Small Business Success

What does it really take to grow a small business 

without all the stress, struggle and late nights?

Have you ever noticed how some people’s businesses draw customers like kids to a candy store? You know those entrepreneurs…

They’re always booked out way in advance. They are making sales in their sleep thanks to their hard-working websites and marketing. Plus they somehow have time for things like vacations and a life outside of work.

Then there are the businesses that have a truly worthwhile product or service, but never quite seem to get off the ground. They get a few customers here or there and kind of eek along. Unfortunately, they are usually just this side of closing their doors.

Somewhere in between are the folks stuck on the never-ending feast or famine roller coaster.

If you had to choose, it would be a steady flow of customers over the other two options any day.

If you truly have a useful, quality product or service there is no reason why you can't do the same. After all, there is a whole sea of potential customers out there.

You just have to know how to use consistent, strategic marketing to open the floodgates and have them start pouring through your door.

The truth is...Creating winning, sales-making marketing initiatives takes time (usually far more time than most entrepreneurs realize), experience, careful planning and implementation

Successful marketing isn’t just about writing a great ad or creating an interesting Website.

It’s about your unique company vision and communicating it to the world. It's about getting the attention of your ideal client—over and over—until they simply can’t live without the incredible benefits of your products or services any longer. It's about making sure you see results!

Contact Night Owl to attract new customers like kids to a candy store and see winning business initiatives for your company.

Remember that nothing happens until you take action.

In the words of Tory Johnson - 

"Do you want to turn your passion into profit? 

Then it takes a little spark & a lot of hustle!"

You have the passion. We have your spark & hustle! 

NKOTBSB Marketing Tips

Just in case you have not heard New Kids On The Block is touring with Back Street Boys this summer. I am from a particular generation where NKOTB were THE boy band. Recently, I attended the concert in my home town. My friend got tickets from a client & invited me. I have to confess we squealed like school girls at the thought of going to this concert. So I wanted to share with you what I learned from this summer tour.

1. 30-40 year old women make up a huge target audience for any business.

Yes, even if you sell toupee's for men, do not ever forget this target audience. They have become the money makers of their families. They are the decision makers & they are bright, so don't try to fool them with cheap imitation. These women are savvy & will stay loyal to you if you are real, accessible & give quality. Our downtown area was wall to wall women in this age group with money to spend. While I realize every business is not a boy band, we can all learn from their marketing ideas.

2. Surround yourself with 10's.

I learned this concept from a business girlfriend of mine, Cindy Morrison. NKOTBSB did exactly this with production, collaboration & tour. They put aside egos & partnered for a profitable business venture. It is important that you surround yourself with people who make you better. Don't be the smartest one at your business table.

3. Don't ever give up.

No matter what the circumstance, no matter what happens in life, or your career, don't quit striving. NKOTBSB looked better, sounded better & gave a performance that rivaled their 1999 tour. They were written off until this summer tour. No one would have thought they could make a come back to this level. They will make more money from this one tour than what they have made in their careers. Both bands kept working, improving & seeking others who would improve their careers. They are in better physical shape than in their 20's. I bet if you asked them a few years ago if this would happen they would have told you, "Yes!" & you would not have laughed.  It did not happen over night, they didn't quit. In the infamous words of NKOTB... "Hang Tough!" don't give up, keep striving & improving.

"Everybody's always talkin' 'bout who's on top.
Don't cross our path 'cause you're gonna get stomped.
We ain't gonna give anybody any slack.
And if you try to keep us down we're gonna come right back,
and you know we're
Hangin' tough, hangin' tough, hangin' tough.
Are you tough enough?
Hangin' tough, hangin' tough, hangin' tough. We're rough!" 
~New Kids on The Block 

Learning from Oprah

Oprah Winfrey is a marketing guru. Her team has done an excellent job creating her business empire over the last 25 years. There are pages & pages we could write about what we learned from Oprah so we are going to concentrate on her last show.

Connect
It's all about the connection with your clients, team, vendors & business friends. How are you connecting with the people in your business life? Do you take time to really know them?

Embrace
Oprah has changed over the past 25 years. Not only has she changed, she has embraced those who might be seen as her enemies. Are you willing to encircle with others that might not share your business point of view? How are you embracing change? Your business will not only survive, it will thrive once you embrace new concepts, successful business people in your industry & necessary changes needed for your business life.

Liberate
It's import that your business, no matter what the industry, have a redeeming quality. Oprah is queen of delivering information that is useful in life. When some think of  the word "liberate" they have a  bad connotation. Liberate is to set-free, release, redeem.  How do you release who you are in your work life? Do you provide information that will liberate your clients, team members, business friends & vendors? If you do, they will be telling all their friends which will grow your business life.

Love
Yes we said love. Oprah didn't necessarily sell us on love. She did show how love should be the basis of all our actions even in business. When you act out of goodness, love, goodwill, your business will receive love. Some of you are saying, "But love doesn't pay the bills". Love may not pay the bills, but the business it will bring you will. Some of you are saying, "What's love got to do with it!". Love should be the basis for all our actions, personal & business.  What is the heart of your business? Find it & you will be successful.

Share what you have learned for your business from Oprah Winfrey.

5 Tips for your Facebook Business Page

1. Be authentic and make it interesting.

Your Facebook page is the face and personality of your business. People relate better to genuine and conversational messages. Be helpful and informative. Make sure your content is not always commercial. Mix it up by posting interesting news that may be going on in your industry.

2. Be active and review your page.

Post something new at least 4-5 times a week. Keep them informed about what you’re doing. Post pictures of your business or something fun. Check your page daily. Sometimes people will post spam messages on your wall. Eliminate it immediately.

3. Keep it short and simple.

Your message must be concise to  quickly capture attention. This allows users to read and engage.

4. Engage and listen to your customers.

If someone posts a question on your wall, reply back to them immediately. Encourage customer engagement by asking for feedback on products. Sometimes customers may leave negative feedback, address it immediately and take this feedback into consideration. This can provide helpful insights on how to improve your business.

5. Create goodwill.

If someone “likes” your page, thank them personally. It is good to show your appreciation and will be a positive reflection. If they have a business page, "like" that page in turn. Share links that relate to your message or for business partners.