Are You Sending the Right Message?

by Don Kyle

Over the years, I have seen business after business sending their messages to their markets.  But are they the right messages?

Quite often, a message sent through ads and promotions does not match what your company offers or the audience you target.  For example, if you are a family oriented restaurant, does it make sense to advertise in a media channel that focuses on singles?  Or, if your business caters only to other businesses, would you advertise to the general public?

What you say, and how and where you say it can be the difference between an effective message and a total waste of your hard-earned money.

Here are several things you should keep in mind as you develop or update and then send your business message.

1.  If you are currently using an established theme or message, take a hard look at it to make sure it matches what your business actually does.  Solicit input from your employees, customers and outsiders as you do this.  If your message does not fit or match, create the right message.

2.  Does your message include a call to action?  If not, you shouldn’t expect prospective customers to take action.

3.  Is your message effective?  Are you getting results from your current advertising and promotional strategy?  If you are not currently keeping track of why and from where your customers come, now is the time to start.

4.  Analyze where you are currently sending your message.  Are you using advertising vehicles and tools that are going to your desired markets?  If not, why not?

5.  Once you have prepared your ideal message and where your target markets are, select the optimal media channels and tools that will allow you to send your message.

You should now be prepared to send your message and begin monitoring its effectiveness.  If after giving your new or revised message ample time to penetrate your target market, alter your future messages as necessary.  However, don’t be too hasty in making changes as profitable results rarely occur immediately.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how to prepare the right message for your business or any other questions related to promoting your company.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

Is Your Business Ready for the New Year?

by Don Kyle

As 2013 approaches, have you set your goals and prepared your plan to meet them?  You should have done this already, but it’s not too late to start if you haven’t.

It’s quite common for business owners to not plan properly for the future as they are so busy running their businesses.  While this lack of preparation is understandable, it often can become a recipe for disaster.

So I thought I would offer several suggestions to help you through the process.

1. Take a look at your results for the current year and set overall goals for the coming year.  First, these should be defined in broad terms, such as total planned revenues and estimated expenses, desired net income, growth rate, etc.  The current state of your business and anticipated future economic conditions, competition, demand for your products/services, etc. should be considered as you set these goals.

2. These overall goals then should be broken down into monthly, weekly and daily budgets.  Be sure to account for seasonal fluctuations for your business.

3. Review what you have done in the past and are doing currently to promote your business.

4. Assess which growth strategies have worked well and those that haven’t worked as well.

5. Determine marketing tools and strategies that are available for your business and the expected costs and returns.  During this process, you should consult with peers, other business owners, and experts and select those that you believe can provide optimal results.  Do your research and select the best options available to fit your budget.

6. Prepare your marketing plan and budget.

7. Implement your plan, then monitor your results and make adjustments as necessary.  Don’t be too hasty to make changes though; give your plan a chance before making unwarranted changes.  Remember, most effective promotional strategies will take a little time before they generate results.

Good luck and may the new year be the best ever for you!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about preparing your marketing plan for the new year.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

How Can I Generate Customers?

by Don Kyle

Customers are the life blood of any business.  Whether you operate your business from a storefront, office, or online, without customers, you have no business.  So how can you go about generating customers?  There are various ways, and I have discussed many of these in past columns.

The first thing to keep in mind is that different techniques work for different businesses.  Those in the professional services industry may choose to utilize business networking as a primary source, while those in retail storefronts may decide to emphasize advertising in various media.  Whatever methods you choose, your strategy must be the right fit for you.

For example, if you operate out of a highly visible retail or office location, you may choose to promote your business through media advertising to your market, combined with community involvement activities, such as sports and group sponsorships, participation in local events, etc.  This kind of approach can provide you with exposure to the general market place while getting targeted messages out to specific areas of the community in which you are involved.

For those who operate companies offering personal or business services, such as insurance, home repairs or tutoring, it probably makes more sense to develop referral sources to generate customers.  This can be achieved very effectively through participation in local business groups and other local community organizations.  Getting involved with a group such as the Acworth Business Association can open up many new avenues for generating customers through referrals.

Regardless of the type of business you operate, various online and mobile techniques are becoming more prevalent today.  Email marketing, text message marketing, and online coupons are some of the most common ways this is being done today.

