Understanding the Superstitious is Smart Business

Friday the 13th is associated with many elements of superstition; black cats, spilled salt, broken mirrors...but business performance? Many would say no - but in fact, a reported 9 percent of Americans are superstitious about the ominous calendar day and studies show that $800 million to $900 million in business revenue is lost on days like today.

We know that baseball players are superstitious about their favorite bat or pair of socks but business men and women have their own 'lucky' traditions. Whether it's that favorite suit for an interview or reading their horoscope before selling stock - it may seem irrational but according to Stuart Vyse, professor of psychology at Connecticut College, these actions are understandable, especially in times of economic uncertainty.

"In the business world, there is a tremendous amount of randomness in the market and people seek ways to gain control over these events, even though they can't," he says. "What you wear that day, the coffee that you drink--these things can't affect the outcome of the day's business, but people engage in this [behavior] to feel like they've done every possible thing to manage the outcome."

Although Vyse isn't a proponent of irrational behavior, he acknowledges that there are certain psychological benefits, such as more confidence and a sense of comfort, linked to superstitious rituals. "Crazy or not, you feel better having done [them]."

How can Lucky Numbers Work for Business?
You might not believe or buy into supersition but as a business - you need to takes steps to  mitigate losses on days like Friday the 13th. Plus, you can capitalize on positive superstitions.In the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Block and Kramer point out that some successful marketing campaigns based on the number seven, considered lucky in Western cultures, can draw positive attention from customers.

Icelandair, for example, ran a promotion allowing customers to add on excursions for $7 each, provided they booked by 7/7/07. Another was Wal-Mart's "Lucky in Love Wedding Search," which granted seven couples a free wedding ceremony and reception for 77 guests on the lucky date. "That campaign was very successful," Kramer says.

Acording to Entrepreneur.com, hundreds of millions of dollars are lost on Friday the 13th because humans are naturally risk-averse. Although it's not always done consciously, there's a tendency toward less decision-making, Block says. "People don't do as much shopping and don't leave the house--and there's less flying." But by simply making people aware of superstitious behavior, it can bring out their more rational side, reminding them it's just an ordinary day.

Home store Crate & Barrel, Kramer recalls, ran a "Lucky You" campaign on Friday the 13th. "They played off the superstition and got people to come out anyway." Because consumers are not always aware of the extent to which they rely on superstitions, this is perhaps one model that businesses can follow.

Kramer concludes that it's important for business owners to be aware of any superstitions held by their target market. "Then they can both capitalize on [this knowledge] as well as avoid mistakes."

Taking a Vacation from Your Business

It's summer time! It's hot and the kids are out of school which means its prime time for a vacation right? If you are a business owner or entrepreneur, taking a vacation from your business might be well deserved but tricky...even downright near impossible. But we believe in vacations and we believe in you so here's 5 ways to get a break from your business without sending it into a downward spiral.

1. Split Week Trips
Many self employed business owners complain that taking a whole week off adds more stress to the vacation because they are constantly checking email and voicemail. The solution might be splitting your time off between two weeks. For example: Taking off Thursday and Friday of one week and then Monday and Tuesday of the next. Most business owners can manage taking two business days off in a week because you have three days to cushion the blow. Use your first set of work days to prepare to be gone and then use the next week to catch up. This 'illusion' will also look better to vendors and clients because it doesn't 'feel' like you were gone very long.

2. Schedule Business Time
If you just can't get away entirely, plan out your trip to include a day where you have some free time to handle business. Your family might be bothered if you are always checking your email so schedule time on one or two days to handle all emails and voicemail calls. We mean it when we say "Schedule." Limit the amount of time and stick to it! It's a good idea to let your business associates or clients know that you will only be available at that time. Once the time is up...even though it may be tempting to answer another email...walk away. This will ensure that you prioritize what you do during this designated business time.

3. Designate a Temporary Assistant
This may be very difficult for some business owners to do but it can be an extremely valuable strategy...expecially if you don't already have an assistant. If you have employees, pick your most responsible person and ask them to act as your assistant while you're away. Pay them a bonus for extra time spent if appropriate and spend a few hours each week prior to your trip discussing certain tasks that you need them to manage. Most of the time, it can be as simple as designating this temporary assistant to respond to any messages or phone calls with a personalized vacation message.

4. Schedule Ahead
Most of the time, business owners bend over backwards to operate within their customer's time frame however, when you want to take a vacation, you need to actively plan your time. Tell clients and associates that you are unavailable for scheduling on the week you want to take off. Everyone from doctors to contractors to Donald Trump does this type of planning and you can too.

