Category Archives: Starting Out

What Is A Good Name For Housecleaners?

January 22, 2008Names + Taglines, Starting OutJay

My girlfriend and I are starting a new housecleaning business. We are in desperate need of a tagline. Our name is The Clean Team, which we may have been impulsive in choosing because the domain name is already taken. Two Depressed Moms is probably available but I am not sure it would garner the same response. We are willing to change our business name if necessary. We want something really catchy because there is A LOT of competition in this industry. We are college educated and crazy hard workers and are doing this so we can be there for our kids.

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2 Cleaning Moms
Cleaning Mommies
Momliness
Dusting Mommies
Mom-Certified Cleaning Company
Clean As A Whistle

How Can I Create A Value Proposition?

January 21, 2008Services, Starting OutnetworkingJay

I am a sales & marketing executive knocking on doors (but getting nowhere). Are there any suggestions how a really professional value proposition is made?

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The way to make a value proposition is to understand the customer’s needs, then show your solution to their problem. This means that you need to listen and then respond (i.e., interview THEM), not attempt to sell off-the-bat. Once you’ve established a rapport, and understand their problem, then you’re in a position to present something of value, that’s on-target and with a clear benefit to the customer

What Should I Do After I Print My Business Cards?

January 16, 2008Starting OutstrategyJay

I printed business cards out… what next? I have a painting business.

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Look at it from the other side. So you gave me a business card – why should I call you? What makes your painting business better than the others? Why should I trust you?

What you need is a business strategy. You need to first identify who you want as your ideal prospect – business? residential? apartment? How many sq. ft? Inside or outside? Multi-story?

Next, focus on what problem you solve for them. Besides putting new paint on the surfaces. Clean new look? Color consultation? Mold eradication? Crack repair?

Now, identify what makes you different / special. A technique? Years in business? Special skills or certification? 24/7 service?

These are the start for a strategy. The strategy will create the marketing plan – how to contact, who to contact, when to contact, why, etc.

How Can I Prepare Myself For My New Marketing Executive Job?

January 8, 2008Starting OutJay

I have just landed myself a job in TGI FRIDAY’S as a marketing executive. I’m looking forward for information on how i could prepare myself before I join them. According to the marketing manager who interviewed me she needs an update of the f&b industry/ market on daily basis and also I’ll be called in to assist for a mock service in their new restaurant opening. How can I do my best? Any info/advice would be very much appreciated. I have no prior working experience at all.

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Talk to your marketing manager now. Tell them you want to do your best (they hired you, so presumably they understand your limits) and ask for examples of things that have been done in the past. Ask for critiques of the past. Get any corporate vision statements and plans for the next 3-5 years. Talk to the person you replaced (if they’re still around).

They will be training you to fit in their organization. While I can give you advice in general, let them fill your head with their needs. When you understand where they are, how they work, and what their limits are – then start looking outside the organization for answers to see what best practices are, learning from experience.

Until then, ask a lot of questions and listen to the answers. Be a sponge.

What Should I Do For My First Trade Show?

January 3, 2008Starting Outtrade showJay

I just started a new job in sales at a hotel in Portland, Oregon. I just found out, after being here for 1 week, that I will be doing a B2B trade show (put on by my Chamber of Commerce) in a week and a half. This is my first trade show, ever. I don’t even know where to start! We just opened and the only items with logos I have are simple brochures, a little box of pens and gift bags… What do I do?? Step by step please. I need help with everything from set up to breakdown…

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Will the show be at your hotel or in another facility? If it’s at your hotel, then you’ve got “home court advantage”. Everywhere people look they see your hotel.

The goal of any trade show is to start a conversation. Seldom is money exchanged at the booth. It’s a get-to-know (and get-to-trust-you) experience. You’re listening to what people need and learning how to take care of them. Your goal is to arrange a private meeting with interested parties at a later date. That’s all. Because the people attending your booth will be looking at your offerings from lots of different perspectives: business meetings, conferences, weddings, retreats, and even a visit by the in-laws. Don’t assume you know what they want. They know you’re a hotel, but what makes you a special hotel? Is the thread count of your sheets? The organic soaps? The fresh-baked cookies at the front desk? A concierge who knows all the hot spots? Romantic hide-aways? 100,000sf of meeting space that’s easily configurable? A garden perfect for meetings or weddings?

