Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Today I received a communication in the mail from a business I deal with regularly. The ahesive address label on the back was a Christmas one with colorful Christmas motifs and the following wording -

The team at
(BUSINESS NAME)
wish you a
Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
and advise that our office will close from
5.p.m. Tuesday 23rd December 2008
& will re-open at 8.30 a.m. on Monday 5th January, 2009

What a savvy communication strategy... and it doesn't cost any more as the mail was going out anyway. 

The downside is you don't reach all clients as the label only goes on mail that is going out anyway. However, it's a time and cost saving approach which also adds a bit of Christmas cheer along with the marketing.

Merry Christmas to all Small Biz Mentor readers. It's good to be back after a long hiatus. 

This one's a no brainer. Holding a contest to promote your small business creates lots of buzz and  interest.

With the  right hook, a newsworthy contest can get you media coverage too. 

Tips For Holding A Contest

• Make it fun
• Keep it simple - rules, how to enter and who is eligible
• Be clear on what the prize is
• Keep your business name prominent
• Have a defined closing date
• Get as much publicity as you can before, during and after
• Promote it online at sites such as Online Sweepstakes
• Announce the winners and notify them
• Honor your promise even if you have only a few entries
• Don't change the rules halfway through
• If you are extending the deadline, make it very clear
• Be open and transparent about how the winner is decided
• Post contest publicity
  

Where Do You Get The Prizes?
As well as your own prizes there may be scope for partnering with complementary businesses. Run a joint contest and have a larger prize pool - more publicity channels too. Or you may be able to ask some of your suppliers to provide prizes.

Product Or Service Vouchers
Another savvy contest prize is a voucher for your business. The face value is less than what it will cost you. Plus, a voucher brings customers back into your business.

• Any other tips for holding contests to promote your small business? 

This video is an interesting interview and demonstration of The Pen Again with Donny Deutsch and the inventor.

The Pen Again is a strange looking ergonomic pen, which was invented by a bored student who pursued the dream to bring it to production and success many years later.

The process he shares is interesting. This takes us through from the idea, to naming, production, marketing and sales.

Regardlesss of your business or services, the Pen Again is a good example of seeing potential in an idea or concept and making your own luck through tenacity, hard work and a belief in yourself and your product.

View the Pen Again Video  

Being away from your business sometimes gives you greater clarity and perspective.

Each of us has only 24 hours in a day. How are you spending your working hours to best advantage your business?

With well trained, motivated staff, who know they are valued and trusted you don't need to be physically in your business workplace the whole time.

How long has it been since you took some time to head outside your daily work space and look at your business from a different angle? Be kind to yourself and your business.

10 Suggestions To Help With Business Clarity & Perspective

1.   Attend networking events
2.   Catch up with colleagues - informal networking
3.   Quiet time just to reflect
4.   Talk to a business coach or marketing coach
5.   Read business books or browse in a bookstore
6.   Attend (or present at) a conference or workshop
7.   Run a focus group
8.   Keep an eye on your competitors
9.   Unwind - listen to music or go for a walk
10. Have a short non business related break away

• Any other suggestions or comments?
  

It's only natural that owners and managers feel that the business can't run without them, especially in the early stages.

But is it really true?

It's a mark of a good mentor to skill their staff and trust them to do their jobs. Lillie Ammann wrote about  this some time ago, and her post has always stuck with me.

Background:
Lilllie Ammann is a very experienced and talented editor and writer. Years ago, she owned her own landscaping business.

Situation:
Lillie wanted to come up with a way to counter chaotic mornings. These always seemed to start in problem solving mode, with staff asking her advice the moment she walked in the door.

Solution: 

Lillie explains her solution

So I told my staff I would no longer be at work at 8 AM. They could deal with the morning chaos, and I’d be in an hour later, when things were beginning to settle down.

If they had a true emergency and needed me, they could call me at home, but I wanted them to handle the routine crises of each day.

Result:
Well, I think you can guess this. The staff took more responsibility and became more confident and skilled in the process. Lillie gave staff a safety net of knowing they could call her if they really needed to, but she also gave herself a break from the hectic morning chaos.

Down the track, having a staff who can run the business in your absence gives you more freedom to attend to other things - personal or business related.

Reflection:
It's about trust too, and staff are a great resource for ideas and moving your business forward. Giving them more responsibility is often a way to motivate your staff and to show you value them.

• I'd love to hear your experiences of giving staff more freedom and responsibility or how you felt as an employee. 
  

