Stop Your Customers From Getting Poached!

It happens all the time. Customers move on to other businesses.  The problem is similar to affairs of the heart; your company wasn’t listening and another company was offering exactly what your customer wanted today.  Those poaching efforts are intentional. So it’s key to listen to your customer and provide the product and services they need today.  Customer retention is a lot less costly than trying to find more new customers. And companies at the top know how to do both!

Here are my 10 Tips To Customer Retention and Poaching Prevention.

1. Always thank your customer for their business and loyalty. Consider offering a loyalty card or discount to encourage multiple purchases over time.
2. Be aware of your competition. You should shop your competition regularly to see if their price, product or service has changed and how they compare with yours.
3. Review your competition’s social media sites and see if they are offering any benefits you do not provide. Also note their most successful promotions and posts in comparison to yours.
4. Survey your employees. They are the first ones to know if your customers are unhappy or if they are not purchasing the way they should be. Your front line is your reception and your sales team. They  have a lot to say about improving your business if you are ready to listen. It also makes them feel more valued on your team.
5. One of the most successful promotions is to send a coupon to customers who just made a purchase; they can immediately use that coupon on another purchase. You can also expand that to offer two coupons (one for them, one for a friend). This encourages them to pass the promotion on to potential new customers.
6. A little market research can grow your business. Conduct a survey or poll asking your past customers what your company can do to better serve them. Get their ideas on how your company can provide better products and services. Ask if they have any hesitations to recommend your company to their friends.
7. Tell your past customers you value them and would like more customers like them. Ask them to take the time to review your company and products on the review website you value most (provide a link to that review page).
8. Survey your employees. They are the first ones to know if your customers are unhappy or if they are not purchasing the way they should be. Your front line is your sales team and they have a lot to say about improving your business if you are listening.
9. Compare your sales year-to-year along with the number of new customers you have added each year. If those numbers are not growing, review your customer repeat business or retention. If you find you are not getting second, third and fourth purchases, it’s time to work on your sales model.
10. Ask your customers about the convenience of working with your business and their other favorite stores. Many times, consumers are concerned about something as little as shipping fees or delivery. If that makes a big difference to your customers, consider adding it to your service (even if you have to raise your price a bit to afford it).

If you feel your customer base is not growing or your sales are not keeping up with your goals, contact Liz Harsch by email or call Tailor-Made Advertising at 310-791-6300 to get help identifying whatever is holding your company back from thriving sales in 2022.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner, Liz has trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 20 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA, office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

2021 Holiday Promotion Marketing Tips!

Halloween 2021 retailers experienced a huge growth over the last two years as sales rivaled 2019.  That’s great news for retail and consumer businesses and it explains the increase we see in business to business products & services as companies feel more optimistic about future sales. So, what are you planning for your holiday promotions this year? Consider using the upcoming holidays and national event dates with trending hashtags to reach a wider audience (beyond those in your databases). Get started before Thanksgiving and use #BlackFriday #SmallBusinessSat #CyberMonday #GivingTuesday and #SuperSaturday in addition to other holiday dates and trending hashtags below. If you need more help, register for our free upcoming webinars or call Tailor-Made Advertising for advice or help improving your tools 310-791-6300.

How can this list of events and hashtags help your business? Look at the conversations and images following the hashtags and see how they facilitate relationships between brands and consumers. What hashtags can you create or use that will connect your brand to that holiday conversation? Be sure you have an engagement strategy for your sales and marketing team to try to capture emails and contacts as well as initiate chat on your social media channels when possible. Social Selling is outperforming traditional sales teams by starting a conversation before a consumer gets to your website or store. If you are a small business, don’t forget to register on American Express’s #ShopSmall listing to get your special deals that weekend highlighted along with others. You do not need to take American Express to participate. For more ideas, Email liz@adteamla.com  for our holiday promotion planner to help you structure a better promotion.

Are you a non-profit? Did you register on charity review websites, Amazon’s Smile,  GivingTuesday website and Facebook and Instagram’s Fundraising platform? If not, you’re missing out on donations that stem from Holiday Shopping. Get registered and ask your donors and volunteers to share the links that allow customers to pick the charity of choice so that your organization can benefit from every purchase.

Holiday Event Dates and Hashtags

Whether you are having a sale or you are shopping for something special, hashtags can help you reach more customers and find more deals, especially on social media like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. So use them liberally but make sure you are tying into relevant and trending hashtags and not past events.  There are plenty of old conversations on the internet that were relevant in their year, but not this one. Make sure you add extensions to your hashtags that include 2021 if you want to be listed with other deals that folks can find this year (not past) years. Here are some of the more popular hashtags you may want to follow and join the conversation. To make the most of your efforts, add your promotions to your latest blog, social media posts and events, as well as your email and text promotions.

Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, Nov 25  #Thanksgiving2021 – Thanksgiving Holiday is the perfect time to Thank your customers for their support and alert them about your promotions for the busiest shopping weekend of the year.

Black Friday: Friday, Nov. 26  # BlackFriday2021 – Black Friday is traditionally the best shopping day of the year in terms of dollars and officially launching the holiday shopping season. Consumers wait for #blackfridaydeals before purchasing to see the best price of the year.  Keep in mind that in 2021 #BlackFriday deals have started before Halloween this year due to shipping delays and some companies have decided to offer them weekly. However, consumers are counting on the official #BlackFriday.

Small Business Saturday: Nov 27  #ShopSmall2021 – A national day set aside for Small Businesses to highlight themselves. Register on the ShopSmall Website and use the hashtags to draw attention to their story and promotions. Non-retail businesses also offer an open house or promotional event for that day as well.

#CyberMonday: Nov 29 – Traditionally the highest shopping day of the year for online sales with many special and limited deals only available one day and online. 

#GivingTuesday: Nov 30 – Used as a springboard and a deadline for early non-profit donations to encourage more volunteers, donors and clients to help promote the cause. Tie in your non-profit using a gift with donation or some other benefit to donating that day or before.

Other Hashtags to consider. There are many but here are some to consider:

#HolidaySavings – Links for holiday savings

#Deals – People Tweeting deals they find as they find them

#Holidays – General excitement around the holiday season

#Christmas – Tweets about Christmas activities

#AfterChristmasSale

#BoxingDay

#WinterWonderland – Snow talk

#Hanukkah – Tweets on the Jewish holiday

#Kwanzaa – Kwanzaa Conversation

#NewYears – Talk about New Year’s resolutions

The best media mix integrates both traditional and digital media tools while maximizing your time. If you need help brainstorming to create a more targeted and effective marketing plan designed to deliver results, contact Liz Harsch by email or call Tailor-Made Advertising at 310-791-6300.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner, Liz has trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 20 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA, office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

2021 4th Quarter Marketing Tips!

Recently a restaurant owner mentioned they were hoping for warmer weather this fall so they can expand upon their rapid growth since 2020. When I suggested they enclose part of their patio and add gas heaters to accommodate more customers this winter, they balked at the cost. But adding more seating with ventilation would bring more customers in cooler days and and increase their employees’ income. That will also attract new employees.

If you are trying to make the most of your marketing budget in 2021—planning is the key. Join my upcoming webinars to help you maximize your marketing budget this month. Meanwhile focus on the following marketing tips for 4th Quarter growth.

• Start with a Thank You email to all of your past customers and those folks who have inquired about your service. Invite them to follow you on social media and let them know that you appreciate their business throughout recent challenges and you would appreciate their help in growing your business and sharing your posts and ads. Provide a simple link for them to post testimonials and reviews too.
• If you saw a reduction of your income and you were denied PUA or a PPP, there may be time to get the funds you were entitled to receive. File an appeal and determine if you were wrongly denied (many self-employed were). The system was flawed and there may be past or new funding to help you grow (some are tax free).
• Don’t forget the upcoming holidays and national events that can propel your marketing promotions by tying into the national hashtags and promotional themes to reach a wider audience beyond those in your databases. Start with Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Giving Tuesday and Super Saturday. If you want more marketing ideas, join my upcoming webinars here.
• Are you tracking your website and marketing results? Take some time to do the math and learn what has worked best in 2021 and evaluate where your latest customers came from. If you need help with new ideas, get my 2.5 hour package to critique your marketing plan and identify some new marketing tools that work.
• Are you closing deals? Often the only thing between you and sales are a few obstacles. Get my sales training for your team on telephone handling and how to close deals with prospects. Contact me for a sales training session.
• Did you downsize and now you are short-handed? Get some help with finding the right employees using the same targeting tools that I teach you to target market your customers. Review your best employees and let’s create an outreach campaign to find similar people who want your jobs.
• Are you tired of doing too much over the last year? It may be time to hire specialists to make the most of your time to develop new products, services and a growth plan. While reduced overhead is nice, some companies have bogged down the owners with jobs that could be more efficiently handled by someone else.
• Did you get a PPP, PUA, EIDL or any other loan, or experience changes in your income that may have a significant tax effect? Sit down with your accountant and/or tax planner now to review 2021 income and expenses. They may suggest you invest in products or services this year to offset taxes while going into 2022 even stronger.
• How many new customers did you acquire this year? How many repeat customers did you see return? It is key to let all of your past customers know that you are still in business today and that you appreciate their business. It is also important to add new customers every quarter.
• Are you a non-profit? Did you register on charity review websites, Amazon’s Smile, and Facebook and Instagram’s Fundraising platform? If not, you’re missing out on donations that stem from Holiday Shopping. Get registered and ask your donors and volunteers to share the links that allow customers to pick the charity of choice so that your organization can benefit from every purchase.

