Track Sales In Your Small Business With Stride |  |
- Track Sales In Your Small Business With Stride
- Did We Really Think Social Media Would Stay Free Forever?
- Is Social Media The Magic Bullet To Promote Your Self Published Book?
- Don’t Raise Rates, Cut Deductions
- Hostess Closes Operations in Dispute with Union
| Track Sales In Your Small Business With Stride Posted: 19 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST Managing deals in your sales pipeline might be a bit more time-consuming than you would like. There are customer relationship management tools, sales force management, sales tracking, and apps and tools to fill your holiday basket, not to mention your busy day. Stride is a new web-based application that I’ve fallen in love with — an elegant and simple way to track sales prospects and deal flow.
Although I run a small content production company, I value the real-time collaboration aspect of Stride. I can work together with my small team on deals, assign tasks, and comment (read: encourage, nurture, coach) — as it happens. It isn’t meant to be a project management tool, but it covers some of that without overloading me. Adding a team member is easy and it is possible to remove that team member without a hassle. What I really like:
As you can see in the dashboard screenshot below, I can get a pretty good look at what’s in my pipeline and what it is worth to my business. Sure, I have to add the details, but I don’t have to fill out 23 fields to get there. It is simple and that’s the beauty; it really works for small business owners on the path to building an empire. I can instantly see that 53 percent of my deal flow is on hold (the orange color in the first circle image). That should awaken any business owner about sales progress. You cannot see it here, but a simple drop-down menu exists when you have team members, as many as you want, under your main account. You get the same level of metrics for each one of your team.
What I would like to see:
If you have tried many, or any, of the big sales management tools on the market and find yourself overwhelmed and unable to get any closer to managing your sales process, give Stride a look. For the small business owner who needs a simple sales software to get organized, this app makes it easy and affordable. You can get a lot for your money and time. And, best of all, you can help your sales people succeed by getting a fast overview of their pipeline. Premium plans start at $9/month for 20 active deals. The post Track Sales In Your Small Business With Stride appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Did We Really Think Social Media Would Stay Free Forever? Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST You may have heard them already — the complaints of business owners and entrepreneurs outraged that Facebook is now charging for enhanced visibility or what is known on Facebook insights as "reach." I have a confession to make – and I have a feeling I'm not alone. As a business owner, I'm having a really hard time taking those complaints seriously.
We seem to have collectively lost sight of the fact that Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms are ultimately businesses. They're not philanthropic organizations – and they're not the benefits of anyone's charity. It takes a tremendous amount of resources to design and maintain a social media platform. Facebook employs thousands of people. They all need to be paid. An initial IPO was disappointing, at best, and the former advertising model wasn't profitable enough to meet revenue goals. More money needs to be made – at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and all other social media platforms – if they are going to remain viable on a long-term basis. If You Want To Play, You're Going To Pay Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms need a way to increase their revenue. Where is this money coming from? There are only two possible answers to this question. Social media companies can charge social media fees for accessing their platform, or they can turn to an already existing business base, and ask them to foot the bill. For years, there have been recurring rumors that Facebook was going to charge users a monthly fee. Every time one of these rumors surfaces, thousands of people protest, on and off social media. Dozens of "Keep Facebook Free!" Facebook pages appear after every new rumor, with hundreds of thousands of people uniting in opposition to the idea of a monthly charge or social media fees. If Facebook started charging, a significant number of users declared they would switch to another platform. There are certainly other options: Wikipedia's admittedly non-exhaustive list of active social networks has over 200 to choose from. If you were on Facebook's leadership team, would you try to go forward with charging users a monthly fee anyway? The other option – charging businesses for different features like advertising, applications and extended reach – now that certainly seems more appealing. As business owners we have to pay to be seen in every other vehicle on the planet. There may be thousands of articles on getting free press or free exposure, but ultimately, implementing those strategies is not free. You pay yourself, your staff or an outside marketing firm. Advertising Is A Marketing Staple The mediums have changed over the years, but one fact has remained constant: advertising has never been free. From printing an ad in your target demographics' favorite magazine to airing