Food trucks are an ubiquitous part of American culture in cities large and small. No longer just a coastal phenomenon, food truck culture is permeating our society. While food trucks have a specific corner of the market, their success can teach business owners in every industry a lesson or two. Here are three ways you can build on their momentum: 1) Get hyper-local: Seasoned food truck operators know where and when to go to attract the most business. By analysis of trends, they are able to build and implement a marketing plan. Even if your business isn’t geographically defined, you can find ways to meet customers where they are, both literally and figuratively. 2) Go where the action is. The mobile nature of a food truck means operators can evaluate and pivot as necessary. While your business may not be mobile in nature, you can still enjoy similar success. How can you offer your product or service in a smaller setting? 3) Find your niche. All the best food trucks have some sort of way to draw people in. It could be a vibrantly painted vintage truck, cool signage or even the way staff remember customer names. These subtleties can mean standing out in a competitive landscape. If you have a brick and mortar, how can you make the store more welcoming and appealing to customers? What can you do to make them choose you over a competitor? We challenge you to work on one of these strategies this week and report back to us. What worked and...
Technological advancements have made remote work easier, more seamless and more common than ever. More and more workplaces and workers are embracing it with open arms for various reasons. This new paradigm means managers are tasked with ensuring productivity remains at optimal level, while feeling pressure to ensure remote staff feel just as valued as those who are physically present. To that end, managers should invest in doing the following; Begin with the end in mind: When introducing a telecommuting policy, it’s best to have an end goal in mind. For example, is telecommuting a means to boosting morale? If so, how will you measure that? Establish a rhythm—and stick to it: Some employees find communications, such as quarterly onsite meetings at headquarters, weekly video chat debriefs with a supervisor, phone calls or email exchanges to be part of the social contract in exchange for the benefits of remote work. Still, this isn’t always a substitute for face-to-face interaction or monitoring. The key is to find ways to evaluate progress while also making them feel valued and engaged. Objectively and consistently evaluate performance: Remote and on-site employees should be evaluated according to the same standards as to keep the playing field level. Effective managers have ongoing development conversations with the employees. They should be adept in identifying current skill sets and the employee development necessary to advance. Keep employees engaged: Technology, like Skype and instant messaging has made it more possible than ever to stay connected. Also, don’t forget to make the in-person interactions count. For example, if there are company-wide conferences, retreats or celebrations, make every effort to...
As a small business owner, you have to focus on the present, but also be mindful of the future. Staying in the know will put you in a much better position to capitalize as we head into 2018. Marketing is no exception. Here are three social media trends you should keep in mind: 1. Chatbots are here and you need to learn how to use them. The days of customer service hotlines are fading. Consumers demand instant responses and social media is often the venue of choice. Chatbots allow you to interact instantly and provide a higher level of customer service. Considering incorporating them into your social media management and website interface. 2. Mobile is king in the social media eco-system. Mobile is a way of life today. People use their smartphones, iPads and other devices more than desktops for news and entertainment. Therefore the content you post on social media needs to take that interface into account. The trend of mobile use dominating social media is only going to increase, so you best direct your resources there. 3. Video content is exploding. When done right, there isn’t a bigger bang for your social media marketing dollar. There’s a reason giants like Instagram and Facebook are touting their video capabilities. It won’t be long before video is the leading type of content on the web. Businesses that know how to pivot and tell their story through video content will experience much better social media success than those who do not. If you’re having trouble keeping up with marketing trends, remember we are here to...
Jargon is so common that it’s hard to differentiate this language from plain English. Just read a few business articles and you’ll come to the same conclusion. The project has been greenlighted. Let’s put this topic in the parking lot. Close the loop. Paradigm shift. These are some examples of jargon in the modern corporate vernacular. While some might think peppering an article with buzzwords can help their cause, the fact remains that it’s actually a hindrance. Why? Language is supposed to connect. The words you choose when addressing a team member or prospective client could cost you business. Jargon can be an unintentional form of obfuscation. You might lose the reader before you even break through the surface–and that’s a shame. Words can build trust and credibility. Relationships are formed when people feel like they can relate to other people or brand personas. However, when you use jargon, you run the risk of making people feel dumb because they can’t follow your message. And no one wants to feel like their intelligence is being insulted. This is counterproductive to rapport building. Bear in mind that simplicity in language does not have to mean your brand is unsophisticated. You can skip the jargon and still come across as professional. Professionalism comes from a place of confidence and experience. Jargon can come across as over-compensating for a weakness. You have a strong brand, so why detract from it with language that only adds clutter? Remember: You’re doing business with people. Write for real people in everyday prose and you’re sure to hit a home...
In an age of social media, it’s easy to forget about the human factor. Sure, emails, texts, and Facebook messages can be convenient, but we lose a great deal in the process. There is still a great value in the ol’ face-to-face meeting. If you’re not meeting other business owners in person, you can count on the fact you’re selling yourself (and your business) short. Sure, we’ve all got a mountain of work to do. Even so, if we don’t make the effort, our business will pay the price. There’s a maxim that it’s not who you know, but what you know–and that statement no doubt applies to the business world. The days and months go by–and before we know it, we’re in danger of losing that valuable connection we currently have to our fellow business owner. Relationships require ongoing nurturing and maintenance to flourish into something with relational substance. You might know this intuitively, but it can be hard to put into practice. One of the more onerous burdens business owners face is the age-old question of how best to use one’s time. Don’t be driven by temporary gains at the risk of stunting your long-term progress. Think strategically and craft a networking plan that includes consistent face time opportunities. For small businesses, the business owner is often the most critical player, because business owners forge connections with other business owners, not their support staff It all begins with scheduling these opportunities and making it happen. So grab a pencil and mark the...
Every month, entrepreneurs launch thousands of businesses in the United States. But without a point or points of difference, they are set up for failure. Whether you have been in business for five months or five years, you have to maintain a value proposition. What does your business offer that others cannot? What pain points can you address? If you don’t have good answers to these questions, now is the time for some introspection. Here are four tips from the best to stand out in the competitive landscape: 1. Study the best. Look no further than your local market for companies that do a good job of differentiating themselves. They don’t have to be your competitors or even in the same industry. What matters is that they are capturing significant market share. Take Starbucks, for example. They are a leader in the industry because they offer a consistent experience and comfortable atmosphere. 2. Think benefits, not features. This is sales 101. Consumers don’t really care about X or Y feature. Instead they want to know how your dog walking service can save people time and allow for more time with their family. 3. Get emotional. People are often motivated by emotional or gut feelings. Though logic enters into the equation, ultimately they are compelled by a visceral drive. For example, if you are a personal trainer, you can tap into peoples’ desire to look and feel better. 4. Explore motivations. Why do people choose you over a competitor? You might conduct customer surveys and polls to glean this insight. Keep your eyes and ears open and tune into social...
