10 Ways to Increase the Reach, Popularity and Success of your Business

Are you having a hard time finding folks who want what you’ve got? It could be time to (re) evaluate the state of your business. There’s no shame in wanting to improve the reach, popularity and success of your business. You can -- and should -- make time to investigate where you’re falling short.

Wherever they go, you go. If your business is in a competitive marketplace, especially if your model includes a storefront, it might be worth considering moving communities to be closer to your primary audience.  If you can’t or don’t see a move as a manageable option, pursue your audience via marketing. Where does your customer base or potential clientele spend their free time? How do they travel to work? Maintain a presence through advertising to passively get your message in front of your ideal crowd.

Show up. It’s vital that your product and services are positioned in the right places online, in order to get noticed by your target demographic. BBB’s online Accredited Business directory serves as a reservoir of trustworthy businesses for the consumer when they make a purchasing decision. Will a potential client find you listed as Accredited? 83% of people are more likely to purchase from a business displaying the BBB Accreditation Seal. Plus, 7 out of 10 consumers prefer to do ‪‎business‬ with a BBB Accredited Business.

If you’re using social media to connect with potential customers (and you should be), don’t forget about YouTube. Producing how-to’s on topics that relate to your business or helpful tips trending in the industry can be excellent for framing your business as a marketplace leader. Demonstrating use of your product, your business’ participation in events you support in the community, and testimonials of your current customers sharing positive experiences are all worthwhile video content to further your reach.

Elementary, my dear business owner. Always err on the side of simple when it comes to messaging. Short customer attention spans are an obstacle all businesses face. With that said, thank you for continuing to read this post! Overcome the customer’s tendency to move on by keeping your message straightforward. Also, make it easy to share, so they can spread the word on social media when they “like” it. Shed all the fluffy stuff while painting a clear picture of what you’re offering and how it will solve their problem(s).

Yo, I’ll solve it. Speaking of which, is your product or service in fact solving a problem for the customer? Because, this is gold. Measure the importance of this concept in gold doubloons and it would be worth, well, A LOT. If you aren’t sure that you’re providing a solution for your customers, try polling them to determine if you’re filling a need. Social media makes conducting a survey painless.  Or, when you send email to your customers, ask them to write you a Customer Review. You’ll get priceless feedback on their experience, while they share what they’ve learned with others. 92% of consumers read reviews. They give you a leg-up on the competition and, bonus, it’s free marketing. Is your customer service stellar or stinking? Is the product or service living up to its promises? Find areas for improvement via what your loyal customers are saying and apply it to getting more exposure for your business. Brilliant.

Shout it from the rooftops. Once you establish what problems you’re good at solving, communicate this to the universe. Your social media accounts, blog and newsletter can be great vehicles to tell your story. If there’s a benefit -- such as the aforementioned problem-solving powers -- you offer, unlike others in your space or just one your customers love, highlight it! It could be your turnaround time on shipping orders, a “hidden gem” use for a product, or simply how effective your service has proven to be. Whatever it is, leverage it! Don’t be keep it a secret.

Comparison shop. Look at other businesses in your space, or one with a similar business model, or better yet -- one you admire. What is that thriving business doing to get their product or service into the hands of the people who want it most? How can you differentiate what you offer from what they offer? It’s never too late and always wise to be up to date on what “the others” are doing. Check out business(es) on bbb.org to see what complaints they have against them and what the issues focus on. Maybe there’s something missing in their business model that you have. Oh, and make sure you’re responding to your complaints, too. Sometimes a complaint is just a misunderstanding. Addressing it in a timely manner could alleviate an issue altogether and potentially offer insight into your business.

Convert them with care (and class). Make it easy for customers to leave the competition. Once you highlight your big benefit or service and it catches on, welcome them with open arms. Offer a new customer a sneak peek at your latest product or maybe it’s free shipping on their first order. Most importantly, if they leave someone else to choose you -- it’s imperative that you deliver. Be careful what measures you take to entice them. Biting off more than you can chew when luring in competitor’s clientele could come back to bite you. No one wants to try a new product or service, only to be disappointed.