The best media mix integrates both traditional and digital media tools while maximizing your time. If you need help brainstorming to create a more targeted and effective marketing plan designed to deliver results, contact Liz Harsch by email or call Tailor-Made Advertising at 310-791-6300.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner, Liz has trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 20 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA, office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

Facebook Business Suite Integrates FB, Instagram and Messenger with Scheduling and More!

If you are not using Facebook Business Suite, you may be spending a lot more time than you need to with all Facebook’s tools.  Now you can integrate their multiple platforms, schedule posts and stories and even automate specific Frequently Asked Questions through Messenger. Here are a few of the benefits of using Business Suite:

• View your business at a glance: From your home screen, you can see an overview of your Facebook Page and Instagram account. You’ll see updates, recent posts and ads, and insights. You can also create a post or promote your business from here.
• View Activity: You’ll see new notifications for your Facebook Page and Instagram account.
• Use Inbox: You can read new messages and comments from your Facebook Page, Messenger and Instagram accounts. You can also create Automated Responses to help save time when responding to questions people commonly ask.
• Create Posts and Stories: You can publish or schedule new posts and stories for your Facebook Page and Instagram account.
• Access Commerce Manager: If your business account has a Commerce Account, you’ll be able to access it from Business Suite desktop. You can also create a new Commerce Account for your business if you don’t have one.
• Create Ads: You can create new ads and place them on Facebook and Instagram, boost your posts, and promote your Page.
• View Insights: You can see details about your business’s performance, such as trends, activity on the content you share and more information about your audience.
• Access More Tools: On Business Suite desktop, you’ll find other Facebook tools and settings you might use to manage your business presence in the More Tools section. This includes other tools, such as Ads Manager, Business Settings and Page Settings. You can also go to your Facebook Page from here.

Here is a description on how to schedule posts and stories across your Facebook Page and Instagram account on Business Suite desktop.

Before you begin

The steps below only apply if you’re trying to schedule posts for Business Suite desktop. Learn more about how to schedule posts on Business Suite mobile app.

1. Make sure you’re working in the correct account. To select a different Facebook Page and Instagram account in Business Suite, click the dropdown menu in the top left of your sidebar.
2. Select the Facebook Page and Instagram account you want to create and schedule posts for.

To Create and schedule stories

Go to Posts & Stories or Calendar to begin:

1. Click Create Story.
2. Select where you want to create or schedule a post for your Facebook News Feed, Instagram Feed, or both.
3. Click Upload Media and add a photo or video to your story.
4. Customize your story by cropping your media, or by adding text or stickers.
5. Preview how your story will look on Facebook and Instagram on the right.
6. Click Publish Story to publish immediately, or click the arrow to select Schedule Story to publish it late

You can see your story in the Calendar on the date that it was scheduled or published.

To Create and schedule posts

1. Go to Posts & Stories or Calendar to begin:
2. Click Create Post. You can also click Create Post from the Home.
3. Select where you want to schedule a post: Facebook News Feed, Instagram Feed, or both. Note: If this is your first time to schedule a post, you may have to reconnect your Instagram account. Learn more about how to connect your Instagram account on Business Suite desktop.
4. Enter in all of the details of your post, including text, media and an optional link and location.
   1. Note: You can’t add both a photo and link preview for Facebook posts. Links for Instagram posts won’t load photo preview.
5. For Facebook News Feed-only posts, select whether you want to add a Call to Action to your post. This will add a button to your post and help encourage people to message you from your post.
6. For Facebook News Feed-only posts, select an optional Feeling/Activity to add to your post. Remember, you can only add either Call to Action or a Feeling/Activity to your post.
7. Preview your post on the right. To see a different preview, click on the dropdown on the top of the window or on the arrows on the top right. You can see how it will look on Facebook compared to Instagram or on desktop compared to phone.
8. Click Publish.
9. (Optional)To publish the post later, click the arrow next to Publish.
   1. Then, click Schedule Post. Add the date and time you want to publish your post.
   2. Click Schedule on the bottom right when you’re ready to schedule your post.

The best media mix integrates both traditional and digital media tools while maximizing your time. If you need help brainstorming to create a  more targeted and effective marketing plan designed to deliver results contact Liz Harsch by email, or call Tailor-Made Advertising at 310-791-6300.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner, Liz has trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 20 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

Design Your Digital Marketing Success

Your Digital Marketing Success is dependent on many elements and those features also have many points of success within them. Let’s explore the factors you need to pay attention to in order to be successful with online marketing.. 

