Ask the Community Anything: What's your Question of the Week? 🧐

[tranguyen]

Happy Wednesday 🌻

Coming up with new Question of the Week and reading through the replies every week is a highlight for all of the Seller Community team. 

This week, we want to do something differently and would like to turn the spotlight on you:

Ask the Community Anything: What's your Question of the Week?

Maybe you've always wanted to learn how other sellers find inspiration for their window displays. Or how they might be sourcing items and ingredients. Share all your questions with us here!

One of the Seller Community team will contact you if your question is chosen to be featured as a future Question of the Week

[Michael_L]

Do you use physical hand-outs or business cards at your place of business?  What is your goal in handing them out, and do you find them effective?

[backintimetoys]

We use business cards and magnets. The hope is to direct people to our website and ebay stores.

Lisa

Back in Time Comics and Toys

backintimecomics.com

[Granny1]

I find paper business cards is old school way of letting people know about your business. I use an free online business card called blinq.com people always have there phone them. They can scan the QR code and save your information. They can also put in there information and you get an email once they do it and you can follow up with them. I used at an event in Times Square last weekend and it worked out well. 

[essentialnails]

Our business cards have our QR code to direct them to our website and menu as well as a $5 off to encourage people to keep and use those cards on a future purchase. It’s proven really effective to getting clients back in!

[jman172003]

I just did a fair this weekend, today was the last day.  For today, I created new business cards that had QR codes on them, one going to my square site for my products and one going to my booking website (i use a different platform to book massage sessions and store client info and notes).  

Im hoping that by having the QR codes, I will have more reach and contact from them

[Jsimo76]

People want stuff, **bleep**, whatever. No one wants a card when you can Google in 5 seconds. More **bleep** for the people...wake up China!

[Tamyra_Paunchy]

Yes, we have business cards and also thank you cards that say thanks for supporting our small business on one side and then on the other side has all of our social media handles and a note to follow our journey online. The goal is to take a single sale and turn that into someone that's not only a follower but a repeat customer and brand ambassador in their own way. If people take a business card usually it's because they want to email or contact us to have a longer, deeper conversation about something related to the business later. If people take one of the thank you cards it's usually because they like the product and are just curious about what else it is that we're doing, how we do what we do, and when we have events/sales/promos. 

[JUYBoutique20]

How does your business look different now vs when you first started?

[DLRosenberg]

great question!!

[Granny1]

Totally different from when I started my businesses many years ago. This is a digital world now. 

[Tamyra_Paunchy]

Gosh. While I still have a ways to go, I feel like I'm a lot more organized, more aware of industry trends and my own production limitations. I've also done a lot of networking over the years so I'm more connected to other businesses in my area geographically and in my industry. I'm more confident as well. In the beginning I was taking sales just because I was so excited to have one. Now I have questions and am confident enough to look at which sales are beneficial to me, profitable, and likely to lead to more business down the line versus those just looking for a 'deal'. 

[DLRosenberg]

What do you do when sales slow down- what are your best promotions and sales drivers...

how many sales are too many sales.. is there e a schedule you work off of?

[MudFire_Deanna]

How do you allow/manage feedback loops internally? We use slack and younger users often view feedback as criticism that should be "private" and we as owners view feedback as something the whole team should see and learn from. Mostly related to tasks being done incorrectly or teams not communicating types of issues.

[PlaySpace]

What have you found to be the best way to promote or advertise your business??

[Tamyra_Paunchy]

Word of mouth, live events like farmer's markets, and in-store demos.

[ReginaRMT]

? could be... When visiting a service business what is the best offering you have been offered while waiting for your appointment.  ie coffee, tea, flavoured water and so on. Would you visit a place that offers this or is there a need for this to gain your business.

[Tamyra_Paunchy]

Yes, I still remember the first time I went to a salon and while waiting was offered a robe and a bottle of water, tea, or soda. I felt so 'special'! haha. This was years ago but I'd saved up my $$ for the visit and it really helped take the experience up a notch. Now I go to a nail salon that offers beverages and while I usually say no I really appreciate the gesture. 

[olijebodycare]

Other than offering a discount, what is another way to get customers to return?

[Native_Creative]

Do you all believe in unicorns?