Month: January 2014

Categories
Entrepreneurs

3 Powerful Habits to Set You Up For BIG Success in 2014

The good news about being a biz owner is you get to set your own schedule.

 

And the bad news? You get to set your own schedule. (And we haven’t even talked about how that looks when you work out of your home and all the distractions THAT brings.)

 

If you’re like most entrepreneurs, no one taught you what successful habits you should be incorporating into the day-to-day running of your biz. Instead, you brought whatever working habits you learned at either your last place of employment or maybe even from school. And while those habits may have served you at that time, you may be finding they’re now holding you back from growing your biz.

 

So I want to share 3 powerful habits you can start doing right now to grow a successful, profitable biz, without making yourself crazy.

 

Habit 1 — Start your day with a positive, grounding ritual. I don’t know any super-successful entrepreneur who jumps out of bed and immediately checks email. Everyone I know has some sort of ritual — it could be meditation or journaling or visualizing or some inspirational reading. But whatever it is, the point is to start your day powerfully and at peace.

 

Then you can check email.

 

Look, I get it if you’re squirming right now. I was a massive check-my-email-first-thing-in-the-morning too. But for a year now, I’ve instead started my day with meditation and maybe some journaling, and I have to tell you, it’s really helped me stay centered and grounded no matter what goes on around me. I tend to get more done, be less frazzled, and be a lot more focused. And you MUST do this before you check email and start your day — the moment you jump into your day thinking you’ll get “back” to meditating — it never happens.

 

Habit 2 — Take the time to plan your day (and maybe your week) in advance. Now there are lots and lots of resources and systems out there to help you structure your day, and it really doesn’t matter what system you use, just as long as you do SOMETHING. For myself, I take time usually on Friday (but sometimes on Sunday) to plan my week out and at least get the big rocks scheduled. And then each morning I revisit that schedule, and based on what I’ve gotten done (or not gotten done), I then plan out what I need to do that day.

 

I’m certainly no expert at this and I also most-definitely could have a better system, but the point is it does work for me. The days I don’t revisit my schedule and plan my day are typically my least-productive days, so it’s definitely worth it to take 5 minutes and put together my day’s to-do list.

 

Habit 3 — Take the time to check in with your biz and your goals at least once a quarter. It’s not enough to put together your marketing plan and figure out your goals in January and then never look at them again. You need to go back and revisit your goals and your plan (and also check back in that you’re still connected to your vision and mission). Are you on track? Have you gotten off track? Are you on a different path than you intended, but you’re finding you like that path better? Whatever it is, this is important step to make sure you stay clear, connected and focused on your biz (which makes it a lot easier to reach your goals).

 

Categories
Online Business

Domain’s the Name of the Game: Finding the Perfect URL #entrepreneurfail

entrepreneurfail-Domain-Gam

New Webcomics series brought to you by #entrepreneurfail and GetEntrepreneurial.com. Enjoy!

Anyone who has ever searched for the perfect URL or even tried to find a good Gmail address or a coveted Twitter handle can relate to this one. Unless your name is really unique, chances are it’s taken

When you search for a domain name, bless the various suggested ‘Variations’. The alternatives are meant to be helpful but are not really useful and actually kind of entertaining.

If you’ve run out of naming ideas, here are some suggestions that may help spark some name ideas:

  1. Use the Igor naming guide for some tips.
  2. Check out the Lean Domain Search
  3. Find names using Namechk

Even if you get a great domain name, don’t forget to snag the Gmail address, Twitter handle, or anything other account you may be using. Happy hunting.

Let us know about your search for the perfect domain name. How long did you search before you found yours? Let us know in the comments below. 

Categories
Planning & Management

3 Simple Steps to Get Your Business on Track in 2014

3 Simple Steps to Get Your Business on Track in 2014

As we sit here at the start of a New Year, many of you may be wondering what the heck you’re going to do this year in your business.  You may be:

  • Feeling overwhelmed with getting your system in place – maybe you don’t have any clients yet so you’re trying to set up a system so you can serve clients;
  • Stuck in “analysis paralysis” because you have so many ideas you don’t know where to start; or
  • Trying to stay on top of all the different moving parts; ezine, listbuilding, giveaway creation, blog posts, social media, financial stuff

The answer to all of this overwhelm and chaos is simple … you need a plan!