a commercial on your favorite talk radio station, every bit of exposure costs money. Charging business owners for enhanced exposure on a popular social media platform brings social media into alignment with all other existing marketing vehicles. This is not likely to provoke significant public backlash, which is an important consideration for the now publically traded Facebook. At the same time, social media has proven to be an extremely effective way for business owners to connect in a direct and meaningful way with their customers. The best way to reach your customers is to be where they already are – and over 60% of the world population is using social media. The dynamic conversations that happen on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms build brand equity, customer loyalty, and drives revenue. That's why there are more than 11 million businesses already on Facebook. However, The Efficacy Of Advertising Has Been In Decline Print advertising is particularly imperiled. Nearly 200 national magazines closed their doors in 2011, while 450 newspapers went out of business. Results matter. Companies who want to realize maximum value for their marketing dollar were quick to notice that print, radio, and television advertising weren't delivering a satisfying return. Even banner advertising, a relatively new kid on the marketing block, has become markedly less popular under this performance based paradigm. Companies aren't willing to pay for yesterday's marketing tools in today's economy. Charge the social media user or charge the companies that were already using social media to connect with their customers? If I had to make that choice for Facebook, it's pretty clear to me what my decision would be. As a business owner, it should be clear to you too. We're all in this to connect with our customers and make money, and the best way to make money is to provide a high-value product or service that the customer just can't get enough of. That's what we all try to do for our customers. Facebook's doing it too. Don't be surprised to see Twitter, Instagram, and your other favorite social media platforms following suit by charging social media fees. Pay to Play: Why It's Good For Your Business Make no mistake. Facebook wants businesses to stay active on their site. That's why they've structured this new pay to play model in the way they have. Using a reach-based algorithm, rather than charging organizations based upon the number of fans they have or the amount of content they post, allows the business owner to have an important element of budgetary control relevant to their social media activity. There is another silver lining to be found in the pay to play model of social media, and it's this: a significant number of businesses, particularly who don't fully understand the potential of social media, simply aren't going to pay. They're going to keep their money in their pocket, and disappear from the conversation. This is good news for you: the brands that customers value highly are the brands they see regularly, and engage with in a meaningful way. If your competitors aren't there to be seen or engaged with, they're going to occupy a less prominent position in your customer's psyche. You'll benefit from their absence. Where Is It All Going? Expect social media platforms to continue identifying new ways to generate income from the tools they have spent time and money creating. We know, as business owners and marketing professionals, that advertising alone is not going to sustain our connection with our audience. Today's businesses do so much more like; running webinars, writing white papers, and hosting events. Product placement marketing is evolving into exciting new territory, with companies aggressively competing for the opportunity to integrate their products into films, music videos, and video games. Businesses have found new ways to energize their marketing efforts and stay in front of customers. Social media platforms are doing the same thing, looking for new ways; creative ways to leverage what they've built so traditional display advertising does not become their sole source of revenue. I applaud new ways of thinking and encourage all of us to do the same in our businesses. The post Did We Really Think Social Media Would Stay Free Forever? appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Is Social Media The Magic Bullet To Promote Your Self Published Book? Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST Social media is considered a powerful marketing tool across a wide range of industries. For authors, especially those who self-publish or use small publishers, promoting self published books with social media can be a great way to reach out to potential readers without all the added cost of advertising or in-person book tours.
But recently, some have denounced the use of social media for self-published authors, saying that it doesn't actually lead to book sales. While social media on its own might not lead to best selling status, it can help authors build brand recognition and lead to sales as part of a larger marketing strategy. Well, who better to ask for insight than those that have gone through the process themselves? We’ve questioned several authors about their experiences using social media to promote their self-published books and we’ve provided their insights in the following slideshow. And this is what they had to say. . . Click the “Start Gallery” button to get started: Bullet Photo via Shutterstock D'vorah Lansky, M.Ed.
