Facebook Tips Any Small Business Will “Like”
Like most small business owners you are probably dealing with limited resources to market your business. In today’s world you have to find ways to connect with your customers, other business owners and vendors in a professional, yet cost effective way. Using Facebook could be just what the doctor ordered. Here are a few tips to help you leverage the power of the most popular social network in the world.
Be Interactive
The best thing about Facebook is that it is interactive. You can connect with your customers and anyone else who is interested in what you do. If you want to show off where you are in the world, you can take a picture of your storefront and put that as your profile picture. Take pictures of your displays, or your employees offering great service to customers. If customers can see what you do, it will make them want to come check out what the excitement is all about.
Start A Contest On Facebook
Have a contest where if you can spot your company van on the streets then that customer wins a prize. It could be as simple as a hat, or a prize package with free tickets to events and other places around town. Contests are great because it can get you a wide reach around town. It will also create a buzz around your brand that can draw people back to your Facebook page and get customers talking.
Cross Promote With Other Small Businesses
Liking other local businesses can allow for cross promotion and exposure for everyone. Your business could be liked by customers who might not have reached you otherwise. Other companies will be grateful that you are offering them exposure as well. Banding together with other small businesses can also allow for sharing of resources down the line if it makes sense.
If you are a small business owner, you really need to consider getting on board with the social media revolution. It will save you money on marketing costs and will allow you to get to know your customers a little better. They will take pride in being your customer and will hopefully pass the word on to others. Better yet, these ideas are easy to implement and don’t have to cost your business a lot of time or money.
While we are on the subject, hop on over to Royal Bank America’s facebook page and “Like” us to receive access to updated news, special events and offers.
Read MoreBiz Profile: Wynnewood Lanes
Bowling is as American as Apple pie and for one local business, Wynnewood Lanes, success is as simple as observing the golden rule – treat the customer as you would want to be treated. Since it’s opening in 1962, this family business has lived by this simple creed as generations of patrons can attest. Partners Tony Amarosa, Gloria Amarosa Smith and Tom Thomas and their employees strive to make each customer’s experience a pleasant one, and their attention to detail and commitment to this goal is impressive . This was evident the moment I began speaking to Tom about the business. Tony, Gloria and Tom all feel that the success of their business is based on their customers.
When asking Tom what 3 key pieces of advice he and his partners would like to share with others he said “first and foremost, do not ignore your customers, be thankful that you have customers, they are what makes your business flourish. Secondly, field all questions with a smile, no matter how difficult the question or customer, and assure them that they are being treated with the utmost respect and that you will do the very best to make them happy. Finally, lead by example. As small business owners Tom feels that they have a responsibility to set the standards for employee’s to follow. If you show your employees that you have unparalleled customer service skills and expect nothing less, you are on the road to growing a successful business.”
It’s all smiles for the 15 employees working at Wynnewood Lanes (12 in the bowling area and 3 in the lounge, the Beer Frame Bar) as they ensure that the customer is having a great time, all the time. They pride themselves in providing a great atmosphere for, parties, corporate events and charity fundraisers, as well as couples and families who drop in to bowl a few frames. Over the years they have coordinated various charity events hosted by the Philadelphia 76ers, WPHT/WOGL – 1210AM/Oldies 98.1 and the ACS Relay For Life, helping the organizations raise tens of thousands of dollars to fund research projects in our area. Tom said their biggest complement is when they receive repeat business, especially when that business helps the community and with their success rate these past 40 years, they are on the right path.
To learn more about Wynnewood Lanes visit their website at www.wynnewoodlanes.com 2228 Haverford Road Suite 1 Ardmore, PA 19003 610-642-7512 Read MoreBiz Profile: Yangming
How do you become the #1 Chinese Restaurant in America? On the cusp of their twentieth anniversary, we sat down with Michael Wei, owner of Bryn Mawr’s beloved Yangming Restaurant to discuss how his Main Line restaurant rose to the top of the list and the 3 key pieces of advice he would give to any business owner:
1. “Stay true to your core beliefs. Don’t deviate, dilute, or dissipate them, no matter what.”
2. “Make your key employees your partners.”
3. “Always connect to, participate in and donate to your community.”
Chinese Restaurant News selected Yangming to receive this prestigious honor in part for their philosophy, to pursue the highest standard of culinary art and innovation. Drawing upon the essence of various cuisines in order to construct a fusion that appeals to both Western and traditional tastes, diners are routinely rewarded for their choices with healthy dishes that many times use local and organic produce prepared with little oil, salt, sugar and never MSG.
For nearly 2 decades Yangming has thrived in the Main Line’s ultra-competitive dining scene by offering a truly memorable experience to their customers. The staff is trained with two simple rules in mind:
1. The customer is always right.
2. If you found the customer wrong, go back to No. 1.
Accolades have been well earned and plentiful for Yangming. Both in 2007 and 2009 they were ranked as one of America’s Ten Great Chinese Restaurants by USA Today and they have also won the Best of Philly-Chinese (2008) award from Philadelphia Magazine. And the honors do not stop there; in addition to a host of other awards, they have been selected twice to prepare a banquet at the celebrated James Beard House in New York City.
