Archive for Independent business
How Small Business Survives!
Posted by: | CommentsDan Pink posted a blog the other day titled The 44-cent Solution. The blog solicited quite a few comments and I have to say really made me stop what I was going to write today. I had woke this morning and was contemplating the Demise of Small Business (and solving World Hunger). You either had to be a Wal-Mart or make your living on the Internet. The cost of selling low-volume merchandise is just to difficult. The only real advantage you have is that people can See it, Try it and Buy it(and probably not from you, they find it cheaper on the Internet somewhere)!
I read a Mark Graban (Lean Blog) Tweet about Dan Pink’s Blog and followed the link. The post was outstanding and most of all gave me all the reasons for the success of Small Business. It must of have been that Law of Attraction thing.
This is Mark’s comment from the post:
Great story. It goes to show, for one thing, that “standardization” (of which Marriott is a big proponent of) doesn’t mean shut your brain off. I’m sure they just have a very general policy of doing what it takes to make guest happy – and being a JW, is it a different policy than a Courtyard?
After reading your post, I was walking home and realized that my neighborhood cleaners in Boston exhibits a similar behavior – with just smiles (they are still free, right?). It sounds so cheesy, but every time I’m in the cleaners (2x a week?), the owner or his wife, they smile and make you feel so welcome to be there, like you’re the only customer of the day, which clearly isn’t true.
After 11 months in Boston, I noticed just about two weeks ago that if I’m walking home at the end of the day and the guy isn’t busy, he sees you walk by… I noticed him and he just grinned and waved, as if seeing an old friend for the first time in a decade.
So now I noticed he does this every time. I actually. I now make a point of looking for him and we exchange waves and smiles. Again, cheesy, but it feels good.
Yes, he’s the closest cleaners, but would I think about looking for someone cheaper? Not at all (Well, unless they ruined a bunch of clothes). He’s a perfect example of attitude mattering – whatever your job, you can choose to be a grump or choose to be happy.
Way cheaper than 44 cents.
So if you are looking for a life preserver, think about making someone feel special. Is that tough?
Affiliate Marketing an easy way to make money – Fact or Fiction
Posted by: | CommentsWhat prompted this post was a blog post on American Express Open Forum by Chris Brogan. Chris is one of my favorite bloggers and someone that I have always held in very high esteem. However, when I read his post it left me the impression that he made Affiliate Marketing seem like an easy way to make money. He throws out the estimated numbers in 2009 for affiliate marketing of 13 billion. Heck at 13 billion, anyone can get a piece of that pie or can they?
I left a short comment on the post that I would like to expand on. As a disclaimer, I would like to mention that I make money on affiliate sales and have set up a few clients with affiliate programs. There is also affiliate links sprinkled through my website so be careful.
That all important Affiliate Link, that code that you get that is embedded in your links, banners, skyscrapers and anything else that will accept a hyperlink. All you have to do is embed it and people will click on it and you make money or do you.
Most links will register a client’s computer by embedding a cookie on to their computer. So what happens when a client cleans his cookies? What happens if he sees and discovers the product and investigates just enough before he clicks through and then searches for the site? And the one that is just about always the case is if you’re in B2B sales, how often does the purchase occur on the computer that was registered. Do you think the purchasing agent ask the requester whose site they found the product on? Do you think the requester even mentions it?
However, when your prospect is registered, what happens next? First there is typically a minimum payout and a time limit on how long the cookies last. Did you know most cookies expire in less than 90 days? Did you know that there may be a minimum threshold before sales are paid out? The thinking behind that is that you will have the highest registration in the initial 90 days and the least conversion. Meaning the affiliate resource gets the e-mail address to forever market too for a very limited if any cost.
The 13 billion dollar mark has spawned a highly competitive market for handling the affiliate resources account. There are some great ones out there and I am only here to discuss one thing. What happens when your affiliate resource switches suppliers? That’s right, your cookies all disappear and you have to re-register all of your prospects again. It also means you have to change all your links that you have created to the new one.
Read the fine print well, if there is any. I have been told that half my affiliate sales were non-commissionable because the people that clicked through my site were commissioned and they could not pay out commission to both of us.
This is my favorite bug-a-boo. I drive people to a site, they register and I now have a good solid lead. My affiliate resource starts sending him his auto-responder to sell the product therefore doing all the work. Hmm, work = auto-responder? He may convert a few, maybe not, but then what happens is that a new wave of auto-responders start being sent; selling my affiliate resource’s, affiliates! That’s right, my resource tries to move him into one of his affiliates and guess what, you don’t get to participate in this sale. No way, no how!