If you are not sure which methods may work best for you, you should review last month’s article on business marketing plans.  Choosing the right marketing strategy can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars you may lose, should you go down the wrong path.

Finally, do you homework.  Research which customer generation techniques are working for others in your line of business; talk with other trusted, successful business owners; seek advice from marketing experts; then choose your strategy.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about generating more customers and clients for your business.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

Do You Need A Business Marketing Plan?

by Don Kyle

As Michael Gerber, one of my favorite business authors, says, entrepreneurs are too busy “working IN their business rather than ON their business.”

Why is this the case?  Most business owners start their businesses because they loved what they did as employees and decided to become their own bosses.  However, most of us are not as good when it comes to promoting, marketing and operating our own businesses.  As a result, many fail very quickly.

So what is one of the most important things you can do to improve your chances of becoming a success?  I submit that developing and implementing a sound, realistic marketing plan is critical for your business.  After all, if you don’t have any customers, you surely don’t have a business.

The overall steps in developing your plan are as follows.

1. Gather all relevant information about your company and list your competitive advantages and disadvantages.

2. Assess your current local economy and analyze your market — size, boundaries, composition, demographics, etc.

3. Evaluate your competition.

4. Prepare your marketing plan.

Using the data gathered in steps 1. through 3., you are ready to develop your plan.  You should then:

1. Evaluate your current marketing and promotional strategy.  Determine which ones are working and which are not.

2. Review and evaluate all promotional options (advertising, alliances, etc.) that are available and their related costs and establish a reasonable monthly budget.

3. Analyze how these options can benefit your business.  Don't simply take the word of others without doing your own homework.  Always keep in mind that not all strategies work for every business.  The nature of your products, services and market will determine the best strategies.  For example, if you sell insurance, group coupons probably are not right for you.

4. Determine the time commitment that will be required of you and your staff.

5. Prepare and implement your plan.

6. Monitor your results and make changes as necessary.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about preparing and implementing your business marketing plan.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

Email Marketing Basics

by Don Kyle

Can business owners effectively market their products and services through Email Marketing?

Yes, if the proper strategies and tools are used.

As with any marketing strategy you decide to use, you must know your target market — composition, size, location, demographics, etc.

We will discuss some of the key issues you should address before you begin.

1. What is the geographic range for your business?  Determine the boundaries of your prospective customers.  For example, are they within 10 miles of your business or can you sell your products and services to anyone, anywhere?

2. Are there enough prospective customers in your target market who are internet savvy?  With a little research, you can see how many email users are in your target market.

3. Will you purchase an email list or will you build your own?  If you build your own by having existing customers and their friends sign up, you will be using permission based marketing, whereby the members on your list have asked to be sent your emails.  On the other hand, if you purchase a list, you will be sending out emails to those you expect will respond and opt-in for future emails.  You must be very careful with this approach as you want to avoid being flagged as “spam.”

4. Will you purchase an email tool such as Constant Contact or iContact, or will you manually send emails through your own email service?  Email tools vary in price and can provide you with all kinds of features that can simplify list maintenance, scheduling, design, etc.

5. Design your emails in manner that will allow the highest open and response rates.  Any email you send out is an advertisement for your business.  Will the recipients bother to open it, read it and then take action?

6. Establish goals for your Email Marketing campaign.  Will your emails be designed to attract new customers?  Send promotions to existing customers?  Provide useful information that will generate more customers?  How often will emails be sent?  Establish a plan that will allow you to meet your goals.

These are just some of the basics you should consider to determine if Email Marketing can be a good fit for you.

If you would like assistance promoting and growing your business, feel free to contact me.  Additionally, feel free to submit questions about growing your business and I will address them in future articles.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

Fish Rots from the Head Down

by Don Kyle

“Fish Rots from the Head Down” is a proverb of ancient origin and means, “When an organization or state fails, it is the leadership that is the root cause.”

Just how does this proverb relate to small businesses today?

In last month’s article, I discussed why your business’ reputation is so important.  If you own a small business and rely on the support of your local market place, it is of the utmost importance.

More often than not, businesses reflect the philosophies and views of their owners.  These often flow down to the staff level.  If it’s OK for the boss, it MUST be OK for us.  Therefore, it is critical that owners operate in a manner that can be emulated by all those who can affect the business.

