Unconventional Behaviors Of Inspiring Leaders

There are very few great managers. And even fewer great leaders. Making your team happy by displaying behaviors that are expected from you as a manager is hard. But it is even harder to inspire people to follow you, especially if you don’t have direct authority over them.

Leaders are not always perfect. And, sometimes, they are downright quirky. But they display a set of behaviors that make them admired and loved. Let’s look at some of the rare ones.

Great leaders:

Play Devil’s Advocate
Have you ever seen a leader who continuously pushes you to look deeper and challenges status quo by regularly and passionately taking the other side of the argument, even if s(he) agrees with your point of view? My guess is your answer is no. Playing devil’s advocate and ferociously challenging your assumptions works well in scientific experiments, but we rarely see it in business.

Great leaders play the game of 10 “why?”s, asking the question over and over again to test their understanding of the underlying strategy. They defend the opposite point of view just to explore what else their teams forgot to uncover that may be critical to their mission or a project.

It is easy to think that we are right, it soothes our egos. But it takes courage to stand up to and challenge your own experiences, knowledge, ideas.

Take the blame
If there is a blame to be had, great leaders take it on. If there is a credit to be given, they give it away to others. Granted, it’s a very rare behavior, but the one that truly creates a following. Exceptional leaders protect their teams and they are humble when it comes to owning up to the accomplishments.

Couldn’t care less about conventional wisdom

The more you say “it’s never been done” before, the more excited they get about changing that fact. And they build the teams around them that never take no for an answer. It’s hard to manage a team of rebels, but that’s exactly what’s needed to change the norm, to challenge the old, and invent the new.

And they don’t care about the failures, because they know that the only thing that matters is their response to those failures. Failures teach. Circumstances change. Pioneers stumble while shaping the path for others. And that’s okay.

Shut Up

Have you ever been in a meeting when the most senior executive in the room have not spoken a word during the whole meeting? And I don’t mean because (s)he would be on a laptop or a mobile phone doing email. No, rather sitting in the room intently listening to the very important strategic discussion. No? Well, I have. And I have to tell you – it is both a little creepy and awe-inspiring at the same time.

Malcolm Forbes once said: “The art of conversation lies in listening.” Some of the best leaders make it a point to not have their opinions heard right off the bat, but rather sit back and truly listen to what their teams have to say, maybe occasionally asking a question or two. You can get some amazing insights and inspire some great ideas just by sitting there and not contradicting (or agreeing, for that matter) with the opinions of others. Those leaders tell me that it is very hard to do, but tremendously rewarding to exercise this every now and then.

Intentionally seek diversity

We’ve all seen managers surround themselves with “yes” people. We’ve all seen favoritism in our careers – after all, it is human nature to like those that look/speak/dress like us. But exceptional leaders go outside of their comfort zones in recruiting their teams, they intentionally seek diversity of opinions/ages/genders/perspectives/experiences. They don’t want to build an army of “yes” men and women, they want to innovate and evolve. And one can’t do that without the benefits of diversity.

George S. Patton said, “If everyone is thinking the same, then someone isn’t thinking.”  That’s something true leaders try to avoid by building and developing diverse teams.

Invite naiveté

Great leaders are also great innovators. And they know that curiosity and naiveté are critical conditions of innovation. They are humble enough to accept if they don’t know something and smart enough to constantly learn throughout their career.

But they are also sharp enough to know that times change and that no one person can know everything. They ask “why?” and “why not?” constantly, and are always open to reverse mentorship with younger generations realizing that there are some things younger professionals are just smarter about.

Disappear

Understanding how critical it is to sometimes disconnect and reflect, extraordinary leaders will disappear for a while. They will do something else, change their routine, and learn something absolutely new outside of their professional interests. They are masters of creating white space in which creativity thrives. Not only that, they are masters of knowing their limits and when their energy levels need recharging to continue to operate successfully long-term.

What are the rare behaviors you see remarkable leaders display?

