A Wave of Business Optimism is on the Horizon
Are you prepared to ride the crest?
According to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), optimism among small businesses in the US advanced in November to the highest level in more than 34 years as owners became more upbeat about future economic conditions and sales prospects, reported Bloomberg News.
Among the highlights that brought a smile to small business owners are:
· Index rose by 3.7 points to 107.5 (est. 104), highest in monthly data back to 1986; highest since 3Q 1983 when looking at earlier quarterly figures;
· Net 48% expect better business conditions in next six months, biggest share since January and up from 32% a month earlier;
· Net 34% expect higher sales, largest share since October 2005 and up from 21% in September.
Hopefully, you’re also anticipating growing your business.
The NFIB said the small-business optimism index showed all but two of the 10 components increased from a month earlier, including a record net 24% share of small business owners who said they plan to add jobs. Construction, manufacturing and professional services registered notable increases in planned hiring.
The figures indicate the recent solid pace of job growth will be sustained and help extend the economic expansion, the NFIB underscored.
In order to capitalize on this business boost next year, savvy business owners must prepare now. The economic figures demonstrate that your customers are primed to buy. However, they must be aware that you have what they’re looking for.
You should inform them about the products and services as well as discounts and specials that you are offering by regularly and often outreaching to customers.
Reaching out to your existing and new customers cannot be a last-minute effort. If you wait too long, the wave will pass you. You must launch your marketing campaign now in order to whet the marketplace’s appetite for your goods and services. Actually, you should roll over your special holiday outreach effort into next year’s promotion before The New Year.
Social media and Twitter are the fastest and least expensive means to tell the world about your plans.
However, you can’t wake up one morning telling yourself “I’ll start tweeting today.” You have to develop a plan, strategy and community of followers about what you want to accomplish. Making your company well known for its products or services is a legitimate goal for your business.
To succeed in social media or Twitter marketing, you must create a topic or area of expertise, build an audience and invite the world to join your conversation. It’s about talking to your prospects, consumers and vendors, and interacting with them. If you are not going to do this, don’t use Twitter as a marketing tool; it simply won’t work. Make friends, be a friend, follow and reply. Show your followers that you want to engage and be involved with them – this provides ideal customer service and states that you are, in fact, personable – worthy of their attention.
Give people useful information and answer their questions, and they will consider you a valuable member of their community – a thought leader. That’s an important first step to winning new customers via social media outreach.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then adding an image to a tweet will greatly expand what you can share beyond the new 280-character limit.
You can’t build your business by keeping to yourself and you surely cannot have success on social media without virtually shaking hands. Create followers and their followers and readers may become your followers and readers. This builds your recognition in Twittersphere. If you don’t interact with the world, the world will leave you by the side of the road and your products and services will not see the light of day.
Use hashtags “#” that focus on keywords or buzzwords that are used in your industry and also Twitter handles “@” that direct your information to specific people, companies, vendors and industries. This requires that you spend time researching both tools. Don’t underestimate the benefits of hashtags and handles.
Additionally, discuss your sales projections with your vendors and suppliers so they are aware of your plans and can fulfill your grand design.
How will you reach out to the marketplace?
Join the conversation in cyberspace about boosting your business and outreach by using Twitter and social media and let me know your thoughts. If you have examples of how you’ve tweeted to boost outreach, let me know about it and I’ll help you spread the word about your success.
Don’t forget to tweet and retweet often – up to a half a dozen times a day – about your products and services.
If you need help, contact me.
I’d also like to invite you to visit my Thought Leadership website:
If you’re looking for advice on recruiting, company handbooks and other human resources topics, I’d like to suggest to you this interesting website:
Scroll down on the Boosting Your Outreach blogsite to read or reread older posts.
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