Monday, February 22, 2010

Little Things Can Equal Big Savings

Little things can equal big savings in a hurry. The trick is having enough savvy to spot the potential savings. Here in St. Louis, an owner of a day spa discovered that technicians were using three pumps on a shampoo container when washing a client's hair. While only one pump of shampoo was needed, the extra two pumps per client didn't seem like a lot at first.
Until the owner calculated one year's worth. She soon discovered she could save more than $5,000 from just asking technician's to use one pump worth of shampoo.
For businesses of all sizes trying to cut expenses, these savings are all around us. The trick is to really focus on controlling these costs.
--Ron Ameln, SBM

Friday, February 5, 2010

Old Communication Tools Still Work

When it comes to investing, Warren Buffet has a legendary quote: "Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can't buy what is popular and do well."
That's a great quote when it comes to investing, but it also applies to business as well. Keep this quote in mind as you begin your journey with social media. With everyone jumping on the social media bandwagon, don't forget things like letters and the telephone.
Ironically, in this age of social media and texting, one of our strongest sales tool is the hand-written letter. Yes, a scribbled, personal hand-written letter. Not one we ordered through a website, but a letter we actually wrote (with an ink pen and our own hands). Think about it. Who gets hand-written letters these days? It is a great way to stand out.
I'm not saying social media isn't a great way to go, or it doesn't have a future. I'm simply saying, Don't turn your back on the tools that helped you become successful in the first place. They still work. We're great examples of how these tools can work.
--Ron Ameln, SBM