RIGHT NOW, INTERNET MARKETING IS CHANGING THE BUSINESS MODEL FASTER THAN ANY OTHER TIME PREVIOUSLY

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Real Asset Solutions Australia

Many businesses will simply not survive in their current format and will need to be ready to adapt to fast changes in coming technology should they wish to remain viable.

Gone are the days where a small business can rely on a physical office or retail location to attract new customers. Research clearly shows that those small businesses who are bucking the economic trend and are experiencing growth can attribute most of the growth from online marketing or having an online presence.

Shoppers now have more choice at their fingertips than ever before. Statistics tell us that nearly 50% of people will not do business with a website that does not load correctly, is cumbersome and slow to use or is not designed to be viewed on the persons device. Coupling this is the fact that consumers will use a number of different devices across numerous platforms throughout the day. Mobile is now expected.

A quite remarkable number bandied around is that approximately on 30% of Small Businesses have an internet offering that can not be viewed on any platform and even more astounding is that close to 30% of small businesses in Australia do not have a dedicated website for their business. With over $92 Billion transacted in 2013 via mobile gateways a figure that is over 300% higher that 5 years ago these retailers are missing the opportunity to capture sales from this group of people. They are in fact promoting their business to a little over half of their available markets.

Don’t be fooled by the latest trend or gimmick. Sustained Activity aimed at the correct audience will get you far better results than any tool or software

When the internet first arrived it took many years for people to feel safe enough to purchase and pay for things online. Sites like Ebay were the pioneers that made online purchasing an everyday event. With the introduction of the internet, there were  benefits for small business owners in that it  allowed a particular organisation to reach many prospective clients wherever those clients may be.. Even if you have one store or location you could now advertise your goods/services anywhere in the world.

The hard part for Small Business Owners though is the fact that getting your business on the  internet and getting noticed is not an easy task. Think of the Internet as the biggest shopping mall in the world with new shops opening and others closing every millisecond. Each operator ever more keen to promote their products and services with the latest gadget or plug in.

Think back 20 years ago; having a small flyer designed and printed was a two week-long event – if you were lucky! Today you can order printing from any where in the world and have it delivered to your door within a few days. Not only do you have a product and service far more superior than 20 years ago you also have literally thousands of competitors worldwide all trying to get your business.

The lesson for small business is don’t regard the internet as a medium for advertising your business, if you look at it from that angle you might as well take a classified advert out in every paper in the world. Obviously there needs to be some narrowing down of target markets, research needs to be conducted and testing and improvement is extremely important to develop a profitable distribution channel. All of these things are part of the core principle of Marketing, Product, Price Promotion & Price.

People often confuse marketing as being only advertising related, they feel a catchy slogan or an amazing offer will be enough to sway people to their product or service over their competitors. However Marketing is far more of an exact science that relates to getting a product to market whilst earning the greatest amount of return on your investment of time and money.

Think of Marketing as the recipe to product success; just like with baking a cake some ingredients suit better than others.

The answer and solution is working out what ingredients and at what amount need to be added to your cake mix to bake that award winning masterpiece. Sacrificing water for milk or cream for eggs does not work just as mixing the wrong marketing tools together will not work either.

To succeed online you have to harness and maximise the unique qualities of the web, this includes being able to find a way to offer your clients or customers a better way of doing things or a better experience than they can get elsewhere.

The words Online marketing – these two simple words placed together cover an enormous amount of subject matter, This is where a good marketer will understand that this raw data needs to be filtered and targeted to a point where you now have a method to communicate effectively to  those who may be seeking your product and services and what you are promoting is an enticing offer that in some way is better than your competitors.

Remember as a Small Business you do have some leverage over large competitors in terms of speed to market and the ability to be adaptable without a big bureaucratic noose around your neck. As a small business owner you need to maximise these weaknesses in your competitors Armour and cement your place in the market place before someone in a far far distant place finds your customers and begins to drag them away.

REDDOG Business & Marketing Strategies is an agency that differs from many other marketing consultants as we are salespeople and small business owners ourselves and first and fore most we agree and understand that having the biggest glossiest website or the best pay per click budget is worth nothing unless they are proven to be the right ingredient used at the right time in the right way.

