52 Ways I Improved My Business

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12 May 2010 11 CommentsBy Sarah Shaw

With the current economy in such a state of flux, I asked my loyal Entreprenette Experts to share what changes they felt “required” to make in their business to survive……that ended up being wonderful additions they were grateful they had made. There are a lot of tips and tricks you can implement in your business – Let me know if you try one and how it turns out. Thanks again to all of you fabulous experts for your awesome contributions…… and for your honesty and willingness to share.

1. Get Searched!

The change I am grateful for: Invest in search engine optimization. As a local business owner, if you aren't being found in Google and Yahoo when people look for your business, what's the point in having a website? No matter how good it looks, if your website isn't being found naturally, it's useless. Your website is your best sales person and search engine optimization allows the little guys to compete, especially on a local level.

Thanks to: Anthony Adams of Dallas Roofing Company.

2. Take Your Business Mobile

The change I am grateful for: Before I was forced to cut back due to the economy, if I forgot anything at the office when traveling between meetings, I was forced to drive back to the office or contact my virtual assistant (which costs money). I decided to purchase software that allowed me to sync my laptop, desktop and Blackberry. Now, if I forget anything, I have access to it regardless of where I am. It is a small investment that has saved on gas costs and has minimized my virtual assistant expenses.

Thanks to: Michael Grosheim of The Social Tweep.

3. I changed my mind!

The change I am grateful for: When the economy winds began to blow differently, it caused me to become more creative with the way I think about business as a whole. Once I changed my mind on how I viewed it and the economic environment, I was able to see ideas and resources that I would not have used previously, no matter how good. When you change your perspective, new solutions just fall out of the sky!

Thanks to: Chrystal Simmons of Chrystalyn.

4. The change I am grateful for

The change I am grateful for: I purchased new shelving to store my inventory, which makes packing and fulfilling orders MUCH easier. I was making do with shelves that didn't fit the merchandise and spent way to much time looking for the right item to ship to my buyer. With the new shelving system my packing time is cut in half. Moral: sometimes repurposing things is good but in many cases having the right tool for the job saves time and money. The new shelves have done both!

Thanks to: Charlene Anderson of Purveyor of All Things Creative.

5. Love them or hate them...

The change I am grateful for: Vista Print works.Take advantage of all the free offers that Vista Print gives you.I get postcards business cards and magnets. We order about once a month. I wait for there "free" downloads.I use these items to put different pictures of products. I have a couple of different lines that customers that have ordered, might not see. Then in each order I throw in the cards, magnets etc. of different products. The cards look professional, and I have gotten many orders and uprgrades from doing this.

Thanks to: Jackie Kaufman of Rock My World, Inc..

6. Show You're Harmless!

The change I am grateful for: Show you're harmless by purchasing and displaying secure shopping badges to let your visitors know their personal information will be safe with you. This increases trust, which is important for starting new relationships with customers

Thanks to: Danny Wong of Custom Men's Dress Shirts | BL.

7. Recycle, Reuse, Rework

The change I am grateful for: I have always used found objects and vintage in elements in some of my jewelry, though lately I have been using more and more. I try to buy "stuff" in bulk - like a whole box of tangled and broken jewelry from a tag sale or flea market. By using these less expensive elements, rather than new, I am able to charge less for the piece. If I save, the buyer saves too!

Thanks to: Jill DeCrenza of Moonlight Beadworks.

8. Enjoy your work

The change I am grateful for: Taking the time to call and meet your clients means the difference between doing a job and enjoying a job. Many clients are used to poor service and your personal touch can make a big difference in how you are perceived. When you speak to someone you give a better impression if you SMILE while you talk. It actually promotes a positive impression and makes people want to associate with you.

Thanks to: Robin Downes of Robin Downes Design.

9. "Send the Boss Home" Bonus

The change I am grateful for: When I needed to shift to off-premise management of our restaurant, we implemented a "Send the Boss Home" bonus. It created a triple-win: 1) More of our staff requested to be trained as food managers and shift leaders. 2) The staff developed a team spirit as employees covered each others' emergencies. 3) I was freed to manage off-premise. Now I show up to chat, run a meeting, train a new employee or bring paychecks. Otherwise, they hardly see me and they are running a profitable business.

Thanks to: Marnie Swedberg of The Leadership Development Club.