Take advantage of your assets. Draw from your business’ strengths such as talented staff, a strong Board of Directors, connections in the industry or healthy financial backing. Tweak what needs tweaking, by using your existing resources. One free and easy-to-execute but easy-to-overlook strategy? Looking to your employees for answers. Your team is on the front lines dealing with the customer day-to-day and learning firsthand what isn’t working. What do they think could be at the root of the issue? They could hold the key to getting your brand into the right hands.

Don’t close the door on change. Just because you’ve been doing something for 10 years, doesn’t mean you should keep on keepin’ on. For example, be mindful of your sales cycle. When is product moving? When is it stagnant? If something isn’t selling and weighing you down, consider taking it out of the pipeline. If that invites anxiety over the thought of unsold merchandise, try creating a demand. Offers like “limited time only” could go a long way in moving product to be phased out. The market evolves and your business needs to as well.  Intimidating to-do lists are the hardest to tackle but the reward is far greater than the medial ones. Embrace change and look at it as an opportunity, especially if the writing’s on the wall that something needs to give.

Be the best, around. Ultimately, focus on what you do best. And if you’ve realized that you aren’t, get back to basics. Determine what it is that makes you unique and build from there. You already know what your strengths and weaknesses are because you asked your existing clientele. Use that feedback to determine how the customer benefits from choosing you and share it with the ones you’re trying to reach.

BBB’s News and Opinion Blog serves as your source for business topics and industry news like tips on hiring for your small business and ways to grow engagement with your audience using social media. For more information you can trust, visit us at bbb.org/boston, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Written by Stephanie Benz, Senior Social Media Associate for Better Business Bureau Serving E. Massachusetts, ME, RI & VT.

Tips for Finding Legal Services

Many business situations require professional legal advice, such as accounting and labor relations.  An attorney can advise you on your rights under the law as well as provide information on legislation that may affect you.

Selecting an attorney is similar to selecting a physician. Attorneys concentrate on specific types of cases as do doctors. The first step is to define the nature of the matter, and then find the lawyer who can best address your needs.

Where to look for a lawyer:

Most people find a lawyer by asking friends, colleagues or neighbors for a recommendation. Another source of information is the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, found online or in your local public library. For over 100 years the directory has provided as complete a roster as possible of the members of the legal profession in the United States and Canada. The directory gives brief biographical sketches of many lawyers and describes the areas of the law in which they practice.

Also check with the Lawyer Referral Service of your state, city or county bar association, usually listed in area telephone directories. Under a referral service, the lawyer will consult with you for a half hour without charge or for a prescribed and nominal fee, and then render whatever services are requested for an agreed-upon fee. If the lawyer cannot handle your problem, he or she will refer you to another lawyer. You should be aware that a lawyer often can ask to be placed on a referral list. Being on the list does not automatically mean that the attorney is qualified to handle a particular area of the law. However, bar association lawyer referral services will attempt to refer you to an attorney experienced in the area of law relating to your problem.

Since lawyers can advertise their services, you may want to check the Yellow Pages of the phone directory. Make sure you verify the information contained in the claims made in these ads concerning both services and payment.

Don't forget to check out the business at bbb.org!

Business Owners Guide to Seasonal Hiring

Summer is here and with it brings a multitude of teens, college students and many others looking for employment. Better Business Bureau reminds employers that hiring seasonal workers – regardless of age, involves following many of the laws and regulations that apply to full-time employees.

If you’re hiring seasonal employees, keep in mind:

• State child labor laws differ so it’s important to become familiar with what is allowed – and not allowed in regard to ages, restrictions and allowable types of work for youths and teens 9 and older. Check your state’s website fir specifics.
• Interns – paid or unpaid – should not be treated as replacement employees (even if just for a few months). Have specific tasks or activities designated just for them that would not ordinarily be done by a paid employee. Internships need to be for a specific length of time with no guarantee of a paid position later on.
• Be specific about the job, what it entails and how it should be performed. Don’t differentiate between seasonal and year-round employees, everyone should adhere to company policies and rules and everyone should have their own copy of the company handbook.

Provide safety training at the beginning of employment to ensure seasonal employees understand workplace risks and hazards and what to do if they’re injured on the job.

