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Why you should STOP copying your competition

Leave a Comment / Featured, Marketing, Small Business, Tips / By Cindy Donaldson / May 2, 2019 / advertisements, budget, competition, creative, Customers, email, Goals, jenn donovan, marketing, red barn consulting, resources, strategy, tools, unique, Website

The old saying goes “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, but when it comes to your marketing, it’s just NOT a good idea. For centuries, we’ve been using other’s ideas, creative, and art as inspiration for our own work – and that’s fine if it’s used to spark ideas of your own. BUT if you are just copying every move your competitors are making, you are just setting yourself up for failure.

At Red Barn, we love a good life hack or a process or software that helps us save time and energy, but when it comes to copying competitor’s content – we draw the line. Copying other’s content is a big no-no because it can actually hurt your marketing strategy and your business. Let’s go back to why you started your business, because you wanted it to be uniquely yours including your content. Here’s several reasons why copying your competition is just a recipe for disaster.

They don’t know what they are doing either. Just because your competitor has interesting and flashy creative it doesn’t mean that it’s actually working. Unless you have access to their analytics to confirm, you could be making the same bad mistakes as your competition. Also, your competition could be just as clueless as you AND they also could be copying another competitor – and now it’s an endless cycle! No matter how good the creative seems, there is simply no guarantee it will work for you.
You might have a different target audience. Every business has their own Target Client Profile – or target audiences. Your competition may actually be targeting a difference audience than you, and an audience that you have no intention of targeting. You and your competitors each have your own unique strategy in regard to targeting your audience, without knowing the thought and reasoning behind the marketing, you simply won’t know if that creative is appropriate for your audience.
It doesn’t set you apart. Customers aren’t dumb, they will recognize if you are doing copycat marketing. Not only are you showing them that your business lacks creativity and is unable to promote your business in your own unique way, but by copying others you’re also not getting valuable data. You need to see what works and what doesn’t for your business and use your own data to adjust your marketing accordingly. Your marketing should be authentic and original to you and your business – that’s why your customers want to work with you – because of who you are.
You’re limiting yourself and your marketing. Not only are you limiting your creative ability to target your prospective clients, but your creative won’t be nearly as effective as your competition because you won’t know exactly how to execute it like they do. If you have someone who does your marketing, you’ll also be limiting them and their creative ideas and expertise and producing great creative in the future.
You are confusing your customers. You are not giving your business its own unique brand and identity. You’ll also confuse potential customers, as they will see the same style and messaging of creative from both you and your competitor.
You don’t have the same budget or resources. Even though you have an idea of what your competition is doing, there may be a lot of software, staff, budget, or even a marketing company behind the scenes that are all working together.

Your competition’s content and marketing strategy may seem easy and obvious to you from the outside, but it could be very complex with a lot of systems running on the inside. The best content is fresh and new and also is optimized. You can’t emulate and replicate a company that has a full-time in-house content marketing team, in addition to external agencies or consultants, who also help with their content marketing when you are a small business on limited resources. It’s just not feasible.

What you should do instead of copying your competitors

Determine your goals – create your own marketing strategy that will outline your own content creation, paid search, email, social media, SEO, social media, and design (digital and print). You should have a focus and target client for each of these channels. Some of your goals for social media may include increasing engagement on Facebook, driving more repeat traffic to your website, etc. Having your own goals and strategy will allow you to stick to your own plan and not follow your competition – which could conflict with your goals.
Start using the right tools and people. To be efficient and productive you need to use the right tools. If you need to segment your email lists, then use an email marketing software that makes it easy. If you want to schedule social media out in advance, use a tool that lets you do that. And make sure you have the right people doing the right things. Don’t use staff who hate writing and have poor grammar to write your blogs. Use the best people for the job to create and execute your content marketing strategy – this could be an outside firm too if it’s something that can’t be managed in house. Learn to delegate when needed or when it makes sense.
Do your research and don’t stop reviewing metrics. If you do your research right, you should be able understand some of the reasons why and how your competitors are doing what they are doing. You’ll also want to track your own metrics and adjust your marketing accordingly. Less traffic on LinkedIn and more on Facebook – boost your Facebook posts to capitalize. More email opens with specific topics or subject lines – adjust and implement more like those. You can also subscribe to email newsletters of your competitors so you can see what they are doing, how they onboard new subscribers, what their subject lines are, etc. You shouldn’t copy, but it’s a good idea to know what they are up to.

