DSEF Top Ten Business Tips

DSEF Top Ten Business Tips

Have you been keeping up with our daily business tips? We are always researching tips that are quick, practical, and easy to integrate into your business. Here are our top ten business tips from the past few weeks:

Create a Referral/Recommendation Exchange for small businesses. Offer to refer & recommend people to your auto mechanic, dry cleaner, hair dresser, baker and others in your community. In exchange they refer & recommend you.
Keep yourself focused during the day by creating a mantra to help you accomplish difficult tasks. For example – Move my feet and get it complete!
Are you always searching for the right words? Develop and use a script to engage, and start conversations with people you meet. Practice the script until it becomes natural and the more you use it the more you will connect with people.
Your brand promotes your strengths and how you service your target market, and it establishes a clear difference from your competitors.
Organize a food collection for your local food bank & as you pick up the food leave a coupon w/ a discount for your products/services. Offer to donate a percentage of their purchase amount to the food bank (make sure you get permission from the food bank).
Establish your business in your local market. It will make it easier to nurture and interact daily with loyal customers.
Choose your social media tools based on your available time. If you’ve only got 20 minutes per day, choose just one, probably Facebook.
Sell more by making it easier to purchase, adding more choices, promoting value, personalizing products/services and anticipating customer needs.
Use testimonials to make a point, promote your message and/or overcome inherent objections to your business.
Remember that when you are engaging a prospect/client, you are not only promoting the value of your products/services, but establishing the value of your relationship.

Do you have any tips to add to our list? Please share.

Here’s to your success!

Blog

Using Honesty to Build Your Business

Using Honesty to Build Your Business

”Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall cease to exist.” ~Mary Kay Ash

Mary Kay Ash was one of the greatest role models for business and business women and a trail blazer in the direct sales industry. If you want your business to succeed, want to attract people, keep their loyalty and create a raving fan base, then honesty is the key. Here’s how honesty can build your business:

Your honest story – People will support your business if they feel a connection with you. This is a great opportunity to share how, what, where, when and why about your business. This creates an honest and authentic foundation for business growth.
Honest testimonials – Honest testimonials are like gigantic walking billboards for your business. Creating genuine audio and visual testimonials are more powerful than any paid marketing or commercial.
Honest references – Ask people who know you to mention and share your ethical qualities. People will seek out your business because they know they are dealing with an honest person.
Display a framed Honesty Policy – Boldly display your business commitment and customer service policy by the door or on your written materials. This will make you and your business memorable and generate positive word of mouth.
Create an honesty motto – For example: We are true to our customer’s needs. People will share your motto when talking about your business. This is a simple way for people to remember and share your business praise.

In our internet era, your reputation can spread virally very quickly for better or for worse. Setting honesty as your cornerstone will help grow your business strong and give it longevity.

How do you promote honesty in your business? Would love to read your ideas in the comments below.

Blog

6 Ways Mistakes Can Benefit Your Business

6 Ways Mistakes Can Benefit Your Business

You get a great idea to offer free shipping. Your customers love it, but you then realize that it is too expensive and you have to discontinue it.

How could you make such a big mistake? Before you berate yourself too much, here are some benefits to consider.

The benefit of realization – You’ve realized that your customers want free shipping. And you realized it was too expensive. That you have to find ways to lower shipping costs and that you can’t just implement something new without investigating the cost.
The benefit of research – You call up other shippers to try finding lower shipping rates, you join a business network to find out more about logistics, and you start talking to neighboring businesses about their shipping suppliers.
The benefit of finding options – You get a lot of advice from peers, you connect with a business advisor at SCORE, weigh options, and think out of the box.
The benefit of learning – You’ve learned that free shipping can bring new customers and make them happy. You’ve learned that certain products are cheaper to ship than others. You’ve learned about SCORE offering business advisors. And you’ve added great new people to your business network.
The benefit of solutions and conclusions – You’ve created new solutions for your business. You can continue to offer certain items with free shipping. You implement a loyal customer rewards free shipping program. You also offer free shipping if people purchase over a certain amount, which helps offset the cost.
But hold on – there’s more! Because of this mistake, you find out that free shipping is a crucial part of your business, you now belong to a business networking group that brings knowledge and referrals, you’ve connect with a SCORE business advisor that has helped you in other areas of your business, and you’ve gained new insights to build your business even stronger.

A keen business person turn mistakes into benefits and these experiences create the building blocks for success. What mistakes have you learned from? Which mistakes have led you to more opportunities? Pleas share your comments with us.

Blog

DSEF & CBBB Facebook Adds Virus Protection

DSEF & CBBB Facebook Adds Virus Protection

Today’s highlighted blog post from the Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB):

Facebook Adds Virus Protection

Facebook has announced it will now check outgoing links for viruses, reports The Next Web.

Viruses, phishing attempts and Trojans have become increasingly prevalent on Facebook. People often fall prey by clicking on links on the social network itself or on their walls, which in turn posts to their own wall for others to click.

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.

