ONLINE SUCCESS

The number one thing you need to do for a successful business

                   

Every time I hear about a business that recently closed, I feel anxiety and sorrow.
I know that most people don’t understand why business owners, like me, take on the risk of small business ownership. We get paid less, have no benefits other than what we contribute ourselves, and never get a real day off. Not even on weekends or holidays. There is just no way to shut off the buzz in your head; your business is always on your mind.
But I know that the rewards of small business ownership make it more than worth it!
I love the freedom and the personal autonomy I experience as a self-employed person. I love the flexibility that allows me to take my kids to school and participate in their activities.  Most importantly, I cherish the amazing feeling of creating something of value.
Every closed business represents the end of someone’s dream and the loss of their investment.
When my students and colleagues ask me how to avoid this situation, I let them know that I too have struggled throughout the life of my business. It’s a rocky road with many challenges and often the next step isn’t very clear.

But I can share with you what I view as the key element for success, and how it will help you avoid some of the obstacles that can shut your practice down.

The #1 Thing You MUST DO To Have a Practice That Lasts;
KNOW YOUR CLIENT!
Sounds simple, right? But failing to do so is the main reason I keep hearing why small businesses fail.
Many of my students say “Well, everyone can be my client” to which I answer “If you’re marketing to everyone. Are you selling to everyone?”
Even the best products can’t be appealing to everyone. The more focused your marketing will be, the better results you will have.
So who is your client?
Let’s say that you are a life coach and your goal is to empower women for success and happiness in their life. Empowering a woman who is 30 years old will require a different approach than empowering a woman who is 65 years old. Those two age groups have almost nothing in common when it comes to empowering them. They use different wording, their incomes are different, their activities are different and their lifestyles are different. Putting both groups in your target market will not only miss the point but it can also alienate them both because none of them will feel like your services are aimed at them specifically.
If you sell beauty products are men in your target group?
If you design a very hip shirt, what age group will find it appealing?
Identifying your target clients will help you position yourself and your website to your target better. You will be able to design a website in a way that will be appealing for your ideal customer by choosing the right color scheme, font, wording, images, social media platforms, etc.
For successful marketing and website traffic, as much that it is important to understand who you are targeting, it is equally as important to understand who you are not targeting. A website with vibrant bright colors, fast moving pictures and lots of links to social media can be very appealing to a younger viewer but might be too flashy to an older viewer.
Without fully understanding who your client is, you will not attract sufficient traffic to your site. Low traffic means low sales and worst of all, you will not know what the reason for your lack of success.
http://www.lotemdesign.com/successful-business/