Social media wasn’t on the radar for business marketing ten years ago.  But times have changed and social media has become a valuable tool for small businesses.  Promoting your business online with sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are a less expensive alternative to more traditional forms of media marketing.

The Better Business Bureau recommends starting slowly when launching a strategy using social media.  “Adopting a comprehensive, but manageable, social media strategy can be an inexpensive yet effective way to improve customer relations and spread the word about your business,” says Alison Southwick, BBB spokesperson.

There are several things to think about when considering marketing with social media:

Don’t get in over your head — You don’t have to do it all at once. Instead, try to set aside a few minutes every day to engage in one or two aspects of social media promotion. Start small, such as with a Facebook page, commenting on blogs, or connecting with customers on Twitter. Let your social media strategy grow and evolve as you learn what works best for your time constraints and business goals.

Create and share information — Social media is about engagement, and creating and sharing content is key to connecting with customers and other industry leaders.  You may not realize it, but you, as a small business owner, are an expert and have sound advice and informed opinions to share.

Keep everything connected — Once you’ve created your page on Facebook, or established your blog, Twitter account, or other online presences, cross-promote your content so that the same message is going out across every site. For example, Tweet about your blog post or send a link in a message to your LinkedIn group. Many social media tools can be integrated. For example, you can display a Facebook badge or a Twitter widget on your blog or Web site.

Engage with Customers — Your customers are talking about you online, whether you like it or not, on their blogs, consumer-focused Web sites and on review sites like Yelp, Yahoo, and CitySearch.  While you can’t take control of the conversation you can help steer it by listening, engaging with customers and working to resolve any problems.

Social media tools are an excellent and technologically innovative way to keep your business in the public consciousness.  Include them in your marketing plan.

You have a great product.  What do you do now?

Don’t just wait for people to discover your business and products on their own.  Advertise!  If done correctly, advertising can boost sales and increase revenues, however, advertising takes planning and preparation.  Start with a blueprint for advertising success by following these easy steps.

Design the Framework

Define your long range goals and then map out how advertising can help attain them.  Set measurable goals so you can evaluate success.

Decide how much you can afford to invest.  Research and experiment to see what works best for a business like yours

Fill in the Details

Define the features of your product.  Then determine the benefits of those features.

Who is your audience?  Create a profile of your best customer.  Be as specific as possible.

Who is your competition?  Knowing your competition’s strengths and weaknesses helps you find your niche in the marketplace.

Arm Yourself With Information

What do you know about your industry, market, and audience?  There are many resources available including U.S. Government materials, libraries, trade publications, or professional organizations.

Build Your Action Plan

Evaluate your media choices and establish an advertising schedule.  Knowing your audience will help you choose the media that will deliver your sales message most effectively.

Be sure to take advantage of any special editorial or promotional coverage planned in the media you select.

Use Other Promotional Avenues

The number of promotional tools used to deliver your message and repeat your name is limited only by your imagination and your budget.  Co-sponsor an event, distribute newsletters, ally with a compatible business, there are many options to increase your visibility.

You are now ready for action.  Advertising takes time and persistence.  The effectiveness of your advertising will improve over time and long-term efforts trigger recognition and help special offers or direct marketing pay off.

You have a great product and you want to let potential customers know about it.  Let someone else do the bragging for you.  Add credibility to your advertising with testimonials from satisfied customers.  It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to put power behind your marketing.  Here are five tips for using testimonials:

1. Always use real testimonials.  True testimonials convey genuine sincerity that is hard to match.  Fabricated testimonials can sound contrived and decrease your company’s credibility.
2. Prefer longer testimonials over short ones.  A few sentences in context make a better testimonial than a single sentence or just a few words.  For instance, “…fabulous!” or “Excellent product!”  does not do the job of few specific sentences; “I was interested in the Jet Paks on the Bullfrog Spas and I was not disappointed when I tried my spa for the first time.  The Neck Blaster Pak really relieved the tension in my neck and shoulders!”
3. Don’t try to polish the customer’s words.  Testimonials are more authentic if they don’t sound like professional ad copy.  They are more convincing if they are not edited for style.
4. Use full attribution.  Today’s savvy customers will evaluate both the quality of information and the quality of the source.  Give a name, city, and state to increase the believability of the testimonial.  “Kevin Gray, Portland, Oregon,” sounds much more plausible than, “Jim S. in Virginia.”
5. Get permission.  Most customers are happy to give permission to use their words or letters as testimonials.  Ask specifically for permission to include their testimonials in current and future promotions including brochures, advertising and other materials. 

 Don’t be afraid to ask happy customers for a testimonial.  Soon you will have a file brimming with ideas for your marketing materials.

