Category: Excuses

Advertisement Ideas: Being Open To Change!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Being Open To Change!!!

In the business environment that is ever evolving we as business leaders must be open to change. As we all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. In my 40 years of working on special events, helping business owners to excel, and fundraising I have recognized so many people who were not willing to make changes or listen to alternatives. These people kept struggling and many went out of business. I have witnessed many a successful entrepreneur or marketing executive gather input from employees and put some of the ideas into action and as a result they have had success as their revenue went up and their brand recognition increased. I have  come to realize that when someone is not willing to make changes or listen to ideas that have their best interest in mind you simply have to let go and let GOD knowing you did the best you could to improve their business. In recognizing that changes must be made to create a viable business you will grow your business.

Sometimes in order to make a positive change you must look at the person in the mirror and realize that you may be part of the problem. The first step to solving a problem is recognizing that you have one. In recognizing the flaws that have created the issues you can work on eliminating the flaws and thus grow your business. I have stated it many times that the day  you think you know everything is the day you start to lose everything. If you continue to point fingers and blame everyone else eventually your business will be so flawed that you either close it or change your ways and improve it. When evaluating your business you must look at problem areas and make a change. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Being Open To Change!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Time To Wake The F Up!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Time To Wake The F Up!!!

Do you know just how many times I wanted to scream this at entrepreneurs that I have worked with? I often have an experience where the entrepreneur thinks they know everything and refuses to listen to the employee that is working in the business on a regular business. The entrepreneur needs to wake the f up and understand that maybe they don’t know everything and that despite the fact that the employee doesn’t have a fancy car or live in an expensive home or doesn’t live lavishly they just might have a working knowledge to help the entrepreneur exceed their revenue goals. I was working with someone and asked what are your revenue goals. I was told none of your business. This entrepreneur ending up closing the business dissolving the corporation and then reopening in another location under a new name. He still hasn’t set up a website or done any advertising. he didn’t even update his Facebook Page. Then this entrepreneur wonders why his business struggles. The answer is because you don’t have a strategic plan to market and thus exceed your revenue goals. When I worked for Footlocker we had daily goals and the corporate marketing people had plans in place to drive people to the store and once they were in the store it was my job to make the sales. I remember how bad I wanted to tell the DM to wake the f up when he told me you can’t put the new Jordan release sneakers aside for people they are on a first come first serve basis. I called bullshit on that one and explained I have a customer who buys a size 8, a size, 11, and a size 13 in adults and a size 3 and 6 in kids plus matching socks and jerseys when the new Jordan’s are released which meant about $1000 in business. I asked the DM if you have a guaranteed sale of $1000 each time the Jordan’s are released why wouldn’t you put them aside. Well I left Footlocker and guess what I found out when I left and the store would put the Jordan’s aside for this customer he stopped doing business with the store. This is why those in power need to wake the f up. Look at the way you are doing business and ask yourself what can I do to wake the f up and make changes that will strengthen my brand and increase my revenue. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Time To Wake The F Up!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Action, Action, We Want Action!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Action, Action, We Want Action!!!

 If you are going to succeed in any business especially in the retail business you must commit to becoming an action taker. Over the years I have  approached many new business owners as well as experienced business owners who are opening a new location to ask them about their strategic marketing and advertising plans as I have become quite astute at promoting local businesses.  I am always surprised by the response of I haven’t set up a budget for that or I spent so much on the build out and opening that I don’t have money to advertise. My look on my face usually says it all when I hear this as it shows a wow you got to be kidding me look. In today’s day ad age I am bewildered by how many so-called business people lack the basic principles to build and grow a business.  When I work with entrepreneurs I am brutally honest and I peel back the onion so as to see where we can overcome the blockages that are keeping them in the lack mode instead of the abundance mode. Most times I find it that it is their lack of organization and inability to take proper action as they have an attitude as I am the owner and I am doing my way and I know what I am doing. When in reality they have put up the money but had no realistic plan to market to attract and keep customers. I have witnessed many tines a business owner fly by the seat of their pants only to lose those pants.  If you open a business and you do not have a daily, weekly, or monthly action plan you are destined to struggle. If you open a business and do not take input from your employees who have experience you will continue to struggle. The key is to be an action taker and understand that the day you think you know everything is the day you begin to lose everything.

Every action you take should be guided by the concept of positively affecting your business. The first action you need to take is getting to know who your customer base will be and then marketing to that customer base. The next action you need to take especially with a retail store is what you will be known for as a business.Previously I wrote about having a unique selling proposition and this concept is very important to the success of your business as you must ask what is it that I want to be known for when attracting new business and retaining old business.  It is great to have a diverse product offering but make sure you are too diverse.  Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Action, Action, We Want Action!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Always Be Closing!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Always Be Closing!!!

The language might be a bit harsh but the message is very important because if you are not closing deals and continuing to create new customers/clients while retaining your existing customers/clients you will find yourself chasing money and feeling unfulfilled. Everywhere you go you should make it a priority to share who you are and what you do with people as you never know where business may come from thus sharing is a vital component to your success. Make sure you stand out in all you do and always be closing.

