Donation wallets:

Bitcoin: bc1q5jzk5xxez7xke82g4fslk2gaevx2syzyrx8vt9
Ethereum: 0xe8d995F329a2845628D747636738239Aa8A194A6
TRC20 – Tether USDT/TRON/USDC: TFtSZZ1d5FDKs3SXHvZPnTqXkbfvaCmQsb
ERC20 – Tether USDT/USDC: 0xe8d995F329a2845628D747636738239Aa8A194A6
Litecoin: ltc1q27envtwjk25lz0pgzafn5ugwgrmp4q5dp3fuql
Dogecoin: DJLfx2jvqS7t7DPdkqU39LUeoPP9LvioPb

The post No War! Stay With Ukraine appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

Donation wallets:

Bitcoin: bc1q5jzk5xxez7xke82g4fslk2gaevx2syzyrx8vt9
Ethereum: 0xe8d995F329a2845628D747636738239Aa8A194A6
TRC20 – Tether USDT/TRON/USDC: TFtSZZ1d5FDKs3SXHvZPnTqXkbfvaCmQsb
ERC20 – Tether USDT/USDC: 0xe8d995F329a2845628D747636738239Aa8A194A6
Litecoin: ltc1q27envtwjk25lz0pgzafn5ugwgrmp4q5dp3fuql
Dogecoin: DJLfx2jvqS7t7DPdkqU39LUeoPP9LvioPb

The post No War! Stay With Ukraine appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

Having a product listed as available when it’s out of stock.
This was one of the top complaints I heard from my panel. As an online seller I know how difficult it can be to keep track of inventory when selling on multiple platforms, which is why it’s very very important to check inventory regularly, or to limit how much inventory you’re listing on each platform. For example, if you have 20 available, it may be a good idea to list 10 and 10 on each platform (so there is no risk of selling out). If you only have one item left, it may be worth it to list that particular item on the more popular platform only. If you create custom items, you can list things as “exclusive” on different platforms. There are many options here.

Taking too long to ship or having a long “processing” time.
Buyers expect there will be a delay when purchasing online. What they don’t expect is a two to three WEEK wait time for the item to ship (unless it has been noted somewhere on your site). Assign yourself regular shipping days, and then make sure all items are shipped accordingly. Personally, I ship on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday with a 1 – 2 business day processing time. My schedule becomes:

• Items purchased on Sunday and Monday will ship Wednesday.
• Items purchased Tuesday and Wednesday will ship Friday.
• Items purchased Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will ship on Tuesday.

This gives me time to prep, pack, print, and ship without rushing. Some people find that shipping every single day, at the end of the day, is easiest for them. Others find a schedule works best. Figure out your shipping schedule, and then stick with it.

Marking an item as shipped, and then waiting a week to drop off at post office.
This one was actually a big pet peeve of mine as well as my panel. It is very frustrating when a seller marks an item as “Shipped” but takes another week to have the item picked up or dropped off. Here’s an important note: Your buyer will KNOW if you took too long to drop off their item at a post office, and there’s nothing worse than receiving that glorious “Your item has shipped!” notice when, in fact, it has not. If you’ve provided tracking information, your buyer will likely use it (and it will show that the item has not been dropped off yet). If you did not provide tracking information, the post office will stamp a date on the package for the day it was actually processed. Marking your package as “Shipped” is not a Get Out Of Jail Free card for procrastinating – you risk losing a customer if you procrastinate dropping it off.

Charging way too much for shipping to compensate for a low price tag.
There’s nothing a client hates more than finding a seemingly good price for an item, adding it to their cart, and then shipping be outrageously high. Sellers, if you cannot afford to sell the item for a lower price tag, don’t. Instead of lowering the cost and bumping up the shipping, find an alternative to convince buyers to buy from you. For example, offer free shipping on purchases greater than $100, throw in a free bag with purchase, offer 30 day money back guarantee, or record free video tutorials for the product. Put yourself a step ahead of everyone else and offer something that you feel comfortable giving.

False advertising or making a product appear to be better than it actually is.
You have to admit, when you find an item online that seems absolutely perfect for resolving your XYZ issue, you are excited about it. Well, how do you feel when you receive that item and it turns out it was falsely advertised, or made to seem more exciting than it actually is? Not great, right? Well, your customers will feel the same way if you falsely advertise a product. Use your words carefully here and provide ACCURATE pictures. Give them the facts but sell it at the same time. Your item may be colorful, easy to use, all natural, or convenient – great! Sell it that way. Don’t try to sell your item as Super Sleek and Attractive, SUPER Easy To Use, 100% ORGANIC, or Will Help You Save The World – unless it’s true.

