People frequently say they don't celebrate Valentine's Day because they believe, when you really care about someone, there should be romance in your relationship everyday. Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not, those naysayers do make a good point. Giving a relationship the attention it needs only one day a year won't make up for any neglect from the rest of the year.
Owning a business is a lot like being in a relationship with someone you care about. And just like a relationship, it's not showy displays of affection one day a year that help it grow. It's the tiny details, remembered everyday, that help it blossom and reach its potential. Here are some simple ways you can romance your website, your customers, and your goals, to make everyday Valentine's Day for your small business.
Give your website the daily attention it craves. One of the most essential elements of any successful website is its content. Regularly updated and relevant content will keep your customers and visitors coming back to see you again and again.
Creating new content doesn't have to take a lot of time. If you don't have time to write or skill to write your own articles or blog posts, you may want to look for a ghostwriter, or use reprint articles. Reprint articles can be personalized by adding a few thoughts of your own as an introduction.
Market your business a little bit every day. We often think that marketing has to cost a lot of money, or is hard to do. In reality, marketing is simply telling people about how your business can help them, then telling them over and over and over again.
Some of the most effective marketing techniques don't cost a penny, and they can easily be added to your daily routine. For example, if you've written an article for your website, let others know they can reprint it so long as they give a link back to your website. Writing and submitting press releases is free too, and can land your business on the front page of your newspaper-the best advertising there is!
You can market your business for free offline, too. Hold a class at your community center to educate your market on how your services can improve their lives. Volunteer to speak at a local networking event. Find out if you could write a weekly column for your local newspaper. All these methods can keep your business in front of your market, are easy to do and don't cost a thing except your time.
Maintain your focus.
Just like any relationship, your
business needs your devout attention to flourish. But it's hard to give the revenue-producing side of your business
the attention it needs when you're distracted by other things – maintaining a
website, sending out invoices, following up on customer complaints.
What is distracting you from your main goals? Make a list
of everything you do in a day... which tasks are helping you reach your goals?
Which could you drop right now, without seeing any difference in your results?
Is there anything you could outsource to help you maintain focus on the things
that really matter?
When you make a point of giving your small business the
attention it needs daily, you'll create a lasting romance, and soon everyday will
feel like Valentine's Day.
Great post Joyce! And thanks for checking out my furniture project!
Posted by: Dawn-Hydrangea Home | February 16, 2009 at 09:35 AM