It Is Time To Start Your Business

As bleak as things look sometimes in the business world, now is a great time to start your new business or give new life to an existing one. If youhave been putting it off for a while, why are you waiting? It doesn't matter what the economy is doing, if your idea is unique and innovative you have a great chance to be successful. Many big corporations started in less than desirable economic times and grew to become household names.

Reason Number One is that you will have very little competition especially if your product or service adds value to what's currently available. You don't have to re-invent the light bulb you just have to make it brighter, last longer, and use less energy. People are looking for new products that offer higher value and are friendly to our planet. Anytime you can tie in even small green ideas to what you are marketing you will get the attention of many people. The recession willend but we we don't want the planet to end with it.

Reason Number Two is that suppliers and people that you outsource to will be offering the best deals now just to increase business. You may get better service, longer payment terms, free upgrades and other perks that won't be available when the economy is better. Take advantage of these and your start-up costs will be lower.
These ideas & many more are in the book "The Jelly Bean Principle" available at Amazon or at 877-700-1322. If you have a good idea and the perseverence to see it through now is a great time to get started !

Your Marketing Plan For Next Year

Another year is coming to an end and the new year is close. Whether you had a good 2011 or not, you hope to do better in 2012 and grow your business even more. The best way to experience success and business growth is to plan your marketing strategy early. Then you will know what you are going to do, when you are going to do it and how you will pay for it. Write down now the plan you have in your mind and adjust your budget to have the funds available for your marketing plan. If the plan works well you will get the investment back during the year.

As always use several different marketing ideas and broaden your marketing mix. It's also a good time to test new ideas and see if they will benefit your business. If one idea is not showing the results you had hoped for try a different one. Just get your plan on paper soon and you can always change parts of it as you go along. Next year, 2012 will be the growth, profitable and success year for all of us!

Writing Your First Book

It's been said that everyone has at least one book inside them waiting to be written, what's yours about? I will present a book seminar on Saturday morning February 18, 2012 called WRITE-PUBLISH-PROMOTE at my office from 9AM to 11AM (Colorado Cards, 5585 Erindale Dr #203, Colo Spgs, CO 80918). I have 6 published business books and 1 more in process. You'll learn how to come up with a catchy title, layout chapter outlines, plan for the correct number of pages and words, write the first draft, edit, add stories, search for a publisher and agent, submission guidelines and how to use and accept rejection. Find out the difference between a mainstream publisher, print on demand, self-publishing, e-books and which one is best for you. Then promoting your book after it's published using many different ways is just as important. Over 350 people have attended in the past and some are already published.

Attendance is limited to the first 15 adults at $25.00 per person. Cash or check at the seminar or credit card when you reserve a seat. Nothing else will be sold at the seminar. The space is limited and past seminars have been selling out so please call 719-268-1322 or email: idealetter@aol.com to reserve a seat.

Barry Thomsen
Speaker, Author, Entrepreneur
719-268-1322
idealetter@aol.com
Twitter: BTauthor
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Agenda Ideas for Employees Meetings

When you have empoyees in your business you need to make them part of the team that will grow your business. Meetings at least monthly are necessary to keep everyone going in the same direction a let them know that you need their best performance. Keep meetings under 2 hours and pay them for their time for the best results. Here are some things to put on your meeting agenda.

*New Products & Services to offer
*Special sales or offers coming
*Suggestions from employees
*Suggestions from customers
*Contests& Bonus'
*Ways to get new customers
*Review important procedures
*New policies or changes
*Problems and mishaps
*Customer complaints
*Grievances to solve
*New hire introductions
*Retirement goodbyes
*Birthdays for the month
*New babies, weddings, etc.
*Employees awards & rewards
*Employees questions
*In-house supplier presentation

If you have multiple stores or locations bring everyone together and pay their gas to get there. Anyone missing more than 2 meetings a year should be considered for termination or replacement. And always end the meeting on an upbeat note or sing a song. Give them something positive they can take back to their job with a smile.

TV Direct Response

When purchasing spot ads from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, maximize your message in the short time available for the money you have to spend. Is there a station or program that you know many of your target customers will be watching? Here are some other factors to consider when planning direct response TV ads.