Source: http://www.forbes.com

Funniest Super Bowl Ads of All Time

Betty White Snickers Super Bowl Commercial 2010

Obamacare Is Rapidly Catching Up to Its Target Numbers

At a speech in Florida this morning, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that 800,000 people have signed up this month for private health plans though the Obamacare exchanges, bringing the total number to date up to 3 million. An Obama official confirmed the number to me this morning. January isn’t over yet, so both numbers will rise. And, if the pattern of people signing up matches the experience of Massachusetts under Romneycare, we can expect a big surge ahead of the March 31 deadline.

Given that the first two months of the law’s existence were basically lost due to problems with the exchange websites, these latest numbers are interesting because they show that the number of people signing up is beginning to catch up to the projections made before the September 1 rollout—before all the trouble with the websites.

Back then, the Congressional Budget Office predicted that 3.3 million people would sign up for insurance through the exchanges by the end of last year. That obviously didn’t happen. But after essentially losing two month to technical problems, Obamacare appears to be gaining ground. It’s nearly reached that 3.3 million figure two-thirds of the way through January. It no longer seems inconceivable that 7 million could sign up by March 31st, as the CBO had originally projected.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com

Checklist: Starting a Sole Proprietorship

If you are thinking of starting a business as a sole proprietor, below is a checklist of steps to take before you open for business. Keep in mind that your sole proprietorship's start-up requirements might vary from the list below, depending on the specific type of business you are in, and where your business is located.

1. Decide on a business name for your sole proprietorship.

2. Search availability of your sole proprietorship's chosen business name, and for similarity to existing names.

3. Register your sole proprietorship's name (including as a "fictitious business name," if applicable).

4. Obtain business licenses and permits for your sole proprietorship from:

* The federal government.

* Your state government.

* Your local government.

A sole proprietorship offers the least amount of complication in terms of start-up requirements for the different business organizations (i.e. corporation, partnership, etc.) But, to ensure that your new sole proprietorship covers all legal bases and has the best chance for success before opening for business, you may wish to consult an experienced business attorney.


Source: http://www.reuters.com

Customer Follow-Up: You Gotta Do It!

Customers also buy value, but they want to feel valued, as well! They just spent their hard-earned money with your business and want to feel that they are important to your business. And how is this accomplished? Follow-up!

Whether a customer is unsatisfied, satisfied, or super-satisfied after a sale, follow-up is important.

The unsatisfied customer – When a customer is not satisfied for any reason after a sale, follow-up is important to determine the reason for the dissatisfaction. It is a perfect time for a business to make the sale “right” and turn a dissatisfied customer into a satisfied customer. Without follow-up, a business might not ever know that customers were not pleased with their buying experiences. Not only will dissatisfied customers not return to buy again, they are very likely to tell countless others about their dissatisfaction. When this happens, the business not only loses one customer but also runs the possibility of losing other current or potential customers. Remember, it is far less costly and easier to retain current customers than attempt to obtain new ones.

The satisfied customer – Satisfied customers are great, but there is no need to simply be “satisfied” with satisfied customers. A little follow-up that makes customers feel “valued and important” can turn those same customers into cheerleaders for a company. Satisfied customers tell others about their favorable experience with a company. They become low-cost, company ambassadors.

The super-satisfied customer – A business can never have too many super-satisfied customers. In addition to being goodwill ambassadors for a business, the group as a whole can be a gigantic resource for a small business. In essence, they can be a non-paid, in-house market research department. What better way to find out what customers think about your company’s products or services than by asking them?