Don’t underestimate the damage that copying your competitor’s creative can cause when it comes to your marketing efforts. If you have questions or need some advice, give us call or send us an email. We love talking about this stuff!

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Social Media – How to Manage the Different Platforms

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneur, Featured, Must Read Blogs, Operations, Small Business, Uncategorized / By Cindy Donaldson / February 28, 2019 / desktop, Facebook, followers, Instagram, jenn donovan, LinkedIn, mobile, money, newsfeed, Pinterest, posts, profiles, red barn consulting, Snap Chat, social media, social media platforms, twitter, users, youtube

We work with a lot of small business owners – some have been in business for decades and others we’ve helped recently launch – and one of the questions we ALWAYS get asked is, “Do I really need to be on social media and what platforms should I use?” We get it, Social Media is a monster to try to understand. From figuring out the different platforms, to creating profiles, to figuring out what to post and when, it can be so overwhelming and confusing for those just starting to dabble in it or who haven’t expanded much beyond either Facebook or LinkedIn.

To answer the question above – YES, you absolutely should be on social media. BUT you don’t have to be on every platform. The key is to be on the platform that your potential buyers and current clients are on. If you market to teens and younger generations, they aren’t going to go looking for your company on LinkedIn, but they will look for you on Instagram or Snap Chat. Just like someone looking for a Realtor or CPA wouldn’t try to find someone on Twitter or Snap Chat – they would look for you on Facebook or LinkedIn. To help you out, here’s a list of the most popular social media channels and who is using them. Demographics sourced from Spredfast.

Facebook: It’s still the most popular social media network in use with over 2 Billion users and regardless of your industry, your business should have a Facebook page. You can use it to share photos, Facebook Live video, company updates, and content that your followers would find useful. You can also list what your company does, the hours you are open, your phone number, website, etc. Facebook also has some of the best analytics and advertising tools. Users range from 18 to 65+, are equally men and women, and cover all income ranges. There are 179 million users on mobile and 90 million users on desktop per month.

Instagram: Now owned by Facebook, Instagram is becoming more popular with over 800 million users. Instagram is a visual platform that’s based entirely on photo and video posts. You can’t share articles or other content easily, and no URL’s are allowed in posts. Depending on your industry, this may not be a great fit. Brands that do well are often photographers, health and fitness, real estate, clothing, shoes, beauty products, etc. The person running your account have a good eye for detail and at least basic photography skills, so the photos and videos posted to your account are high-quality. Users are primarily 18- 49 years old, more women than men, and include all income levels. This is primarily a mobile based platform. At Red Barn we’ve recently decided to re-engage our Insta Life! Check us out @redbarnct. W

Twitter: This seems to be the platform that many people either love or hate – with over 317 million users. It’s great for posting quick updates, videos, photos, and links to blogs or other articles, but it certainly isn’t for everyone. You are limited to 240 characters per tweet. It’s a great tool to easily interact with other users and many companies use it to handle customer service. This may not be the best platform if you prefer more visual posts or don’t have a lot of your own content to share. If you have interesting content, Twitter is a great tool for quickly spreading the word and if a user with a lot of followers retweets you, your content could go viral. Twitter is very quid pro quo – in order to be successful, you need a mix of your own content and sharing and retweeting other interesting content. Users range in age but are skewed more to the 18-29 audience, with slightly more males using the platform than females. Users range across all incomes and surprisingly more people use Twitter on desktop vs. mobile.

