Business Growth Centre Blog

Tips for honouring your clients this Christmas!

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:32:00 GMT

Honour Your Clients In Unique Ways This Christmas - Even With A Mini Budget!

Typically Christmas is the time businesses honour their clients. Corporates budget for expensive gift baskets, cases of wine, sought after tickets etc. Wholesale and impersonal, but anticipated.

Continuing my mantra "not all marketing is rocket science... and not all marketing is expensive" some wise person probably once said to you "It is not the cost, it is the thought that counts" and this is where small business has the edge.

Carefully thought out gifts reflecting your brand, your niche, your tagline or your image will get you noticed so take inspiration from your history, your colours, your marketplace or your existing advertising for a memorable gift. Have some fun with industry terminology, trade talk, your tagline etc and you are sure to be remembered.And the best news is the most inexpensive gift can have the greatest effect if it is personalised.

Tips to consider

Treat Christmas as another touch point.
If at all humanly possible, hand deliver your gift to your recipient.
Deliver anytime in late November or December - not just 2 days before Christmas.
If clients are interstate or overseas, carefully consider a gift that will arrive in good condition and check deadlines for overseas post.
Unique and quirky is good - tacky and disrespectful is not, so be mindful of your client's beliefs regarding alcohol, humour and religion.
Will it be a universal gift or will you personalise it to male/female, clients with children, travelling clients, gardening clients, gourmet cook clients, book lover clients, young professionals, senior executives, warehouse staff etc.

Ideas to get your creative juices flowing

Wrap or ribbon in your business colours and tie a business card in with your gift tag.
Give some of your product in a basket or gift box.
Make a commercial arrangement with another small business owner to buy product or gift vouchers.
Support a charity, give something from their range and add a note explaining the charity or your reasons for choosing it.
Put a special offer inside a Christmas cracker shape.
If you have the skill, make your own Christmas cards.
If you have a mountain of small clients or a retail outlet, wrap something small in cellophane (mince pies, shortbread, puddings, rum balls) and theme it with your business card/ribbons and give to all.
Have some fun with your brand or tagline and come up with something quirky eg:

Greening your Business for 2011

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:06:00 GMT

Spring has arrived and finally the sun is starting to come out. Maybe this season is the time to start thinking about wether your business is environmentally sustainable?

Have you thought of implementing better recycling strategies, finding more efficient use of energy? Maybe increasing marketability of your business or even keeping ahead of the government legislation and incentives? Our Green Business Skills program will cover all of these strategies while recognising good practices and offering suggestions for improvement.

The current Government suggests that around 40% of the money raised from carbon tax will help businesses and support jobs. They also suggest that opportunities will open up in existing businesses as they move toward operating in a clean energy efficient future. You can find more information on how the carbon tax will help benefit your small business by visiting their website at www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au

Now is the perfect time to think over sustainability in your workplace. Prepare yourself and your business for the changes ahead. Give us a call today to find out how the Business Growth Centre’s Green Business Skills program can help you on 1300 40 60 80.

Brooke Godfrey
Social Media Coordinator
Business Growth Centre

Bag-checking policy is fair call

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 04:16:00 GMT

Bag checking has become a common practice used by retailers to reduce theft, and with good reason – shoplifting is a multimillion-dollar industry.

A 2 to 3 per cent loss of sales to shoplifting can amount to about 25 per cent loss in profit.

More than one in five businesses reported being the victim of shoplifting in the 1999 Small Business Crime Survey.

It has been estimated that shoplifting costs Australian businesses about $810 million annually (Australian Institute of Criminology).

At the moment there are no legal requirements for customers to show the contents of their bags.

Store security staff and/or employees have a right to request customers make their personal bag available for inspection.

However, in general terms, no legal authority exists for any person to comply.

The Retail Traders’ Association of WA has sponsored the Bagcheck Code.

It is not a written act of law, but information for retailers. It has been developed as a compromise between the interests of retail and customer groups.