When it came time to promote my most recent book, as all authors, I had a decision to make as to how I would go about promoting my book. I could go the traditional route and purchase thousands of dollars worth of books or take out expensive ads promoting in-person book signings and events. Or, I could go with contemporary book marketing strategies and tap into the power of social networking. I elected the latter and experienced great success doing so. By promoting my book launch via a virtual book tour along with announcements and discussions on the social networks, my book became an Amazon bestseller within two weeks of publication. By continuing to foster relationships and participate in conversations on the social networks I have been able to build a powerful network of fans, customers, and colleagues while developing a successful online business.” D’vorah Lansky is the author of Book Marketing Made Easy: Simple Strategies for Selling Your Nonfiction Book Online. Stephanie Chandler
That’s where social media comes in because it helps authors build a loyal audience. To provide value on social media means that you share content that meets the needs and interests of your target audience. If you're a time management consultant, for example, then good content to share would be tips for managing email, projects, and other time challenges. It's all about appealing to your target audience so that they want to pay attention to everything you have to say on social media. For me, that loyalty leads to book sales, registrations for events I host, investments in my publishing and marketing services, corporate sponsorships, and other opportunities. Social media can also drive traffic to your website, help you build brand recognition, and be a great place to establish strategic relationships – all very valuable for business.” Stephanie Chandler is the author of Own Your Niche. Ken Thurber
When we recently published books with small publishers, our strategy was to use Twitter and Facebook at the launch. This worked quite successfully as it generated enough sales to put our books onto the Amazon best seller lists. You must identify why your book is unique. You must make it stand out. You need to create a reason why people should buy your book. Unique viewpoints, style and/or content are some of the ways to create this uniqueness. Take examples out of your book to make points that are designed to elicit strong reactions and engage potential readers. If you are to be successful you will need a total marketing plan. Social media is just one part. If you can get your social media campaign to go viral, you can reach an astounding number of people at essentially zero cost. Then, you stand a chance of having successful book sales.” Ken Thurber is the author of Big Wave Surfing. Nancy O’Neill
When it comes to marketing, there are also a lot of options. The strategies an author uses depends on why they wrote the book in the first place. Not every published author does it for the money or even the recognition but if selling is a factor, social media is just one of the options. However, even if an author has a large following, it does not guarantee sales. Social media is, in part, a numbers game. But to really make it work, you have to connect with people and give them a reason to support you, buy your book, or recommend you to others. Social media allows people to have conversations as you might in person, if you had the opportunity. It's important to let people see who you really are and not just be another small business person with a service to provide.” Nancy O’Neill is the author of Guess What Is On Grandpa’s Farm. Penny Sansevieri
People need more exposure to something, seven exposures according to most marketing experts, so how will you get these? Yes, there are a lot of self-published books out there, and you bet there's a ton of competition. But if you know what your audience wants and if you create a book and then a message that speaks to them, candidly the rest isn't rocket science. Now that you know what they want, where are they? If they aren't on Pinterest, why bother? You might find a better home on LinkedIn, for example. Market and message, two of the biggest and brightest elements to any marketing endeavor. Once you have those it's about exposure, exposure, exposure. Get in front of enough of the right people and yes, it is sort of a Field of Dreams. They will come.” Penny Sansevieri is the founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. Bruce Brown
I also combined media. For example, I posted YouTube videos about my books and asked for votes on each of the other social media channels. I made a point of personally “liking” and responding to every comment on Facebook that people made in response to my posts and thanked them for their comment and asked again for them to vote each day and spread the word. Clearly it worked as 31 Days to Greeting Card Marketing Mastery was a marketing category and overall winner in 2010 and 31 Days to Network Marketing Mastery was a marketing category winner (and a near miss as an overall winner) in 2012!” Bruce Brown is the author of 31 Days to Greeting Card Marketing Mastery and 31 Days to Network Marketing Mastery. Marge Brown
I mix my Facebook posts about 50/50 with promotion and lifestyle/social content. Each "word of the day" post is usually shared several times by other Facebook users and "liked" by 6-12 people. Those aren't big numbers and it's not a mega-selling book, however the sales keep growing with more than 60 sold during July 2012. If I were making a living only through selling books I'd promote more actively and diversely, but using Facebook is quick, easy, and even fun, and I can see the results in my monthly royalty check.” Marge Brown is the author of 31 Days to Improve Your Vocabulary. Denise O’Berry
