If you’re like me, you like to keep things simple. For many small business owners, though, there is one thing that is almost always more complex than it needs to be: marketing software. Until recently, marketing software was designed for big businesses – and included enough bells and whistles to make your head spin. Ultimately, this is a problem that grows as businesses grow.

If you’ve grown your business to the point where you’re getting a fair amount of website traffic and leads in the door, you’re ready to look at optimizing your sales and marketing process with marketing automation.  Here the most common problems you’ll face as you decide which platform to invest in – and how to solve them:

Enterprise Requirements Add Complexity

One of the reasons that marketing software is more complex than it needs to be is because of the complexity of enterprise requirements. CRMs built for large corporations need to cater to the needs of multiple teams and multiple end users. The larger a product gets and the wider the scope it addresses, the more difficult and unwieldy it becomes for a small business to use.

The Software is Designed for the Five Percent

An extension of the problem of enterprise complexity is that most software is designed for the most complicated problems a business might ever face. This is because designers are working from the theory that if the marketing software “handles the requirements of the most sophisticated shipper, then it can handle any company’s requirements.” This leads to systems that are hard to navigate and ultimately designed for the five percent of users that are able to use the system to its fullest, leaving the remaining 95 percent bewildered at the billion-plus possible configurations of their software.

Features Come First Instead of Benefits

Despite one of the cornerstone maxims of marketing being the need to sell benefits, not features, most marketing software does the exact opposite. Features are thrown in that someone thinks will improve a company’s bottom line, but in reality, the more esoteric features are really thrown in to assist with a specific client or two they remember as opposed to large numbers of clients. This leads to complex marketing software which showcases a breathless list of all of its features … and no context for why marketers should care about those features.

Users are Slow to Adopt

One of the biggest hurdles you’ll face in implementing marketing software is getting your sales and marketing teammates to change their process and use a new platform. Ask any sales person and they’ll tell you how they have had to work with a complex sales and marketing software – and did everything in their power to avoid using it. If the tools your implement make your sales and marketing team feel like their process is being hindered and not optimized, good luck getting them to use the software you invested in. Easy to use tools that smooth out the work day instead of adding headaches will get your team on board faster – and show ROI much more quickly.

Broad Platforms are Clunky

You probably only use a third of your smartphone features. I could write this blog post on my smartphone for instance, but my iphone isn’t the best tool for writing content that’s more than 140 characters. I’d much rather write on my laptop at my desk. I have a set of different tools so I can tackle each task optimally.  It’s the same with marketing software.  Some platforms do everything under the sun – from scheduling your social media posts to  creating landing pages.  The thing is, these tools aren’t always that great at doing those ancillary tasks, and those giant marketing suites often include a ton of functionality that you’ll never use. Let the social media experts handle social media, and the web optimization experts handle landing pages to build a custom solution for your business.

So, How Do You Decide on the Right Marketing Software?

Selecting your marketing software is a tough job – especially if you have no prior experience implementing a sales and marketing platform.  Here’s how to make the best decision for your business:

1. Study your sales and marketing process closely. Map out the customer lifecycle from lead, to prospect, to customer.  Then, look at instances where you can automation your process.
2. Decide which features are most essential to your business. Think about where your process is now, and where you’d like to go.  For instance, do you have a larger sales team and need the ability to rotate new leads? Then an enterprise system with a round-robin feature might fit your business needs. But, if you just need a central location to store and track contacts, a simple CRM with basic functionality might be the ticket.
3. Decide on your budget. Calculating your customer lifetime value can help you project how much money makes sense to spend on marketing software every month.
4. Speak with sales consultants.  No one likes a hard sell, but when it comes to choosing marketing software – especially for a first time buyer – your software sales consultant is a great resource. Your sales consultant can help you determine how you can automate your specific process, and give you a break down of the features that will work best.

We have 150+ years of sales and marketing experience under our belt.  We have experience working with big, enterprise marketing software, and it’s fueled our mission to bring small businesses simple, easy to use tools that grow revenue.

We focus on core sales and marketing features – contact management, email marketing, and marketing automation. This provides a number of ways for small businesses to not only improve pipeline efficiency, but to do so in a focused and straightforward way, making enterprise complexity a thing of the past. You focus on your business rather than on getting somebody else’s complex marketing software to work.

The Hatchbuck team has embraced the simple and returned to the basics of successful marketing by hand-selecting the features most beneficial to small businesses. And we didn’t leave out the ultimate feature: A dedicated consultant to help you every step of the way … a much more useful “feature” than another elaborate list of complex (and possibly useless) options.

