I know you were not expecting a sales pitch in an envelope today, like me your life is shorter than you think, so I’ll let you mull over this information in your own time and I promise not to waste yours.
Even if you decide not to meet with me then the information will be a revelation for you.
We are all dying, one hour at a time, so faffing about knocking on doors, trying to persuade you to do business with me is not the way I do business. Quite simply my life is far to short. But I’m a local guy and your business is either known to me or I have come across you during my travels.
I support my small business clients in several ways.
1. By helping them make their money work for them. Via www.Moneytrainers.co.uk
2. Help with business development/lead generation and improving your online presence in a big way, as against a small way. www.smallbusinessninja.co.uk/gmb
3. Deal with the whole area of customer retention, marketing, and sales automation kind of thing by building websites and online shops for a fixed price and build in the loyalty and marketing tools we all need.
Enclosed four short reports.
- Lessons in business and life – from ITV strangely enough.
- Lead Generation made easy using the available tools – warning, nothing to do with social media.
- Your Easiest Ten Grand – by doing a few small things
- Building a back end on your terms using, of all things, a website.
Provided you want to move your sales forward or make more money, and quickly one of them will make sense. I don’t sell wanky social media services or ‘seo’ I leave that for the numpties (of which there are plenty). But I am a time served, qualified professional that has been doing money stuff, online sales and offline client retention for the last thirty years.
That makes me closer to death than most. For that reason I won’t waste your time I simply don’t have it to waste.
When you are ready and want some genuine guidance and support on this kind of stuff, want to make more sales with what you have instead of what someone promises then get in touch.
ITV Drama The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe that had a little business lesson for us all… Something that applies to all of us running businesses in 2022.
In it the character Anne Darwin describes holding on to the ropes of a hot air balloon as her life spirals out of control.
The balloon rises, you’re swept off the ground … you can make a quick choice to let go and everything will probably be fine.
Maybe a few cuts and bruises.
But as you avoid the decision, the balloon keeps rising. The ground is further away.
Every moment of indecision makes matters worse.
The problem gets bigger, increases your danger.
Until you reach a point where you have no other choice but to cling on for dear life and hope, because everything is now out of your control.
The consequences of letting go. Are now life threatening. You are a bit higher up. Because hindsight is so perfect we can all see, looking backwards where we made a bad decision. To hold on.
To make that make more sense as it relates to your businesses.
What business systems and processes that you are clinging on to, but still have a chance to let go of before they finally stop working.
1. What have you already allowed to go too far? What systems and processes do you have that really are not working that well?
2. What sort of parachute do you need to allow you to drop the rope and drift safely back to earth, and to normality? And how can I get it to you?
It could be online, offline, building relationships with existing customers, focusing on new markets and marketing (no not social media), and automating the hell out of that.
When you are ready and want some genuine guidance and support on this kind of stuff, want to make more sales with what you have instead of what someone promises then get in touch. I have enclosed a small pack, detailing where I can help.
I guarantee all my work – but it’s not for everyone.
Www.smallbusinessninja.co.uk/gmb or www.therichardsmith.com
Lead Generation Made Easy
Sales, Lead Generation, Cash Flow Improvements. Small things that change everything.
It is not possible to inoculate yourself from all economic and business troubles. What happens in our world can’t be controlled by us, but we can choose our responses. I work with firms that want to improve their presence online and grow their business using some old fashioned stuff – yeah it still works and wrap that with a modern spin.
You could be spending a small fortune on social media but when was the last time you bought something on social?
You could be spending money on search or other marketing – how much of that is working for you.
Does what I do work? Well here are the results from one of the firms I have been working with and in one area. Let me ask how much are leads like this worth to you?
The Covid pandemic shows us that sometimes stuff comes along and creates an upset, something that shifts everything.
Before Covid it was social media, before social media it was the search engines, before then it was cars and lorries, out of town shopping, before then it was public transport, trains, horses. There has always been something.
This time it was Covid and now inflation. The price of everything is increasing exponentially and competing on price is now a fools way forward.
