Summer Hours

Ahhhh…it’s almost summer and time for longer weekends. At Creative Vision, we always put in extra hours but in summer, we do try to take half the day on Fridays to extend the weekend a bit earlier and it works for us and those who work for us.

Summer hours have always been a standard at big NYC public relations or ad agencies, as well as other larger businesses and it was a time of year that employees looked forward to. After all of the late hours and even working weekends throughout the year, this was reward time. It meant you’d get out at 1pm on Fridays and have time to catch the early jitney to the Hamptons or try to beat the traffic to your summer house on the Jersey shore.

We’re wondering whether that applies to small businesses. Does your business use “summer hours” to motivate or reward employees? We believe shortened or altered workweeks during the summer months can be a great way to make your staff happier and more productive with no cost to your business.

That’s right…more productive! Summer hours don’t necessarily involve a shorter workweek. Many companies add time on to the rest of the days of the week so that employees can leave early on Fridays, or have every other Friday off. So as an employer, you can think of it more as an exchange of hours. Even if you don’t take this approach, and you actually give your employees every other Friday off or every Friday afternoon off, you’re likely to find that employees are supercharged to get their work done before that magical Friday hour approaches.

If you’re considering offering summer hours, here are some things to consider:

• Summer hours need to be offered to all employees equally. If that won’t work for you, then you need to figure out a different type of summer reward. 
• Make it clear to employees that if an urgent or emergency situation arises, you might have to rescind summer hours one week. 
• If you’re struggling with what type of summer schedule would work for your business, consider getting employees’ input—being on the front lines, they often have more insights into how to handle workflow.
• Once you create your summer hours policy, be sure to communicate it to all employees so there are no misunderstandings. Make it clear that summer hours are a privilege, not a right, and that your policy will change back to standard hours if workers abuse the privilege.

Summer hours can be a great way to reward your staff, take some time off yourself and save money on utilities and other expenses.

5 Tips to Tackle Your Small Business Marketing

Every business owner knows they should focus time on marketing, but between doing the daily work, meeting with clients, returning phone calls and emails, it seems it’s 10 p.m. before you sit down to think about it. And who can focus at that hour?

We find this to be the case with many of our clients. They know what they need and want to do, but there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. Here are a few simple suggestions that may help:

• Create a “to do” list every day and incorporate one marketing-focused item. Just as you would not skip returning a sales call or getting to the bank, DON’T skip your marketing task. Make it a priority!

• Don’t bite off on too much. We are often overwhelmed because we think we need to do it all at once. Relax. Take a tiered approach. Today, carve out 15 minutes and call your local ad rep to review your ad schedule to make sure it’s up to date. Tomorrow, review your website and give a critical eye to what may need revision or freshening. By tackling one small element each day, you’ll be surprised at the end of the week how much you’ve accomplished!

• Get out of the office. Take face-to-face meetings. So many of us are overly dependent upon Facebook or email and don’t make a point of getting in front of our colleagues or potential customers. Take a lunch with a business associate. Stop in at a networking function. It doesn’t have to be something lengthy that will take you away from work for hours…just something to maintain your outside connections.

• Open a “Business Info” file. Ideas come at us from a variety of sources throughout the day. If you read an interesting article – even if you can’t read it in full – copy it into your file to read later. The same holds true if you’re listening to the radio and hear a good interview or learn of a good book. Copy it into your file so that when you do have a greater amount of time to devote to marketing ideas, you have them saved in one place!

• Look to your competition. There’s nothing more motivating for your own marketing than seeing what your competitors are up to. If they can do it, YOU can do it!

And we’re always here to help!

Broaden Your Network

We've been fortunate in our careers to work with some of the very best along the way. As a result, we've built a network of very solid professional relationships – many of which continue to this day. It is through these contacts and others that Creative Vision continues to grow.

There’s no science to this; you do your best and good things result. You surround yourself with people of integrity and good things result. You gain referrals and more people want to work with you. It’s the nature of business and it is important to note that every person you meet along the way is an opportunity.

That’s an organic process, but what about all of the networking that doesn't happen organically? Most often, networking must be intentional; something that you plan. How do you begin?

