Should I Update or Customize My Packaging?

When you receive a package in the mail, more often than not in comes in a white padded envelope or brown box, right? If it’s been a month since you placed the order, you might squint at the package in confusion and wonder: Where is this from again? It used to be that standard UPS boxes were the norm, customized packaging was rare, and personal touches didn’t matter too much. In 2013, more and more small businesses and big companies alike are creating stand-out, unique packaging for orders shipped out to their customers. It doesn’t stop there—some businesses are personalizing everything, in store and for shipping, from tissue paper to receipts. So do you need to customize your packaging to stay in the game?

The answer is it certainly can’t hurt; it can only help you to be memorable in the customer’s mind. The packaging doesn’t have to be elaborate and sometimes less is more. Adding stylish details such as a label with sketches that represent your products can do the trick. Sometimes bold colors with the company logo are the best route to go, or depending on the type of products you carry, you may want to add embellishments such as ribbons, beads, or trinkets. The key is to choose elements that match your industry, use for the product, and that fit your budget and brand.

Packaging sells and some customers, myself included, have chosen one product over another product because of the packaging extras included with the item. When it comes to packaging for mailing, the new concept is for the customer to feel like they are receiving a gift (even if the product is something practical such as a new doorknob). If you have the budget, you might want to outsource this to a graphic design or marketing company who can create a whole line of packaging ideas for you. For brainstorming, look on sites such as Etsy and Pinterest to get you started. Make it happen!

© 2013 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Tech Mistakes Small Businesses Make

The era when it was not important to be tech-savvy has come to an end. It’s just important to be smart about IT as it is to be smart about what you do in your business.  You want to appear reliable and ahead of the game to your customers. Don’t make these tech mistakes in the meantime.

Looking small online: Look big, not small online. If you have a great looking website that works well and is easy to use, that’s a big part of it. Have a large web presence with a blog, discussion forum, and social media pages. Making a big splash on the internet opens up a word of opportunity.

Overlooking computer security: Make sure you have adequate security software and policies that employees should follow. Of course, you’ll want high quality virus protection software, but there’s more to it than that. You need a system for protecting your data, customer lists, account numbers, passwords, and contracts. You also need to let employees know how to handle laptops, how to properly download software updates, and how to secure their smart phones. Educating your team on these procedures is your first line of defense against any security issues.

Not backing up information: Schedule time to regularly back up your data. Enforce how important it is for the team to back up all their work because computers can malfunction, programs can crash, and you don’t want them to lose hours or days worth of work. You can do this manually or with an online service, but the important thing is that it is done regularly.

Lack of reputation management: Keep an eye on your online reputation. What are people tweeting about you? What do review sites such as Yelp say about you? If you don’t know, you could be overlooking some of the negative, and that’s a huge mistake. Set up alerts on sites like Google Plus so you can take down bad “tweets” or reviews if you have to.

Be smart about handling technology issues and if you avoid mistakes, that will contribute to your success. Make it happen!


© 2013 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

What to Consider Before You Outsource

Outsourcing task or getting products from an outsourced vendor can help small businesses grow by freeing up more time to do whatever is at the core of the business even more effectively. You might know exactly what you need to outsource and who you’re going to work with, or you may be in that crucial decision making process. If outsourcing is still a future plan, consider these aspects before you do so.

How established is the vendor or individual? Have they been around for a long time or are they just starting out? Is there track record for deadlines, quality, and customer service positive or shaky? The way this vendor runs their business will affect how you run yours, so do your research to make sure this affect is positive for you. Check references and contact some of their other clients to get a better idea of how they work.

How will you monitor the vendor’s impact? Develop a system for keeping track of what they are doing, how long key processes are taking, and evaluating whether you investment in this company is worth the time for your business. Another thing to think about is are your employees comfortable with this new vendor’s relationship with the company? Some positions may not be effected at all and others may be directly. Have you had a conversation about the upcoming changes while addressing their concerns?

Have you set expectations and goals for the vendor and communicated them? Both businesses need to know what is expected from the other to make this partnership run smoothly.  Be specific and get assurance that they are confident they can meet all of your needs and expectations before things are finalized. Finally, how will you communicate the ins and outs of your business with the vendor? What methods and schedules will you have for communication in general? Working this out ahead of time will save you stress down the road. They will need to be absorbed in the key knowledge of your business that impacts what they’ll be doing for you. Make it happen!

© 2013 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Needs and Benefits of Online Training

In recent years, more and more online training websites have developed. Many offer employers a membership which the entire team can access and lessons are free to watch once the company has joined. The courses are often very long, but broken down into short chapters that allow the employee to choose which ones are most relevant and complete the course at their own pace. Some even have practice files attached so that employees can interactively try out what they’ve learned.  A few popular ones include Lynda.com, TotalTraining.com, and W3Schools.com. It’s also fairly easy for a company to create its own online learning system through a Moodle account. Some focus on a particular area such as software programs or marketing, and others cover many subjects and employee might want to learn more about. Do your employees need to take online training courses and what are the benefits of these programs?

While an employee has to have a developed skill set to perform successfully, they can never run out of things to learn and should always be expanding their knowledge. If the company adopts new procedures or software programs, employees unfamiliar with them can get up to speed in a matter of hours. Most courses offer certificates of completion, which is good for the company reputation and the employee’s resume. If an employee gets promoted, they might need to brush up on some of the new skills they will be using, which can be possible through online training. If employees seek out these opportunities on their own, that shows their dedication to the company and to developing their career.  You may recommend or require your employees to complete short lessons during work time on a schedule or go through complete courses on their own time. Whatever you decide, always encourage continued learning, online or offline. The online versions can be a cost effective method of accomplishing this.

If you want to implement a program like this, start by researching different websites and choosing one to create an account with. Then introduce your team to the training through a brief meeting and provide them with the login credentials. Assure them that this is meant for personal growth, not an indication that their skills are not up to par. Then suggest or require a schedule of doing these and ask for updates regularly. Make it happen!


© 2013 eMarketing 4 Business LLC