5. Find a Dead Zone
Our last option is for those business owners who don't have the self control to say no. If you cannot say no to your smart phone or laptop while on vacation then your best bet is to find an area that doesn't have cell phone covereage or wireless internet. Use the time to work on your self control so that you can manage your time more effectively.

Believe it or not - It's not healthy to work all of the time. Yes, your business might be all YOU but that is only because you have structured it that way. Take control of your time and energy, acknowlege that you need a break and make it happen! You will be ten times more energized to get back to work if you truly got your needed time away.

Educate Your Customer - A Failsafe Marketing Strategy

It's a less publicized strategy but educating your customer is an effective marketing tool that should be a part of any business makreting plan. Marketing is an essential element of running a successful business and the key is to do it better than your competition. When creating your marketing strategy - especially for a small business - every dollar spent needs to produce!

Education is Your Foundation

Although many marketing guru's might spout that ROI and target audience are the main focus in your business strategy - educating your customer should be your centerpiece. Educating your client is one of the best ways to increase sales and turn one time sales into long lasting loyal customers. Many times, when people are considering buying a product - they know little about it which makes them less likely to buy on impulse. They don't know if the price is realistic, if the product is reliable, if the quality is an industry standard - this kind of uncertinty makes a customer feel uncomfortable about the purchse.

Be a Teacher of Your Business

Believe it or not but sales and teaching go hand in hand. A teacher in a classroom wants you to learn the material to be able to pass the test (for example). A salesperson (or business owner) wants you to learn about the product to see why this purchase is ideal. So if a customer is interested in a product or service and someone takes the time with them to show them the features and how they compare to other similar items - a customer will begin to feel more confident in their decision to purchase. The more the information is balanced and informational (rather than just a 'sales pitch') the more likely you earn their trust and loyalty. Guess who they will come to for information in the future? You, their expert!

Educate About Your Product or Service

This is a no-brainer! Make sure your customers know about what you offer and how you can solve their problems. Often, missed sales occur when a customer doesn't know or understand your product or service.

 

How do you do this?

• Advertising
• Blogs
• Website
• FAQ's
• Cross-selling
• Point of sale offers
• Direct mail to current customers

Educate About Your Business

This is one aspect that often gets overlooked in marketing but can be just as important as educating your customer about your product or service. The relationship your customers have with you and your business is emotional. 

Customers often ask themselves...

• Do I trust this business?
• Is the staff knowledgable?
• Does the company stand behind their product with a warranty?
• Is this company the best place to get this service?
• Do I feel good about supporting this company?

If you're still unsure about how important this aspect of marketing is then consider this: If you are looking at two identical products at the same price - who do you go with? Have you ever paid more money for a product or service because you like the company or owner. Everyday, people choose to pay more or shop exclusively with brands because they like the company as well as the product (examples: Macy's, Nike, Pepsi, Budweiser and Apple). If it works for them - it can work for you too!

Go Beyond Your Field

While you are educating customers about your business and your company (in ways that solve their problems) think about also educating them in related subjects. For example: If your business is selling appliances, it would be helpful if you understood home construction or remodel budgeting. Something as simple as providing referral business information or a pamphlet discussing related topics will continue to establish trust with your customer. You aren't directly selling them anything by offering this information so this solidifies that you are trustworthy and have their best interests at heart. Imagine how often they will think of your business when talking to their friends and family as well.

Conclusion

Is is often said that knowledge is power - think of educating your customer as a marketing strategy that empowers your customer. The more they know, the more power they have to make a decision and buy...as well as share what a helpful expert you are!

Should I hide my prices?

Pricing your product or service can be a tricky task for any business owner but once you do decide on that magic number - you have to put on your marketing hat and decide when to show it and when not to.

Reasons you might want to 'HIDE' your prices from initial 'investigators'...
• You want to build an initial strong desire and demonstrate affordability - this is where your marketing is focused on the features of your product or service to dazzle a prospective buyer with everything they'll enjoy from the purchase.
• You want to show how the personal value of the product or service is greater than just the price value - this is where your marketing is focused on the emotional value of the sale and addresses the needs your potential customer has.
• You want to change the potential client's perception of the price - sometimes referred to as 'price conditioning.' - it can be tough but price conditioning is an art companies like Audi, Tiffany and Co. and Ethan Allen have mastered. Customers of these businesses believe that the special nuances of products purchased from them are WORTH the additional cost. It's still a car, a diamond ring and a chair that does the same things as the ones you could get at Kia, Kmart or Walmart but their customers want to pay more because their perception of the price in terms of value is different.

