growing your small business

To Change or Not to Change, That is the Question

December 27 in Marketing, Small Business, Strategy by SunUp Group | No Comments

The New Year is almost here!   This is important, because the New Year represents a change where we leave the old year behind and swiftly move into a new year with new challenges.  It would be easy enough to declare “What’s behind us doesn’t matter!”  However, such change deserves reflection on what the passing year means to our business and what the New Year holds. Here are some questions to ponder when considering a new direction for the New Year:

 

  • What was our biggest accomplishment for 2012?
  • Did we meet our overall goals?
  • What mistakes did we make?
  • Did we track our progress regularly?
  • Were our customers satisfied?
  • What do our employees say we did well?

One of the biggest questions for the New Year will be, “Is it time to make a change”.    For the visionary in us, such a thought is invigorating!  Why, then, would we be reluctant?  For any experienced entrepreneur or executive, we know making a conscious effort to change takes time, energy, resources, and commitment.  It will reach into every component of the business, and may forever alter the course of the organization.

A review of the passing year should reveal whether change is needed.  Because we generally improve the things we measure, we need to have the pulse on our key metrics.  We should know, for instance whether or not we exceeded our customer’s expectations.  We should know if our team members and partners are happy, and if we did a good job with cost control, production, sales, and warranty.  Through our metrics, we’ll be able to determine if we have achieved what we set out to accomplish.  If we can’t readily assess the state of our business, then we know what the first “change” should be.  We need a dashboard that gives us a quick read on the key metrics in our business so that we can see at a glance where we are succeeding and where we are coming up short.  This is an important driver for success!

Let’s presume that we have such a dashboard.  Some of the metrics will be based on feedback from our customers that will help us gauge the effectiveness of our processes including customer service, product design, sales processes, pricing and warranty.  Interviews with our customers should give us information on how they perceive we performed in comparison to our competition and how well our team is performing at each level.   By having this important feedback from our customers, we can often see what is working and what is broken.  If we pay attention to our customer surveys, we can obtain some valuable feedback on what we need to do to move the needle in a positive direction.

Our customers are obviously key stake holders, and they are the ones we are all accountable to.  Team members are also key stakeholders because sound execution depends on them.  If we properly support and incentivize our teams and empower them to always do the right thing for our customers without delay, our customers will reward us for it.  At the same time, if our employees fully understand our value proposition and believe in the service and products we offer, they will become ‘walking billboards’ for our organization.   By measuring performance, we can identify the strengths and weaknesses in our culture and our team, and may also find weaknesses in our processes that need to be shored up. Ultimately, the feedback from our key stakeholders will lead us to answering the big question “To Change or not to Change!”

Let’s face it, some companies operate their business without reflecting on previous year’s accomplishments and mistakes, and some business leaders operate “by the seat of their pants” when it comes to processes.  Great companies have a defined mission and purpose, a clearly articulated set of core values and a firm commitment to excellence.   In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins writes this about the Culture of Discipline: “When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great results.”

The New Year presents a fresh opportunity to change the direction of your organization and infuse momentum into your company.   An objective review, assessment, and diagnosis will get the ball rolling.     It will involve a transition plan that is well orchestrated, and buy-in from everyone on your team.    In the end, your enterprise will be moving forward on a solid footing, prepared for sustainable success with the appropriate tools and the right team to get the job done.

If you are considering a new direction for your business in 2013 and are struggling to map it out, please feel free to contact us at 877.609.3840 or email us  – we would love to help!

Cheers to a Happy New Year!

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On Raising Prices: Lessons from Successful Small Business Owners

September 25 in Brand Development, Marketing, Small Business, Strategy by SunUp Group | No Comments

For many small business owners, the thought of raising prices also raises their blood pressure and stress levels! After all, the decision to raise prices is a tough one, and can have many ramifications for your small business.  The main fear of most small business owners who need to raise their prices is that their customers will flee.  That definitely can happen, but most small business owners who’ve successfully raised their prices have learned that it’s not all about the numbers.  And that’s the first lesson:

1. Don’t assume price is the only factor customers consider. There is a common misconception in today’s economy that customers shop on lowest prices. That is true for some industries, but there are typically many customers who shop on quality, not just price.  Companies who try to compete on price alone often find themselves winning that race to the bottom, but don’t have any profit to show for it.