The Code has been developed with the assistance of the Department of Commerce.

The department (commerce. wa.gov.au) advises business owners to display signage that the business will request a bag check of customers.

It implies the customer is consenting to this store policy. Whether the customer has seen or read the clearly displayed sign really does not matter.

A merchant should be entitled to implement lawful procedures that will deter or reduce theft from their outlet.

Bag-checking polices will be just one of the topics in the business theft prevention workshop to be run by the Business Growth Centre at the Joondalup Reception Centre, 102 Boas Avenue, on August 23.

By Sergiu Muntean, Business Growth Centre

Tourism Western Australia on the Road...

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:05:00 GMT

Tourism WA Chairman Kate Lamont and CEO Stephanie Buckland have been hosting industry forums in Perth and regional WA to outline the agency's key initiatives for 2011-2012. The Goal for Tourism WA is to double the overnight and daytrip visitors spend from $6 billion in 2010 to $12 billion in 2020. The strategic outcomes will be:

Brand: Firmly establish the Experience Extraordinary brand
Indigenous Tourism: Every visitor to have the opportunity for an Aboriginal tourism experience.
Infrastructure: to support growth; Hotels, Aviation and Workforce
Business Tourism: Increase the contribution from business travel
Regional Dispersal: Increase visitors to regional WA
Asia: Grow our share of the Asian market, particularly China
Events: position WA as a recognised events destination for locals and visitors.

There will be $60 million in event funding given including $10 million p.a. for regional events and $5 million p.a. for events anywhere.

Some of the key initiatives announced include the China Market. The aim is to significantly increase WA's share of the Chinese visitor market from 3% - 10%. This will mean an extensive awareness exercise for the WA tourism industry to make themselves familiar with the needs of the Chinese visitor and adapt their business accordingly.

Building the events calendar by attracting and hosting major international events and elevating current key events will position WA as a key destination for events. Other key initiatives include further hotel developments, international services to Broome, Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy and more.

For more information or to view presentations Tourism WA's corporate website.

PREVENTING INTERNAL THEFT

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 03:41:00 GMT

Creating a co-operative and positive workplace – encourage a work/life balance, encourage staff involvement in the some parts of the running of the business. If you have happy staff, you‟re less likely to be a target of employee theft and they‟ll act in the best interests of the company.
Determine internal controls – this is basically suggesting that your business should have a detailed policy and procedures manual incorporating the operations, compliance with laws and regulations, safeguarding of assets and reporting controls and the specific duties and responsibilities of each employee.
Recruit honest personnel – this is easier said than done, but if your style of auditing is weak and needs developing or even starting then it is even more important to have honest personnel around your business. One way to help to recruit honest people is to conduct background checks on them through a previous employer reference check, requesting a criminal history check for the individual, traffic convictions history check or educational verification checks on degrees.

If you find this interesting and would like to know more on how you can implement this into your business, call 9301 0077 and sign up with our Business Theft Prevention Program.

PREVENTION

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 03:32:00 GMT

Prevention, like everything else, is the key!

Keep all your businesses rear access entry points locked
Restrict entry to store to times during operation
Request identification of service personnel
Keep a minimum amount of cash on the premises if none at all

Try looking at your own business and honestly reflect on the way in which you conduct your opening and closing procedures. If you find that your business could use more security and theft preventions, give us a call on 9301 0077. Our Business Theft Prevention Program provides you and your business with the prior knowledge and skills in creating a secure business. It’s also a great way of getting an “outsiders” opinion on things you might not have noticed before.

Business Theft Prevention

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 03:30:00 GMT

I know that this video relates to American statistics, but it provides us all with great tips to implement into your business to prevent theft...

Marketing Big in a Small Business

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:50:00 GMT

This month I am going to focus on developing your small business, which can include a range of strategies, but today I’m going to talk about marketing. Marketing is to be said one of the most important features of a business; it’s what attracts new clients and customers. Promoting your business through developing branding and increasing familiarity amongst the public will lead customers to your business. Don’t forget, if you haven’t already, to develop retention tactics in keeping in contact with your past customers, as they can turn into repeating customers or inform others of your service. Database software is a great and inexpensive way to keep track and look back on any clients or customers you have had.

