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What makes your small business unique?
So, I was visiting Naomi Dunford’s blog over at IttyBiz and she had a great post a couple of weeks ago about how some of her readers had no idea what she actually did for a living. Basically, she wrote that if people had no idea what she did for a living after reading her blog all this time, they probably didn’t know what they did for a living either. I can’t tell you how many meetings I’ve had with new clients and when I asked what exactly they did and what made their business unique, my question was met with a blank stare. The majority of small business owners I’ve met with have no idea what their UPS is (Unique Selling Proposition or Unique Selling Point). Then they look at me and say “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do, why we’re here?”
The answer to that question is, yes, to some degree. See, when I meet with a potential client for the first time, I’ve probably done an hour or so of research on their business. Unless it’s a new start up company, the business owner has years of experience. He or she should know a heck of lot more about it than me and my inital hour of research. As a small business owner, you should know everything about your company and your product - why it sells or why it doesn’t, what makes it better or worse than your competition, and who your competition is and what makes them unique (or not). The first thing I do is send my clients home with homework - research on their industry, their competition and to sit down and actually think about their business, instead of just running it. In today’s technologically advanced world, it is soooooooo easy to find out what you need know just by googling it. There’s no excuse not to know who else is out there doing what you do. Once you have this knowledge in hand, only then can I (or you) begin to market your product and grow your business
Naomi came up with a list of questions for small business owners to answer, then post on their blogs. These are the perfect questions to help you determine what your USP is. Not only that, it’s a great way to teach other people what you do and help them refer business to you. So, here are the questions, along with my answers:
What’s your game? What do you do?
I am a virtual marketing assistant. Basically, I provide marketing advice and support to small business owners who don’t have the money to keep a full time marketing person on staff and on site. Since I work virtually from my home office, I have no overhead, and can pass the savings on to my clients. A small business owner typically wouldn’t have the cash flow to keep a marketing person with over ten years experience on staff. This way, small business owners can reap the benefits of having a marketing person available to provide advice and support at a fraction of the cost.
Some of the the things I do: create marketing plans, design advertisements (print, online, radio, tv), write advertising content, provide e-marketing services, such as online directory submissions, creation and maintenance of online social networking profiles, creation and maintainence of websites and blogs, creation of email newsletter template and maintenance, management of email marketing campaigns, creation and maintenance of marketing databases, ghostwriting of blogs, search engine submission and optimization, as well as help client plan and run events to market their business and their products.
Why do you do it? Do you love it, or do you just have one of those creepy knacks?
I have always, always, always loved marketing, ever since I took Intro to Marketing during my freshman year in college. I loved learning about the ways businesses get consumers to buy their products We took an entire week just discussing and dissecting Superbowl ads and it was fascinating. To this day, the ads are still my favorite part of the Superbowl, even when the Steelers are playing in it.
I taught myself how to design websites about ten years ago - I actually learned how to write html code, long before there were flashy programs that did all the code writing for you. I took an online class and I was instantly hooked, and still love designing websites. My own website has undergone three transformations, because I love making it look better and different, and adding new features.
Finally, I worked as a marketing director/event planner at a restaurant here in Pittsburgh called Shiloh Street Grille (check out their awesome website, that I designed and still maintain). I found that I truly enjoyed planning events and getting to know my clients. I loved coming up with an idea months before the event and working with the client to make it better, adding all the little details that I knew would help make the event special and unique, and seeing it all come together in the end. I’ve made some of my best friends because I planned events for them first. I also found out that I was really very good at selling someting I believed in. I loved my work and loved my clients and miss interacting with them. The place itself is beautiful, a historic building from the 1800’s, complete with its own ghost story, and is truly a unique venue in a sea of boring and plain banquet halls and chain restaurants. I still do some work for them, now as their virtual marketing assistant. If you live in Pittsburgh or are visiting the area, make a point to visit this historic and wonderful place.
Since I have a daughter, it got more and more difficult to work crazy restaurant hours, so I decided to start my own business. Now I get to do all the things I love, in my own time, from the comfort of my own home. It doesn’t get any better than this. You can read about my experience with working at home here.
Who are your customers? What kind of people would need or want what you offer?
My clients are small businesses, who have questions about marketing, don’t know where to begin, or can’t afford a full time marketing person. I particularly enjoy working with businesses that are just starting out. It’s very satisfying to create a marketing plan and watch a new business blossom because of my ideas.
What’s your marketing USP? Why should I buy from you instead of the other losers?
You should buy from me for all the reasons I listed above. I work virtually, which will save you money, I have tons of experience and I love what I do. I treat my clients’ businesses as if they are my own. If you’ve hired me for a project and it doesn’t succeed, then I don’t succeed either, because chances are you won’t ask me to do other projects and you won’t recommend me to your friends. Since it is just me working here, you will always be able to get in touch with the owner, president, sales department and marketing director, any time you wish. Very few companies can say the same.
What’s next for you? What’s the big plan?
The next big thing for me is to hopefully expand and hire a VA of my own to help with the day to day work of running my business so I can focus on the creative things I enjoy. I’m also starting up an e-bay business so I can learn how to run and market an e-bay store myself and be able to offer that service to my clients. I’m working on getting my CeM certification (Certified E-Marketer) from the eMarketing Association and would also like to get my event planner certification when I’m finished with my CeM.
There it is - a little about me. Now, take the time and answer these questions yourself about your own business. You’ll be surprised to find out all the things you do and learn something about yourself and your business in the process.
