2014 Small Business Articles of the Year

by Dr Greg Chapman

With over 60 posts this year on the Australian Small Business Blog, it is now time to identify the top post as ranked by Google for page views.


3. Small Business Strategy Case Study - How do You run a Word of Mouth Business?

2. Five Steps to Grow Your Business

but the number one ad, as rated by page views, with more than 2 times as many views as the runner up is:

Ad of the Year 2014

by Dr Greg Chapman

Each month over the past year, the Australian Small Business Blog has presented ads or items about advertising which illustrated specific strategies that are critical for success. Now, as voted by the number of google views, here are the top three ads of 2014.



3. Who's the target?

2. Secrets of Advertising

but the number one advertising article, rated by views, is:

Do Australian attitudes ruin productivity?

by Derek Stewart

"What do you mean you don't have a maid?" is one of the most common questions I would get after moving to the Philippines. This meant the conversation moved beyond the more frequent questions of "Where are you from?" and "Are you married yet?". Answered in the negative, the follow up questions would normally be, "Not even a personal driver?" and "Why aren't you married yet?"

Aussies have a wonderful level of equality and do-it-yourself-ness ingrained in our culture. We do broad tasks within a white collar job and aren't afraid to roll up our proverbial sleeves, no matter who we are. This is a great attitude, but often comes at the detriment to overall labour productivity. If experienced staff are doing repetitive and tedious admin tasks as part of their job, they're missing out. They're wasting time, the most valuable resource of all.

Daddy, where do jobs come from- Big Business or Small?

by Dr Greg Chapman

While the media tend to ignore small business, politicians of both major parties will say that small business is the growth engine of the economy, although organising them to support their policies is like trying to herd cats. Even so, with 47% of private sector employees producing 30% of our GDP, together they are a powerful force in our economy.

When a big business such as an auto manufacturer shuts down, it makes big headlines with union bosses, who have been sabotaging the company’s profitability and ability to manage for years, complain how unfair it is and demand government intervention to protect jobs and even bigger handouts. Unfortunately several thousand jobs will go when this happens, and just as importantly small business suppliers are also hit.

Sales Technique - 5 Tough Techniques for answering objections

by Jim Prigg

How do you meet objections raised against your offers and advice? What do you say? How do you say it? Remember, objections have a positive upside because they give you the chance to help the prospect by removing their doubts, reshaping their attitudes or putting new thoughts into their minds.

The following tactical and strategic methods of answering and countering objections are varied and of different intensity.

I’m sorry, I have to double my prices

by Dr Greg Chapman

That’s what a friend of mine said just recently to all his clients. Would you be brave enough to do that? And was this truly an act of bravery on his behalf? This is his story.

Marketing Moments - The Giving Something for Nothing Marketing Strategy

by Dr Greg Chapman, MBA
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We all love Free Stuff, and are attracted to something for nothing. In fact we find it difficult to compete with all the Free Stuff out there, particular if we offer advice. After all, the internet knows everything. Even if you provide products, you still have to compete with the Free Stuff.

More.....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses, providing Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

How to have a vacation without emails or phone calls and return to a thriving business

by Dr Greg Chapman

Last month I returned from a vacation in Europe with my wife to find my business running very nicely without me. Enquiries were still coming in and being handled, and sales were unaffected. The best thing was that I didn’t look at a single business email or take a single business call while I was away.

Ad of the Month - Video in Print Ads

by Dr Greg Chapman

Print advertising can still be a powerful way to promote your products and services if it’s properly targeted, but will always be less effective than video. What if there was a way to combine both?

Sales Technique - Things not to do when handling resistance or objection

by Jim Prigg

Handling objections can be frustrating, annoying and sap your energy When objections occur take a deep breath, welcome the opportunity to rewind and take up the challenge to clarify what is holding up the solution for the customer.

Here are some critical elements of not what to do when you are handling objections from people about your offers.

Small Business Strategy Case Study - How do You run a Word of Mouth Business?

by Dr Greg Chapman

This is an interview with a business owner explaining how they run their business almost wholly on utilising Word of Mouth Strategies.