Seasonal and part-time employees are subject to the same tax withholding rules that apply to other employees.

What other tips can you offer about managing seasonal hires?

Guest Blog: Local Online Search Success for Small Businesses

Here are 5 tips for local businesses who want to succeed and grow are always looking for an edge over their competition. 

Unearthing advantages can be a challenge, but the emergence of local online search marketing over the last few years presents new opportunities to create a competitive advantage for those companies who are willing to educate themselves and take the correct steps. This article will examine 5 ways that businesses can use local online search marketing strategies to distinguish themselves as local competition elevates.

1. Get Your Business Listed: Presenting detailed and correct listings via online directories is essential. You need to display accurate and consistent business information to make it easy for customers (and Google) to find and recognize your local business. Furthermore, since Google has said in the past that a growing percentage of mobile search is related to location and local information, it is important to claim, update, and enhance online information about your business immediately.
2. Google Photos For Business: Google has designed their Google Business Photos program to offer a 360-degree virtual tour solution to businesses. It uses the same platform as the highly useful and successful Google Street View, so you can walk into a participating business right off the street virtually. Photo tours can be embedded your website and through social media from any number of starting points. They can also be viewed on all mobile devices. Since people search online because they want to know what to expect before going somewhere, utilizing this feature appears to be a great way for you to really showcase your business in a striking way. 
3. Manage Your Business’ Reviews: Developing a quality online reputation can really help customers validate your business, and reviews are a large part of this. People will seek to gather all the information they can about your reputation before choosing your business. They want to know what you do and how good you are at it. They don’t just want to trust the information on your website; they want to see what others are saying about your business, location, products, customer service, and more. Many businesses have no reputation online at all! To be successful, this needs to change. Actively seeking reviews and interacting productively with reviewers is an essential part of developing your business's online reputation. 
4. Nurture Your Current Customers: Many businesses tend to overlook their past or current clientele. You need to make sure this doesn’t happen. Once you have a few customers, you should invest in things like remarketing, nurturing and email campaigns. Keeping up with former customers is a crucial aspect to any local marketing campaign. These are people who’ve liked your product or service enough to come to you at least once. Make sure they keep coming back by showing you care!
5. Be Visible With Mobile Marketing: Americans are using mobile devices at a rapidly increasing rate. The tendency for people to perform local online searches for business and directions while they are on the road means that if your business’ website is not mobile–ready, you are probably missing out on a significant number of potential customers. To get an idea of what changes need to be made, sit down and look at your own site from a mobile device. Navigate as though you were a customer who doesn’t have time to wait around and determine what changes need to be made.

These are just a few of the strategies you can pursue to get your business found at a higher rate online. While online marketing may not come naturally to you, looking further into these tips is a great way to take your local business to the next level.

Ryan Paul Adams is the CEO of PME 360, a BBB Accredited Business since 2012. 

Guest Blog: The Distributor Agreement

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions related to Distributor Agreements.

Q: How can I protect my interests as a Distributor?
A: Rule No. 1: "GET IT IN WRITING!" Make sure you have included the important terms in a well drafted  Distributor Agreement, and that it is signed by each of the parties.  

Q: How do I know who is responsible for the shipment and when risk transfers to me or another party?
A: Make sure the risk transfer terms are clearly set forth in a comprehensive Distributor Agreement.

Q: Who will pay for tariffs, taxes, customs duties, etc.?
A: Make sure the allocation of responsibility of tariffs, taxes and customs duties is clearly set forth in a well-drafted Distributor Agreement.

Q: How can I reduce the risk of my Buyer circumventing me and dealing with the Supplier directly?
A: Make sure non-circumvention terms are clearly set forth in a well-drafted comprehensive Distributor Agreement.

Below is a Distributor Agreement Checklist.*

1. Legal Identity of the Parties of Distributor Agreement (it is important that the identity reflect the legal names of the entity(ies) and/or individual(s) and the State or Country where the entity is registered, as well, as the full address).

