Small Business Conversations

Excellence is a word that describes our June guest from Retail  Excellence. Natalie Tan has an impressive resume of skills and using  them to make a difference in how customers see your business and more  importantly - what, and how much, they buy.

We think Sam Allman is the master of selling. Not just because he wrote  the book, "Heart and Mind Selling", but because he elevates selling to  another level. Sam is a student of selling which makes him a fascinating  guest; we talked about selling to the person instead of selling the  product or service

Chris Ramey has been referred to as America's leading expert on selling to the affluent. As Chris has clients in over 20 countries worldwide, perhaps that reference needs to be expanded. During Chris's visit we discussed the difference in affluent, high end, and luxury.  Chris offered great insight as to how everyone finds something they place a great value on and will spend the money to purchase it; even as the purchase is inconsistent with the other possessions or services they have in their life.

If you are wanting to learn how to sell to the affluent market, this hour long program would be a great investment of your time.

Mort Haaz of My OTB Plan visits. We think of Mort as the individual with  the most experience and knowledge of inventory control. We discussed  the "how", the "why" and the fine tuning of inventory control which  increases the inventory turns and the gross margin return on inventory  investment (GMROII).

Gene Sower of Samson Media returns as we discuss where you are spending  your social media dollars. We spent part of the hour looking at making  the decision based on demographics or keywords. While we focused on  Facebook and Google AdWords, we did discuss how the other social media  can and should be a part of your advertising efforts.

Michael Kalscheur of Castle Wealth Advisors returns. Michael had the  highest rating of all guests to have visited the program. The discussion  for this program is getting out of business; whether it is selling to  an employee, an outside individual, or transitioning to another family  member. We also discuss partnerships and buyouts.

From the moment I met Harold Havard, he was always an individual with new ideas of how to promote your business. The ideas were always great because Harold had experimented with them in his business. In a previous career, he worked with Wal-Mart, Computer City and Sports Authority.

Harold shares many ideas of how to use Facebook to create flash sales as well as how to build an audience. In the business he just sold, an employee who had been with Harold for only 18 months had built a Facebook audience of 13,000!

Harold told of multiple experiences of businesses that were utilizing a 3D virtual tour to show people what you were selling and to make the sale.

A report we read recently stated the expectation that over 80% of the sales for the 2020 Christmas selling season would be online. We invited Sommer Leigh of sleighconsulting.com to visit and share her ideas and experience of how your small business should be utilizing social media to get your message to customers and gain your share of the market.

We discuss the many social media; what to do and what not to do; and how to maximize your time and the dollars you are going to spend in communicating with your customers.

Sommer is considered a very valuable asset to her many consulting clients. You will see why she is so well respected and appreciated by spending the next hour to hear the message she shared. 

Tom Shay invites Beth Montpas to visit Small Business Conversations as we discuss our observations and suggestions for small business owners who are working their way through the pandemic. We discuss those businesses who have taken a beating and have not fought back; the businesses where they have just plowed straight ahead as if nothing has happened and being totally unaware of the changes; and the "hold my beer" crowd who sees the pandemic to adapt and drive their business forward.

Beth shared many great personal experiences and examples that small business owners can learn from as we work our way through this challenge that currently appears as never ending.

The Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) provides a source of information and help for your small business at no cost to you. This is a federally funded organization with over 1,000 offices and 4,000 counselors available across the USA. 

Tee Rowe, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the SBDC visits to explain how to find your nearest SBDC office; how to apply for your own SBDC counselor and the variety of ways the SBDC can help your business.

As compared to the many "help vultures" we observe, the SBDC will work with your business in a one-on-one scenario with assistance customized to your business at no cost to you.

Tee also provided an update and explained components of the PPP and EIDL.