Business Improvement Spotlight
I want to thank all of you who submitted your business for my improvement spotlight. It was hard choosing the right one for this month’s spotlight. I’ve chosen the one that has the most general application as a way to serve most of you.
Music and Memories
This month’s Business Improvement Spotlight is musicandmemories.net. This business is owned by a husband and wife (Eddie and Michelle Munoz) and has been in part-time operation for 3 years. Michelle is a photographer and Eddie is a DJ. They would like to work jointly but are currently piecemealing out their services. However, they are ambitious and want to have a millionaire dollar business and mountain cabin in 7 years.
I’m here to help you and I’m not going to pull any punches either. So let’s get to it.
What To Improve
First things first, you’ve been in business for 3 years and you’re still using a Yahoo! email address. In your submission you said that you have a hard time asking for the money and not discounting your price. Some of it you said was confidence.
Part of that comes from having a legitimate business in the eyes of the consumer. Another part of it comes from not having a target niche as you also identified in your email. However, if you’re still using a Yahoo, Gmail or AOL email address people just can’t take you serious. This does look like a hobby or part-time business.
Now, you have a website, so the next step is just to create an email using that domain. It’s simple and easy. You may already have one and chose to email me with your Yahoo account, which is fine. However, for those of you reading this and are trying to look professional and are still using a FREE email service… Stop!
Next, nowhere on your site do you have a way to capture leads as they come to your site. This is a HUGE mistake. You don’t even have a Facebook ‘Like’ button. In other words, unless they find your site by an ad or accidently there is no other way for people to find you.
Having a Facebook ‘Like’ button allows for those that like you and your services to broadcast that to their Facebook friends.
For my final tip, critique or commentary, which depends on how you look at it, I see on the site in several places that your services are ‘affordable.’ This screams amateur and/or desperate. You’ve been in business 3 years and have experience enough not to beg for business.
Here’s my best tip to you at this time. Your website doesn’t answer your market’s questions. For example, why hire a DJ when I have an iPod? Or why hire a photographer when my iPhone takes great photos?
If you can’t or don’t know the answer to these questions you’ll be stuck doing this part-time and as a hobby. The best thing you could do, would be to create a small report that addresses those questions and others your market needs to know. Offer it for FREE in exchange for an email address. Build your list to market to because everyone that comes to your site is not immediately ready to purchase your services and you don’t want to lose them.
There are several more things that you could be doing to help your business grow. However, because of time, this will have to do.
I do want to invite you out to my 3 Days to Cash Workshop. You need this. For 3 full days you’ll not only be able to sell your services to others but you’ll be able to work on a solid business and marketing plan. Plus, you’ll get access to my 35 Must Have On and Offline Marketing Tools just for attending.
My Gift to You
Call Andrew in my office at 415-475-4986. Tell him that you want to attend my next 3 Days to Cash workshop. I’ve given him special permission to discount the tuition for you. It’s my scholarship gift to you. You’d have to act fast, because this offer is only good through December.
Spotlight Your Business
If you’d like to have your business be our next spotlight, submit your request to ryan.nickel@liveoutloud.com and share what it is you do along with your website address. Be as specific as you can in your submission. Please note any and all challenges you’re currently facing.
