Growing Your Small Business in 2012- Grow Your Business - Be Outrageous

This week I've asked my good friend and my coach, Carol Ritter to be a guest blogger on No Artist Should Starve. If you've ever met Carol in person you know that she's one of the most energetic, funny and motivated people you could possibly meet. Her enthusiasm and common sense solutions for entrepreneurs are the types of ideas that work. She'll make you think and help you figure your own ways to solve challenges in your business. Carol is exactly the type of guest blogger I look for to contribute to No Artist Should Starve. Enjoy!

This is the first in a series of articles with bullet proof, completely tested ideas for growing your small business. I remember when I coached softball many years ago. I just wanted to be a coach and help kids learn about softball, team work and, most importantly, build character. When I took on the sport, I didn’t realize, I needed umpires, I needed a team mother, I needed to attend meetings and I needed to gather a team to work on the fields. I liken that to running a small business.

As an example, let’s take Angela who loves to cook and is really good at it. Will she grow her business simply by the overwhelming aroma of fresh made bread and the wonderful taste of her Italian specialties. Possibly, but probably not. She will build her business by strategically positioning herself in the community, offering outrageous deals and consistently driving people through the doors.

The secret to her success is her ability to handle and explore risk not necessarily the taste of her food. You cannot see outrageous growth without risk. If Angela or you are content with middle of the road success and just paying the bills then don’t read the following Top Ten Ways to Grow Your Business Outrageously.

1. Design and implement an outrageous marketing plan
2. Be willing to spend money to make money
3. Hire talent with personality (this is huge for customer service)
4. Create a sense of urgency for your buyer (they can’t live without your product)
5. Teach your customer many reasons why they should shop with you (Valentines Day offer Dinner for Two created by Angela) (Wild Wednesdays with wild discounts)
6. Know your competition - and be outrageously bigger and better (an example of this is the home of the mile high lasagna)
7. Ask your customers what they would like to buy (consider new things on your menu)
8. Reinvent yourself at least every two years (let your customers see new and exciting)
9. Create an atmosphere of outrageous service (so lacking in this world, be known for service, when customers feel great they will purchase and pay for your product)
10. Don’t be afraid of free (always be willing to do something or give something for free, the world loves that, maybe recipe of the month online, customers can submit their recipes and vote on best recipe win dinner for two once a month)

I used an Italian restaurant as an example but this could work for most small businesses. Don’t be the ho hum, run of the mill business in your community. BE THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS IN PRODUCT, IDEAS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Carol is an accomplished professional speaker, coach and educational consultant specializing in remarkable leadership, outrageous fundraising, million dollar marketing, and building organizational alliances throughout the country. Carol’s innovative strategies provide leadership with bullet proof ideas for recruiting MORE MEMBERS, MORE MONEY AND BETTER LEADERS. www.caroltalks.com