“Tell me about your business” is what I ask to quick start the process of helping  a small business get through a sticking point in their growth.  I ask this question because my first objective in crafting a solution is identifying what the actual problem is, in the first place.  Is this a technology problem, a cash flow problem, an organizational problem or… a personal problem.

As small business owners we are ALL problem solvers.  Our specific expertise makes someone’s life easier, cheaper or happier… and we spend all of our waking hours trying to build a system that will allow us to solve someone’s problem while simultaneously sustaining our own lives. So, if we’re so great at solving problems, why is it so difficult to solve our own problems?!?

Well, there can be a number of reasons. Which of these apply to you? “I put others’ needs ahead of my own”, “I’m too focused on making my products better”, and/or “I’m just too busy!”

You’re expected to know things before they happen and take responsibility for things that aren’t your fault.  Of course, you’re a small business owner!  But sometimes that hectic lifestyle can do more than just stress you out, it can really hurt you. It can cause you to loose sight of one of simplest things. Listening.

Ironically, everyday your clients are telling you most of your answers. Take the time to listen.

There are two basic types of client feedback, Macro, the overall collective paths of your customers, and Micro, the individual client.

You can take control of the Micro feedback by dedicating your attention to each customer’s concerns. When they speak or write to you give that moment 100% of your attention.  Its not necessary to agree or comply in any way.  Just listen with both ears. The average person just wants to know that they’re concerns have been heard and your customers are no different.  Make it your task to better yourself and your business by listening to feedback.  It may be uncomfortable (and in some cases painful) but your relationships will be better for it (try it in personal life too. It works!).

The Macro feedback is a little more involved. Following the habits of groups of people as they interact with your brand may require additional resources. If you own a retail location, stand back and listen with your eyes. What areas attract customers? Where do they spend the most time? What items did they pick up and NOT buy?  Keep records by making a color coded chart if you have to. The results may surprise you.

But what if you can’t actually see your customers? Like in the instance of an outside advertisement or your website traffic. How do you know what interactions produced which results?

Your incoming traffic is just as important as you in-person traffic, and for many businesses incoming traffic is their ONLY traffic (they don’t have in-person locations).  Come up with a strategy for specifics you’d like to know, such as: Which marketing efforts bring me the most qualified visitors? What are my website’s biggest exit points? How well does my site convert it’s goals each month?  It is critical that you define your objectives and then setup ways to measure (listen to) your clients’ preferences and habits.  With this information you can make better marketing decisions to boost your ROI.

Listen to your customers by adding analytics tracking code to your website and begin relating to your visitors. When you’re ready for more advanced insight, consult with an analytics specialist to help you with creative strategies and adjustments to your website accordingly.  From there, you can be more effective at placing YOUR opportunities in their path.

Listening is an act of respect and is the key to better relationships. Better relationships mean better business!

Rule of thumb: When you aren’t sure where to begin, start at the beginning.

I recently attended two separate presentations and had force myself to sit quietly as I listened to each speaker incorrectly represent the concept of a corporate brand.  The speakers referenced the company’s logo and the company’s brand interchangeably.  Truly, a company’s brand is its foundation from which all things emanate and its proper establishment is necessary for true business growth.  So I decided to set the record straight.  My choice was clear.

One of the largest distinctions between large and small businesses (aside from cashflow) is the proficiency in which they implement their brand. “A company’s brand is the manifestation of it’s core principles.” (that statement is in quotes because I just spoke it aloud)  A company’s brand is not it’s logo, its not it’s tagline, and its not it’s brochure. Those items are merely brand elements.

Small businesses may do well in their industry.  They may have begun in an extra bedroom, graduated into office space and have added five or six employees, maybe more. But at some point their growth slowed, maybe stopped.  This could be the result of any number of reasons, but it is my experience (from over 150 small businesses I have encountered) the lack of brand harmony is the all-to-frequent culprit.

Take a moment to think back. Is your business’ focus today the same as it was when you launched it?  What about your strategy?  What about your target customers?  Probably not.  So how could your message possibly still be in sync (if it ever was)?  Hmmm, maybe you were focussed on keeping the lights on?

This is the nature of small business growth.

Unfortunately without including your brand strategy in your growth strategy it’s easy for your core message to become diluted and your overall effectiveness to loose efficiency.  For this reason ALL companies should periodically revisit their brand to ensure harmony between what your business stands for and what your business is actually doing.

So this brings us back to the original question “So what’s a brand anyway?”

A brand is a business’ ideology that represents that business at its core. It is effectively the sum total of three levels of identification;

1. Who you are and where do we find you?
2. What experience are you promising your customers?
3. What single item elevates you from your competition?

Identifying the answers to these three questions (re)establish who you are as a business.  Essentially, you will have defined your brand.  Its a very simple but difficult exercise.  All the familiar items (logo, tagline, color scheme, brochure, etc) are harmonious extensions of the brand and, when developed from its foundation, are laser focussed and ready to take you to the next level!

Is your business’ collateral in harmony with your core message?  Can you clearly state what your core message is? These are the tough questions that can turn a good business into a great business. How will yo know if  you’re successful?  Everything will be in harmony when it all rings true. To you, your employees and your customers.