Businesses who offer complimentary products or services without being competitors can run mutually beneficial promotions to increase business within a warm market.  If there is a business near you that offers products or services that compliment your own, chances are the customer base of each business will enjoy both businesses.  Both businesses can equally promote the deal to their customer base and beyond – which doubles your promotion budget.  AND – people who already love a business that is complimentary to yours are much more likely to do business with you. 

Referrals are often the life-blood of small business – so do something to get even more of them.  Try giving a deal to the person who sends you referrals – but ALSO give the same deal to the person who was referred.  This not only makes it more likely that somebody will refer you – it makes it more likely that somebody who was referred will actually give you a try. 

This is a visual episode.  To see the full video, visit https://kencollinsmarketing.com/ken-drives/

What do you do on a cold and windy day?  Me?  I strap on the RZR and go for a ride!  Ha Ha!  Ran up to the Buzzard Park Campground in the Carson National Forest.  I had a pretty good idea where it was, but I did have to check the map now and then.  There are always wild horses on this ride – and saw more of them today. 

It might sound obvious, but it’s not.  Instead of trying to sell somebody that hasn’t walked through the door yet, just focus on getting them in the door without the expectation of a sale.  A person is much more inclined to walk through the doors of your business if they can do so without being expected to buy something.  However, once they’re in the door, they are much more likely to buy something while they’re there.  It’s much easier to convert sales for people who are physically in your business that it is for people who have to make the decision to buy before walking through your door. 

Just because you are an established business does NOT mean everyone knows who you are, where you are, and what you do.  Our attention is pulled in every direction.  If you don’t tell your prospective customers who you are, where you’re located, and what you do – they won’t know – no matter how long you’ve been in business.  Additionally, look at your products and services for features and benefits that you believe are common knowledge.  Just because they are common knowledge to you, does not mean your customers know about them – use that to add value to your offerings. 

This is a visual episode.  Listen to some music here or visit https://kencollinsmarketing.com/ken-drives/ to see the full video.

It rained good last weekend, so we strapped on the RZRs and headed out to find puddles and play in the mud.  We went straight for the airport at Navajo Lake to start there – and we were met by a military helicopter that may have been using us for target practice – it was pretty cool!  During the last flyby, they were so low that I felt the prop wash.  We found the most mud at the end of the ride on the mesa on the way towards the Francis Canyon Ruins. 

Strive to be as different as possible – make your business completely stand out by differentiating yourself from your competition.  If you spend all your time just trying to be better than your competition, you still just blend in with the crowd in the eyes of the consumer.  Instead of being another business with claims that you’re better, let them see how different you are.  You can have the best-looking black jacket in a room full of people wearing black jackets – or you can wear the red one and have EVERYBODY notice you. 

Many business owners spend their time marketing in between the sunny days and the rainy days.  When times are good, marketing suffers because “you’re doing fine,” but what about the eventuality of the rainy day?  When times are bad, marketing is non-existent because “we can’t afford it,” but how do expect to get more sales?  Spend your time marketing when times are good, and most importantly, when times are bad.  Spending time marketing when times are good will make those times even better and make it easier to whether the bad times.  Spending time marketing when times are bad will help you get back to good times.  Basically . . . NEVER stop marketing. 

This is a VISUAL episode.  Enjoy the music playing during this episode or catch the video on the website at:  https://kencollinsmarketing.com/ken-drives/

Just a quick RZR ride with a friend to check the Navajo Lake water levels at Skinny Dip Cove.  The water is really rising fast! 

Some of your best-performing video content will be educational.  65% of people are visual learners – that’s why people turn to YouTube when they want to learn how to do something.  Creating educational videos allows you to educate people about your products, your services, and your general industry knowledge.  Doing the latter establishes you as a thought leader in your industry – and people will come to you for help and advice.  This leads to sales.  No matter what type of educational video you choose to do, remember to always go about it with the goal of adding value to people’s lives.  Stick to that principle and you’ll do great!