Consider Your Passions and Skills

Starting a business can be an exciting venture, but it can also be a challenging one. Before launching your small business, you should take the time to consider what passions and skills you have that you could use to make your idea a success.

Think about what hobbies you already enjoy, as well as any unique talents or skills you possess. Consider how these passions and abilities could be used to create a product or service that people will be interested in and willing to pay for. For example, if you are a talented artist, you could offer custom artwork services. Or, if you love baking, you could launch a home-based bakery business.

In addition to your own passions and skills, you should also take some time to research what types of businesses are in demand in your area. This could help you create an idea that is tailored to the needs of your community. You can also use market research to determine if there is potential for long-term success with your business idea.

Finally, make sure you understand the local laws and regulations associated with owning a business. Depending on the type of business you start, you may need to obtain certain permits or licenses before you can get started.
By taking the time to consider your passions and skills, researching what’s in demand in your area, and understanding the legal requirements associated with owning a business, you can make sure that your small business idea is the perfect fit for you.

Research Your Industry

Before you decide on a small business idea, it is important to ask yourself if it is something that is in demand. You may have an amazing concept that you think would be successful, but if there’s no one to buy your product or service, your business might not be successful.

Do some research to determine the viability of your idea and the demand in the current market. Take the time to understand who your potential customers are and what their needs are. Make sure you research how your competitors are doing, and think about any advantages you could offer over them. This will help you to develop a unique selling point that can help set you apart from the competition.
It is also worth researching if there are any industry-specific regulations or laws that you need to be aware of. Understanding the legal and regulatory environment in which your business will operate is key for avoiding costly fines or penalties.

By doing your due diligence, you can ensure that your small business has a greater chance of success.

Validate Your Idea

Before launching your business, it is important to validate your idea to make sure that it is viable and practical. One of the best ways to test your product or service idea is to reach out to those close to you—family, friends and other business owners—to get their feedback. Ask them questions such as: Is this a good idea? Is there a need for it in the market? Does it solve any problems or address any gaps? How much would they be willing to pay for it?

Gather their insights and use this information to shape and refine your idea. It is also worth looking at existing businesses in the market and finding out what works and what doesn’t. This will help you understand the level of competition, discover any potential opportunities and ensure your business has a unique proposition.

Develop a Business Plan

A business plan is your roadmap for success. It lays out your goals and strategies and provides a timeline for achieving them. It should include an executive summary, market analysis, competitive analysis, management plan, product or service description and more.

When creating your business plan, consider key factors like potential customers, competitors, suppliers, and partners. Research the market and identify gaps in the current offerings so that you can come up with something unique that meets those needs. Consider any resources or skills you may need to acquire in order to make your business successful.

Finally, do some financial projections and calculate the costs associated with setting up and running the business. This will give you an idea of the capital required and allow you to better plan for the future.

At this stage, if everything looks positive and feasible, you are ready to move forward with your small business idea. Good luck!

Conclusion

Making the right decision when starting a business is incredibly important. To ensure your success, it’s important to take the time to do your research and gather as much information as possible before committing to any one idea.

Additionally, remember that starting and running any business takes time, effort and dedication. With that being said, if you’re willing to put in the hard work and dedication, you can set yourself up for success and start living your entrepreneurial dream. If you enjoyed this article make sure to subscribe and if you need help with marketing don’t hesitate to contact me!

Get festive with your branding

Winter is a time for family and friends and you can get in on the festivities with your holiday branding as well. So begin crafting some winter-themed ideas for your email campaigns, social media posts, and website. You can also transform your company’s website into a holiday wonderland using simple designs that use winter colors, seasonal elements like snowflakes and warm fireplaces to evoke feelings of warmth, family, and festivity.

Strengthen Client Relationships

Consider sending out special end of the year holiday cards to those clients who have been loyal to your business throughout the year and don’t waste the opportunity to offer them a holiday discount.

Sometimes, it’s more about relationships than money. Reward your loyal clients, they’ll appreciate your generosity and will be more inclined to keep supporting you.

If your business has been around for a long time, it may be time to celebrate with a holiday party. Invite your clients and give them little gifts, key chains or mugs.

You can even add their names as corporate sponsors in your next business ad campaign, they’ll take note and appreciate you even more.

Collaborate with other businesses on a winter promotion

One of the best ways to promote your business in the winter is by collaborating with other businesses on a promotion. For example, you could team up with a local coffee shop and offer free drink coupons for customers who buy from both places. It’s a great way to get your name out there as well as drive traffic to both businesses.

