Time to Get Back To Business Basics
Darling Marketing Community Lapkass 
Struggling to move your business forward, time to get back to the basics.
Four years ago, I had a thought to start a business to use my software skills to support non profits and small business owners. I really had no idea what I was doing, but just keeping doing the next thing on the to do list, learning from my mistakes, moving forward, then backward, then forward again. Now four years and a pandemic later, I am running a business and living my best life. Thank you to my clients (each and everyone one of you) for trusting me to support you and helping me grow. I am grateful that I started this journey and yet....
As an entrepreneur, there are times that I feel completely overwhelmed with all the things on the to-do list, and not sure what to do next? Especially when it comes to all the software solutions and apps you MUST have to be successful. As a person with a software engineering background, I get overwhelmed by the amount of information and different software applications that are available. I experience this with my clients all the time. Their to-do list is long, their days are too short, and nothing seems to move forward because they MUST use this new application to increase their sales NOW. Once we talk through the overwhelm, we come to the same realization --- Time to go back to the basics before making a change.
I will be sharing my weekly focus live on Facebook. If you are feeling overwhelmed or want to get back to the basics, then join me weekly Wednesdays at 9AM on Facebook for a short (less than 15 minutes) session on my tips and tricks to getting back to the basics of your business. Did you miss week 1, Download my 5 easy tips to increase your email open rate here.
Basic #1 - Your Client Contact Information. I strongly encourage (or should I say insist), that everyone should have their client list and contact information stored in a CSV file on their computer or a flash drive. This way no matter what happens in the cloud you are able to client’s information. Depending on the rate your list grows, you should create this CSV file quarterly.
Basic #2 – Keep your email marketing simple if you are overwhelmed. Your email list is important since it allows you to have direct and personal communication with your audience. Email marketing tools provide an easy and cost-effective way to have a wide reach directly into someone’s email inbox and connect with clients. Email marketing helps you build relationships, send targeted messages, and provides easy-to-measure results. There are many types of things that can be measured but start with increasing email open rate. Once you are achieving a solid consistent open rate, then consider adding additional email automation, and measuring other results. Download my 5 easy tips to increase your email open rate here.
Basic #3 – Keep your website up to date. Your homepage serves as the first impression of your business, and out of date may indicate out of business. Be sure your website provides a clear overview of your brand, products, or services as well as contact information, social media links and a call to action. If you have not published a blog in a while, publish a blog or remove your blog.
Basic #4 - Rember KISS "Keep It Short and Simple." Too many times we worry about all the possibilities that could happen instead of focusing on the 95% simple cases. It is a principle that emphasizes the importance of simplicity in various areas, including communication, design, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Basic #5 - My Motto is Always Be Curious. Continuously learn and improve: Seek opportunities for learn and grow. Stay curious, attend industry conferences, participate in workshops, and stay updated on the latest trends and best practices. Embrace a mindset of continuous improvement to stay competitive. This does not mean you have to implement every new thing, but be aware of and open to the possibilities that are available.
By implementing these practices, you can enhance the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns and build stronger connections with your audience. Remember it is not about the shiny new tool that is the next best thing but building your business on solid foundation of basics.
Always Be Curious,
Marilyn