Situations when you should NOT hide your prices...
• If your price is a competitive advantage - For example, if you are cheaper than your competitors, or you have a special offer that can make even the quick-glancer recognize it as a good price, then you might want to do the opposite and make your price more prominent.
• If your price is low enough that it could be considered an 'impulse buy', then you might want to leave it on display as normal.
• If you are unsure what to do - when in doubt, it is always better to show your prices or a price range than to make the mistake of hiding them because you haven't done your research.

Why you want to be careful at playing too much 'keep-away'...
It should be mentioned that hiding your price can be as simple as offering a new client special, a trial period or making a person click to another screen to see the price. In these cases - you are not eliminating the price from view entirely. However, we have come across several businesses who refuse to put any pricing on their websites or marketing.

We want to warn that this can be dangerous because people like to shop before they buy. If you aren't even willing to show a price range - people might overlook you because your competitor does show prices. You are also making it more work for a potential customer to buy from you because they have to contact you to even discern if they can afford you. Shoppers (on every level) want life to be easier - not complicated, and they definately don't want to spend extra time and energy if it isn't worth it.

So..."Should you hide your prices or not?"
There is no right or wrong answer but here's the real questions you should answer first:
• What do my competitors do?
• Why is it important to hide/show my prices?
• What would my customer want?
• What would I want if I was a customer?

Facebook Page Admins - New Roles

Facebook is an ever-changing forum of capabilities for business owners. In a interesting twist of events, admins of Facebook business pages now have tiers with different capabilities for each role. There are five different types of admin roles: Manager, Content Creator, Moderator, Advertiser, and Insights Analyst. Having the option of these different roles and responsibilities can be great tool for you, as an admin, and for your business page. Instead of all admins having the SAME options to create content, remove and invite other admins, and change Page settings - admins can split up the responsibilities. Think of the possibilities – different tasks for different roles.

Managers have the widest range of capabilities for the business page. Not only can they edit and create posts, but they can manage the Business Page’s admins, create ads, edit applications, and view the Business Page’s insights. It’s the most powerful tier of the five apps. All admins will begin as managers untilyou assign a different role.

Content Creators have all the functionalities of the Manager, except for being able to manage admin roles. Content Creators can post as the Page, respond to comments, and view insights.

Moderators are great for managing the business Page’s fan base by responding to Page comments, likes, and messages. Community managers can devote their precious time to interacting with what really drives a Page: its fan base. Interacting with a fan base is key and lending a personal touch to your posts in the form of responses to fans is invaluable in creating your brand as one that fans can really interact with.

Advertisers can create ads which will in turn drive fans to your business Page and hopefully become fans – perfect for a brand’s marketing team.

Insights Analysts are limited to viewing the business Page’s insights and interactions with fans. It’s ideal for someone who needs to learn the ins and outs of FB, such as an intern or a social media volunteer. It can be overwhelming to get thrown into FB’s admin panel, so let’s slowly wade in.

Facebook’s new admin roles allow admins to divide and conquer when it comes to managing the diverse elements of your Facebook Business Page.

Vehicle Advertising: Take Your Business on the Road

Advertising takes on many forms for a small business. You may try postcards, leads groups, ads in magazines or newspapers or of course - online advertising like Facebook or Google Ads. But there is definately an avenue of advertising that is affordable and wildly effective. What are we talking about?

Vehicle Advertising!

Imagine the usual traffic jam - whether it's on the highway or in line to drop of kids at school. Everyone sits, in their cars, trucks and even campers waiting for the car in front of them to move. They are almost begging for something to look at that is more exciting than the license plate cover ahead of them that says "I'd rather be..." Now, you might know exactly what we mean because you have been in this situation. One might think this is not the moment to advertise your business - but you'd be wrong!

Here's 5 Reasons Why

1. Impressions Galore

The Federal Highway Administration reports that a vehicle sporting an advertisement generate up to 23,000 impressions per day in a metro city. Now, maybe you don't live in a metro city but just think about how many cars you pass on your way to work, the grocery store, the bank, soccer practice and even on vacation. All of those trips in your vehicle are advertising oportunities for people to be exposed to your business.

2. It's Never NOT on Duty

Vehicle advertising works for you around the clock, every single day and night, 365 days a year for as long as you have it on your car. Whether you are driving or parked in a parking lot - your vehicle advertisement is a non-stop marketing machine working for you!