Blog

How to Mentally Reboot

How to Mentally Reboot

You’ve heard the phrase “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Forget dull; suffering from work-related stress can cause a myriad of physical and mental issues if not dealt with in a timely manner. From CEOs to the self-employed to stay-at-home moms, we all get burned out every once in awhile, but it’s important to recognize when we need a mental reboot.

Common symptoms of work-related stress include: a feeling of apathy about a job you once enjoyed, constant anxiety about meetings, deadlines, or even everyday tasks, depression (feeling helpless or overwhelmed), and physical fatigue.

So is your work burnout a lost cause? Not if you commit to a few simple steps to recharge those batteries.

Exercise, eat well, and get plenty of rest. These are the basic rules of good health. You don’t have to spend lots of time and money at a gym when you can take a power walk around the block a few days a week. Getting your heart rate up will release endorphins that clear your head and help you feel refreshed. Furthermore, you can reap the benefits of physical activity if you eat well. This may take some planning, but you’ll notice a huge difference in a short amount of time. Exercise and a balanced diet will in turn allow your body to get enough rest. A good night’s sleep can work wonders for the overly stressed.
Do something you enjoy. Go see that movie you’ve been dying to see, take a spa day, or hit the golf course. Recreation is an essential part of an enjoyable lifestyle. Depriving yourself of it in the name of work can negatively affect many aspects of your professional and personal life.
Talk to people you trust. Discussing your frustrations with someone not involved with your work can help you gain some perspective. If nothing else, just being able to express what is bothering you will help you feel better.

Finally, once you have been able to recover from the effects of work burnout, it’s time to reevaluate. How did you get burned out in the first place? How can you prevent it from happening again?

First, and this may take some serious reflection, prioritize your life. Is your work just a job, or is it the center of your life? Whatever you decide, it should match your overall objectives.
Second, set goals that include personal limits, like amount of hours worked per week or breaking up projects into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Finally, plan some vacation time and stick to it. You don’t even need to get away from home to have a vacation, but certainly plan some down time. Your work will still be there when you get back! Everyone needs some “me” time periodically.

When you mentally reboot, you not only help yourself to cope with the stresses of work, but you also make it possible to do your job to the best of your ability. And your family benefits too, because you’ll be able to bring your best to every aspect of your life.

How do you mentally reboot? What would you add to this list? Would love to read your comments 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!

Blog

Turn What You Love Into Income

Turn What You Love Into Income

Have you ever thought to yourself, “If I could only get paid to do what I love?”

Maybe you can. In fact, that’s how many entrepreneurs get started. But you don’t have to be an entrepreneur to want to make some extra spending money. The bonus is doing something that you love!

Here are some steps to help you get started:

If you have more than one idea, start by imagining them and pick the idea that brings the biggest smile to your face.
Next, do some research:

Is there an obvious way to make income with what you love?
Talk to other people with the same interest and see if there’s a void that needs to be filled.
Take a look at what’s in the market now and ask yourself if you could that and/or do it better.
Talk to a diverse group of people about your income producing idea and ask if any of them would purchase something like that from you.
Ask yourself what’s the least expensive way to start that will still provide greater value to potential customers.

Write down your goal or your mission statement. Include your specialty or uniqueness that only you can bring to this product/service. But keep it simple. For example – I will work part time and would like to generate $300. My uniqueness is to provide personalize service and offer customers buying my scented candles a chance to join my weekly Yoga club at my house.
Consider your first 30 days a trial and error period, and be sure to fully commit yourself to doing whatever it takes to be successful. During this period assess how, where, why, who, what, when you can improve, and make sure you can earn a reasonable profit for your efforts.
You may also want to create a simple business plan (optional for now). Include your goals, operational expenses, who your customers are, marketing strategy, and an overview of competitors.
Nurture testimonials and word of mouth to attract new customers and grow.
Keep asking your customers for their feedback and continue to improve and learn.

The key is to keep it simple. You want to share your passion, avoid wasting money, and earn some extra spending money. In the end, you want to still love what you do while you gain some financial benefits. You may be surprise to find yourself a budding entrepreneur, or you may simply want to keep a good thing going.

Do you love what you do? How did you get started with your business? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!

Blog

Top 10 Reasons You’re an Entrepreneur

Top 10 Reasons You’re an Entrepreneur

Have you ever thought about why you became an entrepreneur? One day you thought it was a great idea and then it happened. Now perhaps you’re in the thick of it and can’t recall how it all happened so quickly!

These reasons might help you understand and/or remember why you became an entrepreneur.

Top 10 reasons you’re an entrepreneur:

A passion for adventure
Need for a challenge
Seek self-improvement
To be unique
To find meaning
Independent minded
To inspire others
To make a difference
To find happiness
To be wealthy

This list is a light hearted way to understand the characteristics of an entrepreneur, but it’s the work and unending pursuit that make true entrepreneurs.

