What to Do When You are a Really Small Business?

Hi Colleen, Good to hear from you here! I think there are lots of small business owners just like you on here (I know quite a few personally). And there is actually quite a bit of advice for entrepreneurs just like you.

I'm a solopreneur myself, and fully intend to stay that way. However, I also have learned how to market myself in a way that keeps my business growing and my pipeline full. Part of my secret is that I learned a long time ago that I don't have to everything myself and I hired a team of Virtual Assistants to handle the online marketing and ecommerce side of my business for me.

You talk about writing articles, but not doing it because you don't think we'd be interested. And maybe we wouldn't be. But I bet there are other forums out there where people would be interested in your topic.

Rather than deciding you "can't" do something, I find it's better to ask, "How can you do it?" Most of the marketing ideas put forth here WILL work for you, you just need to figure out how to use them to your advantage.

Just because you want your business to stay small doesn't mean you need to think small. Hope this helps...

Best of luck! Stacy

Hi Colleen & Stacy,

Nice to see you here. There are lots of techniques to promote small business but one of them is making your own website. Your website promote your business online. It can be make your corporate identity and lots of benefits give you your website. If you want to make your own website please let me know I can give you in very competitive prices.

We also make websites and commercials. You can see commercials at www.eztvspots.com then click on demos I am on teh Kent auto and AC commercial.

Thanks, Lots Linda

Hi, Colleen;

There are some sites that welcome specialty articles. Lemme see if I can dig up a few for you to check out ... ... okay, here are a couple that I believe will welcome articles on skin care with the opportunity to earn money for your writing.

Elance.com Helium.com

Good luck. Judy

Hi Colleen,

Have you heard of the website, eHow.com? I'm sure if you wrote an article on that site about the benefits of skin care, you would get a lot of readers. I've used that site often when doing research on various topics.

Also, I believe there are opportunities to earn money writing articles on eHow.com, although I have not investigated that aspect yet.

Good luck to you!

Stacy had an awesome point. One should think in terms of possibilities instead of limitations.

When I find myself stuck, the best way to get un-stuck... is to ask better questions:

• How can I connect with individuals who are serious about personal care?
• Where can I find my 'perfect' client? Where do they congregate?
• How can I differentiate myself from the high end mall spas, while consistently attracting their customers?
• How can I appreciate the clients I do have, while generating even more referrals?

"Questions are the Answer"

The key to being the small solopreneur on the playground is building relationships. Instead of looking outside of your network for new relationships, I would focus on helping my friends, family, and existing clients by servicing their friends and family... I would ask , "Who do you know that...?"

Peace.

I agree with Jason. Start with your inner circle and work out from there. I started serving 20 friends in 1998 and have a wide clientele now, built at least 1/3-1/2 from referral. One thought that comes to mind are "Tupperware" style parties, or how about "beauty" parties for bridal groups?--just a couple ideas.

How about a blog? You can set one up for free. But you do need to write frequently (3-4 times per week minimum, but there are techniques for doing this). I have done this in a couple of ways. You could even generate small income depending on how you go about it--I have. A great way to write really short snippets about beauty, beauty products, beauty-related events in the area, etc.

Yes, a website. Definitely. There are free ways to do this. I have site I pay for, primarily to handle my storefront--you want a paid site for the security, etc. This can be done fairly reasonably (but requires some work on your part and some computer skills). Let me know if you are interested and I'll get you pointed in the right direction.

I know how it can be hard to make decisions when everything seems so ambiguous. So congrats to you for making a decision that you feel is best for you, your business, and family.

I'm wishing you success. Let us know how we can support you.

Peace.