*What products or services to offer
*Special limited time offers
*Fast moving copy (people get bored quickly)
*Known personality endorsing your product
*Spokesperson whot will read the script
*Specific stations, programs & times
*Who will handle inbound calls
*Can you upsell callers/purchasers
*What payment strategy to offer (easy terms, 3 payments, etc)
*Fulfillment, who will process & ship orders
*Aftermarket sales to past buyers
*Is total cost in your budget

More on advetising ideas in chapter 4 of my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner" available everywhere

Little Known January Holidays

Here are some little know but true January holidays that you can use in your business for fun and profit.

3 Festival of sleep Day
4 Humiliation Day
5 Bird Day
10 Pecular people Day
13 Blame someone else Day
14 National dress-up your pet Day
16 Intl Hot & Spicy food Day
18 Winnie the Pooh Day
19 National popcorn Day
21 National hugging Day
23 National Pie Day
25 Opposite Day
28 Natioanl Kazoo Day
29 National cornchip Day
30 Escape Day
Posted by Barry Thomsen at 6:42 AM 0 comments

List of Lists for 2012

New Year’s is a time for me to make my list of lists that I post on my white board in my office.
My 2011 lists are for a variety of purposes; business and personal growth, thoughts, ideas, resolutions, and random To-Do items.
Books to read
People to call
People to meet
People to connect/reconnect with
Charities to support
Trips to take
Articles to write
Random acts of kindness to accomplish
Groups to speak to
Friends to spend time with
Projects to start
Projects to finish
Meals to try
Benefits to attend
People to appreciate
I am ALWAYS looking to expand this list! If you have another list category or a suggestion or an idea, please make a comment on this blog, or email me at Mary@ProductiveLeaders.com.
Happy New Year!
By Mary Kelly mary@productiveleaders.com
Posted by Barry Thomsen at 9:26 AM 0 comments

The Best Dogs in Chicago

Owner of the Chicago fast-food franchise Gold Coast Dogs, Barry Potekin had no money for advertising or promotion when he first opened in 1985. Then he got a unique idea. Every day he took a cab ride around the block a few times and wound up back at his restaurant. During the ride he talked to the driver continually about his Gold Coast Dogs and how great they were. When he got out at the restaurant he gave each driver a $5 tip to spend at Gold Coast Dogs. Today there are always many taxi drivers who eat there and they tell there passengers where the the best hot dogs in Chicago are available.

Getting the word out whether you have much money to spend or not is the key to success. If you have a great product or service but no one knows about it how will they find you? Get potential customers to make that first contact with you then service the heck out of them. If their experience is as good as you think it is there will be much word-of-mouth publicity that will build your business. Don't just tell them, show them and do it with a smile.

Customers That You Want

The new year is fast approaching and you should be planning your strategy for a better year than this year for your business. Why not make a list of maybe 10 specific customers/clients that you would love to have that are not buying from you now. If you sell to consumers, make of list of special interest groups that you want to target more closely. This will give you an exact goal for the new year instead of randomly going after new business.

Find something that the prospect would like to have or achieve and try to provide that in your product or service. If you don't know what that would be, just ask them. Pose the question to them, "If you would ever consider buying from a different source than you are now, what additional benefit would you like to receive?" You may be surprised when the tell you. Then it's your job to try to provide what they want and present it to them.

If you can get even half on your list to be new customers/clients next year you have done better than most businesses. Then find out what made them consider buying from you and use it to get many others. But without a list and plan you are just hoping for more business rather than pursuing it.

Many free articles that you can reprint at www.idealetter.com (scroll down to link)

Keep Orders Moving

We are in a printing related field and most orders need proof approval of the copy to be printed before production. When the proof(s) is emailed to us we don't delay in getting it out to our customer/client for their final approval. We never approve it for them because we don't know what they are thinking the final product will look like in their mind. Some customers are very picky and some are easier to work with but we alwasy give them the final approval.

