I have a couple of confessions to make; I used to hate reading! I would often read the Cliff Notes versions if one was available. In college, I would do my best to skim what I had to read and fake my way through the discussion. In hindsight, not the best decision, but I passed, right? However, as I have gotten older, I have forced myself to read more. My thoughts are I already have a master’s degree, reading sales and marketing books is cheaper than an MBA, less time-consuming, and I don’t have to do accounting classes! I am happy to report as of writing this, I have read 14 books just this year.
Some have been short, some have been longer. Some I struggled to get through, a few I could take or leave, while others really spoke to me. Of all that I have read in the past few years, there are three maybe four that I think every entrepreneur and small business owner needs to read. I call it the sales and marketing trifecta. Without further ado, here is the order I think you should read them.
1. Selling From The Heart by Larry Levine
If you are unfamiliar with Larry, he was a copier salesman in LA and really built strong relationships with his clients. I first learned about him through a couple of podcasts and started following him on LinkedIn. When he started up his podcast, I started listening to it, and I still listen to it weekly. When I heard the “Selling From The Heart: How Your Authentic Self Sells You!” came out, I ordered a copy and put it in the reading queue.
Larry exudes what a good salesperson should be. He often says, don’t be “an empty suit.” What that means is you need to be authentic and genuine, don’t walk in with the sole purpose of making a sale, or as he says, “having commission breath.” Ultimately you want to come to a place where you want to help clients, or in other words, “sell from the heart.” To do this, you have to build relationships with clients, be it in person, over video, or on social. Larry says you have to build relationships before you can sell someone. Your clients need to make sure that they know who you are, and you know who they are.
You don’t want to be the person who walks through the door once a year at renewal or just at the holidays who is dropping off the tin of cookies. Even worst, they think that you are there just there to sell them something.
What I took away and what I try to do with my clients is that I want to know you by name. I want to know about your family. If you see me in the grocery store, I want you to come up and speak to me, and I want to feel like I can do the same thing. Not like, "Oh God, there's that Chad guy. He's going to try to sell me something here in the middle of Walmart."
2. They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan
“They Ask, You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today's Digital Consumer” (TAYA) has to be one of the books that changed my thought process and outlook on what I do. If you have been around me longer than 10 minutes and the subject of content marketing or what I do, you will probably hear me reference it.
To me, the book is one of the best marketing books out! If you do any kind of research or a poll on social, you might see Seth Godin’s “Purple Cow” pop up as a must-read. I have read both TAYA and “Purple Cow.” However, having read TAYA, I would read a passage and be like, ok, this is the TAYA concept. I am thankful that I had checked the book out from the local library while it was on order. Needless to say, I shipped the book back because I didn’t care for it. Now I don’t mean to discount “Purple Cow.” What Seth Godin says may resonate with you. However, I have deep blue-collar roots. While Marcus has risen to be an influential figure in the sales and marketing world, he is still a pool guy, so he says!
3. Revenue Growth Engine by Darrell Amy
The third book in my trifecta is “Revenue Growth Engine: How To Align Sales & Marketing To Accelerate Growth.” Darrell co-hosts with Larry on the Selling From The Heart Podcast. I like Darrell’s book because it is a culmination of the two previous books I mentioned.
The bottom line is that “Revenue Growth Engine” gives you a good summary and consolidation of “Selling From The Heart,” and “They Ask, You Answer” with a healthy dose of how to bring it all together to really get a good return on your investment which will help a business grow.
Bonus: Start With Why by Simon Sinek
“Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek has completely changed my mindset on how I approach a prospect. I have always felt like I had a “givers gain” or pay it forward mindset because I don't want to just sell anybody my services. The book helped me clarify my mission and it has helped Cube Creative solidify the company as a whole. I can proudly now say that I help small businesses grow by helping them to build and manage their online presence. I even start conversations with prospects by asking if they want to grow their business, why they exist, and why they do what they do.
