5 Tasks For The Slow Season – Gear Up For Fall

Get On Track This Summer

Many businesses experience a little downtime during the summer months. Especially, for those self-employed, small/independant businesses  and “Mompreneurs”. Children are home from school, customers are on vacation or people are just not interested. Those whose client bases are taking a breather – should take time to re-evaluate their business strategies.

This is a great time to assess your current strategies. Here are some things to consider while the lazy months of summer are upon us.

1. Review your current online presence

• Should you look at building a Blog
• Search online magazines, forums or complementary sites to see what you like and what you don’t
• Contact those who might be able to increase your traffic

2. Review your sales strategy

• If you are working with retailers – analyze your sales, costs and effectiveness with them
• Seek out new retailers
• Consider working with a wholesaler
• Research online retailers – like EBay, Esty or Kijiji

3. Attend Fairs, Tradeshows or Local Community Events

• See if they would be a good fit for you in the coming months
• Talk to vendors in attendance - you can get a sense of how successful each show is for them and why
• Talk to attendees of the event, find out their likes/dislikes about the event

4. Review your profit margins

• Doing what you love sometimes takes precedent over profit. Evaluate if after costs of goods sold (manufacturing costs, marketing costs, operating expenses and/or office expenses) you are actually making money
• If your profit margins are slim to nothing; it is imperative to review your revenue vs. expenses and assess what needs modification Conduct customer research
• Backyards and BBQ’s are a great way to get some key clients together and discuss their thoughts on your product/service
• Getting suggestions and feedback from your clients, not only enhances the existing relationship – but also provides valuable information in the form of
• new ideas for products/services
• innovative communication strategies – blog, website, email, advertising etc.
• suggestions for new channels of distribution

5. Research the competition

• If you are a Mompreneur and have the kids home for the summer – take them to places that sell your competition
• See how customers are reacting to their products/services and apply the useful information to you
• If you are on vacation or just slowed down – go out there and see what is happening on the street

Once you have done a review of the above, compile some ideas to implement in the coming year. Information gathered from all these sources get the creative juices flowing; and subsequently give you innovative and fun strategies for the new year.

September and October are “Back to School” months. Vacations over and busy Holiday seasons just on the horizon; provides the perfect opportunity to contact your existing customer base and target new customers. The creation of a launch for a  new product, idea, online venue or marketing strategy gives you  a fresh reason to contact. New clients are garnered by reaching a larger audience or maybe a more specific niche market; depending on what you have discovered over summer.

While summer may give a lull to your business – instead of resting on your laurels – put this time to good use. Then run into the Fall with both guns blazing.

If you would like to have your current strategies reviewed and/or are looking for consulting services, please do not hesitate to contact Kathleen Hogg - to receive a 1 hour free assessment.

Facebook Friends – Are They Real or Are They A Front?

Social Networking sites are now the “Norm” for businesses, organizations, events, communities, causes and people. We are still learning the practices of these sites and how the rules work. You need to decide how much of your personal information you wish to share and with whom. It is important to introduce yourself to Cyberspace friends with a bit of caution. When creating a Facebook Page or Group – it is important to monitor who is requesting “Friendship”.

Here is an example of how businesses are trying to gain information or access to certain Facebook Groups or Pages. The most common “Friend” requests come from individuals, blogs and organizations. All clear in their profile and desire for information on the issue or topic of the page.  Recently, in a Facebook Group dedicated to Chronic Pain Sufferers a “Friend” request was submitted. The profile of the person just didn’t seem right and here’s why:

• No photos other than a neutral Profile Photo – for those that are listed as people and not organizations, this is rather odd.
• No schools, organizations or things like that listed.
• There were 3 websites listed – two of which were for a Recovery/Addiction Centre – that bore the same name as her last.
• Under Television shows as a favourite – she had “Intervention”
• One of her “Friends” was the Dr. who is in charge of this Centre

I looked up the Centre and it is a place to go to if you have Chronic Pain and are on Medication. Apparently, they effectively deal with Narcotic Addiction linked with Chronic Pain. They also appeared on A&E’s show Intervention. OK – so I look for the name of the “Friend” and I could not find her. So the Centre is the last name of the Person who “Friended” me, the Centre is on Intervention – her favourite show, there are 3 websites listed for her all to deal with this centre and the first “Friend” listed for her is the Dr. who is in charge of this centre.

Also on her Basic Information it says “Looking to help people suffering from chronic pain and/or addiction”. This doesn’t seem to me like a real person. Now, I could be totally off and wrong. It isn’t all that impossible that I am making an assumption. You know what they say about Assumption – it makes an Ass out of you and me. However, my skepticism makes me think that this is a front for a treatment place.

To Those Who Have Created Social Network Pages or Groups- I ask you to look carefully at who you are “Friending” on your various Social Networking Sites. Make sure you are comfortable with these people/organizations/companies knowing your personal information. If you are skeptical – don’t accept the friend request. Make sure you investigate or at least look over the profile of who you are “Friending”. Just because they have many mutual friends, doesn’t mean they have to be your “Friend” too. Some may have overlooked this and accepted the “Friend” at face value.