We once worked with a dealer that had tremendous potential. They were originally a patio furniture retail store and would sometimes have people patiently waiting for over two hours to speak to a sales representative for their furniture. It must be a safe bet if their customers are willing to wait 2 hours to do business with them! BUT even though they had all of that traffic in their stores for patio furniture, almost none of that traffic translated into spa sales. Why?


 

1. You must be able to generate spa traffic. Natural spa traffic is hard to find. Unless you are lucky enough to have stumbled across the perfect store location that will grant you every spa customer you need without a lick of effort, then you will have to use your advertising and your sales teams’ efforts to generate spa sales.
2. Commissioned sales people. Your salespeople do not need to be market specific. If you already have some great patio furniture salespeople then utilized them for spas as well! However, making sure that they are commissioned means they are going to be motivated to sell the high-ticket items, like spas. Hourly salespeople would usually rather make an easier, less time consuming low-ticket sale than a higher-margin but more time consuming sale.
3. Good location. As with any business, the key to success is a good location. This means you have:
• Natural traffic – auto or pedestrian. Remember, you or your commissioned salespeople must be able to translate this traffic into spa traffic!
• Event friendly – If you want a successful spa business then you need to be willing to hold special sales events that generate buzz. A good location lends itself to special events out front
• Easy to access from the road – Don’t make your customers have to play Frogger to get into your parking lot. Make it easily accessible and you’ll have a less stinted flow of customers.
• Complementing Neighbors – A good location is near stores that complement your store and generate lots of traffic.
4. Loading dock and floor space. If you have a tiny coffee-shop sized store then chances are you aren’t going to the loading dock or floor space necessary to display spas. Make sure you showroom will be able to accommodate a sufficient display so your customers feel like they’re getting the best selection of quality spas at your location alone — if they end up needing to go to other spa stores to get their fill of variety, then a better-stocked showroom is probably going to get the sale over you.

What do you think it takes to be a successful hot tub dealer? Let us know by commenting below!

Are you interested in starting a hot tub company from scratch? Here are some things you need to know before you begin!

1. It doesn’t come quickly. Like almost any company, there is no “build it and they will come” philosophy with hot tub sales. You will need to develop your company with the following aspects if you want to be successful:
• A strong location
• Good advertising
• Great commissioned salespeople
• A fantastic product (read more about choosing the right hot tub supplier)
2. Be self-energizing and self-motivated. If you want to be a successful business owner you will need to feel comfortable taking things into your own hands and making something of it. Here are some quick tips on how to be self-motivated:
• Set goals and set them high. Don’t be afraid to stretch yourself! (For more tips on setting goals, read our 12 Steps to Setting Goals)
• Take risks. Step out of your comfort zone and try new strategies. Brainstorm and don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
  
• Be energetic and maintain that energy even during the difficult times. When you are energized, your employees will be energized which will also fuel your customers.
• Believe you can succeed. The mind is a powerful tool. If you act as though you are certain success will come to you then you are much more likely to succeed.
3. Be willing to work long business weeks. We will be the first to admit that hot tub sales aren’t a walk in the park. Remember, there’s no “build it and they will come” philosophy, and there’s no guarantee that the customers who do walk through your doors are going to purchase a spa. Being a successful hot tub business owner means a lot of hard work and dedication. It means you need to be committed to your store and your salespeople’s success. You will almost certainly have some 60-hour weeks, but if you are working those long hours then you can be sure that you will see success.
4. Be goal-oriented. We have mentioned it before, but we can’t say it enough:  set goals. If you do not have goals then you don’t have anything to shoot for and your progress will be slow and unfocused. Set goals that stretch you and your sales team and you’ll find yourself achieving more than you thought was possible.
5. Have an eye for detail. As the owner of your new hot tub store, the burden lies on you to make sure things are running smoothly and that you’re earning the best margins possible. It means that you are solely responsible for making sure that when a customer enters your store, even the smallest details are covered to make sure their experience is as good as possible. This means you need to either have or develop an eye for detail. Complacency can turn into poor customer service which will poorly effect your business.
6. No shoe-string budgets. You must be properly funded. You already know the risks of starting a new small business — if you want to drastically increase your odds, then make sure you are properly funded. If you want to severely decrease your probability of success, then start your business investing as little money as possible.
7. Size matters. Don’t get the biggest store in town. It is better to have a line outside a small store than to have an empty big store. Remember, your overhead is proportional to the size of the store and if you traffic outgrows your current location you can always move into a bigger building.

What do you think is the most important thing to know before starting a hot tub company? Let us know by commenting below!

