Tag: Small Business - Page 4

Fuck it! Seriously, I know I just swore but that's exactly how I feel right now. We keep holding ourselves back in fear of something. Actually, everything. But where does that get you? Nowhere, that's where.

Entrepreneurs are often driven by an idea, and many of them have not only a great idea but a way in which they believe will help make it successful; and that includes marketing.

The problem is that not all entrepreneurs are born marketers. Some may be born sales people and perceive this to be "marketing" but there is a distinct difference and once an entrepreneur is completely across this, only then are they are to make the right decisions for their businesses.

I've recently changed the narrative of my business. It's not something I took lightly. Re-defining what value you provide to the market place can be game-changing, or business destroying. 

If you look at Uber for instance, they could have failed, but yet they succeeded. Is it sustainable? Most probably. Is it worth the market value associated with the business? Not really. Did they not only change their original narrative, but create a new narrative for the entire industry - disruptive in design?

I am sitting in my hotel room in Atlanta reading the New York Times, as I do most Sunday's.

For me, it's the best newspaper in the world, with no other comparing to the ability of the NY Times to cover intelligent, thought-provoking stories that are based on facts, rather than a publicist's spin or worse, a journalist that is just trying to make headlines.

As I read through the business section I came across this:

Let me preface this post by explaining that I’m Australian. Yet even though I’m Sydney born and bred, when it comes to business I gravitate towards American companies because I believe that Americans do it best.

I am continually amazed by the number of professional services, technology, manufacturing and logistics companies that fail to see the value in communicating via social media.

The question I pose to you is "how did you find this blog?" and "how do you now know the Marketing Eye brand?" 

I know the answer - do you?

Entrepreneurs are a unique breed. I know. I am one of them.

It use to be a word that was used to describe the unruly small business owner who spruiked their new businesses from the rooftops. Kind of uncool.

Now, its a word associated with billionaires, A-type personalities, game-changers and fairly much anyone who is "having a go" at business. This is cool - the innovative kind.

When lambasted with questions on what 2014 will look like for small business marketing through social media, I, an entrepreneur who does wear Prada, am as excited as ever. What really is in store for small businesses and how can they capitalize on new, innovative and customer-centric marketing techniques aimed at giving small businesses (and large if I am to honest) a greater insight to customer interaction and push-buying techniques.

Here is the 2014 Outlook for Small Business Marketing

There is not a small business on the planet that hasn't heard of Twitter, yet many are still failing to execute a social media strategy that cleverly integrates Twitter as a social media platform designed to connect and communicate key messages.

Co-founder Jack Dorsey, a 36 year old tech titan, and now CEO of small business payment technology, Square, has built his billions on knowing what small businesses want and need. Square is the fastest growing small business payments technology in the world today, and through his small business meetings in Town Halls throughout the US, Canada and Japan, #letstalk, he is educating small business owners to talk and support each other, rather than work alone.

I was recently asked my opinion on what are my thoughts on the election and its effect on small business by veteran journalist Jonathan Jackson.

Here is what I had to say:

"Small businesses are the backbone of the Australian economy.

There are over two million small businesses in this country, which provide approximately seven million jobs and comprise up to 20 per cent of the national economy.

With a Federal election looming and a new Prime Minister to be appointed (or, in Kevin Rudd’s case, a returning Prime Minister), small business owners will be eagerly and nervously awaiting party platforms that impact them.

I understand the pressure and considerations of running a small business more than most. I founded my first business at age 25, and in 2004 established Marketing Eye, Australia’s leading marketing consultancy firm for small to medium businesses.

As I sit here in front of my computer, thinking about what to write, I am overcome with guilt. I haven't written in two weeks. This is so unlike me. I enjoy sharing my journey, or things that I have learnt from sitting at my desk as the Managing Director of Marketing Eye. It's quite therapeutic in so many ways. 

An update: