Supercuts hairstyling salons are one of the top franchises in the personal health and beauty industry. They are great business models for either owner/operator or owner/manager. Several franchisees start with a single salon and expand into an empire.This profitable and fun business is worthy of careful investigation.
Supercuts was recently ranked as one of the top hair-care franchises by Entrepreneur magazine in their annual Franchise 500's. And consumers have made us North America's favorite place to get a stylish look at an affordable price.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Marketing From the Consumer Perspective
Marketing From the Consumer Perspective
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ed_Wills]Ed Wills
Does your business find itself marking down too much product at the end of each season? Do your scratch your head when you review the monthly income report asking yourself, "Why are more people buying our product or service?" This can often indicate a marketing failure. Making the best cup of coffee or importing the finest wine does not mean people will open your door. So you market. You buy ads. Still no one comes. It could be that your marketing reflects what is important to you, not to your potential consumer. Here is a simple two step process to help you reach consumers from their perspective.
Step One, identify your ideal potential consumer.
Is your ideal consumer male or female. Does your product or service appeal mostly to teenagers, young professionals or seniors? Is there an economic or education bracket that defines who visits your shop or uses your service? Answering these and other questions can help you identify who your ideal consumer is and develop a plan that targets them. Don't fall into the very common trap and assume people like you are your ideal consumer. Just because you love your product or service does not mean you are representative of your ideal consumer. An expert wine enthusiast may feel compelled to open a wine shop, but if he markets exclusively to other expert wine enthusiasts he is destined to go out of business because his market is too small.
Step Two, market to your consumer's buying process - Learn, Feel, Buy.
Consumers always go through a 3 step process for everything they buy.
First, they learn about the product or service. Most marketing campaigns do a good job of informing the public of their product or service. Information is easy. It takes almost no thought. We already know enough about or product or service to fill volumes. It makes us feel good to show off our immense knowledge. But too much will leave the consumer cold. While information is essential to the marketing effort, it should be simple and basic so as not to confuse the potential consumer. The confused customer never buys.
Second, the consumer must want to buy at an emotional level. The reason many marketing campaigns fail is that the exclusively inform but do not evoke an emotional response. Product features and benefits may be clearly outlined. Your hours of operations may be spelled out. Contact information may be correctly placed in the upper right hand corner. But if your ad does not evoke an emotional response, your campaign will fall flat.
Analyzing your consumer's emotional reason for buying takes some serious thought, but it is well worth the effort. Consider some great campaigns everyone remembers. "You deserve a break today." "Proud to be an American. Made in the USA." "Be the best you can be." "Just do it." These slogans evoke a strong emotional response and drive people to buy, even though they say little or nothing about the product or service. In the end, all decisions to buy are emotional decisions. Appeal to those emotions that cause your potential consumer to become your loyal customer.
The third step is to buy. You may think that your ad campaign has no control over the third step, but it does. Three factors affect where and when people buy - convenience, urgency and loyalty. Your ad campaign should touch on those purchase triggers. Phrases such as "limited time offer" or "while supplies last" appeal to urgency. Programs such as "open late every night till Christmas" or "free delivery" appeal to convenience. Identifiers such as "Your friendly family-owned neighborhood coffee shop" appeal to loyalty.
If you are your best customer, you are going to go broke. But if you can identify and reach a broad base of ideal potential consumers, success is in your grasp.
Ed Wills is a franchise and small business startup consultant with WFA Franchise Consultants. He specializes in helping people identify business opportunities that will help them reach their personal and financial goals. He writes, speaks and coaches on a variety of business and success topics. You can learn more about his services or request a free consultation at [http://www.WFAFranchiseConsultants.com]http://www.WFAFranchiseConsultants.com.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Marketing-From-the-Consumer-Perspective&id=4622500] Marketing From the Consumer Perspective
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ed_Wills]Ed Wills
Does your business find itself marking down too much product at the end of each season? Do your scratch your head when you review the monthly income report asking yourself, "Why are more people buying our product or service?" This can often indicate a marketing failure. Making the best cup of coffee or importing the finest wine does not mean people will open your door. So you market. You buy ads. Still no one comes. It could be that your marketing reflects what is important to you, not to your potential consumer. Here is a simple two step process to help you reach consumers from their perspective.
