What To Do When You're An Exhausted Business Owner & Marketer

We're going to be honest for a minute here.....it's really easy to get discouraged with marketing. The constant pressure to keep up, stay on top of things, and do it all gracefully....can be a  frustrating, and you may not see the results you expected or planned on. I'm here to tell you, especially if you are a small business owner juggling 18 things at once, it is completely understandable to feel this way!

  

"Demonstrate Their Delight" (Capturing THAT Moment)

In careers involving photography or video, grabbing that ultra-special occasion, catching the perfect shot, or capturing an exquisite interaction between people, is THE GOAL. But not just for those types of work - honing in on split second glimpses of a personal reaction to a product or service - that's our goal as marketers to discover, identify, and capture, because those moments ARE EVERYTHING.

Which Doors Are You Walking Through?

To be successful, you're going to have to get tough with yourself; I mean, brutally honest and full-on willing to analyze and accept a need for change. Nothing good comes without hard work (you've heard me say that 14,489 times); one must be willing to stay critical enough to evaluate and discern what is best for your growth strategy.

Reminder; not everything you WANT to address, solve, or achieve, is going to be possible, so a considerable amount of self reflection is needed as you sort through "wants" vs. "needs".

Leadership Is An Art

I needed to share this today - a reminder that attempting to manage or lead or influence people by force - it just never works for long, and in the process, it breaks down your team members and creates unneeded stress and chaos. And yet, I see such behavior taking place again and again, sometimes at organizations I come across in community involvement activities here in my area; other times I've observed these practices with client companies, all with the same outcome; creation of resentment, burnout, lack of cohesiveness between employees, and the not-nearly-enough-discussed subject of employees feeling unappreciated.

Capture the Moment: Sell Your Service

Sharing "what you do" - telling the story of your talented work, finished product, or end result - is a key step many people miss. They get so caught up in content they are told is "post-worthy", that they forget to capture and share the real essence of what their brand does, and that's the heart and soul of marketing.

We All Have An Opportunity To Be Kind

Perhaps I talk about kindness on here more than some people - I feel it is not an effort or behavior to practice, but rather something that happens when people genuinely care for one another. As small business owners, so many of us have an opportunity to be kind to the many people we come in contact with, listen, perhaps be a friendly ear or shoulder to lean on.

Courtesy Wins; Manners Matter | Handing Unfair Reviews

Reviews and reputation....ah, one of the challenging aspects of life as a marketer and business owner. Fact: none of us enjoys a perfect world -  not even the best or the most exceptional brands avoid the occasional gripe or negative feedback, and lousy reviews will still be unfairly left for great establishments. However, since this part of running a business has become a regular part of daily operations, we would be wise to adopt a calm, patient, mindset and always remember to approach such situations with a professional attitude.

Small Business Owner Life (a short reflection)

I posted this around March 29th, as we celebrated National Mom & Pop Business Owner Day. It's always an important observance for me, as I am deeply passionate about both supporting and working with independently-owned businesses, and recently it's been occurring to me how much more challenging this journey can be.

Show Your Love for Local: Free Graphics Supporting Small Businesses

Each year, towards the end of the summer, as fall temperatures began to creep into our nights, we start working on a series of images for the upcoming holiday season. Not technically marketing material, but a theme focusing on one of our favorite topics, the joys and many benefits of "shopping small" and spending with independently owned businesses. Since 2021 we've rolled out a collection of quirky messages and simple signage encouraging everyone to join us in searching out - and spending with! - the best locally-owned shops, retailers, restaurants, service companies, etc.

"Yes, We Can Do That For You"

"The power of Yes" ~ is often mentioned at sales classes and marketing presentations; widely discussed in consumer satisfaction seminars and business workshops. It's evaluated on surveys and polls, measured, analyzed, tracked, and debated.

   

Holidays Should Be FUN: Cider Monday

Putting the fun back in seasonal shopping, one alternative & quirky holiday at a time! 😃 We love this idea, brought to life by a bookstore owner who felt the need to provide an antidote to Cyber Monday.

Good News Delmarva: Divine Inspiration Hair Studio (Salisbury, MD)

Last year we did a feature called "Good News Delmarva", a spotlight featuring local entrepreneurs and small businesses in our area. I love seeing the success and achievements from fellow independent business owners across the Peninsula, and it's always exciting to share great news - especially, today on National Small Business Day!

"Thoughts on Retail Changes and Consumer Shifts"

A post turned into an awesome conversation this morning on Facebook, merging two of my favorite topics; the evolution of consumer behavior, and the way in which small businesses can shine in our current environment. I'd seen the original post by Remembering Retail and normally would have just shared with my thoughts, however lately I'm fighting disappearing captions and vanishing text on Facebook so I reposted the photo below instead so I could include my message.

Welcome, April! Awareness Days and Themes for Month Four

Welcome to month four of the book titled 2024! Here we are in April, a month of change and shifting seasons, wild weather, and the time of year when we begin to morph towards the outdoors. With the return of sports, weekend events, and activities taking place, it's a challenging time for marketers to capture and keep the attention of their followers. Harnessing your social content towards daily celebrations and observances is an excellent "hook" to connect with an audience, along with lifting some of you past that dreaded "but I don't have anything TO POST" hurdle. 😁 (Don't feel bad, it happens to ALL of us at some point!).

How We Make Progress; Monthly Accountability

Happy March!🍀 We've made it here, all the way to chapter three, so let's sit down for a minute and talk month goals.

What Great Leaders Are Not

I caught a glimpse of this post online yesterday, accompanied by powerful words from Leadership First: "Great leaders aren’t know-it-alls who continuously try to outshine everyone. Instead, they admit when they’re wrong and genuinely want to learn from others."

 

Small Business Love in Sweet Candy Hearts

Welcome to month two of twelve! For the third year since we launched our "Inspiration Hear" series, we have again created a plethora of positive and uplifting messages celebrating local flavor, small businesses, and unity. Join us in sharing these fun and inspirational images all during the 29 days of February to brighten your retail store, social channels, downtown storefront windows or office! 💕

How To Brag on Awesome Small Businesses

Glowing reviews is jet fuel in the engine of small business success! Words of appreciation for a job well done are not only uplifting material and great content, but are also useful resources to pass along to friends and neighbors in your community to help them find quality companies. Here's a quick post illustrating just how easy it is to not only give feedback, but also politely request it from your delighted customers.

What Are Sketchnotes and Why Are They Useful?

Celebrated each year on January 11th,World Sketchnote Day highlights the creative technique which incorporates handwriting, shapes, drawing, and visual elements. Similar to a mind map, sketchnotes are clever ways of expressing your thoughts, brainstorming, or mapping a process or plan. Have you tried it?

The Courage To Fail

Um....what!? "I don't want to be making mistakes!" you might be thinking to yourself.....and of course no one wants to screw up, right? ESPECIALLY at work!