2. Compete on something other than price.  We’ve already talked about how competing on price can be a losing battle for many. Competing on something other than price allows you to charge more for a product or service because you’re offering your customers something that is better than what your competitors are providing. For example, better customer service, money-back guarantees, a better return policy, or support are all factors that give your business value and support higher prices.

3. Clearly communicate your unique differentiation and the value of your products and services.  Most small businesses who charge more for their products and services can do so because they have created an experience, a story, or a perception that allows them to charge more. Focusing on the value you deliver and communicating that consistently through your marketing mediums is key.

4.  Cover your costs.  Surprisingly, many small business owners don’t really understand what they need to charge to cover their costs and make a profit.  As a result, they work extremely hard to stay in business yet don’t make any money. So many find themselves in a position where they need to raise prices soon after they have started their business. Small or incremental price increases are what works for most small business owners. Some find that even a few dollars price increase can make margins much less precarious, and not affect sales at all.

5. Add value.  Many small business owners find they get the best results from increasing price and value.  Take a look at what you are offering, and see where you can add some value. Often-times small business owners can cross-sell or create packages that allow a price increase and give the customer more value.  Pricing tiers are also popular and typically successful. Bring the cost down for a basic product or service and add an higher value product or service can boost revenues and give the customer a choice. You might be surprised at how often the customers pick the higher value product or service!

If you’ve been struggling with whether to raise prices for your small business, we hope these lessons on pricing from successful small business owners gives you inspiration!

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5 in-Store event ideas to boost your small business

July 17 in Marketing, Small Business by SunUp Group | No Comments

In our last blog, we talked about planning in-store events, and how to use them as part of your small business marketing strategy.  This time, we thought we would give you 5 in-store event ideas to get your creative juices flowing.  These types of in-store events can boost your small business by generating additional sales, bringing in new customers, and bringing back repeat customers.

The great thing about these types of events is that they don’t have to be elaborate, costly affairs. We have budget-friendly, creative ideas to help you decide what type of in-store event is appropriate for your small business.  Many small businesses host tasteful, creative, fun events on a shoestring budget.

Sidewalk sale. Sidewalk sales generate a lot of attention because of their venue – the sidewalk! People who may not have intended to shop in your store are often compelled to stop and browse, so it’s important to think about how you are displaying your sidewalk sale tables. Items in a sidewalk sale are usually compellingly priced, and the ultimate goal is to pique the customer’s interest enough with the items on sale, so they are drawn into the store, where they can shop your fabulous selection of merchandise!  One important note is to check with your local city authorities to see if a permit or license is required. Each city’s requirements are different and you want to make sure you have the proper approval in place!

Client appreciation event.  Client appreciation events are a little different, depending on the type of industry and/or the type of business.  For retail stores, client appreciation events can often revolve around the store’s anniversary, the unveiling of a new product/product line, or the celebration of a holiday.  One of the reasons client appreciation events can be so successful is the exclusivity of the event.  These types of in-store events are often held after normal business hours, and are invitation only events for current customers.  One of the secrets to retaining customers is to make them feel important; people like to be recognized. A special customer-only event will do just that!

Holiday Party. Most people are in a festive mood around  a holiday – it doesn’t have to be Christmas – the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Halloween are all holidays that people love to celebrate.  A holiday gives people an excuse to celebrate a little bit more!  When hosting a holiday party in your retail store, there are a few key things to remember:

  1. Create a festive atmosphere – show your holiday spirit!
  2. Give people a reason to linger: food, drinks, and/or entertainment will do the trick
  3. Display your products prominently: make sure you have specific items on sale and make beautiful displays with them. You might also consider a raffle to generate excitement.

Gallery event.  Contact local artists to see if they are interested in contributing artwork for the event. Most artists will jump at the chance to get more publicity!  You can use the empty wall space in your store or rent/borrow some easels to place around your store.  Make sure you invite the artists to attend as well, and host refreshments, which will help people linger longer.

Demonstration/Fashion Show.  New product demonstrations are useful to customers, and can be a great incentive to get them into your store.  For retail clothing stores, a season-inspired fashion show can be a HUGE draw for both your repeat customers and new customers as well.  Also, don’t feel you have to go the literal route. For example, a store that sells cooking products could host a wine tasting. Partnering with a local wine merchant gives you the opportunity to cross-promote and gain new customers who may not have shopped your store before!

Hopefully these ideas will get your creative juices flowing. Don’t wait – start planning an in-store event for your small business now and boost your sales!

