Trailblazer - Igniting Business & Community

eCommerce has become a big topic in business especially after the year we just had. However all eCommerce is not equal and in some cases it does not make sense. Social selling is another term that has run hand in hand with eCommerce but again not the same and not beneficial in all circumstances.

Topic 1: What is eCommerce and how do you know it fits

• eCommerce is simply creating an online store to sell your products and services
  
• Not all eCommerce platforms are the same - cost, marketing services, build time and functionality
  
• Add shameless plug for how Mobileteer helps eCommerce clients
  

Topic 2: What is social selling and how do you know it fits

• Social selling is creating brand awareness and building relationships with customers either in person or online. For our talk we will focus on the online side
  
• This is done using online content to appeal to your customers  as well as appealing to social changes that may be happening that could bring more sales to your company
  

Marketing... yourself/your business and your community/network and how this leads to, building, preserving and ensuring long term Wealth.

Today is all about Chambers of Commerce, an important network in your community and to your business. As we speak with our guest we are going to look at a few topics and get first hand experience.

Today we would like to welcome Janelle Best, Director of the Howell Chamber of Commerce to the Trailblazer show. Welcome Janelle

Topic 1: What does a Chamber do for the community?

Topic 2: Importance of Chamber membership?

• What do you say to members that feel they are not getting what they want from a membership
  

Topic 3: What are some of the specific areas of a Chamber should a business owner look at to advance just being a member in the directory?

Are you meeting your customer’s needs? Whether you are in the service, retail or restaurant industries, your customers' needs are whey they come to do business with you especially as we re-engage.

Do you know your customer’s needs and have you asked? If not you would be amazed at the pointers or suggestions your regular customers can provide that could really boost your business and profit.

Topic 1: Products and services

• Are there new products or services you should/could offer
  
• Are there products that need to be updated ( like we talked about last episode out with the old and in with the new)
  
• Update your services and products...please!
  

Topic 2: Purchasing and loyalty options

• Purchasing - In store, online, social media
  
• Loyalty - should you or should you not
  
  • Digital or traditional
    

Topic 3: After sales support or follow up

• Thank you emails
  
• After for referrals or social media comments
  
• Save contact info for renewable orders
  

What areas of your business are you holding onto the old ways and need to get with the new way of doing business?

Topic 1: Is it your old way of planning your business budget

• Old - Ledgers, monthly to month planning, only using CPA’s
  
• New - Digital tools like Quickbooks, full financial team, looking at the full year planning while having quarterly alternatives ready
  
• Team- their tools!
  
• Wave, digital tracking software
  

Topic 2: Is it growth strategies

• Old - Mailers, focus on gaining new customers only, basic websites
  
• New - Social media, videos, online shopping, digital loyalty, focus on existing customers shopping experience
  

Topic 3: Is it connecting

• Old - connecting with customers and staff
  
• New - community, network organizations, local non-profits
  
• Digital,  video meeting, recorded video
  
• Project mgt software
  

Question/Topic 1: So a little bit of a no brainer question but why is having multiple - streams of income important now compared to 5 or `10 years ago?

Question/Topic 2: If someone is looking at getting into multiple streams of income whether they are existing business owners or are looking at this to get into business, what are 3 things they should be looking for to give them the best foundation for success?

Question/Topic 3: Carl, as we know you work and network with a lot of business owners, can you share with our listeners why business owners who are already growing their business should also consider multiple streams of income?

Question/Topic 4: Ok Carl so we have covered the importance of multiple income streams, why current business owners should look into it. Now what are the advantages aside from the obvious of money still coming in why business owners that are transitioning into retirement or needing to change their career path should look at multiple streams of income? Use skills there a team environment that I can still make it work

As we get into this, we are going to break down 3 key digital technologies you can implement easily and we are going to focus on the retail/restaurant and service businesses.

Topic 1: Digital communications.