10. Stop the drains!

The change I am grateful for: I determined what one or two things that were really irritating me, and got rid of them. If there was an energy drain, I hunted it down and eliminated it, whether it was crazy maker friends, or an expectation that I really wasn't interested in fulfilling anymore. Freed up so much time, and space for thinking and doing!

Thanks to: Julia Trops of Canadian Artist Julia Trops.

11. E-mail Marketing

The change I am grateful for: The number one change that helped my business in this economic climate was e-mail marketing. I have a newsletter that I send out consistently every month. The result of sending this newsletter out via e-mail every month has resulted in getting new clients and having clients return to buy our services. We use e-mail marketing services to give the newsletter a professional look.

Thanks to: Derrick Guest of Griot's Roll Film Production .

12. Drop Them!

The change I am grateful for: We evaluated our providers for account performance, & relation to ease of doing business with. For example did we have to constantly be on a provider to complete a job. When things came in were they done on time and up to our standards. A provider that was excellent on the quality but difficult in every other aspect was dropped. We have quickly realized that we are now not only saving money but we have less stress! So if someone is hard to work with consider the drop! You won't regret it!

Thanks to: Julie DeFruscio of Girly Girl Studio.

13. Become a Socialite

The change I am grateful for: Before I got laid off from my prestigious fundraising job, my 22 year old intern asked if I was blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting, etc. What? Blah blah blah. I might as well have been speaking to one of my donors in China.

He was right.

Blogging, Twitter and Facebook have been cornerstones of my marketing plan, and helped build my Hollywood brand pretty quickly. So get social ladies and gentlemen. Seriously.

Thanks to: Maxine Tatlonghari of Vanity Girl Hollywood.

14. Moved my office

The change I am grateful for: The change that I made that I am grateful for is the move of my office from downtown Main Street to a home office. I LOVE my new office and love working from home but most of all I love not having to pay over $1000 in rent each month!

Thanks to: Michelle Dunn of Michelle Dunn, Writer & Columnist.

15. Invest Your Energies Wisely

The change I am grateful for: If there is one thing you'll learn in business, it will be to invest your energies wisely. This single act of wisdom will set the solid foundation for great things to occur in your career. How does one make the decisions that will show a good ROI? Follow your instincts. If a situation looks good on the outside and does not resonate well with you on the inside, DON'T do it. Listen to how people talk. Are they creating value for both your businesses? Always invest your energies wisely!

Thanks to: Mary Winkenwerder.

16. Focused Blocks are a Must

The change I am grateful for: With a 'multi-task mentality' and work environment chock-full of rapid fire emails, tweets, IMs 'and latest news, it's difficult to concentrate at a high level to output your best ideas and work. Find 'blocks' of time where you don't answer emails or check twitter and focus solely on thinking and planning, even by getting outside for a 30 minute run or walk. The result is high quality and rewarding work where the freshest and brightest ideas are born to grow your business.

Thanks to: Elisette Carlson of Smack! Media.

17. Change I made

The change I am grateful for: I've started asking my clients for more feedback about what services they'd like me to provide for them or what areas could use some change or improvement. This has given me so many interesting ideas and insights - and has also added another level of communication between me and my clients and "coachees". This has been great!

Thanks to: Lizzy Shaw of Lizzy Shaw Public Relations.

18. Focus on quality not price!

The change I am grateful for: I found that the economic crisis has made a lot of people including myself to think twice before spending their hard earned money on anything.
But instead of making cheaper items and lowering my prices l focused on designs that depicted my brand's image 100%, are top quality and come with top notch customer service.
As a result, my gross income is far less than it used to be but my profit the same if not slightly rising.

Thanks to: fani vogiatzi of maslinda.

19. Finding Partners

The change I am grateful for: When I first started in business I thought that I could do everything myself. And at first that may have been true, but then I learned that in order to grow my business I had to take on partners. Some of my partners have a percentage of business and others are contractors, but I still view them as partners. When you learn to take on people who can build your business, you will grow a lot faster than if you try to do everything yourself.

Thanks to: Louis Lautman of Young Entrepreneur Society.

