I teach a small business marketing seminar for locally owned businesses that’s called “EIGHT Ways to Make Your Cash Register Ring in Any Economy.” In this seminar, one of the eight strategies that we outline is what we call “Pursuing Partnerships & Alliances.”

There are several different types of partnerships or alliances that work really well and should all be used liberally in local businesses and restaurants.

1.  There is the alliance or strength gained from “riding the coattails of an industry elephant.” This happens when you carry a major national brand in your store that is doing national advertising – and you mimic elements of that advertising campaign in your own marketing messages or images. This same strategy can be accomplished when you ride the coattails of a major trend (such as the green or environmentally friendly movement) or a major cause or organization (such as a political, religious, or industry promotional campaign).

2. There are the partnerships that participate in cooperative marketing programs generated or promoted by local or regional organizations. This strategy is implemented when local businesses join together under the banner of a common cause or organization. This would be the case when a Main Street or Chamber pools your money or even fronts the money for a promotional campaign for all of the businesses involved or to promote a certain shopping district or event.

3. Finally, there are those alliance that businesses make directly with one another. These are created with the purpose of co-promoting one another’s business. This is best configured when two or more businesses are targeting the same demographic or target audience, but they do not have a competing product. (This works regardless of geographic area – it works if you’re close geographically – it works when you’re not.)

Think about it. Are you using all three of these Partnership/Alliance strategies to grow your small business? You might be blown away by the results. I know I have been in my own business and in the businesses of our clients. Think about how you can work with others and get started today!

Photo Credit: exfordy

Life as a small business owner can be tough. Owning a local business can be stressful. It can sometimes not feel like it’s doing for you what you wanted it to do. Maybe you just have a mental block about your business in general.

But some days the stars align. I actually believe God is gracious and just showers me with His undeserved Grace a bit more on these “good days.” But the bottom line is – they do happen occasionally – and I wanted to let you know how to recognize the entrepreneurial “good days” and enjoy them.

GOOD ISN’T PERFECT

First off – you have to come to grips with the fact that perfection doesn’t exist. Life and work are not going to peacefully co-exist, and we’re talking about “good days” here – not perfect days.

That means that while some loose ends or underlying currents of strife or stress might be there – it’s important to not allow those to overshadow the blessings and positives. A critical element to business success is the ability to be thankful – and thankfulness flows out of a positive attitude – one that recognizes tiny blessings and is able to pause, soak them up and then show appreciation where appropriate.

SEEING THE GOOD

I think this is most easily explained by an example.

Today was a good day for me. In the past 24 hours, not one – but FOUR of our private advisory clients (and there aren’t but 10 of them at any given time) have called or e-mailed not simply to compliment or thank us for our work – but to RAVE about the results they’re getting in their businesses. They took the time to stop what they were doing and give us specific, positive feedback at no urging of our own. Completely random accolades.

Now this may seem over the top as an example – but I didn’t talk to all of these clients. Andy talked to two of them, and two of them e-mailed enthusiastic and specific, but very brief e-mails. In my distracted, busy and otherwise cluttered life, I could have entirely missed the magnitude of these blessings – and missed gaining the benefits of a “good day.” Thank God I didn’t, because they were blessings. And I like blessings.

There are plenty of icky things going on in my life – but when “good days” happen – or even good moments – have your eyes wide open to see them.

USING THE GOOD

When you see good in your day, don’t waste it. Here’s what I recommend:

1. Take a moment – or an hour – to pause and soak it in. It’s okay to reward yourself a bit. Take a deep breath, smile, laugh, allow yourself an extra long lunch or a day off in reward. Use this “good” as a stress reducer – reduced stress is good for your body and your spirit and will give you the stamina to keep going!

2. Reflect that good just came into your day – a blessing.

3. Blessings deserve a thankful attitude; pass on the “goodness” of a thankful attitude to someone else or many other people as appropriate.

4. Use this good as a milestone that motivates and inspires you to keep going in your work. When things aren’t so good – reach back in your mind to this moment and be motivated and inspired by it many times over.

5. Learn from it. What did you do to get this “good” result? If you can pinpoint it – maybe you can replicate it to create more “good days” in your business.