1) Search Engine Optimization.  This is not one item but the culmination of many factors. In fact Google has an algorithm that identifies a quality score for each of your website pages and whether they are a good match for a search keyword.  How your website performs is key to helping you maximize how your website is featured in search results.  Your web designer should include SEO tools and a directory on the back end of your website to help bots connect your content quickly and optimize it for your primary keyword terms. Back links and referral websites can also help Google optimize your website, including links from blogs, social media sites, news sites and more.

2) Search Engine Marketing.  Using the SEO tools mentioned above is part of the Search Engine Marketing job. The other part is paid marketing using PPC (Paid Per Click) purchases from Google, Yahoo, Bing, Facebook and other paid platforms. Display ads also can play a role as keywords are part of the description that goes with the images.  Keyword ads are based on a word or term that you want associated with your company or products, but you would have to have those terms in your website as well, or the cost would be prohibitive.

3) Social Media Marketing.  Posting from a social media page should often refer back to your website in order to improve your site’s optimization. In addition, social media is not a platform you own, but every time you bring traffic to your website, you are improving its visitor results and increasing the website value. Remember to maximize mentions and details about your products and services and get folks to your best overview pages with links to the different products and services you offer. Use Social Media paid advertising to bring more people to your website. Do not send them to the About Us page unless it is a clear concise overview with easy navigation to where you want visitors to go.

4) Email Marketing.  Email marketing (not one to one like Gmail but template based one to many tools like Constant Contact) is one of the strongest referral websites you can use because it allows you to direct more traffic directly to pages of your website and you are in control of seeing where your visitors go from the newsletter to the website pages. Good email marketing tools allow you to see who visits what link on your email campaigns. You can learn which content relates to which person on your marketing list which identifies the most interested parties for your sales team or which are your most active donors or sponsors. In addition, it ensures that you can keep in touch with and follow-up with your contacts to stay top-of-mind.

5) Referral Marketing.  Your monthly newsletter or Email follow-ups should include links back to your different website pages to help your list learn more about your company or organization over time. In addition, updating any online lists or list servers like Google My Business, Yelp, Foursquare and other Review or listing sites will increase the amount of traffic and improve your reputation over time. Part of your marketing budget should be dedicated to improving your online testimonials and referrals because most buyers research the reputation of the companies they work with as well as their products. You want to accumulate good reviews before the day you receive any negatives. Customers do not expect perfect reputations but they do expect a 4 or 5 rating. More good reviews protect you.

6) Content Marketing.  Content marketing is providing content on your website, blogs, social media pages and listing sites. That content should be keyword rich and in demand by the fans you have online and parties interested in your product or service. Content does not have to be written, images are relatable as well. The key is to tie that content to your company and keep the focus on your benefits and services. Sweepstakes, downloadable PDF’s, Guides and Tips are also great tools to show off your knowledge and bring more viewers to your website.

7) Click Thru Rate.  When you check your analytics on your website as well as your email marketing and paid ad statistics, it is key that you monitor your click thru rate. It will indicate whether or not the content of those pages or ads are motivating viewers to take an action. If not, you need to rethink your call-to-action or whatever link you are trying to get them to go to. Look for the content links that are getting the most attention in your past efforts and stick with the winning formula. If you are not getting any traction, contact a marketing company like ours to help you find the formula that gets you more viewers in your target market.

Join my webinar on 7/28/21 on Digital Marketing Tools–What’s Working & What’s Not?  A clear plan helps you get more done with your marketing efforts and create a media mix that marries traditional and digital media tools. Reach your target market more effectively and generate the required number of exposures to elicit sales and results. If you need help brainstorming to create your own reopen and marketing plans, contact us by email, or call us at 310-791-6300.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner, Liz has trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 20 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

Data Mine Your Email Marketing Lists!

There’s gold in the past behavior of your email marketing contacts. With just a few clicks you can now identify who is paying attention to your email marketing news and who is essentially ignoring it. And now you can segment your lists to customize your message to meet your contacts’ needs. Or you can identify those contacts that have taken no action and try incentivizing them with a completely different approach. 

Segmenting

It all starts with segmenting your lists, and it has never been easier now that programs like Constant Contact have included more detail in their reporting with their new CMS (Contact Management System). This means that you can look at engagement for your past email openers and then identify those folks that take an interest in what you are saying. Then, over time, you can learn what each contact is interested in and begin automating your next email based on their action. For example, you can reach out to those that have not opened your emails recently.

Autoresponders

Once you identify what your contacts are interested in, you can set up Autoresponders and landing pages to offer your contacts an even more personalized experience, without taking a lot of your time. It is as easy as setting up a series of emails that further explain your company’s products and services. The content can be based on the contact’s interest or based on the specific list they joined at the time of subscription. 

Build Custom Landing Pages To Increase Sign-Ups

You can also build custom landing pages that allow visitors to sign up for your monthly specials or to download content that is helpful to them as their customized incentive to sign up. Custom landing pages are easy to set up and highlight your product, service or downloadable content to start a conversation with interested parties. It can be tied to your website’s shopping cart system or it can highlight special or downloadable guides and tips that serve as an incentive for sign-ups. Once they sign up, they will be identified by the list you connected to your landing page sign-ups or clicks.

