Inside Story: How Laura Rubinstein Became a Small Business Influencer Champion |  |
- Inside Story: How Laura Rubinstein Became a Small Business Influencer Champion
- The Pope’s Bell Maker Turns to Exporting
- Franchising: The Importance Of Great Systems Within The System
- No Need to Feed the Meter This Small Business Saturday
- Raising Minimum Wage: Next Proposal to Threaten Small Businesses
| Inside Story: How Laura Rubinstein Became a Small Business Influencer Champion Posted: 25 Nov 2013 04:00 PM PST Now that the 2013 Small Business Influencer Awards are over, it’s never too late to start thinking about next year. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up becoming a Champion. What’s interesting about being involved in the Awards each year is to see how different each nominee works to get votes. I recently met with Laura Rubinstein, a social media and marketing consultant, as well as the President and Co-Founder of Social Buzz Club. Laura was nominated in 2012 and was a Champion this year in 2013. Her strategy to getting more votes from her community was quite unique. * * * * *
Laura Rubinstein: I’ve been working with small business for over 2 decades and have a passion for igniting entrepreneurial success. It was such an honor to be nominated for the Small Business Influencer Award. I felt that winning this award, unlike any other, truly represented who I am and what I’m dedicated to doing. SMBInfluencer Awards: What strategies worked the best? Laura Rubinstein: Communicating with my personal network of clients and the email list members I’ve developed over the years was the best way to get repeat votes. I also created an infographic and blog post about the “7 Keys to Being A Small Business Influencer.” This was a hit. Lots of people shared it across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus. I sent out a LinkedIn email as well, letting people know of the nomination and the blog post. Using images throughout the voting period was probably the next best strategy. I created images with quotes by Stephen Covey on them and a request to vote. I submitted one Facebook post to our content syndication site, and that one Facebook post got over 30 people sharing it across various networks. I got creative with a few images requesting votes as I didn’t want to hound my friends with a boring message. Images included animals, quotes and even images of the votes. Participating over the years in some great Facebook and LinkedIn groups also garnered great support. SMBInfluencer Awards: How big is your network? Laura Rubinstein: I don’t have the largest network out there, but I made it work for me. I have:
SMBInfluencer Awards: How did you use the Facebook comments on your profile? Laura Rubinstein: The comments that people posted on the voting pages were awesome testimonials. I took screen shots of each one and am adding them to my website. SMBInfluencer Awards: What tips would you provide SMBInfluencer nominees for 2014? How can they get more votes from their audience and beyond? Laura Rubinstein: It’s important to build relationships throughout the year with your clients, target audience and colleagues online. I love using social media because of the increased reach you can get. Use the recommendations in the blog post ”7 Keys to Being A Small Business Influencer.” These steps will serve you well. That’s how I do it. If you produce great blogs, articles or videos, you’ll get way more traffic, visibility, credibility and expand your influence. The post Inside Story: How Laura Rubinstein Became a Small Business Influencer Champion appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| The Pope’s Bell Maker Turns to Exporting Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:30 PM PST
You would think when you work for one of the richest clients in the world, you wouldn’t have to worry about broadening your market. Not so, according Armando and Pasquale Marinelli, owners of the Pontifical Marinelli Foundry. One of the oldest family run businesses in Italy whose customer list includes the Vatican, the company is looking to export more to make up for sluggish sales. The foundry has been struggling through a three-year-long Italian recession that has already claimed 37,000 other family businesses in the country. Pasquale Marinelli recently told The Independent:
The company has boosted its exports to 20 percent of annual revenue over the last decade with more exporting expected, says Bloomberg Radio (mp3 file). Clients include both growing congregations in Latin America and secular customers eager for the company’s unique bronze bells. The foundry produced its first of these way back in 1339 and was named the pontifical foundry in 1929 by the Vatican, according to Agence France-Presse, the French news agency. Though the church still remains its largest customer, this may have to change. No matter how much you depend on relationships with your best customers, expanding your market gives you greater independence and greater ability to survive even in tough times. St. Peter’s Basilica Bell Photo via Shutterstock The post The Pope’s Bell Maker Turns to Exporting appeared first on Small Business Trends. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Franchising: The Importance Of Great Systems Within The System Posted: 25 Nov 2013 11:00 AM PST