Clive and Anna Palmer – Married to the Business

by Dr Greg Chapman

Earlier this month, Clive Palmer’s wife announced that she would be a candidate in a preselection contest for the next Queensland election for the Palmer United Party for a Gold Coast seat. This prompted a call from the ABC for an interview with me on the topic: that if Anna became selected and elected, she would be in business with her husband, and what tips I had for them, as well as other couples in business together, on how to run their business.

Unfortunately for Anna, she wasn’t preselected (perhaps she dodged a bullet), but on the positive side, she is on the executive committee, so she is still ‘Married to the Business’. In preparing for the interview, I discovered that the Palmer United Party was truly a family business.

Marketing Moments - The First Click or Last - Which is the Money Click?

by Dr Greg Chapman, MBA
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When someone buys something from you on your website, sends a direct enquiry or calls you, it’s always important to know how they found you. However, is it the first time they visited you, and if not, was it from another referral source? Which click is the most value to you and where should you invest?

More.....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

Small Business Strategy Case Study- A Practice that was too busy to Grow

by Dr Greg Chapman

As part of my service I provide a Complimentary Business Evaluation. From my files, here is a summary of a case study of a practice that was just too busy too grow.

Ad of the Month – Super Niche

by Dr Greg Chapman

The purpose of most advertising is to get your name in front of as many of your target market as you can. Well here is a story of an advertising campaign to reach a single buyer.

Importance of Technology in my Business Coaching business

by Dr Greg Chapman

The following question was asked by an Australian Small Business Blog reader:

“How important is technology in your business and which is the most important for your success?”

Technology is important in any business, but it’s all too easy to get distracted by the latest bright shiny object that becomes available with suppliers insisting it’s essential for your business. As my business, Empower Business Solutions, is largely an online business with most enquiries generated in that environment with a mixed online/offline conversion, I am regularly tempted by the latest fads. However, I resist this by stepping back and thinking carefully about how the application might help my business, and researching how others are using it, running trials, and quickly dropping it if it doesn’t live up to promoters’ promises.

Marketing Moments - Bright Shiny Objects

by Dr Greg Chapman, MBA
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Bright shiny objects are dangerous, both to you and your customers. As a business owners we receive offers every day for new ways to do things promising fantastic results. The latest technology, the newest App which will bring a stream of new enquiries.

More.....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

Trust – The Small Business Secret Weapon?

by Dr Greg Chapman

One of the most potent weapons of big businesses is their ability to build a brand. A brand creates Top of Mind awareness that remains until you are ready to buy, building familiarity until it naturally becomes a safe choice. Which do would you trust more- a brand you have heard of, or one you have never heard of?

Small Business Strategy Case Study- A consultant who was able to quadruple his fees

by Dr Greg Chapman

As part of my service I provide a Complimentary Business Evaluation. From my files, here is a summary of a case study of a consultant who was able to change their pricing strategy and quadruple his fees.

Ad of the Month - Good or Bad?

by Dr Greg Chapman

We are presented all the time with slick professional ads put together by the agencies. These tend to make the DIY ads made by the advertisers themselves look amateurish and embarrassing. But what if the ad was fun and with real people- not actors?

Sales Technique - The "May I help you?" rejection conundrum in retailing

by Jim Prigg

We have all experienced the offer of help by sales people when they say "May I help you?" Yet, when most people in buying/looking mode are confronted with "May I help you?" they shy away from any positive action. Why is that so?

With the very best intentions in mind the sales person has asked for a commitment before they have earned it. The potential customer knows that by answering yes they will be put in a situation of being accountable to the sales person. People don't like to be placed in a position of subservience. That is why they will generally answer NO to the commitment question of "May I help you?".

Marketing Moments - Gone in 60 seconds

by Dr Greg Chapman, MBA
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So someone has just visited your website. Well done. All that money you paid for Search Engine Optimisation has paid off. Along with all those posts on social media. How many Facebook friends and LinkedIn connections do you have now? Then there are the adwords you have paid for, not to mention the offline advertising to get people to your website.

What happens next?

More.....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

How to Make Your Business Run without You

When the cat's away (you), do the mice (your staff) play?