Did I leave any reasons off this list? Which reason tops your list? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Blog

DSEF & CBBB For Businesses & Consumers

DSEF & CBBB For Businesses & Consumers

Today’s highlighted blog post from the Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB):

Social Media and Customer Service

Social media can be a tool to strengthen customer service and to give consumers an outlet to complain about a company. According to Convergys Corp, one bad tweet or one negative comment on Facebook can lose a company up to 30 customers.

How do you use social media to strengthen your customer service? Does your business have social media policy in place to deal with complaints? We would love to hear from you. Please share with us in the comments below.

Blog

What Makes a Good Leader?

What Makes a Good Leader?

Think back to your school days. Who was your favorite teacher? What made that person so memorable? Most likely, he or she possessed the qualities of a great leader. You can become one as well if you acquire essential skills that will help you run your business more efficiently and build a strong team.

Here are some qualities of an effective leader:

Be a planner. Frequent planning time is crucial to any business. Great leaders are prepared for both daily and long-term responsibilities, which can only come from organized and prioritized planning.
Be proactive. This comes from effective planning. Identify and solve potential problems before they cause irreparable damage.
Be decisive. As a leader, you make important decisions for your business all the time. Although you don’t want to be hasty, you must make informed decisions and stand by them. In doing so, your colleagues will respect your ability to take the reins.

In addition, great business leaders must build a dedicated team. Here are some tips to help:

Listen carefully. Chances are you already do this for your customers. You encourage their feedback so that you can meet their needs. The same applies to your team. What ideas do they have? What problems are they facing? They should feel comfortable coming to you with these matters and will appreciate having an approachable leader.
Encourage communication. Listening is just one part of communicating. You also need to get everyone involved productively, and take action on their ideas. For example, when scheduling a meeting to plan new endeavors together, prepare an agenda beforehand and stick to it. After the meeting, touch base with your team regularly during the implementation of the idea. This is will allow everyone involved to be more productive.
Lead by example. This is especially important for creating a positive atmosphere. Teams will adopt your positive attitude and help create a strong morale. When people enjoy what they do, they have unlimited potential for success.
Delegate tasks. It may be hard to relinquish control at first, but you will show your team that you trust and respect them when you hand over some responsibility. Learn their strengths, and offer support along the way.
Emphasize teamwork. Your team members should know that everyone is working toward a common goal and that each person is vital to its realization. The feeling of being part of something greater than any one individual can be very inspiring, so don’t be afraid to tap into that.
Take criticism. This is an essential skill for any leader. Look at constructive criticism as a gateway to self-improvement. Sometimes it takes a step back in order to identify our own areas of weakness and improve.

Not everyone is a born leader, but dedicating yourself to these skills will be a valuable asset to your business. Like students in that favorite teacher’s classroom, your team will work hard and produce quality results.

What traits do you believe a great leader must have? Please share with us in the comments below!

Blog

9 Ways Your Small Business Has an Advantage Over Large Competitors

Have you ever experienced a pesky fly? You swat at it and try to shoo it away, but you can’t seem to get rid of it. Small businesses are like the fly that has an advantage over a slower, bulkier and less targeted approach. You see, big businesses have a lot of corporate structure that slows down progress. In this ever-changing environment, that means they can’t stay on the cutting edge! But as a small business, you’re a lot more nimble. This means that you can shine, and target your customer base, in a way that big businesses can’t.

Understanding your small business advantages can help you succeed. Here’s how you can take advantage of the benefits of being a small business:

Respond quickly – Start listening and talking to your target market and customers. Formalize a process for customer feedback and suggestions. When you hear something that you can improve on or implement easily to add more value to your products/services, make it happen!
Be flexible to market needs, changes and trends – Sometimes watching what big business can do seems intimidating, but they are usually focused on large volume products/services, and not products/services for smaller markets. Your business can focus on smaller markets for big success. Big business are usually slow in following trends. They want to make sure something will sell first. This again, is where you have an advantage. When you spot a trend, try it, anticipate the needs of your target market, and establish yourself as a leader or innovator.
Give personal attention – Big businesses are always trying to offer special incentives to make their customers feel more important. But that’s only an illusion. As a small business person you know your customers by name, what their favorite products/services are and what their needs are. Develop those relationships with your customers that big business can’t build authentically.
Specialize – Your small business can target unique products/services for niche markets that big business can’t afford to pinpoint.
Be creative – As a small business owner, you are always thinking outside the box to attract customers with limited marketing funds.
Build relationships and community – Small businesses can reach and develop relationships more authentically with local influencers that promote their businesses by word of mouth and create a more deeper and loyal following.
Manage your costs – Small businesses requires less funds to invest, market and innovate, thus making them more cost efficient. But you need to stay on top of your finances to come out ahead!
Avoid red tape – Ideas, complaints, and suggestions go straight to those who can implement or correct quickly without going through endless channels like in a large business.
Enjoy a lot of room for growth – As a small business you have plenty of room to grow and generate greater profit margins.

When you take the time to evaluate where your competitors fall short and focus your business on satisfying those consumers, you can leverage your small business advantages and nurture a loyal following. Your growth will be connected to how well you can successfully utilize these advantages.

How do you take advantage of the unique benefits of being a small business? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below!