Step One, identify your ideal potential consumer.
Is your ideal consumer male or female. Does your product or service appeal mostly to teenagers, young professionals or seniors? Is there an economic or education bracket that defines who visits your shop or uses your service? Answering these and other questions can help you identify who your ideal consumer is and develop a plan that targets them. Don't fall into the very common trap and assume people like you are your ideal consumer. Just because you love your product or service does not mean you are representative of your ideal consumer. An expert wine enthusiast may feel compelled to open a wine shop, but if he markets exclusively to other expert wine enthusiasts he is destined to go out of business because his market is too small.
Step Two, market to your consumer's buying process - Learn, Feel, Buy.
Consumers always go through a 3 step process for everything they buy.
First, they learn about the product or service. Most marketing campaigns do a good job of informing the public of their product or service. Information is easy. It takes almost no thought. We already know enough about or product or service to fill volumes. It makes us feel good to show off our immense knowledge. But too much will leave the consumer cold. While information is essential to the marketing effort, it should be simple and basic so as not to confuse the potential consumer. The confused customer never buys.
Second, the consumer must want to buy at an emotional level. The reason many marketing campaigns fail is that the exclusively inform but do not evoke an emotional response. Product features and benefits may be clearly outlined. Your hours of operations may be spelled out. Contact information may be correctly placed in the upper right hand corner. But if your ad does not evoke an emotional response, your campaign will fall flat.
Analyzing your consumer's emotional reason for buying takes some serious thought, but it is well worth the effort. Consider some great campaigns everyone remembers. "You deserve a break today." "Proud to be an American. Made in the USA." "Be the best you can be." "Just do it." These slogans evoke a strong emotional response and drive people to buy, even though they say little or nothing about the product or service. In the end, all decisions to buy are emotional decisions. Appeal to those emotions that cause your potential consumer to become your loyal customer.
The third step is to buy. You may think that your ad campaign has no control over the third step, but it does. Three factors affect where and when people buy - convenience, urgency and loyalty. Your ad campaign should touch on those purchase triggers. Phrases such as "limited time offer" or "while supplies last" appeal to urgency. Programs such as "open late every night till Christmas" or "free delivery" appeal to convenience. Identifiers such as "Your friendly family-owned neighborhood coffee shop" appeal to loyalty.
If you are your best customer, you are going to go broke. But if you can identify and reach a broad base of ideal potential consumers, success is in your grasp.
Ed Wills is a franchise and small business startup consultant with WFA Franchise Consultants. He specializes in helping people identify business opportunities that will help them reach their personal and financial goals. He writes, speaks and coaches on a variety of business and success topics. You can learn more about his services or request a free consultation at [http://www.WFAFranchiseConsultants.com]http://www.WFAFranchiseConsultants.com.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Marketing-From-the-Consumer-Perspective&id=4622500] Marketing From the Consumer Perspective
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Profit From Retirement
The old paradigm went something like this. "Work for the same company for 30 years. Retire at 65 with a pension. Play golf."
The new paradigm works something like this. "Work for 4-5 different companies as you climb the corporate ladder. Get laid off at 55 with 200,000 in your 401k. Now what?"
As companies have been cutting costs to weather the recession, the experienced employee has taken the hardest hit. Fifty something's are being replaced by twenty something's who will work for half their salary. Middle management jobs are going away, possibly never to return again. With no pension and insufficient funds to retire to the golf course, many capable and experienced managers are moving to entrepreneurism as their retirement plan.
For most, their 401k is not enough to retire on. It is, however, enough to start a new business. Some accounting firms specialize in rolling over 401k's into a business investment that can provide an income well into retirement. It is a special provision of the ERISA law that is too involved to go into here, but it is entirely legal and increasingly popular.
During the dot com bubble of the 90's, it seemed 25 was the age to start a business. A recent Kaufman Institute study showed that the age at which entrepreneurs start new businesses was steadily rising. Entrepreneurism, once thought the pursuit of the young and energetic, is fast becoming the pastime of the wise and experienced.
An experienced manager (age 55) can start as an owner/operator of a service business. After a few years establishing the business, he can easily transition to an owner/manager. He can keep busy, but at a slower pace and enjoy a semi-retirement status well into his seventies.