More than one-third of the U.S. workforce is made up of Millennials, those born between about 1980 and 2000, and by 2025 they are expected to make up nearly half of all employees, according to the Pew Research Center, dramatically reshaping the American workforce. That makes it essential for small, growing businesses to understand how and why this generation works, what motivates them and what they are looking to gain from their jobs and careers.

Nurturing this generation of workers is a delicate matter because unlike the Boomers and Gen Xers that came before them, Millennials don’t have much loyalty to an employer; if their situation frustrates them they’ll quickly move on if they can.

In fact the Deloitte Millennial Survey 2016, which surveyed 7,700 Millennials from 29 countries, found that 44 percent said if given the choice they would like to leave their current employers in the next two years. Why? Because of a lack of leadership development opportunities which lead to feelings of being overlooked. Those issues are compounded by larger ones around work/life balance, the desire for flexibility and conflicting values. No wonder they don’t want to stay long.

There are, however, many things you should know—and can do–as a small business owner to more effectively attract, hire and retain talented Millennials. Even Millennial business owners don’t necessarily know how best to attract and engage Millennial employees, so here’s a guide to help:

First, understand them.

Research shows that Millennials, the first generation to have grown up technology literate, are more comfortable than other generations to communicate via technology each other and in the workplace, according to Lauren Stiller Rikleen, founder of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership and author of You Raised Us – Now Work With Us: Millennials, Career Success and Building Strong Workplace Teams. Research has shown that Millennials also have quite a bit in common with their older counterparts. Surveys done by Facebook, the first Fortune 500 company to be founded and led by a Millennial, show that this generation’s wants and needs are “strikingly similar to those of colleagues from other generations,” according to Lori Goler writing in the Harvard Business Review in December. Goler heads human resources at Facebook. “They’re looking for jobs that give them a sense of fulfillment or meaning, allow them to be authentic and play to their strengths, offer opportunities for learning and growth, and empower them to take initiative,” she wrote.

Create a business culture that speaks to younger workers.

In March the insurance company Nationwide—hardly cutting edge—began allowing its employees to wear jeans to the office. Nationwide’s leadership said the decision to change their policy resulted from listening to feedback from its associates. It’s part of an effort by companies of all sizes to appeal to Millennials, who will want to work at companies where the culture is comfortable for them. Millennials also want opportunities for learning, advancement and for innovation. Facebook, for example, is able to attract and retain Millennials is by working to match its employees’ strengths, skills and interests with opportunities at the company.  Millennials are also attracted to companies that pay attention to both their social and environmental responsibilities and impact. Only 5% of those in Deloitte’s survey believed  profit-focused values would ensure a company’s long term success.  

Competitive compensation doesn’t mean you have to match the big guys.

Sure, Millennial professionals, like any other professional, want to be paid a competitive salary. As a small business, however, it may be hard to offer the same salaries as bigger companies. Fortunately, Millennials aren’t focused only on the dollars. Outside of salary, the survey by Deloitte showed that Millennials felt work-life balance, opportunities for advancement, flexibility (in where and when they work), meaningful work and professional development training programs were the five most important factors they considered when evaluating job opportunities. If you can’t pay what a bigger company in your industry can, you can offer things bigger companies can’t, like remote work options, greater advancement opportunities, close mentoring and reverse mentoring—all things Millennials value.

Build internal leadership development programs.

Millennials want to develop into leaders. If your business is growing, you’ll have a continual need for good managers and executives, so creating programs that help younger workers map out a career plan and understand the paths available to them will serve a dual purpose. Offer opportunities for them to vary their experience and build their value in the company and the greater industry. It’s very important to Millennials is that there is a clear path to advancement.

Give frequent, meaningful feedback.

Don’t give feedback annually—that will never be enough for your Millennial employees and, frankly, it’s probably not enough for your older employees either. A report from SuccessFactors and Oxford Economics, Workforce 2020: A Millennial Misunderstanding found that Millennial workers feel better and do better at work with feedback on a weekly or, in some cases daily, basis. That’s not narcissism, it’s that Millennials are your least experienced workers, so they need more guidance about improvement (and encouragement when they do well).  

Make work purposeful.

Perks like foosball tables, nap rooms or espresso bars are not the reasons Millennials are attracted to a job or company. It’s far more important that their work has a clear purpose for themselves, the organization and the world. Deloitte’s surveys have found that almost half of Millennials they surveyed declined to perform assignments that contradicted their values.  Even if your business isn’t necessarily doing anything world-changing, just being a company that is transparent, not bureaucratic and that values its employees can give workers a sense of control and purpose. And that will trump the foosball table every time.

Universally dreaded by employees at all levels and across all industries, meetings are a necessary evil that, if conducted correctly, can improve workplace efficiency and boost morale. The ideal meeting is targeted, concise, and most importantly, productive. Do team meetings the right way, and ask yourself these four questions before you meet:

Is This Meeting Necessary?