The work I do both online and off brings control back to you. I make a bloody loud guarantee on all of my work and guarantee to deliver for you using old school, hands on business building that keeps you in control.
So I do four things for my people.
- Increase sales and maximise value.
- Automate the crap out of everything, automation, websites
- Then scale it with marketing and partnerships.
- Build relationships with people that already know and like you.
These things improve your social presence, boost your online ‘moment of truth’ and are repeatable on your terms. No worries about pandemics, Google changing the algorithm or Facebook deciding not to show your content to those raving fans you have.
Your customers are going to become more price conscious than ever before, but there are sectors of all markets that will resist making changes, that do have the money to spend. You should choose to work with this – to create natural immunity to the storm that’s coming.
Let me nutshell this.
- More Leads
- Better Googleability (and Bingability) without spending hundreds on SEO that will only work until the algorithm changes
- Consistent delivery of a better presence – like it used to be with the Yellow Pages and businesses calls A1 [insert random name here] Limited
- To offer clients vouchers, deals.
- To raise your profile – for that zero moment of truth an online search
If you need more leads, more business, more local sales. Then I can do that for you.
There is more information on https://smallbusinessninja.co.uk/gmb/ short presentation plus contact pages.
Doing business in a more natural way – using the tools we all use, the internet, Google, social media – just not in the way you are told to use them.
You can also message me on www.therichardsmith.com or on https://smallbusinessninja.co.uk/gmb/ initially, you can also whatsapp or message to 0774 007 6226 – let me know a good time to call and I’ll schedule that in.
Small Business – Your First Ten Grand
We all want a business that works for us, one that soothes the issues around money, is reliable and solid enough for you to book two holidays a year, clear debts. Perhaps even have a good Christmas every year.
Reality. Few of us own businesses like that.
I have no idea why. Because it only takes a few steps to make sure yours works for you and not the other way around. When you get the processes right you will never be short of cash, never ever have to chase money again. These are my tips and the action you should take based on my knowledge of micro business finance and management.
Ten Tips To Small Business Heaven
- Gave a clearly defined method of attracting new customers
- Have a working offer to put in front of them
- Offer a solid guarantee so they feel comfortable
- Never chase money – make all payments automated
- Use standing order, direct debit or card payments
- Always ask for referrals, always get a testimonial
- Have a website that sells stuff – e-commerce
- Grow and keep a customer contact list
- Always keep an eye on cashflow not balance sheets
- Be nice, always even when your customers are arseholes
How To Get An Extra Ten Grand In Less Than 12 Months
I love a shortcut, the kind of thing that is so simple, so easy that any idiot (even me) can do it. The thing you are about to read has been implemented by me in my business and in the business of most of my clients. If you follow the steps you can’t go wrong.
Having ten percent of turnover in the bank is freedom. To take a day off, an extra week’s holiday, time with the kids. Perhaps a new van, car. You choose, because it will be your money.
Saving this kind of money is dead simple if you follow the steps.
Look at each of the following areas, demand money off, rejig, find new suppliers, find shortcuts, wriggle and fight for each penny or per cent off.
1% off your suppliers
2% on your sale prices
2% by driving less miles
2% by spending less on stuff
1% reducing staff hours
1% clearing excess stock
I promise you if your business is doing £100k and you take the steps to save/manage/alter and adapt at the end of the twelve month period you will have an extra £10k – promise. When you’re ready to get a shimmy on with some of these, get in touch. I make small businesses really work
Building A Back End To Your Business
This Is The Easiest Way To Grow Your Business You Will Ever Come Across.
Just two simple questions will determine if I can help you.
- Do you want to grow your business easily and without any major effort?
- Would you like to boost sales and monitor your marketing effectively?
- Would you like to be able to offer a share of income with other introducers to your business?
If you can answer yes to those two questions I have an offer for you.
Even if the answer is no to both, well done for running a great business, but let’s talk and see if I can get you some more.