• Social media - posts vs. live
  
• Chat Bot
  
• Text messages
  
• Email
  

Topic 2: E-Commerce / Fast purchases

• E-commerce
  
• Upgrade POS/Credit card systems
  
• Tablet ordering
  
• webinars
  

Topic 3: Internal digital

• Inventory database
  
• CRM
  
• Connectivity between all devices - desktop to mobile
  

So let’s get you excited about what 2021 can hold for you with a question: What are you going to do to make 2021 the best year yet for you and your business?

Topic 1 - Excited about new features/program

• Is it eCommerce - if not it should be
  
• Online tools like website upgrade (no not social media but we will get to that)
  
• Is it keeping carryout or curbside a forever option           innovations… big
  

Topic 2: Working on your business

• Staff and new leadership
  
• Coaches/Mentors or planning team
  

Passion is one of the leading characteristics needed to run the race of a successful business. 

That is why we wanted to talk another look at this topic and share some insights different from the episode on passion a few weeks ago. 

This week we are going to take a look back on some things that made 2020 very interesting that can help propel your business forward as we run (hopefully) into 2021 and highlight some of the past episodes that are great to listen to again along with some fan favorites.

Fan favorites and really great topics on ways to help grow your business include

Ep 4 - Referral marketing/networking

Ep 2 - Marketing in a new marketplace

Ep 8 - Interview with Clark on business and community

Ep 7  - Connecting with your DDA and Main Street Organizations with Special Guest Kate Litwin

Ep 28 - Selling should be a part of your business everyday

Ep 27 - Why the "Why" you started your business is so important

Business challenges in 2020 that lead to changes that are not going away

• Use of community partnerships
  
• Keeping your team passionate about the goals
  
• eCommerce/Social media and technology
  
• Importance of having a team and business coaching
  

Questions to ponder:

1. Holiday boost or bust
   
2. Is the last month of the year important to you
   
3. How can we focus on the essentials during busy holiday season
   

Topic 1: How to make the holidays and year end a boost not a bust

Topic 2: Use the last month of the year to springboard into the new year

Topic 3: Focus on the essentials, distractions galore

Some questions that you are having right now as we get started, maybe its:

1. I have passion for what I am doing but I don't know how to share it
   
2. Does my passion really relate to the profit or growth of my business
   
3. Yeah I lost of fire now what

Topic 1: Sharing your passion

• Your passion for what you do and bring to the community needs to be shared with both staff and your customers
  
• Your passion should not only come out when you are helping your customers but also in your marketing
  

Topic 2: Passion and Profit

• It is easy to have passion for what you are doing when you are doing great and making that money
  
• However if you passion wanes then sadly so does your profit - this does not mean you need to be the slap happy smiley person all the time
  

Topic 3: Let’s get the passion back

• Take a step back and recharge
  
• If you shared your passion with staff or customers - ask them why are they are excited about your business which is always a great reminder for you
  
• Get a team around you to remind you how awesome you are
  
  

1. Why is net profit so important and what can it be used for aside from paying taxes
   
2. What is your business valuation, including pre-money, post-money and net profit effect
   
3. Capital - you want it, need it, how to get it and does net profit help
   

Topic 1: Net Profit

• Gross Revenue minus operating expenses before taxes
  
• How to make the most of your revenue to make sure you are getting the net profit you worked so hard to gain
  
• Make sure your net profit is not eaten up by other things like taxes
  

Topic 2: Business Valuation

• Pre-money
  
• Post-Money
  
• Net profit effect on valuation
  

Topic 3: Capital

• When to raise and how
  
• General uses
  
• Using net profit as capital to continue your growth
  

1. What is profit? This is not a duh moment
   
2. What are some things we can do to maximize profit?
   
3. What should we be doing once we have profit?
   

Topic 1: What makes up profit

• Profit is not just the difference between but you bought and sold something for
  
• Why is profit so important
  

Topic 2: How to maximize business to reach profit

• Deals with vendors and service providers
  
• Mix of products/services offered to make profit
  
• Marketing - Deal or no deal
  

Topic 3: You have profit, yah now what

• So sadly a lot of new founders or businesses still in the weird startup/early growth space take profit and just put it back in the business
  