A lot of what is accomplished in a meeting could be taken care of in a much more efficient manner — so think twice before scheduling in the first place. The necessity of any given gathering can easily be determined by creating a clear goal and outlining an agenda. While looking over your prepared agenda, you may realize that the meeting is not as essential as you thought — and that it is not worth adding to your employees’ already packed schedules. Often, meeting objectives can be better addressed through emails, one-on-one discussions, online chats or video conferencing.  We use Slack to keep discussions organized and to keep mindshare in one place so we can reference it later.

What’s the Agenda?

Upon determining that a given meeting is, in fact, necessary, refine your agenda to include specific details regarding the topics you wish to cover. The more details you include, the less likely you will be to get sidetracked. Be sure to print copies of the agenda and distribute them to all meeting attendees so that they also remain focused, or use a project management tool like Basecamp to organize meeting tasks.

Am I Respecting Everyone’s Time?

Those present at your meeting are likely on a time crunch, and thus, eager to wrap things up as soon as possible. Respect their time by abiding by your intended schedule. This may mean starting before everybody arrives (and privately discussing punctuality with those who are repeatedly late) or moving certain items to the next day’s agenda.

Bonus:  When team meetings are a place to get things done and move projects forward – rather than a time suck for your team members – everyone is more motivated to show up on time.

Sticking to the schedule is essential, of course, but it’s even more important that you create a workable schedule in the first place. Take care not to pack too much into your agenda; the temptation to get through the entire list will always be very strong, even after you’ve gone beyond your previously imposed time limit. Keep the time and date of the meeting in mind as well; early Monday meetings are rarely productive, nor are those scheduled immediately before lunch or the end of the workday.

Does Everyone Have a Chance to Be Heard?

Play to the personalities of your teammates.  For instance, give an introverted team mate room to gather their thoughts and speak.  Or offer to take discussions offline from a team member who strays from the agenda.  When everyone feels comfortable contributing, new ideas are brought to the table, spurring innovation.  And what business wouldn’t love more of that?

The most productive meetings are short and focused. Through careful scheduling, minimal small talk, and the creation of a detailed agenda, you and your team members can accomplish a great deal in the limited time you have available.

Are you spread too thin?  Are your employees engaged?  Do you need to fill a new role? Or just need an intern?

Finding strong talent that fit in with your company culture is a challenge but extremely important to the success of your business.  Since you probably don’t have a dedicated team member to take care of hiring, this guide will help you find and attract the right candidate for the job.  

Finding the Right Candidates for Your Small Business

Imagine all the people out there looking and applying for a new job.  They are fine-tuning their resumes, crafting fitting cover letters, crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s.  As a business owner looking to fill a new role in the company, it’s important for you to be doing the same.  To give a polished first impression to potential candidates, here are some tips on writing the perfect job listing, sourcing the ideal candidate, and knocking out the interview.

Write the Perfect Job Listing

Listing a job isn’t as simple as buying a want ad anymore. In the age of technology, there are so many ways to reach out to the person you want, that your message could be overlooked and never noticed at all.

That’s why creating the perfect job listing is so important. When people actually sort through the miscellaneous and see what you have to offer, your bid has to make an impression. Here are the things you should consider when creating the perfect job listing:

• Stand out

  Think about your ideal candidate as your write your job description.  Use your own voice and highlight the areas of your company that the candidate would care about.  Let them know your mission, why you are in business, and your proudest accomplishments.  Simplicity is key and we think this example from Atomicdust knocks it out of the park:

   

• Be clear

  Craft a fitting title for your role and create pertinent verbiage around it so that your ideal candidate sees what the position is about at a glance. Detail the main functions of the role clearly, making sure that that they are easy to understand by candidates and not just the people who are already working for your company. Also include who the role answers to within your company.  This is an excellent example from Flywheel that details the main functions of the role while demonstrating the language and tone they will be using on the job:

• Be honest

  Managing expectations is one of the most important factors in business across the board and it starts in the hiring process.  If you are not open and honest about the job, your new hire will figure it out quickly and replacing an employee is not cheap. Use an active voice as you explain in detail what your ideal candidate will be doing every day.  List the essential responsibilities, tasks, and projects to be successful in the position.  We love how TopOPPS shows where the role fits in the daily team process:

• Get to the point

  Be sure to include a brief description of who you are looking to hire for the position.  List the essential skills and experiences to be successful on the job and a couple preferred skills as well.  You don’t want to alienate any potentially great candidates by putting up too much red tape in the qualifications section.  Here’s what you need to have what it takes to be a Hatchbucker:

• Keep it short and simple

  Your job description should be around 400 to 800 words, so keep the flowery language to a minimum. Applicants are moving through job listings at a rapid pace. There are so many out there to choose from and candidates want to make sure they cover all their bases. Don’t forget to include the perks of working for your company.  Entice candidates to apply with salary, benefits, and career development information.