Do things just stop, or at least slow down, when you're not there?

A major obstacle to growth for small business owners is their dependence on the owners themselves.

Many hard-working business owners work long, back-breaking hours servicing clients, sorting orders, and taking care of all the gruelling nitty-gritty ‘stuff', with all the stress while their staff work nine to five for with better conditions, and maybe even better pay.

Discover:
- Why businesses stay small
- How to work smarter
- What are the building blocks for a business that runs without you
- How to manage a business when you aren't there

When you put these principles in place, your business becomes a Profit Machine and a valuable Saleable Asset. More ....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

How to Build a Marketing System that Turns Your Business into a Profit Machine

Much marketing is hit and miss, unfortunately more the latter than the former. Great businesses with consistent growth have a marketing system that gives predictable results month after month allowing them to plan.

When you have such a system you can automate your marketing, and put it on autopilot allowing you to focus on managing your business.

This month in the Five Pillars Small Business Success Webinar series is:

How to build a Marketing System that Turns Your business into a Profit Machine

This is what the webinar covered:

• The steps to define a Marketing Strategy that delivers results you want for Your business
• The three most important thing you must have for your marketing to work
• The biggest single mistake people make with their marketing system
• How you can Double Your Sales and Profits
• How to build a Marketing System that you can:

o Automate
o Delegate or outsource
o Use to Predict Your Results and Plan Your Growth

Ultimately this will give you a business that becomes a Profit Machine that can run without you.

Find out more about this Free webinar here

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

Small Business Strategy Case Study- A consultancy whose website was a ghost town

by Dr Greg Chapman

As part of my service I provide a Complimentary Business Evaluation. From my files, here is a summary of a case study of a consultancy that was successful in generating word-of-mouth business but they were looking for a faster way to grow and their brand new website was doing nothing for them.

Ad of the Month - Creating an Experience

by Dr Greg Chapman

In most advertising, the target is an observer. The may pay attention or not, depending on what distractions are about. An ad on a media site may be totally ignored, unless it’s very flashy and pop’s out, but even so, it’s just annoying, stopping you from reading the item. What if you could make an ad that creates an experience?

Pitching Suicide - How to kill your pitch in 6 easy steps

by Glen Carlson

It seems many people actually want to publicly murder their own pitch. I love great pitches, and I hate to see them die slow, humiliating public deaths. If you're going to destroy something beautiful, do it right. These are the 6 most effective ways eviscerate a pitch while numbing the minds of your audience. Want a great pitch?

Avoid these 6 Pitch killers.

Marketing Moments - Value of a Brand - Cigarette Pack Case Study.

by Dr Greg Chapman, MBA
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There has been considerable controversy over whether plain packaging has reduced cigarette consumption, but one thing is not in dispute, there has been a rush to cheaper brands.There has been considerable controversy over whether plain packaging has reduced cigarette consumption, but one thing is not in dispute, there has been a rush to cheaper brands.

Last century, there were many big brand cigarettes. They were heavily promoted on TV, newspapers and through sponsorship from sport through to fashion. Appealing to markets as diverse as the outdoors man, international travellers, sophisticates and trendies with their different flavours and associations with celebrities.

Each of these brands were able to charge a premium in the market niche they had created for themselves.

More.....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

Marketing or Systems – The Chicken or the Egg?

by Dr Greg Chapman

Your business is doing pretty well, but you can tell it could be a whole lot more productive. You notice that your staff spend a lot of time putting out fires to keep clients happy. On the other hand, you know that the marketing is unfocused and sales, while at a reasonable level, are unpredictable. Great one month, and not so much the next.

Small Business Strategy Case Study - Home Solar Business Sales Conversion

by Dr Greg Chapman

As part of my service I provide a Complimentary Business Evaluation. From my files, here is a summary of a case study of a home solar power business that was not getting the level of conversion of enquiries to sales that they wanted.

Ad of the Month - Get them while they're young

by Dr Greg Chapman

They say the young are adopting technology faster than ever before and this ad encourages you not to want to be left behind. This ad from India rides a wave and is laugh out loud funny. No wonder that it has almost 25 million views, a million more than when I discovered it last week.

