How Agapi Helps During COVID-19

covid-19 restrictions

Are COVID-19 restrictions lifting for good?

It’s been over a month since I last posted here.  Dealing with the restrictions and lockdown of businesses and society has been challenging for all of us.

But now there is light at the end of the tunnel!  Restrictions are starting be lifted and businesses are slowly being permitted to open (with certain regulations still in place to continue to protect everyone against this virus).

Today I published a new podcast.  This is an audio version of my last uploaded video, along with an updated introduction.  As we start to take baby steps toward “normalcy”, make sure that your business is prepared – not just for now, but with a strategy for the future.  I have assisted a couple of local businesses recently and they have been kind enough to provide testimonials, which I invite you to read.

For more tips on how to improve your business, catch my videos on the Agapi YouTube channel, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Listen here or download the podcast.

Did you know? Our podcast is available on 7 platforms.

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please share this post.

Agapi Helps During COVID-19. Here’s How…

covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic.

These are trying times for all of us! Social distancing, self-isolation, quarantine; these phrases are now part of our everyday vocabulary as we try to keep everyone safe and healthy.

But many are also enduring very difficult times. Many businesses have had to close their doors and lay off their loyal employees. Businesses that have been able to remain open struggle with learning to function with remote staff as their employees learn to work from home. There has been loss of income and governments around the globe are spending enormous amounts to try to ensure that people can survive.

Agapi can help you with this huge paradigm shift. We have experience helping businesses during transitional times. Take a look at our video to learn more.

Watch here, or watch on YouTube.

Please stay safe and healthy! We will get through this.

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please share this post.

Entrepreneurship

entrepreneurship

What does it mean to be an entrepreneur?

Welcome to 2020! It’s not just a new year, but also the beginning of a new decade.

After taking a bit of a ‘posting break’ in December, we’re back again bringing you tips and strategies to help you with your business.

A while back, Frank Thomas and I recorded a podcast for the Small Business Tips Show discussing entrepreneurship. Do you think you want to be an entrepreneur? This discussion will tell you the good, the bad and the ugly!

For more tips on how to improve your business, catch my videos on the Agapi YouTube channel, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Listen here or download our podcast.

Did you know? Our podcast is available on 7 platforms.

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please share this post.

Focus, People!

focus people

Are you focused?

What happens when you lose your focus?

As a business owner, there are likely times when you lose your focus. Maybe you have too much going on to be able to be effective…

Today’s post is a rebroadcast of a podcast done with Frank Thomas of the Small Business Tips Show. You’ll find that the content is as relevant today as it was when it was originally broadcast. Listen in and glean some tips.

For more tips on how to improve your business, catch my videos on the Agapi YouTube channel, like on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.

Listen here or download the podcast.

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please share this post.

Podcast – Marketing Interview Part 4

marketing interview part four

The final segment of our 4 part podcast on marketing is now available.

The full interview, which is about 40 minutes long, will be shared here on Thursday. But if you want it in smaller segments, please check out each of the ~10 minute breakout segments.

Listen here or download the podcast. 

Please take the time to listen, share, and give me your feedback.

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please share this post.

How Better Business Bureau Accreditation Builds Consumer Confidence

bbb brand

The BBB brand builds consumer confidence.

The Better Business Bureau is a non-profit accrediting organization that gives its stamp of approval when a business meets high standards of quality, responsibility, and trustworthiness.

So why is this BBB logo so important? Recent studies have shown that 8 out of 10 consumers recognize the BBB seal, and when they see it displayed on a website or business, it instills confidence and trust.

And those consumers are likely to purchase based on this. Reviews are important online, but 90% of consumers don’t bother hunting for a lot of reviews and will read less than 10 reviews before forming an opinion.

Most of those consumers are going to go right to the Better Business Bureau first. And sometimes that one review is enough to make their decision. But what if your business is not accredited? This could actually hurt your business as becoming accredited shows that you’re a company that is accountable and can be trusted.

And a company that is trusted, makes more profit.

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please share this post.

Boom Your Business And Beat Bigger Brands

compete with bigger businesses

Are you a Small Local Business?

Size doesn’t matter when you are offering bigger value and personalized services. What you need is to create more visibility online for the people who are looking for what you provide.

What are the advantages of being a small, local business that will enable you to compete with bigger businesses?

Here’s a short list:

Technology Tools

In no other time has technology made it easier for us to do business, communicate, promote, and expand our businesses on such a far-reaching scale. The Web, SEO, and Social Media Marketing allow us to market our businesses in the same way that bigger brands do.

Flexibility with Changing Conditions

Small business owners have way more flexibility to make immediate and necessary changes that are essential to dealing with changing local market conditions. For big businesses, recommendations go through many levels bureaucracy before decisions are made at the top. Execution suffers the same delays down to the personnel on the ground.

Personalized Customer Service

You have the opportunity to deliver personalized, unexpected and exceptional customer service.

How does it feel when you are served by the owner of a restaurant that you often dine at, and get asked if the food is good and what can they do to improve their menu?

There is something very warm and fuzzy feeling about local interactions for both owners and customers.

Access to Digital Marketing Expertise

There are no longer barriers to accessing digital marketing expertise when you can hire an expert by the hour to oversee your marketing strategy and activities.

Contact us if you want to seize the opportunities that digital marketing can offer and reclaim your domination in your own territory.

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please share this post.

To Hire or Not to Hire a Full-time Marketing Director?

hiring a marketing director

Should you hire a marketing director?

To get your digital marketing performing at its optimum, you would need a Marketing Director to oversee the strategy and implementation. However, a Marketing Director would cost you $11,000 to $15,000 a month. This is a huge cost to businesses, especially for most small business owners like you.

As with any HR activity, there is additional work required of you to hiring a Marketing Director.
  • Job Description Preparation
  • Job Posting/Advertising Cost
  • Interviewing
  • Background Checks
  • Qualification/Certification Checks
  • Evaluation
  • Employment Agreements
  • Onboarding and Training

Do you think hiring a marketing consultant to perform a marketing director role for your business at a rate of $125 an hour for a few hours a month would make more sense?

This is a win-win solution. What do you think?

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please share this post.

10 Secrets For Forum Marketing

Forum Marketing

Does forum marketing really work?

Well, it does if it done properly.

We are all familiar with the concept of forum marketing. Sharing your content over a number of forums helps gain traffic, leads and conversions. But it has to be done properly.

Simply put, forum marketing is a type of content marketing that focuses on specific subjects.  The people who join a particular forum often do so, so they can get access to more detailed information about a given subject. This allows an opportunity for brands to tap into these groups and grow their online community.

The following six points can help you use forum marketing to help grow your small business.

  • Find where your customers are engaged. The easiest way to do this is do a keyword search on topics of interest to your clients.
  • Join the forum as an individual, not as your business.  People like to engage on these forums with other people, even though you will be able to promote your business on the forum
  • Read the rules!  Most forums have some strict rules around promotion, so make sure you are coloring inside the lines so you don’t have your posts removed – or aren’t banned.
  • Complete your profile.  You can usually put in information including social and website links. But don’t go overboard.  Think of a couple of lines – an elevator pitch – that describe you do.
  • Add a signature.  Depending on the forum, having a signature may be tied to how long you have been in the forum.  Follow the rules and try to stay consistent with the “theme” that others are using.
  • Add value to the forum.  Don’t use it for blatant self-promotion.  Engage in discussions and give some insights to other forum members.

Download our complementary guide for more ideas.

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, please reach out to us.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

YouTube
YouTube
LinkedIn
LinkedIn