Show the various aspects of your offerings. When someone visits, ask if they’ve ever visited your hotel. Do they travel frequently? Do they entertain a lot of out-of-town guests (and/or clients)? Listen, and write down details. Make a follow-up appointment.

The booth swag should be tied to the hotel itself. Perhaps a flower (if you have a great garden). Some of your fresh-baked cookies. A mint that you put on the pillow. A stay one night free with first night. A 50% off dining coupon. The sky’s the limit. Just make sure that you make the trade show the start of a great relationship.

How Can I Get High End Department Stores To Carry My Handbags?

January 2, 2008Products, Starting OutstoresJay

I am designing my own line of apparel and bags. How do I get high end department stores to carry my line? I am not sure where to start. What are the procedures and who do I need to contact.? I am brand new to this idea…so please be as specific as possible.

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Make friends with a local high-end store’s buyer. Find out how they choose their goods, when they choose them, where they find them, and manufacturers they enjoy working with. The more background information you get the better the plan you can create.

Test market your products at craft fairs. What is the reaction to your goods? Play with pricing to see what the market will bear. What are people looking for? Is what you’re designing that unique that you can build a brand, or would it be better to license it to another company and let them market it, and you focus on the design.

You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar

January 1, 2008Book Reviews, Starting Outsales, strategyJay

Are you having trouble getting people to buy what you are selling? Read this book. Let’s say you already know that to be successful marketing your business you need to identify your audience’s problems and show why you have the best solutions. Isn’t that good enough?

David Sandler (who created the Sandler Sales Institute) offers great insights for improving your sales presentations. His book begins with his five rules of sales success:

Qualify your prospects
Extract your prospect’s “pain”
Verify that the prospect has money
Be sure the prospect is a decision maker
Match your service or product to the prospect’s “pain”

Rules #1, #2, and #5 are identical to the rules of effective marketing: identifying your market and their challenges (rule #5 might involve a creative packaging of your products or services for the prospect’s needs). Rule #3, while obvious, shouldn’t be skipped. Rule #4 ensures that you’re not wasting your time talking to the wrong people in an organization.

The book continues with a description of the “Sandler Submarine”, a series of selling steps:

Bonding & Rapport. Make the prospect fell more okay than you feel.
Up-front Contracts. Create an agreement to see if you have anything to discuss.
Pain. Find a prospect’s “hurt” and probe how much pain they are in. Show how your business can eliminate the pain.
Budget. Identify their budget, or offer a lower end “entry” solution.
Decision. What is your prospect’s decision-making process? When will they be moving forward? How do you get paid? Who will be involved the the decision-making process?
Fulfillment. Review your prospect’s contract, pain, budget, and decisions. Ensure that your solution solves the prospect’s pain.
Post-Sell. To avoid buyer’s remorse, thank them for the order, bring up a agreed upon compromise, and give them a chance to back out now.

Additionally, he introduces a number of techniques to control the selling conversation, including:

Reversing (“That’s an interesting question. Why do you ask?”)
Controlling the Interview (“Can we just back up for a moment?”)
Stroke-Repeat-Reverse (“I appreciate the fact you’re telling me I’m close, but let me ask you a question”)
Negative Reverse (“Could you tell me more specifically just how you see my product solving your problem?”)

Thanks to Bob Annick (707. 343.1722 Business Growth & Development Corporation) for recommending this month’s book.

Leggo My Logo

January 1, 2008Creative Business Ideas, Starting Outlogo, strategyJay

Since I recently changed my business logo, I wanted to explain my process so you can likewise better develop your own logo. While your logo isn’t the soul of your business, it does give a quick impression about it.

When I first started my business, I created it myself. My thinking went, “Many Good Ideas — what would be a good graphical representation?”. Light bulbs, while a cliché, are what most people think of when they hear ideas. So, if one idea is one light bulb, then many ideas should be many light bulbs. But what type of light bulb? What color? A graphic or a photograph? Suddenly, I had new-found appreciation for graphic artists. Playing with a graphics program and some stock art, I created my first logo. The key point: it was good enough.