Advertisement Ideas: The Steps To Always Be Closing!!!

 The first thing you must do to become a great closer is you must believe that you can close. So many people leave money on the table simply because they do not make the ask.  Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Always Be Closing!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Do You Have Plans?

Advertisement Ideas: Do You Have Plans?

 I am always amazed when I ask a business owner what their marketing plan is and they say I don’t really have on.  I am amazed because when you begin a business you must be prepared to advertise and market your business. Once you make your plan and you implement the plan you also have to evaluate the plan. So many business owners are missing opportunities and leaving money on the table because of their failure to plan.  I recently encountered a business who hired a sign spinner to direct people to their location but did not have a physical sign visible from the parking lot on the building and wondered why the foot traffic was not as much as he anticipated. If you are going to effectively market your brick and mortar business you must make proper signage a priority so people can find you.  In all you do in your business especially when it comes to marketing you must plan your work, work your plan, and make adjustments along the way. In my 25 years of working with businesses I have seen many owners who did not plan and as a result did not succeed. As you open your business daily ask yourself what will I do today to let people know who I am and what I do and why they should do business with me today.

When you open up your business daily ask yourself how am I going to build brand awareness and how will I increase revenue. In today’s evolving market where the consumer is more and more educated you need to have a plan for them to do business with you instead of with your competitor. It is when you create brand awareness and stay on top of the consumers mind that you increase your revenue. The more you know about your target audience and the area you do business in the more successful you will be.  The key is to stay one step ahead of everyone else so that when people here your name they do business with you instead of with your competitor. Having brand awareness and good visibility in the market place is crucial to driving business. There are many elements to plan for in order to be profitable in business.
Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Do You Have Plans?

Advertisement Ideas: I Like It On Top!!!

Advertisement Ideas: I Like It In Top!!!

 I have always believed that it is important to be proactive in all you do and to be on top of events that can positively impact your business.  If you are to get to the top in your chosen field you must stay up with the current events that affect that field. As the regular readers of this blog know I work with Celebrity Sports, The Ultimate Gift Store, located at 1825 N. Pine Island Road in Plantation, FL. We sell sports and non-sports memorabilia. We rely heavily on walk in traffic and our Facebook promotions to make sales. Each day I look for something industry related that we can capitalize on so as to create a buzz about the store and drive traffic.  Today Peyton Manning is announcing his retirement thus I took pictures of some of The Peyton Manning Memorabilia and began to post it on our Facebook Page and on my personal Facebook Page. I am working on convincing the manager and owner to put up a website as I was very surprised that it today’s market where more and more people are going to the internet to look for goods and services that they did not have one. In order to get to the top in your industry and get a nice piece of the monetary pie you must keep up with technology. If you are to reach your desired target audience and be on the top you must be ahead of everyone else and do things that are  unique and different. If you are going to drive business to you it is imperative to have innovative advertisement ideas and promote them. I had come up with an idea to put 50 balloons around the store and when some spent at least $25 have them pick a balloon to pop and inside would be some type of award such as a 10% discount or a FREE Wax Pack. I suggested we put out fliers in the community, send out emails, and promote this concept. I was told no we don’t have customers and nothing is working by my manager.  I have always believed that to be the best you must stay a step ahead of everyone else and say yes to new innovative marketing ideas. If you are going to be on top you must have a vision and a strategy to get to the top.

 If you create traffic you will have a chance to be of service and value to those who walk through your doors and as a result you have it all and be on top in your industry. In delivering outstanding customer service and understanding what value you deliver you will see your sales increase. I have this method I greet the customer with  in 10 seconds of them entering the store, I ask questions, I show them some items and then I allow the to look around. In doing this I have been successful in every retail position that I have ever held. When I first started working retail I worked for The Oaktree Men’s Clothing Store and within 3 weeks I became the top sales person in the country. I was asked how I did this by the regional manager. My answer was I set goals and I took action to exceed those goals, one way to make sure I interacted with every customer and gave them a great shopping experience. As I continued to do this word got around that Jonathan at Oaktree is the man to see if you need men’s clothing. I left Oaktree and went to work for Merle Harmon’s Fan Fair, which specialized in sports apparel and collectibles. I took the store from a $400 a day store to a $2500 a day store. I was asked how and I simply said I went out and told people about the store and invited them to shop. When they came to shop again I made sure they had a good experience. The key to being on top is to make sure you are sharing your business with others and insuring that they have a good experience. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: I Like It On Top!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Always Make Time!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Always Make Time!!!