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4 Tips for Using In-Store Events as Part of Your Small Business Marketing Strategy

July 1 in Marketing, Small Business, uncategorized by SunUp Group | No Comments

Many small business owners seem to shy away from event marketing, thinking it is too costly or takes too much time. However, when executed properly, event marketing for small businesses can be a very effective way to generate new customers, leads, and even strategic partners.

There are basically three types of event marketing: organizing your own event, sponsoring an event, or attending an existing event.  Today we are going to talk about organizing your own event, specifically an in-store event.

An in-store event can be used by retailers, or anyone with a storefront location, to drive traffic, sell old inventory, and build your customer database.  An event doesn’t have to be an overwhelmingly elaborate affair.  Many local business owners have found success planning simple, yet enticing events that don’t cost a lot of money. Here are our secrets to planning a successful in-store event:

Be creative.  Everyone, it seems, has a full calendar these days. So, capturing the attention of people and getting them to make time to come to your store or business, is probably the most important key to a successful in-store event. A “sale” these days, is normally not enough to generate a large amount of traffic. Try to think outside the box, and be creative. For example, a pet grooming business or a self-service dog wash could hold a “dirtiest pet contest”. The person who brings the dirtiest pet gets their dog washed and groomed for free while everyone else gets a special discount and goodie bags just for showing up.

Create a buzz. Your goal is to plan an event that people will not want to miss. The best attended events typically communicate a sense of prestige and/or excitement. If you can get a local celebrity or media person to attend your event, this can be a very effective way to create a buzz around your event.  An A-list celebrity will cost an arm and a leg, but a boutique, for example, could bring in a local stylist who dresses famous people. It is free publicity for them and will bring people into your store.

Spread the word! An event is probably not much fun for anyone if nobody shows up. One of the keys to getting people to your event is getting the word out early and frequently. Tell everyone you know, and use social media. Start creating teasers on Facebook and Twitter, and consider creating fun videos to post on YouTube. Using social media is the best way to spread the news of your event, along with a special invitation to your mailing list. Speaking of invitations, we recommend that you don’t skimp on your invitation, as it is a critical piece of creating a buzz around your event! On-line event invitations are cheap, fun, and an easy way to track registration and who is attending. Lastly, don’t forget to publicize the event to the local media such as community newspapers, websites and bloggers.

Follow-up.  Post-event follow-up is an often overlooked area by small business owners, yet is an area that can generate even further business if executed correctly! We happen to think that Thank you notes are a nice touch, and can be a very personal way of following up. Another idea is to set up a postcard program to invite attendees to the next event. Which reminds us; don’t forget to have people sign in at the event! You’ll want to capture their names, email addresses, along with mailing address and phone number if they’re willing to give it. This is a goldmine of information for your customer database! And, once you’ve gathered the customer’s contact information at the event, follow up within the next two weeks with a special offer or discount coupon, which is exclusive for the attendees of the event.

Next time, we’ll talk about some specific in-store event ideas to boost your small business, so stay tuned for more great ideas in our next blog post!

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6 Tips for Turning Unhappy Customers into Loyal Customers for Life

June 25 in Small Business, uncategorized by SunUp Group | No Comments

As small business owners, we always want happy, satisfied customers and clients.  However, even if your small business prides itself on outstanding customer service, at some point there is a good chance you will have an unhappy customer. And nobody likes dealing with customer complaints!  Sometimes it may be your (small business’s) fault, and sometimes it may really not be your fault.  Sometimes it may even be your customer’s fault! Whose fault it is doesn’t really matter, though. What does matter is how you handle the unhappy customer.

A lot of small business owners tend to get very annoyed when customers start complaining, however, we think you should actually be HAPPY that the customer is complaining to you. Why, you may ask? Well, most unhappy customers don’t take the time to complain. According to the Technical Assistance Research Program (TARP), only about 4% of customers who experience problems take time to complain. However, that doesn’t mean that they leave quietly. Experts say, the average unhappy customer tells nine people. One in five tells more than 20 people. Chances are, they will turn to social media to express their unhappiness as well, possibly by posting a negative review on Yelp, tweeting about it, or posting it to Facebook.  And unfortunately, negative experiences are twice as likely to influence other’s buying decisions as an account of a good experience.

So, we think that makes the case for handling an unhappy customer with the utmost of care! When handled well, you have an opportunity to turn an unhappy customer into a very loyal customer.  Here’s how:

Listen and allow them to vent.  Chances are, the customer will be angry and possibly even rude. Resist the natural urge to get defensive when faced with this situation – it will only make matters worse! Don’t interrupt, just let them vent, take a deep breath, and bite your tongue if needed.

