James Doan - Just Minding My Own Business

There are those who say that failure builds character. They point out all successful people have failed in something. They conclude that the more failures you have, the more you grow. You can find thousands—even hundreds of thousands—of blog posts touting one or more of the above maxims. These authors then argue that one should “celebrate failure.” Such opinion pieces always get me scratching my head.  I have the same reaction when I hear a friend confess with a sigh, “I failed.”  Why would someone agree to label something they did that didn't work out “a failure”?

There are many fundamentals in life, things that we need to make our lives work well for us. Time management is one of those fundamentals. Without it, it is difficult to get anything done, or have time to enjoy anything in life. There are also no guarantees in l ife. It’s nearly impossible to know exactly what will happen tomorrow, we can only plan to a certain extent. Planning is an essential element in time management; still, plans can change. This is why prioritizing the things you need to accomplish is important, and completing what you can in a manageable time frame crucial. Finishing one task paves the way to completing the next one. You can begin by taking notes and making lists, to sort through your tasks to be completed.

Even small tasks benefit from efficient planning. Today, we bring you our set of productivity tips. Use these tips to be more productive in your day-to-day life.   Stand Up Keep meetings short and on topic by conducting 10- to 15-minute “stand-ups.” Not only do studies find that these sorts of meetings are more effective, they’re also better for your mental and physical health. Make a Decision We all have a “to-do” pile – or, more likely, piles. Cut down on clutter and stress by immediately addressing any piece of paper that is handed to you, or blocking out time on your schedule each day to deal with paperwork.

There are times when you will find yourself in competition with questionable businesses. Do not resort to denigrating or smearing them. Instead, try these effective marketing tactics: You can offer a free report detailing  things to look for when hiring a ____.  In it, describe the unethical factors. Explain why they are misleading, shoddy, fraudulent, or contrary to the reader's values. Do not name names. End by mentioning that your firm passes all the criteria, and inviting the reader to check you out. Get testimonials from customers describing the reasons for their disappointment with other businesses. Have them explain why they now deal with you.

David Sax wrote "The Revenge of Analog" describing some interesting aspects of marketing. He states that customers often discover novel advantages for products. These may seem silly and definitely were not in the minds of the creators of the products. These unexpected benefits often account for the emotional attachment users feel for products and services.  Readers who prefer print magazine say they enjoy the sound of a page crinkling when they turn it. They also have a feeling of accomplishment when finishing an issue. Board games players enjoy sitting around a table and connecting with other people.

There are some differences in merchandising theory between the neighbourhood grocery store and the sporting goods store down the street. The fact remains that both are merchandised in the same way. Both use an organized and attractive layout to maximize each item's sales potential. These merchandising principles used by major retailers are the same ideas you should follow. Why? Because they work. It's an old, often overused retail adage, but it's true: "You can't sell it if it's in the stockroom." Almost all people enjoy shopping for products in which they have an interest. Why not display products in an attractive way? Then customers can inspect, explore and, yes, even buy.

If you try to target everyone as a potential customer, you will likely sell to no one. When a website is not producing anticipated revenue, you may have  improper audience targeting.  Today’s business environment is so competitive. A small business' best bet is to focus on developing niche products. There is less competition from large firms. Take the online book market. Amazon.com dominates the field, so smaller start-ups are wise to focus on books in specific niches. There are niche sites for best sellers, out of print books, used books,  and so on. Imagine a small company trying to compete with Amazon's huge inventory and variety. Then imagine that same company aiming for more depth in a much smaller field.

Many people think about starting a small business, often with a great ideas. Few people actually go out and do it.  It takes a special type of person to be an entrepreneur. It takes a strong desire to succeed. As you build your business, you will need courage, perseverance and a great deal of will power. You will have to face many setbacks and learn to deal with them.   You will need a level of technical skill. In this competitive market, you can’t just be good at what you do.  You need to be excellent.  A successful entrepreneur is decisive, self-disciplined and a self-starter. For many years, as your business grows, you’ll be working far more than forty hours a week. It is probable that you will have little money to show for it.

Here are three ways to strengthen your business. You can push out the competition by adding new layers to your existing business. 1. Start a cross-promotion with another business You should already be familiar with your own market. Itemize the main characteristics of your target audience. Then contact a non-competitive business also targeting that same class of customers. Team up with them to do joint promotions. Working in tandem, you can achieve dramatic end results. The goal is an effective and cost-cutting advertising campaign. This will net both of you a nice profit. 

In discussions with industry leaders like Seth Godin and Clay Hebert (among many others), it has become clear that we are in a Connection Economy. The connection economy rewards value created by building relationships and creating connections, rather than building assets by industrialism. This means the most valuable companies will connect buyer to seller, or consumer to content. If you don’t buy that argument, consider these facts:

For any small business, it is important to determine precisely who you will be marketing your services or products to. An efficient business should not waste time or money trying to market to everyone. You must choose a target market that is potentially the best prospect for your business. There are many small business owners who will resist focusing on one primary group of clients. They feel that their business should be promoted to everyone. They are convinced that in order to grow their business, they need to market to more people. In fact the opposite is true. By narrowing the focus to a specific group of customers, it is possible to become an expert in solving their specific problems. Familiarity with their needs allows development of additional products and services to serve them better. You can decide who to market to by following these 5 tips:

A successful business person should be alert to the potential for new markets. Diversification is the the best way to stay at the forefront of a constantly changing marketplace.  By diversifying, you will be able to insulate your business from the adverse effects of these changes by adapting your business and keeping ahead of your competition.  There is always the potential for a brand new market sector to generate even more dollars in sales!   You can often find new markets without delving into obscure sectors.  It is possible for you to discover marketing niches within your current market palette.  With a little thought it will be simple for you to develop subdivisions of your existing market into several more narrowly defined markets. 