If you are interested in purchasing a database check out these websites:
ACT! Today – http://www.acttoday.com.au/
Microsoft Dynamics CRM – http://crm.dynamics.com/en-au/home

This month, I challenge you to look over your business plan and take note of your marketing strategy Are you spending too much or too little time on it, or are you finding it difficult and need help? You can always contact us at the Business Growth Centre on 1300 40 60 80 for some business training and advice.

Brooke Godfrey
Social Media Coordinator
Business Growth Centre

Networking Tips to Help Your Business

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:53:00 GMT

The sole purpose of networking is to, through one way or another, increase business revenue. This can be by developing a new relationship with a new client, or in learning a new business skill.

The trick with networking is to be proactive. This means taking control of the situation instead of just reacting to it. Networking requires going beyond your comfort zone and challenging yourself. The strong association between the entrepreneur as a person and his or her business, demands that entrepreneurs get out into the world and create and maintain business relationships.

Here are some tips to help you improve your networking skills and extend your reach:

1. Set a goal to meet five (or more!) new people at each event

Whenever you attend a group, whether a party, mixer or industry luncheon, make a point of heading straight to the people you don’t know. Greet newcomers (they’ll love you for it!). If you don’t make this a habit, you’ll naturally gravitate toward the same old acquaintances.

2. Try one or two new groups per month

You can attend almost any organisation’s meetings a few times before you must join. This is another way to stretch yourself and make a new set of contacts.

3. Carry business cards everywhere

You never know when you might meet a key contact, and if you don’t have your cards, you lose. Take your cards to the gym, parties, the grocery store, even when you’re walking the dog.

4. Don’t make a beeline for your seat

Take advantage of networking time before you have to sit down. Once the meeting starts, you won’t be able to mingle.

5. Don’t sit by people you know

Mealtime is a prime time for meeting people. You may be in that seat for hours, so don’t limit your opportunities by sitting with friends. Remember, you’re spending precious time and money to attend this event.

6. Get active

People remember and do business with leaders. Don’t just warm a chair; join a committee or become a board member. If you don’t have time for that, volunteer to help with hospitality at the door or with checking people in. This gives you a great reason to talk to others, gets you involved in the inner workings of the group, and provides you with more visibility.

7. Be friendly and approachable

Make people feel welcome. Find out what brought them there and see if there is any way you can help them. Introduce them to others, make business suggestions or give them a referral. What goes around comes around. If you make the effort to help others, you’ll find people helping you.

8. Set a goal for what you expect from each meeting

Your goals can vary from meeting to meeting. Examples include learning about the speaker’s topic, looking for new prospects, discovering industry trends or connecting with peers. If you work home, you may find your purpose is simply to get out and talk to people face to face.

9. Be willing to give to receive

Networking is a two-way street. Don’t expect new contacts to shower you with referrals and business unless you’re equally generous. Follow up on contacts; keep in touch with them; and share information that might benefit them.

The most important skill for effective business networking is listening; focusing on how you can help the person you are listening to rather than on how he or she can help you is the first step to establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.

This article was retrieved from the “Fresh Thinking Business” website. Visit their website at http://www.freshthinkingbusiness.com

EVE Forums

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:56:00 GMT

Business Growth Centre and the Visitor Centre Association held EVE forums in Broome, Kalgoorlie and Coco’s Island. We appreciate everyone for attending and their positive feedback.

Green marketing for small business

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:57:00 GMT

If you’re practising some form of sustainability or taking conscious action to limit the environmental impact of your business (for example by reducing waste and limiting the consumption of resources) then you’re already on your way towards greening your business – and your marketing.

For example, if you owned a shoe shop, you might decide that both morally, and from a brand positioning point of view, you’d like to become more sustainable and more environmentally sensitive.

