Attention Small Business: Help is Here

I've been in an internal debate for some time,  whether to focus my consultancy on small business, or aim my sights up and down the business spectrum.  I've had the opportunity to present digital communciation, marketing and innovation solutions to Fortune 500 companies - and am always open to that - but my heart lies with the small business community, with entrepreneurs slugging it out in Main Street trenches each day. 

Time and money are precious commodities for small business owners.  But a reality is staring them in the face:  consumer habits have changed dramatically over the past few years, and continue to evolve at a rapid pace.  If you don't accept that fact, adjust strategy, and learn to "follow the puck" (nice hocky analogy, courtesy of an NPR exec in a Fast Company interview), then you'll be sitting on the sidelines while the competition plays a digital game of catch with consumers. 

Bare with me while I highlight my experience, skillset and passions.  I feel compelled to do so, to answer that small business owner who reads this post and asks "why Brick and Click?" 

I've been Immersed in traditional and new media communication, marketing, and branding strategy for more than 15 years.  In the 90s and through 2000, I wrote and produced hundreds of radio commercials, where the key to success was drilling down to the core USP (unique selling proposition) of each business and then communicating a compelling story in 30 to 60 seconds.  I was fortunate to bag some prestigious radio awards, but the thing I remember best is the pest control client who had to put our commercial campaign on hold for a periof of time.  Huh?  Well, it seems the commercials were so effective that the client couldn't handle all of the new business, and needed time to hire more people.  That ... is what it's all about. I'll take that over the trophies any day. 

As I moved from commercials to satellite programming (I ran 3 XM channels, scoop to nuts: marketing, sales, operations), to network news (anchor/editor specializing in business, economy,  technology), and  then to the nationally syndicated Bill Bennett's Morning in America show (I was an air personality, operations director, and wrote his commercial copy), I became more and more passionate about the web and how it was changing the business landscape.  I created online marketing campaigns, managed Bennett's website community (The Roundtable, a brand I coined), began blogging, and soaked up thousands of blog posts and articles about 'business and web 2.0'.  When radio and I departed ways, I became involved with an internet startup, Fellowforce, a crowdsourcing platform designed to enable small and medium size businesses to tap consumers around the world for ideas.  It was advanced bootcamp for the New Web, teaching me how mass collaboration, social networks, and empowered consumers were changing everything.  Since then, I launched my digital communication and marketing consultancy (Brick and Click) and have a job with a defense contractor (L-3 Communications) as Online Community Manager for Army.mil, helping the Army's global public affairs community, and also pitching in with online/social media communication strategy  

Enough of that.  There are people who know more about social media., but I'm hopeful my unique  experience, skillset, knowledge and passion set me apart.  

Over time, it's become clear that the lines between the 'digital' and 'brick and mortar' Main Street are blurring.  I chose the name Brick and Click because it reflects the integration of what a business does 'offline' and 'online'.  And the fast evolving webscape means two things for small business:

1. change is happening, and it can be unnerving
2. this change is creating remarkable opportunities that did not exist just a few years ago

I believe small businesses need to have the following:

• a decent website - your communication hub on the web.  Get the best one your budget allows
• an email newsletter - permission marketing means people want to hear from you 
• Facebook Fan Page - enable passionate fans of your business to share their passion and connect with you in this online community, 200 million and counting 
• a Twitter account - the water cooler conversation.  Listen, enage, build a trustworthy presence in this piping hot community, the Wild West of the Web
• ears to the wind - do you know what people are saying about you online? Consumer review communities like Yelp are a good place to start.  Google Alerts is another
• a Blog - I don't push this on every small business.  Blogs entail work, and require more effort than communicating via Twitter and Facebook.  But for some, it's a great medium to tell their story and share their passions.  Google, by the way, loves fresh blog content

For the small business pondering social media and wondering how to market and make it in this new environment (and wondering if this is a big waste of time and/or money), I offer a Digital Check-up, where I'll take an honest look at your business - your brand - how it's positioned and communicating offlne (brick) and online (click), and tell you what I think you need and don't need.  The fee is just $79.   This initial consultation may be enough for you to take off on your own, and that's fine.  My goal is to empower you to be in charge of your communication tools.  If you want/need a Twitter and Facebook account and newsletter ... I can help you with all of those things.  I offer affordable consulting packages, monthly or one time consultations, that vary depending on your need and budget.  Contact me today and start the conversation, and I'll give you a number of options, one of which will meet your budget and impact your business.   

Embracing social media and learning new communication tools and environments is not an overnight thing.  It'll take time, persistence, consistency, grit, creativity and patience.  My goal is to provide you with a communications/marketing arm - as simple and as affordable as possible - and to exceed your expectations.  Contact me anytime at 540-729-2742  and jeff@brickandclick.com.

Comments

[mlgreen8753]

The Internet is the help that small businesses need to get global exposure and the brand recognition it needs to grow into a household name. One social media campaign won't do it but consistent campaigns across social networking sites like Facebook and video marketing sites like http://www.adwido.com can launch a small business into orbit.

[Jeff Crites]

Small biz special of $79 has expired. Contact me via links on homepage to find out how affordable a digital check-up can be for your business. It will help determine how 'digitally connected' you are.