3. Stats Speak for Themselves

• 98% of Vehicle Advertising creates a positve image for the advertiser
• 97% of customers remember seeing a specific vehicle advertisiment of a business they buy from
• 96% of drivers and pedestrians say they notice words and pictures displayed on vehicles

4. Reach a Wide Demographic

Most American's (96%) spend time in a vehicle as either the driver or passenger at least 2-3 times per week. Many of us drive or ride in a car every day! This isn't an age, wealth or interest specific type of advertising. You can reach a vast number of people - all who could potentially be your next customer.

5. Cost Effective for You

Many kinds of advertising charge you for the length of time an ad runs and the quantity of people it (might) reach. While you pay for a vehicle advertisment in the beginning, you don't pay again! Many vehicle decals last for 2-5 years which means this initial cost spread out over this long span of time rates as a cost effective method of advertising.

There are many different kinds of vehicle advertising options - from decals to window graphics and more! While some are permanent (perfect for commercial vehicles) - others are easily removable and work great for your own personal car, truck or RV. Take the lead that even the big businesses employ and take your business on the road with vehicle advertising!

Online vs Traditional Advertising Methods

As the saying goes, "Nothing changes if nothing changes." However, if everything out there is changing except you - you can be you're getting left behind. The growth of online information technology has changed the landscape of business marketing. The internet has replaced or vastly altered traditional advertising mediums such as magazines, newspaper, radio and television. All of these once "print only" mediums have online versions. With a good strategy and market awareness; businesses can utilize the internet to achieve effective and cost efficient marketing. Below are a few comparisons drawn between online and traditional advertising.

Online Advertising is Targeted

Instead of wasting time and effort (as well as lots of money) to send out mass mailings and junk mail with low return on investment, businesses can allocate their money smarter and more efficiently with online advertising by targeting specific audiences who are actually searching for your business, product or service.

Tracking and Conversion

Here’s the big question - How many people have been exposed to your ads? It’s very difficult to measure the effectiveness of direct mail, newspaper and TV advertisements. Online advertising however, empowers businesses with powerful tracking tools that can measure the smallest details such as impressions, conversions and Return on Investment.

Entry-level and Ongoing Fees

Yellow page ads or a magazine ad placement can be very costly. Internet advertising has yet again empowered the users to control their budget by allowing various bidding methods and low initial fees. Due to the targeted nature of online advertising and the ability to track the effectiveness of ads, making instant adjustments to campaigns is much cheaper than non internet advertising mediums.

Internet Gives Businesses Control

The biggest advantage of Internet advertising is that it is the most powerful communication tool available. It can reach households and other businesses via computers, mobile phones and tablets. Rather than allocating your efforts on finding different mediums for various regions and audiences; you can focus on what you do best and let your clients come and find you by setting up targeted campaigns.

Better Branding

Any form of advertising helps in improving the branding, but online advertising stands a notch higher in effectiveness. Internet advertising can expose a small business to potential customers all over the world. When used for the right products and in the right way, it has the potential to reach more customers for less money than any other form of advertising.
Online advertising is a powerful tool for businesses to have in their marketing strategy to effectively get the word out and achieve their marketing goals.

Facebook in 5 Minutes - Go Viral

Today's Tip is centered on promoting your Facebook Business Page by creating posts that have the potential to 'go viral.' Social Media, especially Facebook, is like a party - you hear great gossip, interesting facts and funny stories.  Think about the items that go "viral" on the internet and they fall into these categories. When creating content for your FanPage use these same ideas. Rotate the posts so that they are changing. Your goal is always to "Connect."
 

Why Do People 'Share'?
People share stories on Facebook for the same reasons they gossip and talk in real life. It may sound daunting to consider what makes people promote a story or post but here are some reasons people click that infamous 'share' button...

• It helps us connect - we are always looking to strengthen relationships with people.
• It's useful - we all love to share a good deal or insight.
• It starts a conversation - people like knowing how others feel or think about a complicated or controversial topic (it helps them decide how they feel).
• It strikes an emotional chord - if you feel something deeply, its hard not to talk about it.
• It helps define us - this is like broadcasting all the layers of our identity to find others like us.
• It's funny - who doesn't want to share a good laugh?
• It makes us look smart - who doesn't want to look smart? Provide a benefit and people will pass it on.
• It makes us feel part of something bigger - this is especially important for philanthropic groups and causes.
• It's Juicy - If the information is surprising, interesting and cool - it's too good not to share. Pay attention within your niche to unique stuff that is being shared and use it to great your own viral opportunity.  