You can also host your own promotions with giveaways during this season to help boost your sales on the upcoming months, by providing coupons or discounts that can be cashed on your low months.

If you do decide to do giveaways, keep them short and sweet!

Give back to the community this winter

Winter is a time for giving. And giving back not only feels good, it’s also good for your business. To help you get started, here are five ways you can give back this winter:

• Host a food drive with items such as canned goods and dry goods that will be donated to a local food bank or soup kitchen.
• Adopt a family in need by providing them with gifts during the holidays.
• Sponsor an animal shelter by donating toys, treats, money or supplies to provide comfort and care for animals who have been abused or neglected.
• Sponsor a child (or many) in need by providing them with gifts during the holidays and even throughout the year.

Conclusion

So there you have it, six exciting winter marketing ideas that your business can use to boost sales this holiday season. When you help others, you help yourself!

We hope these tips will help make your winter marketing campaign a success!

And by the way, if you need help with a website, marketing campaign or video commercial to promote your business give me a call or text me, and mention that you saw this post to give you 25% OFF on the total 🙂

Thanks for reading and happy holidays!

Identify Your Ideal Customer

The first step in finding a perfect audience is identifying your ideal customer. The best way to do this is by asking yourself the following questions:

• Who are your customers?
• What are their demographics? (Age, race, gender, location)
• What motivates them?
• What problems do they have?
• What solutions that you offer are actually attractive to them?

Once you are able to answer those questions you’ll be ready to start creating content to begin talking to them. If someone visits your website or social media page and feels like it’s too targeted towards them then there’s a greater chance they will follow you and even convert into a paying client if you have gained their trust.

For example, if you’re trying to attract a 25-35 year old woman who’s motivated by health and fitness then you might want to create content about new ways of eating healthy and workouts specifically designed for women.

Know Which Platforms They Use

The first step is knowing which platform your clients use, then tailor your content to that type of audience. For example, if you are targeting a younger audience, you will want to focus more on Snapchat or Instagram. If you are targeting an older audience, Facebook or LinkedIn might be a better fit.

Always stay up-to-date with what your ideal customers are using, because things change all the time! A good rule of thumb is to invest about 70% of your time and resources into social media platforms where people in your demographic live, but also have some presence on all major platforms and make sure to include links back to your most active platforms.

Create Valuable Content

People don’t want to be sold something all the time. Create content that educates and entertains before asking for a sale. Find creative ways to promote your products or services while also providing educational material or entertaining content that they can share.

Also keep in mind, that in order to find and attract new customers, it’s essential that you share content that will appeal specifically to your type of audience. Test different content to see what they like and interact with the most, then do more of the same.

Run Contests And Giveaways

As a business owner, you want your customers to be happy with their purchase and you must also open up the opportunity for others to sample your product or service if they don’t know you. Running contests and giveaways is a great way to expose your products to new potential customers.

Giving away a product or service, even if it’s just in exchange for an email address or other contact information, can be a great way to boost your exposure.

Get creative and find unique ways that you can give people access to your product or service. For example, you could offer a workshop as part of your contest prize or have participants upload their photos with your product at a location or event so they have a chance to win a prize. By giving away something that’s attached to your business and that has value you spreading brand awareness in a fun way.

Conclusion

We hope this post gave you some good information about what questions to ask when finding the perfect audience for your business and some ideas of how to find them and attract them.
If you have any questions or need help with finding your target audience, don’t hesitate to contact me, we would love to help you get started with finding your perfect audience and attract new clients.

If you liked this article, follow this newsletter!

By: Jorge Santacruz · Marketing Director at Redizel

Need help with online marketing? Connect with me for a free consultation!

Using The Right Colors

When it comes to color, there are a few things that you need to know:

1. Color can affect the mood of your customer.
2. Colors evoke different emotions and feelings, for example red is good for urgency and excitement while blue is good for stability and trustworthiness.
3. Colors can also be identified with a product or service, so it’s important to make sure that the colors you choose will complement your company image in order to create brand recognition.

Read my previous blog on the The Power of Color in Marketing

Choosing The Right Font

When it comes to fonts, there are so many options. But how do you know which font is right for your business? There are a few things to consider when choosing the right font. Consider the audience – will they be able to read your logo clearly? Will the font give off the vibe that you want? And will it send off an accurate representation of who you are as a business and brand?

Take time to decide on the best font. Perhaps print out different versions with different fonts and show your friends, family and customers what they think.