Following up with customers gives your company the opportunity to

• Gauge the overall satisfaction level of customers
• Increase customer satisfaction from one level to the next
• Determine how your company’s products or services might be improved
• Find out what additional products or services customers desire
• Gain insight into how customers view your competition
• Evaluate employee product knowledge and customer service
• Understand why a sale was not closed

Certainly, following up with every customer might not be feasible depending on the type of business. This does not, however, lessen the importance of follow-up. For a very low cost, any business can effectively follow up with customers via

• Email
• Postcards
• Thank you notes
• Phone calls

The size of the customer base will dictate the extent and amount of customer follow-up. In some situations, all customers can be contacted while other situations might dictate that customers be randomly selected for follow-up. What is most important is not the quantity and method of follow-up, but the mere fact that customers are being contacted after a sale (or non-sale) to make sure they are satisfied and ready to repeat their buying experiences. Additionally, a company can find out their customers thoughts about the company’s products and services.

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com

The wrong way to handle a negative review

I wanted to return a Christmas present that I bought from a third-party seller on Amazon. It was the usual bad story: They wouldn’t respond to my emails, then it took weeks to get a return authorization, then they wanted me to pay $25 postage for the return and a $28 restocking fee.

So I wrote a negative review (after corresponding with their people).

Surprise — they’re suddenly all nice and apologetic and happy to take my return and waive the fees.

Guess what? They still lost the customer. The negative experience won’t go away.

Negative reviews aren’t the result of a single grouchy customer that has to be “dealt with”.

Negative reviews are a sign that something is screwed up at your company. One negative review probably means you have 50 people angry over the same issue.

A focus on quieting the complainers means that you’ve missed the point.

Fixing the fundamental problem is your real job.

Source: http://www.damniwish.com

Ways to Show Customer Appreciation

Showing customer appreciation is more important than ever, as customers have more ways to browse and shop than ever before. In-store, online, review sites, and friend recommendations all factor into a customer’s buying decision. Customers also have more options to choose from when it comes to purchasing – whether it’s supporting a local business, shopping for the best price, or shopping online for convenience. How do you stand out from the crowd? Show customers you really appreciate their business!

Here are 5 inexpensive tips to show your customers how much you appreciate them without breaking the bank:

1. Send a Handwritten Note

It may sound old school, but sending a handwritten note is unique in today’s digital world. It can be a thank you note, a birthday card or a postcard informing customers of an upcoming sale. You could also pick an unusual holiday to promote. Did you know that January 27th is “Chocolate Cake Day”? February 20th is “Love Your Pet Day”? Pick one of these unusual holidays and write a note to your special customers. You’ll certainly be remembered.

2. Give Free Stuff

Everyone loves something for nothing. Provide an upgrade for free, a discount on a bill, and all just because, or send them a gift card  encouraging customers to come back to your shop. Other free giveaways could be things that promote your business at the same time. T-shirts, koozies or pens emblazoned with your logo are great and inexpensive giveaways to loyal customers.

Share knowledge with customers

3.  Knowledge is Power – Share it!

Communicating with customers and showing your expertise can get you noticed. Whether it’s through an email newsletter, a blog, via Facebook or Twitter, or in person, customers love to learn useful information about what they’re buying. You’re the expert on your product and service, so show it off a bit to provide useful information to educate your customers. Don’t just promote, but really add that extra bit of knowledge that makes customers feel like they’re getting a lot more than just what they purchased.

4.  Profile a Customer

If you have customers who are also running a business, why not include a profile of them in your newsletter or on your website or Facebook page? This not only helps you highlight the profiled customer, but it also shows your other customers how your product or service is helping another business succeed.

5.  Make Them Feel Like a VIP Exclusive

Make your frequent, loyal customers feel even more special by giving them the VIP treatment. Try hosting an invitation only event. If you have a physical store, provide early VIP-only access to your latest product. Entertain customers with live music or provide complimentary drinks or other treats. If you’re online only, give them access to an exclusive online sale or surprise them with a gift card to a local coffee shop.

Source: http://www.verticalresponse.com

Forget the Cold – 64th Annual Ice Cream Social

Because we’re Minnesotans and don’t notice the cold no matter what, celebrating Winter with ice cream and coffee it just comes naturally. Even newcomers to the Tundra warm up to the idea after a while. Dress in warm layers and head for free ice cream and coffee in north Lowell Park. Sponsored by Leo’s Malt Shop, River Moon Coffee, and the Stillwater Visitors Bureau, this event has 64 years of history behind it so let’s keep the spirit alive and well.