Time for Action

Check out your favorite forum for news, topics, videos, pictures and more and start a conversation on something going on right now. You may also want to subscribe to a blog or two to see what others are talking about. Share a post and then keep your ear to the ground for content that can help your posts go viral. This takes just a few minutes but it can improve your fan interaction tremendously.

Facebook in 5 Minutes in April from Qlixite

Everyday we will be posting fast and easy (& Free) ways to get more out of your Facebook Business page. Become a Fan so you don't miss out!

We are not affiliated with Facebook in anyway. All of these tips are based on our own knowledge and research of public resources

Facebook in 5 Minutes - Custom URL Username

Today's Tip is centered on promoting your Facebook Business Page by creating a Facebook custom URL- sometimes also known as a username. Having a specific username allows you to easily direct people to your page.
 

What is a Username?
Once you have 25 fans/likes - Facebook will allow you to specify a username.

Example: www.Facebook.com/Qlixite (This is the username for our page.)

Before we had 25 fans it was: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Qlixite/205650412815061

Can you see the difference? The first one is much easier to print on media and websites. Plus it's easier for people to remember and type in.

How to Set A Username?
This is really easy but remember - Facebook will not allow you to set your name until you have 25 fans. PLUS!!! You can NOT change it once you set it - so be sure you have spelled it correctly.
• Go to your admin panel of your Facebook business page
• Click on 'Manage'
• Click 'Edit Page'
• From the left side menu - click 'Basic Information'
• The 4th item from the top is username. If you have at least 25 fans, click 'Create Username'
• Type in the Name you want and check the availability. If you have a common name, it might be taken. Try a variation.

Tips:
• Remember to keep it short and easy to read/remember
• Capital letters are okay (It will not make a difference whether people actually type it with capitals) 
• Letters, Numbers or Periods (".") are allowed
• Username must contain at least one letter
• Usernames are NOT transferrable & cannot be changed
• Check out Facebook guidelines here

Time for Action

Go to your Facebook business page and if you have at least 25 fans - create a username. Then post it on your page so everyone knows how easy it is to find your page. This will be important for your branding materials and storefront displays.

If you don't have 25 fans - ask for help! Create a post that asks your fans to encourage their friends to 'Like' your page. You could also send an email out to your database telling them. This takes just a few minutes but it can improve your presence tremendously.

Facebook in 5 Minutes in April from Qlixite

Everyday we will be posting fast and easy (& Free) ways to get more out of your Facebook Business page. Become a Fan so you don't miss out!

We are not affiliated with Facebook in anyway. All of these tips are based on our own knowledge and research of public resources

Facebook in 5 Mintures - Get Recommended

Today's Tip is centered on promoting your Facebook Business Page by encouraging past customers to write a recommendation on your Facebook Business page.
 

What is a Recommendation?
When new people become fans of your page, Facebook will automatically ask if they want to write a recommendation however, this is a great venue to have past clients share their story. Recommendations are posted near the top of your timeline posts under 'Friends Who Like' & 'Recent Posts by Others'. These are short snippets that can offer valuable feedback to fans and potential fans.

How to Get Recommendations?
This is not rocket science. Most of the time it comes down to a cold, hard, fact - YOU HAVE TO ASK. Now, maybe you haven't asked because you are worried about what people will say. If you think there are areas that could be improved - improve them! If someone gives you negative feedback - listen! Follow up with them and implement changes. But more than likely people will have nice things to say and giving them a nudge is perfectly okay.

Time for Action

Go to your Facebook business page and create a post that asks for people to write a recommendation. You don't have to be pushy - just ask them to be honest. You might be surprised the things that people point out which will also give you insight into what is important to your fans. When someone does write a recommendation, be sure to say thank you! It only takes 5 minutes a day to improve your Facebook Business Presence.

Facebook in 5 Minutes in April from Qlixite

Everyday we will be posting fast and easy (& Free) ways to get more out of your Facebook Business page. Become a Fan so you don't miss out!

We are not affiliated with Facebook in anyway. All of these tips are based on our own knowledge and research of public resources

What travel business and vacation opportunities are there in 2011 ?

Hello Travel Niche lovers - I know you are out there, so I'd like to know what is your favorite travel inspired business opportunity - I'm interested in travel certificates, luxury travel, cruises, travel to beautiful places, sandy beaches - so what is out there in 2011 ?

Which Island would you love to be stranded on and who with ?


'Spanish Hotel Balconies And Blue Hotel Sign' Wall Decal - 24"W x 36"H Removable Graphic