Finding the Perfect Design

Here are five things you need to consider when looking for a logo design company:

1. Do they specialize in your industry?
2. Does the company have a track record of designing logos that match your needs?
3. Do they take the time to understand your business and goals before creating a design?
4. Can they provide reference examples of their work?

When you find a designer give them as much information as possible about your business, what it does, who it serves, if you have a mascot, icon or object in mind that may relate to the name or business, as well as, what color and font you think fits more its identity, so that the designer can provide you with a design that will represent your business correctly.

Conclusion

A logo is one of the most important aspects of a company’s identity. It identifies who you are and what you do, so it’s important to take time to find the perfect design for your brand. Remember that a logo is only as effective as the company it represents; make sure your logo is something you can be proud of!

Connect with me for a free consultation!

What Is a CRM?

Let’s start off with what is a CRM. A CRM, or Customer Relationship Management system, is software that helps you manage your company’s customer interactions in one place. A lot of businesses use it to track and organize prospects, leads, and customers. It can also be used for email marketing, lead management and tracking sales cycles.

The Advantages of using Software Vs. Excel Spreadsheets

In the old days, small businesses used Excel spreadsheets to track their contacts and customers. These days, there are so many new tools out there that make it easier to run a business. For example, you can use software like Salesforce or HubSpot to keep track of your contacts, automate marketing campaigns and measure your success on social media. There are many CRM options out there and some of them can get a bit expensive, so in a bit, I will introduce to you some of my favorite ones which are also free!

What type of businesses can benefit from implementing CRMs

For any type of business, CRMs can be an invaluable tool to help you grow your customer base and keep them coming back. That said, not every small business needs to invest in the technology. It all depends on the size and scope of your company. The first questions you should ask yourself is whether or not you deal recurring customers or wish to bring existing customers back, if work in sales, if you work in marketing, if you have a team of 3 or more employees.

A CRM can help you stay in track and focused, which in turn can help you increase sales leads, improve customer service and manage teams more effectively.

Ways you can use a CRM

Here are some ways a CRM can help you:

• Track of all of your customer relationships,
• Helps identify your best customers and how to better interact with them
• Track lead follow ups
• Track business (Team) TODOs
• Track inventory
• Log customer information
• Automate customer service
• Payroll
• Track & Measure KPIs

A must for this sectors:

• Real estate agents and brokers
• Marketing companies
• Sales-based companies
• Businesses that create quotes and invoices such as contractors
• Insurance companies
• Hotels and the hospitality industry
• Retail businesses

How to Choose One a CRM

Figuring out which CRM is best for your small business can be difficult. So, here are some questions you should ask yourself before deciding on one:

• What features does the CRM need to have?
• Can it be customized to my business model and needs?
• How much will it cost me to purchase and/or subscribe to this software?
• Does it have a simple interface or has extra features I don’t need?

Here is a list of the most popular and robust CRMs:

• Salesforce
• Zendesk
• Hubspot
• Zoho

Here is a list of light CRMS which you can easily customize to your business model (free versions available):

• Airtable
• Trello
• Monday

Conclusion

So does a small business need a CRM? Yes, a small business needs a CRM. It is important to have a system in place that can keep your business running smoothly.

CRMs are essential to keep your business in check by being able to track and organize customer contact data, define what is working and what is not and to have an overall view of your past trajectory, day to day tasks as well as of your future goals.

if you need help setting up a CRM or creating a custom one for your business, send us a message!

How does the psychology of color work?

There are three main areas where color has the ability to create an emotional response: hue, saturation, and brightness. All of these elements play a role in determining the type of reaction a person will have to any given color. As marketers, it’s important that we understand these basic principles so that we can harness their power for our own purposes.

In nature, there is an infinite gamma of colors and shades, and our body naturally reacts differently to every environment, primarily because of the tone of color, therefore we must use color to our advantage to evoke the feelings we want through our brand.

Examples of the psychology of color

If you were trying to communicate energy or strength, you might want to use combinations of the colors red and pink. If you wanted something calming and soothing, try combining cool blues or greens with pale shades or combine different shades of warm oranges or browns for something cozy.

Colors evoke different feelings and associations, so understanding how this works is essential to getting people to take action on your offer. Here are just a few examples of how you can use color psychology when creating your next marketing campaign.

If you’re selling a product or service related to health and wellness, consider using colors like green and blue. If you’re marketing a product or service that requires purchase decisions, oranges or reds may be better suited for your needs. If you want something eye-catching at an event booth, yellows may work best. If you sell food and want people to buy from you, avoid tones of blue or purple and instead use reds and oranges. On the other hand, if you want your brand to appear calm and luxurious use grays and purples.