20. Lower Your Prices

The change I am grateful for: Adapt to the fluctuating economy via your prices and offers. Some customers like free shipping, while others prefer a percentage discount. Although these actions may seem to decrease your profits initially, they will be worth it overtime as more customers will be able to fit your products into their current budget - more orders will make up for the discounts/offers you've given. Do several tests to determine what's more appealing to your customers or clients.

Thanks to: Linda Tong of KindNotes.

21. Forget Fear!

The change I am grateful for: I re-focused my energy on my passion and even began to build relationships with other people who might be seen as ‘competition’. Fear creates an energy that blocks us from attracting into our lives those people and opportunities that create the business (and the life) that we dream of.
F.E.A.R. = False Evidence Appearing Real”. My advice is to think about what is real, what you want, want you believe in and FORGET FEAR!

Thanks to: Denée King of She Just Got Married .

22. Resistance is Futile

The change I am grateful for: For years, I resisted becoming a member of Facebook, but I finally caved! I took the leap thinking I did not have time for much social networking. I am an Artist...I need to make Art! Well, I reconnected with many friends and ended up making a fan page. I started posting my projects from start to finish and got great feedback which led to sales. It was an unexpected perk!

Thanks to: Michele Palenik of Purple Cloud Studio.

23. Paypal Postage

The change I am grateful for: I am so happy that I finally took advantage of the shipping service provided by Paypal. Since most of my customers pay via Paypal, this has certainly been a time, money, and gas saver for me. I love being able to print my label, pay for postage, and notify my customers of shipment/tracking numbers in one step, done in my own office. No more standing in line at the post office with a cranky toddler! I can drop the packages in my own mailbox, or a post office box while I'm out doing other errands.

Thanks to: Michele Starzec-Ducharme of French Hen.

24. Animoto Videos

The change I am grateful for: I learned to make my own product videos on Animoto.com. I didn't even need a video camera! I started with still photos (some professionally made), selected music on Animoto, added my text, and voila', I had my own product videos sharing my images and messages. This cost about $5 per video, plus 2 or 3 hours of my time, saving me a lot of $. My videos have received attention on Facebook and Youtube (and my website), helping me reach more customers.

Thanks to: Jenny Pavlovic of 8 State Kate Press.

25. Find your Niche

The change I am grateful for: Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to be all things for all people. This makes marketing difficult since your pool is too large to reach effectively, and you are often tempted to take on projects that are not your strength. Find and choose a niche and stick to it as closely as you can. This makes marketing your products or services easier, and allows you to go to market as a true expert.

Thanks to: Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk of BBR Marketing.

26. Two Heads Are Better Than One!

The change I am grateful for: The one change I made this past year was taking on a partner. Two heads are REALLY better than one and I would recommend it to anyone in business! It allowed me to think much bigger about my services and business goals and it totally changed my mojo and shifted our sales program into high gear. It was the best thing I could have ever done!

Thanks to: Sandie Glass of Sandstorm inc..

27. Five Star Team

The change I am grateful for: Create a team of all stars. Find people that are experts in their field that believe in you and in your business. Build a relationship with them and ask them for their advice.

A lot of the time we think we know everything with our business, but sometimes we are too close to it to see things clearly.

By creating a team of all stars they can support you and help you build your business.

Thanks to: Kathy Dalton of Little Stinker.

28. No Checks for 50 Points

The change I am grateful for: There have been so many changes around this home office in 2010 that we can't help but win! One that makes me smile is the brainstorming session we had with our financial advisers, and hearing each of them say that I am not especially gifted with balancing a checkbook. Did I spell it right? So today when I show up the event is already paid for. Grocery orders are filled upon request and life could not be sweeter! I get to focus on what I do well, and my team gets to handle the rest! Aah!

Thanks to: Adelaide Zindler of HomeOfficeMommy.com.

29. Get Out & Get Involved

The change I am grateful for: I have an online business and had developed few connections in my niche (green) in my community. This year I joined several green groups and have been been invited to participate in several educational expos. As a result, I've been invited to teach a class to a large gathering and learned about places to network with potential new clients. Win-win.

Thanks to: Reena Kazmann of Eco-Artware.com.

30. I Stopped Working. YOU CAN TOO

The change I am grateful for: One of the best changes I made this year was to STOP WORKING on projects & tasks that weren't worth my time!

Once you clearly understand the value of your own time as a business owner, it becomes super easy to decide where to spend you time -- and for which things you should OUTSOURCE to others.