So now let’s get to the real skivvy, RUN THE NUMBERS! Nobody is going to tell you this but think about how many impressions you have to make to get a click-thru. Than how many leads turn into sales and then your payout. The truth is seldom is it better than direct mail numbers of 1 to 3%. So picking 2%, (and that is very high on impressions to leads) if you have 10,000 impressions that is 200 leads and as a result 2 sales. If you make, $50 a sale that is $100 for your efforts. If you can accomplish, I would bet that you are doing better than 95% of the affiliates out there. So, look at two things: 
How much traffic does your website get or how big is your e-zine list? For the sake of explanation, let’s say my numbers above our correct. Are you willing to give up that number of leads to someone else for a $100.
Affiliate Marketing is not an easy way to make a living. You can participate in launches, book offerings and other affiliate efforts that could increase the odds of success and prove more successful. There are some great and I mean great partnership, coaching and program structures that could prove very lucrative for you. But if you are just looking for a cookie, in my opinion most would be better served in the hole they came from. What are your thoughts?
Home Furnishing Store in Fort Wayne Celebrates Anniversary
Posted by: | CommentsWild Hare Decor celebrates their 4-year anniversary, October 1st. We are extremely grateful for all the continued support we have received. Our biggest enjoyment during this time has been meeting so many new and wonderful people.
This Thursday, October 1st, we will be extending our hours to 6:00 PM. For most of the day, you can enjoy Charles Wren, our Fort Wayne version of Frank Sinatra. You may register on October 1st for the opportunity to win a Fall Basket. There will be other activities and prizes awarded during the day. 
Our pleasure is in creating a unique shopping experience as you wander through our inspirational vignettes. We strive in finding the unusual and different so that your home can be unique. Our merchandise is ever changing and ordered in single or limited amounts. The merchandise when placed in your home should be a reflection of your taste and personality. That’s why, Wild Hare merchandise gets noticed. One of our customers so wonderfully said, “It is what makes your house a home!”
Our custom bedding, drapes and upholstery offerings are one of the best kept secrets in Fort Wayne! We even offer free 1-hour design consultations within the area. Come in and visit us but allow ample time, enjoy your experience.
Wild Hare Decor is a home furnishing and decorative store that specializes in the Euro-Garden products. French, English, and Italian all coordinate together for a great collected look. Our merchandise is selected because of its individuality, quality and Euro-(Garden)Country appearance. We feature upholstered furniture, lighting, pillows, wall art, oils, Tuscan pottery and a variety of accessories. The store exclusively features the collectible Vietri Pottery. The store will seldom re-order merchandise it guarantees you a fresh look each time you visit.
Design and Decor with Personality
Does the expert need a suitcase?
Posted by: | CommentsIsn’t that the truth, the farther you travel the smarter you are. I think the smartest I have ever been was in Cairo, Egypt, even though I was unable to get a $200 package out of customs for less than $400. Being perceived as an expert in your own home town is simply the most difficult thing to do. Why?
I believe a lot of it is that others have watched you mature, go through your ups and downs, and gotten to know you other than your area of expertise. But being from the smallest biggest city in America, I see this first hand in many instances.Fort Wayne has the stigma that it struggles to grow as a city. I will admit to its troubles, we are surrounded by major cities in every direction and a state line within 20 miles to boot! We also have been tied to the auto-industry for years creating a bond with southeastern Michigan and Northwest Ohio more so than Indianapolis, our own state capital.
What frustrates me, is not the lack of entrepreneur spirit, I think we have that. Not the lack of forward thinking politicians, I think Graham Richard was one and that Tom Henry may be in a totally different way. What frustrates me is the total lack of support on a state basis to develop Fort Wayne as a second city and the agencies within Fort Wayne that are supposed to take the initiative to develop Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana. The thinking in Indianapolis is like they are sending Commodore Perry to Japan to open us up to western civilization.
They continue to think our region can be better served by hiring outside people to lead us and to consult us. Is it better to have experience of the job or the experience of the region? (A question, that may be weighed heavily with recent resignation of Kristine Foate, FTW Chamber CEO) I could cite other positions that we have hired in the NE Region and though experience counts, does not local Tribal knowledge count? I am not saying not to hire the best qualified, but I am saying to check your criteria.
Back to the original discussion on entrepreneur spirit and my concern of brain drain on the local economy. If we do not have local talent leading us, is there a reason to believe that an individual staying here would be given a chance? The recognition of our internal strengths and what we have as a community to offer and utilization of our internal talent pool may be the very best single thing we can do as a region. We have the talent here in Fort Wayne to develop ourselves as a second city and put us on the map. What stops us from being what Charlotte is to Raleigh-Durham or Cleveland/Cincinnati is to Columbus or Memphis is to Nashville or Louisville is to Lexington? We talk the talk about developing and preserving local talent but do we really walk the walk? Look at the next expert you use, do they have a suitcase!