• Pay yourself
  
• Fund other programs to enhance your business - We are talking new advancements not operations
  

1. Is your business producing revenue? Notice we didn’t say profit
   
2. What would it do you need to focus on to get, grow or boost your revenue
   
3. This may be weird for some of you, does your business or have you thought about multiple lines of revenue?
   

Topic 1: Producing revenue

• Revenue growth path from startup to success
  
• Foundation to turn revenue into profit
  

Topic 2: Revenue focus

• Focus - is it just to make money or grow a successful business
  
• Ways to grow or boost revenue
  

Topic 3: Multiple lines the answer to your revenue

• Multiple products/services
  
• Multiple locations
  
• Multiple ways to make money
  

Questions we want to throw out there:

1. Its 4th quarter and the holidays are coming - are you ready?
   
2. What new things have you put into action or are thinking about and just not put into play yet?
   
3. Are you ready for 2021? If not its a coming whether you are or not.

Topic 1: What are your plans for the 4th quarter and holidays

• Partnering with community partners
  
• Events at your business
  

Topic 2: New things you are doing, or you adapted to this Spring that will stick

• Did you update your online or eCommerce abilities
  
• Did you offer new services like curbside or delivery
  
• Did you launch new products or services
  

Topic 3: Are you ready for 2021

• It is time to plan for how you are going to ramp up after the holidays
  
• What are you hoping for in 2021 and what are you doing to make it happen
  
  

What we want to share today is the “Selling” in your business goes far beyond selling a product or service and should never be in the arena of “I hate selling or being sold to”. Here a few questions to get us started in the fun world of selling as an everyday function of your business.

1. Are you selling your why daily?
   
2. Are you selling your products/services or are you helping make your customers lives better?
   
3. Are you positioned for sales opportunities including ultimately selling your business?
   

Topic 1 - Selling your “Why”

• Are you selling your “Why” to yourself every morning to get you ready for the day
  
• Selling your “Why” is also sharing your why to staff and customers alike
  
• Shout your “Why” throughout your community
  

Topic 2: Sales should be helping your customers not just making the “sale”

• So you think you can sell - get ready for a whole lot of “NO”
  
• Learn the needs of customers (kind of a no brainer) but take it one step farther and discover their why for coming in today
  
• Upselling is not a bad word - get over it and your customers will thank you
  

Topic 3: Be open to sales opportunities including the selling of your business

• Take calls and appointments from people selling you things that could help your business
  
• Be open to evolving your business to increase sales
  
• Always be in a position to sell your business if the right time and offer comes along
  

Last episode we talked about your why in Why the hell are you in business in the first place. So in keeping with our goal to get our listeners thinking, we again have three questions for you.

1. Do you believe your why?
   
2. Does your why tell in your story?
   
3. Does anyone care about your why?
   

Let’s be honest, there are a variety of reasons why you chose to be an entrepreneur - you would have to have good reasons to have days of complete bliss wrapped with days of being hit in the face like a rookie boxer.

Let’s get you thinking, here are some questions to get your mind on fire

1. Was it money that steered you to start a business?
   
2. Was it an idea for a product or service that kept you up at night and if you didn't do something you were going to go crazy with insomnia?
   
3. Or was it something you thought was missing from your community combined with your passion that got you heading in the entrepreneurship direction?
   

This week we wanted to share 4 questions that will highlight 4  common mistakes made when nearing the sale of your business.

• Are you are the secret sauce, that holds everything together in your business?
  
• Do you have a realistic valuation and are you basing your price off your dream retirement or are you creating a valuation based on your financial planning?
  
• Are you unwilling to have a team, hire a team of professionals to see that you are getting the most out of your deal?
  
• Are you maintaining confidentiality for you and your prospective buyers?
  

Questions to consider as you listen:

If in fact you will be “retiring” from your business have you been working with a team or solo planning, to look at your personal wealth, and what that may look like if you sell?

