Part 1: Navigating The Economy As An Owner/Operator Business

Can your small business thrive even when referrals slow down? Discover the essential strategies that Ann-Marie Burton and Tanya Garcia from LeftTurn Strategy reveal for owner-operated businesses facing the challenges of a fluctuating economy. This episode focuses on implementing effective lead generation and nurturing systems, ensuring that your business isn't reliant solely on word-of-mouth. We break down critical aspects of building a comprehensive marketing ecosystem, from the importance of CRM systems and content calendars to the power of a strong digital presence. Learn actionable steps to attract and convert new leads consistently, even during slower periods.

While the main focus is on small businesses, we highlight key takeaways that are equally significant for those in corporate settings. Stay tuned for the next episode, where we'll explore these topics in greater depth. Whether you're steering a small business or navigating the corporate world, this episode is jam-packed with valuable insights to help you succeed.

We do agency differently - visit https://leftturnstrategy.com/ 

Reach out to Tanya Garcia on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-garcia-15521612 

Reach out to Ann-Marie Burton on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-marie-burton/

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

This is Anne-Marie and Tanya from Left Turn Strategy, and you're listening to the Turning Left Podcast.

Speaker 2: 0:07

The show that challenges traditional marketing by keeping things candid and cost effective for growing businesses Follow, like and subscribe for our unfiltered take and to keep us close.

Speaker 1: 0:19

Morning Tanya.

Speaker 2: 0:21

Good morning Anne-Marie. Where are you today?

Speaker 1: 0:24

Oh, I am up north, so I'm in a cozy cabin here. So we have a new podcast to record today. It's wonderful.

Speaker 1: 0:33

And it is inspired by the conversations we've been hearing from clients and people in the world that are dealing with this weird economy, and we thought this would be a great opportunity to talk to two of our types of clients and share with you some thoughts on how, possibly, left Turn can help maintain and grow their business, even though the economy is in its weird place that it's in in this May of 2024. If you're listening to this in the future, perhaps the world has changed.

Speaker 2: 1:09

That's right, it's very timely, very timely, based on what we're seeing in the market and the discussions we're having with our clients currently. It's stressful for a lot of people.

Speaker 1: 1:18

So for this scenario, we're going to be talking to owner operated small businesses. We kind of divide our businesses into our corporate clients and our small business clients. So we're going to talk about our, our center clients we call them our heart center clients who are owner-operated, much like us. They're not always owner-operated small businesses, but we do find that that that type of client does find left turn fairly regularly and are looking for our broad support and all things marketing, um, and strategic planning and so we wanted to talk to those small business owners today. Right, so that's right call out to all business owners.

Speaker 1: 1:59

Turn your ears on.

Speaker 2: 2:01

We have some answers right did we say this was a two part? Could it be a two part? So we're going to do yes.

Speaker 1: 2:07

I think.

Speaker 2: 2:08

I think we did it's Monday, so maybe I didn't.

Speaker 1: 2:10

We'll say it again, there will be two parts, two parts.

Speaker 2: 2:13

This first part owner operator. Ok, so what are some of the discussions we're having with these clients so far who are finding it to be an interesting time bit overwhelming, and things are shifting right From a business development standpoint. So really, lead generation is top of mind always, but what we're thinking and the discussions we're having now is now more than ever, when things are feeling and looking differently. Maybe you are not if referrals was a huge kind of base, but we know that the market has softened a little bit. Maybe that stream of business development is not coming in as you have seen it in the past. There can be a lot of drivers that you're seeing that's shifting. So the discussion we want to have are what are a couple of things to consider when maybe word of mouth is not working in the same way as it did even a few months ago?

Speaker 1: 3:09

For those small businesses. Perhaps when they started their business there was a lot of great word of mouth, a lot of support. Maybe you've had the same clients that repeat year or month after month so we don't didn't need to do as much marketing or as much nurturing of those clients because they kept coming. And I think we hear that a lot from people saying, well, I don't really do that much marketing. I have a website, maybe I do a little social media, but the but the work comes in. That is fine, until the work doesn't come in, yeah, and we are hearing from people more and more that, oh my gosh, it's slowed down. And so then we go back to the marketing ecosystem to say, well, what were the systems that you had in place? And I want to remind everybody, if you're not a marketer, it's okay if you don't have the systems in place.

Speaker 1: 4:00

We know you're busy selling your widgets or your service or doing all the things that you do. The best. What we do really well is developing those systems and helping companies build those marketing systems so that then they are on and they're available when you need them. Sometimes they're always on and sometimes they're on just when you need them. So for those companies that maybe don't have a strong system for lead generation or lead nurture, this would be our first suggestion you put that system in place, because it should be running alongside your referral, your other pieces of work, and we've got lots of examples where we've been helping clients, and by systems. I mean, do you want to list off some? I mean there's crm, there's content, calendars, there's a variety of different things, um, and and everybody's system is not the same, it depends on your goals.

Speaker 2: 5:01

Exactly, and I think the way we best describe it too, for, again, those owner operators maybe listening and going, I don't know, like when you say systems like what, what is it that I need to be looking for? It's what you said. What's worked for you to date is potentially, just like yourself, or or your team members, kind of through word of mouth, kind of through word of mouth, securing that lead. You know, developing a digital ecosystem that really is always on in the market while you sleep, as an example. Maybe it's not always on, but we know that more people are searching, more people are online.