Today's franchise business systems need to run smoothly and efficiently. Franchisees, the people who are footing the bill for the system, expect the system to work. They also expect (because of what they were told while they were investigating the franchise) the "systems within the system" to work. When things don't work…things that affect revenues and profits, for instance, frustration ensues. For example, let's say that you're the owner of a retail franchise. There are two things that are crucial for your business to operate, and both of them have to do with collecting revenue. 1. Credit Card Processing Machine When customers purchase one of your products, they can pay by cash, check or credit card. These days, almost one out of every three purchases is made with a credit card, according to Visa. If you own a retail or food-service franchise, customers expect to be able to pay by credit card. These transactions have to go through a credit card processing machine. There are 4 entities involved whenever a credit card transaction takes place. They are:
As a franchise owner, you can only control what's in front of you. When you accept credit cards, it's crucial for you to have high-quality credit card processing equipment and technology at your disposal. To that end, ask your franchise sales representative about the reliability of the equipment franchisees are using to do credit card transactions. Better yet, ask several franchisees. They're in the game every day. When your franchise business is jammed with customers paying by credit card, your credit card processing equipment needs to work perfectly. Today's customers are an impatient bunch. Don't expect them to wait around very long if there's an issue with your machine and they're unable to pay. They'll leave and buy what they wanted from you – elsewhere. 2. Point of Sale (POS) System In a retail or restaurant environment, the point of sale system is the most important piece of equipment in use today. An article I found on Wikipedia sums up why POS systems are so important:
A lot of today's POS systems feature things like:
A good deal of customization can be added to POS systems. Almost any feature imaginable can be created and added. Some POS systems even have credit card processing integrated within the system for maximum efficiency. Franchise Systems Within the SystemA couple of other "systems within the system" are needed by franchisees and franchisors to keep things running smoothly. Things such as: PayrollOne of the most common questions posed to me by would-be franchise owners has to do with payroll:
It's a great question-with a great answer. Some franchisors provide payroll software as part of the computer package you receive as a franchisee. If that's the case, they'll also provide in-depth training on how to use it. Even if the franchisor doesn't include a payroll software package, they're readily available from vendors like Intuit, Paychex, and ADP. There's even a payroll card available now. Internet MarketingInternet marketing-done right is crucial to the success of both franchisors and franchisees these days. Internet marketing is a moving target. It entails a lot of things, including search engine optimization (SEO) pay-per-click advertising (PPC) and social media marketing. It's becoming more difficult for in-house marketing personnel at franchise headquarters to keep up with everything, including all of the changes that search engines like Google and Bing seem to be fond of making as of late. That's why it's important for franchisors to use Internet marketing specialists. They are tuned into each and every change that search engines make, so they can help their clients rank better for keywords used by their prospective clients, customers and franchisees. Companies like Empowerkit help franchisors and franchisees with their Internet marketing needs by first creating then managing engaging websites. Once the sites are set-up, the company can help produce fresh content and get potential customers engaged through the use of SEO and social media marketing. Other companies that specialize in Internet marketing for franchisors and franchisees include ElementsLocal, Greenbaum Marketing, and Stark Logic. Ask Questions About The SystemsIf you're considering franchise ownership, I'm going to assume that one of the major reasons you're interested in a franchise is because of the system. It's what you're buying when you buy a franchise. You're buying a way to get a business up and running with minimal headaches. The franchise business system has worked for years. It's an amazing system. If you decide that it's for you, make sure you find out how well the systems within the system work. Systems Concept Photo via Shutterstock The post Franchising: The Importance Of Great Systems Within The System appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| No Need to Feed the Meter This Small Business Saturday Posted: 25 Nov 2013 08:00 AM PST