How often have you heard others talk negatively (or positively) about a business in your neighborhood?  You’ve probably heard more bad than good.  This often the results from customers feeling they were mistreated or cheated and the lack of proper response from a particular business.

Over the years, I have seen many business owners talk about how important it is to serve their customers, but their actions were just the opposite.  Instead of meeting their customers’ needs, they were meeting their own, at any cost.

It may sound cliché, but people really do want to be treated as they would treat others — with fairness and respect.  Hence the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”

Over the years, I have also seen many businesses that were acquired from the original owners who had established great reputations within their market place.  A change in philosophy to those of the new owners has lead many businesses to their downfall.  Conversely, rarely will you see a business that has created a negative image rebound with new owners.  By then the damage has been done, and it is virtually impossible to repair the reputation of an established business.

If you own a business, you should take an in depth look at your current operations, specifically how and why you are in business in the first place.  If your goals, philosophies and views are not consistent and congruent with the nature of your business and your market place, you are probably struggling and destined to fail.

If you have questions or would like more information on branding your business, please feel free to contact me.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

How Important Is Your Business Reputation?

by Don Kyle

Just how important is the reputation of your business?  If you own a small business and you rely on the support of your local market place, it is of extreme important.

How often have you heard a friend or neighbor talk about a bad experience they encountered at a particular business?  Then again, how often have you heard someone raving about a particular business?

It is much more common to hear bad things than good.  Based on a 2011 American Express Global Customer Service Barometer Survey, consumers will tell others about their customer service experiences, both good and bad, with the bad news reaching more ears.  Americans say they tell an average of nine people about good experiences, and nearly twice as many (16 people) about poor ones – making every individual service interaction important for businesses.

Therefore, it is critical that business owners be ever vigilant in providing the best service or product to their customers in order to maintain a good reputation.

If your business has created a bad reputation, what can do about it?  Here are some suggestions.

1.  Take a deep look at your business, putting yourself in the shoes of a consumer, and then assess your business.  Would you use your own services or products?  If you are too close to your business, ask a trusted friend or another business owner to do this for you.  This step should allow you to identify and make necessary changes to your operations, personnel, products or services offered, etc.

2.  Google your business and see what comes up.  Numerous websites also allow consumers to rate and make comments about your business.  If you encounter negative comments that you believe are erroneous, many sites will allow you to input your own comments.  It is also a good idea to try to contact those who made negative comments and see if you can do anything to resolve their complaints.

3.  Ask your current customers what they like and dislike about your business.  Ask them what you can do to improve.  Be humble and thank them for their input.

4.  If you have raving customers, ask them to spread the good word to others in your market place and online.

If you would like assistance promoting and growing your business, feel free to contact me.  Additionally, feel free to submit questions about growing your business and I will address them in future articles.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

How Can I Make My Ads More Effective?

by Don Kyle

Over the 13 plus years that I owned and operated a direct mail community magazine, one of the most frequent questions I heard from advertisers was, “Why am I not getting responses to my ad.”  As I pondered this question over the years, I have reached a conclusion which has become very clear to me.

Put simply, most ads do not have the three key ingredients necessary for an ad to be effective and generate desired results.  Assuming that your ads are targeted at the proper audience, these keys are:

1.  Is there a headline (or other attention-getter) that will cause prospects (your audience — readers, viewers, listeners, web visitors, etc.) to look at (or listen to) your ad?

2.  Is there a compelling message for your prospects?

3.  Is there a call to action or an offer in your ad?

If you do not have an attention grabbing headline or image, your prospects will not bother to look at your ad, regardless of how great your product or service may be.  This is probably the most important factor as you want your prospects to look at what you are offering.  Keep in mind that people are most attracted to people and animals (animate objects) rather than “things.”  This can definitely help attract prospects to your ads.

If your message is not compelling, why would prospects look any further to your offer or call to action?

Finally, if you do not ask prospects to take action, they will not.  Be sure to emphasize how prospects can contact you (and of course, where you’re located).

Business owners are very good at what they do within their business; however, this talent normally does not carry over to ad design.  Therefore, it makes sense to take advantage of those who do, in designing your ads, i.e., the resources at the advertising medium you choose.