A big shout out to Naomi again for providing us with this excellent exercise. Check out her blog - she’s awesome. As always, if you need assistance with your marketing activities, or know of anyone who does, please drop me a line.
Yvone M. Kon
Owner
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant - At Your Service!
Back to M.Y. Website
The answer to that question is, yes, to some degree. See, when I meet with a potential client for the first time, I’ve probably done an hour or so of research on their business. Unless it’s a new start up company, the business owner has years of experience. He or she should know a heck of lot more about it than me and my inital hour of research. As a small business owner, you should know everything about your company and your product - why it sells or why it doesn’t, what makes it better or worse than your competition, and who your competition is and what makes them unique (or not). The first thing I do is send my clients home with homework - research on their industry, their competition and to sit down and actually think about their business, instead of just running it. In today’s technologically advanced world, it is soooooooo easy to find out what you need know just by googling it. There’s no excuse not to know who else is out there doing what you do. Once you have this knowledge in hand, only then can I (or you) begin to market your product and grow your business
Naomi came up with a list of questions for small business owners to answer, then post on their blogs. These are the perfect questions to help you determine what your USP is. Not only that, it’s a great way to teach other people what you do and help them refer business to you. So, here are the questions, along with my answers:
What’s your game? What do you do?
I am a virtual marketing assistant. Basically, I provide marketing advice and support to small business owners who don’t have the money to keep a full time marketing person on staff and on site. Since I work virtually from my home office, I have no overhead, and can pass the savings on to my clients. A small business owner typically wouldn’t have the cash flow to keep a marketing person with over ten years experience on staff. This way, small business owners can reap the benefits of having a marketing person available to provide advice and support at a fraction of the cost.
Some of the the things I do: create marketing plans, design advertisements (print, online, radio, tv), write advertising content, provide e-marketing services, such as online directory submissions, creation and maintenance of online social networking profiles, creation and maintainence of websites and blogs, creation of email newsletter template and maintenance, management of email marketing campaigns, creation and maintenance of marketing databases, ghostwriting of blogs, search engine submission and optimization, as well as help client plan and run events to market their business and their products.
Why do you do it? Do you love it, or do you just have one of those creepy knacks?
I have always, always, always loved marketing, ever since I took Intro to Marketing during my freshman year in college. I loved learning about the ways businesses get consumers to buy their products We took an entire week just discussing and dissecting Superbowl ads and it was fascinating. To this day, the ads are still my favorite part of the Superbowl, even when the Steelers are playing in it.
I taught myself how to design websites about ten years ago - I actually learned how to write html code, long before there were flashy programs that did all the code writing for you. I took an online class and I was instantly hooked, and still love designing websites. My own website has undergone three transformations, because I love making it look better and different, and adding new features.
Finally, I worked as a marketing director/event planner at a restaurant here in Pittsburgh called Shiloh Street Grille (check out their awesome website, that I designed and still maintain). I found that I truly enjoyed planning events and getting to know my clients. I loved coming up with an idea months before the event and working with the client to make it better, adding all the little details that I knew would help make the event special and unique, and seeing it all come together in the end. I’ve made some of my best friends because I planned events for them first. I also found out that I was really very good at selling someting I believed in. I loved my work and loved my clients and miss interacting with them. The place itself is beautiful, a historic building from the 1800’s, complete with its own ghost story, and is truly a unique venue in a sea of boring and plain banquet halls and chain restaurants. I still do some work for them, now as their virtual marketing assistant. If you live in Pittsburgh or are visiting the area, make a point to visit this historic and wonderful place.
Since I have a daughter, it got more and more difficult to work crazy restaurant hours, so I decided to start my own business. Now I get to do all the things I love, in my own time, from the comfort of my own home. It doesn’t get any better than this. You can read about my experience with working at home here.
Who are your customers? What kind of people would need or want what you offer?
My clients are small businesses, who have questions about marketing, don’t know where to begin, or can’t afford a full time marketing person. I particularly enjoy working with businesses that are just starting out. It’s very satisfying to create a marketing plan and watch a new business blossom because of my ideas.
What’s your marketing USP? Why should I buy from you instead of the other losers?
You should buy from me for all the reasons I listed above. I work virtually, which will save you money, I have tons of experience and I love what I do. I treat my clients’ businesses as if they are my own. If you’ve hired me for a project and it doesn’t succeed, then I don’t succeed either, because chances are you won’t ask me to do other projects and you won’t recommend me to your friends. Since it is just me working here, you will always be able to get in touch with the owner, president, sales department and marketing director, any time you wish. Very few companies can say the same.
What’s next for you? What’s the big plan?
The next big thing for me is to hopefully expand and hire a VA of my own to help with the day to day work of running my business so I can focus on the creative things I enjoy. I’m also starting up an e-bay business so I can learn how to run and market an e-bay store myself and be able to offer that service to my clients. I’m working on getting my CeM certification (Certified E-Marketer) from the eMarketing Association and would also like to get my event planner certification when I’m finished with my CeM.
There it is - a little about me. Now, take the time and answer these questions yourself about your own business. You’ll be surprised to find out all the things you do and learn something about yourself and your business in the process.
A big shout out to Naomi again for providing us with this excellent exercise. Check out her blog - she’s awesome. As always, if you need assistance with your marketing activities, or know of anyone who does, please drop me a line.
Yvone M. Kon
Owner
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant - At Your Service!
Back to M.Y. Website
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