get yourself in front of customers and remind them that you’re there:

Advertise – Even if you don’t advertise at any time of the year, it makes a lot of sense to advertise when the holiday season comes around. And thanks to online tools, there are many inexpensive options at your disposal. Consider running some Facebook Ads (even $5 or $10 per day can make an impact), check out local publications, and form alliances with local businesses to cross-promote.
Sponsor – At this time of year, many communities hold and other events, and often they look for businesses to help offset the costs of these events. In return, your business is featured in literature about the event. Take some time to identify special events in your area, and sponsor a few. It’s a great way to promote awareness of your business.
Holiday Fairs – Vendor events are another great way to promote awareness of your business. Although you may not make a lot of sales, these can be an excellent way to get contact information that allows you to market more directly to potential customers and prospects. So get a table at a few holiday events to build awareness and your mailing list. And then follow up! That’s the key to success for this type of event.
Book More Parties – If you are in direct selling, you will sell more and recruit more if you do more parties. So especially at the holidays, book double (at least) the amount of parties that you normally do. People are more inclined to book when they know their friends want to do holiday shopping, and you will sell more. Best of all, all those parties will lead to additional bookings and a thriving business.
Special Events – Consider hosting your own special events and inviting past customers, along with their friends and your community. Call it a “Customer Appreciation Party” or a “Holiday Mixer.” By offering your own event with lots of fun attractions, more people will become aware of your business. In your advertising, you can mention the event, which can set you apart from other advertisers that only talk about buying. You are offering something to people in return, which can be a competitive advantage.
Donations – Remember that many non-profit organizations use this time of year to host events and raise funds for their causes. So find ways to donate that will promote your business. For example, if a non-profit is hosting an event where there will be a silent auction, consider donating a basket of your products. If a fundraising event is being held, find out how your business can be listed in the program in return for a monetary donation. You’ll be helping the organization and promoting your business at the same time.

Commit to making this your most profitable holiday season yet! With a little planning, you can get in front of more customers, which will lead to a bigger business.

How do you get in front of more customers during the holidays? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!

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Support Small Businesses this Holiday Season

Support Small Businesses this Holiday Season

Where are you planning to do your shopping this holiday season? From a nameless, faceless big box store? Or would you like the personal attention that only a small business can bring? In a season that is often stressful as you search for just the right gift for the ones on your list, the customized product recommendations a small business owner can provide can make holiday shopping a pleasure, and giving those gifts becomes fun!

So this holiday season, consider shopping ONLY with small businesses. It’s a great way to support your local economy and contribute to its recovery, while also demonstrating your support of this essential component of our economy. Small businesses are found on the streets of your town, as well as in living rooms and fairs where direct sellers and crafters share everything from cosmetics to jewelry to educational games to bags to customized stationery and more! You have so many options when choosing to shop with small businesses, and you’re sure to find gifts that are as unique as the people you want to give those gifts to.

So this year, instead of running to the mall or big box store to complete your holiday shopping, reach out to the small businesses in your area. Many have websites where you can shop, which means your gifts can be delivered right to your door. And consider hosting a direct sales party with a company that offers gifts that will appeal to many on your list. You might even get some of the items on your holiday list for free or at a discount!

You can find a list of Direct Selling Association member companies at http://dsa.org. But you can also support small business owners in our community on this page! We invite you to share your favorite product that you sell and a link to your business web or Facebook Page in the comments of this blog post. Then browse the other businesses that are shared here. Let’s make it a small business only holiday!

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5 Cost-Effective Ways to Make Your Business Mobile-Friendly

5 Cost-Effective Ways to Make Your Business Mobile-Friendly

Is your business serving its mobile customers well? Is your website optimized (not just available) for mobile browsers? Can people who only have a mobile device, and not a computer, interact with your business online?

For too many small businesses, the answer is “no.” And in today’s mobile society, this is a competitive disadvantage. Consumers expect to interact with your business online wherever they are, and if they can’t, they will quickly move on to a competitor who offers what you do in a more mobile-friendly environment.

And the thing is, being mobile-friendly does not have to be extravagantly expensive. Here are some cost-effective ways to make your business more mobile-friendly:

Build your website on WordPress: WordPress is not just a blogging platform. It’s a powerful website-building tool that gives you an easy way to interact with web visitors in a variety of ways. If your business’ website is built on WordPress, which is a free platform, you have access to Jetpack. One of the many features of Jetpack (which is also free) is a mobile-friendly version of your WordPress site. And make sure you limit your image sizes, so that your site doesn’t take too long to load over mobile networks.
Limit what you ask for: It can be very difficult to type information into forms when using a mobile device. If you have forms on your site, take a look at them from this perspective, and ask for ONLY the essentials. Three fields of information (such as name, email, zip code) is plenty!
Use social networks: There is a mobile version of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. So if your business is on these sites, customers have a mobile-friendly way to interact with your business. Include links to your social networks in all of your marketing materials, as well as on your website, so customers have a way to connect with you even if they’re on the go.
Make your emails mobile friendly: Many of your customers read their emails on mobile devices. If your emails are heavily formatted and require a lot of scrolling on a mobile device, it is less likely that your message will be read. Instead, keep your marketing messages short, and consider using an autoresponder service like MailChimp or Constant Contact that offer templates that are already formatted for mobile devices.
Offer text message coupons and reminders: For some of your customers, the best way to reach them may be text messaging. This post includes 10 services that offer cost-effective SMS messaging for small business. Offer your customers the chance to sign up for discounts, offers and reminders via text messaging, and you’ll have a great way to stay top of mind via their mobile devices.

