3 Ways to Push Your Website

Do you know how to keep your website competitive and fresh with customers? Well, if you are not doing all of the three tips below – then your website is lacking within the business world.

1. If you have a video graphic load in before someone can get into your website, you are failing. Your website has to be clean and easy to navigate. Opt-in load ins or video previews (without a pause or bypass option) are really bad news for content engagement.

2. Pop-up offers hurt you. I am really hopeful you have already come to the conclusion that pop up ads are just about completely considered as SPAM in today’s social media culture. You need to offer visitors to your website something of value, not a bunch of ads to click through. If you customer sees you have a lot of pop up ads on your website, you will have a lot of traffic that lands on your page and then clicks off of it within the first twenty seconds. Keep a static website without popups and you will be fine.

3. Navigation is everything. Don’t hide service or product tabs. Don’t make people search for them, either. If you have to send your visitors through one or more pages to get to a service or product page, you will be losing business.

I hope this information helps you take an impartial evaluation of your own website. It is easier to fix website deficiencies versus not addressing them and losing traffic and business!

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Your Body Is A Champion – At Least It Should Communicate This!

There is a lot to be said for body language. We are constantly judging people by their appearances and how they act. Don’t be fooled into thinking this doesn’t occur, it does! Now is a great time to decide how your body behaves on purpose to communicate the message of a champion to others.

Start by evaluating if you act confident or defensive in any and all situations. It seems simple but we often fail to check this within ourselves. If you are speaking at a coffee shop, giving an order or talking with passers by, chances are you aren’t standing with your arms crossed. Chances are you are also not standing in an engaging position. Change this about yourself.

Each day you should make a conscious decision to act confident, even in casual situations. Stand with your arms to your side , excellent posture and smile when you speak. Don’t say ‘hi’ to strangers, engage them. Reach out your hand, shake theirs, introduce yourself by name and ask for theirs. Be bold. Even if you are not that confident, these tricks will work.

Communication is everything. Remember this on your road to success.

Twyla N. Garrett

When You Yell At Employees.

It happens. We, as leaders, tend to get passionate about our companies. We will snap on our employees from time to time. Regardless if it is warranted or not, it isn’t nice. If you want to recover from being mean, stressed or really upset about a failure on your staff’s part- consider the following steps;

1. Walk away. It sounds simple, it’s not. If you are upset the hardest thing you can do is teach yourself to calmly walk away after saying something you may have regretted. Make sure you work at this as it will save you from embarrassment and a lawsuit.

2. Listen to your mentors. If you explode on employees, call a friend in your industry right away. This will help you obtain a fresh perspective on not only your reaction but why you reacted in such away. The insight you will gain will help you realize the root of your anger and how to proactively move forward.

3. Don’t bring up the issue again at work. Let sleeping dogs lay in place and move forward. Revisiting the issue is embarrassing and will not accomplish anything. Instead, you move forward and be the example of how to move on from a bad day at the office.

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

Breaking Up with Your Bank 101

There are some occasions where I tell business owners to break up with their banks. Yes, like all things related to business, if your bank doesn’t appreciate your commitment as a customer- break up with it. Inspired by a friend’s recent experience, I’m listing three signs that may help you decide if it is time to ditch your bank for another one.

1. Your bank’s representative never has an answer. If you don’t have a personal relationship with your bank’s staff as a business owner, it is a bad thing. If your point of contact at the bank can’t answer questions and has to check with someone higher at another brand, it is a bad thing. Why? Well, business owners often have “grey areas” and personal relationships can help push people through these areas and get things accomplished. A yes or no, black or white answer from a representative who doesn’t know you means your business truly doesn’t matter to the bank.

2. Understand your representative hasn’t ever signed a paycheck for someone else. Thus, he isn’t going to be as invested in your business as you. However, he or she should care. They are there to help you and they’re not the IRS – thus they are paid to guide and consult on what works for your business. If the bank isn’t helping guide you when needed, it is break up time.

3. The bank is connected with the right people. Your bank / banker should have a list of recommendations from CPAs, attorneys and more. They act as the hub of all things financial and business. If the banker doesn’t have recommendations then how involved in your business – or business in general- can he or she be?

Until Monday,

Twyla Garrett

Are You Attractive?

OK, the title of tonight’s post may seem silly but there is a lot to be said for making your brand as attractive as you!

Your brand is representative your voice. Your business has to reflect what you stand for, what is sells, and the relationships it has with vendors and clients all through social media and traditional design and content marketing. Easier said than done? Yes! But that doesn’t mean it is an impossible task.

In easy terms, consider how you dress. Do you always wear black? Do you wear color? Are you defined by a signature hair style? If you have little things about your appearance that define you to your friends and family then you already know how to brand yourself. You just need to take this concept and apply it to your brand.

The next step is to remain consistent. If you are always evolving your appearance as a business people may assume that you have a brand identity issue happening- or worse, you don’t know who your customers are.

Being attractive to your demographic is a major part of branding and what makes and breaks certain companies.

Try writing down five consistent things about your personal appearance and your company’s brand right now. Then run a survey and ask your customers the same question about your brand. See if they can come up with the same answers as you. If not, you need to adjust your attractiveness to customers.

Until next time,

Twyla

Start-Up Marketing; How to be Your Own Salesperson

Most companies would love to start-up with an amazing sales team in place. This isn't always the case. In fact, most start-up companies hit the streets with one sales person- the owner. If you have a small sales team (or none), don't panic. I've put together my top five sales / marketing tips to help you not only survive during this time, but thrive!

1. You're likely going to compete against established companies. Focus on how you're different, not how old the company is.

2. Pay for referrals. That's right, reward your early customers with deep discounts for referrals they send over- even if the referrals don't by. This will put a customer, who is already in love with your products or services, in the sales position for you- and for free!

3. Don't be pushy. People don't like pushy. There is a reason used car salespeople have their reputation. Focus on being honest with your sales leads and help them figure out how your products and services solves their challenges.

4. Gather data and review it often. Ask yourself why people aren't buying. Then ask those who said "no" why they did. Knowing why you're not selling is far more valuable then understanding why you are selling.

5. Say no to negotiations. If a client starts bartering with your price point only because of how long your company has been opened, walk away. In the long run, it will cost you more to earn this client's business then it will generate profits and referrals. If a client isn't sold on you as a company or the products / services it provides, move on. There will be leads out there willing to listen, excited about a new brand and option on the market, and they will have cash readily available.

Starting up a company isn't easy, but it isn't impossible. Stick with me during my January marketing series and I promise your profit margins will improve.

Until next time,

Twyla

Buying Online Ads - 3 tips

Hi everyone, I am getting a lot of questions on how to correctly buy an online ad. Well, I am here to help. Let my business sense save you some actual cents! Tips below.

1. Buy-ins don't have to be expensive. Don't get sucked into a $1,000 (or more) contract. You can budget your ad campaign based around your monthly profit or losses. As little as $10.00 will get you started with Google or Facebook.

2. Understand what you are buying. If you don't use social media a lot then have someone who does help you with buying for an online audience. Otherwise, you may end up buying the wrong product for the wrong audience.

3. What is your call to action? An ad isn't worth a penny if you forget to include a call to action. The call to action drives the interested consumer away from the ad and to your product / services. Plus, it helps track your ROI from the online ad. So, develop your call to action before you buy any ads!

For more tips follow me on Twitter.

Twyla