What do you WANT to do after the liquidity event?

What CAN you do after your liquidity event?

Point 1: Quality over Quantity 

Point 2: Ask “how you can help"

Point 3: 6 degrees of separation

Point 4: Reach out don't be static

Keep The growth going by moving and finding new!

Reference articles: https://thesaleshunter.com/networking-and-the-6-degrees-of-separation/

                                       https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/298262

Follow up on Facebook  @trailblazeribc and on Twitter at Trailblazer Team @trailblazeribc

Topic/Pt 1: Igniting your personal economy

• Cash flow- Create and live by a budget - especially since you might have had major changes in your income. Break down your expenses into categories, the basics or Core (nitty-gritty) then discretionary.
  
• Emergency, did you have it, did you use it? Rebuild it
  
• Analyze current investments, including business
  
• Core savings, efficiency as your guide...match? Roth?
  
• Once you fill all the systematic boring stuff now what? How aggressive should I be, trading, RE, personal biz?
  

Topic/Pt 2: Igniting your business economy

• Get your personal house in order first. This doesn't mean do you have a large balance of money sitting to live off. This creates less stress for your business.
  
• Structure your financial plan for business growth over 3, 6, and the next 2 years and 5 years as we ride this economic rollercoaster. Build goals with short term actions long term vision.
  
• Take advantage of space/property that might be available in your community to expand
  
• Help out your staff - promote where possible
  

Topic/Pt 3: Igniting your community economy

• Volunteer - find committees through Chambers, Downtown Development or Main Street Associations
  
• Sponsorship of events, organizations
  
• Partner with other like-minded business owners, Mastermind groups
  
• Make sure you include your community in some of your marketing - you picked that city or town to open a business - might as well show your community pride

Follow us on twitter: twitter.com/trailblazeribc?s=20 or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/trailblazeribc

Topic 1: What has John Oliver and Agile Wealth Partners been up to and new things they have taking on as a result of the quarantine

Topic 2: What has David McDonald and Mobileteer been up to and new things they have taking on as a result of the quarantine

Topic 3: New things we have seen other people take on and new programs that businesses are using to get through and out of the pandemic

Point/Topic 1: So with that lets talk about everyone’s favorite punching bag - Politics

• When it comes to your customers or vendors - it does not matter which side of the isle you are on
  
• Politics play a role in how your business operates local, State, and Federal
  
  • Make sure your vote for people that share your goals
    
• Don’t let politics negatively affect your business relationships
  

Point/Topic 2: Health and how there are many views among your customers

• As your business restarts, 1st priority is keeping your staff safe then 2nd priority your customers
  
• Operate your business using the best information but know you might upset your customers
  
• Make sure you are taking all the information you can from federal, state and local sources not what you find on social media. Also don’t discount working with your fellow business owners
  

Point/Topic 3: As business owners your economy was shuttered so was your customers

• Share how the pandemic and economic issues have affected your business but do it from an informational only point of view
  
• (John) Share how important it is to shop local - the big box stores will be fine
  
  • If you got one of the PPP or EIDL share how you are using it to support your community by providing jobs
    
  • If you did not get the PPP or EIDL make sure you share that as well to know that you are still here to support the community and asking them to shop local
    
• Marketing to improve your economic improvement chances
  
  • Market what your doing to help make things easier for customers/clients to do business with you
    
  • Choice the proper marketing methods - some might not be around either due to the business closed or the method is not longer acceptable among customers
    
  • Offering a deal or loyalty is a great way to re-engage your customers while being understanding they are also dealing with the economic issues
    

This episode is longer than normal but we promise it is pack full of tools and concepts to help boost your reopening strategy. 

Point 1: Websites, E-commerce and Social Media

• Social media - posts and going live
  
• Websites - Don't set it and forget it
  
• E commerce - Why you need one or find access to one
  
• Share some advances from Mobileteer (excuse the shameless plug) Not national app right? Discuss some other versions of this that may be available, like ... etc.
  