Visit our website www.reddogstrategies.com.au for Free Marketing Tips

Do You Need More Customers?

How About 54% More Leads?

Fast fact:  Practicing inbound marketing results in 54% more leads than outbound marketing, according to HubSpot. But what exactly is inbound marketing, and how does it differ from the way most small businesses market themselves?

If you’ve ever been to one of those networking events where small business owners mingle and make contacts, you’ll probably know this guy: the “pusher.” The pusher shoves his business card in your hand, makes idle small talk that somehow revolves entirely about him, and disappears only when he detects a new victim he can push his card to.

Luckily, this type of event also happens to be the natural habitat of the “puller,” the one who earns your attention by taking an actual interest in your business. She offers tips and advice to overcome your challenges, and volunteers to send you some useful info if you give her your email address.

Those two characters, ladies and gentlemen, are the best examples of outbound marketing and inbound marketing. The first refers to traditional marketing that’s based on pushing and “interrupting” consumers via cold calling, flyers, and emails (as well as billboards and TV/radio spots for big companies). Problem is, studies show that consumers are becoming more and more resilient to that type of marketing: They throw away flyers, ignore mails, and even worse, don’t even see banners anymore, let alone click them.

So what does affect consumers these days? Well, according to a study published last year, 81% of customers go online and read before they make purchases. That’s where inbound marketing comes into play.

Inbound is all about pulling (instead of pushing) current and prospective customers with valuable online content they are already on the lookout for. This content could be text-based like a blog post, or visual like a video or infographic. The basic goals you’ll want to keep in mind are providing quality info to the consumer and finding the right way to connect to your product through that content.

For example, when you think about marketing ideas for restaurants, coupons and print ads usually come to mind. But why not use the best types of content these businesses can offer? For instance, recipes are some of the most popular online attractions, so it’s only natural for a restaurant owner to open a blog with unique recipes—and then use that blog to encourage readers to visit their restaurant. A beauty salon owner, on the other hand, can easily create helpful videos that teach viewers how to create certain hairstyles. That way, when a potential customer searches online for a specific look, they are more likely to discover the video star’s beauty salon—especially if the video is particularly popular.

Of course, if you have a mobile app, inbound marketing is a great way to get people to download it. When consumers read your useful content and then want to stay in touch, it can help to suggest that they download your app to access even more quality content. You can also add content channels like a newsfeed, Facebook, and Instagram to practice inbound marketing within your app.

Now that you understand the value and meaning of inbound marketing, here are eight simple steps you can take to start off on the right foot:

  DEFINE 
As many successful entrepreneurs will tell you, the key to success in life starts with defining what you want to achieve. Answer the following questions:

• “What is my goal? Do I want to raise sales, get more app downloads, or get more reviews?”
• “Who is my target audience? What are their age, gender, and hobbies?”
• “What types of content are they looking for online? What content will bring them actual value?”
• “What sort of content can I provide to offer that information to them? Should I write a guide, shoot a short video, or publish a blog post?”

Have a pen handy? Go ahead and write your answers to all those questions now!

  CREATEOnce you’ve defined your goals, your audience, and the topics they’ll be interested in, you can start producing valuable content! A great way to start is by creating your own blog, as blogs are often considered to be at the heart of inbound marketing. You may want to use WordPress, a free do-it-yourself tool that allows you to create a blog, embed it in your existing website, and even get stats and data about your blog readers. If you don’t feel you have the skills to pull off strong written content, consider alternatives that show your expertise, such as instructional videos and product reviews.

  SHOWIf you choose blogging as a core part of your inbound strategy, keep in mind that too much text could become tiresome for the average consumer. Use interesting and relevant images to spice up your post and make it much more attractive. If you’re a good photographer, you can use images you took yourself, but you can also use free images from sites like Wikimedia Commons (just remember to give credit where needed).

  CONNECTOne of the biggest challenges businesses face is not creating the inbound content itself, but figuring out how to convert readers into paying customers. The key is offering an effective call to action (CTA)—that short sentence that directs your readers to click, sign up, purchase, or otherwise act on the content they’ve just read. To make your CTA successful, keep these two factors in mind:

• Style: Your CTA should be actionable and answer the consumer’s eternal question: “What’s in it for me?” For instance, if you’re writing a product review and your goal is to increase your app downloads, you could end with a message like, “For more professional product reviews that save you time and money, click and download our app,” followed by a hyperlink.