For the past thirty years I have worked with small and medium sized businesses, to help them increase sales and improve profits in the easiest way possible.
This year I have had a number of successes, with one local business increasing sales by twenty percent – without working any harder.
Look I can’t promise you that now, but I can guarantee you an increase if you follow through by reading on and then take some action.
We are both busy so I will get through this as quickly as possible.
Your customers, like mine are no longer reacting to our marketing messages like they always used to do and a multi medium approach is now required.
Importantly the cost of getting one customer is expensive, and holding on to them for longer is one simple solution to the ‘selling more’ problem.
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Few business owners – build and maintain a usable customer database.
Returning customers – are worth five times more than new ones.
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In the last few years we’ve seen Google change the algorithm a dozen times, Facebook cancel pages and ‘shadow ban businesses’ and new platforms have arrived like Tik Tok.
Yet there are businesses, small and large, that don’t rely on any of these tactics or ‘tech firms’ for their sales – they do things very differently, what I call ‘traditional thinking with automated tools’. Where you can’t get banned or be forced to pay a ‘social firm’ to post for you.
The technology is changing rapidly and even today we have updates from Google and a further need to alter what was working. And there is still quite a lot of stuff working.
Early in 2010/11 I started to look carefully at what my clients needed in terms of technology and realised there was nothing in the market to really help small firms do some or all of the things listed below.
It had to be easy to implement and be cost effective (a pay as you go service) and be cost effective.
Importantly it had to be done in a way that was controlled by the business owner.
And it had to do all of the things in the table below.
| Attract new clients | Deals, coupons and offers that could be shared and marketed easily |
| Retain existing clients | With the above and more. |
| Referral choices | Customers that already like you can send customers to you easily. |
| Follow up with clients | Automated email, SMS, direct mail. |
| Collect reviews | Both on a client website and via third party shares – but with some control. |
| Social Media | Include all of the social media sharing options. |
| Help keep existing clients. | Being able to notify them of offers and deals. |
| Update existing clients | On a regular basis at low cost and controlled by the business. |
| Use various mediums for marketing your message. | Email, sms, video, social and postal. |
You know as well as me that it’s harder now than ever to cut through the noise from your competition.
Your customers have ADHD and everyone can get what you offer – online or get a voucher or daily deal.
And it’s getting worse.
You may have tried social media, or search engine optimisation to boost your business. Let me ask how much did that increase sales?
My reckoning is that you may have got back what you spent – if you were lucky. Most businesses don’t find a way of making it pay.
Fact.
From 1960 – 2010 you had no choice but to stick with conventional advertising in the local paper or via the local radio, running direct mail campaigns was hard even if you had your own client list.
During that time you may have had a website built and done some other things to boost the presence of your firm.
Moving forward to today. Social media and the internet addicted, ADHD affected people we now call customers now have a choice at the end of their arms – a smartphone.
Technology and systems that were just not around 10 years ago. All of which can be done from a Smartphone. That is why HMV went under. It didn’t move with the times, there were others and there will be more.
You now need to be making sure you are engaging with your customers on their terms and giving them reasons to come back to you.
So how does a small local business compete, how does it get the technology to move with the times.
Over the last few months I have created tools that allow you to take on Groupon or Wowcher on your terms and put yourself ahead of your competition – even if you are a complete technophobe. I have developed solutions that allow me to leverage Google and Bing without playing ‘their game’.
If you want to fill up the quiet days in your office or salon – now you can – when you want and on your terms.
Rules are being broken and you no longer need to accept convention.
I have developed a couple of tools to solve all of the above problems – on your terms at a cost of less than a ‘Costa a day’. Importantly they come with a money back guarantee. No quibble – if it don’t work don’t pay.
My Solution,
Over the last two years I have been developing a small business loyalty scheme that is cost effective for small business and delivers results in the form of increased sales and better customer engagement. Version 1 was good, but there were some issues, version 2 ironed out some of these and we are now on version x plus.