Look Beyond The Basic Reporting To Find Your Next Best Customer

The Contact Management System (CMS) in Constant Contact has been greatly improved. And it is included in your basic subscription. You can drill down to what each contact has been interested in when it comes to your messaging and events. Take some time to get familiar with the latest CMS in your account and you will find that you can further segment your lists to help you deliver more helpful and well-received content.

Segments, Tags And Notes

You can segment your leads into separate lists and add tags to those folks who click on a specific item or story. You can also assign people to a new list from your custom landing page sign-ups. The extensive history of your contacts can even be used by your sales team to learn more about your contacts before they reach out to them. 

Take The Time To Make The Most Of Your Marketing Lists

It is time to take a deeper dive into your past customer and lead list to help grow your business quickly. Initially it takes a little bit of time, but saves you so much more time by helping you deliver better content to the right list while strengthening your reputation and growing your subscriber list. If you need help brainstorming to create your own re-open and re-marketing plans, contact us by email at liz@adteamla.com or call us at 310-791-6300. If you are interested in trying Constant Contact, take it for a test drive by setting up a FREE 60 Day Trial account here (no credit card needed).

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director and Media Planner, Liz has trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 15 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also join her Free webinars and upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

Small Business Resources—Forgivable Loans, Grants, Federal and Local Funding And More!

There has never been a time with so many financial support options for small business owners. Here are some financing options you may want to consider to grow your business. Remember to read the fine print and be aware of the deadlines to apply, fund, repay, and submit your request to forgive the debt.  Beware of the scammers, so do not provide any private information unless you are certain the organization’s website is verified and secured.  Here is an explanation of the difference between Grants and Loans and some resources that can help you find the right financing for your organization.

Grants

A grant is money that is given to a person, business, nonprofit, or corporation from federal, state, county, or local governments, private businesses or corporations. There are a number of entities providing free money to small business owners in the form of a small business grant. And Grants do not require repayment. Remember also that Grants are taxable income.

Loans

Loans require a payback and a good credit history. Unlike in a typical economy, the PPP and EIDL offer unique benefits in that some or all of your loan can be forgiven depending on your expenses and which funds you receive.

Start your search using these resource links:

EIDL and PPP

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) are still available for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. You can now apply for a second-time draw, or apply now for your first-time PPP loan if you missed out in 2020.  Preferences are now available for smaller businesses in the second draw.  Although it’s not technically a grant, if you spend the funds on approved expenses during a specific time frame, the entire PPP loan may be forgiven. That essentially turns it into a grant.

The Economic Injury Disaster Loan, while yes, is technically a loan, includes a $10,000 grant for eligible businesses. You may qualify for a loan of more than that amount, but if you meet the following eligibility criteria, you may qualify for a $10,000 grant:

• Be located in a low-income community
• Have suffered an economic loss greater than 30%
• Employ 300 or fewer employees

Local Resources To Help You Find Funding, Mentors and Business Growth Planning

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) are a business owner’s best friend. Local, regional, state, and national offices mentor small business owners and help them find business financing, grants, marketing strategies, and connect to other local business owners. They actually pay experts to help local small businesses navigate their growth across the US. These centers offer a network of funding and small business advice.

SCORE is a nonprofit organization backed by the Small Business Administration that promotes free tools and mentorship for American small business owners. Like SBDCs, SCORE is a free resource for entrepreneurs looking for help or expertise and they have many local experts that you can connect with. A SCORE mentor may help you identify local grant opportunities, or review your pitch to help you make it as compelling as possible.

Your Local Librarian

Local libraries provide help finding grants for free or at a low cost to business owners. Just ask your librarian. They are trained researchers with access to hundreds of databases.

Shuttered Venue Operators Grants

The Shuttered Venue Operator (SVO) Grant program (SBA) provides $15 billion in grants to certain businesses impacted by COVID-19, including: 

• Live venue operators or promoters
• Theatrical producers
• Live performing arts organization operators
• Relevant museum operators, zoos and aquariums who meet specific criteria
• Motion picture theater operators, or
• Talent representatives

The applicant must have been in business by February 29, 2020. This program will be administered by the SBA.

Federal Small Business Grants

The Federal government, too, offers grants to support small businesses.

 

Small Business Innovation Research Program: Good For Technology Companies

The SBIR grant program is for entrepreneurs focused on innovations in technology that have the potential for commercialization. You can check its funding opportunities here. Focus areas from the past include clean and safe water, homeland security, land revitalization, green construction, advancement of health care, and more.

