This is a guest post by my Travel Guy, Andy Hayes. Enjoy!
image by tehusagent
I have to admit I’ve always been a huge coffee fan (although more tea nowadays), but after working with Rachael for some time now her caffeinated enthusiasm has worn off and is far more infectious than my morning cuppa. Why? Because her business is fully caffeinated. Full of personality, creativity, and a passion to do what’s best for her customers, online or off. Want some of that special magic for yourself? Here are five ways you can caffeinate your own online (and in some ways, offline) business presence.
Make Mistakes.
That’s right – launch your website with all your products and services, and then listen very closely to your customers feedback. Hopefully you were in tune with their needs and wants before you launched, but they might not have told you everything. Or they might not have known what they really wanted. So listen. Make mistakes. If you’re listening closely, you can make mistakes more quickly, make changes as you go, and caffeinate your way to profits and fun. Doesn’t make mistakes sound so bad after all, does it?
Get a Personality.
Think about yourself as a consumer for a minute – who would you rather do business with: a robot or a human being? So why do so many websites have drone-like sales copy and even more boring products and services. Turn up the heat and get some caffeine into those offerings! There’s a big difference between being different and being unprofessional. People will respect you for putting your personality out there (they tend to call this “brand”), making a statement. Your ideal customers will resonate with that and reward you with their business.
Aim Your Target.
No matter how you pronounce it (neesh, nitch?), having a very targeted niche is very good for business. If you’re new to small business and entrepreneurship, this is very scary as it sounds like you’re just turning down good business. I know. But just trust me. Narrow down your target market and you’ll soon realise it is so much easier to find customers AND for customers to find you (think search engines). I have yet to see an example of anyone who has defined too narrow of a niche.
Find Friends.
A robust portfolio of products and services is good for business. Sometimes, though, you could use some help defining that or actually finding other people to provide it. So, consider joining a mastermind group (either paid) or making your own. The feedback will be invaluable. You should also look out for opportunities where someone else could add the perfect complement to your existing skillset. This is more good business sense than an online strategy, but it’s a good one regardless.
Drop the Competition.
Stop worrying about competition and start worrying about being different and better for your ideal customer. As finding friends was good for business, obsessing over the competition is bad for business. I’m not saying overlook them completely, but the goal isn’t necessarily to be better than them. It’s enough just to be different. Have a clear unique selling proposition (USP), a personable brand, and a website that really speaks to an ideal client, and you’ll find those friendly customers will come running.
Andy is a published author and travel entrepreneur based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Check out the caffeinated offerings at either of his websites:
Travel Online Partners (TOP) – the go to resource for small businesses in travel and tourism for help with online technology. Work with TOP to guarantee yourself a caffeinated online presence.
Sharing Travel Experiences – a popular and caffeine-friendly travel website featuring travel articles, recommendations, and travel concierge services.
