Our center hosts a special program called Small Business Forum, inviting community business owners to listen to and engage with a panel comprised of local experts regarding a specific topic.
In February of 2021, we hosted a forum about getting the word out about your business. Our panel included consultant Lindsay Ramsey of ASBTDC (formerly owner of Kindness & Joy Toys), host Randy Wilburn of the I am Northwest Arkansas podcast, and founder Ashley Robinson of Interrobang.
During our conversation, one point we kept returning to was using your authentic journey to connect with your customers.
Here are the top 10 lessons we highlighted:
#1. There is a special vulnerability in telling a truthful story of your pain points and challenges. Answer this question: How can you communicate to your customer in a way that relates to them and humanizes your business?
#2. Target one very specific customer and once you win them over, they will start advocating for you. The value of word of mouth is insurmountable for business growth!
#3. Don’t get overwhelmed by cross-posting on different social media channels. There are lots of free social media management websites that allow you to schedule your content quickly & efficiently. Check out this article for more info about managing social media.
#4. Your first iteration is never perfect – keep practicing and improving. Continually prime the pump!
#5. You must find your niche. Tap that and go all in! Failure comes when you try to satisfy everyone.
#6. People need short-form content – our attention spans are shortening with the new digital economy. Keep videos under 30 seconds and keep your captions short & sweet.
#7. Authenticity and real-ness triumph over perfection and robotic posting. Show the real you and your real struggles! (Avoid complaining or whining, though. Keep it positive.)
#8. Use your resources to continually learn and grow as a communicator and marketer – there are tons of free platforms to learn new skills online.
#9. EVERY small business owner is a salesman and marketer. Invest time and energy into this!
#10. You CANNOT fake your story – consumers are savvy. Be radically honest and align your messaging.
In addition to those important reminders, we discussed book recommendations related to developing your story and engaging with your customers.
- To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink
- Superfans by Pat Flynn
- Start with Why by Simon Sinek
If you’d like to hear the full conversation with examples and anecdotes from the panel and attendees, watch the recording of this Small Business Forum here.