I hope you’ve found value in today’s post – it’s nice to be able to pick your customer’s brain from time to time. It’s even nicer when someone else does the dirty work for you.

Have a beautiful day and sell smart!
Namaste,
Aly

The post Your Customers Biggest Pet Peeves – Online Shopping! appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

Story time… In addition to being a remarkable, super marketer I run a small ecofriendly business that focuses on reusable menstrual products (for the non menstruaters out there, sorry if this topic grosses you out!). Recently, the FDA has begun enforcing stricter regulations on retailers of cloth pads, forcing small and big businesses to register as medical device manufacturers. In short… cloth pads = medical device, and you have to pay a hefty price to continue making them. Unfortunately, this now means that hundreds of small businesses are being forced to shut their doors. Yep – you guessed it, my store has also been impacted by this change and sadly I don’t believe we’ll be able to pay the fee in time to continue producing cloth pads for 2015.

What do you do when your business hits a huge hurdle such as this?

Well, for one, don’t do what I did. I panicked, I worried, and I became depressed. All that accomplished nothing, except panic attacks and anxiety. Not so good.

Once I calmed down, I put things in perspective. I launched a campaign for funding, I launched ridiculously good sales on social media, and I’m in the process of launching an email campaign. In other words, I took action. With all that said and done, I am now planning for the future. I’m thinking about new and exciting opportunities, and I’m thinking of ways to revamp my business.

Moral of the story:

Do NOT let challenges and hurdles deter you from your dream and goals. Instead, when you hit a bump in the road, do these four things:

1. Put things in perspective
2. Take action
3. Plan for the future
4. Revamp your business

Namaste folks,
Aly

The post Being A Small Business Is Scary: Tips For Overcoming Hurdles appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

When building your brand, there are five questions you want to address:

1. What are your goals & core values?
2. What makes you unique?
3. What are your strengths (and weaknesses)?
4. How can you help your clients?
5. Do you have what it takes (or even better: Are you ready)?

These questions are crucial in helping you bring your scattered thoughts to one central location. So grab your pen and paper, and start taking notes. Here’s what you need to focus on when addressing the above questions:

Before you even begin building your brand, your goals and core values should be at the front of your mind…

Start mapping them out. Write down your goals and values. What do you hope to achieve, and what are willing to do to reach those goals? You will need to prioritize, so be realistic with your expectations.

Just know, it’s OK to start small. My very first business venture the first goal I set was to sell ONE product. Just one. Gain that first dollar. And I did, and then some. My second goal was to sell FIVE product in one week. Again, I did. Eventually I reached my goal to sell ten products every day, and so on. Set realistic and ACHIEVABLE goals, and then grow from there.

Make yourself standout – your competition should think of you as a threat…

If you keep following the crowd, no one is going to find any advantage going to you over Joe, Jane, or John. Standout! What will you be offering that makes you unique? Does your personality shine when writing content? Is your support top-notch? Are you offering free shipping plus a free gift for $xx?

Don’t be afraid to be YOU! There was one company I recently dealt with who was not afraid to be sarcastic. In fact, their unique humor and sarcastic nature is what I found to be so fun about them! They built an entire business around their personality and sense of humor, and they’ve been pretty successful doing so – you can be too.

Focus on your strengths, but don’t ignore your weaknesses…

Of course you want to highlight your strengths when building a business, it’s a great way to point out what you’re GREAT at so others can find value in your work, but you also don’t want to ignore your weaknesses. Fact is, if you ignore your weaknesses, a potential client may find them instead. Let’s face it, it’s a pretty embarrassing feeling when a client calls you out. Instead of pretending you’re invincible, admit what is your kryptonite.

For example, I’m not a master website designer – and I am the first to admit it. Instead of shying away and saying that “I can’t,”  or lying and saying I can do everything, I make sure to let potential clients know “Hey – I can’t build you a website from scratch, but what I can do is customize an existing theme or website so that it suits your needs.” I admit my weakness and highlight my strength – and clients will appreciate the honesty.