What about you? What “good days” or “good moments” have you had in your business or life lately? Share the goodness.

Photo Credit: Ev0luti0nary

Want a free, easy way to keep customers “in the loop?” Use Twitter to connect – even with so-called – “non-Twitterers.”

1. Create a Twitter account for your business. (Want to know more about how to do this for optimum success? Check out our webinar.)

2. At every point of contact, let folks know to TEXT/SMS message: “Follow YourTwitterHandle” to 40404. That’s no quotes, the word FOLLOW,  a single space, then YOUR twitter handle. For example, if you were to follow me, you would text Follow ResultsRev to 40404.

3. Tweet out the insider info you’ve promised and it’ll get delivered, free of charge, straight to your customers and prospects cell phones.

I mean, what if the sign in this picture above instead said:

Shop Local. Text 40404

Follow MisterTAwards

It’s that easy… there’s really nothing else required of your customer or prospect AT ALL.

What are some other points of contact (besides exterior signage or billboards) where you can tell folks how to do this?

• Events – handouts, signage or verbal instructions
• Bag stuffers in your store
• Check presenters in your restaurant
• Point of sale signage
• E-mail marketing, web site graphics, posts on your Facebook wall

There are endless opportunities – don’t miss them! This is a marketing tip that really is THAT easy…

Photo Credit: Seven_Null7

You’ve heard us talk about the phenomenon for small businesses that is Twitter. We’ve talked about everything from fun Twitter contests to writing tweets that get the picture or link opened.

But what about Twitter basics? Lots of brick and mortar retail stores and local restaurants are catching onto the fact that their customers are on Twitter – and that deals are being done there. Is it time for you to catch on to Twitter and capture some of those deals?

I say an emphatic YES!

First things first:
1. Setup an account on Twitter. Go to www.twitter.com and get started… It’s easy and painless. And unlike many social networking sites – if you choose a username or “handle” as they’re called in Twitter circles – and decide later that you made a bad choice – you can change it! Twitter is cool like that, so don’t sweat it – go sign up!

2. Upload a PICTURE of you or your store logo for your avatar. This is a critical step.

3. Tweet a few times. Just say something about your business, what you like, what you’re doing. You can’t tweet too much – unlike Facebook where you can really overdo it and drive folks nuts.

4. Download Tweetdeck to your computer. It will be your new friend.

5. Visit Twitter’s Advanced Search engine – type in some searches about your community, business district, business niche or even your business name. Watch in amazement at what pops up.

There’s more to a successful run on Twitter – like writing a description that gets you found, creating a Twitter background, who and how to follow, how to grow a following – and most importantly how to start doing some business on and thru Twitter. That’s exactly what we’ll be covering in our webinar on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 called (remarkably) Twitter for Small Business 101. Andy and I will co-teach this webinar – and you will leave FULL of great and valuable information whether you a complete Twitter novice – or have been on Twitter for a while. We’ll talk Twitter strategy perfect for retail stores, small business and local restaurants and the like. Join us by registering here… and stay tuned. We’ll be talking a lot more Twitter in the coming days and weeks.

I have a case of writer’s block.

Sometimes I have work block. Or house cleaning block. Or organizational block.

Mental blocks are frustrating. And when it comes to small business – costly.

The best thing to do is to just start doing. Face the facts and put one foot in front of another. Don’t sweat the missteps or the imperfections. Just move forward. Break the block. It’s the ONLY way to find success.

Photo Credit: scottobear

Use the “fishbowl” method to collect an e-mail address from every single customer or prospect that you encounter in your local business this week. This simple method is something you can implement in your brick-and-mortar business by the end of the day today, and it will lead to the collection of pure gold (aka e-mail addresses) for your business – gold that can be leveraged to move the needle again and again for your small business! Here’s how it works:

1. Procure a large bowl that will fit in a prominent location either to the right (as one exits) of the front door of your store at eye level and/or at each your point of sale/cash-wrap stations.

2. Create a sign to affix to the bowl that has a big, bold headline that says something like “Join Our E-Mail List for a Chance to Win!”

3. Add subtext under the sign’s headline, create an irresistible offer that fits your business that follows this basic idea: “Once a month, one entry from that month will be awarded a $250 gift certificate to our store!”