There are two key advantages inherent in the older entrepreneur.
1 - Experience. Older entrepreneurs have been around the block a few times. After years of management meetings, they know how to plan and budget. They know the importance of setting obtainable goals and measuring accomplishment. They can handle people and are unafraid to hire and, when necessary, fire. They don't fall for every slick sales pitch that comes through the door and can smell a rotten egg when it is standing in front of them.
2 - Network. Older entrepreneurs have connections. A recent Kaufman Institute survey of successful business owners showed that they ranked personal and business network connections as important as access to capital financing when starting a new business. If you are starting a service business and know people in a dozen area companies who could use your service, you are off to a good start.
Many excellent business models lend themselves to the older entrepreneur. Business consulting, coaching and training allow the entrepreneur to take advantage of their years of experience and share it with others. Direct marketing businesses take advantage of the entrepreneurs vast network of professionals acquired over time. Other business models such as mobile food service vending at events allows the entrepreneur to travel extensively.
Whatever your age, going into business for yourself takes careful thought and planning. It is helpful to take stock of your key asset, yourself. What are you interests, goals, and investment capital? Do you want to work from home or would you rather have an office? What business model would fit your personality? A thorough assessment, reviewed by a small business consultant can help you get on the right track.
Finally, ask yourself, "Do I have the courage to act? Individuals who have worked in a job for 20 or 30 years may find entrepreneurship a daunting possibility. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, but utilizing the experience and network of the older entrepreneur can be fun and profitable.
The new paradigm works something like this. "Work for 4-5 different companies as you climb the corporate ladder. Get laid off at 55 with 200,000 in your 401k. Now what?"
As companies have been cutting costs to weather the recession, the experienced employee has taken the hardest hit. Fifty something's are being replaced by twenty something's who will work for half their salary. Middle management jobs are going away, possibly never to return again. With no pension and insufficient funds to retire to the golf course, many capable and experienced managers are moving to entrepreneurism as their retirement plan.
For most, their 401k is not enough to retire on. It is, however, enough to start a new business. Some accounting firms specialize in rolling over 401k's into a business investment that can provide an income well into retirement. It is a special provision of the ERISA law that is too involved to go into here, but it is entirely legal and increasingly popular.
During the dot com bubble of the 90's, it seemed 25 was the age to start a business. A recent Kaufman Institute study showed that the age at which entrepreneurs start new businesses was steadily rising. Entrepreneurism, once thought the pursuit of the young and energetic, is fast becoming the pastime of the wise and experienced.
An experienced manager (age 55) can start as an owner/operator of a service business. After a few years establishing the business, he can easily transition to an owner/manager. He can keep busy, but at a slower pace and enjoy a semi-retirement status well into his seventies.
There are two key advantages inherent in the older entrepreneur.
1 - Experience. Older entrepreneurs have been around the block a few times. After years of management meetings, they know how to plan and budget. They know the importance of setting obtainable goals and measuring accomplishment. They can handle people and are unafraid to hire and, when necessary, fire. They don't fall for every slick sales pitch that comes through the door and can smell a rotten egg when it is standing in front of them.
2 - Network. Older entrepreneurs have connections. A recent Kaufman Institute survey of successful business owners showed that they ranked personal and business network connections as important as access to capital financing when starting a new business. If you are starting a service business and know people in a dozen area companies who could use your service, you are off to a good start.
Many excellent business models lend themselves to the older entrepreneur. Business consulting, coaching and training allow the entrepreneur to take advantage of their years of experience and share it with others. Direct marketing businesses take advantage of the entrepreneurs vast network of professionals acquired over time. Other business models such as mobile food service vending at events allows the entrepreneur to travel extensively.
Whatever your age, going into business for yourself takes careful thought and planning. It is helpful to take stock of your key asset, yourself. What are you interests, goals, and investment capital? Do you want to work from home or would you rather have an office? What business model would fit your personality? A thorough assessment, reviewed by a small business consultant can help you get on the right track.
Finally, ask yourself, "Do I have the courage to act? Individuals who have worked in a job for 20 or 30 years may find entrepreneurship a daunting possibility. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, but utilizing the experience and network of the older entrepreneur can be fun and profitable.
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