Ads utilized by competitors in your field, preferably in markets other than your own, are another great resource in designing your ads.  I have seen many clever and effective ads over the years in other publications in other locales.

However you decide to design your ad, make sure you address these three key factors.  Remember, the goal of your ad is cause your prospects to take action and contact you.

Please feel free to submit questions about your business and I will address them in future columns.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

Is Social Media Right for My Business?

by Don Kyle

Over recent years, we have been bombarded by a barrage of hype about Social Media and how a business owner MUST get involved to succeed. Today, Facebook and Twitter dominate Social Media, along with several business-specific platforms, such as LinkedIn. The first question you must ask yourself is, “Do I have to play, and if so, how will it benefit my business?”

The marketing gurus first told us that we MUST have a website and that we MUST expand our horizon to reach the global market. Over the years, it has become crystal clear that these gurus were a slight bit off, and that as a small business owner, you must first focus your strategy on your local market.

Social Media has followed this trend and was viewed as a way to create fans and connections around the world. Recently, this trend has changed for small business owners, and Social Media is now being used in an attempt to gain fans within their local marketplace. The second question you must ask yourself is, “Can Social Media work for me and how can I make a profit through this strategy?”

Here are some key questions you should address before you decide to focus your marketing strategy through Social Media.

• Who are my target audience and will Social Media help me reach them effectively?
• Why do I want to create a large fan base through Social Media – increase sales to current customers, attract new customers, specials, information, entertainment, etc?
• How can I monetize my Social Media strategy, i.e., how can I make money using Social Media?
• How can I avoid simply offering discounts (hence, lower profits) to a finite fan base?
• How can I publicize and grow my Social Media platform?

Be very careful with Social Media “experts” and check them out before you decide to hire outside help. Anyone can claim to be an expert, but only a few truly are.

In the end, you may decide that Social Media can be a great way of attracting new customers or perhaps that it’s just another way you can get more exposure for your business. Whatever you decide, you must be sure to create a strategy and budget, and assess your preliminary results before you decide to go “all in” with Social Media.

If you would like assistance promoting and growing your business, feel free to contact me.  Additionally, feel free to submit questions about growing your business and I will address them in future columns.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

How Should I Advertise My Business?

by Don Kyle

Having previously created a franchise model of direct-mail community magazines, I have become quite frustrated seeing small business owners come and go.  Many have little or no idea of how to promote their businesses and very few have a defined plan of action.  Generally, they mimic their competitors or seek advice from friends, affiliates and media.

Further, there is so much noise in the current marketplace with social media, traditional advertising, networking, etc., what is a small business owner to do?

First, I suggest that you define your products or services and your market.  There are many factors to consider, such as the size of your market, the proximity and demographic mix of your prospective customers, the demand for your products and services, your location, your method of product delivery, your competition, just to name a few.  One of the best ways to gather information is to talk to your current customers.  Ask them how they found you and why they chose you.

Your business location can play a very large part in your advertising decisions.  For example, if you are located in retail space with good signage, it is generally easier to promote your business as your prospects probably already know you exist.  If you are in an office park or have a home-based business, the challenge becomes greater.

Once you have completed these steps, it’s time to form the best plan of action to reach your prospective customers and deliver your promotional message.  In selecting your advertising channels, choose those that have the best potential for you.  Don’t fall into the trap of using only new media, such as social media or the Internet, just because these are the hot current topics.  Many forms of traditional advertising, such as the Acworth Community Magazine, can play a significant role for your business.

Some questions you should consider in selecting your form of advertising include: market reach, target market mix, and historical response rates.  The responses to these questions can vary considerably, depending on the advertising channel.

Finally, be cautious of what you hear from those who proclaim ‘this is the latest and greatest way to get customers.’  Do your research; evaluate your business, market and other relevant factors; then select the best approach for you.

If you would like assistance promoting and growing your business, feel free to contact me.  Additionally, feel free to submit questions about growing your business and I will address them in future columns.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

1099s for Non-employees

If you operate a business and paid for non-employee services, have you prepared your 1099s yet? These forms are due to recipients by 2/15/12 and the 1096 transmittal forms are due to the IRS by 2/29/12.