Now you can build relationships with thousands of people with the touch of your keyboard through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Google+. Here are three tips that will help make your social media strategy work for you: 1) Build a hub: Create a website for your book so you have a central location for it to live. Make sure you have a way for people to sign up and get on your email list. 2) Establish your social media presence: Set up corresponding social profiles on the big networks and develop a plan for regular social sharing. 3) Remember it's about relationships: Use your social channels to build your credibility and develop a following of raving fans.” Denise O’Berry is the author of Small Business Cash Flow: Strategies for Making Your Business a Financial Success. Jeretta Horn Nord
Since my books include successful entrepreneurs’ stories, I have featured ‘Entrepreneurs of the Week’ on Facebook and inspirational quotes from the book on Facebook and Twitter. Each time these posts are followed by a link to the book or website. Facebook ads and wall posts have proved to be beneficial in promoting book events in which a panel of entrepreneurs spoke and gift bags were given to all attendees. The idea is to create loyal fans who share this information with others. Finally, remember to spend time every day doing something to promote your book(s).” Jeretta Horn Nord is the author of the A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur’s Spirit book series. John Spence
It would have been impossible to get the Small Business Trends Reader's Choice Award and sell more than 60,000 copies of my two books without a strong social media platform. I typically invest at least an hour a day posting the best content I can find or create on Twitter and Facebook in an effort to bring the most value I can to my audience and I have been rewarded with loyal followers who have promoted my books and blog enthusiastically. To me, the key is to only post things that you feel would truly help your readers, and in return they will trust you, continue to follow you, and recommend you to their followers…a true win-win for all.” John Spence is the author of Awesomely Simple and Excellence by Design – Leadership. The post Is Social Media The Magic Bullet To Promote Your Self Published Book? appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Don’t Raise Rates, Cut Deductions Posted: 19 Nov 2012 04:40 AM PST John Arensmeyer, the founder of small business advocacy group Small Business Majority, recently suggested that small business owners accept President Obama’s demand that marginal tax rates be raised on the top two percent of earners as part of any plan to avoid the fiscal cliff. He told the Washington Post, "There's no reason to not just let the tax cuts on the top two brackets expire." For the head of a small business advocacy group seeking to build a positive relationship with the administration, this is a politically savvy position. Only about 3 percent of small business owners would face a tax increase under the President's proposal; and the President might be willing to support preserving the tax breaks small businesses favor if they went along with his plan. But as Columbia University economist Glenn Hubbard wrote in a recent Financial Times commentary, a better economic approach would be to cap tax deductions. Higher marginal tax rates mean that people keep less of each additional dollar they earn, which lowers their willingness to work an extra hour or invest an extra dollar. For small business owners who run pass through entities (subchapter S corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships), higher marginal tax rates also discourage capital investment and hiring in their businesses. For everyone, higher marginal tax rates motivate people to find ways to avoid paying taxes, even if those solutions aren’t economically productive. That’s why the Congressional Budget Office estimates that allowing the Bush tax cuts on the top two percent of earners to expire would lower real GDP growth next year. Tax deductions also distort incentives by encouraging people to spend money in ways that lower their taxes, rather than ways that don’t, but are more productive. The mortgage interest deduction, for instance, leads people to borrow money to buy bigger houses than they need. Collectively, we would be better off if the government raised additional revenue by cutting tax deductions rather than raising marginal tax rates. During the campaign, Mitt Romney proposed a politically shrewd way to do this. Just cap tax deductions. Do that and you get fewer distortions without political battles over which special interests get to keep their cherished deductions. The Tax Policy Center estimates that capping tax deductions at $50,000 per year would raise roughly the same amount of revenue as letting the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy expire, Greg IP of the Economist explains. Since rich people deduct more than than poor people, a $50,000 cap in tax deductions would hit mostly high income tax payers. While capping deductions doesn’t have the soak-the-rich appeal of raising the marginal tax rate, and requires President Obama to take a page from the Republican playbook, it allows him to achieve his goal of making high earners “pay a little bit more.” Republican leaders have signaled that they would go along. Speaker of the House John Boehner and former Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan both have said that they would accept higher tax revenues, but not higher tax rates. As Ryan told the Milwaukee Sentinel, “Our fear is that if you raise tax rates you hurt economic growth. You hurt small businesses. So through tax reform you can get higher revenues without damaging the economy.” The post Don’t Raise Rates, Cut Deductions appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Hostess Closes Operations in Dispute with Union Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:30 AM PST The makers of such famous treats as Twinkies and Drake’s Devil Dogs will be cranking out the sugar-filled treats no more. Union officials representing some of the company’s 18,500 workers and company executives are pointing fingers at