Tough Times

The experts are saying the recession is over, but it sure doesn't feel like it for this small business owner. Costs of running a business are higher and revenue is lower.

Below are a few helpful tips to save money during tough times:

1. Remember when we were told that computers would eliminate paper work? Well, it ain't true! Paper is still a major expense for most offices. However, a small business can save money by using less expensive copy paper for most internal paperwork. Save the high-end, more costly paper for customer correspondence.

2. Partner with other business when advertising. Advertising is one thing a small business should not cut back on during a recession, but by partnering with other businesses, costs can be shared.

3. Talk to other business owners. Brainstorm, share ideas - the more business heads that get together, the better.

4. Ask employees for ideas. These are the people who work in the trenches. They can offer practical suggestions about where to save and how to streamline. They have a vested interest in making sure the business stays afloat.

Maybe the recession is showing signs of improving. If we have hung on this long, we can do it for awhile longer.

Word of Mouth Advertising

One of the best forms of advertising is word of mouth. Satisfied customers telling others about your products or services. Best of all, it's free.

But, you do need to work for it. Always treat your customers with respect. Always go the extra mile. Treat your customers the way you would like to be treated, not as commodities. When you get down to it, word of mouth advertising is a result of one customer recommending you as a person. So, be a person worthy of recommending!

Emphasizing Your Customer

I can't tell you how many web sites or printed advertising materials I have seen that completely miss the point of advertising in the first place. We see a picture of the building, the company owner, read a history of the business, etc. But very little time is spent the most important aspect - letting the customer know the benefits they will receive by using the company product or service.

Most people have very little time these days. You have a few seconds at best to capture their attention and let them know how you can solve a problem for them. For example, see the differences in the following:

First: "Our company has been making energy efficient windows for over 25 years."

Second: "Save money by replacing your old windows with new energy efficient windows."

The second catches the reader's attention by letting them know exactly why they benefit from buying energy efficient windows from you.

When designing any kind of advertising material, be sure to emphasize the benefit to the customer first.

Remember Who Got You Here

Every business has a group of select customers who were there from the beginning and helped the business get where it is today. It is easy to overlook these faithful clients while we pursue new ones.

But, stop and think. These loyal customers already buy from you. You don't have to spend a lot of money advertising to them, trying to win them over. So, why not target your best customers and keep them coming back? Have a "Current Customers Only" private sale or give them a discount. Let them know you appreciate them. Even if they don't need what you have at the moment, they have friends and family. Special treatment creates good will and people talk about that. And they will remember it when they do need what you offer.

What Small Business Owners Say - Part 3

Click here for Part 1 | Part 2

In Part 3 of our What Small Business Owners Say series, we speak with Katie Rowan, the owner of Fresh Picked Vegetarian Delicatessen* in North East, PA. Fresh Picked opened in July of 2008. Currently Fresh Picked offers take out and delivery.

Kristine: What made you decide to start your own business?

Katie: I've been teaching cooking classes for the past 10 years and have had hundreds of people tell me I should open a restaurant. Both my parents own their own businesses (R.W. Rowan and daughters, Clymer Hardware & Melva's Beauty Salon) and I know what it takes to make it work in a small town.

Kristine: Why did you decide to open a vegetarian deli?

Katie: That's where my talent lies. I've been a vegetarian for 18 years and my mom was an excellent cook. I learned to make healthy and delicious food- it's an ongoing challenge- and even meat and potato kinda folks love it.

Kristine: What has been your best form of advertising so far?

Katie: It's hard to say, I feel like I'm always networking in one way or another. They say word of mouth is where it's at, and I think thats true, but I think you have to use all forms.

Our interview with Katie Rowan continues tomorrow.

*Fresh Picked Vegetarian Delicatessen, inside Mary's Select Foods, is located at 22 South Lake St., North East, PA 16428 Phone:(814)725-5227. Made to Order 11-3 Sunday through Friday, Grab and Go during Mary's hours (Sat-Tues 9-5; Wed-Fri 11-7). Fresh Picked Deli's fabulous menu features 7 layer burritos, portabella cheezsteaks, hummus avocado wraps and much more. Fresh Picked strives to use local and organic foods and is always making healthy food that tastes GOOD!

The Joys of Advertising!

OK, I spent the morning creating a database of local business mailing addresses so I can print out address labels and get some direct mail pieces sent out. I finish the database, set up my labels for printing, merge the database and document and populate the fields on the label. Everything seemed to go so well. But alas, it was not to be. For some reason, my data field number plunked itself in front of the first line of each address. Why? Why? Why? The document will not let me go through manually and delete the numbers and I cannot print and send labels out that way. Looks unprofessional.

So, I go back to the old fashioned way. Use a template and a lot of copying and pasting. Finally, finish the addressing the second time, try printing a test run on a plain sheet of paper and... a paper jam! I tell ya, the frustration level can really rise fast. OK, fix that and finally have my sheets of labels printed and ready.

Now I just need to stick the labels on to the postcards and get them mailed out. Sounds almost as easy as printing out a few labels, doesn't it?

Creative & Cheap Ways of Advertising Your Business

Keeping a business afloat in early 2009 is certainly a challenge. It takes me back to when I first began my web design business and needed to advertise on a $50 advertising budget!

One thing I did then and am getting ready to do again now, is send out a few targeted mailings. I ordered some nice postcards from Vista Print, bought some postcard stamps from the post office, went through the phone book yellow pages looking for companies who might need my services and mailed a few cards out. I actually made a couple of contacts through those mailings that became long-term customers. It was well worth the initial cost. This time, I am searching online for local businesses who might need my services and will be sending out a few postcards at a time. I am also going to keep some postcards with me at all times to hand out or stick on public bulletin boards around town.

Since I am reestablishing myself in a new area, I am also handing a few business cards out to friends, relatives and business owners I have worked with, so they can pass them out to others. Believe me, my husband's wallet is full of my business cards!

Another thing I did recently was to post my services on one of the local television station's free online classified sections. I got lots of web site hits the first few days, when my ad was on the landing page. It dropped off after awhile because new ads were being posted and so did my hits, but it was free and is still up for someone who finds it.

In a business climate like this, we need to keep thinking of creative and economical ways to advertise our businesses. If we do, we may just be able to hang on.