Point 2: Business relationships and customer contact

• Check in with your business relationships to see what they are doing to restart and possibly see how you can work closer together, what are their concerns and what can we do?
  
• Reach out to your customers, what are their concerns and what can we do to satisfy their needs.
  
  • Phone calls
    
  • Zoom or online conference hours
    
  • Emails
    
  • Mailers - depending on you reach needs
    
• Combine forces with local businesses to offer packages which in turn increases your future customer reach
  
• Be sure to look at your bottom line and supply chains, be sure to take advantage of discounts and price reductions that are coming down the pipe.Supply, cost of goods, Insurance/protection
  

Point 3: Plans to welcome back or continue helping your customers

• Whatever your plans are make sure you are sharing them to your customers, local Chambers, local DDA’s and City to let everyone know how you are caring for your customers
  
• Ideas to consider if you are not already doing it and as restrictions ease
  
  • eCommerce as we said above make sure let them know
    
  • Curbside pick up
    
  • Delivery
    
  • Appointment only VIP shopping
    
  • Capacity restrictions to start
    
• Reopening party and getting involved in the community
  

Point 4: Don’t make changes for right now - make changes that will make you adaptable into the future

• Whatever changes you make especially as you help customers shop with you again remember that they need to be changes that can continue
  
• Have multiple plans as each community will open differently and each state with open differently
  

Talking Points:

Point 1 - Given all the restrictions and social distancing, Clark can you tell our listeners what it has been like and how you are working through it?

Point 2 What has been some new tools or innovative changes that Aberrant Ales has made to still operate your business and what has been the feedback from customers and staff?

Point 3 - So in last week's episode we talked with Kate Litwin about the importance of connecting with your community and being involved. Clark, as I know you are involved a lot in Howell’s community can you share how it has help both you and your business?

Point 4 - Given the changes you have had to make to remain open, what of the new tools are you looking to keep as business returns to somewhat normal and full open?

Closing - Clark, is there anything else you would like to share to business owners that are a little unsure how to start and also share a little more about your business.

Point 1: Insights about Michigan’s new executive order that allows businesses to start reopening such as landscapers, store curbside pick up, etc.

The new order lifts restrictions on some businesses and allows residents to go outside for recreational activities

Retailers that do not sell necessary supplies may reopen for curbside pickup and delivery

Garden stores, nurseries, and lawn-care, pest-control and landscaping operations to resume business

The order also allows the public to participate in outdoor activities such as golfing and allows the use of motorboats

The order requires residents to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces and says employers must provide at least cloth face coverings to employees

Still a large portion of businesses on hold. Gym’s Spa, beauty

With the recent changes, how does it affect how DDA’s or Main Streets start to come alongside businesses to help them navigate?

Point 2: Kate, how can businesses and the community benefit from the work that is done especially from a Main Street level?

 - Share how Main Street markets the community and how a Main Street/DDA is broken down to guide different areas of growth

Point 3:  What roles can businesses and if could answer as well what roles community residents play in helping DDA’s and Main Streets achieve success in the promotion of the community?

• The Main Street board
  
• Being on a volunteer committee
  
• Fundraising and donation support
  
• Events and how they play a role in growing businesses and communities
  

Point 4: Our final topic today is with all the information given Kate, what are some steps that businesses can add to their restart plan revolving around connecting with their DDA or Main Street to help them hit the ground running?

• Share how to best connect and get involved
  
• How to add this connection to their restart plan
  

What do you see as the future of DDA/Main Street organizations? Innovation...

Wrap Up/Closing: We don’t want to close out today without giving Kate an opportunity to showcase Howell especially since Howell was awarded the 2018 Great American Main Street Award.

Share what makes Howell a great community to live and operate a business. Share some upcoming events (even though that is still a work in progress)

Few questions for you to consider as we go through connecting with your community.

Question 1: Have your customers forgotten about you?

Question 2: What does it look like to connect again while we recover?