Copywriting is a key skill in writing advertising copy, but you can also use this same basic copywriting principle to power up your newsletters.

The most important copywriting skill happens before you even write a word. It's working out what benefits you are offering.

If I'm "selling" you a room in a bed & breakfast, I'm selling you benefits such as luxury, a homely atmosphere, a feeling of  being pampered, peace away from the traffic, something unique and a sense of privacy.

The features are the physical attributes such as the choice of 3 rooms, 3 course breakfast, extensive library, antique furniture in every room etc. 

Homing in on the benefits hits psychological marketing triggers. Customers are then more inclined to look at the features and how you will deliver on your benefits promise.

• I'd love to hear your experiences or tips with benefits vs features. 

Creating and establishing an award does not have to be expensive, but it can get you lots of kudos.

Best of all, other people spread the word for you.

Bloggers are good at this. You'll see blogs proudly displaying awards they've been given by other bloggers. The awards or at least the post explaining the win, feature on blogs around the web giving the originator of the award plenty of free promotion.

The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval is a well known award that has some clout. 

Some Tips For Creating Awards

• Create a seal of approval, an award or a top 10 list
• Think of something that will capture the public's attention
• It needs to be credible and above board and be seen to be so
• You could do it jointly with a community organization or the local newspaper
• You could hold it in conjunction with a community or national event
• Think of a newsworthy hook for the media
• Get newspaper, television, radio and online coverage before, during and afterwards
• Be transparent with how the awardee is chosen
• Celebrate other people's successes
• Try to make it an annual event
• Be prepared to commit the time to supporting and promoting the award
• Be genuine

• Tell us your experiences about creating or participating in awards.
  
  
• Any tips for small business promotion using awards?

Apple is a savvy marketer. They've done an amazing job with business branding and experience marketing.

People who love Macs, seem to really love them. Some call themselves Apple evangelists. If you buy an Apple product, are you buying the product or the brand? Some would argue that they are buying both.

Is the iPhone really superior to every other phone? Same with the iPod. It depends on what you are looking for and how you want to use it. What is really smart about Apple's approach is if we invest in one product, we are buying into the Apple brand, and are more likely to buy another Apple product.

When we buy an iPod, we starting thinking about iTunes. The iPhone is another good example. It's hip and it offers lots of usability in a portable platform. Many Apple Mac users have been hanging out for the iPhone, so they can integrate all their technology. Makes sense.

Apple products seem to deliver on user experience. Owning an Apple product and showing it off (or the kudos of owning one) seems to be as important as the product itself.

• Would you say this is savvy experience marketing?
  

Related Articles Around The Know More Media Network

• Is The iPhone The Leading Edge of Future Computing?
  
  
• Ask Before You Buy New iPhone
  
  
• Apple Freaks - Steve Jobs Is About To Make Your Day 

If you're lucky enough to telecommute, you're probably not too concerned about Happy National Ride To Work Day today.

This annual event is celebrated on the 3rd Wednesday in July. That's today!

I think it's a great idea to highlight awareness of motorcycle and scooter riders. It also shines a light on the amount of gas we guzzle with our cars.

Spare a moment for motorcycle and scooter riders today. Our local mailman uses a motorbike and is out in rail, hail or shine (no snow here). 

Bicycle riders don't seem to get too much of a mention with National Ride To Work Day, as it's focused on motorcycles and scooters. But a significant number of people travel to work by push bike. Now that's a environment friendly and cost efficient alternative, though not practical for everyone.

If you telecommute, you celebrate National Walk To Work Day every day. There are telecommuting benefits for employers and employees. 

Happy National Ride To Work Day! 

• How do you get to work?
  
  
• Are there alternatives you would prefer? 

I've started a small business promotion tips series here at Small Biz Mentor.

Small business owners usually know their business inside out, but promotion is often something they're less comfortable with.

Common refrains

• We're in the Yellow Pages
• Websites don't work
• All our customers are local and know us anyway
• It costs too much
• I don't have marketing skills
• I run ads in the newspaper or online

I'm not knocking any of these approaches or concerns, but small business promotion does not always have to be expensive.

Here's a roundup of our first five small business promotion tips.

1. Saying Thank You - Let's Start Here
   
   
2. Thanking A New Client & Keeping The Onboard
   
   
3. Partner With Other Businesses & Become Referral Partners
   
   
4. Come Up With An Innovative Idea That Captures The Imagination
   
   
5. Make Sure Your Business Details Are On All Your Print Materials

• Do you have any small business promotion tips that don't cost the earth?