In general, if you operate a business and pay non-employee compensation to third parties in excess of $600 per year, you are required to prepare 1099-MISC forms for each such recipient. If you paid a corporation for these services, you generally are not required to prepare 1099-MISC forms for them.

Find out more at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1099msc_11.pdf.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Don Kyle, CPA

Is Business Networking for Me?

by Don Kyle

Networking with other business people can be an extremely effective way of generating business for your business if done properly.

Just what is business networking?  The Wikipedia definition is “Business networking is a socioeconomic activity by which groups of like-minded business people recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities… Many business people contend business networking is a more cost-effective method of generating new business than advertising or public relations efforts.  This is because business networking is a low-cost activity that involves more personal commitment than company money.”

Business networking can be conducted through many forms, including:

• Business Associations,

• Chambers of Commerce,

• Networking Organizations,

• Informal Groups of Business People,

• One-on-One Networking, and

• Various Non-business Civic and Charitable Organizations.

When selecting your business networking strategy, you must approach it with a long-term view, and the methods and groups you select should be those you enjoy.  If you don’t like what you are doing, it will become obvious to others very quickly.  Further, it is unreasonable to assume that you will get business simply by joining a particular group; therefore, you must become active in whatever group you join.  Remember, people do business with those they trust and like.

Whatever form business networking you select, it is critical to conduct your activities in accordance with the rules of the group or organization you have selected.  For example, some groups may insist you refer business only to other members within that group, others may not be so restrictive, while others may prohibit conducting business at their events, such as some civic groups.

When conducting your networking activities, carefully listening to others about what they do is crucial to establishing business relationships.  As others learn about you and your business, a trusted relationship often can result.

Please feel free to submit questions about your business to me and I will address them in future columns.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, dkyle@smallbizzmba.com

Should I Use SMS Marketing for My Business?

by Don Kyle

Imagine what it would be like to be able send special personalized messages directly to the mobile devices of your customers who already have told you that they want hear about your specials and contests!  Well, this can be achieved through SMS (Short Message Service) Marketing.

Just what is SMS? SMS is most commonly known as “text messaging” using your mobile devices. It is one of the most common ways people communicate with each other today. There are more than 4 billion mobile phones around the world, and more than 86% of Americans own mobile phones. As you can see, text messaging is extremely prevalent today.

Many companies that offer SMS marketing programs to businesses allow you access to an Internet-based dashboard.  This tool allows you to manage your SMS marketing campaigns very effectively.

There are many advantages of permission-based advertising using SMS, specifically text messaging for mobile devices.  Some of the key advantages include:

• Build a base of loyal customers (subscribers) for your business who have given you permission to send them text messages whenever you want to send a special offer directly to their mobile devices.

• Create multiple opt-in lists of subscribers based on different key words utilized for your campaigns, e.g., Daily Specials, Special Promotions, Contests and Awards, Closeout Specials, Charitable Fundraisers, etc.

• Select subscribers within specified lists and send them offers immediately in order to create a “smart mob” of instant customers.  This is great way to sell excess inventory or simply create business during slow times.

• Schedule messages you want to send to selected subscribers at pre-determined dates and times.

• Subscribers have the option to opt out of your lists at any time.

It is important to keep in mind that your subscribers have told you that they want to hear about your specials, contests, etc.  In other words, they have given you permission to advertise your promotions directly to them.

Examples of SMS Marketing Campaigns

Scheduled Offers:  Your business historically has been very slow on Tuesday afternoons between 2 and 5 p.m.  Therefore, you schedule a message to be sent at 1 p.m. each Tuesday with a special offer that will be good only between 2 and 5 p.m. on Tuesdays.  All of sudden, people who ordinarily would not think of coming to your business at these times have a reason to come.  You have just generated additional revenues for your business.

Excess Inventory:  Your restaurant has an excess quantity of a certain food item that will spoil if not sold by the end of the day.  You send a special message to selected subscribers, letting them know that you are offering a ½ off on that menu item, today only, between 1 p.m. and close.  Your excess inventory can now be sold and you have made money on the food items that otherwise would have been discarded at a total loss.

New Items:  You want to run a special promotion on a new item you just began offering to your customers.  As a benefit of being a subscriber, you send a special introductory offer to your subscribers at a discounted price to create a fan base for your new item.

