When Starbucks began selling reusable cups earlier this year, I thought to myself, “I’ll have to drink more White Chocolate Mochas.”
I am guessing this is exactly the coffee chain’s point.
Small business owners are often on the hunt for a brand overhaul, a marketing revamp or the next big shiny object to incorporate into inventory. Sometimes, less is more, especially when most start-ups cannot afford to make drastic transformations.
According to Business Marketing Success, a small change is better than no change. “I have found it is difficult for business owners to make big changes, so there is a tendency to do nothing. We all learned in our high school science class with the law of inertia that objects in motion tend to stay in motion, and objects at rest tend to stay at rest. (However) small changes are simple and easy to implement” (source: Business Marketing).
Here’s how simple changes can bring more money into your business.
Returning customers. Not only will Starbucks stand to increase sales this year with the introduction of the $1.00 plastic coffee container, but customers will save money as the cup will pay for itself. (Most Starbucks patrons will get a refill at least ten times this year.) This effortless add-on will keep latte lovers coming back for years to come.
In living color. Another simple change will set a new tone for your business. When I launched my freelance writing business in 2011 I thought I’d stand out by ditching boring shades or black and blue. I took a page from Victoria’s Secret and opted for as many pinks as I could fit onto my blog. Big mistake: while women thought it was cute, the men shied away from me. Today, TyLand Writings has a simple clean look, in blue, and more male clients than ever.
Giving back. Supporting the community in which you conduct business is always a winner. Find a softball team in need of new uniforms. Help job-seekers dress for success. Not only will you be remembered for your good deeds, but this simple step will help refresh the memories of those who are ready to spend money.
Ask for help. Perhaps you don’t need to bring in a thing; but you could use an extra hand. Students are looking for internship opportunities this summer and you need to focus on the “main thing”. Talk about a perfect match.
Do what works. Why reinvent the wheel? Blogging, also known as content marketing still works. Google has a strong affinity for keywords and there is no better way to fill your site than with keywords in a blog. Don’t have a blog, launch one for free at Blogger or WordPress.com
If you are struggling to bring more business into your company would you try any of these tips? What simple strategies would you consider? Why? Let us know in the comments.
Tyjuana Wilson is “The Communications Department” for small business owners throughout the world. Ty can be found at tyjuana-wilson.com
Andrea is the Chief Chick of Smart Money Chicks. After filing BK twice (once because she panicked, second time because the pro messed the first time up), she realized that it all could have been avoided if she understood more about how her Finances worked and the options available. At that point, she wanted to help as many as she could never make the same mistakes again. Our Promise is that all the content you read on here is created or edited by Andrea