Your Marketing Organized
October 14, 2008 by junaid
One of the most difficult tasks for small business owners, when it comes to marketing, is organization. Until you start to look at marketing as one of the core systems in your business it will always feel like a disjointed and disconnected thing that you know you must do when you can get around to it. And that’s no way to build momentum.
I find that it’s helpful for many people to look at marketing in the traditional org chart fashion. See, here’s the deal, even if it’s just you and Louie, he does this, you do that, you need an org chart for your business. Here’s why. No matter how many actual people you have in your organization, your business has many functions, it’s just that they are being done – or not being done – by just you and Louie.
Startups in uncertain economic times
October 6, 2008 by junaid
Yes it can work. In fact, most startups thrive on times like these. *melodramatic on* it’s times like these that true business heroes come to the party, seperates the contenders from the pretenders *melodramatic off*
South Africa has HUGE potential, sure the US economy is falling apart but thats life, its a circle – you have your ups and you can be certain that you’ll have your downs. Take it as it comes, be consistent and dedicated and it will work.
I’ve seen it before and I’m sure I’ll see it again.
Whenever a business cycle starts to falter, the media start wringing their hands. Then big businesses do, freelancers, entrepreneurs and soon everyone is keening.
People and organizations that have no real financial stress start to pull back, “because it’s prudent.” Now is not the time, they say. They cut budgets and put off investments. It’s almost as if everyone is just waiting for an excuse to do less.
In fact, they are.
Growth is frightening for a lot of people. It brings change and the opportunity for public failure. So if the astrological signs aren’t right or the water is too cold or we’ve got a twinge in our elbow, we find an excuse. We decide to do it later, or not at all.
What a shame. What a waste.
Inc. magazine reports that a huge percentage of companies in this year’s Inc. 500 were founded within months of 9/11. Talk about uncertain times.
But uncertain times, frozen liquidity, political change and poor astrological forecasts (not to mention chicken entrails) all lead to less competition, more available talent and a do-or-die attitude that causes real change to happen.
If I wasn’t already running my own business, today is the day I’d start one
Patience and Passion
October 5, 2008 by aladin
Patience is the key to success to people who are starting their own business, or business owners themselves. It is true that time is your constant companion but never works at the paste at which you’d like.
The people who are starting their own business often gets frustrated because they want things happen now as they had planned. However, rushing never helps.
For example, you just started your own website, and you spend hundreds of dollars advertising your website. But you are missing the main point – the quality of content on your website, or the quality of products you carry. Your prospects visit your website and leave shortly after. If you run a blog, your visitors need to see things that can turn into values into their lives. If you are selling your products you need to convince your prospects so they can become customers. You might carry great products but that’s not enough to convince your prospects. Adding quality content such as “live demo”, or gather “testimonials” should be your primary focus before focusing on marketing. You need patience for people to spread postive feedbacks about your products. You need patience to find the right employees. [Read more]
Selling bottled tap water
October 4, 2008 by junaid
Proof that anything can be sold, if its marketed properly and managed professionally. I’ve noticed in recent years, people are willing to pay for ‘convenience’. Bottled water, que for your services, home delivery. They all are willing to pay a premium for this convenience.
Perhaps our lives have become so busy and frantic, we try to take the shortcut whenever possible to save on time, irrespective of the additional costs.
As counter-intuitive as it may seem, New York tap water is incredibly fresh and pure. It comes from a reservoir in upstate New York and, as it wends its way to the city, it is filtered, processed, cleaned, and purified.
Entrepreneur Craig Zucker has begun bottling and selling New York City tap water. After running water through a reverse-osmosis system that removes chlorine and impurities, he markets it under the name Tap’d NY. A 20-ounce bottle runs $1.50, a fairly high price for bottled water.
On the bright side, Tap’d NY doesn’t need to be shipped from the mountains of Vermont, the Springs of Maine, or the rocky beaches of Fiji, which means that it is, actually, a comparatively green option.
On the other hand, even irony-enhanced New Yorkers might have a hard time shelling out cash for something they already get for free!Â
One to try in South African cities? I myself always drink tap water at home. Joburg has clean, pure & health tap water.