Pinterest: This is another very visual platform that allows users, over 200 million, to save and share content by “pinning” them to digital bulletin boards. You can organize your content and boards by different categories. From the business perspective, the platform has special pins called Rich Pins which brands can use to add specific information to their pins, like product details and even location maps. Every pin includes an image or video. This is another platform that isn’t for everyone. Brands that work in DIY projects, fashion, exercise, beauty, photography and food usually do very well here. There are 20% more women on the platform than men, users range from 18 – 64 years old, and cover a range of income levels. There are over 70 million mobile user’s vs only 27 million desktop users per month. Like Insta – we are playing around with building up our Pinterest game – it’s a work in progress. The goal is to drive more people back to our website. We will keep you posted!

Snapchat: This is another mobile only platform with over 300 million users. It’s a visual platform that is known for its disappearing content. Users can send video or photos to other users or post to their public Stories (which disappear after 24 hours). Content can be saved and uploaded to other platforms, and users can now chat, message, create events, and share media content within the platform – something that previously wasn’t available. Snapchat has a ton of filter options for photos, and since the content isn’t forever, many people find less pressure to post more polished content. Only followers can see your stories, so building an audience is key to getting engagement on your content. 70% of the users are women, and users range from 13 – 34 years old. This is a mobile only app with no desktop option.

YouTube: Now owned by Google, YouTube is a video-sharing platform with over 1 Billion users where people can view, upload, rate, share and comment on content. Business often use YouTube to host their creative, visual or educational component. Your videos should be polished, although they don’t have to be professionally produced, but they shouldn’t be done with a shaky cell phone camera. You don’t even need to have your own channel to take advantage of advertising. Many businesses partner with popular YouTubers for product placement, because these users already have engaged audiences. Users are primarily between the ages of 25 and 44. There are slightly more males using the platform than females, and traffic is evenly split between mobile and desktop.

LinkedIn: This is a much more business centric platform with over 106 million monthly users. It is hands down the best platform for professional networking. It’s a great place to promote your business, find top talent, and showcase yourself as an industry expert in your field. Posts should be much more conservative than you would share on other platforms. Many people create personal profiles to act as a digital resume since businesses will post jobs and research candidates using the platform. LinkedIn also has very specific industry groups that users can join – this is a great place for you to be since you can answer questions, share content, and be an expert and draw people to your company\’s page and website. Most users range from 18 to 64 years old, are in the $50k a year and up income range and are split almost even between men and women. People prefer to use this platform on desktop vs mobile.

If you aren’t sure if you should be on a platform, spend some time exploring it. See what other businesses are on there, if your competition is on there, and if your target clients are on there. It’s far better to be good at 2 platforms than to be mediocre or poor at 4. It’s important to stay consistent and post content that is going to bring your followers value. Wanna follow Red Barn on social media? You can find us here:

Facebook: @RedBarnConsulting

Twitter: @RedBarnCT

LinkedIn: Red Barn Consulting LLC

Instagram: @redbarnct

Pinterest: Red Barn Consulting LLC

Social Media – How to Manage the Different Platforms Read More »

Social Media – How to Manage the Different Platforms

Facebook: @RedBarnConsulting

Twitter: @RedBarnCT

LinkedIn: Red Barn Consulting LLC

Instagram: @redbarnct

Pinterest: Red Barn Consulting LLC

Social Media – How to Manage the Different Platforms Read More »

Solopreneur or Entrepreneur – what’s the difference?

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneur, Featured, Must Read Blogs, Operations, Small Business, Uncategorized / By Cindy Donaldson / February 21, 2019 / building, business launch, buying, consultant, Corporate America, Corporate executive, delegating, jenn donovan, legacy, money, red barn consulting, retirement, solopreneur, start up, working in vs on

When you hear about people starting their own business, they are often referred to as an entrepreneur. But there’s another term that although it’s not new, it’s become more popular as of late – solopreneur. Many entrepreneurs start out as solopreneurs, meaning they are the only “employee” of the company, but if you plan on working by yourself forever with no plans to add staff – Yup, you are a solopreneur. The terms are often interchangeable but there are some very distinct although subtle differences between the two.

