BOERNE, Texas – Small businesses have a chance to make some strong sales this coming holiday season, and surveys show consumers are ready to spend.
Jenny Forks says owning a small business is like a marriage. You have to work at it 100%.
“Give it your all. You’re always here. You’re the one that, if an employee can’t come in, you’re covering the shift. You’re the one that always has to make sure that everybody’s taken care of,” Forks said.
So when she needed a boost in business a year ago, Forks hired Grow Disrupt to help get more eyes on her boutique in Boerne.
“We have a huge Instagram and Facebook presence, on Tik Tok, all over,” she said.
Forks says her goal for customer service experience has to come across all those platforms too.
Stephanie Scheller helps small businesses grow in the areas they need help. She says the biggest challenge across all businesses is the lack of time for owners.
“They are balancing and juggling wearing eight hats, and they have no time to do the marketing, planning, fulfillment,” Scheller said.
Scheller says the best thing entrepreneurs can do is develop a marketing plan that includes a business’ core components, brand, marketing message, colors, and taglines.
“If you’re not creative and you don’t have money, then my best option is -- there’s a fantastic piece of software called Canva that a lot of people use,” she said.
Scheller said there’s a lot of return on investing in social media plugs if done consistently.
“Figure out your deal now and then start promoting it, start talking about it. Push out a message out through a (social) media (channel) at least once a day -- now through the kick-off to the holiday season,” she said.
Scheller’s tips for drawing in customers are the following:
1. Come up with a clear marketing strategy that puts customers first.
2. Make your company’s social media presence engaging.
3. Be clear about where you want your customers to call, click or visit to buy.
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