You should fill a need or offer a convenient service…

One of the first questions a client asks when considering a new product or service is “What’s in it for me?” Your branding should clearly state how you can help them – if they have to dig for it, you’ll probably lose them. Remember, convenience is key. If your product is to help make life easier, emphasize that, “Let ME help YOU with this amazing thing I have” or “Are you tired of doing THAT? This thing can help!” You can build a very strong brand when you make customers feel like they NEED to have you.

You must be ready and willing…

Both for success and failure. There’s no chance of success without the risk of failure, and you need to face that. You may fail multiple times before you hit it big. You may need to rebuild your brand time and time again until you find just the right balance. Be aware, if you’re terrified of failure, your clients will know. You’ll hold back, you’ll play safe, you’ll ultimately be boring – and no one has time for boring. I want you to ask yourself right now, “Are you prepared for failure?” If you can’t answer yes to that question, you’re not ready for success either, because a successful business comes with risks.

Rock on!
Aly

The post Strong Brand = Strong Client Base: 5 Tips For Building A Stronger Brand appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

There will be a lot of bumps in the road on the way to success; you may spend more money than you’d like, you may not realize everything you need to have in place legally before you begin, you may be experiencing little to no traffic to your website, and so on. There is a lot to consider when you first start your business or when you first begin your marketing campaigns, but don’t let it discourage you!

Regardless of what others may promise or tell you, the process is often not instantaneous. There are a few overnight success stories, but it’s important to note, and put things in perspective, that these stories are not the norm. The majority of successful businesses worked their butts off to get where they are today. They cried, panicked, felt overwhelmed, and experienced a whole slew of emotions before they were finally able to say “I did it!” You will too!

When you begin to feel panic, anxiety, or stress – stop. Just. Stop. Thinking. Easier said than done – I know, but it *can* be done! So stop. Focus on something else for a few moments, take calming breaths, and clear your mind. YES it is going to be hard, but YOU CAN DO IT!

Blessings,
Aly

The post Don’t be discouraged. appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

•  Save the name for last if you need to.
  In the beginning you’re still developing and growing, and you may not be 100% sold on your brand name. That’s fine. What’s not fine is rebranding five times BEFORE you finally land on one you love. This winds up confusing your community, kills your SEO, and just causes an overall mess. So save the name for last if you need to.

• Research, research, research.
  Research products, reviews, laws, restrictions, materials, etc. You may discover legal items that need to be addressed before you can start your business. In addition to researching legal areas, make sure you fully research products you plan to sell. Will you be doing drop-shipping or direct sales? Will you be carrying merchandise manufactured by someone else or will you be creating your products yourself? 
• Be prepared.
  There are a lot of factors to consider when launching your business, such as the ones outlined in the above bullet, make sure you’re fully prepared to handle them. If your business skyrocketed in sales overnight, could you handle it? On the flip side, are you mentally prepared for the journey you’re about to take (both the ups and downs)?
• Separate work from home.
  When building a business make sure you form a designated spot in your home for work. Here’s the important bit of this bullet: Keep. Work. There! Do not bring your work into other aspects of your home. Another consideration: Keep your work OUT of your bedroom space. In a home where space may be limited, you may be tempted to put a desk in your bedroom and call it your office. The issue with this is we turn a space that’s supposed to be our “sanctuary” or “zen” room into an area of anxiety. It becomes habit to walk into that room, see your “office” space, and immediately click into work mode when you should be winding down for bed. This energizes the space and keeps your mind energized as well, taking away from your slumber. If you must have your office in your bedroom, separate it with a curtain, screen, etc. so there is a distinct line of where work ends and zen begins.
• Take time for yourself.
  It’s easy to become caught up in your business and forget about yourself. For this reason, one of my biggest recommendations is to pencil time into your busy schedule each day for yourself. This could be an hour towards the end of the day where you finally power down your computer and cell phone, or perhaps attend a yoga class a few times a week. Whatever it is that brings you joy, just make sure you make time to enjoy it.

Blessings,
Aly

The post Starting a business? 5 tips before you begin. appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

The Seven Cs of Success

1. CONCEPTION: A clear vision of what we want; a goal clearly imagined. The sky’s the limit, so do not be afraid to dream BIG! 
2. CONFIDENCE: A strong confidence that we can attain the goal. Yes – you CAN do it!
3. CONCENTRATION: Focus on what it takes to reach the goal. Stay focused and kick procrastination to the curb.
4. CONSISTENCY: Be consistent in pursuing your vision. Not only that, be consistent in your actions.
5. COMMITMENT: Be committed to the importance of what you are doing. The moment your commitment falters is the moment your success may falter as well.
6. CHARACTER: A good character to guide us and keep us on the proper course. Think, do, and speak positivity both in business and in life.
7. CAPACITY: A capacity to enjoy the process along the way and love what you are doing!

Bonus C (from yours truly):

CREATIVITY: Don’t be afraid to try something new and step outside of the box. Get creative! Sometimes, especially with marketing, creativity is a blessing; Creativity keeps ideas fresh and new content is key.

Do you have a “C” you’d like to add to the list?

The post How To Be Successful: The Seven C’s Of Success appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

Writing for Other Blogs

The most common form of guest posting is when you provide another blog or resource content. Make sure when you provide this content it is unique, engaging, and provides enough detail to want to drive someone to your blog. In a way, you’re selling yourself to a new audience so you want to make sure you put your best foot forward. In the closing, make sure you include links to your website and a brief description about your site or yourself.

Featuring Guests on Your Blog

Featuring guests on your blog is a great way to boost your content for free or little cost, but you want to be selective in what you feature. Make sure you fully review content provided to you for accuracies, spelling, etc. as well as ensure the content is engaging and unique. Remember: while this content may not have been written by you, it is still on your blog and therefore reflects back on you. Poorly written, boring, or offensive content (unless that is your intention) may leave a sour impression and could lose you a follow/customer.

Featuring Previously Written Content

Copying and pasting content to multiple sources is often frowned upon, but it can be effectively executed under certain conditions. You want to ensure the content has enough unique elements to it as well as provides the proper links back to the original source. In addition, it is recommended you include a blurb or personal opinions/feedback before the pasted content and then include closing remarks (where you can also include the source links).

Have a question? Let us know! Send us an email to aly@alysanger.com.

Blessings,
Aly

The post What is Guest Posting and How to Guest Post? appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

There’s a common myth circling around that Pinterest is only for crafty people. While Pinterest does have a rather large following of crafters, not everyone on there is handy with a hammer or skilled with a sewing machine. In fact, one thing we mentioned in our post yesterday was how Pinterest actually increased revenue for many businesses on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In fact, reports say that Pinterest more than tripled revenue on Cyber Monday, and not all of those businesses were crafters; many of the sales were actually electronics, furniture, and other goods! Keeping that in mind, let’s focus on the question at hand: Is Pinterest right for your business?

First, a quick recap from Tuesday’s post: Pinterest is a “pinning” social media platform where users can “pin” their favorite images, recipes, products, videos, and blog posts to a virtual board that is then shared to followers. Pinterest is a great platform to help spread products and services via “word-of-mouth.”

Now, for businesses that do not have some form of website or gallery available, Pinterest is not right for you. Unfortunately, Pinterest currently does not allow users to “pin” images off of other platforms such as Facebook, so if you rely solely on Facebook you could be missing out. Second, as Pinterest is a way for users to “pin” items, websites that offer services such as legal representation, business consultations, and so on will also find little benefit in using Pinterest, simply because they may have nothing to show for their service.

On the flip side, businesses such as woodworkers, cake bakers, chefs, etc. (going back to the “crafty” side) will find that Pinterest gives them the ability to spread their images and work further, reaching potential new clients. In addition, businesses that sell physical products can also benefit from Pinterest as users can directly pin the products they like from a website to their boards.

There’s one unique feature that Pinterest offers that I want to point out: Pinterest provides updates to prices to their users. This means, if a user pins an item from your online store, Pinterest not only pins the image it also pins the price. When you offer a sale or lower the price of this item, Pinterest may then send an email to the person who pinned it notifying them of the new price. This is a great way to secure a sale, but be sure to check with your store hosting provider (or try it yourself) first to confirm that this feature will work for your store.

Finally, Pinterest isn’t just for products and services, but can also be used to spread your videos, blogs, and photographs! Many businesses are finding that Pinterest is a great way for them to share their Vlogs or Blogs with their fan base. Photographers may also love the ability to “pin” their images, and then watch as others find them and share them.

Happy “Pinning”!

Aly

The post Is Pinterest Right For Your Business? appeared first on Sanger Marketing.