To be clear, neither solopreneurship nor entrepreneurship is better or worse. Neither is easier or more difficult. These are two very different, but equally valid, ways to build a business.

Buying vs. Building. When it comes to building a business, many entrepreneurs are happy to put in the blood, sweat, and tears, but they usually aren’t as attached to the business as a solopreneur. Many entrepreneurs build their business with the plan of selling to a larger company or hiring someone else to run it so they can move on to the next idea. Entrepreneurs have no problem building a variety of businesses over the course of their career. Once it’s running smoothly, they often exit to start another venture.
Solopreneurs start businesses to fit their desired lifestyle and, in many cases, to pursue a personal passion. They usually have little interest in creating an empire or looking for a buyer to sell to. They are usually tired of working for someone else and want flexibility and control. Solopreneurs tend to work on just one company consistently.

Working In vs. On. While both types work hard on the business, solopreneurs are usually more focused on working in the business to get the work done. Entrepreneurs are usually happy to leave some responsibility with the team and spend more time out doing sales, networking, and just getting the word out. It’s not that solopreneurs can’t be great networkers, as well, they can and are, but they are solely responsible for the work getting done.

Delegating vs. Doing. Entrepreneurs enjoy managing others and building their team. Even if they start as a solopreneur, an entrepreneur is waiting for the day they can start building their empire – they are comfortable leading and relying on a team of people to accomplish their goals. Solopreneurs have a harder time outsourcing or delegating work, they prefer to handle most if not all of it themselves. They enjoy being knee deep in all the workings of what it takes to complete projects. Solopreneurs are workers by nature.

Entrepreneurs are more likely to also have an office outside of the home – a place to network, take meetings, and have employees work. Not that solopreneurs can’t have space outside the home, but most are more than happy to work from a home office. Unless you are at Red Barn – we are 100% virtual – no brick and mortar.

The distinction between a solopreneur and entrepreneur can be difficult to see, especially since so many entrepreneurs start out working alone. But the mindset of a solopreneur and entrepreneur are subtly different and noting those differences can help professionals determine the long-term direction they’ll take with their businesses.

Solopreneur or Entrepreneur – what’s the difference? Read More »

Solopreneur or Entrepreneur – what’s the difference?

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneur, Featured, Must Read Blogs, Operations, Small Business, Uncategorized / By Cindy Donaldson / February 21, 2019 / building, business launch, buying, consultant, Corporate America, Corporate executive, jenn donovan, legacy, money, red barn consulting, retirement, solopreneur, start up, working in vs on

To be clear, neither solopreneurship nor entrepreneurship is better or worse. Neither is easier or more difficult. These are two very different, but equally valid, ways to build a business.

Solopreneur or Entrepreneur – what’s the difference? Read More »

Not ready for retirement? Maybe it’s time to start a consulting or coaching business

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneur, Featured, Must Read Blogs, Small Business, Uncategorized / By Cindy Donaldson / February 14, 2019 / business launch, consultant, Corporate America, Corporate executive, failure, fear of failure, income, jenn donovan, legacy, money, myths, red barn consulting, retirement, start up, time

Starting your own business isn’t exactly for the faint of heart, but with so many talented executives trying to figure out what’s next – for many the next logical step is to join the world of Entrepreneurship. We’ve been doing a ton of research lately on what is holding people back from starting their own businesses – specifically people who could easily transition from working in Corporate America to becoming a coach or consultant. From what’s holding them back to what they think the perks will be – the information was enlightening.

Leave behind a legacy. For many, it’s not about the money but about leaving something lasting behind for the next generations to benefit from. Sure, they’ve left an impact at the companies they’ve worked for, but that’s just not enough. They want to share their knowledge and experiences with the world. Becoming a coach or consultant allows you to mentor and help others achieve what you have.