If you don't have immediate access to qualified freelancers locally you can start with my 3 favorite places (free!) to post jobs & get bids (within hours!): http://bit.ly/find-qualified-freelancers

Thanks to: Kenny Jahng of Big Click Syndicate LLC.

31. Keepin' it all in the family!

The change I am grateful for: By allowing family to help. My mom is a bookkeeper by trade and for years I would not let her near my business. Well, she's able and willing and I'm grateful for her love.

Thanks to: Susan Newton of BadaBadaBingo.com.

32. Don't overstock

The change I am grateful for: I made the decision for 2010 not to overstock my inventory.
Having too much on hand inventory drains your cash flow. I realized that I offer a wide range of custom jewelry, all which the supplies can be attained in a short amount of time. I realized that it was smarter and more cost efficient to carry less product and materials on hand, and order on an as needed basis. My turnaround is still quick (2 weeks or less) and my clients are happy. Meanwhile I have more operating capital.

Thanks to: Sarah Radford of Chic Gems Jewelry.

33. Give to others

The change I am grateful for: Having my own business allows me to be a mini-philanthropist. I am grateful that I can give my multiplication tables workbook to children in foster care and homeless shelters. In these difficult times, we must help others. Philanthropy should be part of your brand. Customers appreciate this.

Thanks to: Eugenia Francis of TeaCHildMath.

34. Write It!

The change I am grateful for: This is cheap, but so effective! Get a calendar with space to write and a good size to keep in your briefcase or tote. The one I use was a freebie. Using colorful pens write in your yearly, quarterly, etc goals. Put in reasonable mini-goals to keep you focused on the big goal. Once a week, do a "meeting" with yourself to evaluate. Make (color coded) to-do lists on legal pads toward the mini-goals. With this system I was able to remove some of the techie/costly things on my phone. $ saved!

Thanks to: Sandy Wheeler of Sandy Wheeler Travel Specialties.

35. Power of 'NO'....

The change I am grateful for: I learnt to say NO, more often to business which was not in line with my focused Goal. Result was awesome, I started connecting to customers suitable for my work and Price.

I asked for realistic delivery time and delivered on or before time. I said NO to many customers where delivery was not within my reach.

With the help of word 'No" managed secured and sustained New businesses.

A word of caution, NO must be very very polite, offering reasons and without offending customers.

Thanks to: Naresh Vij of Kaveri Consultants, India.

36. Market Research & Inventory

The change I am grateful for: Expanding inventory to include a variety of new product categories and lower priced items is something I'm definitely grateful for. In this down economy consumer is looking for bargains and spends with caution, so make sure you are offering what customers are interested in buying, at the price they are willing to pay.

Thanks to: Denis Stepansky of ItsHot.com.

37. Lickety-Split Brand Building

The change I am grateful for: Rather than focusing on selling, selling, selling... Instead, I took a break and tried a different tack! PLATFORM BUILDING. I had a blast... I gave myself 30 days to create a video project called 30 Days of Genius... Where I invited others to live into their Genius, as well as committed to mine. It was such a fun way to get the juices flowing around my passions, and what I found out was that it built my BRAND lickety-split! THEN, I was able to step out and sell from a more powerful place.

Thanks to: Christina Morassi of Shamanic Photographer.

38. Hire Qualified Contractors!

The change I am grateful for: In this economy small business owners are nervous to hire a new employee. Hiring contractor really is very helpful as you have someone's help without hiring. It gives you peace of mind that you do not have to fire them. Professional contractors can deliver a lot if you specify in details what tasks you want them to accomplish. If you don't like what they deliver than you do not have to do business with them.

Thanks to: Malini Hoover of www.iaam.com.

39. Outright saved my Outlook!

The change I am grateful for: I bought a candle & gift co. two years ago. I quickly realized the books were not my fav and that one cant compare acctg to decorating, shopping and talking! Well, the books still had to be done so I set out to find some FREE help & I found Outright.com It is a web-based app that accepts Income/Expenses and creates Schedule C's based on the info entered, print & forward 1099's to contractors. You're bookkeeper can grab the profile too. I love it..my life is much easier and it's this is free!

Thanks to: Tammy Scott of Montag Fine Candle & Gift Co..