Today’s entry  is inspired by Ah Snagg CPA located  at 460 N. University Drive in Lauderhill whose phone number is 954-749-9722 as he taught the lesson of how not to treat someone when they are cold calling. I walked in unannounced as I often do when out collecting donations for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life. I saw he was with a client so I apologized for interrupting and asked if I could leave a flier about Relay For Life and he immediately got irate called me rude said he couldn’t help and that he was with a client. I fully understood this and thanked him for his time. he continued to go on and tell me that the work I was doing was meaningless and then threatened to call the police. I understand I interrupted his flow of business however I was polite. All he saw was someone in jeans and a tee shirt and a ball cap and didn’t realize that I could have been of service and value to him.  This encounter really got me to thinking about how many so-called professionals are struggling because of making judgments and not giving people time. I have always said that I may be a solicitor today however in the future I could be a client or be someone who recommends potential clients to you. Ask yourself what type of feeling am I leaving when I interact with others and how is that interaction affecting my business.

In business today it is imperative to understand the importance of making people feel good and leaving them with what I call a warm fuzzy about their encounter with you. When Ah Snagg said my  work was meaningless this upset me and I thought wow I won’t be recommending him to any of my business associates. I had a great idea about how he could have helped The American Cancer Society and also strengthened his brand. It was a simply host a FREE Workshop on Charitable Giving for the volunteers. As a result of doing the workshop he may have picked up a few clients. I guess Ah Snagg didn’t realize that he had an opportunity to tap into  volunteers simply by making time and being kind. Instead everyone who reads this entry will now think twice before they do business with him. The important thing to remember is to be kind to everyone for the people you see on the way up will be the same people you see on the way down. I would recommend that Ah Snagg and all those who aren’t making time for people grab a copy of Don Miguel Ruiz’s Four Agreements and apply the principles.

In adopting these four agreements you will see a dramatic change in your ability  to  make time for people and your image in the community. How many times have you ignored someone who came into your business or your office because of the way they looked or the way they were dressed.  How many times did you lose out on opportunities that would have enhanced your image because you were quick to judge. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Always Make Time!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Turning Browsers Into Buyers!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Turning Browsers Into Buyers!!!

If you have worked in retail you have heard oh I am just looking. When I hear this I ask what are you looking for? By doing this I get an idea if  the customer is truly interested or is wasting my time. In not asking yes or no questions you open up the dialogue and thus you increase your chance of turning a browser into a buyer. I work with Celebrity Sports in Plantation, FL and I believe that everyone who walks into the store can be made into a customer. When I am in the store I make it a point to start conversations that will lead me to show the customer something that will peak their interest and as a result they will make a purchase. In knowing the merchandise and being able to show the customer what we have increase the opportunity to turn them from a browser to a buyer.

When I graduated from Hofstra University in 1987 I went to work for The Oaktree Men’s Clothing Store in Boca Raton, FL as a management trainee. With in 3 weeks I was the #1 salesperson in the country for this division of Edison Brothers Stores. I was asked by The Regional Vice President How I managed to be #1 in the country in a short period of time. I simply replied I turned the browsers into buyers. He then asked how did I do that. I said I greeted everyone within 5-10 seconds of coming into the store and asking them what brought them to Oaktree today. In doing so I began to build relationships with customers who then became regular customers. I remember a businessman from Chicago came in and was seeking casual wear for meetings he was attending and I helped him and he said he came into town every 3-5 weeks. I told him stop in when you are here and see our new arrivals. It turned out that he did just that and on average spent $300 with me. In getting to know your customers you can turn them from browsers to buyers.

I am asked by people all the time JDOGG what of you do not have a brick and mortar business and you aren’t selling tangible items then how do you turn browsers into buyers? My answer is by having a service that they seek and building their trust after all people like to work with people they know, like, and trust. If you have a website make sure you have a page where they can book your services and pay for them ahead of time. If you have merchandise like CDS, DVD’S. Books, and other materials make sure they can order hem and pay for them. In having a strong call to action you will be able to turn browsers into buyers.

 Many of us spend an inordinate amount of time networking and  we find ourselves dealing with many browsers. The question is how do we turn these browsers into buyers. The answer is to have something they desire, something that solves a problem, something that is relevant and resonating. It is important to follow-up with everyone who you get a business card from within 24-48 hours with a clear and consistent message that has a strong call to action at the end.  I strongly suggest setting up a one on one and finding out what they are looking for and letting them know how you can be of service and value to them.

As many of you that read this blog you know I host a TV Show, The Anything Bucket, which airs on WRPBiTV. I invite many people to be on the show and give them the option of buying a fully edited clip of their appearance on my show for $200, which is a great deal to have a very useful tool to turn browsers into buyers. I explain the value of having the clip and how it can be used on their website, across social media platforms, and in all their marketing materials. I have found that those who purchase the clip and use it effectively increase their brand awareness and their cash flow.  I have seen many of the people who came into the studio as browsers become buyers because my producer and I explain the value and how if they follow our suggestions they will have some success. I do not sell everyone the clip and I understand not everyone will be a buyer. The key is to have the mindset to always be closing in order to turn browsers into buyers.

Use your platforms to turn browsers into buyers!!! Stay Positive!!!