Kristin Colier

Archive for April, 2010

Hi Friends – I have been trying to explain how exactly I can help companies improve their products, marketing and customer rapport with an effective internet presence.  I talk a lot about user experience and integrating social media… but I think this story may help illustrate what I do best.  Enjoy.

The Story of The Three Small Business Owners

Once upon a time there were three small business owners. They all sold party supplies and all decided they must build a website.

The first small business owner was not very smart. He hired his nephew to build his website for $300 and a case of Budweiser. He launched his website. He made a some money. He was pretty happy.

The First Small Business Owner was Not Very Smart...

The second small business owner had a little more business sense. He invested over $2000 with a web design company. He used professional graphics and created an online catalog. He went even further and bought Google ads every month to drive lots and lots of people to his website. He spent more money, he made more money. He was happy.

The third small business owner was the wisest of all. She hired me.

I asked the business owner lots of questions about her products and her business goals. I researched the industry and her target customers.
I did keyword research, monitored blogs, twitter streams, social sites and other online forums and learned a lot about her customers.
We discovered that most party planners are women between the ages of 25 and 45. We learned that the buying habits for professional party planners are different than people that plan parties once or twice a year. We figured out that party planners often need information on caterers, rentals, entertainment, recipes, party games, house-cleaning services and venues. We learned that some party themes were timeless and some were trendy – and could find out what trends were on the rise and which were fading out.

Since the small business owner learned so much about party planning and party supplies she provided great advice to her customers too. She became known as “The Party Queen.” Her customers looked to her for answers and she delivered. They even told their friends about her. One she built her website, it became a one-stop shop for party planning, tips, resources and supplies.

She invested some money, she made lots of money. She was happy AND her customers were happy.

But that is not the end.

One day…. Along came the BIG BAD ECONOMY.

The Big Bad Economy Huffed and Puffed...

The Big Bad Economy visited the first small business owner. He huffed and he puffed and blew … Well, since his prices were too high, and he didn’t have very many customers to begin with, it didn’t take much to knock down the first small business owner. Soon he was back to flipping burgers.

NEXT, the Big Bad Economy visited the second small business owner. He huffed and puffed… but since the Second Small Business Owner had more customers, he bought in bulk and was able to offer lower prices than some of the other online party businesses. He lowered his prices, decreased his margins and though he wasn’t exactly “rolling in it,” for now, he was still in business.
The Big Bad Economy was perplexed, so he called his brother. His brother was called “A Fundamental Shift in Consumer Demand for Cheap Unsustainable Plastic Crap Made in China.”

Together they huffed and puffed…
The business owner increased his advertising, he decreased his prices even more, but still he found his customers kept disappearing. Finally the Big Bad Economy and the Fundamental Shift in Consumer Demand for Cheap Unsustainable Plastic Crap Made in China put him out of business.

His fate was worse than the first. He went back to an unsatisfying middle-management job and blamed the hippies for ruining his business.

Now, I am sure you are wondering what happened to the Third Small Business Owner.
When the Big Bad Economy came along, she didn’t lose customers. Her customers were loyal. In fact, she picked up some of the first small business owner’s customers. Her customers didn’t go shopping around for lower prices because she added value, she gave her expertise away for free. She saved them time and money by putting everything in one place. Plus, everyone liked doing business with the Party Queen.
And when the Fundamental Shift in Consumer Demand for Cheap Unsustainable Plastic Crap Made in China came along – she was ready. She had seen this trend coming for months and had already started offering greener and eco-friendly party products.

She was Happy AND Her Customers Were Happy.

They called their cousins: “Product Recall,” “Fabricated Sex Scandal” and “Unauthorized Biography.” It didn’t matter. Her customers loved her and continued to recommend her website to their party planner friends.

Her business thrived. Her customers thrived.

And They All Lived Happily Ever After