First you might find a supplier of “green energy”, change all your light fittings to compact fluorescent light bulbs, ditch the 1950’s delivery van for a hybrid, and install water-efficient taps in the tea-room. Already you’re a greener business than you were before!

The next step will be to communicate your environmental credentials to your business partners, clients and consumers. This is the most basic form of green marketing and communications.

“ It’s vital that you’re providing a high quality product though, as most consumers want to do the right thing environmentally, but not at the cost of quality or performance. ” Jane is a conscious consumer, and next time she’s shopping for a pair of shoes, she may just remember the marketing messages about the increased sustainability of your business and choose your shop over a competitor, simply because the values you’re displaying are in line with her own.

Of course, you could take your commitment to greening your business even further by only sourcing footwear that’s made from recycled materials or committing to making your business carbon neutral. The more extensive your sustainability program, the more you’ll have to talk about in your marketing, and the more credibility you’ll have as an environmentally ethical business. And it’s quite possible you’ll receive more of Jane’s loyalty at the same time.

It’s vital that you’re providing a high quality product though, as most consumers want to do the right thing environmentally, but not at the cost of quality or performance. Don’t let your brand’s focus become limited by wearing green-coloured glasses. It’s a balancing act, and being sustainable should be just one of the attributes that your brand is known for.

Green marketing can leverage off a small sustainable outcome or a large one. Either way, it’s vitally important that you don’t overstate the truth. Not only is it morally wrong, it’s also illegal.

In the next article in this three-part series I’ll discuss the deceptive practice known as green-washing, and outline your legal obligations. The final article will examine how green has gone mainstream, and outline the issues people consider when purchasing sustainable goods and services.

For more from Chris Eccleston head to www.flyingsolo.com.au, Australia’s solo and micro business community.

10 Benefits of a Business Mentor

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 02:00:00 GMT

Mentoring “the sharing of wisdom and knowledge in an empowering way”

sharing of knowledge & skills- gain real and relevant assistance, from someone whom is a bit further along the path and has achieved success in their field
self empowerment – attitudinal adjustment, 100% at cause/at choice, come up with own solutions, courage, authenticity, transforming fear – brings everything back to you
self awareness – transcend limitations, bust beliefs, psychological clarity, self-sabotage, negative self-talk
potential business growth & success – you are the core of your business – empower yourself – empower your business.
stretches you outside your comfort zone – encourage you to try on something else, growth only comes from outside your comfort zone
gaining clarity – around a challenge, the way forward, what you have been ‘doing’ that no longer works, encourages own solution making process
achieving desired outcomes – identifying priorities, goal setting & actualization, forward focussed
sounding board, gain reflection, different perspectives & honest feedback-
support system – instills hope, inspires, supports, encourages, champions your ideal, celebrates successes
what would be of benefit to you ?

This article was written by Lisbeth Kinna, our good friend at “empowered-one“. Visit their website at www.empowered-one.com.au

Social media strategy: Five steps to success

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 02:01:00 GMT

1. Identify your goals

Like any other form of marketing, there’s no point using a social media strategy if it doesn’t help you meet your goals. So, before formulating your social media strategy, re-visit your business vision, and check whether social media is a good fit for what you’re trying to achieve.

If you’re keen to build up your personal profile or to increase traffic to your website, then social media is perfect for you and your business.

2. Drive web traffic with link-building sites

Providing content to link-building sites such as Squidoo, HubPages, Weebly, Delicious and Digg can be a very useful way of improving the amount of traffic that search engines send your way.

To get search engine results, you’ll need to provide lots of content with highly targeted keywords, and should focus on authority sites and getting links from them back to your site.

Aside from those listed above, others to consider include Blogger and Ezine Articles. More platforms are popping up all the time, so don’t just stick to one – spread yourself around!

3. Promote your personal brand using networking sites

Networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn and the Flying Solo forums allow you to make friends, create groups and participate in conversations.