Small Business Technology Transfer Program: Good For: Energy-Focused Businesses

The STTR program aims to expand funding for innovative research and development leveraging existing technology. What makes this program unique from the SBIR program is that small businesses get the opportunity to formally collaborate with research institutions throughout the program. Each agency sets its own guidelines — check here for open STTR grants.

Department of Defense Grants: Good For: R&D Companies

The DoD offers grants to small businesses through the STTR program and a number of other initiatives, like the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative. The Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Office, and the U.S. Army Research Institute are all looking for research and development of technology that will help them reach their goals.

Department of Energy Grants: Good For: Innovative Technology Companies

The DOE offers grants through the SBIR and STTR programs for innovative research and development leveraging technology developed by a university or a DOE National Lab. Check here for its current grant openings.

National Institute of Health (NIH) Grants: Good For: Biomedical Businesses

NIH is a federal agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It offers business grants to small businesses developing and researching biomedical technology. It is currently funding opportunities related to COVID-19 research.

Department of Justice Grants: Good For: Public Safety Projects

The DOJ allocates grant funding to projects that support law enforcement, public safety activities, programs to improve the criminal justice system, and more. Here’s an overview of the agencies within the DOJ that provide grants.

Department of the Interior Grants: Good For: A Variety of Businesses

The DOI offers small business grants through several departments, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Indian Affairs, National Park Service, and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Find other DOI grant opportunities on Grants.gov.

USDA Rural Development Business Grants: Good For: Small Rural Businesses

The Department of Agriculture offers both loans and grants to support businesses in rural areas to create quality jobs. It funds community projects such as the development of housing, community facilities, and other services.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Grants: Good For: Agriculture & Food Nonprofits

The NIFA is a federal agency within the USDA with a focus on leadership and funding programs. It offers grants throughout the year, which come with support and guidance. Be mindful that many of its grants are offered to nonprofits or larger businesses.

Remember to set aside some marketing money to promote your business and protect it from today’s poaching market Due to the high competition, many companies are employing aggressive campaigns to take your customers from you using lower costs or enhanced services. These poaching campaigns work. So make sure your customers and their friends are hearing from you as we all compete for business expansion in 2021.   If you need help brainstorming to create your own re-open and re-marketing plans, contact us by email at liz@adteamla.com, or call us at 310-791-6300.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner, Liz has trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 15 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also join her Free webinars and upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

Tips To Re-Open And Re-Market Your Business And Thrive!

2020 was a yoyo year for many business owners who were forced to start and stop their business based on the Coronavirus-19. With virus numbers down again and businesses and schools opening up, it is time to take the wheel and navigate your business for more success in 2021.  If your business is open or about to open again, here are some key tips you may want to remember to make the most of as you re-open and re-market your business to thrive in 2021.

1) Communicate clearly with your past customers.  If you paused your business or just reduced your hours or your advertising, your past customers could be confused as to whether or not your company is still in business. Take some time now to communicate your status and update your customers on any changes in your business or any new services you are providing to better serve them.  Let them know the steps you have taken to keep them safe and provide the service they require in today’s climate.  To maximize your success, make sure to provide a minimal contact, curbside pick-up  or delivery service.  Clearly post your mask wearing and social distancing policy. Today’s shoppers need to know you prioritize their safety. keep them safe.

2) Update all your online listings.  Start with searching using your company name to see if any of your listings have been updated to change your hours or services during your pause. Sometimes customers can change them with feedback to the platform.  They will not remember to update them when you change your hours or open status back,  so you make sure you review it yourself. Remember to update your listings that rise to the top of Google, like your GoogleMyBusiness page.

3) Review your website for current services, products and hours.  Small businesses adapt and you have probably made some changes in your business. Do not assume that your customers have read all your social posts and are up to date on the changes you have made. Take a fresh look at your website and don’t forget to update new products, services, changes in delivery or no-contact curbside pick-up. If masks or social distancing are required at your store, let them know before they come. No one likes to be surprised.

4) Create a dedicated Email campaign for your customers, asking them to help you recover by shareing your story and emails with their friends.  The best way to jumpstart your traffic is to invite your past customers and their friends to stop in by appointment or use rolling sale dates to moderate your traffic to keep social distancing while increasing your business. If you added online shopping or curbside delivery, highlight it so your customers can see you are making an effort to keep them safe as they shop.  Ask them to follow you on your social media accounts and add a link to give your company a review. If you need an email marketing program, use this link to try out a free Constant Contact Email Marketing account to see how easy it is to send out professional communications that lead to sales.

5) Are you a service company? If yes, offer phone or online appointments to connect with customers in real time.  Service companies are struggling to answer phones in a timely manner and to offer support on demand. Use a scheduling tool to make appointments for your sales team or your customer support team to keep your reputation strong and to help new leads turn into customers.  Consider offering some industry or product tips as a way to connect with potential customers and allow them to make an appointment for a 15 minute call or online meeting.  You may even want to add a ChatBot or Messenger to more quickly answer potential customer questions or as service support.  Customer service Chat Bots are a great way to make it easy for your customers to get FAQs and stay informed on demand.