Ease into retirement. For many people who have worked a 9 to 5 job in Corporate America for longer than they will care to admit, adjusting to retirement just doesn’t sound appealing. They still want to contribute to society, have a purpose, and feel like they are making a difference. We find many individuals create a “Side Hustle” working as a consultant on a part-time basis while they ease into the work free world. Truth be told – some just keep on working because they love it!

Work with who you want. When you work for someone else, choosing who your coworkers are and what clients you serve probably isn’t your decision. BUT when you start your own coaching or consulting firm, it’s on your terms. In addition to choosing your own hours, you can also decide if you want any employees or prefer being a one-person show. You also get the freedom to choose who your clients are, what you want to charge, and what the terms are. It’s a Win-Win.

Fear of failure. This is an interesting one. Regardless of how old or how much scar tissue you have, fear of failure just doesn’t go away for some. Of course, starting your own business is scary, but for most, they just don’t know where to start or never really thought it was something they could do. With so many resources out there to help, is regret really an option?

It’s all who you know. Many executives don’t realize that they already have a gold mine of connections that they have amassed over their decades in their corporate career. For some, even working as a consultant for their current company may be an option. Once you spread the word on LinkedIn and in your networking circles, you may be surprised just how many people want to work with you.

It’s never too late. Starting a business doesn’t have an age restriction. Bob Parsons started Go Daddy at age 47, Charles Randlett Flint was 61 when he started IBM, and Colonel Sanders was 62 when the KFC franchise was born. As the saying goes, age is just a number. It doesn’t prevent you from going after your dreams or goals, and it certainly won’t prevent you from starting your own business. After all, those decades of experience count for something!

Did you know that people spend 80% of their life building someone else’s business? So why not spend some time building yours? Create your own legacy and do it on your terms. And if you need a little help along the way, or even getting the business off the ground, we are here to help hold your hand through the process and maybe even give you a nudge every now and again.

Are you ready for your next adventure?

Not ready for retirement? Maybe it’s time to start a consulting or coaching business Read More »

Not ready for retirement? Maybe it’s time to start a consulting or coaching business

Are you ready for your next adventure?

Not ready for retirement? Maybe it’s time to start a consulting or coaching business Read More »

Stop asking “what do you do?” – ask this instead…

Leave a Comment / Culture, Entrepreneur, Featured, Fun Stuff, Marketing, Must Read Blogs, Small Business / By Cindy Donaldson / December 20, 2018 / background, career, conversation, events, jenn donovan, job title, learning, networking, passion, red barn consulting, small talk, what do you do

It seems like every time you meet someone new at a networking event, social gathering, or via an acquaintance the first question people ask, besides the standard “how are you”, is “what do you do?” For some reason I’ve always hated this question. I think it started back when I worked for a manufacturing company because it was always so hard to give a 30 second summary of what I actually did. Sure, my official title was Customer Service Rep., but it really didn’t tell people what I did. Of course, I dealt with customer orders, complaints, and questions, but I also worked on inventory, handled the shipping paperwork, sent invoices, and even helped in various other departments when needed.

It wasn’t just about trying to explain my job, I also had to explain what the company did, which could get technical, but we won’t get into that. But all that aside, what does my job really have to do with me. My job doesn’t define me, I didn’t grow up saying I wanted to be a CSR. Even now with a job title of President, it still doesn’t help you get to know me any better does it?

So, after years of answering and even asking the question “So, what do you do?”, I’ve decided that the phrase is now dead to me. I’ve deleted it from my vocabulary. If you really want to get to know people, start asking them “Who are you, what are you passionate about?”. Here’s why. What you do is such a small part of who you are. Let’s pretend you just asked me “So Jenn, what do you do?” my standard response is “Well Joe, I’m the President of Red Barn Consulting, a sales, marketing, operations, and biz coaching and consulting company. I pretty much handle all the day to day operations and make sure everything gets done.” That’s pretty boring right. You really didn’t learn anything about me – other it’s my responsibility to make sure shit gets done.

