If you have a family owned and operated business, you already likely know that bigger companies have some advantages over you. However, you have some advantages over the big companies, too. Small family owned businesses have some opportunities that bigger companies just don't have. One way your small family-owned business model can really pay dividends versus that of a bigger company is through sales and marketing. You'll find that you have a lot to offer that your competitor just can't.
If you think about sales and marketing, you might be surprised to realise that you have the same advantages a larger company does. In addition, you may have several more. Simply because of the way you are set up, you can do things a bigger company can't. If they try, they'll look silly or at the very least be inefficient. Take a look at a few things you can do to take advantage of your own special edge, and this should give you a good place to start.
Tell Everyone Where You Are From.
If you come from a family operated business, you'll find that you have a story. Just because you might be tired of hearing about it doesn't mean that other people are. Write down in a few pages about how your family got started in this field and some of the problems that you have conquered along the way. You'll find that people love hearing stories, especially if you can provide them on CD or DVD, so get creative.
Why Are You Special?
In this day and age, many people feel insecure about their work and don't know if their company has any loyalty to them. So let people know about how you operate. Do you always promote from within? Maybe you have always looked out for your employees. Show everyone how different you are from the colder corporate world, and you can bet that you'll see some customer and employee loyalty.
Get Real and Be Proud
Even though you might think being a small family owned business is a disadvantage, let everyone know that you're a family business. Use this fact in some way in your corporate slogan, advertising, logo, and so on. Tell people how long you've been in business, too. This is an important way to let the community get to know you. This also creates an identity of your business that they can be comfortable and familiar with and relate to.
Credit Where Credit is due
You'll find that you can get some great publicity and get your public to be more familiar with you if you regularly share information about everyone who has made the company so successful. While you can always put the spotlight on the upper management, make sure that you showcase some of your entry-level employees as well. This is a good way to let your customers know about who you are, from top to bottom.
If you've got a family owned business, it's something you should be proud of. This is who you are, right? What are you waiting for then? Get the word out and take advantage of this most unique fact. At the very least, it gives you advertising advantages that the competition lacks.
If you think about sales and marketing, you might be surprised to realise that you have the same advantages a larger company does. In addition, you may have several more. Simply because of the way you are set up, you can do things a bigger company can't. If they try, they'll look silly or at the very least be inefficient. Take a look at a few things you can do to take advantage of your own special edge, and this should give you a good place to start.
Tell Everyone Where You Are From.
If you come from a family operated business, you'll find that you have a story. Just because you might be tired of hearing about it doesn't mean that other people are. Write down in a few pages about how your family got started in this field and some of the problems that you have conquered along the way. You'll find that people love hearing stories, especially if you can provide them on CD or DVD, so get creative.
Why Are You Special?
In this day and age, many people feel insecure about their work and don't know if their company has any loyalty to them. So let people know about how you operate. Do you always promote from within? Maybe you have always looked out for your employees. Show everyone how different you are from the colder corporate world, and you can bet that you'll see some customer and employee loyalty.
Get Real and Be Proud
Even though you might think being a small family owned business is a disadvantage, let everyone know that you're a family business. Use this fact in some way in your corporate slogan, advertising, logo, and so on. Tell people how long you've been in business, too. This is an important way to let the community get to know you. This also creates an identity of your business that they can be comfortable and familiar with and relate to.
Credit Where Credit is due
You'll find that you can get some great publicity and get your public to be more familiar with you if you regularly share information about everyone who has made the company so successful. While you can always put the spotlight on the upper management, make sure that you showcase some of your entry-level employees as well. This is a good way to let your customers know about who you are, from top to bottom.
If you've got a family owned business, it's something you should be proud of. This is who you are, right? What are you waiting for then? Get the word out and take advantage of this most unique fact. At the very least, it gives you advertising advantages that the competition lacks.
About the Author:
Author: Dr Marc R. Dussault is an Exponential Growth Strategist with expert knowledge in family firm succession. Visit the "Family Firm Succession" website for more detailed tips on business succession planning.
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