Melt the weather out of your bones by the bonfire as you enjoy live music, or bring your ice skates to join others in the fun. When you get a bit hungry you can buy some chili to fill your tummy and help support the Washington County Historical Society. Chili and ice cream — that’s another Minnesota specialty , don’t you know!

Saturday, January 18, 2014, Noon-4PM

Source: http://stillwaterliving.net

The Dirty Secret Most Entrepreneurs Won't Tell You

“I am afraid it will fail”  This was a comment from one of my recent posts. Many people have a dream, an idea, a product, or a business and they get buried in the research phase and then when they have researched every piece they possibly can, fear grips them and then.. frozen.  Yea of course you’re frozen because you’ve read so many articles and studied so much that now your head is filled with every “But I, what if it crashes, maybe no one will like it, I may loose everything” and other fearful thoughts that always surface anytime you are ready to try something new.

Do you want to know the dirty little secret most entrepreneurs won’t tell you?  I know you do so here it is. They are scared out of their ridiculous minds too!  Yes they / we are. The only difference is that they push through those fears to create a really cool new business or product or service. Here’s the deal. When I was preparing to get my baby product created ( which is currently in prototype phase) I flipped out. When I thought about all of the money for manufacturing, a patent, a lawyer to write that patent, where I would sell it, how I would sell it, if It even would sell, I just wanted to quit before I even started. And oh yea it was scary. Real freakin scary.  So this is what I did. I didn’t think about the 100 steps I needed to take. Because let me tell you each time I did I just slid down the wall in a big ole slumpy pile with more thoughts then a girl should have dancing on my head. Instead of that I decided on purpose to only think about the ONE step in front of me. I would just do the one thing I knew to do and then I would do the next thing.

I’m not saying you don’t have a plan because of course you do. I am saying that if you take the first step many times the next step will be made clear. I have a new mantra for life and my business: “The process will guide your way.” Basically as you take one step the next one will be revealed.
So if you’re as scared as watching old Friday the 13th movies late in bed when you’re home alone, well that’s OK and it’s totally natural. Well maybe not watching the horror movie thing, I don’t watch those, but the being scared part.  Every single entrepreneur goes through the same exact feeling.  Well most do. But push past those scaries and do it anyway.  There is a great Martina McBride song I’m going to include the video here. She says “Do it Anyway.”

Whatever it is that you have in your heart to do, even if fear tries to bug it’s eyes at you, Do it Anyway.

Source: http://www.mompreneurmogul.com

Small Business Credit Cards Advantages

A lot of people associate credit cards with just personal credit card which an individual posses and uses for shopping etc. However, there is another category of credit cards and that is called small business credit cards. As suggested by the name itself, the small business credit cards are meant for small businesses or people running small businesses.

So how does the small business credit card differ from the other credit cards in general?

The very obvious difference is that small business credit cards have the credit account in the name of the small business and not any individual, though the benefits indirectly accrue to the business owner. The other difference is with the terms and conditions that come with the small business credit cards. Finally, there are some subtle benefits with small business credit cards which would not be applicable to personal credit cards. Let's check all these things one by one.

We know that the credit cards provide a lot of convenience and security for an individual and a lot of other benefits too. Most of the benefits related to personal credit cards apply here too. What is interesting here is the indirect benefits that ensue from using a small business credit card.

The indirect benefits associated with small business credit cards are so great that it makes them almost indispensable. The most important benefit is that you can easily segregate your business and personal expenses. So if you have been wasting a lot of time keeping track of your business bills and trying to keep them separate from personal bills, small business credit cards could help. You just need to ensure that you always make all your business payments using your small business credit card. When the credit card bill comes at the month end, you will have itemized account of all the business expenses as a single document. Thus small business cards reduce (and in some cases completely remove) the need for bookkeeping for a small business. The credit card company does that for you for free, although indirectly.

