5 Ways to Improve Your Business Today

I love connecting with fellow solopreneurs to share business tips and marketing strategies...especially aromatherapists.

Why?

I’ve been a plant lover all my life, an organic gardener, complementary medicine student, and essential oil junkie!

I thought it would be fun to provide a powerful list of 5 ways to improve your business today and associate it with an aroma. Nature is our greatest teacher and learning how to emulate her can improve our approach to business.

 Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned entrepreneur, look at the below suggestions with fresh eyes and a kaizen attitude.

Here are 5 ways to improve your business today:

1. BUILD YOUR LIST

What’s a list?

This is a running contact list of web visitors that show interest in your business.

How do I get a list?

Set-up an opt-in on your website so you can start building and growing your list today. You can offer a freebie like a cheat sheet, checklist, video series, infographic, ebook, etc., in exchange for their contact information.

Why should I have a list?

Saving and segmenting your prospects is invaluable. It allows you to stay abreast of who’s visiting your website and which products or services that they are interested in.  

Moreover, it provides a vehicle to continue the conversation with your tribe, consistently provide value and build trust over time. Plus, as we know, we don’t “own” our social media followers but we do have control of our email list.

Aroma Association: Lavender

Lavender is the king of essential oils for a reason. It’s popular, safe, trustworthy, and very comforting – all aspects that would help you grow your audience. Let’s think about how we can emulate the qualities of lavender while taking steps to grow our list and engage with our fans.

2. SETUP AUTOMATION

What’s automation?

A tool that helps you deliver your opt-in, schedule an email nurture campaign (series of emails that provide value sent after someone requests your freebie), and create custom messages that are scheduled to deliver at a set time/date based on a person’s actions.

Why should I automate?

There are a slew of reasons why you should be automating processes in your business. The top 3 are:

1. Boosts reliability
2. Increases efficiency
3. Saves time

The last one alone is a gem, since we know that time is not a renewable resource and something many of us crave more of!

Plus, when you can deliver on a promise fast, like say your primary lead magnet (opt-in giveaway), it establishes credibility - a must for any successful solopreneur.

Aroma Association: Peppermint

Peppermint perseveres! If you’ve ever grown peppermint in your yard, then you know what I mean! It’s also uplifting, independent, tenacious, alert, and consistent – all wonderful qualities to duplicate in automation.

3. SOCIALIZE

How can I get social?

Develop and maintain your business presence on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

According to TechJury, “An average user spends 2 hours and 33 minutes per day on social media.”

Tip: Choose 1 channel, master it and only add another one when you have the time and space to develop it. Most importantly, be consistent.

A good rule of thumb is to post on your Facebook business page once a day. (Posting 1x per week is NOT enough.) Remember to keep your posts relevant to your brand and message.

To reach more people, engage your audience, and provide an opportunity to get up close and personal with your audience in “real time.” Using videos, Facebook Live, or Instagram Stories Live is an awesome strategy and the fastest way to grow your audience.

 Aroma Association: Sweet Orange

It’s sweet, bright, cheerful, uplifting, friendly, attractive, and lovable. Spread a little sunshine throughout your social channels and your audience will keep coming back for more!

4. COLLABORATE

How should I collaborate?

Connect with complementary associates via interviews, radio shows, podcasts, joint workshops, masterclasses, etc.

 Why are collaborations important?

• Different styles attract different people, which allows you to broaden your audience and reach
• Double the value for the audience, half the investment for you
• Establishes credibility in the field – confidence in joint ventures
• Just plain fun!

 Suggestions:

Network in forums, private groups, and professional associations to see who would align with your message. From there, reach out and organize an event, whether it’s an in-person workshop or a digital hang-out.

Aroma Association: Patchouli

It’s all about the party, dude! It’s comforting, familiar, nostalgic, and known for bringing people together for a good time. Patchouli can teach us a lot about leaning into collaborations.

5. DEFINE YOUR BRAND

 Why should I define my brand?

You need to be memorable. People need to know what you stand for, who you are, and how to recognize you in the crowded marketplace.

Best selling author Seth Godin says – “In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is a failure. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible.”

He advocates putting time into thinking about how you can make yourself memorable. Whether it’s a different way of shaking someone’s hand (like your alternate hand over theirs) or leaving them with a special gift that has a story associated with it.

Aroma Association: Cardamom

It’s warm, spicy, unique, alluring, memorable, and special. Whenever I think of rice pudding or chai, I’m reminded of its intrigue. Defining “your spice” leaves your audience coming back for more and that’s always a good thing!

I hope these 5 ways to improve your business today were helpful. Let me know which one was your favorite and why.

Until next time...breathe joy,
Kc