To Businesses Looking To Find Information-  If you want to know something about the group - introduce yourself properly. It is important to reach your target market. However, to infiltrate these pages leaves your ethics in question. You have to determine how you want to be perceived by potential clients. Are suspect tactics the way to gain trust or compliance? I don’t think so. Most groups will be willing to have companies join their pages if there is full disclosure. If the ‘Friendship” is declined, then it is declined. In sales, you always have to accept rejection. Having said that, straightforward business practices will do you better in the long run than deceptive one.

Online Groups, Communities or Pages are resources can be more than a little helpful. There is a wealth of information out there and most people are willing to share it. So here are a few tips when trying to find information on your target market through Social Networking Pages:

Present yourself clearly, if you are an organization – state it,

if you are an individual – state it & provide the information you wish,

if you are business- state it,

 if you are a social/issue page – state it.

It is important to share information about people or organizations who are trying to gain access “undercover”. Contact the person directly or post a notice up about them. If the Social Network works like a community these practices will not be that effective, and therefore not long lived.

 *I have not included the name of the Female who tried to “Friend” me or the Treatment Centre associated – as I said – I might be completely wrong – so I did want to protect their privacy. It just didn’t sit right with me.

Product Review – Dishwashers Are They Built To Last Anymore?

Image by mstephens7 via Flickr

When we purchased our house it had a Viking Dishwasher, circa 1965 with dials that turned. It worked. After a few years, a burning like fragrance emanated from under the sink. Before a fire happened we retired it.

On a tight budget and naive in appliances, we got a basic white Kenmore dishwasher. When it came time to install it, we noticed something peculiar about our kitchen. The previous owners had not only tiled AROUND the machine, but  also put the counter top. We carved away at the counter and pulled up the tiles to install. Good times.

Ahhh…..we had a dishwasher again. We were dazzled with the cool squishy button options, like Pot Scrubber Cycle. 18 months later and perfectly timed around Christmas, it died.

I was hosting my very first Turkey Dinner, from scratch. My dishwasher was my sous chef and it let me down. We called a repairman, and for $250 bucks  the computer panel needed replacement. Parts & additional visit/labour – $400 Uhhhhhh…..doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a brand new one would closely equal $650. So much for reducing our carbon footprint.

Boxing Day, we head out to the Brick. Yes, that is right, the most hectic and brutal day to shop of the year – it is also the day of deals. We seek a Frigidaire, tall tub, stainless steel, grey inside lining with snazzy options….even one to wash my China and Crystal. Certainly an important feature, as I use my China and Crystal about twice a year.

A higher end Frigidaire floor model is available . Whoo – Hoo, I get an even cooler model for the same amount. We did pick up and installation ourselves. Please note, we have a friend who is a plumber, so a few beers was a great price.

It worked. It looked pretty. The fancy buttons were on the top of the door, so little fingers couldn’t press them and invisible to the naked eye. A nice clean line – to match my new double oven stove - story for another time.

18 months later it died. Thankfully, extended warranty purchased (I learned my lesson). A repair man came pretty quickly, I might add. He took one look at it and said, the computer panel needs replacement. Really?

Here is the sage advice he offered: “No matter how much you spend on a dishwasher, the fact is the computer panels are all pretty much the same. They are designed to last until the warranty is up and then they break. The buttons also can be pressed too hard, which means they won’t pop back up again. Bottom line, buy a pretty good dishwasher, but don’t spend a ridiculous amount, because it will break”.

The Brick replaced our dishwasher and they did it quickly. The first installer put it in, tipping backwards. His logic, was if it leaked then water wouldn’t go all over the floor. I didn’t have time to argue with him. The next day I called to let them know a few things.

• my dishwasher was installed incorrectly, with it sticking out about 2 inches from the cabinet.
• if it leaks – it goes directly onto my electrical panel
• aren’t dishwashers designed to be flat?
• why are you selling dishwashers that leak?

They sent someone to fix it…….again.

When the Manufacturers warranty expired, the Brick called us to offer the extended warranty. If we don’t end up using it, our payments become a store credit. We say, sign us up. We had learned our lesson.

This week, it died again. Another 18 months past replacement  date. Repair man arrives and asks me what I had done. I explain to him the problem and state “it is the computer board, it needs to be replaced”. He spends about 15 minutes routing around and I leave him to his expertise. He calls me back and says “Press the button”. I think to myself, Oh it is going to turn on…was it me? I press the button and nothing happens. He states flatly “Same thing happened when I pressed it.” Uhhhh OK.

He says he has to order the part, as it is almost the end of the week (Wednesday at 2pm), it will be a while before I get the part. Blah, blah, blah. I know it will get fixed by the end of next week.

Why don’t we make things that work? Why all the gizmos, gadgets, whizbangers, computer junk and flash? All it does is break go to some landfill and then what? I mean, my old Viking, had a turndial. It was not fancy, flashy or exciting but it did what it was supposed to. It washed dishes. Do you think, in time, we will figure out that a higher initial price for something that will work and last, might be better for everyone.