Another important benefit comes from rolling credit. If you have to pay for your purchases upfront and still invoice your clients later (a situation faced very often with small businesses), you can roll the credit, you are providing your client with, to your credit card. Moreover, since these purchases are mostly urgent, arranging for money immediately can sometimes be a problem. In such cases, the small business credit card is the one which can bail you out. Well, if you are thinking that your personal credit card could do the same for you, you are a bit off the track on two fronts. Firstly, you want to keep your business expenses separate from your personal expenses and secondly, the APR on business cards is generally lower as compared to personal credit cards. A lot of the small business credit cards don't require you to pay an annual fee even.

So if you run a small business but haven't got a small business credit card yet, it's about time that you considered this wonderful option.

Happy Waitress Even Happier After Receiving Astounding Tip

The happiest server at Cracker Barrel in Lincoln, Nebraska, walked away from work with even more to smile about after receiving a life-changing tip last week.

According to the Lincoln Journal Star, a man stopped in with a friend for lunch at the restaurant on Thursday and asked the hostess to seat them at the table of the restaurant’s grumpiest server because the pair wanted to use their charm to cheer someone up. The hostess responded that the chain actually didn't have a single dispirited employee and instead gave them the opposite — their happiest waitress.

The server sent to table 222 was 18-year-old Abigail Sailors, who submitted to questions from the two men about why she had such a sunny disposition. Throughout their lunch, Sailors told the patrons her story.

Sailors, the youngest of five children, was tossed around the foster care system throughout her childhood. She and her older siblings were separated and reunited multiple times, and suffered from abuse for years until John and Susi Sailors took all five of them in nine years ago.

Flash-forward to today and Sailors recently completed her first semester at Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, North Dakota. The freshman, who plays basketball and is studying psychology and youth ministry, pays for her own education. She told her inquisitive customers that she didn’t have enough money to return for the spring semester and is saving wages and tips for future tuition.

The pair left a $100 tip that was split with another Cracker Barrel server, but the best part of Sailor's day was yet to come: One of the men revealed that he was a Trinity alumnus and pulled out his checkbook. He wrote the young student two checks — one for $5,000 to the school and another for $1,000 for whatever else she needed.

“I couldn’t believe it. I tried to thank them, and they said, ‘Thank God,’” Sailors told the Lincoln Journal Star

Source: http://shine.yahoo.com

Top 5 Weather Apps

Check out our top 5 weather apps for the iPhone, iPad, or Android smart phones. Whether avoiding tornadoes, monitoring hurricanes, preparing for snow storms, or actively looking for lightning bolts, these apps will keep you one step ahead of mother nature.

1. Tornado Warning and Alert App
This free app from the American Red Cross tracks a tornado as it approaches with step-by-step advice about what to do before the storm hits. A siren warning is built into the app and goes off when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issues a tornado warning in your area. There's also a customizable notification system to let friends and family know when the user is safe via social media, text, and e-mail.

2. The Weather Channel App
This app includes weather forecasts from more than 200 meteorologists and lets you check what kind of weather lays ahead, complete with storm prediction maps. The Weather Channel app also alerts users to storm warnings in the area.

3. Lightening Finder
If the goal is to get to the storm, rather than avoid it, this app is here to help. The Lightening Finder color-codes the age of the lightening bolt, and estimates a safe distance from which to watch it. 

4. NOAA Weather Radio HD
This app broadcasts radio reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and gives you around-the-clock updates on the latest weather warnings, watches, advisories, and forecasts. Push notifications alert you to serious storm warnings in your area even when you are not currently using the application. The app also gives detailed four-day forecasts based on your GPS coordinates, or a chosen location.   

5. Dark Sky
Stay dry with Dark Sky, which offers ­hyperlocalized weather reports, including minute-by-minute rain forecasts for your exact location. To keep its predictions as accurate as possible, this app forecasts only one hour into the future. If you don’t own an iPhone or iPad, the company behind Dark Sky also runs the excellent website www.Forecast.io

Rain, shine, snow, or sleet, our top 5 weather apps can help you make the most of whatever weather you’re up against.

