Yellow Dog Consulting

Sales & Marketing Consulting for solo-preneurs.

18 Months

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an 18 month old puppy
Norm, at 18 months. A lot has changed, but not his energy level!

Last week I ran into a colleague at a networking event. She started a business about a year and a half ago and we had met to talk about marketing around that time. I asked how business was going and she reminded me of something I said when we had met.

It takes 18 months to get into a groove.

I may have forgotten I told her this, but she sure didn’t and said it was absolutely true. 18 months is a great milestone in a small business. Within the first year you have a few clients and you’re still getting setup and going, working out all the kinks. At around 18 months (it’s not an exact science…) you’re in a groove. You know what you’re doing and your target market (if you’re networking in the right places) knows you’ve been around and in business for more than a hot minute.

If you’re a small business just starting out, don’t get defeated. And don’t get defeated if you’re at 18 months and don’t feel this is true. But if you’re running a small business full time (IE: no day job and doing this nights and weekends) then at around 18 months, you’ll probably start to see an uptick in business. Here’s a few things that can help:

  • Network – all the time and everywhere. Meet EVERYONE. Take those coffee meetings, go to that event that your friend recommends instead of staying home and watching TV. And obviously do ALL the follow up afterwards!
  • Don’t Get Distracted – Yes at some point you’ll need a marketing consultant and CPA and a business coach and a new website. But in your first few months your budget is tight and you need to figure out what your priorities are. Don’t get distracted by shiny ($2000 conferences anyone?) objects.
  • Talk to Others Doing It – The best thing I did when I started my business was talk to my friends who had their own companies. What do I need to do? Do I need to hire a lawyer to file a LLC or can I fill out the paperwork to be a sole proprietor right now? What do I need to know that I don’t know?  What tax and financial stuff should I be thinking about? What list building?
  • Take Amazing Care of Your Clients –  When you’re starting out you’ll make mistakes. But make sure that those first few clients, even if you’re working out the kinks, you’re talking to them right away if you do drop the ball. Don’t sweep anything under the rug, take great care of your clients. They’ll be your biggest referral sources if you do it right. And oh so loyal…

I know I’m missing other tips for starting a business – what advice have you received that’s been helpful to keep the momentum going as you’re launching? If you’re near the 18 month mark, where are you stuck and in need of help?

Starting your own business is the hardest and BEST decision I ever made, and it wouldn’t be possible without great support along the way!

Guest Post: How to Properly Welcome a New Subscriber (and Make More Sales)

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Welcome a New SubscriberWhen a first-time guest arrives at your home, what do you usually do?

You give them a tour.

They learn where the bathroom is, why you painted your office a sunny yellow, and what you’re planning for the basement renovation.

(Okay, maybe you skip the junk room, but still, they see most of your house.)

You then offer them a beverage, a comfy chair, and engage in a friendly conversation.

You get to know each other better because you’ve crossed the threshold from “acquaintance” to “someone who’s been in my house.”

Now think about your email subscribers, those strangers who responded to your invitation to join your list and receive your newsletter.

  • Have you given them a tour?
  • Engaged in a little chit-chat to get to know each other better?
  • Shown them where the necessary resources are located?

According to a recent study by Experian, a welcome email series “had 40 percent higher click rates, three times the transaction rates, and four time the revenue per email of the promotional mailings.”

Those numbers are hard to ignore.

The reason is pretty obvious when you think about it.

Your customer is most interested in what you sell at the moment they subscribe to your list. So why not extend a hearty welcome?

How to Personally Welcome Every Subscriber

An automated welcome series (sometimes called a drip campaign or autoresponder series) of 5-7 emails showcases the information your subscriber most wants at the time she’s most interested in receiving it.

You can set it up in your email marketing program (in Mailchimp it’s called a Workflow, in most others it is called an autoresponder).

Set your welcome series to start the moment someone subscribes to your list so they get an instant welcome.

Email #1: Welcome (send immediately)

This is you standing at the front door greeting your guest. You’re telling her she made it to the right destination and ushering her inside. Take her coat and tell her you’ll give her a tour of what she’ll love about your business over the next few emails.

If you’ve offered a lead magnet, this is also where you’ll deliver it.

Email #2: A sweet surprise (send 24-48 hours later)

What’s that delicious aroma? Oh, it’s my grandmother’s secret brownie recipe. Would you like to have it?

This is where you offer your subscriber a treat related to your business. Show her how to do something, overcome a problem, or get a quick win. No sales pitches, please.

Email #3: Exchange stories (send 24-48 hours later)

This is where you tell why you got into this business, and how it helps your visitor. Personalize your mission and connect on a human level with your desire to help and her need. Bullet list 1-3 of the best resources on your site.

Then, ask your visitor a question about herself.

Email #4: Showcase your best offer (send 24-48 hours later)

Your subscriber signed up because she’s interested in what you have to offer…so offer! Like showing off the best room in your house, you reveal your signature product (or your best entry-level product, if more appropriate). Show her what it can do for her.

Email #5: What to expect next (send 24-48 hours later)

Now that you’ve introduced yourself, given a brief tour, and unveiled your best offer, it’s time to tell her the frequency in which you’ll email your newsletters, what kind of information she can expect, and remind her where to find you on social media.

Your subscriber is now properly welcomed and ready to receive your newsletters, offers, and promotions.

She’s more likely to open your emails (because she knows you now!), more likely to purchase (because she’s familiar with how you can help her), and less likely to unsubscribe or mark your email as SPAM (again, you’re a known entity now).

And all it takes is creating a one-time email series that runs 24/7, warmly welcoming every single visitor to your list with your personal charm.

About the author: Betsy Talbot is a writer who helps small business owners attract and convert more leads into customers with content marketing. Find out what her email welcome series looks like by subscribing here.

How in Depth Should Your Blog Post Be?

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working away on a posed photoI was chatting with someone a few weeks ago about blog post length and it got me thinking – how in depth should your blog posts be?

There’s a few different thought processes for different types and lengths of blog posts, here’s 5 that I see most often:

  1. The In Depth Expert Post – This is the post you write when you want people to know how smart you are on a subject. Or, put more politely, this is the post you write to assert yourself as an expert. You’re probably referencing other sites and experts here. It may be a super long post but you’re hoping to assert yourself as an expert so it’s worth the research and details.
  2. The Hot Off The Press Post –  This is the “initial reaction” to the latest news tweet, or commenting on a new technology or movie review kind of post. These aren’t meant to be as detailed as they are to be FIRST.
  3. The Series Post – That would be if I decided to write this as 4 blog posts instead of 4 points and go a bit more in depth with each option. It’s not really my style, but it works great if you are covering a big heavy topic and it’s easier to chunk it out into readable and shorter posts. I’ve also seen the “Article Break Down” Post – where people have published an article and turn it into 4 or 5 blog posts over the next few weeks.
  4. The “I’m tired of writing the same thing over and over again to people” Post – These are a lot of the posts that I write. I tend to write my blog posts in response to something going on in my business (see my opening sentence as an example) and that I think may be helpful for other small business owners to hear about. I also like writing posts that I can easily reference back to when someone asks me about it. So the next time a client or prospect asks how long I think a blog post should be, they’ll be getting a link to this post!
  5. The Review/Recommendation Post – My Pop Culture Round Up is an example of this. My friend Matt has an app of the week post that I often check out. If you are frequently reading or writing or working on projects that you can make recommendations, go for it! I’ve seen IT companies do this well with different software options. Or nutritionists recommending an app or a product (who knew Apple Cider Vinegar was so important?) Give your totally biased opinion on something!

I know there are a variety of opinions on blog post length, content and depth. What do you find works for you?