• Position: Your CTA should be placed in a logical place within your content. For example, let’s take a health food shop owner who set out to increase orders through his website. He decides to write a post about the best types of food for energy throughout the day, including relevant products from his shop. At the end of the post, after reviewing the products, it’s only natural for him to close with, “For all the products listed here and many more that’ll give you an energy boost, click here.”

  SPREAD
Now that you’ve created your content, your major mission is to spread it to your customers.Remember your social media channels? Now is the perfect time to post your content on Facebook and Twitter. Not only will you reach your fans directly, but you’ll also supply them with valuable information they long for, the stuff social media marketing gold is made off. Make sure to ask your fans to share the content posted in your updates and tweets.

Got a newsletter or a mailing list? Take this opportunity to grab your customers’ interest by offering them useful content in their inboxes!

  NURTUREInbound marketing is a lot like parenting: It takes time, care, and learning from mistakes to make the best of it. Just like a parent wouldn’t expect their child to start running in their first month, you shouldn’t expect to see significant results immediately. Sure, some of the customers will click your CTA, but most customers will come, read, and go—and that’s OK. Inbound marketing is about creating long-term relationships. Even if they haven’t bought your product on their first visit, if they now know you supply quality content, ultimately they will be more inclined to read your next piece. Provide useful content, and you are bound to see the results on your platform’s statistics page.

  PERSISTInstead of getting discouraged if the statistics say certain types of content do not click with your customers, take it as a learning experience and continue to experiment. Choose a different topic, place the images in another location, or make subtle changes in the CTA. In the end, you’ll find the perfect formula that suits your clients.

  COMBINEInbound marketing is an amazing tool, but that doesn’t mean you should rely solely on it. Instead, combine outbound and inbound techniques to create a killer strategy that customers won’t be able to resist. For instance, send an email with a free how-to blog post and a promotional discount to help drive sales. The key is to always offer actual value and then top it off with a tempting promotion.

If the past couple of years are any indication (and I think they are), inbound is only going to become a more powerful force in online marketing—increasing profits, boosting app downloads, and creating customer relationships. For those businesses still living in the outbound-dominated past, now is the time to start using inbound techniques to better reach customers.

What are your inbound marketing tips? Share them—or any questions—in the comments below

Small Business Failure Post GFC

Ever notice how some small businesses seem to thrive under just about any economic conditions, while others constantly struggle and miss opportunities that come their way?

 In part, in might be the type of business, the location, or financial backing.

 But the most successful business owners display some clear patterns and habits.

When struggling entreprenauers were analyzed there were some findings that occurred regularly , there was a period or point in time when a decision was made or not made early enough that started a rapid spiral down in both motivation and more importantly resouces. Trying to make money in business is hard enough, never mind havng to take a large portion of profit out to pay off previous liabilities.

You see profit is the blood flow over every business, not enough and certain areas start starving for resources and ultimately hinder future performance.

Now most people would consider a business failure to be the cause of a misguided enthusiasm coupled with a poorly researched and planned idea. Interstingly, the data does not confirm this, in fact quite the opposite.
Yes, there are many people who have a dream to buy or own a business. Now who wouldn't want that, you're your own person, no one to answer to, you are top dog in the workplace and you'll need a wheelbarrow every Saturday to get all that moolah into the sagging boot of your car.

However, whilst it is correct that the majority of new start up ventures will never gain traction and will swindle down to nothing or the business owner just accepts his fate and takes his medicine, usually a bankruptcy, and a fight to keep hold of that family property you assured everyone would be fine.

No business failure is nice and no real entrepreneur will go through life without there fair share of failure and most who make it the top of the hill can tell the war stories they encountered on the way, as we all know it is tough, emotionally you are up and down like a yoyo and i'm yet to meet a small business owner who hasn't spent at least the occasional evening laying in bed with tired eyes but a head running around like a dog in the butchers shop. Things like "how can i pay that supplier tomorrow, I hope he comes after lunch etc.