Contests and Fundraisers:  You decide to run a special contest to reward your subscribers or to raise money for a charity.  Using your “contest” list, you ask these subscribers to text the [Keyword Used for Your Contest] to your SMS Short Code.  You then select one or more winners at a specified time(s) and reward them with gift(s).  Alternatively, you state that you will contribute [XX]% of every subscriber’s purchase who takes advantage of this special offer to a particular charity, school, or cause.  You can ask members of the beneficiary organization to help promote your contests by recruiting new subscribers.  Examples of such organizations are the Humane Society, High School Sports Team, Scouts, etc.

Please feel free to submit questions about your business to me and I will address them in future columns.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs. (404) 580-6331, donaldekyle@gmail.com

How Can I Brand My Business?

by Don Kyle

“Brand” is derived from the Old Norse word, “brandr” which means “to burn,” and refers to producers who burned their marks (or brand) onto their products.  This was their way of distinguishing their products from those of others.

Modern day branding originated in the 19th century with the advent of packaged goods as production of many household items shifted from local communities to centralized factories.  Manufacturers quickly realized that it was difficult for their generic packaged goods to compete with familiar, local products and therefore needed to convince the consumers that their products could be trusted just as much as local products.  Hence, the beginning of modern day branding.

So what does this mean to local business owners and why is this important?  Just as the manufacturers did in early years, your company must become THE trusted source in your market so that when consumers think about purchasing the type products or services offered by your business, your “brand” will be the first on their minds.

But how do I build my brand?  The basic steps to building a brand for your business are as follows.

1. Define Your Brand — products and services offered and related quantities; the company’s core values, mission, and specialization; target market; company tagline, etc.  You can then create a business personality using this information, which can then be used to create a strategic plan to form a relationship with your target market.
2. Determine Your Brand’s Objectives — a clear definition of your brand’s audience and the objectives your brand needs to achieve.
3. Focus on Your Target Audience — regardless of your brand’s mission, identifying and gaining the loyalty of your target audience is the goal.
4. Discover and Crush Your Brand Barriers — analyze the barriers (competition, demand, location, etc.) that you may encounter and develop a strategy to overcome them.
5. Determine that Your Brand Packaging is Reflecting the Right Company Image — what is your company image saying to the marketplace?

If you have questions or would like more information on branding your business, please feel free to contact me.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs.  (404) 580-6331, donaldekyle@gmail.com

Should I Get Involved in My Community?

by Don Kyle

In today’s economy, many businesses are struggling just to survive. How can business owners think about getting involved in their community at a time like this? The answer is quite simple. If you are not involved, how can you afford not to be and expect to survive.

For many business owners, getting involved means attending a business meeting or two each month. However, the business community is just one of many components of community. Community is comprised of residents, schools, civic/charitable groups, houses of worship, arts and entertainment, sports, government, and more. As a business owner, you must get involved in many different aspects of your community.

Generally, the purpose of a business is to make a profit in order to pay its employees and owners and to continue to exist. To do so, however, you must have customers. But how do you get these customers? The most common way is to promote your business through marketing and advertising. There are many ways to do this, but which methods are the most effective?

One of the best ways to do this is to become a trusted and recognized member of your community and offer the desired products and services to your customers. You you must take the necessary steps to become known. Community involvement is one of the most effective ways to do this.

Business owners generally are residents of the community in which their businesses are located. It just makes sense for you to participate in your community. It’s a great way to get involved with organizations and activities for which you already have an interest and passion. It’s a way to let the community know that you are appreciative of their patronage and that you want to help improve your community by giving back in some way. Whether it’s volunteering at the local animal shelter, participating in school sponsored events or contributing to a local cause, you can show your support.

You should not get involved simply to get more business; rather you must have a genuine interest in your community. It’s a fantastic way to create relationships with members of your community, and your reputation can be enhanced greatly as a result. Over time, your business can become recognized as a key member of your community and be the business selected whenever someone has a need for your goods or services.

Please feel free to submit questions about your business to me and I will address them in future columns.

Don Kyle is the CEO and Founder of Small Bizz MBA, a company which assists businesses with their marketing, branding and advertising needs. (404) 580-6331, donaldekyle@gmail.com