The first sign that you should be investigating new marketing strategies is a marked decline in the effectiveness of your current advertisement campaign. At some point your advertising dollars will cease to attract your existing target market. You should never wait until your profits are in decline before you start to consider new marketing strategies. Constantly be on the lookout for the next successful marketing strategy.  The speed at which your local marketplace can change is, in fact, a terrific opportunity for you to test a range of new and distinctive advertising mediums. Don't be afraid to experiment until you discover the next one that will give you the marketing edge over your competition.

To be successful, savvy marketers must constantly be looking for new ways to expand their business. They know their company, are sure their customers will come through for them, and understand that a financial downturn offers advantages not seen during economic booms.  You will have already made your customers aware that you have great products and provide satisfactory service. During a slow economy they will trust you to continue to serve them. When you think about it you will realize that it is much easier to make sales to someone who already has a business relationship with you. You must use every opportunity to increase your sales volume within your existing customer base.

When the economy makes a turn for the worse, it just makes sense that your advertising will give less of a return than during an economic boom. Sure there's a lot less money being spent, but you don't have to have to watch your profit margin plummet! Think about it... advertisers are feeling the recession just as much as you are, and are more desperate for clients. It's the perfect atmosphere to negotiate your way to lower costs - even if you are already getting a good price. Every advertising penny you can save, is that much more profit you'll earn on the products. Have you thought about getting free publicity? Local newspapers are always looking for something of local interest. Make the news! Publicity is free, but a wonderful way to get your business in front of potential clients.

This is a simple tip that will apply to every market - regardless of the product or service. It should prove to be a great motivator to try something new. Successful marketers develop the ability to turn their customers into advocates. Often, they don't even have to directly ask customers to refer them to others. Their willingness to offer that little bit extra wins customer loyalty and support. It only follows that satisfied customers will refer their friends and family to the place that will take good care of them. Providing quality service is the first step toward referrals, but you can readily take it the extra step. Marketing studies have shown that every satisfied customer will tell three other people about you.

When was the last time you bought a car? Did you really NEED a car? I mean REALLY need a car? Chances are the one you were driving was still running when you bought the car you have now. North Americans rarely buy because they need... they buy because they want to experience the feeling that comes with buying. We enjoy new purchases. Sure, we can convince ourselves that we really needed a new one, but if we're totally honest we'll have to admit that would could've got by without it. What does this mean to your advertising campaign? Capitalize on the ways a customer will improve his lifestyle by making the purchase. Will he increase his own business profits by 50 percent? Say so in the opening statement of your sales letter, or at the top of your Web page.

If you're a marketer your number one concern is customers. You've probably read and heard a million and one ideas about how to build relationships, retain customers, create a list of potential customers, and inspire consumer loyalty.  But the tough question is, "How do I convert prospects into customers?"  There are a lot of people out there who see your ads, think about them, and maybe even say, "I ought to..." They're just waiting to be convinced to to do something about it.  There is something you can do to get them moving! How would you like to increase your sales by more than 50 percent? There's really a very simple tactic that you can implement... follow ups.

  You can get on top of the market with this high-impact, easy-to-use technique. You should be aware that your competition is looking for you in all the usual places. Change things up by not going there. You have to look for alternate ways of advertising and new markets to target. Niche markets can provide the perfect sneak tactic for discovering new clients.   Sub-divide your current market into smaller, more specific niche markets.  Familiarize yourself with the needs and concerns of each niche.  Present yourself as the specialist pro. 

For any business person, the opportunity to get on top of the market can be realized with something as simple as this high-impact, easy-to-use technique. Effective communication is crucial to understanding your consumers. You must encourage questions before the sale, during the sale and after the sale. Always work to make the buying process easy and comfortable. Now more then ever, profitable opportunities exist to promote your local business on the Internet. Through search engine optimization, pay per click advertising, email marketing and local listings, you can connect with a willing audience. Your customers are turning to the Internet to find local products and services. If your competitors have an online presence and you don't, guess who gets to take home the prize.

I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. – Rudyard Kipling Of the legendary 6 serving-men, I find the second on the list the most often neglected in marketing materials. As a business owner or manager, you are usually very conscious of what you’re promoting, having expended energy on bringing your product, service or event into being. However, you may forget to put into words the rationale for your new offering and the surrounding circumstances. So consider these reminders for that equally important W, why: 

If you’re a marketer, your number one concern is customers. You’ve probably read and heard a million and one ideas about how to build relationships, retain customers, create a list of potential customers, and inspire consumer loyalty. But the tough question is, “How do I convert prospects into customers?” There are a lot of people out there who see your ads, think about them, and maybe even say, “I ought to…” They’re just waiting to be convinced to to do something about it. There is something you can do to get them moving! No one can pass up the deal that’s “too good to resist.” Think about it… how often do your customers want your product, but just want something else a little more?