  
  Switching up the benefits section from two job descriptions like Kabbage did here is a great way to attract two different candidates:
  

  

Source the Ideal Candidate

To bring on board the right candidate, your first step needs to be sourcing those candidates from the right location. If you want to minimize the amount of time you’re spending searching and researching candidates, it’s best to turn to locations where you’ll find truly quality candidates. If you post an ad on a free website, for example, you cannot expect the highest quality of leads to be available to you. You’ll have a sea of applicants to go through with perhaps one or two worthy of your attention.

Where can you find quality candidates? Consider these key tips:

• Turn to your employees.

  Your employee’s family and friends are by far the best resource for business owners. If your business is employee-focused, your employees should be more than willing to share job openings with their network. Let them know you need additional help and offer an incentive for bringing in new people.

• Go social.

  Using professional social networks like LinkedIn to begin your search is a great way to sift through what the ideal candidates looks like and to see if you have any connections to anyone who would be interested in the job.  Running local social ads is also a great way to bring awareness to the position.

• Look in the right places.

  Instead of waiting for them to come to you, go to your ideal candidates. Attend industry events in the field related to the job position.  Not only will you meet potential candidates who are passionate about their industry, but you will also learn more about the position you are hiring for from their point of view.

• Talk to everyone.

  Strike up a conversation with the person helping you at a department store.  Drop a business card with the person who waited on you today that was truly professional.  While they aren’t actively looking for a job in your industry, their experiences could prove to be a valuable asset to your company.

Nail the Interview

Not only does the candidate need to nail the interview, but you, as the interviewer, should too.  Be conversational while asking the right questions to make a decision on the candidate.

These are the questions you must ask during an interview.  This is how you can gauge how prepared a candidate is and how interested and passionate they are about the field:

• Why do you want to work here?
• How has your previous experience prepared you for this opportunity?
• What can you bring to this role that others can’t?
• What do you know about our company?
• How do you ensure you stay ahead of trends in this industry?

From there, let the conversation flow.  Ask thoughtful questions.  You can control the pace of the conversation so make sure you give your candidate enough time to breathe and collect their thoughts.  This isn’t an interrogation.

One interview may not be enough to make a decision on the position.  You want to gather as much information to make a decision, so schedule a second interview if you like what you hear and want to learn more about the candidate, and introduce the candidate to your team.  

by Kelly Smith

In sales and marketing, you’re always looking for ways to stay top of mind with your customers. You want to build relationships with them to help develop brand loyalty, repeated sales, and promote word-of-mouth advertising.

However, it’s a fine line to walk when you’re constantly trying to reach out to your customers without pestering them. So here are four easy methods to stay in touch with your customers without compromising your relationship with them.

The Newsletter

The first method is an oldie but a goodie. Having a weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletter is an excellent way to provide valuable content and information to your customers without being intrusive. If you have a large customer base, segment the database and make sure you’re sending out content that is valuable and tailored.

The amount of newsletters you send should be determined by how much quality content you can provide. Use a tool that will allow you to track open rates so that you know how effective your newsletters are.

The Social Network

No matter what your industry is, there is a social media channel for you. By being active on at least one platform, you’ll remain top of mind with your customers (and potential customers) in a way that’s time effective, allows for customer feedback and interaction, and allows you to differentiate yourself through your brand personality and voice.

To best use this method, you need to know which platforms your customers are most likely to use and focus your efforts there. Also remember that social media is not a good place for a sales pitch. Post useful, interesting, and entertaining content to your social media account, just be certain the posts relates to your business and your company values.

The Personal Touch

This method is for your repeat, high value customers. Make sure to have a personal touch interaction at least every quarter. That doesn’t mean you make a face-to-face appointment to discuss the weather, sports, and politics. It means being aware of your customer’s preferences and business. Set up Google Alerts so you know when your customer’s name or business is in the news. Make sure you are mirroring their style of interaction. Do they always call you? Then use the phone. Are they more prone to long e-mails? Take your cue from them. Finally, never underestimate the power of a personal handwritten note.

The Live Event

Hosting a customer appreciation event, a networking party, or a fundraiser is a sure way to get yourself in front of your customers. You’ll be viewed as generous and considerate, and you’ll be able to make introductions and become more of a business partner rather than just a vendor. If you decide to use this method, be prepared for a great deal of planning and offer some incentive for your customers attending, whether it’s the location or some discount or product samples.

Kelly Smith works at CourseFinder, an Australian online education resource. She also provides career advice for students and job seekers and is passionate about the Australian startup scene.