Listen, I know that many of you shy away from creating a strategic business plan. For some of you it’s simply a huge stumbling block. For others, you think having a plan makes you feel boxed in. In fact the very opposite is true.

When you do have a plan in place, you have a clear path to follow. And it changes your business and your life for the better.

Today, I’m going to share with you my top three simple steps so you can get your business on track in 2014:

1. Be clear on the purpose of your business; why you’re setting it up and what results your services will deliver for your clients. This is also known as creating your Big Picture Vision.

Your Big Picture Vision consists of two key questions that you have to think really hard about and answer.

  • What is your PASSION?
  • What is your WHY?

When you put these two answers together you create your Big Picture Vision, and this is the framework that you build your business around.

2. Get clear on your ideal client – be really specific on who that person is.Creating an ideal client profile is a big sticking point for many business owners.  Without an ideal client profile marketing becomes hard, and your message becomes very general.

Many business owners are afraid to pick an ideal client profile for fear of limiting themselves in terms of not getting enough clients, but the opposite happens.  When your marketing and your message are very general you don’t really attract anyone because they can’t relate to what you’re offering … it doesn’t talk to them specifically and address their concerns, their issues, and their problems.

The clearer you are in identifying your ideal client, the clearer your message will be, and the easier your marketing will be … and you will attract your ideal clients and more of them.

Because you are talking specifically to them, when they come across your website/see you at a speaking gig etc. they can immediately say, “that’s me!”.

3. Plan your activities in 90-day blocks of time. Ninety days are perfect for creating a really focused, action-oriented plan.  It’s far enough ahead that you can create some long-term plans, but not so far ahead that you feel overwhelmed.

Your 90-day plans need to be specific and measureable, and identify who is going to do the work, if not you.  Plans should be:

  • Action oriented
  • Have specific tasks
  • Assigned deadlines

Follow these three simple steps, and you’ll soon get your business on track.

Categories
Online Business

5 Success Strategies of High-Converting Ecommerce Websites

disney-store

Depending on who you ask, the top 10 list of the nation’s highest converting ecommerce websites changes.  What doesn’t change, however, is what all these sites have in common that make them so successful.

Let’s take a look.  As we do, make yourself a list and compare it to your own ecomm site.  The sites we’ll be discussing are:

  1. Disney Store
  2. Zappos
  3. Best Buy

 

#1 – Unique Competitive Advantage (UCA)

Sometimes called a USP (unique selling proposition), the UCA is something unique you offer that answers the question, “Why should I buy from you?”  You could get most of the products offered at Disney Store, Zappo’s and Best Buy from other sites.  What makes a customer want to buy here?  It could be many reasons.

?    Disney lets you send a free video message with your purchase.  You also get free shipping when you buy over $75 worth of stuff.  In certain cases, there is exclusivity: you can only buy particular products from the Disney Store site.

?    Zappo’s is famous for their huge selection.  They also have won the hearts of customers with their free shipping and returns.  Unlike other sites that offer free shipping with a certain purchase amount, Zappo’s gives it to you with no minimum.  And, if you need to send the shoes back, Zappo’s will pay return postage as well.

?    Best Buy has a rewards program, low-price guarantee and financing options.

Do you have a UCA?  Can you offer free shipping with or without a minimum?  How about tossing in a free extended warranty beyond what the manufacturer offers?  Do you have exclusive products?  Price-matching?  Do you have exceptional customer service that goes way above and beyond?  Make it public on the home page of your site.

#2 – Prominent Search Box

Think about this for a moment.  What do you do when you get to an ecommerce site?  If you’re like most, one of the first things is to use the search box to help find what you want.

Because the search box is so important to ecommerce conversions, yours needs to be big, noticeable and right up top just like these major retailers have theirs.

#3 – Clear Categories

The other way most people shop online is by using the category links.  These etailers make it super easy to browse by category because they’ve organized their products logically.

That may mean putting a product in more than one category. For instance, on Disney, “Brave” is under Characters, but is also applicable to the Girls category.  Zappo’s would have dress pumps under Heels and Shoes and Women’s.

Think analytically.  Ask others who are unfamiliar with your site to go online and try to find what they are looking for without using the search box.  Make very sure that your products are arranged using the same logic your customers do when shopping.

#4 – Recommended/Featured Products

These items might be the month’s best sellers or new products that have just been added.  They don’t need to be on sale.  You can simply highlight them and bring them to your customers’ attention.