First, create your intention. Ask yourself what you hope to get out of an opportunity. Is it new leads, new referrals or a social outlet to talk shop and combat isolationism? Once you know your purpose you can chart your course – whether it’s face-to-face networking groups in your area such as those provided by chambers of commerce, civic organizations, or BNIs, online networking via social media, or more non-traditional opportunities such as some of those found in social settings like book clubs or hobby groups.

Then consider your approach. We’ve found that the “speech” you might prepare in your head often falls flat. People see that coming and may start to tune you out before you’re given a chance. It’s best to open a dialogue and exchange information through conversation rather than something contrived. This goes for online and social media interaction as well. Let it flow.

If you choose to take the face-to-face route and meet people via organizations, be prepared to get involved. There’s nothing worse than being part of a group in name only. These opportunities allow you to demonstrate your talents for a common cause so potential customers get to witness you in your element.

Whatever course you choose to take, approach it with openness and professionalism. And keep putting yourself out there. You’ll be surprised at the results.

Marketing Intervention 2013

New year, new beginnings. It’s the opportunity for a fresh start and for setting out on the right foot. Businesses have the opportunity to re-evaluate their previous marketing efforts and develop a fresh new plan for 2013. Here are some things to consider:

Know where you stand.
First things first. Think about what you’ve done in the past. How has that worked for you? Are you reaping results from your current marketing initiatives?

When you know what has worked and what hasn't worked you can make educated decisions and not be caught off guard with the latest trends. Don’t just stick with something because “it’s the way we’ve always done business.” If you’re unhappy with results from your current ad campaign, give it to the professionals to freshen it up. Maybe try new media outlets or add in cost-effective solutions like social media marketing or public relations. Be ready to discard what doesn’t work and capitalize more on what does!

Have a budget.
Having a marketing budget doesn't limit you, it actually empowers you. When you know how much you can spend on marketing and you stay within that budget it will lower your stress level and help you develop a plan and strategy that will work for you without breaking the bank and not realizing it until it's too late.

That’s what Creative Vision is all about – helping small businesses to find marketing solutions that are within their budget.

Know your target market
As a business owner, you know your customers best. Think about where to reach them. Maybe it’s via conventional media outlets like the local weekly newspaper or maybe it’s through Facebook. It’s important to understand where they are searching for businesses like yours. Know their needs and know how to present your marketing message in a way that makes them take action. And we’re here to help you craft that message!

Review your marketing plan every three months.

Don’t just review your plan every year. If you review it quarterly, you can get an assessment of what is working and be able to tweak the plan accordingly. You want to be diligent about how you’re spending your marketing dollars!

Holiday Marketing Tips for Small Businesses – It’s Not Too Late!

Small business owners can maximize their holiday sales with a few timely tips:

Fine Tune your Holiday Online Campaign

Consumers are bombarded with countless email offers. So how does your business stand out from the crowd?

• Keep it simple -- Organize your website by categories such as “Gifts under $50,” “Gifts for Him/Her,” “Popular Items,” etc. And if you’re unable to do this on your website, use emails, e-postcards and e-newsletters to group and highlight your inventory along these lines. It’s easier for people to wrap their heads around instead of wading through long lists.
• Offer gift suggestions – Offer up gift ideas and suggestions, even though we’re just a couple of weeks out from Christmas. “Last Minute Gifts” or “Corporate Gifts” are two categories that should still be out there.
• Use shipping deadlines as a motivator – Clearly state shipping deadlines on all emails and on your website. Use this as an incentive for customers to take action ASAP.
• Get creative – Use the 12 Days of Christmas to engage with your customers. This is all about raising your brand profile during a busy time while promoting action. For example, send out daily riddles on social media and reward winners with a special offer. Another option is to promote a “catch of the day” deal on each day of your campaign.
• As December 25 and other holiday deadlines approach, offer upgrades on shipping services – For example, 5-day shipping orders placed on December 17 could be upgraded to 2-3 day shipping at no extra cost.
• Build urgency into your subject lines, Tweets and Facebook posts – The week before Christmas or other gift-giving days build some urgency into your messaging. “There’s still time…,” “It’s not too late…,” etc.
• Offer ideas for those last minute impulse purchases – Whether it’s a gift for a party hostess or an office “Secret Santa” party, start giving your customers gift-giving ideas in the last week before Christmas.
• Drive customers offline and into your store – As shipping deadlines, use your email and social media presence to remind people of in-store deals and keep feeding them gift-giving ideas.
• For those absolute last minute shoppers – On December 23 and 24, reach out to those who are still looking for gift ideas but have missed shipping deadlines by spreading the word about gift cards or downloadable e-gift cards.

