Mix It Up

Sometimes in order to stay relevant you have to mix things up. Change is not always a bad thing. In this new year, the year 2009, I propose to shake things up!! What about you??
Now, more than ever, you need to get noticed in your small business. The economy sucks, financial worries burden us. Why not use this time to try some new things? See what works.
For me with my business, I started to really focus on Scent of the Month, where each month I will focus on a specific scent. With in the 1st month I did get good feedback on this.
Try something new, try to do something different, or that thing you have always been thinking about. You never know where it may get you!
Get motivated and mix things up!!

Good Luck,
Marie Ilardi
Artistic Candles by Marie, Inc.- Owner
http://www.artisticcandlesbymarie.com

Email Selection

When choosing a form of communication it is important to remain professional. This also applies to emails. It has become one of the most rapidly popular ways to communicate. But, there are come guidelines to follow.
Have your email address be professional. A professional email address supplied through your website will ensure your emails remain just as professional as you are. Having an email address from a free email service provider may be economical, but it could also set the impression that your company is not very successful if you cannot afford a professional email address from your website.
When emailing clients and anyone affiliated with your business, keep the content professional as well. Do not use the slang and abbreviations we have come to know when texting and emailing people we know on a personal level. Even using "lol" may be viewed as unprofessional and immature.
Be careful and proof read what you have typed before hitting the send button. Using spell check is a great tool, but does not always work to what YOU are trying to say. Reviewing content carefully may save you from an embarrassing email later.
In summary, choose a professional email address based off your website and keep content professional, to the point, and grammatically correct.

Good Luck!

Marie Ilardi
Artistic Candles by Marie, Inc.- Owner
http://www.artisticcandlesbymarie.com

Economy In Crisis

The economy is effecting us all, but especially as a small business owner. For me, I am not booking as many fairs or shows. The crowds have been less than appealing. I am trying to focus more on my Internet sales with very little overhead and getting my website optimized.
Please tell us what you are doing differently this year as a result of the economy. Any tips for small business owners is also welcome! Post in the comments section!

Thanks!
Marie Ilardi
Artistic Candles by Marie, Inc.- Owner
http://www.artisticcandlesbymarie.com

Printed Materials

If you run a business then you know that business cards, flyers, brochures etc. If you have a printer you love then please stay with them! If your starting out, want to save money, or want to try something different I totally suggest using Vista Print! They have great sales & offers. Especially FREE items!!
Check out their site:
VistaPrint - Business Cards - Full Color Printing - Digital Printing Company VistaPrint

Enjoy!

Marie Ilardi
Artistic Candles by Marie,Inc.- Owner
http://www.artisticcandlesbymarie.com

Contests

Having a contest is a great way to promote your business. This tactic is a way to get your name out there, people interested in the prize, and wanting to contact you.
You must take into consideration a few factors before starting a contest. 1st- what will the contest be? 2ND- how will you use this contest to promote your business? 3rd- what will the prize be?
Many people who have websites will have a scavenger hunt on their site as a contest. 1st person to locate all items wins. This also gets people to navigate through the site. Others will hold a contest that will evoke thought, creativity, and lets the winner be part of the company. A contest I did like this was to have people enter in their own scent for a candle. They had to come up with the "ingredients" and a name of the scent. The winner would then get a sample votive or their scent and forever be listed on our scent selection.
People at fairs, shows, & in their own stores may host a give away, tivia contest, etc. Making the activity fun is also a good idea.
What if you offer a service, not a product? What kind of prize could you offer? You can go about this a few ways. One way is to offer a discount of some kind. Another is to win something that is completely off base of your company, but has popular interest. It will get people interested and your company will get noticed. So say, for example, you own a cleaning company. You can have a give away for a gift certificate to the movies or a restaurant. People who sign up should receive info on your company as well.
Using your imagination when creating contests and promoting your business is key. Being individual and creative will set you apart from the rest! Be memorable and people will come back.

Good Luck!
Marie Ilardi
Artistic Candles by Marie, Inc.- Owner
http://www.artisticcandlesbymarie.com

Press Releases

Writing a press release is a great way to promote your business. But it can be a bit tricky. A Press Release is not meant to be a blatant advertisement. It is a way to announce something about your company, depict any charitable acts, etc. The press release is a fantastic way to get your name out there! Many say its the best form of "advertising".
If you follow these tips, you will be on the right track:

• Must be newsworthy (think the facts, not sales)
• Must reach your target audience
• The first sentence must connect with the reader. It is the most crucial part of the release.
• Do not use fancy language
• Provide all your contact information, especially your website link
• Write in the third person
• Keep it short. 500 words max
• Give a good headline
• Proof read, even have others proof read for you
• Keep the format simple
• Submit to the local papers, etc.

Good luck,

Marie Ilardi

Artistic Candles by Marie, Inc.- Owner

http://www.artisticcandlesbymarie.com

Accepting Payment

The methods of accepting payment relies mostly on the business owner's preferences. You can accept cash, personal check, money orders, credit card, paypal, etc.

Each method of payment has its good and bad points. Figuring out what works for you is the key.

Cash is a sure thing. Once you have it in your hand its there!

Personal Checks are a bit tricky. Checks can bounce. If accepting a check be sure to jot down the customer's drivers license ID number and address in case you need to get in touch with them.

Bank Checks are more reliable. The money of the bank hold behind their check.

Money orders are convenient but not always liked by business owners. Scam artists are well known for using money orders as payment and of course these payments never "go through". If accepting a money order do so with caution and wait until the money clears before sending out orders.

Credit cards are popular and in demand. But there are terminal fees and transaction fees. This adds to an expensive proposition.

There are a few online methods that let you accept credit cards with out the hassles of having your own terminal. The most popular of these are PayPal and Pro Pay:

Sign Up for a PayPal Account - PayPal

ProPay: Accept Credit Cards - Simple, Safe, & Affordable

These allow you to accept credit cards, or the user may use money through their own checking account to cover the costs.

Another company that is up and coming and above all charges NO FEES for their service is Revolution MoneyExchange.
Revolution MoneyExchange

Good luck in making your choice for payment methods!

Marie Ilardi
Artistic Candles by Marie, Inc.- Owner
http://www.artisticcandlesbymarie.com