2. Appointment of Distributor for Distributor Agreement (or Seller, Reseller or broker).

a. Specify whether Distributor Agreement is an exclusive or non-exclusive distributor agreement;

b. Set forth territory;

c. Specify if there is a right to bind supplier; and
d. Permit or prohibit assignments of the contract and/or appointment of sub-distributors.

3. Term and Termination of the Distributor Agreement.

4. Define Products or Services and reservation of rights, right of first refusal, etc.

5. Clearly set forth Pricing terms (e.g. initial, notice for changes, etc.) for the Distributor Agreement.

6. Terms of Payment (Currency, Letter of Credit, etc.) for the Distributor Agreement.

7. Performance requirements (sales targets, remedial measures, etc.) for the Distributor Agreement.

8. Procedures related to Ordering and Shipping (risk allocation, etc.) for the Distributor Agreement.

9. Supplier's Responsibilities (min. & max. order, tech. support, marketing, etc.) for the Distributor Agreement.

10. Distributor's Responsibilities (inventory, reporting, training, etc.) for the Distributor Agreement.

11. Government filings or approval (allocation of responsibility, etc.) in relation to the Distributor Agreement.

12. Warranty (minimum warranty required by law, defective product procedure, etc.) applicable to products sold under the Distributor Agreement.

13. Intellectual Property rights (parties rights, granted and reserved, etc.) including but not limited to, use of Trademarks for marketing purposes, granted via the Distributor Agreement.

14. Termination (auto renew, special circumstances, etc.) provisions of the Distributor Agreement.

15. Non-Circumvention & Confidentiality terms for Distributor Agreement.

16. Whether Assignment of Distributor Agreement is allowed and under what circumstances.

17. Post-Termination Rights, remedies, etc. to be included in Distributor Agreement.

18. Dispute Resolution process for disputes arising under Distributor Agreement.

19. Non-compete provisions required by either party to the Distributor Agreement.

* This checklist is published with authorization from Grenier Law Offices, PC.  To view the entire article, go to http://www.contactmylawyer.com/distributor-agreement.   This article is provided for information purposes only and is not legal advice.  Also, it does not contain an exclusive list of issues. Do not rely solely on this checklist. Consult a qualified attorney with regard to the specifics of your situation.

Michelle L. Grenier, Esq. is a business lawyer and founder of Grenier Law Offices, PC, a Better Business Bureau Accredited Business since 2002.

Protecting Data – Does Your Business Know What to Do?

In times of escalating privacy and data breaches, customers expect every business — large or small — that collects their sensitive personal information will protect it. BBB advises business owners to proactively address customer anxiety and take steps to both prevent and prepare for a security breach.

Last year, more than 125 million people were affected by data loss incidents.  Consumers need assurances that they can trust the companies they do business with to secure their data.

In the wake of a security breach, it’s important to take action quickly. Small and large businesses alike need to be able to readily determine the nature and scope of the data incident, and take all appropriate steps to contain and stop the attack.

BBB recommends the 2012 Data Protection and Breach Readiness Guide, which reflects input from a wide range of stakeholders, including interviews with companies that have experienced breach and data loss incidents, and industry and breach analysis experts. 

For more data security advice you can trust, visit www.bbb.org/data-security, and for a complete OTA guide, visit https://otalliance.org/breach.html.

Using Hashtags to Promote Your Business

Small businesses should be taking advantage of social media, especially Twitter and hashtags. A hashtag is the number sign (#) combined with a word or phrase. At BBB, we often use #BBB or #StartWithTrust at the end of our tweets.  This way, if people are looking to find general business or consumer tips, they will have a list on Twitter to reference.

A blog post by OPEN Forum has five tips to improve your hashtag strategy:

1. Look for business topics.  Hashtags like #smallbiz and #SMB are very popular on Twitter and they can be a good source of industry news. If you are looking for more specific information, try searching for hashtags like #sales, #marketing and #socialmedia.

2. Hashtags must be simple. You only have 140 characters to get the word out on Twitter. Don’t spend 50 of those characters with a long and complex hashtag.  Keep it short and simple.  Also, limit your tweets to 1-2 hashtags. Anymore than that is overkill.

3. Be creative. Make a hashtag for your business. If you’re hosting an event be sure to create a hashtag, so people can tweet about it.  For example, the Massachusetts Conference for Women encouraged attendees to use #masswomen for those who were tweeting about the event.  The hashtag was a great success on Twitter.

4. Monitor your hashtags. If you use a social media suite like HootSuite or TweetDeck, add a hashtag column to closely observe what people are tweeting. Or simply plug your hashtag in the search bar on Twitter.

5. #FollowFriday or #FF. Use Follow Friday to showcase your most loyal followers or other businesses you support. Try to put as many Twitter handles into one tweet as you can. For a more personal approach, only put one or two usernames.  

For more information, visit http://www.openforum.com/articles/how-to-use-twitter-hashtags-for-your-business/.

How to Respond to Online Customer Complaints

Whatever happened to the old adage that a satisfied customer will tell three people and an unsatisfied customer will tell ten? Now disgruntled customers can share their rant about a company for the whole world to hear on blogs, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. 

Better Business Bureau advises that responding to complaints is necessary if a company wants to maintain a reputation for great customer service. In the same way that an online rant can damage a company’s reputation, successfully handling complaints online can showcase a company’s dedication to customer service, setting it apart from the competition. 

BBB offers the following advice to small business owners on responding to customer rants:

Continually monitor the online conversation. One of the easiest ways to monitor the conversation, however, is to simply do an Internet search of your company’s name every couple days, keeping an eye out for new results. Set up Google Alerts, to receive e-mail messages when people post comments online or if your company is mentioned in the news.

Pick your battles. Depending on the size of your business, it can be extremely time consuming to address every blog post, comment or tweet. 

Offer full disclosure. When defending your company online, don’t pretend to be an unbiased consumer. Tech savvy individuals can easily deduce who is behind comments so it’s best to be honest and admit up-front that you represent the company.

Take the conversation offline. Some companies have made the mistake of hashing out disputes online for everyone to see. Instead, keep online responses polite and direct and ask the customer if you can contact them directly by e-mail or phone to discuss the specific details of their complaint.

Don’t say anything privately that you wouldn’t want public.  Just because you’ve taken the conversation offline, it doesn’t mean that your e-mails and phone conversations won’t end up on the Internet, so always remain polite and professional.

Follow through. Don’t drop the conversation when resolving a dispute and always follow through on promises. Consider providing a little extra perk, such as coupons, after the issue has been resolved.

Know when to walk away. There’s no satisfying some angry customers and at times a small business owner can only offer a sincere apology and walk away from the conversation.

For more BBB advice on providing great customer service both on and off-line visit www.bbb.org.

Blog Post: Five Tips for Ensuring Social Media Success in 2013

Do you have a New Year’s resolution for your business? If you haven’t thought of one yet, one idea is to form a social media strategy and promote your business on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Foursquare, etc.  Social media isn’t going away and it’s critical that you get your business out there. However, BBB recommends that you ease into the waters carefully and thoughtfully when planning to launch your social media strategy; otherwise it could be a giant mess.

Here are some tips to help get you started on your social media strategy:

Don’t get in over your head. Start small, such as with a Facebook page or by commenting on blogs or connecting with customers on Twitter. Let your social media strategy grow and evolve as you learn what works best for your time constraints and business goals. 

Create and share information. Social media is about engagement, and creating and sharing content is key to connecting with customers and other industry leaders. When writing your own content, always maintain an appropriate and professional tone and use plenty of links to other sites, blogs, or news articles to help illustrate your point. 

Keep everything connected.  Once you’ve created your page on Facebook, or established your blog or Twitter account or other online presences, cross-promote your content so that the same message is going out across every site. For example, Tweet about your blog post or send a link in a message to your LinkedIn group.

Engage in the conversation. Inject yourself and opinions into the conversation by following opinion leaders on Twitter and social networking sites and commenting on blog posts. Whenever possible, include a link back to your content or Web site.

Engage with customers.  our customers are talking about you online whether you like it or not on their blogs, consumer-focused Web sites and on review sites like Yelp, Yahoo! Local and CitySearch. While you can’t take control of the conversation you can help steer it by listening, engaging with customers and working to resolve any problems.