In general, warm colors are more inviting than cool colors, so consider using reds and yellows for energy-related products or blues for calming items.

When designing an ad or logo, understanding the psychology behind color will help you more effectively market your product.

Conclusion

No matter what business you’re in, taking into consideration color psychology as part of your strategy because it will be instrumental in reaching the right audience with the right message.

If you want to experiment with color palettes try this website:
https://coolors.co/

I love this website because it helps me brainstorm and decide what color combinations work best when I need to do rebranding for a client or need a new color palette for an advertising campaign.

Hope it helps!

If you liked this article, follow this newsletter and add me on LinkedIn!

By: Jorge Santacruz · Marketing Director at Redizel

Need help with branding and marketing? Connect with me!

1) Have One-on-One Meetings

One of the best ways to communicate with a team member is having a one on one meeting. In one-on-one meetings, you can focus on the needs and goals of that person and help them succeed in their role. Plus, your team member will leave feeling heard and respected.

It’s important to have these types of conversations at least once per month with each team member and if your team is too big to meet with individually, try adding a monthly appreciation lunch where you sit down and get to know everyone on a more personal level.

When you’re in a one on one meeting, remember to make it more than just discussing tasks and deadlines. Use it as an opportunity to learn about your team members and get a better understanding of their lives outside of work. It can help you better support them, which in turn will help build trust and appreciation with everyone on your team.

Aside from personal (out of work) questions, some work-related questions to ask on a one on one meeting are:

• How do you feel about the project or task we are working on this month?
• Do you think that’s the most effective way to go about it or do you recommend something else?
• Tell me exactly your plan for this month (having them repeat back to you what they will work on, makes it more probable that they will actually complete what they said they would do)
• If you can, can you share with me or let me know when you complete “X” task, so that I can let my partner know to proceed with “X” task? (This will put a bit of extra pressure, since other people are depending on him to complete “X” task.)
• Before the end of next month please send me a meeting request, so that we can sit down and review, because I forget to setup meetings sometimes. But do not hesitate to contact me at any time before the month if you need my help or support on anything.

2) Speak Clearly and Compassionately

Communication is one of the most important parts of any relationship. Whether you are a boss or a team member, communication can help build trust and confidence between two people.
The first tip for communicating with your team more effectively is to speak clearly and compassionately. When we communicate in this way, it helps us be understood by those on the receiving end of our message. This will also make them feel like they are respected and appreciated.

The second tip for communicating with your team more effectively is to listen and ask less questions.
Listening is extremely important in most situations because it allows you to learn so that you can better understand others and make better questions.

Remember that the other individual is also a person with feelings, just like you. He or she has problems, a family, personal and professional goals, just like you. Listen, so you can help them achieve at least their professional goals, so that in turn, they can help you and your business with more enthusiasm.

3) Do What You Say You’re Going To Do

If you say you’re going to do something, then do it. If you promise a certain deadline, then meet it so your team sees you are person of your word. Keeping your word is the most important way to build trust with your team members and show them that they can count on you. Likewise, if you asked your team to complete something by a certain deadline, then hold them accountable. If they missed the deadline, first ask why, as you may find that the problem could’ve been you (you didn’t provide enough information, time to complete, or resources) but if it wasn’t your fault, then hold them accountable by asking them to find a solution to make up for it.

4) Be Patient with Others

Being a leader means being patient. When you are the head of an organization, people are going to come to you with questions and sometimes they might not have all of the information that they need. This is why it’s important to be patient and listen patiently when somebody approaches you.
Remember that not everyone is at the same level as you.

Plus if they are not clear about your company’s mission or how things work at your business, then it will take them a bit of time to get a good grasp of how you like things being done.

Conclusion

Try your best to understand what your team’s needs are and see if you can address them in some way. If they need more training, give them more training. If they want more pay or other benefits, then make time to consider it and make those changes if they deserve it. Ask questions, don’t guess.

If you cannot do anything for them because of budget restraints, let them know that too so that they know the situation instead of wondering why nothing is happening.

When you are patient with others, have better communication and show empathy for their problems, it shows that you care about your employees which makes for a much better working environment for everybody involved.

1) How does your customer find you now?

If you are currently based in a physical store then most likely your customers will find you by driving by, a google search or by word of mouth. In this case you are at an advantage and most likely some organic marketing is already in place, so you may benefit in other ways by having an online store.

