More than a Few Words

One of the things that I love and hate about marketing is the research which allows you to describe your ideal client in very quantitative terms like age, income and level of education. I love this because if gives you a starting point for your marketing. The thing I don't love is that it puts people in very narrow boxes.  Too often we lose sight of the fact that our target customers are more than...

We are living in a video world.  Our guest Chris Weiher thinks video should be in the tool kit of every small business.  The mistake he thinks many business owners make is thinking they need to commit to video forever, and forever is intimidating.  Instead, he says start small and learn as you go. 

I am sure you think this headline is a mistake, that I meant to say something else, but I really mean this. If you want to build a successful business in a vibrant marketplace, you will grow faster if you help your competitors. Before you decide I am completely crazy, consider the following: You don’t know everything. Hanging around with other business owners in the same industry gives you a chanc...

Google wants you to succeed and in this conversation with Stormy Knight, we talk about what they're doing to help you do just that. Remember that Google's main product is great search results. While they have some of the most comprehensive data bases in the world, they may not have the detailed information about your business.  Your Google My Business Profile helps fill in some of the blanks that...

How do you decide which marketing tactics to try? Megan Prejzner says you should start with business goals in mind. Boil it all down to the ones which are going to move your business goals forward and forward the fastest. Don't be overwhelmed by choices and then wind up doing nothing because of analysis paralysis. Look at your business, get clear on what you are trying to achieve and select the on...

Even new, completely innovative products have competition. Long before your product comes into the market, customers have found ways to solve their problems. Understanding who your real competitors are is critical to your business success. As you analyze your competitors, it can be helpful to think about the three levels of competition. Level One. These companies solve the customer’s problem with...

While you don't want to change your brand frequently, guest Amanda Guerassio  suggests there are signs you are ready for a refresh.   If you designed your logo yourself when you started your business, and the branding suite just isn't as professional as you would like Your business has changed direction or target and the design suite no longer reflects you company The brand relied on "trendy" colo...

I know you think you are a business owner not a salesperson but everybody really is a salesperson. In this conversation with Tracey Beavers we explored ways you can create sales without "selling" She suggests you start by being yourself.  The reason no one likes to think of themselves as a salesperson because there are so many bad salespeople out there. They're aggressive, spammy, weird. and annoy...

Too often inventors and entrepreneurs fall in love with their idea. Just because it can be built, does not mean it should be.  Before you launch your business, you need to answer a really important questions.  Does anyone really want your product? That’s where research comes in helping you determine how many individuals or businesses have a need for your product or service and, more important, how...

Many small business owners startup a business or launch a product with little or no budget. I asked successful founder, Jason Hubbard about some of  the mistakes businesses make when they jump into the game.  He told me the biggest mistake people make jumping in is underestimating how long it will take to get to a place where it is actually a sustainable business.  The underestimate how long that'...

Small business owners, particularly solo entrepreneurs often forget that their personal and business on-line security are tightly intertwined.   Guest Josh Summers says that a focus on security begins by separating yourself from your business. For example many people will register their company with their home address. Unfortunately, that address becomes part of the public record, for years and ye...

If you're a smart traveler you know can't head out on a long road trip without some kind of map or directions.  Without that there's a chance you'll get lost, drive in the wrong direction, show up late or never actually arrive. When it comes to driving your business your map is your business plan. Now I know lots of business owners put off writing a formal plan because they think it's going to be...

In this episode we talk about mentors, how to find one and how to be one. Why? Because even if we think that we're running our business' completely on our own it helps to have people to turn to for advice and information. Guest, and today my guest Kate Chernis Bradley, Founder & CEO of Lately shared some of the lessons learned from her mentors over the years. For example, when giving feedback, rem...

Before we roll in 2023, I thought it would be fun to go back and revisit some of my favorite podcast interviews from last year. With more than 125 to choose from, this was no small feat. But I think you're really going to like the episodes I've pulled together. There’s a conversation I had with Laura Templeton about networking conversations. As you know, I love a good networking event. I love a ch...

“Welcome to More than a Few Words, a marketing conversation for business owners. This is your host Lorraine Ball. “ I have a version of that phrase hundreds of times over the last thirteen years. Yes, today is actually the thirteenth year anniversary of this podcast. As I get ready to embark on another year of podcasting,  I thought it would be fun to share a few things I’ve learned along the way...

 What is the fastest least expensive way to get clients? Guest, Gall Doby suggests  there is one strategy that people often ignore, and it's right in front of them.  Looking for new sales? Start with your current clients. Almost every single client ( assuming you are doing a good job) will be willing to do business with you in a different way. Maybe it is an add-on to their project, a few more thi...

My favorite day on my most recent vacation was the day we got lost. We had an idea of what we wanted to do but we made a wrong turn. Instead of worrying about it we simply embraced the chaos. We stumbled upon a great art exhibit and a delicious restaurant. The lesson from that day came back to my business with me.  I have very specific goals and clear outline of what I want to do on a regular basi...

In this episode, I chat with Sasha Willis about authenticity and why it is so important to be authentic in all of your content and branding.  Sasha advocates for  showing up as yourself because people really tune into that.  It is especially true  when it comes to business interactions.  People want to feel they know who they are working with and who they're paying their money to. Sasha Willis is...

You've Got Mail! Do you remember when those three little words used to make you smile?  It's hard to believe it's been more than 25 years since we first logged onto the internet via a very slow dial-up modem to hear those words. And, as in any long-term relationship our feelings about email have changed over time We have gone from early love as we looked forward to an update in our inbox to the du...

Why should you make a to do list before you go to sleep?  It is a way of training your brain . Guest Elizabeth Louis, says when you do that you're getting it into you unconscious brain so you wake up the next morning knowing exactly what you need to do and where you need to go.  You start the day in the flow.  Typically when you're when you're not able to sleep at night it is because you're strugg...

I am a serious coffee drinker. A typical morning starts with two full mugs of coffee, after which I'm ready to face the world. So when I was in Italy a few weeks ago I was worried that the little cup of cappuccino they put in front of me wouldn't be enough.  Funny thing, it was.  The rich full flavor satisfied my coffee taste requirement and that expresso packed a powerful punch.  So as I sipped m...

When it comes to finding your ideal client Jonny Cooper thinks of the process like a three legged stool.  You need all three pieces.  Without one of the three, the stool falls over.   The first one is to identify a type of person for whom we can solve a big expensive problem. This should be someone who's suffering with something really important to them, a life changing challenge we can solve for...

When it comes to content marketing you need to be playing the long game. It is unrealistic to think  you're going to throw a blog post out there today and get results tomorrow. But, if you invest in consistently creating good quality content it will pay off eventually. You're not going to double your traffic overnight but those blog posts will build value over time.  You will see content  you wrot...

Your customers go through many steps and phases as you work with them, so your marketing needs to reflect where they are in their customer journey.   Guest, Ellen McDowell shares tips on how to segment your customers into three groups and create marketing messages for those looking to get to know you, those ready to take the next step and those who have completed their journey,    If you enjoyed t...

When I was a kid and the doorbell rang I would jump up and fling the door open in the hopes of entertaining a neighbor, friend or unexpected guest. But things have changed. We're a lot more cautious these days about who we invite into our homes and into our businesses. This creates real challenges for companies, particularly in the home service industry. How do you overcome this reluctance? The tr...