Source: http://www.csmonitor.com

Tips for Surviving a Minnesota Winter

Are you heading to Minnesota anytime soon? If so, there are a few things you should know about a Minnesota winter: They are long and cold and definitely memorable. It’s true that people who live here make the most of their cold months by hitting the outdoors for skiing, sledding, hockey ice skating and the indoor Mall of America. But it you’re coming for a visit, there are a few tips you should know before packing your bags.

Today we have Denver-based journalist and blogger Jason Hussong offering our readers tips on surviving those bone-chilling temperatures.  Jason grew up in Minnesota and was recently back in the Twin Cities for a visit. He knows first-hand what to expect. He’s been coaching me during our move to Minnesota from toasty Arizona. He offers such valuable advice, I asked if he would share some tips with our readers and he kindly agreed.

Here are Jason’s tips for surviving a Minnesota winter:

Dress smart and in layers. First off, make sure to monitor the weather reports during the colder months. Sometimes there are freeze advisories. The first type of advisory would be where you’d have to make sure every single spot on your body was covered when you go outside or you’ll instantly get frost bite. This doesn’t happen too often in the Cities, generally more up north, but it can happen. My first winter visiting back home after moving to Denver I remember it was somewhere around -80 with wind chill. That was a bit of a freak incident, but it can happen and you need to be very careful.
In regards to the layers, a layer of heat is trapped in between each layer of clothing and thus helping to keep you warmer. You’re going to want to start out with a small layer, for instance long underwear over regular underwear, to keep your body warm. From there, say it’s a casual day, you’d could wear a t-shirt and then a sweatshirt along with a coat. So there you’d have five layers total on helping keep the heat in…undies, long undies, tshirt, sweatshirt and then a coat. Wool and silk are the best types of fabric to keep heat in.

For the feet. Wear regular little anklet socks along with wool socks on top and then your boots. These should be waterproof as well so you don’t get wet tootsies.

For the hands. Wear thin gloves, like a golf or batting glove style, and then mittens. Unless it’s a warmer day, above zero, NEVER wear regular gloves. If it’s really cold out and you go outside you should always, always, always wear mittens. Mittens help keep the heat in better since you have four fingers, as the thumb is detached, in one pocket opposed to five separate holes for the digits. And if you have  thin glove on under those, that always helps with things too…especially if you need to take off the mitten for any reason.

For the head. The majority of heat lost from your body will be from your head. Think of those football guys sitting outside with the steaming heads at the games in the winter. They’re losing heat. You need to make sure to have a good, thick wool stocking cap or took, the ones with the ear flaps, for when you go out. You never want to just wear ear muffs outside since that does nothing but keep your ears from going numb. Of course, it’s not bad to have them, too.

Great tip: Don’t drink any hot drinks unless you’re coming in to stay. People drink hot chocolate outside all of the time, but I read and learned as a kid that if you drink colder drinks then your body acclimates to the cold temps better. But, it’s always good to have some cocoa if you’re coming in for the day from being outside.

Keep in mind, these aren’t for regular, everyday winter temperatures. But the farmer’s almanac is predicting a cold winter this year, which means it could be a bad one up there.


Source: http://thevacationgals.com

Is 2014 the Year of the Connected Home?

 Tech companies have been talking for years about the so-called connected home, in which home appliances and accessories connect to the Internet. Judging from Christmas with my family — as well as the news expected at the International Consumer Electronics Show next week — this year it might become a reality.

The most popular example has been a fridge that sends a text message when the milk is running low. Some home builders imagine building a connected home from the ground up. But most consumers and suppliers are starting by connecting smaller devices that use smartphones as a remote control, said Frank E. Gillett, an analyst at Forrester.

My mother received Hue lightbulbs, for instance, made by Philips and controllable with her iPhone. She can set custom lighting for ambience in the dining room, turn lights on or off remotely, and set lights to slowly brighten in the morning.

