local business is your business
Small business owners seem always struggle to find the ways to build their business. B2B, B2C, does not matter, the challenges are similar.
How do you identify, engage, then build towards a transaction and relationship with people to whom your product or service solves a problem, and adds value too their lives?.
In my local area, there are a significant number of networking groups, ranging from community based ones to expensive franchise operations. I am a member of two groups, plus a local chamber of commerce. It takes work, but they do deliver results. In observing the behaviour in these groups of those who are successful, there are some pretty common things that can most small businesses can learn to do better.
1. Elevator Pitch. It amazes me how few can state in a few words what they do, what problems they solves, what outcomes can be achieved, and why their services are worth consideration. It should not be hard, but it is. Developing a good elevator pitch should be a priority.
2. Think local. Most small businesses find most of their business in the local area. It seems therefore to make sense to invest in the activities of the local area, from being a voice in the community groups such as Rotary, to sponsoring the local kids sporting teams with playing gear. A little bit of time and effort, but very little money can go a long way in a community.
3. Be vocal. Communities offer all sorts of ways to engage and make it clear what you stand for. A builder might be a protector of the architectural heritage of an area, the local sports store agitate to turn the local dump into playing fields, a bike shop might be the lead voice in having some waste land rezoned to enable building a bike track. The list can be as long as your imagination.
4. Collaborate. Locasl can build scale by collaborating, cross promoting, and assisting each other in all sorts of ways. Again, being open to ideas and opportunities can reap large rewards. My local bottle shop holds tastings on a fairly regular basis. They secure the time of the winemaker of a high quality small winery, who then takes a small group through the current releases, a vertical tasting, or whatever is appropriate, and over the course of the evening, the Japanese café next door delivers some terrific ‘nibblies’ Everyone wins.
5. Leverage the network. Local networking groups of various types do deliver value, but like all things of value, success only comes with work. Others need to understand what you do, how you deliver value, why they should use you instead of an alternative, they need to find common ground and build some trust. Going to the meetings is just the start.
6. Referrals. An adjunct to the networking activity, it pays to ask for the job, or referrals. Network theory clearly demonstrates that the networks of those in your network are the most potent source of leads there is. Many people feel that asking for a referral is not good form, remove that notion from your mind. Members of a networking group are all there for the same reason, to build their business, so they will not mind, and so long as you are prepared to reciprocate.
7. Offers. Offering an incentive of some sort always helps. A friend runs a small suburban bistro, open 6 days a week. He is booked solid Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, but has to carry the overheads of being open and able to provide services at other times. He is always creating offers of his slow times, two for one, a bottle of champagne on the table, cakes for birthdays, on and on, in order to get bums in seats in the slow times, and as a result has a thriving business, with many repeat customers across the week.
All this stuff can be done as a part of your general marketing activities, it adds a critical personal dimension very challenging and expensive to achieve with any form of media. The range of options for small businesses has never been wider, and never forget that people buy from people far more than they buy from businesses.
