Small Business Success Series

Our Small Business Success Series sponsored by First Effingham Bank, the SBDC and the Chamber has been a huge success. We've completed our three-seminar series and we are excited about the response from our attendees. (See our review below)

Four Affordable Marketing Tips
that Can Make Your Business
More Profitable and Competitive

In our Seminar outlining Practical Online Marketing Tools for Small Business, we gave participants four affordable Marketing Tips that  put today's entrepreneurs on the fast track for growth.

Lori Durden, SBDC's Area Director from Statesboro and Georgia Southern University, showed us in convincing fashion, four of today's best online marketing tools that can give your enterprise the professionalism of larger, world-class corporations. Says, Durden, "These are easy-to-use and affordable  and can be operational within a few days.

1. Build a Professional Looking Web Site for only $20 a Month!

Here's a way to have a professional presence on the Internet at a fraction of the cost.

www.homestead.com has an easy-to-use system for building a professional looking and functional website that is especially appealing to business start-ups and others with a limited marketing budget. With www.Homestead.com you can choose any one of a number of professional and industry specific templates and upload your own company's logo, custom photos and other data. You can also take advantage of their extensive library of stock photos to enhance your message. This user-friendly site walks you through the entire process in easy-to-understand steps. Cost: The basic package includes a 30 day free trial and then a $4.99 per month charge. You can also upgrade to their regular package for $19.95 a month. Features of note: Templates, Stock Images vs. Custom Images, Cut and Paste text features, email with your own domain address, and search engine optimization. If you don't have a domain name yet you can go to www.internic.net/whois.html to choose a domain that is right for you.

2. Promote Your Enterprise with Today's Most Professional Looking Emails and Newsletters

Today's most successful organizations stay in touch with their customers and clients by regularly publishing professional looking emails and newsletters. www.constantcontact.com gives entrepreneurs an ability to reach out to potential customers, connect with existing clients, nurture customer relationships, and generate trust. Lori is excited about Constant Contact's user-friendly features. "Their templates and tools make a difficult, seemingly out-of-reach design ability quite do-able." Cost: 60 day Freel trial, then $15 / month. Features of note: Templates based on motive - promotion, inform, invite, etc.; Import or copy your email list into Constant Contact, New QuickBooks customer import, and list management.

3. Survey Your Customers Just Like the Big Guys.

Today's corporations have an ability to know what their clients want and how to best provide their products and services. www.surveymonkey.com is a wonderful surveying tool that monitors customer satisfaction surveys, offers market research and gathers data from focus groups. Says, Lori, "This tool gives you flexability and an ability to make key marketing decisions quickly." Cost: Basic version Free - limited to 10 questions and 100 responses, limited options; Enhanced version - $19.95 / month - Unlimited number of questions and up to 1,000 responses. Features of Note: Enhanced version includes Templates; Multiple Choice, Ranking, Open Ended type questions; Logic; upload your contact list from Excel; Upload your logo; Landing page (to your own website), List management (track bounced, opted-out rate).

4. Direct Mail Works and Can be Quite Effective and Affordable.

Imagine designing a professional looking mass marketing piece and mailing it directly to your target market for a fraction of the cost. Lori recommends www.usamailnow.com for an exciting marketing service for entrepreneurs who want to promote their businesses the traditional way - through bulk mail. USA Mail Now offers handy design templates and options that allow you to use your own mailing list or purchase theirs. Prospects can be identified any number of ways - by zip code, income, number of years established, etc. Suggested uses include the design of promotional postcards and invitations to special events, targeting your existing customers; design of direct mail pieces to attract new customers. Cost: 250 large postcards $163 - includes postage; 250 small postcards $120 - includes postages; Purchace mailing lists .06 per residential name or .08 per business.

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The 25 Most Common Sales Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Have your company's sales been down lately? Are you doing the right things to assure a constant flow of new and recurring business. Chances are, you are not maximizing the potential that is out there - regardless of an economic slowdown.

 Whether we like to admit it or not, too many of us spend less than four hours a week in "actual sales activity", according to our course presenter, Linda Mullen Ph.D., of Georgia Southern University. Linda who has an extensive and impressive sales background in real estate, motorsports and other enterprises, says, "This isn't going to cut it, especially in today's economic environment." Because of poor planning, lack of time management and a general sales avoidance,  too many sales opportunities are missed. For the average business owner and sales representative, there is always a huge "to do list" and constant fires to put out. Dr. Mullen contends that we need to first commit more time to actual sales activity, and second, follow disciplines that maximize our sales efforts.

In his fast-selling text, Stephan Schiffman offers his hot list of "The 25 Most Common Sales Mistakes and How to Avoid Them" (Adams Media, Avan Mass.). As in many athletic events, sales victories are often won by the slimmest of margins. Two or three small victories here or there, can mean the difference between success and failure. Says Schiffman, "It's the little things that all add up." Here is a partial list of his 25 Sales Mistakes:

"Not Being Obsessed", "Not Listening to the Prospect", "Not Empathizing with the Prospect", "Getting Distracted", "Not Taking Notes", "Failing to Follow Up", "Not Keeping in Contact with Past Clients", "Not Looking Your Best", "Not keeping Sales Tools Organized", "Not Taking the Prospect's Point of View", "Trying to Convince, Rather than Convey", and "Understanding the Prospect's Intelligence."

Today's sales professionals walk the talk. They utilize efficient sales systems. Their clients and customers recognize them as problem solvers and business "partners".