My father received a Nest Protect smoke alarm, which sends his phone messages if it senses smoke or has low batteries. He planned to install it near the kitchen, because if it senses smoke from cooking, it speaks with a human voice before sounding a loud alarm and can be silenced with a wave. He can connect it to his Nest Thermostat, which will automatically turn off the gas furnace if there is a carbon monoxide leak.

The devices join my parents’ Withings scale and Bose music system, controllable with a smartphone.

The connected home is still more popular with classic early adopters than with mainstream consumers, according to Forrester. Just 1 or 2 percent of people have connected devices to control lighting, climate, energy, appliances and home monitoring, Forrester found. About a third say they are interested in connecting their homes, but almost half say they are not interested.

“I think we’re at the beginning of the industry hype cycle but not at the beginning of mainstream consumer adoption,” Mr. Gillett said.

The most popular connected home device is security systems, according to Forrester.

There are also electronic door locks (people can give a repair person an electronic key that expires that night or receive an alert when someone enters), garage door openers, cameras like Dropcam for baby or pet monitoring, weather stations for vacation homes, sensors like those made by Lively for monitoring the activity and health of elderly people, and a connected egg tray so people know if they need to buy new eggs.

Companies like Revolv and SmartThings create apps to tie different connected devices together and control a home from a single app.

“Most consumers aren’t proactively saying, ‘I want X,’” Mr. Gillett said. “This is one of those things where it’s like, ‘Oh, wow, I can get that? Great.’”

Source: http://nytimes.com

Unique Business Strategies

Every small business, including your own, has it's own identity, so the small business marketing strategy that works for your business will be unique to your business.

Don't rely on copying others.

Your marketing strategy should be as individual as your business.

And it will be a mixed bag. With marketing, success rarely comes from just one area.

The only way to find out what makes your customers respond is to get busy and try out several small business marketing ideas, maybe all at the same time!

Mail Shots

Badly targeted mailshots are without doubt a waste of money.

But that isn't to say you can't find new customers using mailshots.

Mailshots work best if you've a very clear understanding of who your target customers are AND exactly where to find them.

For example, if you are selling high value products you should only target wealthy areas of town.

Another example, if you sell products that are mainly used by householders during the day you have to target areas where people are at home during the day.

Obvious really. Choose the target market and message carefully to give yourself any chance of success.

Cold Calling

Cold calling by telephone is governed in some countries, including the UK, by telephone preference services, so make sure you're not breaking any laws before you make those calls!

If you're brave (or foolish) you might try cold calling door to door. It's extremely difficult.

It's likely you'll annoy as many people as you'll sign as a customer - so before trying this tactic be sure that you have the right personality to deal with any insults you'll receive.

If you're cold calling door to door you've a better chance of success if you're providing a service to a householder, such as window cleaning or gardening, but people are naturally defensive when a stranger appears at the door, so don't expect spectacular results.

Warm Calling?

If you don't like the idea of cold calling how about trying out your message on friends and colleagues instead?

It will be easier to talk to and you could be pleasantly surprised by how much business you can find this way.

Current Customers
Probably the most under-used and potentially profitable method of all.

Your current customers choose you because you provide what they want or need.

Do you have any sort of organized system in place to encourage them to refer new ones?

If you don't you are missing a golden opportunity to expand your business with little cost or risk.

Sponsorship

This works better for local business.

Your name in the local news every week, as sponsors of the local football, hockey or netball team or league, can help to promote your business.

The value of sponsorship is generally restricted to a localised area so be careful how much you spend on this type of marketing.

 Networking

Works well for some businesses as long as you can devote plenty of time to it.

Part-time networking may bring some business in the short term, but unless you're prepared to make a special effort to stay in touch with your networking partners it will often fizzle out.

Online networking has overtaken traditional 'breakfast clubs' because it's much more flexible and not as expensive.

Source: http://www.small-busy-business.com