Bollin on Business: What to do when business is tough to find

We have heard it for months. The media, politicians, and other “glass-half-empty” folks have convinced us that we are in a recessionary mode, the financial sky is falling, and we should all get ready to live in a hut.

Well, here is my official “glass-half-full” answer for our area — nonsense!

Yes, business is tough to get, but that is because the competition has become more intense than ever.

The Internet has become a fertile home shopping center. Homes, cars, home furnishings, insurance, even shoes are just a click away. But the Internet can’t replace that special person showing you the home of your dreams, test driving that new car, explaining the differences in insurance policies, or helping you try on those special shoes.

As the “Big Box” stores follow their demographically directed noses to Sahuarita, Green Valley and the surrounding area, it is understandable that some merchants exhibit a bit of a nervous twitch.

The opening of a direct competitor across town, or across the street, is enough to raise hackles—wherever one has hackles.

This competitive business environment offers great opportunity for those businesses willing to create, embrace, and deliver:

A distinct brand: Every business is noted for something - good or bad. Branding is simply a reflection or who you are as a business and what your business stands for. Branding is much more than a logo, it is the constant reminder of what stands behind that logo. What do you want your customers to remember about their visit to or contact with your business?

Knowledge and confidence: How well do you know your products or services and how well can you deliver that information to your customers? Do your employees have the same knowledge? How well do they represent your brand?

Customer communications: The smaller a business is, the more valuable consistent communication with the customer becomes. Let’s say you are running a gift shop with unique or one-of-a-kind products. I would call you a “narrow bandwidth” merchant. This means that a small segment of the total marketplace is interested in what you have to offer. Communicate with them often. Send them e-mails regarding that special shipment of new products that you have just received.

Use the power of the computer to track what your customers have purchased over time, send “thank you” notes automatically, remember their birthdays, notify them of special showings and events, or even a “haven’t seen you in a while” note.

Be a customer: Take yourself out of the business owner mode and walk in to your place of business as if you are a customer who has never been there before. Like what you see? What would you change? What impression did the “brand” leave with you? Check out your competition using the same criteria. You’ll be surprised at what you discover.

Teach and learn: Running a business in today’s competitive environment is a daunting task. The good news is that there are many ways to structure and organize your business to give you more time to grow your business. Back room operations, for example, can be handled at reasonable cost by a bookkeeper, or use a “Quick Books “ model to streamline that process.

Train your employees. Immerse them in your brand, set expectations for customer service, and teach them about the products they are selling. Give them the confidence they need to represent your organization properly.

Learn all you can about the latest business technology advances. Read industry specific publications that relate to your business for ideas and insight.

Got to have a plan: A good business plan has a starting point and goals delineated by time. It contains financial and personal goal milestones, and identifies who you are now, and what you will be as you reach each milestone. It also must contain the most overlooked element in many business plans … Marketing. The days of growing a business by “Word of Mouth,” or “Walking Traffic” alone are gone. Today, businesses must present a compelling reason why a potential customer should visit you.

Any media sales representative worth his or her salt should be able to help you create a multifaceted marketing plan for your business. I have produced many of these plans for local businesses, and hope to do many more.

A good marketing program pre-introduces your brand to a potential customer, creates a compelling reason for action, and helps bring them to your door. Then, it’s up to you to make that customer feel satisfied, leave on a positive note - and return again and again.

We are year-’round communities: It is March in Green Valley and Sahuarita. The winter visitors are here in force, and when they leave, the business world comes to an end - right? Wrong! Sahuarita has a minimal winter/summer population shift, and 80 percent of Green Valley residents live here through the entire year. That translates into roughly 50,000 permanent residents—50,000 residents that eat, buy cars, clothing … pretty normal don’t you think?

I know, I know, I can hear you saying, “People just don’t come out in the summer.” I think it’s just the opposite. People are looking for a reason to get out of their houses in the summer. I can’t think of anything more appealing that a “Steak under the Stars” dinner, or a “Crack an Egg at the Crack of Dawn breakfast.”

Give ‘em the right product, at the right time, and a compelling reason to act and they will do so. It isn’t any more complicated than that.

I realize that I may be running counter to wave after wave of doom and gloom. True, I’m not afraid to use the “O” word (you know, optimism). But, just look around. Houses are selling, new businesses are opening, and we are a year ‘round marketplace that needs to be served.

Mark Bollin is marketing director of the Green Valley News. His column appears monthly. Contact him at 547-9760 or mbollin@gvnews.com