Yangming is located in a historic two-story building that covers 13,000 square feet of dining space with four types of accommodations: three dining rooms, two VIP rooms, a stylish and inviting bar and a party room on the 2nd floor that can hold up to 200 people. It is in this party room that Wei takes to heart his 3rd piece of advice and plays host to a number of fundraising banquets where part of the proceeds are donated to local charities such as the Ronald McDonald House, the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, Philly Meals on Wheels, the Diabetes Research Foundation and the Fight Against Childhood Hunger Foundation, to name a few.
Yangming
Conestoga and Haverford Roads
1051 Conestoga Road
Bryn Mawr PA, 19010
610.527.3200
Lunch:
Mon-Sat 11:30-3
Dinner:
Mon-Thu 3-10pm
Fri-Sat: 3-11pm
Sun: 2-10pm
Biz Profile: Absolute Abstract Art
Absolute Abstract Art is a unique Philadelphia-based gallery that provides clients with stylish, contemporary and affordable art. And when you begin speaking with co-owner James McManaman, it’s evident that their emphasis is on exceeding client expectations.
James and his life partner David White are first-time entrepreneurs who knew they wanted to use their backgrounds in corporate hospitality and art sales and production, respectively, to launch a business selling affordable art to individual and corporate clients, as well as serving as a venue for up-and-coming artists. Together they opened Absolute Abstract on March 15, 2006 in a then quiet pocket of Center City which has now grown into the vibrant neighborhood known as Midtown Village (thanks in large part to their efforts).
What makes their art so unique? James and David researched the market and saw a void they could fill. Rather than offering original prints and framed posters, Absolute Abstract carries art printed on UV-protected linen canvas and stretched over wide bars. Their products range in size from 24”x24” to loft-style art as large as 4.5’x13.5’. In discussing sales technique with James, it’s clear to see they build a strong and trusting relationship with their clients. Absolute Abstract offers its expertise and interior design knowledge to every client and follows up along every step of the process to ensure that the client is satisfied with the end result.
Absolute Abstract has a targeted approach to advertising and marketing, running campaigns in local law publications to gain corporate clients and other niche publications to draw in new business. They also generously donate pieces of art to numerous charities for fundraising auctions while simultaneously increasing brand awareness.
When asking James what three key pieces of advice he would give other Small Business owners, without hesitation his first two responses were “location and community involvement.” For example, James is the Founder and a past President (just stepping down in January) of the Midtown Village Merchant’s Association and has strived to improve the quality of shopping, dining and living in Center City Philadelphia. He is also on the board of the Independence Business Alliance, a member of the Center City Proprietor’s Association and the Gay Tourism Caucus.
The third piece of key advice James would offer is to “Stand back and look at your business as it grows; make sure you are listening to your employees and clients and doing what is in the best interests of your business.”
You can visit James and David at
Absolute Abstract Art located at
Midtown Village
141 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Telephone: 215 733-0190
Store Hours
:
Tues-Sat: 11am – 7pm
Sun: Noon – 5pm
Or visit them online at www.absoluteabstractart.com to see their unique and creative art pieces and gallery.
Read MoreLessons from the SBA’s website redesign
I hope by now you’ve had the chance to check out the Small Business Administration’s newly relaunched website, sba.gov. For small businesses it is a tremendous free resource, providing information on topics such as starting a business, financing, taxation, disaster preparedness and human resources, to name a few.
Much of the information on the SBA’s site has been around for a while. Not that it is stale (some good advice never gets old); it was just produced a while ago and as often happens, newer, shinier things advanced to the fore. By thoroughly reviewing all of the great material they had on hand, they were able to pluck some gems out and feature them on their redesigned website.
Think about it. They simply needed to pour over what they already had (perhaps freshening it up slightly) and change the presentation to ensure that it reached a new and wider audience. That’s often good advice for any business.
Is there information in your repertoire that your current or prospective customers may not be aware of? Are there skills you possess that could be used to solve existing customers’ problems? Have circumstances that may have led to “retiring” these skills changed? Search your “toolbox,” you may even be able to develop an entirely new product line (or even a full-blown business) based on these “hidden” talents.
Examples of this type of thinking are all around us today, from the baker who dusts off a traditional family recipe that appeals to a specific demographic to the designer who revisits his once outdated styles only to realize they are now considered “retro chic.”
Some who keep in-depth records may even want to look back and see what filled the majority of their time five or 10 years ago. It may be time for a renaissance, a rebirth of old ideas through a new lens. Perhaps you can use the technology available today to dust off these skills and make them profitable. It may be time to revitalize your business with these old gems.
Now’s the time to use your experience from the past to guide and shape your business’s future.
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