Many times the factory that we have outsourced to does not realize the urgency of the order and has to be reminded. We try to that by email or or a phone call to keep everything moving along. We also remind the customer that the email proof is not going to look as sharp as the finished product of the email resolution and colors could be slightly off on the screen. Most of all that constant contact with both the customer and factory will let both know that you are following the order very closely.

Merchant Services Scams

If you own a business you probably get several calls a week from merchant service companies who want to do your credit card processing and save you money. I don't know how we get on the call lists but my business seems to be on all of them. They promise lower transaction fees and better service (whatever that is) if you will just sign up with them. First of all these are just commission telemarkers who know little about what they are selling (my opinion)and all the strings attached. So be careful before you change to any of these and ASK FOR REFERENCES.

Many have hidden start-up, paperwork or initiation fees that are not refundable. They may have other transaction fees over the percentage of the sale and big chargeback fees. The contract may lock you in with no way to get out for a long time plus long waits on their customer service phone lines. Remember that you will be trusting them with the processing of your good customers credit cards and allowing them to take their fees right out for your checking account. It's easy to get stuck with one of these undesirable companies but hard to get out of, Be Careful.

Coupons vs. Rebates

A printed coupon is freely distributed in advance of a purchase with the hope that it will motivate a potential buyer to but a specific product or service. The coupon can offer a doscount at the time of purchase, a free gift or some other type of bonus. It can also be given after a sale to be used on a subsequent purchase within a given time period. Coupons also remind people of your business and can be used as a form of advertising, direct mail piece or a print out from your website. This type of marketing is widely used and popular with consumers and some business buyers.

A rebate is an after-the-sale refund of money that has already been paid. It's generally given by the products manufactruer or home office of the seller's business. Rebates are usually offered on larger purchases of products where continuing service fees are charged, such as a cell phone or home appliance. They may also ask questions on the rebate form which will be used in the future for targeted marketing promotions. Rebates can sometimes be the deciding factor that makes a purchaser choose one product over another.

Make a Fair Offer

Your customers and prospects will keep buying from you if they feel that they are are getting a fair value for the money spent. That is why you need to price and position your products and services at a fair level that will be easily accepted. Pricing too high will get less customers and if the value is not there they won't be back. Pricing too low will get more sales but the lower profits that may not be enough to allow you to provide the expected service.

Finding a middle ground has never been easy, especially for a small business owner. You must regularly watch your competition and make adjustments when they are necessary. That doesn't mean getting into a price war because no one can win if that happens. Just provide as much value and service as you can for the price customers are paying and you should do well. Oh, and don't forget to keep smiling when in front of clients and customers!

The New Business Fad?

Certain times of the year are known for certain fads that never seem to last. In January it's losing weoght after packing in all those holiday calories. You can hardly find a parking space at the health club let alone an empty treadmill. In Spring around Easter it's buying your kids or friends a live bunny rabbit as a gift and a month later no one takes care of it. People also take tennis & golf lessons, play a few times in Summer and quit. Many things look more fun & exciting before you do them until you find there's a little work involved.

The same goes with starting a new business just because it's the begining of a new year and you think the time is right. A business is much more than a fad or novelty and should be treated as such. The right time to start a new business is when you are ready, have a business plan and are committed to making it a success. Other things like financial resources, marketing ideas, targeted market, and a competitive advantage in what you are selling that will guide on the path to success.

Don't just start a business because of the time of the year but when it's ready. It could be today, next week, next month or next year. If you really don't want to be one of the failure statistics in business do it the right way and you will have a much better chance of being successful. Talk to people who have businesses, advisors and a business coach to get as much advance information as you can before that first day. Plan to succeed and then work that plan.

By Barry Thomsen who has owned and operated about 20 small businesses in the past 30 years. www.idealetter.com

Considering a New Business?

Most people you talk to would love to have their own business and many already have a great new idea on what to sell. There are many more things to consider before you jump in and expect a quick success. Overnight success comes to less than 1% of new businesses and you should not expect it. But a steady growth over a time period can establish a business that will last and prosper. What you do in the beginning can determine how successful you will be in the long run.