Every business needs to be mobile-friendly today in order to connect with both current and future generations of customers. Is your business mobile-friendly? What do you do well? How could you improve? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!

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4 Tips for Effective Online Marketing

Online marketing can be a powerful tool for small business owners, when it’s used well. The tools are essentially free, costing you only your time and effort. However it’s important to be sure that you are strategic in your use of online marketing, so that the time and energy you invest isn’t wasted effort. Here are some tips to ensure that your online marketing brings results:

Start with a Plan: Too many business owners set up social networking profiles for their businesses without a plan. Then they simply post each day or week without a clear idea of what they’re trying to achieve beyond followers. But your social networking presence can be so much more than that if you put a little thought into it. So spend some time first thinking about what results you would like to see as a result of your online presence. Would you like to have more people become regular customers? Then focus on posts like specials that may attract first-time customers, and then following up with great information and excellent customer service related to what you have to offer. Would you like to be seen as a valuable part of the community? Then focus on highlighting local community service efforts which can lead to loyal customers. The point is to think about how you want to be perceived and who you want to attract, and then share content that’s related to your goal.
Less is More: Most small businesses do better with just one or two online presences, rather than trying to be on every social network that exists. So pick the social network(s) where most of your target market and customers spend their time, and put some solid effort into engaging there, rather than spreading yourself too thin. You’ll be more likely to develop quality relationships that lead to additional business.
Think Beyond the Promotion: Too often local businesses simply talk about their products and what they have to offer. To set yourself apart, focus on your community. Highlight a “fan of the week” and promote that individual and THEIR business or cause (they may send people to you that you wouldn’t reach otherwise.) Share content that will make your community think or laugh. Highlight community issues that are of interest to your followers. Become a source of useful information that people want to read and share, instead of just being a constant commercial. You’ll find your presence grows more quickly.
Plan Ahead: It’s harder to produce good content if you have to think of it while you’re trying to do twelve other things. So create an editorial calendar each month, and set aside a solid block of time to write your content for the upcoming month. Then you’ll be more likely to build up excitement around promotions in a logical way, and have a chance to do the research to find content your community will appreciate. By taking the time to plan, you’ll be more likely to engage your community and grow your online presence.

Online marketing can be a great way to find more customers and prospects for your business. By following these tips, you’ll have a more strategic presence that leads to growth.

Do you market your business online? What’s your best tip for growing your online presence? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!

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5 Ways to Jump Start Your Business

5 Ways to Jump Start Your Business

Have you felt like your business has slowed down a bit over the summer? If so, now is the time to turn that around. The holiday sales season is coming, and what you do now can help make your holiday season as productive as possible. Here are some tips.

Make sure your goals are written down, and that you plan specific, daily activities to reach those goals. Having a list of things you need to accomplish each day will help you move in a positive direction. Do whatever is necessary to keep moving forward towards your goals.
Stay flexible! While it’s important to have goals and planned activities, you also need to stay alert to opportunities that come. Perhaps you are offered a networking opportunity, or a chance to team up with another business to cross-promote. Be flexible and take advantage of the opportunities that come your way.
Realize that your business is a building process, and you may not have all the momentum you want immediately. That’s OK. The work you do today will bring tomorrow’s opportunities. Take it one step at a time, and be sure to manage your risk so that the steps that you take benefit your business.
Get rid of the excuses. Do you want excuses, or do you want a prosperous business? Presuming the latter, get to work and develop a “no excuses” mentality. You have a list each day…keep working until it’s done. this is what will help you build the momentum you need for a productive selling season.
Focus. The most successful entrepreneurs are those that stay focused on what they want to achieve. So be laser focused and unwavering. Don’t let circumstances keep you from what you want to achieve. For example, if you want to schedule 8 sales events in a month, keep making phone calls and marketing until you have them on the calendar. Persistence is what builds momentum. Don’t give up!

By making a plan and sticking with it, you will build the kind of business that you want. So stay focused on your goals, and get it done. You will either find a way to achieve what you want or you will find an excuse. Be the kind of business owner that gets it done.

What will you do today to jump start your business? Please share with us in the comments.

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4 Ways to Keep Reinventing and Re-energizing Your Business

4 Ways to Keep Reinventing and Re-energizing Your Business

Have you ever reached that point in your business where things just feel a little stale? Things have been the same for a while, and the business just doesn’t feel like it’s growing? It’s important to move beyond this, because a business that isn’t growing is one that’s fading. You are always moving in some direction. Take control of the direction of your business, and help yourself move forward, with these tips.