Hot tub manufacturing is a competitive industry, so when you are in the process of choosing who will supply your hot tubs here are 6 things you should consider:

1. Find something that tells a story. Most manufactures offer basically the same product manufactured basically the same way. Usually the only difference is in the aesthetics. If you want to be a successful dealer, don’t sell the same old “blah” that everyone else is selling. Find a spa brand that stands out. Look for something different that allows a selling story with selling features that are difficult to shop against. Remember, anything that makes you go “aha” will make your customer go “aha” too. Look for unique features like:
• Frame structure
• Protection under the spa
• Covers that come with the spa
• Insulation and energy-efficiency rating
• Cost to operate per month
• New, unique, and better technology
2. History of the company. Make sure you aren’t buying hot tubs from some tiny start-up business with a 3-spas-a-year volume because, unless they are very lucky, chances are they aren’t going to stick around very long. You want to make sure the hot tub supplier you end up going with has been around long enough to know the hot tub industry and is going to be there for you long enough to support your parts and warranties through the life of your customers’ spas.
3. Look online. This is one of the most important steps in deciding which hot tub dealer to go with. Not only are you seeing what kind of presence they have online (which is one of the most important tools in marketing today), but you can also access a slew of online reviews which will give you great insight into customer service, quality of support, and general customer feedback.
4. Get referrals. It would be a great one-stop-shop if you could have a quick conversation with a manufacturer, trust and love everything they have to say, and sign the papers right then and there, but that’s not enough. If you want to make a great decision about which hot tubs to display in your showroom, don’t just look from answers from the manufacturers; always make sure you get referrals. See what their product is really like in working action, see what kind of support they provide their dealers, and make sure they’re upholding the warranties they offer.
• Talk to current dealers
• Talk to past dealers
• Talk to customers
5. They want more than numbers. Find a supplier that realizes their goal is more than getting an order from you and making sure it ships. They know that being a good hot tub supplier means:
• Support. A good hot tub supplier will provide a strong level of support to you and your customers after a product is delivered to your showroom.
• Relationships. A good hot tub supplier knows you’re not just a “Dealer ID Number” but that you are truly part of making their team a success. A good supplier will continue to build a relationship with you and your staff after their product hits your showroom.
• Care for needs. A good hot tub supplier will take care of your needs not only from a manufacturing, but also at a dealer level. This means they will produce quality tubs that you will be proud to sell and they will provide you support to help you be successful.
6. Backyard bliss. A good supplier will know that in order for you to be successful, it takes more than selling the tub and plopping it in your customer’s backyard. After the hot tub is delivered, it needs to work — and not just for a few days; we mean it really needs to work. If a customer not only walks away from your showroom happy about their purchase, but are still happy with their purchase after they’ve been using the tub for a year, then you know you’ve made the right decision about which hot tub supplier to use.

What do you think makes a successful hot tub supplier? What do you look for when you’re deciding what kind of tub to sell? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

***Look for our special feature article later this month about Bullfrog Spas and why they are a great choice as a hot tub supplier.

Are you considering adding hot tubs to your current business? Or are you starting a company from scratch and wondering if hot tub sales are a good idea? Here are a few reasons why hot tub sales may be a good idea for you.

4 compelling reasons to sell hot tubs

1. Customers for life. If you decide to sell hot tubs, then most of your hot tub sales will likely come from couples and families in your area. You will build a strong personal relationship with them as you help them to achieve their goal of spa ownership. This means these customers will be with you for the long term.
2. Sell more of other products. Families and couples are large consumers of other products. If you are selling other products in your show room, for example barbecues or patio furniture, then as long as your customers’ buying experience goes well they will most likely be back to buy your other products.
3. Get in the family. With a large purchase like a hot tub, a consumer would rather go with a brand and retailer that they are comfortable and familiar with. As long as you choose the right hot tub to sell (learn more about choosing the right hot tub supplier here), chances are your current customers’ family and friends will also come to you when they are ready to buy.
4. High margins. Hot tubs generally have great margins for a high-ticket item. Remember, hot tubs are a luxury item. When people are seeking a high-quality hot tub, they are expecting to pay some good money for it. If you have a customer willing to buy and you stock a high-quality hot tub brand, then as long as you have a confident, well-informed and well-trained sales people, you are going to make a good profit.

Join Bullfrog Spas at the Splash Show in Quebec City November 10-11. Register before October 14 at www.acpq.com.

Bullfrog Spas is pleased to announce that they will be attending this year’s International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo, the biggest trade show in the pool and spa industry, October 30 – November 4 in Las Vegas!

