Great Products Don’t Sell Themselves
May 17th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
Business is about creating great products and sharing them with buyers. However, many new business professionals get the impression that their products will sell themselves. In reality, no project can succeed unless you market it appropriately. Here are a few facts about marketing products and steps you can take to see financial success.
Consumers Can’t Buy Products They Don’t Know
Perhaps the most important key of marketing is ensuring that people know about your product. Many of the best products ever invented are no longer produced or suffered because nobody knew about them. Coupled with recognition, some products sell with minimal advertising, but customers must know that your product exists before they can buy it.…
Job Rotation Key to Finding Problems and Opportunities in Your Business
May 10th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
As a business owner, you most likely have the common sense to know that you must be able to delegate your employees to watch your business grow successfully. However, while that might be true, it is also important to never distance yourself entirely from your company. While delegating tasks to others may free up your time, you also risk stepping too far away from certain activities or duties that could make or break your business. Here are reasons why you should rotate jobs within your company to make sure your business runs smoothly as a whole:
What Works Right Now May Not Always Be Best
You may have a current system in place that is working, whether it is in product research and development or customer service.…
Having Trouble Getting Your Business Noticed? There’s a Sign for That!
May 6th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
It is a known fact that signs can make or break your business: a great sign is the deciding factor whether a customer stops into your store or continues on to your competitor. Factors such as design, size and wording can mean a world of difference between standing out and getting lost in the crowd. According to a new survey conducted by FedEx Office, nearly 76 percent of consumers say they would try a store for the first time based solely on its sign, while roughly 68 percent said they have bought products because the sign grabbed their attention.…
Name Tags Do More than Identify Servers in Your Restaurant
April 29th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
When running a restaurant there are hundreds of things that need immediate attention and overlooking any part can spell disaster for the business. It is a highly competitive industry that relies heavily on word-of-mouth referrals. So taking a few moments to fine-tune the finishing touches in the restaurant’s presentation can set the establishment apart from competitors. A well-presented restaurant usually has a team of smiling, enthusiastic staff members who are easily identified by a uniform. Often this work wear includes a name tag, either embroidered on the shirt or with a badge. Insisting on all staff members wearing a name tag may seem outdated, but the advantages for your business are well worth it.…
Be a Boss, Not Bossy: Why Bosses Can’t Be Bullies
April 15th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
Many businesses have made changes for the better in order to survive the uncertain economy by asking employees to make sacrifices by cutting hours and suspending raises. However, other employers are using the recession to force workers to produce more products in less time for even less pay. These bosses create difficult, nearly impossible working conditions, putting unhealthy stress on their employees. Here are some of the dangers that can stem from working for one of these companies, some qualities to watch out for, and what bosses can do to ensure they are treating their employees fairly:
Abusive Bosses in the News
Most notably, former Rutgers coach Mike Rice made the news when a video of him physically and verbally abusing his players during practice made headlines.…
How to Make Your Business Stand Out from the Competition
April 5th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
The dream to one day own and run your own commercial venture often remains a dream. The business world is highly competitive and the survival rate is fiercely cruel. Many people try to break into the market, only to fail. To make it through the first year takes more than just a great idea. It takes much planning and great sacrifice. But with your eyes fixed firmly on the goal, this dream can become a reality, no matter how humble and lean those first few years are. The key to success in the cutthroat environment of the business world is to make your operation different.…
Restaurants: Choosing a New Point of Sale System
March 29th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
Restaurants are dynamic businesses. While many things stay the same, others are constantly changing. Keeping up with technology is a great way for restaurants to lower overhead costs and improve efficiency. The Point of Sale system you pick for your restaurant is one such piece of technology that can affect every other aspect of your business. However, the ideal Point of Sale for your business depends on several unique factors.
Priorities for Your Restaurant
The first thing to consider in looking at a new POS system is you budget. Look at what you’re spending now and make that your ceiling. Ideally, you’ll improve on that, but you might find a system that offers more benefits for the same money.…
Mobile Marketing Vital to Small Business, But Be Careful
March 26th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
What Small Businesses Need to Know About Mobile Marketing and the FTC
Mobile Internet searches rise by 200% year over year, which means an increasing number of people are looking for businesses to meet their needs while they’re on the go. Companies like Google are capitalizing on this trend by offering mobile marketing platforms to small businesses. Google Maps in particular best represents the potential that such platforms can have.
Mobile Marketing and Google Maps
The Google Maps app is the unofficial universal standard for mobile navigation. Maps provides consumers with accurate, easy-to-follow maps and directions to any destination they type in.…
8 Ways to Grow your Restaurant Business Using Facebook
March 15th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
Facebook has a great potential to reach your customer base quickly. Whether you are a new eatery or have been in business for years, Facebook can help you reach out to your local client base with real PR. Small town restaurants as well as big city bistros can use Facebook to turn their communities into a fan base. Here are a few tips to help.
1. Sign Up for a Facebook Page
This may seem obvious, but many restaurants don’t take advantage of free web opportunities like Facebook. These businesses don’t usually claim their Google Places or Manta accounts either. Part of doing business in the 21st century is taking advantage of all the free listings and media available on the web.…
5 Tips to Protect Your Small Business from Hackers
March 12th, 2013 Posted by dmcclain
For any business, having even a single employee or customer account compromised as the result of a hacker can be completely devastating. Clients want to know the personal information they give to third parties is safe at all times, and if your business collects credit card numbers, addresses or other identifying characteristics from your clients, it’s important that this information is held in the highest regard.
For a small business, this can be especially difficult due to budgetary constraints, but spending a little extra on security now can save your company thousands in the long run. There are a number of steps to take to make sure that your company does not fall victim to an attack.…