Don’t Forget Super Saturday

The last and busiest Saturday for buying gifts is December 22 this year. Mark your calendar and plan accordingly – this is the time to offer targeted promotions and incentives. For bricks and mortar retailers, why not do a little more to entice your customers to come in during the last few shopping days before the holidays, perhaps a warm glass of apple cider or a free shoulder massage for your frazzled holiday shoppers (or their spouses)!

Restaurants and Food Service Businesses – Target the Holiday Crowd

Restaurants can do a roaring trade during the holidays, but there’s always room for more! Here are some ideas for boosting your share of holiday profits this year:

• Work on attracting last-minute office parties or lunches – Many smaller companies wait until the last minute to treat their staff or customers – think of ways to entice this crowd. Talk to your regulars, train hostesses and servers to mention your party services when they speak to customers on the phone or in person. Promote special incentives for parties that make bookings on quiet days/nights.
• Target the New Year’s Eve crowd – Offer incentives for customers to come and dine outside and either side of peak hours so you can maximize bookings throughout the night. You could also offer an incentive to New Year’s Eve revelers to move to the bar after they’ve dined with you.

Good luck and happy holidays! 

Walk the Walk

How many times have you heard the expression, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know?” Likely the answer is “too many times to count.”  There is such truth to that statement and it’s extremely evident in smaller regions like the Warwick Valley, or “Mayberry” as we like to call it!

If you're going to conduct business in the Warwick Valley, you need to understand the business and social climate here. You need to know that the core philosophy is to keep it local, and that local mindset helps all of our businesses to thrive. You don’t’ visit the big box stores before checking with the local hardware store. Likewise, why visit a chain restaurant when there are perfectly wonderful eateries right in town? And chances are you’ll run into one or two people you know. Businesses here support one another, as so do community members. If there is a need expressed here, it is met with tremendous volunteerism.

As a business owner anywhere, it’s important to network and that is especially true here. Part of what made our Creative Vision partnership so vital was our strong belief in being involved in the community. We are both firm believers in giving back and have individually devoted our time to causes and organizations that we care about. As a result of that, we’ve cultivated many wonderful contacts throughout the Valley that have supported us in our business efforts. Some have already become clients; others have become business vendors and sources for us to subcontract or share work. And still others have shared their expertise in their given fields, which greatly enhances our knowledge base and helps us to avoid small business pitfalls. We thank these supporters and friends and look forward to passing on their kindness and wisdom.

Getting LinkedIn

We are absolutely astounded by the number of books and websites there are to guide you in your use of LinkedIn. It highlights the importance of this online business tool for those who are job seeking, businesses that want to expand their customer base (and who isn’t), professionals seeking references or testimonials, finding peripheral consultants, building brand awareness, driving sales – the list is quite long. The point is LinkedIn is a tool that can help businesses to achieve their goals quickly and easily.

For those who haven’t delved in or made the most of their LinkedIn participation, here are some tips that we’ve come across that may be helpful:

·         Make the most of your LinkedIn profile

In addition to your personal profile, company profiles are used to provide additional information about the company, its products and specialties, employees and company news. Your company profile can be a great tool to drive traffic back to your Website, as well as a way to reach out to other businesses. Use keywords that will draw your preferred audiences to you.

·         Get seriously connected

This not only includes business people you know, but should also include those you want to know. Join numerous groups on LinkedIn that pertain to your business interests and be prepared to be active there. Plan to spend an hour per week in discussions so that you may get to really know more about the various players. This is where you will gain and share industry news.

·         Connect with your discussion partners

These are the people you’ve already been “speaking” with and getting to know.  If you find that they are business prospects, offer to connect via phone or Skype.

·         Ask for recommendations

Participate and make recommendations within your network for business associates, partners, vendors and employees when appropriate. Recommendations for you and your company add valuable credibility.