6) Safety & Employees First.  Your success in business is always dependent on your employees. If they feel you are protecting them, they will be loyal and do their best. However, if you communicate to them that you need them to show up no matter how they feel, you are sending the wrong message and not protecting them or your customers. Take the time to review the steps you are taking to keep them safe. Make sure they understand your policy on sick leave and the importance of reporting if they suspect they are sick.  Tape off social distancing waiting lines and post instructions at the front and throughout the store with your expectations on mask wearing and social distancing.

7) Media Mixing.  You need to reach potential and past customers 7-14 times in 6-8 weeks, which is much more cost effective if you can target the type of customers who have been your best leads.  There needs to be a plan from the first point of contact to the multiple touches and seeking out a connection across multiple platforms and media tools from Keyword ads to Messaging on social media tools.  Timely follow-ups that will bring that individual into your store or shopping cart. By combining multiple advertising tools from Email and Event marketing, direct mail and digital platform advertising tools, you can ensure that they are receiving your message from more than one source in a timely manner. 

7) Re-Marketing.  If you have not already set up re-marketing on your Google Adwords or display ads or your social media ads paired with a targeted custom audience and designated lookalike audiences—it is imperative that you do so now.  There needs to be a plan from the first point of contact to the multiple touches and timely follow-ups that will bring that individual into your store or shopping cart. Follow-up their actions and make sure you reach out to answer any of their questions. Customer service bots are a great way to make it easy for your customers to get FAQs and stay informed.

Whether you have already re-opened or you are still in transition, my checklist will guide you with tips designed to boost your results this year.   If you need help brainstorming to create your own re-open and re-marketing plans, contact us by email at liz@adteamla.com, or call us at 310-791-6300.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner, Liz has trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 10 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

2021 Digital Marketing Trends To Consider

2020 saw many changes in digital behavior that we need to consider and determine how it may shape your 2021 marketing plan and investments. As we review what changed  and what worked best, consider the following ideas as you market this year.

1) We saw a lot of live streaming on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Always consider your target market when determining which channel you should use and how best to connect. When possible, add or consider Influencer content as part of your marketing mix as you expand in this medium. Remember you are trying to expand your market with people who are similar to your best customers. If you are a shopping site, remember to check out Amazon Live  which allows purchasers to buy during a broadcast.

2) Cause marketing skyrocketed as brands tried to tie themselves into communities where their customers lived by promoting a cause and tying it to a purchase. This goodwill marketing is on the rise and can accomplish raising your brand as a giver and not a taker, while offering your customers a good feeling for buying more to support your local business. If you did not tie yourself into a cause, look for one you can support that matches your target market’s ideals.

3) Users had a lot of time on their hands so they expanded User Generated Content (UGC) like crazy during their Stay At Home. Look for your mentions and content that reflected your brand. The smartest marketers were listening and also tapped into the opportunity to query their target market by asking their opinions with surveys. This provides so much valuable marketing research into where your brand or company should be heading and what matters most to your consumers or members.  There is still time to get this information as UGC is expanding in 2021.

4) Sustainability became critical for many shoppers in 2020 and those consumers are looking for companies that help them feel good when they purchase by letting them feel they are contributing to a better planet. Regardless of your politics, anytime you can show that your product or service offers sustainable solutions, you add value to your company and organization. If you can get the support of causes that add credibility to your claims, make sure you add those to your messaging.

5) If Diversity is part of your organization or product advantage, there has never been a better time to add that to your story and to use your brand might to encourage more of it. 41% of shoppers shop for brands that reflect their own diversity  and show people like them interacting with the product or offering financial support.

6) Voice and Visual Search is on the rise and that means you need to consider if your website is set up to support those platforms. With one in four families in America owning a Smart Speaker like Alexa, Echo and more, your website needs to be Search Engine Optimized with site mapping and images with Alt-Text so that the automated search can find a connection with the words the users use and your products or services.

7) Content consumption is changing and in 2020 we saw more people consuming their own preferential content using podcasts and newsletters. That offers you a great opportunity to increase your connection with your newsletters going directly into your contacts’ inbox but also means you will see more competition there. So sharpen up your subject lines and content and consider adding a podcast with information you have put together that you know your target is interested in learning more about. If you need an email marketing template-based subscription in order to ensure your newsletter complies with CAN-SPAM and is modified to look great on a laptop, PC, smartphone and other tools, try a user-friendly Constant Contact trial here and contact us for more tips to help you get started.  For more information with statistics on Digital Marketing Trends, review the full article from Social Media Marketing Today here.