Question 3: Have you connected with your community partners such as Chambers, Main Streets, DDA’s or City Council?

Point 1: What to do if your customers might have forgotten about you

• Maybe you had to close completely and were not active on social media or email
  
  • Start - this is a great way to re-engage with your followers
    
  • Plus since everyone is online more this could be a way to get new consumers
    
• If you have a mailing list or email list - it's time to start sending information out again
  
  • There are many programs out their like Mailchimp were you can set up e-blasts or other online programs to have postcards created if that fits better with your clients
    
• As restrictions lift and you can reopen, consider having a reopen celebration
  
  • Look to see if you can financially offer a store wide discount
    
  • Make a party out of it
    

Point 2: Connecting again

• Are handshakes gone? If you are in sales a handshake was always the proper greeting but is it now?
  
• Reach out to prior sales to see how you can help as their needs have most likely changed and connecting by offering help can go a long way
  

Point 3: Connecting with Community partners

• If you have not joined a chamber or referral group this is the time as we talked about a couple weeks ago
  
  • Many Chambers offer ribbon cutting
    
• If financially able look to see if there are events coming up that you can sponsor
  
• Maybe partner with some local businesses on some joint promotions
  

This weeks episode takes a look at how to make a plan to return to economic growth in both your business and community. We will discuss 4 points to consider and some ideas as you look to putting a plan in place to safely reopen along with attracting customers back to your business. 

Four main points include: 

Pt1: Now is the time to start planning

• Though we don’t know exactly when things will start if you wait it will be too late
  
• Connect with your other businesses to brainstorm what that might look like
  
• Review your resources from finances to vendors
  

Pt2: Open safe plan

• Given we will still have some social distancing requirements, can you open safely which may mean limited staff and limiting the amount of customers
  
• Are there steps you can easily take to keep both customers and staff safe
  
• Maybe it is still maintaining limited operational hours
  

Pt3: Marketing, is it ready

• With business and consumers being forced to step up their digital ability for communication and with more people online; your online strategy for marketing has to be on point
  
• Your marketing should include what steps you are going to take for the safety of consumers and staff as it shows social responsibility and will ease your customers' hesitations. .
  
• Don't stop doing e commerce or some of the delivery options you started during this time just because the stay a home orders are lifted
  

Pt4: Now that the plan is done what’s next

• Connect with other businesses and your community. Especially Chambers, DDA, Main Street Associations and City council - This will enable them to know who is ready and share progress with state officials
  
• Be flexible - have a plan that has a couple back up procedures if needed as things change
  

Pt. 1: Why is having a referral network important to all types of businesses?

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Pt. 2: What advice or what do you say to owners that focus mainly on networking events vs. joining a referral network to actually building relationships?

Referral networks are not just business people. They are both personal and professional.

What are some general networking tips that could help listeners get the most out of this method? Does this change if long term habits change?

Pt. 3: I am sure you have heard business owners focus on building relationships with the Chamber of Commerce or even being involved in their DDA, Main Street or Convention & Visitors Bureau. These are great organizations to help grow businesses so why should a business join a regular referral group?

Pt. 4: What types of industries benefit from a referral network? Why when businesses look at referrals they tend to shy away if they are a retail or restaurant business?

Pt. 5: Why is the CaerusNet and CaerusNet Connections philosophy of give to get so important and so different?

Do you think this is the best approach out there for building your network?

Contact Wendy Caverly at wendy@caerusnetconnections.com  or www.caerusnet.com to learn more about her teams in Southeast Michigan and how you can grow with Referral marketing. 

Discussion of how marketing has changed and showcase insights on new marketing tools especially digital options. Also discussed the importance of content marketing and appealing to customers based on specific industries. 

Trailblazer - Igniting Business & Community with hosts David McDonald and John Oliver are excited to bring this weekly podcast to provide insights, resources, and interviews to help grow businesses. Discussions will also include how a community plays a role in both businesses and improvement of a city with insights from community struggles to community leaders.