Of course for every 8-9 failures , these are usually an result of 1 or  combination of 3 things.

1) WOW Factor - Geez, we thought it would popular but wow. Right time, right product, right place.

2) Deep Pockets,  Now if you can afford to pay the shop rent for a year or so even if no one walked in the door well that turns the tables, it becomes not so much as struggling to get a business to a critical mass point it is more on making sure you do not do anything to harm what is coming or will come in time.

3) The Grafter, these are the people who personally I really admire, not so much as they're the hardest workers, infact that flies in face ove basic management principle, My admiration is based on their tenacity to not give up and if that means working 20 hours a day to break even then so be it, to these people failure is not an option.

The area I want to discuss, is those small businesses that found growth, albeit at a steady consist level, they had operated for for between 2-3 years and began to become a brand rather than just a restaurant or shop.. This could be the couple who took over a restaurant, built it to a sustainable level and even started to leverage by expansion.

This is the point where I think that a lot of potential gold mines die a unfulfilled death, now lets go back to the start, the couple obviously had some skills and obviously people wanted what they were offering. So whst goes wrong.

Well with leverage, every up side has a down side so and just like the sharemarket, the more leveraged you with debt to asset ratios then the more vulnerable to market fluctuations. Cashfow id king in business so if you're not paying bills on time, never mind bein profitable your on a long hising to nothing.

1) Firtstly, without enoogh cash flow the only survival mode is contraction. If a business cant pay for the things it uses to operate on time, then how can you increase that risk by doubling order volumes. and attempt to increase revenue, improve margins and focus on eliminating areas that could e detrimental


other business owners make many of the same mistakes that are often avoidable, especially when it comes to growing a business. Part of the problem is short-term thinking – chasing the latest shiny advertising object that happens to pass by, for example. Or spending too much time seeking new customers and not enough taking care of the ones you have.
Solid, long-term growth starts with what I call “inside-out” thinking – doing the things inside your business that you can control, and paying less attention to the outside things you can’t control.
Here are 10 such “inside out” secrets for successful growth.
 1. Change how you think about growth
Consider growth a constant – not something you switch on or off depending on conditions. For example, many business owners reduce offerings at the first sign of an economic storm, or overspend when the outlook seems rosy. But a steady-as-she-goes approach makes for long term success.
2. Check your ego; seek out sound advice
You know your business inside and out, but that doesn’t make you an expert at running every part of it. Smart business owners know what they don’t know. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and then take it.
3. Remember your first fans
Many entrepreneurs seem to forget who helped them get started. If you have investors, keep them apprised of what’s going on. Good communication is critical.  A good investor group can provide mentoring and other resources, so keep them involved.
4. Share your knowledge
In today’s social media driven world, success and influence are in the hands of those who share ideas and information. So when you’ve found a great tool or solution, or gained insight, tweet it, blog about it, author an article, post it to Facebook.
5. Hire help to watch your money
Lack of strong accounting and finance can be the only thing keeping you from reaching your financial goals. Find well qualified people who share your vision and then step back and take their advice.
6. Know when to persevere
Stick to your mission. Many would-be success stories end prematurely because they give up when challenges mount. Don’t let hurdles stop you. Arm yourself with market knowledge and an expert team and push through.
7. But recognize when to change direction
Still, there are times you may need to change direction or call it day, and having the courage to do so can be liberating. You may end up with a clearer picture of what will or won’t work.
8. Keep cash on hand
One of the biggest mistakes growing businesses make is to run out of cash. While the sun is still shining on your business or before your financial picture has a chance to turn sour, meet with lenders and/or landlords proactively to see if there are opportunities to restructure debt, payment terms, etc. Having cash on hand is critical for staying afloat and continuing to grow.
9. Get more when you have more
Don’t wait until cash balances get low to secure more funding. The best time to get more is when you don’t need it. Securing a line of credit while you still have money in the bank gives you the ability to negotiate a larger line and better terms. It also gives you the ability to make payroll during slow times and to have access to cash as needed. In addition, it gives you an opportunity to develop a business relationship with a bank.
10. Sell when you get the chance
Many business owners miss, or worse – pass up – incredible chances to sell their company because they are not prepared to adequately evaluate the opportunity. Know where you stand in the marketplace at all times. That includes what your potential is, and what it will take to reach your potential.  That way, when opportunity knocks, you’ll know

For Advice on How to Improve Sales & Increase Profits Click Here

Has it Been A Good Year For Property?