Say “We’re sorry”.  These three magic words can calm many people right away. The key is to be sincere – people will see right through a flimsy, insincere “Sorry”, which can even inflame the situation.  You may even need to use this phrase a couple of times to defuse the situation.

Don’t make excuses. When customers are frustrated, the last thing they want to hear are excuses as to why the situation happened.  And by all means, don’t ever say “It’s company policy”.  Not only is that unhelpful to resolving the situation, it portrays a lack of empathy to your obviously upset customer.

Give your employees authority.  To solve problems, that is. The quickest route to a solution is the quickest route to a happy customer, so you don’t want to make them jump through hoops, or wait to talk to you as the small business owner.

Don’t be cheap.  It can be easy to get caught up in how much it might cost to appease an unhappy customer, either by replacing a product or providing additional service. However, the best way to look at this situation is to consider the lifetime value of a happy, loyal customer, versus a one-time transaction. Saving a few dollars but losing a customer (or even ruining your reputation) does not equate to a good pay-off.

Solve the problem.  Lastly, and maybe most importantly, make sure you actually resolve the problem. Get to the root of the problem, make it better for the customer, and don’t forget to fix the systemic issue, if there is one. That’s an important step, so you don’t have more unhappy customers with the same issue in the future.

By handling customer complaints well, you can turn an unhappy customer into a loyal customer for life!

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The New Era of Branding: Building Relationships

June 1 in Brand Development, Marketing, Small Business, Social Media by SunUp Group | No Comments

There’s no question that successful branding has changed dramatically within the past 5 years. Why? The rapid advancement of technology and the rise of the digital age have shifted the power from the marketer to the consumer. Consumers have the ability to opt-out of receiving marketing messages, and they have the option to consume only the content they enjoy and want to receive.  Because consumers have changed, the old method of marketing no longer works…there is no more “making the sale”.

So, let’s talk about what successful marketers know and do in today’s world. Today, successful marketing is accomplished by creating meaningful consumer experiences that attract, build and retain brand loyalty. Conversion is not as much about hammering more frequent messages, but rather the quality of the engagement with consumers. Building relationships with consumers is similar to building a long term friendship in your personal life. Trust, loyalty, authenticity, and consistency are all important qualities in building relationships with consumers – these are all similar qualities we look for in friendships, too!

Consumers are hit with over 3,000 marketing messages a day, so it’s no surprise that consumers are looking for something a bit more when making buying decisions. Consumers want to buy from companies and people whom they like, and whom they believe can fulfill their needs. They want to connect with a brand. Establishing relationships of trust with consumers is critical and is accomplished by creating marketing that has intrinsic value to the consumer.

A great way to create meaningful experiences for consumers is to add something of value to the quality of people’s lives through listening to their needs, knowledge sharing, entertainment, or problem solving.  In other words, provide engaging experiences, richer connections, and a way to help them make a positive impact on the world at large.  A key point to this strategy is that it does not involve trying to sell something. Consumers will see through this right away and move on, likely never to return.

Most consumers’ basic needs are already satisfied with products and services they currently buy. Converting these consumers requires you to not only create meaningful experiences for these consumers, but also to transcend the competition’s, and “go the extra mile”.  One key way to do this is through unique differentiation.  What you don’t want to do is sound like all the rest of your competitors. Consumers want to know why they should buy from you and not your competitors. Competing on price is tough, and not very successful in today’s world, so a better strategy is to uncover your core competencies and the ‘why’ behind why you do what you do and how that is a direct benefit to the buyer.  You may offer similar products and services as your competition, but the reason behind your business may change the ‘how’ you deliver and this will likely be the main benefit your customer remembers about your company.

The methods and mediums marketers use today have changed drastically in a relatively short time, and as such the rules of marketing have changed. Brand recognition, trust and loyalty are more important for companies today than it has been in a long while.  Many marketers are being left behind, which creates an opportunity for you and your company to stand out!

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Top 10 Lessons Learned from Highly Successful People

May 24 in Marketing, Small Business by SunUp Group | No Comments

They say hindsight is 20/20, and that is definitely the case for many entrepreneurs that we know and have worked with! Wouldn’t it be great to know in advance what stumbling blocks and obstacles your business will face? Unfortunately that’s not possible, but what we can do is learn from those who have gone before us. One of the best ways to learn is from someone else’s experiences and mistakes! With that in mind, we have compiled our top 10 tips learned from highly successful entrepreneurs.

