Skip to main content

How to grow a business


  A few years ago I officially started a business and created and trademarked a logo. This came after a decade of unknowingly planting the seeds by learning graphic and web design. In 2011 I graduated and was released into the world with enthusiasm in spades. Fast forward to now and boy have I learned a lot. Even still, I've got a lot to learn. Here are some of the things I've learned that are paramount when growing just about any small business. These are my notes that I've kept and accumulated.

Know your audience - It may sound obvious but it's any easy step to miss. Figure out who your people are, how much they usually spend and what they like (that you sell or do). Know what your "best sellers" are.

Become a good seller/sales person - Know your business inside and out and prepare for questions. Ask people what they like about it and what they'd like to see. In time the more sales you attempt the easier it becomes. Look for every opportunity.

Learn effective newsletter and site management - Learning the ins and outs of web development and newsletter management is super important for the DIY business owner. Make subscribing to your newsletter as easy as possible. Highlight the benefits of signing up and offer hints as to what is in your newsletter in the subject.

Study your competition, dive into Google Analytics - Look up your competition and Google yourself to see where you rank. Study what other people are doing and what they are not doing. Use it as a study tool but don't simply copy it. Google Analytics helps you measure how many site visits you get and all the details that come with it. Such as: How long their visit to your site was, what pages they visited and other useful information.

Learn social media networking and advertising - Advertising on social media is a pretty effective tool. It is affordable and has a good reach. First establish your social media accounts and stick to a consistent schedule of posts. Make sure that you not only post your work but links to other related stories. Example: I have a home grown jewelry line made from reclaimed material. I also like to post links about repurposing, recycling and biodegradable products. A big part of my business is about creating less waste and turning trash into art.

Be sure to use tags and keywords - This is exactly how people will find you, so make sure to have a page description with tags and keywords. Find more detailed info here.

Network with neighboring businesses, reach out to the community around you - Your local neighborhood and community is a great resource to help grown your business. This is how you build connections and find places to sell your product for instance. I also highly suggest learning about guerrilla marketing.

Other bits of helpful advice - "A clear path leads to quicker success", tell a story, create a focal point, reduce clutter and look for balance.

More helpful articles:
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What happened to Hot Topic?

You got it wrong. It goes 'sex, drugs and rock n roll'  Hot Topic emerged when I was just starting my Freshman year in high school. Growing up in suburbia sucked for a lot of reasons. One big reason being that there really were not any record stores, rock t-shirt shops or head shops in the area. I actually made my own rock t shirts for years, using stencils to spell out things like "The Beatles" and t-shirt iron-ons. You had to get creative and in many ways it was teenage DIY at it's best.  I was introduced to Hot Topic the same way every bored suburban kid did...by going to the mall. When you live in the suburbs, all there really is to do is to visit the mall. And I did a lot of that in my youth. When I discovered Hot Topic I was pretty pleased and I could finally find shirts that said "Blondie" or "The Ramones" on it and I didn't have to make it myself. I was excited to find a store that sold so much of what I liked.  Not long
Post a Comment
Read more

Music posers

Ever see a girl in a rock t shirt who just doesn't look like she knows who they are? Have you ever been out in public, and spotted a person wearing a rock and roll t-shirt? Every time I do, which is if they're 12 feet or less away, I have to say something about it. That something would be "Yay! I love (insert band)! What's your favorite album?" Well, sometimes when I ask that question, I get a response I don't expect... *Blank expression* "I'm not really a fan of (insert band), I just like the shirt." My heart sinks. And then I want to punch them. This happened just yesterday. I was visiting my local pot club ( Berkeley Patients Group , woop woop) and I immediately spotted a girl wearing a Beatles shirt. I shouldn't even have to inform you how much I love rock music, so I can't help but mention it. I also feel like this is an obvious potential friend! I said to her "Yea the Beatles rock! Niiice!" And sh
5 comments
Read more

We need to talk about this: The Foo Fighters are "AIDS denialists"

Preface: I am a fan of the Foo Fighters' music, so this isn't intended to be a hit piece. I genuinely feel troubled by what I'm about to share with you in this blog entry. I had no idea about this until just days ago.  Recently I saw a video that addressed celebrities with controversial beliefs. The one that stood out to me was Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters being "AIDS denialists" (which I didn't even know was a thing?) aka "HIV Truthers". I immediately had to look into this because it sounded just too crazy to be real (and you should ALWAYS be skeptical of things you hear and do. your. research.) An article that I felt was very thorough on the topic was " Foo Fighters, HIV Deniers " "Maggiore’s message has apparently penetrated the minds of at least some Foo aficionados. She says she has heard from many Foo fans since the show — one of whom, she says, now works at the Alive and Well office.  “AIDS is a toxic disease caused
Post a Comment
Read more