Has it been a good year for property?

I can not see a lot of confidence in the market, yet prices are rising ? 

Perhaps we are at an equilibrium where we will see a more balanced market going forward? 

Interesting thought, Are we more motivated by making money or does the fear of losing money outweigh our greed?

In my opinion the main problem with any investment at the moment is affordability. Whilst inflation may be under 3% overall, do some research on essential services and see what high inflation is about.

You cannot rip an extra $5000 -$10,000 out of the average families cash flow and expect no flow on effect.

What is the easiest thing you can do to keep in the black,easy forget about the future and stop saving or investing- you need a house to live in, a car to drive, clothes, gas, electricity TODAY, not in 10, 15 or 20 years.

So if you are short on money after losing so much on extra essential services charges what do you think you will give up to make up for it?

Of course, your future financial goals are first on the list. They don't come around to cut the power off if you don't pay unlike your power provider.

Hence it is pretty hard to save your way to Financial Freedom living in a society where boundaries move and you have absolutely no control.

Obviously, this scenario is nothing new, 20 years ago it was oil and petrol, prior to that building materials etc, there will never be a perfect storm in an economy with natural disasters, financial crashes and market cycling happening everyday.

Savvy investors are usually people who make well researched decisions based on reliable modelling, whilst you can never totally remove risk you can plan for it. A plan that takes into account the what if's and provides a strategy that is based on worst case scenario integrated with good risk management and reporting is the most safest, secure and predictable way to success.

Whilst it may take a little longer your journey is going to be so much more relaxed and enjoyable.

If you are struggling to get ahead financially and feel that you are caught up in a scenario where you have the least amount control over your money then perhaps you may need to consider making an effort to stop being reactive and become proactive.

A simple phone consultation can often save our clients over half their term in mortgage payments and still have more cash flow coming in than previously.

It really depends on your circumstances and what you want to achieve, not everyone wants to buy and own investment properties or shares, however you need to find something to reduce the amount of interest and tax you will pay in your lifetime if you want any chance of financial freedom and don't want to be be another million dollar sucker paying your banks CEO's yacht off for them.

Book a Free Consultation during September using our Online Appointment Scheduler & Reminder System and Receive a $50.00 SHELL Fuel CARD as a Free Reward to pay for next weeks fuel bill.even better it may change your life....

http://realassetsolutions.appointron.com/bookings/choose_slot?account_id=37971&person_id=21300&service_id=27401

The 9 Things A Small Business Can Try to Get Paid On Time

1.Get it in writing. Have an engagement letter or services agreement to protect your
legal right to be paid fairly for services rendered.

2. Get a deposit or a retainer. This helps to reduce your overall financial exposure.

3.Get your invoices out quickly. The longer you sit on your bills, the slower you will get paid.

4. Communicate early and often. Customers tend not to pay quickly or at all when
they are dissatisfied. Reach out to them right away if there is a problem or a dispute
and talk it through. Be ready to compromise if their complaints or concerns are legitimate,
but only in exchange for prompt payment on the adjusted balance.

5. Establish budgets and target ranges. Customers hate surprises. If the bill is much
higher than expected, they might delay payment in protest.

6. Get creative. Can you include mutual incentives for prompt payment? Can you
break payments into installments? If you make it easier and more rewarding to help
them pay you, you might get paid faster.

7. Establish mutually beneficial and dynamic relationships with your customers and
clients. Customers will pay faster when they like you, appreciate your product/service
and feel as though it is a two-way street.

8. Try the carrot before the stick. If a customer pays late, don't threaten them with
litigation until you first try to work things out. A reasonable approach is less invasive
and less stressful. It can also save your business relationship.

9. Protect against the inevitable. If you know that customers or clients will pay late, then make
sure you have a line of credit or access to financing to cover cash flow gaps. Your business is
a car. You are the driver. Cash flow is the gas that makes your business go.