Essentially if you're starting a business or thinking about starting a business, you need to read “Start With Why” so so that you can ultimately decern and know why you want to do what you do. If you're struggling in your career or in a company where you feel like you're struggling, you should also give it a read.
Final Thoughts
Depending on your role or background I would recommend starting with “Selling From The Heart,” then “They Ask, You Answer.” If you are short on time, then you should read “Revenue Growth Engine.” However, I think you will get more out of it by reading it last as it will help tie in the key aspects and topics that you may not realize when you read the others.
Written By: Chad J. Treadway | September 22, 2020
Chad is a Partner and our Chief Smarketing Officer. He will help you survey your small business needs, educating you on your options before suggesting any solution. Chad is passionate about rural marketing in the United States and North Carolina. He also has several certifications through HubSpot to better assist you with your internet and inbound marketing.
On the surface, Google My Business (GMB) is a FREE tool from Google that helps businesses manage their online presence on the search engine results page and maps. It is the vessel that allows the local search to be more accurate. The only stipulation is that you must meet people in person. In other words, you can’t operate 100% online.
For example, if you chartered Nautilus trips, you could have a Google My Business listing, however, if you just sell seashells online, it's a no go.
Before we dive too much into GMB, let's look at how people search.
Written By: Chad J. Treadway | July 28, 2020
Chad is a Partner and our Chief Smarketing Officer. He will help you survey your small business needs, educating you on your options before suggesting any solution. Chad is passionate about rural marketing in the United States and North Carolina. He also has several certifications through HubSpot to better assist you with your internet and inbound marketing.
It’s a competitive market for today’s small business owners. You aren’t only competing against other small business owners but depending on your area you might also be competing with larger companies and franchise operations. But there is good news, much like a David and Goliath, being smaller and also help make you more nimble allowing you to act quicker. If you know how and what information to monitor, your business can be as successful as any.
Here are seven tips for helping your small business save time and money and making your business more profitable.
1. To sell right, you have to buy right
One way small businesses can compete is by being competitive with your prices of physical products. The best way to do that is to buy competitively. Try to buy factory direct where possible, attend wholesale auctions, and consider establishing a buying co-op with other small but noncompeting businesses.
2. Cost: It’s everyone's concern
Make every attempt to help motivate your staff to be mindful of costs and the net profit. The goal being they are as concerned with controlling costs as with generating sales. One way you could encourage participation would be to implement a bonus program based on a percentage of costs saved.
3. Treat your customers right and they'll keep coming back.
Ben Franklin is credited with saying that “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” This goes along with your customer service. While watching the cost is a factor, you don’t want to sacrifice your quality or customer service to do it.
4. Build a network and be mentored
Finding a good mentor be it someone local, regional, or thousands of miles away, will help you navigate the journey of business ownership. Build out a network of professionals in your industry you will find out what others are doing to manage problems with inventory, receivables, personnel, fixed assets, technology, marketing, etc.
5. Change isn’t a bad thing
Legend has it that Henry Ford said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Think about that, if it had not been for creative ideas and innovation we wouldn’t have the mobility we do today. See change isn’t a bad thing! Just because its the way its always been down doesn’t mean there isn’t a better way.
6. Ask your employees and your customer service reps
Businesses shouldn’t be afraid to ask the staff and customer service reps for suggestions. These are the folks that are directly involved with both your product and your customers. They are in the perfect position to suggest improvements and give you an insight into what is working and what’s not working.
7. Examine your current marketing strategy
For smaller companies a yearly marketing plan may be efficient, for larger ones, it may be better to look at doing something quarterly or monthly. If you are focusing on content and digital marketing its much easier to pivot and make changes.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these seven tips will help you set up your small business for success! If you are interested in a free review of your current website or would like a consultation on what we can do to help you with your website, content marketing, and digital marketing needs, please be sure to reach out!
Written By: Chad J. Treadway | July 07, 2020
Chad is a Partner and our Chief Smarketing Officer. He will help you survey your small business needs, educating you on your options before suggesting any solution. Chad is passionate about rural marketing in the United States and North Carolina. He also has several certifications through HubSpot to better assist you with your internet and inbound marketing.