Parking will be free in 42 communities across the nation to benefit small businesses this Small Business Saturday. Special covers will be put over the meters in these communities on Saturday Nov. 30 to let visitors know parking is free. A Look At One Featured CommunitySmall communities like Doylestown, PA, will benefit from the program. Founded in 1745, the town, located 75 miles South of New York, features (PDF) many shops, boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and other attractions. In a prepared press release issued by the community, John Davis, Doylestown Borough Manager explained:
Many of these small business owners recently participated in a little video promoting Small Business Saturday: American Express and community news site operator Patch are sponsoring the program called “Park on Patch.” Patch picked the towns and American Express is covering the cost of parking for the day. Local communities approve being in the program. Other communities in the program include: CALIFORNIA
CONNECTICUT
GEORGIA
ILLINOIS
MASSACHUSETTS
MARYLAND
MICHIGAN
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
OHIO
PENNSYLVANIA
Image: Small Business Saturday Editor’s Correction: corrected to reflect the number of participating communities and to include the list. The post No Need to Feed the Meter This Small Business Saturday appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Raising Minimum Wage: Next Proposal to Threaten Small Businesses Posted: 25 Nov 2013 05:00 AM PST
Raising the minimum wage is shaping up to be the latest in a string of President Obama's proposals that have rankled small business. The White House recently indicated it would support Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin's proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour and index it for inflation, The Hill reported. Once again small business owners, particularly those in low margin retail and service businesses, are readying for a political battle over how they compensate employees. Raising the Minimum WageBoosting the minimum wage will raise the cost of employing low-skilled workers. In highly competitive industries where passing the cost on to customers in the form of higher prices is not an option, small business owners are likely to shed workers to preserve profits. As President Obama's economic advisors can explain to him, business owners pay their employees according to the economic value those employees generate. If the government sets wages higher than what employees are worth, then the businesses will lay off the unproductive ones – those who cannot produce value that exceeds the wage they are getting. Economists estimate that the proposed 39 percent increase in the minimum wage would cut employment of low-skilled workers by between 4 to 8 percent. In some industries, like leisure and hospitality where a higher fraction of workers are paid the minimum wage, employment would decline even more. Young People May Suffer the MostYoung people likely would suffer the most from an increase the minimum wage because they more likely to work in jobs that pay at or below the minimum wage. Therefore, they are the ones most likely to face layoffs if the minimum wage makes their employment no longer economically productive. Estimates by economist Joseph Sabia of the University of Georgia suggests that the 39 percent increase in the minimum wage would lead to a whopping 20 to 36 percent drop in the number of teens working at small businesses. The disappearance of these jobs will have long term effects on young people. The decline in the number of young workers means many of them won't be developing skills and generating contacts from their first jobs. And that's likely to have negative effects on their long term career prospects. A higher minimum wage also induces some teenagers to drop out of school, setting them up for a lifetime of poor earnings. University of California at Irvine economist David Neumark and Federal Reserve economist William Wascher found that the nearly 40 percent increase in the minimum wage being proposed would be expected to lower high school enrollment by as much as 8 percent. It's a cruel irony in that boosting the minimum wage will mean more impoverished people. As Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland economist Mark Schweitzer and University of California economist David Neumark have found, businesses often cut poor workers first when an increase in the minimum wage makes hiring as many workers uneconomical. Because those workers often have the least long term job potential. As a result, boosting the minimum wage means poor adults being passed over for jobs and ending up stuck in poverty. At a time when the Democrats are a minority in the House of Representatives, increasing the minimum wage would require Republicans to go along. Given the GOP's economic philosophy, however, that's not likely to happen. Coffee Shop Employee Photo via Shutterstock The post Raising Minimum Wage: Next Proposal to Threaten Small Businesses appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
SMBInfluencer Awards: What made you decide to go further in promoting your SMBInfluencer profile over the past 2 years?
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