4. Watch the e-mail addresses pile up.

5. Enter the e-mail addresses into your e-mail system at least monthly BEFORE the award notification is made.

6. On a monthly basis, choose an e-mail address and make the award. E-mail them the award notification with an inquiry for their mailing address, so that they’ll come into the store. Also include in that e-mail a suggestion such as the following: “We value you as a customer, and we’re thrilled that you’ve won this prize. You are definitely deserving! We’d love it if you’d share some ideas of what you’ll be buying with your gift certificate with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. You can connect with us there at facebook.com/business name and on Twitter @businessname. I hope you won’t mind that we’ll be letting everyone know who won this month in our e-mail newsletter and through our social media channels as a way to encourage folks to enter this month’s new contest! Thanks again for being such a fantastic customer! We really appreciate your business!”

7. Post who won and what they won and how folks can enter the next contest on Facebook. Tag the person who won if possible.

8. Post who won and what they won on Twitter and @ reply the winner, if possible.

9. Include the winner’s name and a call for new entries in your next e-mail newsletter.

Happy fishbowling! You’re going to love the results you get from this great marketing tip!

Maybe you just made the newspaper or a local magazine – or better – you just got interviewed for a major trade publication, the Wall Street Journal or a mainstream lifestyle slick. Maybe a prominent blogger is going to blog about you – or feature you in an upcoming e-newsletter. Maybe you think you’ve thought of something so smart that an influential person tweets about your article, stuff or activities…

These days, publicity comes in all shapes and sizes – but one thing is the same. It will give you a boom. The boom will be short-lived if you’re not prepared to leverage it into long-term sales for your small business. Here are a couple of tips that will help you leverage publicity into long-term growth for your local business.

Get ready for the traffic on your web site.

This seems obvious, but you really should actively prepare to capture customers as a result of the publicity, especially on your small business web site.

1. Make sure an e-mail list signup form (that is short and simple) is strategically located at the top right hand side of all of your web site pages or posts. This will help you grow your e-mail list.

2. Make sure your social media profiles are apparent at the top and bottom of each page or post on your web site, so that folks can connect with you there.

3. Make sure there is fresh and relevant content and that all contact information, forms, store hours, and directions are up to date.

4. Make sure that your web site has the ability to be SHARED so that when people get to your site, they can – with a single click – share your business with 1300 of their closest *cough* *ahem* Facebook friends…. or Twitter followers or other social media connections. We recommend the ShareThis button at the top and bottom of each page or post on your web site.

5. Similarly, install the Facebook LIKE button at the top of each page or post on your web site, so that with a single click and half a thought, your web content or article can be posted to their Facebook Wall and their friends’ newsfeeds. This exposes you to their friends.

6. Finally, install the TweetMeme’s Retweet button at the top of each page or post on your web site. This button not only allows the sharing feature on Twitter, but it allows YOU the measurement to see who shared your content – so you can thank them and otherwise engage them via Twitter.

Prepare to leverage the publicity on social media.

Social media is where you will turn the publicity into a boom for yourself. Often media in and of themselves are not a direct connector. But the power of your network mixing with theirs can really work magic. Here are a few things you can do to stir that pot:

1. Tweet with the news writers and folks in the media on a regular basis (that means, ideally, BEFORE the story hits). When they post a story about your business or referencing you or your business in any way, use all available methods to THANK them for their kind words. Tag them on Facebook, and tweet out a thanks to them.

2. Do the equivalent of the “reprint.” Re-publish the news at least twice – maybe three times after it happens. Facebook and Twitter news cycles are short these days, so posting an article Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon are likely to expose your story to a different group of folks. If you have over 1500 fans or followers, you should also post the story again later at night (between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.) as well.

3. When you post, drive the traffic to the story via your web site.

How does this all turn readers or viewers or listeners into sales? Again, as in the first edition of Leveraging the Boom: Turn Events into Sales the goal is to make new connections – to capture contacts that you can turn into relationships and then keep as customers for a long and profitable lifetime value of the customer. It’s about short-term tactics that lead to marathon relationships and long-term growth and profitability.

What say you? How have you turned publicity into sales?

Photo Credit: Eivind Z. Molvær