40. One is the loneliest number

The change I am grateful for: As a solo-preneur I was responsible for all of it and there never seemed to be enough time to work with clients and get the day to day operational work done. Now I am working with an assistant. I now have a reliable person who makes the calls does the admin work and helps keep me focused. Because of her I'm getting the collateral material developed for sale and getting back to focusing on what I love not the mundane. She is so worth it!!!

Thanks to: Harriet Cohen of Training Solutions.

41. Social Media Shazam!

The change I am grateful for: I made the jump to obtaining a facebook fan page. Business has increased an incredible amount since doing this, I've had to hire help since making this change and now I'm no longer a 1-woman operation. Adding a social media aspect to my marketing/advertising plan was something I'm incredibly thankful I did. It has helped me a great deal to get to know my customers needs/wants even better in a fun, relaxed, casual & low pressure environment. Long live social media!

Thanks to: Heather Niziolek of Goosie Girl Boutique.

42. Recession Proof Markets

The change I am grateful for: I recently took a long hard look at my product lines. This led to the revamping of current products and creation of new ones. No matter how much or little people have to spend they will still spend money on a couple of markets. Weddings, Funerals, Births and Animals...I called it Married, Buried, Barking or Born. Thus I have made a few tweaks and developed new products to cater to these markets. Married is where I am focusing more energy at the moment.

Thanks to: Dawn Dalto of Dawn Dalto Ceramics.

43. Going Home

The change I am grateful for: I moved my prime office location to my home. Not only has it saved me several thousand dollars a year in overhead, I save gas, and get a lot more accomplished. My candidates and clients don't seem to mind, either.

Thanks to: Joel Libava of Franchise Selection Specialists Inc.

44. Finally get your name in print

The change I am grateful for: Best business decision I made in 2010 is to send out email media pitch letters. This is the most cost effective advice that I can give to any business owner/entrepreneur. To find the appropriate media contacts, begin looking at www.mediaontwitter.com, organize all of the relevant contacts into an Excel spreadsheet, and draft a one-page letter with who you are, what you do, the benefits of your products/service and contact information. Email is most media pros preferred method of communication.

Thanks to: Kristin Marquet of Marquet Communications.

45. Interview YOU!

The change I am grateful for: The one huge change I implemented at the beginning of the year was creating a publicity and promo plan for MYSELF!
Interview YOU and craft a press release about your experience and expertise in your calling. As you begin to talk about yourself and evaluate YOUR assets objectively, you'll develop a sense of appreciation, accomplishment and be filled with the energy of a grateful heart!

Thanks to: Tammy Brackett of Moonstruck Promotions.

46. Just say No!

The change I am grateful for: UNSUBSCRIBE! Consciously decide which 2 or 3 email subscriptions actually serve your business. Invest however many hours it takes to "unsubscribe" from everything else. Enjoy the appetizer: visceral relief – physical, mental and emotional. Devour with gusto the entrée: free time and mental clarity to focus on what moves your business forward. My personal dessert: crystal clarity about my target audience drizzled with purpose and enthusiasm about my lifework!

Thanks to: Nina Durfee of LifeSculpt.

47. Core strengths on growth marke

The change I am grateful for: At the first signs of recession almost two years ago, our PR company assessed its core strengths (writing) and applied them to one of our niches, the one most likely to be rewarding even in the downturn--the healthcare industry. We established a web site to showcase this focus and quickly expanded our services to speciality doctor groups, international healthcare manufacturers and financing firms serving this area It has enabled us to keep our group in tact and maintain workflow.

Thanks to: Susan Carol of Susan Carol Assoc. Public Relations.

48. Creating a Fab Five

The change I am grateful for: At ODIN we set five 2010 goals and every quarter the executive team defines five goals which support ODIN's annual goals. Each executive's goals are different depending on their functions, but all roll up to the company's annual targets. One goal each quarter is deemed the highest priority. The goals are measurable and definable, so success is clear. Metrics are the key to success. This quarterly refocus keeps any group from becoming a silo or any newbies from being unsure how to prioritize.

Thanks to: Patrick Sweeney of ODIN - RFID Experts.

49. Keep Honest Employees Honest

The change I am grateful for: We added a complete point-of-sale (POS) system and installed a hi-tech video camera system to prevent theft. It stopped the theft out of the coolers, the under-ringing of wine, and the "skimming" of appetizers and other menu add-ons.