Speaker 2: 5:39

What are the minimal things you need to do to make sure that you are catching those in the market? That's what we mean the systems in place to make sure that, A you're drawing in new leads or you are going back to leads that have come in to try and convert them. Where are you taking them? You know, does does that channel, whether maybe it's a website or landing page, or you know you have socials, like a lot of people do have things out in market, but is it working hardest for you?

Speaker 2: 6:21

We find if we have a quick, you know, discussion, we can identify one or two things that we think we could refresh or tighten up to ensure that we're speaking to that audience, we're drawing them to something that they'll find valuable and we're getting them to do something that you can then follow up on and or kind of generate a conversion. It can be really that simple and now, with things you know, maybe feeling a bit different, we're encouraging a lot of our clients that this is the time to maybe tighten up that journey, if you will, that you're taking people through. That's really look at it. It's not a net new. We need to invest a ton, but we it's the tightening up, it's the tweaking, it's the just making sure all things are firing as they should be. Yeah, Now is the best time to do that.

Speaker 1: 7:18

We have a client who has a system an actual like a technology system where they put all of their client information in and they can email from them from there, and we were looking at alternative. They came to us because they thought they needed an alternative system and we went in and actually looked at what they had and actually realized they had a great system. They just weren't using 90% of it Exactly.

Speaker 1: 7:45

So I think that's the tightening up about exactly evaluating what you're already paying for, what you're already doing, but are you and your team putting things in properly? And then you also made me think about analog systems. So I think lots of small business owners do networking, meet people, maybe they go out to give quotes or meet with a new client or a new prospect. What happens? So all that stuff has to continue to happen, but what do you do with that information? So, once you meet with that prospect, does that that person's or that company's information go in anywhere? And it doesn't have to be a giant software. It could be an Excel sheet, that is fine.

Speaker 1: 8:26

But what then happens to that? And how do you? And are you reviewing that on a regular basis? And is there a way to scale that or simplify it for you so that you don't have to be managing an Excel spreadsheet? But is there a simple CRM system that you and your team can look at? So there's, there's many ways to cut this up. It doesn't have to be super complicated and super expensive, but you do need to have some sort of system to lean on when your leads perhaps might be slower than they normally are.

Speaker 2: 9:05

Agreed, agreed. Yeah, no, I agree with you. I think it's just again that tightening, that tweaking there's a lot of things that can be done and then operationalizing it. A lot of things that can be done and then operationalizing it like this level of automation when we say tweaking too, is now's a great time to really look at. If you did it this way, what is the operational process you're putting in place, very simply, to take it to the next level? Right, You're not inventing everything new again, but what's the next, the next best thing you can do to generate leads.

Speaker 2: 9:40

So that's, I think, our first kind of key takeaway with a lot of our owner operators now who on their to-do list might've been all of you know I really need to look at my website again, or, yes, I, I'm, I'm getting these leads, but I have this. You know, they're kind of all sitting over here. What do I do next? You know now is a good time to focus some of that effort and make sure that that system is in place so that, as things start to pick up again because they will, as we know, this time is always cyclical, so you know, business will start coming in again. You've used the time nicely to just tweak and update a few key things that may have been in your life.

Speaker 1: 10:24

You talked about simple, you picked about. You talked about system.

Speaker 2: 10:27

Yep.

Speaker 1: 10:28

I think there's one more S, which is support.

Speaker 2: 10:32

Yes.

Speaker 1: 10:32

So again, when times are lean, sometimes no one wants to put a whole bunch of extra expenses in their budget. But what is your support? So, is that hiring an agency to help you? I don't know, we could be one. Is the CRM up and going? But, oh my gosh, no one has ever gathered all the email addresses.

Speaker 1: 10:59

Well, maybe that's a summer student job. That's okay. Like that, there's what. So what's the support that you have in place? Are you going to add it to the owner's list? Are you going to put it on someone else's list in the company? What's the support you need to get this done? But it should be a simple system support we like things in three.

Speaker 2: 11:21

S I like things in three, that's a good one. Okay, so that's our first um. I think we can wrap this one up as for our owner operators, hope you enjoyed this. Take a listen and reach out.

Speaker 1: 11:38

Yeah, because we can talk about this, and we can also talk about anything brand content, digital, any components in your marketing ecosystem and we'd love to have a chat, and if it's just a chat, that's fine, but if you want to work together, that's even better. We're always open for that, that's for sure. It's a right choice to take. The that's even better. We're always up for that, that's for sure. It's a right choice to take the left turn. Tanya.

Speaker 2: 12:00

Always, always. Okay, emery, until the next one. When we talk about what, maybe we should just give a nod to it.

Speaker 1: 12:08

Actually, marketing directors large corporate potentially so if you came down here but you actually work for a corporate company.

Speaker 2: 12:19

go to the next podcast we're about to talk about it. Okay, all right. Talk soon, amory, for more on what we chatted about today. Check out the show notes and don't forget to follow for notifications on future turning left episodes. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn, facebook or Instagram at Left Turn Strategy.