One thing to consider before even starting the business should be that you're willing to make the TOTAL committment to your success. Problems will occur and you must be ready to solve them or find another way around them. People will ask "Why should I buy from you?" and being a nice person with great service is not enough of an answer. Remember that it's not what you think is a great idea that counts but what your potential customers and clients believe that will make you a success. You must be able to convince them to see the benefits in what you offer and that you will back it up.

I have started over 20 businesses in retail, franchise, business to business, home-based and direct mail and available to help or coach a new business owner. www.idealetter.com

Writing Your Print Ad

Ask yourself these questions as you write a print ad for your business. Advertising is expensive especially for a smaller enterprise so you want to be sure that you have the best copy you can before you spend the money.

*What are the benefits of your product (not features)?
*Who will buy this product?
*How will my target audience respond to this ad?
*How long should the ad copy be?
*What type of payments will I accept?
*Should I stress the guarantee?
*How can I create urgency to Buy Now?
*How is the products from others?
*How does my price compare with competitors?
*Can my target market afford this product?
*Can we handle an unexpected large number of orders?
*How quickly can we ship or restock the store?
*Can we tie in a holiday or special event?
*How easy is it to buy from us?
*Are there accessories or upgrades available?
*Am I trying to reach a local, regional or national audience?
*What headline will draw the most attention?

More on ways to use you advertising dollars wisely in chapter 4 of my new book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner" available at Amazon & stores.

Reward Great Customer Service

Some employees will naturally be great customer service providers and others will need to work at it. It doesn't matter how great customer is achieved, al long as it does happen. When tou observe your employees over a period of time, giving your customers and prospects the friendly, helpful and professional assistance you expect, it may be a good time to reward them.

That doesn't necessarily mean that you need to give them an immediate raise, although it could. Little things add up and are appreciated, especially if they are unexpected. A few extra dollars in the tip jar, a longer lunch, a gift card or a paid afternoon off shows you are aware of the job the employee is doing. You are just recognizing and rewarding the good job and service thay are giving. It doesn't have to be a on any regular basis but rewards and bonus' can come at any time you feel it's right. This will keep it fresh in the employee's mind and encourage them to be an example for others.

Small but unexpected rewards and bonus' can go a long way toward keeping your best employees satisfied with their jobs. Don't you just love to see that big smile on their face when you tell them you are proud of the job they are doing? Much more on customer service in chapter 16 of my new book, "90 Day to Success as a Small Business Owner" available everywhere.

Where Your Success is Waiting

Many of us have a regular daily routine that we follow without too much thought. The day becomes like many other days and you feel comfortable doing what you're doing. But do we really grow ourselves, our attitude and our business career by just doing the same things over and over? We are waiting for luck and success to find us in our cozy comfort zone. And as we keep waiting we wonder why all the good things happen to other people.

It's going to take much longer for success and luck to find you in that comfort zone you are hiding in. Most of the new, wonderful and successful things are outside your zone waiting for you to pursue them. This doesn't mean spending your life savings on a crazy idea that may or may not work out. But it does mean spending maybe 10% of that money on a chance that could bring even bigger rewards.

And money is not the only reward you will find outside your comfort zone. There are new people to meet, mountains to climb and causes that need your help. There's not fear in the new and untried but excitement, challenge and yes even fun. Once you have ventured out and conquered new goals, your comfort zone will become even bigger and life will be more to look forward to. Find something today that you never thought you would do, test it out to see if it can enrich your life and do it with a smile!

Barry has a speech on attitude that goes deeper into this subject and is available for your mext meeting... idealetter@aol.com

Sponsor a Non-Profit Organization

It doesn't matter whether your favorite charity is national or local if you just want to help support it. People will notice that you are giving back from your profits and be more comfortable being a customer or client. Don't give to everyone who asks but select the one(s) that you feel strongest about and know are using the donations with little waste. Try to establish a company policy that contributes on a regular basis.

You may want to select one large charity and one small local one if you are able to give to both. You can also offer to volunteer some of your time and may even get invited to serve on the board or be an officer. When making donations use your company name and check. This will bring any good feeling to your business which may benefit you and allow you to give even more. Another way is to sponsor an activity for the charity and have your company name or logos displayed. I always felt that giving back to those who need support will help both them and you prosper.