each other in an effort to assign blame, but the fact remains that when businesses collapse everybody loses. You may not run a business the size of Hostess Brands, but your company has doubtless faced its share of troubles. Here’s a look at the ones that brought Hostess down, others faced by business owners just like you, and some of the secrets that can help you carry on despite adversity. Bridge Over Troubled WatersThe end. There are many factors that can lead to your business failing. While Hostess executives and union representatives blamed each other Friday. Everyone saw the writing on the wall: the company’s failure has been a long time coming. When a business model no longer works for whatever reason, it’s time for everyone to move on. Of course, businesses large and small face many challenges these days. Here are just a few thoughts entrepreneurs need to keep in mind. CNN Money Uphill battle. Even businesses that persevere face challenges, says small business owner Rachel Strella. Small Business Saturday is coming up this weekend, and during the recent U.S. election there was a lot of lip service paid to small businesses, but Strella says the deck continues to be stacked against small business owners. Even though a higher average dollar amount is recovered from large corporations, the IRS audits small businesses more often. If that isn’t “stacked”, what is? Strella Social Media Let the sun shine in. One problem that continues to vex the tech startup industry is the lack of effective immigration reform that would allow tech entrepreneurs to come to the U.S. to start businesses. Obviously, these emerging tech companies would create ecosystems wherein many other small businesses and entrepreneurs could flourish. Here, podcast host and entrepreneur Jason Calacanis rails about the problem and the need for a solution. Startup of the Week Family feud. Regulations and government officials aren’t the only challenges facing entrepreneurs. One of the challenges is, well…just being an entrepreneur. Growing a business can be tough on personal relationships, including your family. In this interview columnist and author Meg Cadoux Hirshberg, wife of Gary Hirshberg, founder of organic yogurt company Stonyfield Farms, talks about the personal side of the equation. Jonathan Fields Evolutionary EntrepreneurshipWork smarter, not harder. The key to overcoming obstacles in your business is not always to work harder. Some entrepreneurs can work a bit too hard, and wind up losing their business and their health in the process. Just read this post for one entrepreneur’s perspective on how working too hard will not guarantee a successful business…and could even land you in the hospital! Here are some further suggestions for how to work smarter instead of harder while retaining your business and your peace of mind. N2ITIV Solutions Change your business model. One of the most important strategies to keep your company alive in lean times or flush is to be ready to evolve your business model as times change. Chris Brogan interviews media entrepreneur David Siteman Garland about how morphing your business is the key not only to keeping your business alive, but to keeping you satisfied as an entrepreneur. Always be ready to make course corrections when necessary. Human Business Works Leverage connections and community. Small businesses and entrepreneurs are most successful when they learn to leverage the resources of their communities. Business consultant and blogger Adam Gottlieb explains how for years he helped small businesses do what they do best. “I have always been particularly passionate about small businesses, since small companies tend to reveal the unique character and qualities of their owners," Gottlieb says. BizSugar Blog The post Hostess Closes Operations in Dispute with Union appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
“While social media may not be "the magic bullet," it is certainly a powerful modern day method for building relationships, sharing ideas, and doing business. Adding online social networking to one's networking activities will open doors and provide access to many new audiences.
“According to a 
“You have just published your tome. How do you sell it? One prominent strategy is social media. But remember that every sales strategy requires work.
“The two important things to recognize about self-publishing are that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one author may not work for the next, but all authors should have one thing in common – to create the most professional book possible.
“One of the elements people forget is that promoting online (social media, blogs, etc.) isn't about sales – it's about exposure. So, to try and correlate sales to, let's say, a Facebook ad isn't really productive.
“Social media was a major promotional tool for my books winning awards in the 2010 and 2012 Small Business Trends 
“Social media helps me sell books. I used Facebook several times a week to promote 31 Days to Improve Your Vocabulary. As a lifelong word-lover, it's daily practice for me to note new words for my posts. My only promotion is a vocab "word of the day" posting on my Facebook profile with a link to the book on Amazon.
“Social media has added a new marketing channel full of opportunity for book authors. No longer is it required for authors to slog across the continent, meeting people face-to-face just to sell a book or two.
“Social media has proven to be a great way to promote my book series “A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur’s Spirit.” Eighty percent of social media posts should provide value to your readers rather than just directly promoting book sales.
“Social media has been the cornerstone of my book marketing efforts. Tweets, blogs and Facebook mentions from respected authors and bloggers were the major factors in driving sales.| You are subscribed to email updates from Small Business Trends To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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