#5 – Sales

Up top, in your banner or near your banner, you also need to highlight what’s on sale.  And there always needs to be something on sale.

Case in point: do you remember (many years ago) when Sears decided they were going to offer their lowest possible price every day?  They weren’t going to have sales any longer.  They announced to their customers that they could come to Sears any time they wanted and get the best price.

What happened?  Their revenue TANKED!

Bottom line:  people love sales.  Give it to them.  Create a promotion calendar and fill it with discounts, BOGOs, rebates and whatever other types of sales you can think of.

When you observe what the big boys are doing and emulate that (as best you can) in your own store, higher conversions will soon follow.

Are you stuck?  Don’t know how to go about creating an ecommerce marketing plan to boost your sales?  Contact me today about online marketing consulting services.  We can make it happen!

Categories
Sales & Marketing

Using Email Marketing in 2014

email-marketing-2014

Part of our outlook into 2014 we’ve started to compile some blog posts that are not only designed to help us but also help you in creating an effective strategy.

Email marketing, have you been doing it?

I ask simply because email marketing is hugely underutilised with B2b sales however the stat’s behind why you should be doing it are eye opening:

  • 40% of B2b leads generated via email marketing are considered high quality.
  • 44% of respondents to email marketing made one or more purchases.

Now when you’re response rate is close to being half that’s pretty good going, especially when it’s either a hot lead or a done deal at the end of it.

The trouble with email marketing is that we’ve all become some immune to spam and get rich quick schemes that we tend to have a misconception as to what email marketing should be. (It’s about value, just good old value adding to someone’s life).

So in 2014 here are the things you should be focusing on with your email marketing strategies:

Subject Line

If you happen to be a one man band or don’t actually have a marketing department then it would be wise to take a couple of hours out to learn about creative writing.

Put it this way – the subject line is the first thing the recipient will see and it’s the only thing that will make them open the email.

Social Leverage

Social media is here to stay so give into it and leverage it to your full advantage alongside your email marketing campaigns.

Here are some ideas:

  • Competitions
  • Exclusive offers
  • Newsletter subscriber only offers

All of the above is designed to simply capture as much data as possible, getting more and more people onto your email list is vital. They may not be interested now but it’s the most efficient way to maintain mindshare.

Timing

You can no longer disapprove the value of sending well timed means of contact. Social media updates are being widely optimised for release at specific times that followers are most likely to click through and so should emails.

Use metrics to back up your findings and ultimately test what you’re doing, it will take some time to fully understand and develop a solid strategy but in the long run email marketing is about Open Rates and Click Through Rates.

Images

Sales pitch emails are horrible, they are the best example of the worst type of email that can be sent out. Forget the paragraphs of how you’ll add value and how previous customers saw X increases.

Instead focus on the visual appeal of your email, pictures and videos are becoming a huge growth market for social media therefore you need to optimise your emails to these trends.

Images and videos also carry the added bonus of being more likely to be shared over a plain piece of text – you just can’t get excited about something like that.

Update: Google has released news that they will be caching all images – meaning that there’s a strong chance measuring metrics such as opens and views will now be difficult. For more details check out this article.

Mobile

The all round numbers for mobile usage are going drastically up – viewers, amount of time spent, activities etc – so ensuring that your email marketing campaigns are mobile friendly is vital. Add too many large pictures and you’ll have a slow to open email – instant delete.

Again test and measure as for everyone it’s different but focus in on the need to have a balance between images, information and ultimately a mobile presence.

Automation/Segmentation

If you use the likes of iContact, Mail Chimp, Aweber etc you’ll have the wonderful ability to segment and automate your email campaigns. The whole process from list sign ups to welcome messages to follow up emails can all be done on an automated scale, why aren’t you doing it?

Email marketing has become such a fluid process that 2014 should be the year you fall in love with automated campaigns and hyper targeted segmentation. Realistically there are few reasons as to why your lead rate isn’t growing with email marketing.

Email marketing isn’t that bad, there are only a few bad seeds out there that want to create horrible campaigns that deliver nothing more than pain and sorrow for your inbox.

Some of the most popular email marketing providers; Aweber, MailChimp, iContact provide great services that allow you to understand your customer. 2014 should be key for your development and use of email marketing throughout your business.