{"id":33875,"date":"2013-04-01T05:00:28","date_gmt":"2013-04-01T12:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/198.57.196.122\/~gdatwofo\/theavtimes\/?p=33875"},"modified":"2016-12-11T15:26:00","modified_gmt":"2016-12-11T23:26:00","slug":"how-to-keep-your-business-doors-open-while-your-competitors-are-closing-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theavtimes.com\/2013\/04\/01\/how-to-keep-your-business-doors-open-while-your-competitors-are-closing-down\/","title":{"rendered":"How to keep your business doors open while your competitors are closing down"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today marks the beginning of our new \u201cSmall Business Marketing Monday\u201d<\/strong><\/span> segment where Online Business Marketing Expert & #1 Best-Selling Author on Marketing & Mindset, \u201cKate\u201d Redwine, MPA. BBA., will be sharing social media marketing and internet marketing information to help small business owners get more customers, make more money and build their online presence while making a difference.<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Small<\/a><\/p>\n

Have you ever wondered why some great businesses open their doors and then four months to two years later,\u00a0they’ve\u00a0closed? Is it the economy, location, or could it be their marketing strategy?<\/h3>\n

While I was visiting the post office on Palmdale Boulevard, I took a quick look at an empty shop within a small shopping center. The shop actually had a \u201cFor Lease\u201d sign in the window.<\/p>\n

At first I thought I was seeing things because about a week prior to this, the business was open. It actually was a small restaurant with some delicious food (yes, I\u2019ve been there). It\u2019s sad to say but since I\u2019ve been living here in the Antelope Valley for two years, I\u2019ve seen this happen too often. A business with a great product or service opens the doors with a big grand opening which includes (sometimes) a ribbon cutting ceremony and then a few months later\u2026they\u2019re closing doors.<\/p>\n

Statistics show that eight out of 10 new businesses (i.e. 80 percent) fail within the first three to five years. Now, obviously, there could be several factors for business failure which include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Poor management<\/li>\n
  2. Lack of planning<\/li>\n
  3. Little or no marketing strategy<\/li>\n
  4. No market research<\/li>\n
  5. Insufficient capital<\/li>\n
  6. Bad location<\/li>\n
  7. No clear business plan<\/li>\n
  8. Little or no internet presence<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"Brittany's<\/a>
    Brittany’s on The BLVD opened to rave reviews in April of 2012, but the restaurant has since shut its doors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    While all of these can definitely contribute to small business failure, let me bring your attention to Numbers 3 (no marketing strategy) and 8 (no internet presence).<\/p>\n

    The days are long gone where you can place a yellow pages ad, have someone twirl a sign, rely on referrals only, or slap a \u201cSALE\u201d sign in the window and expect a flood of customers. What about the other days when you\u2019re not having a sale? What about getting customers on a consistent basis?<\/p>\n

    Think you can get sales even on a slow day? I know you can and I\u2019m going to share with you how to do it.<\/p>\n

    Surprisingly, statistics have shown that only 60% of small businesses are using social media. In fact, the Austin Business Journal<\/i> reported that the New Jersey-based SMB DigitalScape market research firm shared some interesting statistics (Read the story here<\/a>):<\/p>\n