It’s based in the cloud (on a secure server), it works even if your office/shop/ is closed. It’s the same magic that makes Amazon and Facebook work 24/7 with no business owner interaction.
You can message, engage and provide offers to your customers on your terms, in their time via their smartphones via the internet. Whenever you want.
They can share it with their friends and the rest of the internet in the same way as you share something on Facebook or Twitter. Social sharing is a powerful tool in the small business armoury.
Your customers use it in the same way as you. When you find something interesting you tell your friends.
With a few loyal customers sharing your offers, how long would it take to grow your business? Sales messages can be shared and your customers rewarded in real time from the thing that is in their hands all of time.
Their SmartPhones.
This is not a small business ‘app’ it’s actually far more than that. It’s a full blown messaging and customer loyalty system wrapped up in a website that is compatible with Iphones and Androids.
For your business it provides a Mobile Enabled marketing tool that allows full social sharing and the possibility of viral marketing using coupons and offers but via a smartphone without using an ‘app’.
E.g Share with your friends and get 10% off your next purchase.
This system has been created to deal with a number of business problems.
- Getting your sales message in front of customers.
- Getting ownership of your customers on your terms.
- Giving them a reason to come back to you.
- Getting your customers to share your promotions.
- Being able to message your customers at very low cost.
- Being able to use the available technology.
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Few business owners – build and maintain a usable customer database.
Returning customers – are worth five times more than new ones.
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I can show you how to do this automatically – without typing a single address.
Social sharing – is now vital to secure new business.
Your customers want a deal.
Many of your customers feel neglected by you because you are never in touch with them.
Business marketing – needs to be automated as much as possible.
Customers need to be segmented in order to secure quality sales.
| Richard Smith Mobile 0774 007 6226 Crawley Office 01293 385050 |
Loyalty Schemes that do all of the above are usually complex and expensive, mainly out of the reach of most small firms.
Further many small business websites are not compatible with smartphones or as they now call it ‘mobile enabled’ this has now been solved without a new website saving you hundreds.
This new system presently in the ‘pre launch’ stage solves every one of these problems and more, and as such has very special pricing and terms for those of you that want to take advantage.
So What’s In This New System?
It is designed to take advantage of a couple of things, things that you have and some of the things you know, and puts in a load of technology which automates the bulk of what you need to do.
- You have existing customers.
- You know what they like and love.
Let me show you a sample of what this loyalty scheme looks like from the customer side.
This technology is existing technology that has been uniquely packaged and tested, adapted and added too. It has been around for a long while and is proven to work.
Importantly because of the unique way I work with you – you will not get locked into expensive contracts and legal fights about who owns your customer data – it is always yours.
With this in your business you can run your own customer Loyalty Scheme wrapped up in a smartphone compatible platform.
Summary
- You Keep Customers Coming Back Time And Time Again.
- You Collect Customer Details And Data Easily in real time for you to use forever.
- You Can Market To Individual Customers Based On Their Interactions
- Email & SMS Capabilities To Stay In Touch With Them (additional costs per sms message).
- You Can Run Your Own Viral And Incentivised Coupons & Offers
- Create Mobile Optimised Coupons And Offers
- Create Social Driven Viral Campaigns
- Get Customers To Share Your Offers To Unlock Them
- Build A Marketing Database From Coupon Redeemers
| Optional Extras Direct Mail Engine being able to send postcards and mailers for less than the price of a stamp. Scheduled messaging and SMS that can be set up in advance. Budget payment facilities so you can set up ‘split payments’ in advance – think Christmas Beauty Packages, large food and drink orders or clothing purchases. All prepaid and paid for via Direct Debit. Online ordering for Restaurants and Takeaways. |
24 Month Guarantee.
If you decide that this system is not delivering for you in the first 24 months let me know and I will refund your initial setup costs.
When you are ready and want some genuine guidance and support on this kind of stuff, want to make more sales with what you have instead of what someone promises then get in touch.
Www.smallbusinessninja.co.uk/gmb or www.therichardsmith.com
Richard Smith