Join my next webinar to learn more about marketing your business in America 2.0.   If you need help creating a better marketing plan, contact us or call Tailor-Made Advertising at 310-791-6300. Get my monthly newsletter for small businesses here.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner and Trainer, Liz has counseled and trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 20 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .

Part 2: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary’s Smart Tips For Small Businesses

Last month, I recounted the lessons learned in the interview with Constant Contact and Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary. Here I continue with the balance of  his best tips for the challenges small business owners face today.  He focused on how business owners and entrepreneurs can navigate the downturn and prepare for America 2.0 —to thrive in the new normal.

According to O’Leary, the last 6 months have been brutal for small business owners, but he reminded us that the entrepreneurs of 2008 (the midst of the Great Recession) now represent 68 percent of the economy.  Small businesses can thrive in a downturn.  He feels that the companies that embraced change and particularly digital marketing, were able to deliver exactly where people are buying—on the internet. Here are more of his tips for entrepreneurs. If you missed my first 12 tips from that interview, you can find them here!

13) When looking to acquire a company, look for a company that has bad customer service but a good product. Acquire it and improve customer service, which is something you can always improve on.  Once you have improved customer service, add reviews and consider increasing the price to 15% more.  It has been a win for me.

14) When running a local campaign, set up a 60 mile radius and then test your digital ads and provide 800# tracking phone numbers. Then once you have perfected your digital campaigns and proved the ROI, expand out another 60 miles before moving to another state or area.

15) Viral videos rarely happen but promoted ones perform really well.  Choose your target market and identify what platform or news groups they use, then promote your videos there. Get professional help if you need it.

16) When it comes to finding a good partner, look for a person or company that will offset your weaknesses. Look for people who have skills you do not possess. You do not have to like each other, you just have to complement each other’s skills.  He says he will give up half equity to find that special partner.

17) Do not hire family and friends.  Instead, base your hires on exceptional skills.  Consider looking for hires who are willing to prove themselves first and are confident they will earn your respect before raising their salary.

18) Start selling outside your family and friends.  Get out and sell to people who don’t know you and then then be quiet and listen to your customer regarding price, product and terms.

19) Wicked Good Cupcakes (a royalty deal of his) learned what customers wanted (from packaging to sugar content) by having a direct relationship with their customers (owned their own mailing list) and by listening to their customers’ ideas on how to improve and grow the company.

20) When asked when to take outside money, he said to consider equity crowd funding where you can sell shares to your customers but retain your ownership.

21) During a downturn, service your immediate regional customers and strategize how to keep your customers loyal. Create service videos and reinforce your brand and what they can expect of you today. Then add more loyal customers like them using your email and videos and digital media. Make sure past customers and their friends see your videos. Wait out the downturn to expand your overhead—survival is the key today!

22) When to stay or get out of small biz?  He believes the magic number is 36 months.  If your business is not consistently profitable after that—give it up.   The best entrepreneurs are ones that fail and move on to a better business model or concept.

23) LinkedIn is a great source for finding the right employees for your business. It has become very smart about taking your employee requirements and delivering potential employees that meet those requirements and then deliver even more.

24) Consider getting an apprentice short-term who you can road test for the first six months using an attractive contract built for your success and theirs.  For interns who boast their skills, we suggest they work with us for a 90-day trial period so they can prove it. Our internships work out well.

25) Before you buy or lease a building, remember office vacancy rates in the US have increased from 12-15% recently.  It will likely not go back for some time. Consider if you need the space and minimize your commitment until the market turns back up.

26) Being an entrepreneur is a gut-wrenching, challenging, full-time job.  If you are thinking of quitting your six-figure job, first assess your risks and realize that it’s a lifestyle change! Only one-third of people who want to be entrepreneurs are really cut out for it.  And that does not mean they are successful. Nobody gets rich overnight or has the freedom to do what they want. Owning your own business takes a lot of hard, grueling work.

27) Selling your story on video should be a 15-second video showing the benefits of your product (with or without audio) and the rest of the video should be testimonials. Then test the video, the price, the imagery and the target market to see what works best.

Join my next webinar to learn more about marketing your business in America 2.0.   If you need help creating a better marketing plan, contact us or call Tailor-Made Advertising at 310-791-6300.

Liz Harsch is the owner of Tailor-Made Advertising in Torrance, CA. Her firm provides marketing, training and consulting to identify marketing and media alternatives for business owners. As an experienced Marketing Director, Media Planner and Trainer, Liz has counseled and trained small business owners for Constant Contact, SCORE, SBDC, SBA, Cities and MWD and County outreach partners, APICS plus many Chambers of Commerce for over 10 years. She can be reached at her Torrance, CA office at 310-791-6300 or by email at liz@adteamla.com. You can also see her upcoming training workshops calendar at http://bit.ly/workshopscal .