The purpose of networking sites is pretty self-explanatory; they’re for meeting people and building relationships. Treat these online sites just as you would a networking event offline, except that you’re sitting at your computer and your conversations take place over a longer than normal timeframe.

Create a profile on forums and ask questions, post answers and generally talk to people. Share your expertise and you’ll become recognised as an expert in your field – as long as your answers and your attitude are good!

4. Follow the golden rule

Never, ever, sell or spam these places. Treat other users with respect. Demonstrate your expertise, make yourself easy to find and if others think you have something to offer, they’ll come to you.

Remember, a social media strategy is a way of advertising yourself, not a way of selling yourself! As with any other marketing strategy, the aim is to generate leads. There’s plenty of time to sell to prospects when they visit your website!

5. Take a long-term approach

Social media is easy and free, but regardless of whether you’re employing a link-building strategy or a networking one it can also be time consuming. Treat it as a long-term process from the start and you’re more likely to be successful in the end.

For example, if you’re writing articles for link building purposes, you’re going to need plenty of original content ready to go, and to spend time creating more on a regular basis. You won’t get to page one of Google overnight, and in some cases it may take a couple of years. Similarly, you’ll need to spend time building any relationships you form in online communities. This is definitely not a set-and-forget marketing tactic so don’t treat it as one.

For more from Emma Rhoades head to www.flyingsolo.com.au, Australia’s solo and micro business community.

Business Mentoring Helps Indigenous Tour Company Soar

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 02:32:00 GMT

Since completing the program, Mr Nannup has seen the number of customers steadily increasing. His tours are now fully licensed and accredited by the Tourism Council and he has established partnerships with the Kings Park Aboriginal Art Gallery to handle ticket sales and a UK-based agency that allows people to book their tour before they arrive in Western Australia.

Greg says that the Business Growth Centre contributed to the increasing success and stability of his business and encourages other Aboriginal people to take advantage of their programs “The Centre provides a valuable service and I would like to see them working with other Indigenous business people across the state. It is somewhere that Indigenous people can go to get help setting up and growing their business,”he said.

BGC recognised that Greg had a wealth of experience and skills which he had acquired getting his business off the ground and in addition to completing the mentoring program at BGC, he was awarded a Certificate IV in Business (Small Business Management) through Recognition of Prior Learning at West Coast Institute of Training.

Based in Kings Park, Indigenous Tours WA has been operating since 2008. Greg conducts regular walking tours around the park, educating people learn about bush plants used by the local Wadjuk people, traditional Indigenous tools and implements, ancient fire making methods and telling some of the oldest Dreamtime stories of the Nyoongar country.

“The Centre provides a valuable service and I would like to see them working with other Indigenous business people across the state. It is somewhere that Indigenous people can go to get help setting up and growing their business.”
Greg Nannup
Indigenous Tours WA

Would you prefer to spend 4 hours or 5 minutes increasing sales?

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 02:28:00 GMT

Is all your energy focussed on attracting new customers?

Consider the downtime involved in sourcing every new client. How long does it take to:

Research a new client
Decide the best product/service to meet their needs
Prepare a marketing proposal
Schedule an introductory meeting
Follow up telephone calls

Is that 3, 4 or 5 hours of your time? Now compare it to a 5 minute telephone call building a better relationship with an existing customer.

It is more cost effective to build upon the loyalty factor. Pick up the phone, dial a past client and ask for genuine feedback on their experience with you.

Pick up the phone and dial a past client every day

Personal attention is always a winner
Satisfied clients mean repeat business
Happy clients look forward to doing more business with you
Regular clients refer you more business
Instead of sourcing new clients, look no further than your existing client base!

Sherryn McBride is a freelance marketer, copywriter and industry trainer with 25 years practical experience. For easily understood marketing talk without breaking the budget or to purchase CDs and ebooks from the “Making Sense of Marketing” series click on www.marketingtalk.com.au or www.marketingtalkonline.com.