Start small.  Starting small allows you to be flexible, and grow your business incrementally. Investing too much in your business up front sometimes can limit your ability to make the changes your customers want, after your business is launched.

Failure leads to success.  It really is true that some of the best successes come from the greatest failures. Successful entrepreneurs do not lose heart when they fail. Instead, they look at failure through a positive lens. After all, failure gives clarity to direction and purpose.  Reflecting on both failure and successes along the way will make a difference in your ability to overcome obstacles.

Balance.  Starting a business can suck up every spare minute of your day and night. While all entrepreneurs agree that you will have to devote many, many hours to your business, quite a few also look back and wish they had tried to have more balance in their life. Ultimately, you can’t take stuff with you when you leave this world. Make time for friends and family, even if it means working a little less.

Focus, focus, focus!  A consistent theme among successful entrepreneurs was focus. Try not to do too many things, since you can’t get eclipse your competition that way. Focus on what makes your business money, and get very good at it.  Be persistent towards your end goal!

Continuing education.  In today’s world, continuing education is critical due to the rapid rate of change in technology.  Continuing education is also important because your target customer is always changing. People’s tastes and preferences change – to be successful you always need to keep learning.

Invest in top talent.  Though many successful entrepreneurs start small, at some point they recognize they can’t do it all on their own. And that’s when they invest in top talent. Small and midsize companies can’t rely on company name recognition like large corporations do, so one way they gain an edge is to hire the best people.

Have a mentor.  Ideally your mentor will be someone in the same industry, though not a direct competitor. Many entrepreneurs utilize the S.C.O.R.E. organization. Build a relationship and utilize your mentor’s knowledge by meeting with them on a weekly or monthly basis.  When you have someone to help guide you, your mistakes will be smaller, and occur less frequently.

Stay grounded in reality.  Entrepreneurs can be so passionate and enthused about their business idea that they frequently overestimate and are too optimistic about their financial projections. This can cause major stumbling blocks and sometimes even shut your business down if you run out of capital sooner than you expected. Successful entrepreneurs enlisted their mentor or the services of a professional business coach to review their financial plan, which helped them base their projections in reality, not fantasy.

If you build it, they will come.  While that philosophy may work in the movies, it’s not necessarily the case in the business world. Successful entrepreneurs know that offering an outstanding service at a reasonable price to a hungry audience is not enough. Marketing is a critical aspect for the successful entrepreneur. Getting the word out about their new business made the difference between success and failure for almost all successful entrepreneurs.

Just do it!  Last but not least, every successful entrepreneur had to actually start doing something in order to be successful. Thinking about a good idea didn’t get them anywhere. They all gathered their courage and made the leap into starting their own business.   If you have a vision and have done your due diligence upfront, don’t wait around for someone else to launch your concept.  After all, nothing happens until you do something with your vision!

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5 SEO Tips to Increase Traffic to Your Website

March 12 in Marketing, Small Business, Strategy by SunUp Group | No Comments

One of the top concerns for many business owners is increasing traffic to their website.  SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process that can help increase visibility of your website via “natural” or “organic” search results, but you probably already knew that!  Without SEO, however, your website will just be floating “out there” on the internet, not really doing much.  So, if you’re a small business owner who wants to increase traffic to your website, we have some SEO tips to help you:

  1. Do your research. Keyword research, that is.  Utilize the Google Keyword Tool, Google Insight, and Google Suggestions.  Once you get your list of keywords, we suggest downloading them into an Excel spreadsheet, find the keywords that match your website content and products/services, then sort the list by daily searches (this will be given to you by the Google Keyword Tool).  The most relevant/popular phrase or keywords should be used in the <title> tag.  Gone are the days when keywords guaranteed a high ranking, but use of unique keywords in title and description can certainly help in your quest for better ranking.
  2. Content is king! Google loves content that is unique and has a high level of quality.  Webpages clearly written for spiders will be penalized, so it is important not to go overboard with the keywords.  Content should definitely be optimized for search engine optimization, but it is important to strike the right balance of keyword usage.  A smart piece of content may have 2-3 keywords in it.
  3. Create backlinks. Backlinks are incredibly important right now. Google looks at backlinks as an indicator that your site is a good one in regards to the subject matter. Try to get as many backlinks as you can from reputable sites.  For example, you could offer to write a guest blog post for a particular website, in return for the opportunity to place a link to your website. That being said, make sure the backlinks are high quality and relevant.  Search engines may even penalize your page if it has too many irrelevant backlinks, as that can be considered SPAM.
  4. Get social! The current top 5 social bookmarking sites, in order of popularity are:  Twitter, digg, StumbleUpon, Reddit, and Pinterest.  You may not have thought of Twitter as a social bookmarking site, but it actually is.  These 5 websites (and many more that we didn’t list) are very well optimized and cached by search engines every day.  If your content and links are bookmarked on these sites, you can expect your site to get cached by Google within 24 hours as well.
  5. Blog. Search engines, specifically Google, love blogs for the fresh content and structured data.  If you have the time, post to your blog twice a week. They don’t have to be really lengthy blogs, but as we said in tip #2, post unique and quality content to your blog.  Reading and commenting on other blogs can also increase your exposure and help you acquire backlinks, as we discussed in tip #3.