After some time, I needed to print some professional business cards, and hired a graphic designer to help. They also used stock art, but with with an eye to color and layout, created a logo that was much better, and resulted in a better image of myself and my business. The key point: Hire a professional when you have the need and budget.

This month I changed my logo once again. While the previous logo was clean and recognizable, it still didn’t incorporate the feeling of “creative” – which is a key component in all the marketing work I do. A client of mine (who is an artist) commented on the logo, and suggested that he could do much better. After a couple of iterations, this is the result. Initially, the logo shocked me. It was unfamiliar. It was different. I was too invested in the previous logo, so I asked for my colleagues’ opinions. The key point: Continue evolving all aspects of your marketing (and test the results).

Tip: If you have no graphic talent and no budget, there are a number of free logo design websites (for example, this one I created in a few minutes online at onlinelogomaker.com). You won’t get something original, but you’ll get something good enough to move forward with the rest of your marketing.

Much thanks to my logo artist, Peter Scaturro (www.PeterScaturro.com). His true specialty is abstract painting and sculpture. If you like the new logo (or even if you don’t), visit his site. You’ll be inspired.

How To Make 2008 Your Best Business Year Ever

January 1, 2008Creative Business Ideas, Starting OutstrategyJay

2008 Best Year Start your year with specific and measurable business goals. For example: I want to earn $200,000 in 2008. Or, I want my newsletter distribution to double.

Create a plan to achieve your goals. We have all heard about the person/business who was at the right place at the right time and became the “overnight success”. Luck favors the prepared. You do not know what the future will bring – but you can control your reaction to it.

Craft your plan to describe who your market is, what problem they have, the existing solutions to their problem, your solution, why your solution is best (and for who), and why they should trust you. If you already have clients, poll them to find out more about why they use you.

Note: there are two major types of plans: strategic plans and business plans. A strategic plan is focused on creating a clear path for achieving your goals, while a business plan is focused on funding for the goals. Create a strategic plan for yourself, and a business plan when you are seeking outside investors (and you already have a strategic plan).

Test your plan. Which plan is best? The one that produces the results you want. How do you pick that plan? You measure. For example, to increase newsletter sign-ups on your website, try different offers, wordings, font sizes, location of sign-up box, colors, etc. Split test – compare “A” vs. “B”. Pick the one that works. And continue to refine.

Anticipate your results. Imagine you wanted 25 new clients in 2008. Do you have the resources to handle them? At your current rates, can you afford to have these new clients (how much time does acquiring and maintaining a new client take, and what is your time worth)?

Get help with your business. You started your business because of specific skills or products that only you can provide. Focus your time on your specialty. Working on and working in your business are very different skills.

If you are considering a shift in your business direction, contact me. My specialty is creating creative, customized, and effective plans that achieve your business goals.

How Can I Market A Water Purifier?

December 31, 2007Products, Starting Outadvertising, strategyJay

One of my friends is working as marketing trainee in a company manufacturing water filters. As a trainee, she is working on devising new promotion strategies to promote the brand and giving training to the sales and distributors team. How she should start her work in the field of marketing for a water filter brand (used in households) and what could be other ways to keep distributors happy about the product? Of course, the ultimate aim is to get more sales and give quality to consumer.

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Start with the product itself. Is it a top product compared to its competition? What makes the product unique in the marketplace – size? availability? pore size? independent water tasting results? installation ease?

Next, who are you targeting? Home owners? College students? Day care? Gyms? [you mentioned households, but that’s not specific enough]

Once you’ve positioned the product with the proper marketing message, then share it with the teams. Help them to focus on the message clearly, sharing the benefits, clearly highlighting a comparison between other choices the consumer has. Focus on the key points: taste and safety.

You want the consumer to feel that buying your friend’s product is the obvious choice for their family. The distributors could focus on school PTAs (perhaps having the children sell them as a fund-raiser), health fairs, health clubs, and gyms.