Many small business owners get into their business with an idea, rather than a full plan. You want to make t-shirts or print signs. You know it's profitable and you've already got some referral business. It's not that hard to make some money and get overwhelmed with business. What IS hard is growing your business to achieve your dreams and goals.  One of the first steps to understanding how to create a great marketing plan (that will lead to success) is understanding the 4 Ps of marketing. In so many words, it's understanding your businesses goals, so you can make truly educated marketing ..read more

What is a social media strategy? A social media strategy is an outline or plan of your social media goals, how you will achieve them, and how you’ll track metrics.  Social is talked about all the time in business, but do you need it? If yes, then how will you use it? This episode is all about finding out what is right for your business.  Why having a presence on social media is important for small businesses: Maintains and builds relationships with customers you already have Grows brand awareness and familiarity Builds trust with new and current customers Builds engaged communities ..read more

Financing is an important part of starting and growing a business. However, there are a lot of misconceptions and confusion. Many people only have experience financing a house, car, or a new couch. Yet there is a whole world of financing business equipment and software. This episode discusses financing for business and answers the most frequently asked questions. Why do businesses finance equipment? Utilize banks money to start Keep current liquid money on hand Tax benefits Time value of money Can a new business finance? Yes! You can use personal credit What if you don't have perfect credi ..read more

One of the biggest challenges for businesses is keeping up with all of the 'tasks' that can bog you down. These things may seem redundant or not as important as your daily duties, but avoiding them will absolutely cause trouble. Review pricing Is everything still available? has pricing gone up? SHOULD pricing have gone up? Is there an opportunity for a SALE or Discount? Marketing check-in Promotions for next month or the NEXT month? Does your phone number work? Does your contact form work? New/replace products? Planning for events Website updates and changes Check your voice mail message So ..read more

One of the struggles and causes of anxiety for small businesses is the competition. It's either the reality that you'll lose deals to the competition, OR just the anxiety because you might (or when will you?) "I can't make any money in my area" "No one can sell for that price" One of the best ways to combat this is by getting in front of the knowledge. When you know your competition, you: Can get ahead of customers who shop Improve your products and services Be sure you are actually charging enough Know your strengths Steps To Competitive Analysis Identify Them All competition - This is any ..read more

The space in your shop, retail store or warehouse is essential to how much money you can make. Not surprisingly there is an entire field based on workspace optimization and customer experience. How fast you can get things done, how comfortable your customers feel and the overall space you work on can heavily impact your success. Examples: Customer walks into two shops, which one do they buy from? A - Cool art on the walls, music playing, samples on the walls. B - No decorations, loose thread on the floor, and ink stain on wall, and something sticky. Production - who can produce shirts fast ..read more

How To Make Your Brand Stand Out There are tons of t-shirts shops, sign shops, restaurants and insurance companies everywhere. The world is a busy place. How do you make YOUR brand stand out? How does something emerge amongst the noise? If you want to learn about standing out, watch some nature documentaries. You can see how birds spread their wings, sing or flash bright colors. It's not just about standing out though, it's about building an audience, and trust and a desire to do business with YOU and YOUR COMPANY. Be Original / You - Pick a style or a theme that fits your niche, personality ..read more