There you have it – 5 easy ways to increase traffic to your website by using SEO techniques.  Above all, be patient.  SEO is not always about instant gratification.  Results can take months, especially for small businesses who have just started a new website.  Commit yourself and your website to the process, and call us if you have any questions or need help!

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Do Small Business Owners Really Need a Coach?

February 24 in Brand Development, Marketing, Services, Small Business, Strategy by SunUp Group | 2 Comments

We hear business owners ask this question all of the time.  Interestingly, if you look at most competitive sports, both individual and team sports, you will rarely find a professional athlete running the race, fighting the battle or winning the game alone; there is typically a coach at their side to navigate the strategy and hold the team accountable.   We believe business is very similar to a competitive sport and like a professional athlete, business leaders need a professional coach to assess their competition, lay a strategy and collaborate with an advisor all the way to the finish line.

Let’s face it; the current business climate has become highly competitive, technologically sophisticated and price restrictive and requires business leaders to bring their ‘A’ game to the table on a daily basis.  Having a coach walk alongside you to help you find opportunity for new business, develop a strategy to capture and sustain market share, and point out any potential ‘potholes’ along the way, can be that catalyst for change and growth that you need to make strides with your business.

Here are just a few firsthand examples of where we have seen business leaders benefit from having a business coach:

New Business Launch

A local business owner was preparing to open the doors to a new business and with less than sixty days until the official launch, there was still an overwhelmingly long list of things needed to be accomplished before going ‘live’:  application for business permits, developing verbal and visual brand image, developing a sales process and pricing structure, developing a website and social media strategy, and establishing ad campaign for launch.  A business coach worked closely with the business owner and management team developing and executing a strategy and prioritized next steps to closely support the business owner with the launch of the new business.  This coaching included 120 days support setting strategy, priorities, putting out fires, weekly meetings, direction accountability, execution of brand and marketing efforts.

Business Growth

A savvy and experienced business owner identified an opportunity to expand their business from retail only to retail and wholesale.  As an expert in their industry, this business owner knew the direction he wanted to take the business, however did not know how to go about making it happen.  A business coach walked alongside the business owner developing a roadmap to accomplish this shift in business direction while putting out fires, providing support in difficult decision making, and conducting special assignment meetings (investors, bankers, etc.) Throughout a period of 11 months, there were three different levels of coaching support provided depending on the business owner’s need and the cycle of the business.

Special Assignment Coaching

An attorney and business owner was preparing a proposal for a partnership with the American Bar Association and requested support through the discovery, proposal development and presentation of a 50 page proposal.  Over a 90-day timeframe, a business coach conducted weekly conference calls, managed a virtual project manager, set next steps and guided the proposal and presentation to successful completion.

Here is a short list of things that a business coach can do for your small business.  A business coach can:

-       Develop an actionable plan for your vision

-       Guide you in developing a detailed plan, timeline and tracking metrics

-     Support you in achieving designated timelines and deliverables

-      Define key next steps and provide follow-up communication

-       Keep you focused and moving forward

-     Be your motivator

-     Offer strategic support at key business meetings

-     Act as a sounding board

-     Collaborate with you on strategies and new business ideas

-     Listen, strategize and assist with objective decision making

-     Act as your accountability partner

A business coach is the best person to help you think outside the box and to navigate these tough economic times.  The way businesses succeed has changed, and as a business owner, you’ll want to get ahead of the curve to gain that competitive edge.  If you’ve been thinking about hiring a small business coach but just aren’t certain if you need one or what one can do, please feel free to call us.  We would be happy to discuss your business needs and provide you the information you need to make a smart decision for your business.

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