Sales Technique - Questioning the importance of objections

by Jim Prigg

Objections can be daunting. Yet most objections can be dealt with. If you can diminish the importance of the objection by adding another dimension to the dialogue then you can alter the balance for getting a decision.

One of the effective techniques of handling objections to your offers is to subtly question the importance of the objection

How to Make Your Business Run without You

by Dr Greg Chapman

When the cat's away (you), do the mice (your staff) play? Do things just stop, or at least slow down, when you're not there?

A major obstacle to growth for small business owners is their dependence on the owners themselves.

Many hard-working business owners work long, back-breaking hours servicing clients, sorting orders, and taking care of all the grueling nitty-gritty ‘stuff', with all the stress while their staff work nine to five for with better conditions, and maybe even better pay.

If these owners are able to go away for a vacation, business either crawls to a slow, or they just shut it down over summer like everyone else in their industry does and wear the overheads.

More....



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Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

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How to Slash Your Tax 100% Legally

Ex-ATO Auditor, Warren Black, opens Pandoras Box on the hidden knowledge of the Tax Office to help you as a business owner slash your tax 100% legally and keep golddigging predators far from your hard earned wealth!

In a litigation-gone-mad culture, the challenges to building your wealth are enormous ... they're growing by the day. Lawsuits grow by the day, taxes continue to rise, and the amount of paperwork you have to do is over the top, totally insane. Even worse, governments (especially the Tax Office) are bankrupting more businesses than ever, and have declared a "zero tolerance" policy on tax debts.

In this webinar, learn simple cost effective methods to find security and peace of mind in your financial affairs, put more money in your pocket ... and sleep at night knowing your assets are safe.

Marketing Moments - Forget the 80-20 rule

by Dr Greg Chapman, MBA
Subscribe to Newsletter Here

The 80/20 principle, also known as the Pareto principle, has been an extremely useful means of focusing on what matters.

Now there is another principle: 120/20 principle

More.....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

Ad of the Month - The Proof of the Pudding

by Dr Greg Chapman

Having a point of difference is essential for any product or service that doesn’t want to be chosen on price, but it’s not enough that you believe it’s a point of difference, you have to be able to prove it.

Small Business Strategy Case Study - Renovation Business with Growing Pains

by Dr Greg Chapman

As part of my service I provide a Complimentary Business Evaluation. From my files, here is a summary of a case study of a renovating business with growing pains who were so busy they couldn't deliver on their major promise.

How to build a Marketing System that Turns Your business into a Profit Machine

Much marketing is hit and miss, unfortunately more the latter than the former. Great businesses with consistent growth have a marketing system that gives predictable results month after month allowing them to plan.

When you have such a system you can automate your marketing, and put it on autopilot allowing you to focus on managing your business.

This month in the Five Pillars Small Business Success Webinar series is:

How to build a Marketing System that Turns Your business into a Profit Machine

This is what the webinar covered:

• The steps to define a Marketing Strategy that delivers results you want for Your business
• The three most important thing you must have for your marketing to work
• The biggest single mistake people make with their marketing system
• How you can Double Your Sales and Profits
• How to build a Marketing System that you can:

o Automate
o Delegate or outsource
o Use to Predict Your Results and Plan Your Growth

Ultimately this will give you a business that becomes a Profit Machine that can run without you.

Find out more about this Free webinar here

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

Benchmarking Franchisee Performance: Comparing Apples and Oranges

by Dr Greg Chapman

Even though comparing the performance of your franchisees can be a minefield, it is still best practice to do so. How else do you know which franchisees are leading the way, and which need further support? What better way to discover the new ideas that have proved to work and should be spread across the whole franchise?

However, comparisons between franchisees can be like comparing apples with oranges.