I hate to break it you, but your social media page isn’t your website. It’s a common misconception by many small businesses since they are so accessible and popular. However, I have said it before and will continue to say, social media platforms are rented spaces. While they can be used as part of a greater content marketing strategy, you still have to have a website for it all to live. Here are seven quick reasons why a website is non-negotiable!
1. Social media is great but it's NOT your website
We see this a lot and I have even addressed it in a previous post. While most of your potential customers may have access to social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, there are others who shocking don’t have a profile! When they try to load your page, they are forced to log in or create a profile. All this does is creates frustration for the searcher and they move on to the next link. Also at any point, the parent company of the social media channel could decide to charge for its services.
By having a business website (separate from social media). you are providing your customers with one location where they know where to find you! It would be amiss if I also didn’t mention that your website is one of the places that search engines and mapping software go to ensure your name, address, and phone number.
2. 5 W’s your website has that
Today we search for everything. Searching is easy and the ability to do it is as close as the nearest voice-enabled device, phone, tablet, or computer. All these devices use some sort of search engine to find information. As part of a greater content strategy you will want the correct information scattered around the web, your website should be the main source and should provide the answers to user’s questions and what they need to know about your business.
- Hours of operation? Check.
- Services offered? Check.
- Phone number? Check.
- Email address? Check.
- How much does it cost? Maybe?
Consider the alternative of only having a social media page. If any of these items are not clearly displayed on the page, the customer would be required to contact you to get the answers. And let us be honest how often are you going to call a business to find out their hours if you can’t Google it.
Also, think about this, by talking about the cost of your product or services is one of the biggest questions that searchers need answers to. We have a post that talks about it here.
3. Simply put, a website establishes credibility
Having a professional website immediately begins building trust and credibility with your customers. Think about a time you Googled a business and the only link that came up was a social media page or just a Google My Business listing. Did you click the link or continue searching for an actual website? Chances are searchers are going to go on, unless you are in an industry that has very little competition and relies on referrals and word of mouth.
4. Your website must look professional.
Often, your website is the first impression customers get of your business. They’re introduced to your brand, your values, and your services. A website that is challenging to navigate or unattractive can quickly have potential customers hitting the back button!
Again, think back to a time you clicked on a website and couldn't quickly find the information you were searching for. You DO NOT want your potential customers to have that same experience when they click on your website.
5. Your website can be an EXPERIENCE for your customers.
When they come to your website, you have the opportunity to guide them where you need them to go. It may be your history and story, your mission, or your vision. Ultimately you want them to convert and either buy something or contact you.
6. Enhances the “know-like-trust” relationship with your customer.
It has often been said, “People Do Business With People They Know, Like and Trust”. While there is debate on the origin, the meaning behind it isn’t debatable. If you can build your credibility and earn my trust, then you have a solid chance to earn my business. Each time someone sees your or your brand, the more they start to trust you and your business. It is more recognizable, and you are more likely to be on their mind when they need your service or product.
7. A website is worth the investment
Your website is your single best marketing tool. Spending a little time, and investing in it will pay dividends.
While there are the DIY options available, my question is always this, what is your core business? Is it building a website and creating a marketing machine? If it takes you 8 hours to build a website, how much did you lose in actual work time from your core business? Hiring a professional agency to design, program, and develop a website with and implement a content strategy will ensure that your users will have the most effective user-experience.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, these seven tips help you understand that social media isn’t all that you need. At the very least my hope is that you have some food for thought and something to ponder over the coming weeks or months. I encourage you to reach out sooner than later if you have any questions. Cube Creative is here to help you with your website, content marketing, and digital marketing needs!
Written By: Chad J. Treadway | June 11, 2020
Chad is a Partner and our Chief Smarketing Officer. He will help you survey your small business needs, educating you on your options before suggesting any solution. Chad is passionate about rural marketing in the United States and North Carolina. He also has several certifications through HubSpot to better assist you with your internet and inbound marketing.