The result to the bottom line exceeded expectations. Cost of goods sold remained nearly static, while the gross sales rose about 5%. Another unintended benefits was better overall supervision of employees by the camera system.

Thanks to: Don "Woody" Woodward of Old Firehouse Winery.

50. Launch an email newsletter.

The change I am grateful for: I had discounted having an email newsletter as a not-fit-for-purpose option for one of my businesses, but it's now our primary tool for lead generation, for staying of mind with customers, and is a simple way to offer your clients valuable content and news while reminding them of the products/services that can benefit them. You need a way to stay top of mind with your customers - so what's the media channel they all have in common? More than likely email is your best bet.

Thanks to: Andy Hayes of Travel Online Partners.

51. Comeback Mom Internships

The change I am grateful for: AboutOne's Comeback Mom Internship Program allows us to attract talented and experienced women who want to return to the business world after off-ramping to stay home with kids. Since our company's target market is busy moms with kids, Comeback Moms offer us invaluable experience and insights for product development and marketing. In return, these women develop new skills, polish existing ones, and add business startup experience to their resumes.

Thanks to: Joanne Lang of AboutOne.com.

52. Word-Of-Mouth Still the King

The change I am grateful for: My partner and I joined BNI, an organization that promotes members' business through word-of-mouth marketing. Getting involved, volunteering for committees or other positions, and learning how to better help other members has made a significant impact in our own business. To get started, just go for a visit at your local BNI chapter. Check out as many chapters as you can first before you decide which to join. I truly believe BNI can make a big contribution in your business and in your life.

Thanks to: Patricia Espinoza of CPC Computer Consultants, Inc..

11 Comments »

Chrystal said:
These are fab and what a fantastic concept. I am going to do something like this with industry people i know and give them each credit like you did here. I am saving this and sharing this, too. What a powerful list and it got my brain a turning!

# 12 May 2010 at 6:50 am
Adryenn Ashley said:
Awesome post! All great ideas and fantastic action items! I’ve already put 3 on my to do list for today!

# 12 May 2010 at 9:09 am
Katrine Kubis said:
This is a GREAT post! Thanks for putting all these great tips together, and thanks for including the Comeback Mom Internship Program (tip #51 above). We think it’s a terrific idea and we’re really excited about it.

Anyone interested in learning more may contact AboutOne at info@aboutone.com for additional information.

# 12 May 2010 at 12:32 pm
Johanna Miklos said:
As always: great ideas and suggestions. I love “power of No” – I find myself saying yes to everything and then . . . exhausted.

# 12 May 2010 at 12:36 pm
Sandy (Your Life, Organized) said:
Great tips! Thank you!
Love #51!!

http://www.aboutone.com

# 12 May 2010 at 12:55 pm
Kelly (Your Life, Organized) said:
This is amazing! I had to share it with my friends. Being a backwards ‘Comeback Mom’ it’s nice for me to see what other people are doing to expand their business’. I stayed home with my kids for a long time (as long as we could afford to) and coming back os pretty unnerving. Glad to have a cheat sheet!

# 12 May 2010 at 1:43 pm
Home Office Mommy Magazine » Blog Archive » Balance and the Home Office Mommy said:
[...] Funny things is there was a similar question that we were all asked about how 2010 in shaping up in Sarah Shaw’s Blog. Check it out! Trying to crank out emails and get ready for a meeting with my website mentor, so my [...]

# 12 May 2010 at 2:07 pm
Anna Brindley said:
So grateful for Sarah Shaw!

# 12 May 2010 at 2:25 pm
Olivia said:
This post is extremely good!!! You should be proud of the fact that for many, it will grow or streamline their business. Promoting untold wealth.

I didn’t know about PayPal’s Postage. Anything that will save time, time that equals money, is great.

Thanks so very much,

Ox

# 13 May 2010 at 5:53 am
Stacy said:
I got quite a few great ideas from this post. Thanks, Sarah!

# 13 May 2010 at 11:47 am
Balance around this home office | Home Office Mommy Magazine said:
[...] articles. Funny things is there was a similar question that a bunch of us were asked about 2010 in Sarah Shaw’s Blog. Check it [...]

# 29 July 2010 at 7:53 am