Sales Technique: Getting to Yes - How to overcome Objections to Your Offer

At the pointy end of the sales process, before you can close the sale, you have to handle objections. At this is a zero cost training webinar:

Taking Yes for an Answer - The right way to handle objections to your offer
Wednesday 30th April, 9:30 AEST

with Jim Prigg, the Objection Master, discover:


* Why do people object in the sales process?
* Pre-emptive tactics to diminish objections
* How to use the universal sales proposition to create a positive environment for acceptance of your offers (and reduce the number of objections)
* How to handle three of the most common objections
* What you must do to enable you to handle objections
* Things not to do when handling objections
* Your action plan to be better at handing objections

Sales Technique - I already have a supplier of your services

by Jim Prigg

Being in competition, invites people to use the ambiguous objection that their problem is solved because they already have a supplier of your service, products or ideas. It is a good time to check how strong that relationship is and whether there are any flaws in it from the alternative supplier.

Marketing Moments - Making a Buying Decision on Price

by Dr Greg Chapman, MBA
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Recently there was a test with top concert violinists comparing Stradivarius violins with the best modern ones. The violinists were required to wear welder’s goggles, so it was literally a blind test. They were to decide on the basis of sound and playability, and ultimately, which violin they would prefer to take on a tour. Surprisingly the cheap modern violins won out.

More.....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

Does Your business suffer from Growing Pains?

by Dr Greg Chapman

Busier than a one armed wallpaper hanger? Don’t have time to scratch yourself? Have a waiting list for new clients? Has previous exponential growth rate has slowed to a crawl? If so, then it’s likely your business is experiencing growing pains.

Chances are you are working longer hours than any of your staff, and are the last to get paid. Your business is a victim of its own success.

If you do take any time off, when your return, you wish you had never left. It’s as if nothing happened at all when you were absent. Sure, work was done, but nothing progressed, and your inbox is full of unanswered enquiries. Your business has become its own version of groundhog’s day. While it feels like a trap, it’s also an opportunity.

Ad of the Month - The Secrets of Advertising

by Dr Greg Chapman

Rather than an ad, this is a video about some advertising secrets which you may not be aware. For example, what colours should you be using, and what are the best questions to ask? Often it’s the little things that make a difference.

Small Business Strategy Case Study- Mature Financial Planning Business

by Dr Greg Chapman

As part of my service I provide a Complimentary Business Evaluation. From my files, here is a summary of a case study of a mature financial planning business, whose owner wished to double the value of his business before he sold it in five years, but it wasn't just about getting more clients.

Marketing Moments - Competing in a Highly Competitive Market

by Dr Greg Chapman, MBA
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In highly competitive markets, the buying decision is usually based on price, and why not. Everyone is trying to undercut each other, and the product appears to be a commodity. So why not go for the cheapest offer?

More.....

Dr Greg Chapman is the Director of Empower Business Solutions and The Australian Business Coaching Club and is Australia's Leading Advisor on Emerging Businesses and provides Coaching and Consulting advice to Australian Small Business Owners in Marketing & Business Strategies Planning & Systems. He is also the author of The Five Pillars of Guaranteed Business Success and Price: How You Can Charge More Without Losing Sales.

Business Plans - Essential or Useless?

by Dr Greg Chapman

Most the business plans I see read like novels, and if they were in libraries, they would be classified as science fiction. At some time, most business have prepared a business plan. Often at the early stages, and are filled with the optimism of the inexperienced, but once exposed to the reality of the market place, these plans regularly get forgotten on the shelf gathering dust.

General Truman once said “Planning is essential but plans are useless”. Perhaps this thought was prompted by a 19th century German Field Marshall von Moltke who said “No plan survives contact with the enemy.”

Ad of Month - Demonstrating the Results and Benefits

by Dr Greg Chapman

The first rule of advertising is “Features Tell but Benefits Sell”. This is an ad for a market segment that traditionally focusses on the features, or if there is a focus on benefits, it is in the feel good abstract.

Sales Technique - Negating objections with pre-emptive negotiating

by Jim Prigg

Professional sales people are taught how to handle objections. Yet many people who give advice or are in service professions do not see themselves as sales people. Is this a dilemma or denial?

So what if there was a simple way to decrease objections and boost your acceptance rate for your offers? Would that help you?

Well there is a way to decrease objections. It is by using the art of pre-emptive negotiating skills.