Now, let’s pretend you asked me my new go to question about who I am and what I’m passionate about. Here’s how I would respond. “ Hi Joe, thanks for asking! I’m a wife, pet mom to 3 cats and 2 crazy German Shepard puppies, and an avid animal lover. I work for Red Barn Consulting, a sales, marketing, operations, and biz coaching consulting company, and I love what I do because I get to learn new things, work from home so I can spend time with my zoo, and I handle all the operations of the company – I make sure nothing falls through the cracks. I’m also very interested in Real Estate, own a 3 family investment property, plan to get my license eventually, and I LOVE to travel – especially to anywhere in the Caribbean. I have a passion for baking, I’m a neat freak, but I also love spending time outside getting dirty, at the gym, or relaxing in my pool. Reading is one of my favorite hobbies and I’m a Harry Potter dork.”

Which question gave you more insight in to who I really am and what I love to do? Where you able to find anything that we have in common? Asking better questions leads to better conversation and truly tells you about who the person is. I don’t care if you are a CEO, janitor, or mid-level manager. I want to know why we should be connecting. What do we have in common. When it comes to networking, it’s not all business – it is personal and that’s how you make those connections. I want to learn about people, what makes them tick, what do they love to do.

Next time you attend a party, networking event, etc. give my new method a try. And make sure you let me know how it goes. Let’s try to start a new trend!

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Changing Career Gears

Leave a Comment / Culture, Entrepreneur, Featured, Fun Stuff, Must Read Blogs, Small Business, Uncategorized / By Cindy Donaldson / November 29, 2018 / Business, career, entrepreneur, Goals, jenn donovan, Realtor, red barn consulting, retirement, starting over, teaching

Thanks for following our blog, we have a special treat for you today, a guest blogger. Bill Cox is a local Realtor and a recent graduate of our Business Success Framework course. Enjoy Bill\’s blog and POV on how to handle changing careers after 32 years of teaching!

Fifteen or so years ago, while still in the role as a public school teacher, I remember reading about life in the private sector. Subsequently, I spent hours in conversation with those actually living the life outside of the school walls – how was their career experience different than mine?

The point-of-departure for that difference seemed to be the fact that they would have two, three, or more careers during their working lives, whereas I knew (at the time) that I would be a teacher for 32 wonderful years, and then simply retire. Life was fairly status quo as a teacher, sure we got the new stream of eager students each year, the biggest changes for those of us at the school would be which grade we taught in a particular year; perhaps which district school we would be assigned to; and often, which zany, empty-suit principal would be making the speeches. You can tell I loved the kids far more than the establishment, but that is another story. I’m an old rock and roller. A trombonist who back in the day donned long hair and (gasp) wore bell bottoms. I was probably the student my then empty-suited principal would shake his head at.

So eventually, retirement came. I had the proverbial party and all was grand until it wasn’t. I was bored. After seven years of retirement it dawned on me that I needed a challenge, I needed to exercise my brain again. Here’s what I knew: I loved to work and learn new things. I loved meeting people, I love helping people through change, and I love helping by supplying creative solutions to whatever the problem is.

I wasn’t really sure how to use my previous experience – how to find the “right” thing to get me energized. Remember, I had the same career for 30+ years and no, I did not have a resume! I really needed to get over being at-all tentative and look for some like-minded types.

Who was like me? Who loved all those things I loved? He or she needed to be outgoing, imaginative, and absolutely fearless about the unknown. Flexible and motivated!

I found the master, he was a guy who lived right in town who I knew just to say hello – the indomitable, high-spirited Ted Murphy who was really the ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Jimmy Stewart character by reputation. Unlike the movie character George Bailey who ran the local ‘building and loan’, Ted Murphy was a real estate broker of significant renown. He and I went to lunch where I confessed I didn’t know much about real estate, and even less about private sector business. He laughed and told me that what mattered was how I viewed people in general and if I was a good guy. And if I had a sense of humor, of course. I liked him even more at this point, I’m a good guy – he’s a good guy. Sounded like I hit the jackpot!