Socialize with Customers: Sometimes you need to get out of your rut. So find out where your customers hang out, and spend time there yourself, socializing and getting to know people. Find out what’s important to them, what interests them, what they talk about. Make sure you’re focused on learning as much as you can about the people you serve, and use that insight to improve and grow your business.
Connect with Other Business Owners: Another great source of insights that can help your business grow is other business owners. So team up with other local small businesses and learn from them. Join the local Chamber of Commerce and volunteer your time to help improve the business environment in your town. Help promote the businesses of others, and you may find that you increase your customer base as well.
Remind People About Your Business: Don’t assume everyone remembers what you have to offer, especially if you don’t own a brick and mortar establishment that people see regularly. Marketing and advertising should be a regular part of your business activities. Make sure everyone in your local community knows what you do and do whatever necessary to encourage them to come to you with their needs. For example, a local scrapbooking consultant always sponsors her son’s sports team. For the entire season, her name and her business are on the backs of all the children playing (for all their parents to see), and it’s also listed on team schedules, as the name of her business is the name of the team. Another business buys a plaque each year at the local Little League field, and it stays up all year, reminding people about the business. Make sure you’re doing what it takes to stay front of mind for your business.
Provide Personalized Service: If your business has a reputation for personalized, excellent customer service, your reputation will spread. Everyone likes to feel like they have someone who is completely committed to meeting their needs. Make it a point to make every single customer you work with feel like they are a rock star. Ask questions, learn the names of their kids, find out what matters to them. Bring these things up each time you talk to them. And try to anticipate their needs, so that they feel like you are going the extra mile for them. It will be appreciated and bring them back, because very few businesses provide this level of service anymore.

A growing business takes careful thought and strategy. Be sure you are consistently focused on what you can do to grow your business, so you don’t stagnate and go in the wrong direction! By constantly working on growth, you can enjoy a thriving business and enthusiastic customers who refer their friends to you.

How do you keep your business growing? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

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Tips for Running an Effective Contest Online

Tips for Running an Effective Contest Online

Now that Facebook has changed its Promotions Guidelines, allowing people to use Facebook features such as likes and comments to enter contests on the social network, the landscape has changed for small business owners and entrepreneurs. No longer do you need to use a third party application to engage your online community with a contest.

But just because it’s easier now to run a contest online, doesn’t mean there aren’t guidelines you should follow. Let’s explore some of the options you have for running a contest online, whether on Facebook or elsewhere, and look at some best practices.

Choose a Goal for Your Contest: One of the biggest mistakes businesses make when hosting a contest is not having a goal. Before you set up any contest, make sure you know what business goal you want to accomplish as a result of the contest, that will justify the time and expense you will put in. For example, you may be hoping to collect email addresses for your mailing list, which will ultimately lead to more sales. You may wish to increase your Page’s likes and reach, which will lead to greater brand recognition. Whatever your goal, make sure you have one, because it will help you structure your contest to achieve that goal.
Decide What Tool You’ll Use for Your Contest: Sure, Facebook is an easy choice for your contest, but it’s not the only choice. Depending on your goals and your budget, you might choose to host your contest on your blog, on a separate tab on your Facebook Page, or on a social network such as Pinterest or Instagram. If your goal is simply to gain likes and shares on Facebook, you may just want to do a contest post on your Facebook Page that encourages those user behaviors. If you want to collect user information, you may want to set up a contact form on your blog (using a contact form plugin on your blog or a Google Docs form) or on a separate Facebook Landing Page (using a 3rd party application like Pagemodo) that will serve as your entry mechanism. If your goal is to engage users on social networks beyond just Facebook, you might use a Rafflecopter widget on your blog or website that provides additional entries for pinning, tweeting, Instagramming, commenting, etc.
Choose a Motivating Prize: When you have a goal for your contest, you also have a good idea of who you want to reach. Make sure you understand what motivates that type of person, so you can choose a prize for your contest that will attract them. For example, if you want to attract people who would be interested in organizing products, you won’t give away a book about sports. Rather, you’d give away a book about how to organize, or a product that helps someone organize their home.
Choose a Time Frame: Avoid a contest that lasts too long, or you’ll lose momentum and interest. Many contests are most effective when they last a week or less.
Write Up Your Rules and Keep Them Simple: It’s a good idea to write down the rules for your contest ahead of time so that there are no misunderstandings that could alienate the very people you’re trying to reach with your contest. Include such things as how to enter, what people will win, the dates for the contest, and when and how you’ll announce the winner. They don’t need to be complicated, but make sure they’re easy to understand. Post these rules on your website or blog (or a separate Facebook landing page) and provide a link to them wherever people enter your contest.

A contest can be a great way to attract new people to your business. But you need a strategy behind your contest to attract the kind of people that you’re looking for. So take a little bit of time to plan your contest based on your goals, and you’ll enjoy greater success.

What’s your favorite way to run a contest online? What tips do you have for making a contest effective? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!