Why you should come

This is a great opportunity to rub elbows with notable people in the industry. It is your best chance for face-to-face networking and is an excellent opportunity to expand your industry knowledge through various seminars and training events.

Come and see us

Bullfrog Spas would like to invite you to participate in several free events including small personalized business consultations, customized internet advertising consultations, Bullfrog Spas product demonstrations, as well as training on how to increase your profits by selling and installing JetPaks in custom gunite spas. More information about times, dates and locations for these events will be posted as the show nears.

You’ll find us at the front

Bullfrog Spas is displaying in booth 4611 near the front of the show. Stop by and say hello or to schedule a meeting or consultation. We can’t wait to see you there!

Be sure to book flights and hotel rooms early. Space goes fast!

Time and time again you’ve seen some motivational speaker in a suit that’s just a little too big and a tie that’s just a little too colorful standing on some dusty stage somewhere telling you to set goals. Set goals if you want to be successful. Set goals if you want to be happy with your life. Set goals if you want to be a better salesman/husband/golfer/negotiator. Set goals if you’re already a successful, happy salesman-husband-golfer — for goodness sake, just set goals.

Tie and suit aside, you know that motivational speaker is probably right. After admitting you want to see objective success and admitting that in order to reach that success you need to have some idea of where you want to go and how to get there, DON’T pick up a pen. Don’t. Not yet! First consider our 12-step system for setting achievable goals:

1. Develop an intense, burning desire. If you only sorta want to accomplish something, then you’re not ready to turn this into a goal. Yet. Think about what this goal will really mean to you — in the short run and in the long run. Think about the other doors it will open up for you. Think about how it will feel to finally accomplish this goal. Found your burning desire? Good. It’s time to move on to step 2.

2. Believe you can accomplish it. If you’re setting a goal that you believe is too far out of reach, then chances are you’re going to give up before you reach it. Don’t sell yourself short. Always push yourself, but don’t be unrealistic. Let’s face it, no one is able to lose 50 pounds in 2 weeks. You probably can’t quadruple your sales by the weekend. Make sure the goal is something you know you can really, truly achieve, and then believe that you can achieve it. If you think a goal is going to be too difficult for you then set a goal that is halfway to the “big” goal. After you achieve that first half you will have the confidence you need to continue on to accomplish the big one.

3. Write it down. Make yourself accountable and make this goal tangible by writing it down. You can wish and think about your goal as hard and long as you want, but whim-whams and whimsies are easier to forgo than a goal you actually write down where you can see it. Yes, this makes it real. Yes, that’s a good thing.

4. Make a list. Remember that burning desire you found in step 1? Write it down. If along the path of achieving your goal things get tough and you start to wonder if the steps to achieving your goal are worth it, you will need to remember your intense, burning desire. So make a list of all the ways that you will benefit from achieving your goal and review that list often.

5. Know where you stand. Analyze your starting point. If you don’t know where you are then you won’t know what it will take to get where you are going. Remember that being honest with yourself with where you need to begin will make your goal more achievable.

6. Set a deadline. If your goal is only an “eventually, sometime, maybe” goal then you are inadvertently classifying it as an unimportant. Why would you put time and devotion into something that isn’t important enough for you to have a hard deadline for accomplishing it? Set it, mean it and meet it.

7. Know what you’ll face. It’s time to get honest again. Make a list of the obstacles that stand between you and your goal. Write how you will overcome each one as it arises. Anticipate and plan for them now so when you face them you know what to do to conquer them.

8. Missing something? Identify any additional information or tools you will need to accomplish your goal. Write down what it will take to acquire that information or those tools.

9. Know who you know. Make a list of all the people whose help and cooperation you will require in order to achieve your goal.

10. Make a plan. Now, from the notes and lists you’ve written in the previous steps, write down a plan detailing exactly what it will take to accomplish your goal, what progression of steps you will have to take, what tools you will need along the way, and whose assistance or cooperation you will need when. Write down details of what you want, when you want it, why you want it, and where you are starting from. The more detailed and focused you can be during this step, the easier it will be to take each progressive step along the way to accomplishing your goal.

11. Eyes on the prize. Visualization is a strong tool. Visualize yourself accomplishing each of the steps to achieving your goal and visualize what it will look like and feel like when you are in that final stretch and crossing the finish line. If you have a hard time with visualization (or think it’s silly new-age hullabaloo), then set aside time every morning read your plan from step 10. Remember what you want, what it will take to get there, and how it will feel to get it.

12. Never give up. Make a decision in advance (and write it down) that you will never, never give up. You can and will achieve your goal!

What do you think is the most important step in setting and achieving a goal? What sorts of goals do you think merit this kind of concentration? Let us know by leaving a comment below!