His final words of wisdom after that faithful lunch and the words that sealed the deal on my post retirement venture are these: “You’ll learn, but learn it in the context of staying positive, helpful, and wanting a challenge. “ In other words, it isn’t about the money, it isn’t about the sale, it isn’t about how many awards you get it’s about helping people, staying positive and last but surely not least just have some grit and determination. Ok – I was in. From that point on, everything got better and better, and if I was concerned about being bored in retirement or becoming somewhat dull or predictable, – that was never going to happen in this new environment.

So after a couple of years being in this office, all I can say is that the rapport; the dialogue; the zaniness; the jokes (OMG); and just the SPIRIT of it all makes all the situation comedies on television dull by comparison.

About Bill Cox

Bill Cox has been a resident of the Litchfield community since 1987. He graduated from Scarsdale High School in New York and holds degrees from Columbia University, the University of Bridgeport, and from Western Connecticut State University. Bill retired from a 30-year teaching career in Westchester County in 2010 and is currently a Realtor for EJ Murphy Realty. Bill and his wife, Trudy, live on Avalon Lane in Bantam where they raised their two children.

Changing Career Gears Read More »

How to take time off from your small business during the holidays!

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneur, Featured, Fun Stuff, Marketing, Must Read Blogs, Sales, Small Business, Uncategorized / By Cindy Donaldson / November 22, 2018 / Business, Christmas, clients, cookies, customer, email, entrepreneur, giving, growth, holidays, jenn donovan, marketing, prospects, red barn consulting, sales

Depending on the type of business that you run, your business can either be super crazy during the holidays, think retail, or it could experience a bit of a lull. Many service providers, especially small businesses, often see a drop in business during the holidays. But just your potential buyers have checked out and gone on autopilot and decided not to decide until after the New Year doesn’t mean you put your marketing on hold for the last 2 weeks of the year. Even if your business and customer engagement levels slow to a crawl this time of year it doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. And don’t worry – you can still enjoy some time with your family during the holidays too!

Reach out to top prospects before they check out for the season. Before the calendar rolls over to January, many businesses evaluate current contracts and services that they are using. Make sure you check in with your top prospects to stay front of mind, BUT you need to also make sure your current clients are happy and will continue to stay loyal to you. A little extra love during the holidays won’t hurt and may increase your sales.

Embrace the season of giving. Make sure that your clients know that you appreciate them. Sending them a holiday card or even a small gift will remind them that you care and take their business serious. At Red Barn, we bake cookies for our clients and we share the wealth with any top prospects that we are looking to woo as well. 😊

Optimize your email. Whether you plan to take a few days off or a few weeks, making sure your customers don’t feel neglected or ignored should be top of mind. Create an out of office message that lets people know when they can expect to hear from you, additional ways to reach you if it’s urgent, and when you may be checking emails while away. You should also list any special products or services with links to more information to help increase sales while you are away. You can also link to an FAQ page on your website that may be helpful to some common questions that you may receive. Be proactive!

Schedule, Schedule, Schedule. Just because you are going to be spending time away from your business, it doesn’t mean that all marketing and content comes to a halt. Create a bunch of content in advance and pre-schedule those weekly emails and blogs, and daily social media posts. Of course, you’ll need to check emails to see if you get any responses, and monitor social media for any messages and comments, but it takes a lot of the burden off when you automate and schedule in advance!

Don’t allow the demands of running your business overwhelm you to the point where you don’t know if you can take any time off for the holiday break. Everyone needs some down time and the holidays can be both stressful for your business and personal life. There’s no reason to miss out on a sale or lose customers just because you want to recharge and enjoy some family time – just set yourself up for success before you unplug!

How to take time off from your small business during the holidays! Read More »