The SmallBizLady Buzz - Issue 28

How are you going to stand out this holiday season?

Amazon Prime Day is Oct. 13th and 14th, and that will officially kick off the holiday shopping season. Will you be ready? The holiday shopping season will offer many businesses their best chance this year to boost their 2020 sales since the start of the Pandemic. But you must first be noticed by potential customers, who are likely to be inundated by text ads, emails, and discounts.

Many shoppers are willing to buy things they wouldn’t normally buy during this time of year. But they are also highly sensitive to buying anything that doesn’t appear to be steeply discounted, with FREE shipping. With Amazon kicking off holiday shopping so early, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, will also be much less of a factor to drive holiday sales. We all have about two weeks before the holiday deals will be everywhere. Here are a few ways to help your business stand out among the clutter.

1. Offer an Exclusive New Product

Your holiday product doesn’t need to be discounted if customers understand its value. Make the higher price part of the reason to buy it. You don’t have to create the next PlayStation or foot massage to add value that customers will happily pay more for. Consider creating an upgraded version of an existing product. 

2. Offer Small Upsells

Just like with checkout displays at retail stores, people don’t mind adding on a few dollars worth of items as they go through the checkout process. Think stocking stuffers. Suggest several of these kinds of lower-priced products on your checkout page or a pop-up offer as simple upsells that will not break the bank this holiday season.

3. Appeal to Anti-Christmas Customer

Some people aren’t fans of the holidays. Candy canes, Santa Claus, and holiday music make their eyes roll. They hate Mariah Carey’s Christmas Standard, “All I want for Christmas is You.” This is a market segment that many brands ignore, but if you make can appeal with the right edge of sarcasm and humor, it could be a windfall for your business. Come up with a promotion just for them. In your campaign, try something like developing a list like 10 things you hate about the holidays list. If you hit them with the right amount of empathy and humor, you could rake in big bucks this holiday. For even more tips to stand out this holiday, check out this week’s feature article: Ways to Find a Unique Selling Proposition Business for Your Small Business

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Ways to Find a Unique Selling Proposition for Your Small Business

Even if your business has high-quality products and services, you can still get crowded out by the competition. Consumers may overlook your products and services if you don’t know how to communicate why they should come to you and not your competitors. 

This is where your unique selling proposition comes into play. It’s about looking at your competitors and find something that you have that they don’t have. Once you find your unique selling point, you can set apart your small business in the competition. Continue reading....

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Podcast: Mastering Your Brand Story with Kim J. Plyler

Check out this week’s Podcast: Mastering Your Brand Story with Kim J. Plyler

Kim J. Plyler is the CEO and president of SahlComm Inc., a public relations and creative communications firm based in Pennsylvania. Kim is a public speaker, PR strategist, Certified Optimize Coach, and author of Master Your Story, It Matters! She has written speeches for admirals in the U.S. Navy, has an education in theatre with a Bachelor of Arts degree from DeSales University, and attended The Defense Information School for Journalism, Public Affairs, and Media Relations. 

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Melinda F. Emerson, “SmallBizLady” is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. She is an internationally renowned keynote speaker on small business development, marketing and social selling. Melinda is also the president of the Quintessence Group, an award-winning marketing consulting firm based in Philadelphia, PA, serving Fortune 500 brands who target small business market. LinkedIn named her a Top Voice for 2019 in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. In addition to being a former NY Times columnist, she is frequently quoted by media organizations including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox News. She is the host of #Smallbizchat LIVE and The SmallBizChat Podcast. A prolific writer, Melinda has published more than 5000 articles on her blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com. Her small business advice is widely read reaching more than 3 million entrepreneurs each week online. She is the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, 2nd Edition. Her latest book is Fix Your Business, a 90 Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business.