For example there might be times when people come into your store wanting an item that you don’t currently have in stock and by having an online store you can refer them there to check when that product becomes available, so that they can easily order it and get it delivered directly to their house without the hassle, and if you have an email list campaign in place, you can continuously promote your products to them to keep them buying from you.

In some other cases, having an online store can cut expensive office costs, especially if you provide services and do not necessarily need to host physical products. Having a website where you can display your services and charge for them if they decide to hire you, will definitely free up costs and time so you can invest it in sales processes (which will talk about next), customer support, and marketing your business online to help it grow much faster.

2) Can other people handle part of the sales process for you?

An ecommerce website requires someone that can handle sales processes and “immediate” customer support. In order for an ecommerce website to be successful, it needs the manpower and resources to keep it going. If you plan on running the online store but do not have the “tech-savvy” skills, you will need to hire someone with these skills or learn.

An online store serves no purpose if it’s not alive. This means you need to promote it a lot, respond to requests immediately and keep it up to date. So in other words, you may need people in charge of order fulfillment, customer service and marketing. All of these jobs take time.

It’s not a physical store but it should be treated as one, as it can potentially earn you way more than a physical one, but it requires a lot of work and marketing.

3) How much time can you devote to marketing and finding customers online?

If time isn’t on your side, it might not be worth the investment. You will need to devote a lot of energy and resources into marketing efforts and finding customers. An online store is very different than a physical store. With a physical store, if it’s in a decent place with foot traffic and it’s inviting enough for people to walk in, you will have no problem showcasing your products. Unlike with an online store. If you setup an online store and don’t promote it constantly, people are simply not going to find it.

Yes, you need marketing for both types of stores, and we can talk for hours about different marketing strategies for either types of business, but the main point here is that a physical store can survive with little marketing if it’s in a good location and has decent customer service and products, while an online store can’t stand a chance if it doesn’t have enough marketing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, decide if your business can expand, improve customer satisfaction or even cut costs with an online store. If having an online store means that it will cause the opposite, then think twice about implementing an online store right away, and instead draft a plan to gain the resources you will be needing to be successful (time or people to help you with it).

Your brand story has the power to attract potential customers and inspire them to take action.Your brand helps create an emotional connection between your company and your customers, which motivates them to buy from you because they understand why they should support your company over another one like yours.

To get the most out of your marketing efforts, you’ll want to develop a purpose-driven brand that not only sets you apart from your competition but also helps your customers determine whether or not your products and services are right for them. This can be achieved by defining your unique selling proposition (USP), identifying your target audience, creating the right message to communicate with them, and deciding on the best channels to reach out to them through.

What Is a Purpose-Driven Brand?

A purpose-driven brand is one that defines its core values and acts accordingly. In other words, it’s a business with a mission and vision that goes beyond just making money. According to Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why, People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it, the key is in understanding your customers’ motivations, before designing any type of marketing message or campaign.

What Is Your Business’s Purpose?

Every business has a purpose and differentiating yours is important for attracting new customers and motivating them to take action.

A business purpose is also an essential way of differentiating your brand from other businesses in your industry or niche. A purpose-driven brand with a well defined business purpose attracts customers who are looking for something more than just a product or service and motivates them by making them feel like they’re part of something bigger, rather than just another number.

Defining The Customer Experience

The customer experience and support is one of the most important components of any business. It’s what defines your brand and how you’ll be perceived in the market. When we’re setting out to create our brand, we want to make sure that we’re designing it with your customer in mind.

The customer experience begins at your business’s touch points and extends beyond your brand and into their day-to-day lives. The way you interact with them will have an impact on their perception of your brand.

By defining and designing your business’s customer experience, you’ll be able to optimize your touch points in order to maximize customer loyalty.

Connect With Your Audience On An Emotional Level

People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. When you know your why, everything else will fall into place. So, before you promote your products or services to customers, first promote your purpose and sell yourself. Give people a reason to care about who you are and what you do. If people believe in your cause, they will be motivated to take action.

Evolve Over Time

Brand building is an ongoing process. As your business evolves, so should your brand. That’s why it’s important to define your purpose-driven vision early on and be open to feedback from those around you. It can take time to build momentum, but if your customers are committed to what you stand for as a company, they’ll stick with you through the tough times and help get word out about your mission when things are going well. It’s also important not to make any major changes without first getting customer feedback – even small tweaks can have huge implications for how customers perceive what you’re trying to achieve with your products or services.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a purpose-driven brand is your personal statement about what you believe in and who you want to serve. It’s your company’s unique contribution that helps differentiate you from the competition. So stop everything and go figure out yours if you haven’t done so!