Old School Business Practices

Old School Business Practices Make Cents… Dollars and Sense

Some Business Practices Never Go Out of Style

Life is ever-evolving and with it the way we do things. In business being relevant is crucial, but sometimes tried-and-true concepts are more valuable than what’s on trend in the marketplace. Here, I’ll discuss why old school business practices make sense for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

In a world of pop-up shops and influencers it’s easy to believe there’s no rhyme or reason to building a brand and running a business, but smoke and mirrors won’t make a business sustainable. In fact, some business practices never go out of style.

Having a Niche Never Goes Out of Style

Knowing who your customer is and what and why you are selling to them will never go out of style. Having a niche is crucial to build your brand and know where to put your emphasis and resources.

Your niche is the springboard for most of the decisions you make in your business.

Consistent Branding Never Goes Out of Style

Building a brand that your customers recognize, know, and trust will never be obsolete. Confused customers do not buy. When customers clearly know who you are, what you represent, and what they can expect, they become loyal and tell others about you. Your branding should be intentional and consistent throughout every aspect of your business.

Customer Service Never Goes Out of Style

As the business world has evolved to a less personalized, more digital customer experience, there has been significant pushback from customers. How your business handles customers before, during, and after the sale matters. People will abandon a business after poor customer service experiences, especially when a competitor offers a similar product.

Your customer services can be the game-changing aspect of your success. Customers who feel valued are more loyal and engaged.

Having a Mission and Vision Never Go Out of Style

Knowing what you do and why you are doing it matters. Developing a clear mission and vision for your business helps anchor your decisions to something bigger than a trend or whim.

Developing your mission and vision for your business gives everyone something to work toward and feel good about.

Working the Long Game Never Goes Out of Style

Successful businesses don’t happen overnight and too much success too quickly can lead to burn out or serious mistakes. Learning to ride the inevitable waves of business can help build longevity and tenacity.

Planning long-range goals and objectives helps determine short-range goals. Plan ahead and work incrementally towards long-term goals while assessing them along the way.

Customer Service Tips and Tricks that Stand the Test of Time

Every business must provide some level of customer service. Without customers, there’s simply no business. Sadly, customer service has really changed in the last few decades. What used to be highly personal has become automated, outsourced, and nearly void of human connection.

Before the onset of the internet, customer service was conducted in what would now be considered old-school ways including fact-to-face, in writing, and verbally over the phone. Building relationships with customers was a valuable part of daily business and generally speaking, customers could get the attention they wanted from someone with the authority to make a decision. Now, customers often feel frustrated and bothered by the lack of access they have to the businesses they use.

Simply shifting the focus onto your customer service techniques can help you stand out and boost your customer loyalty. Here are some time-tested tips and tricks that will help.

Tip: Show Your Customers that you Care- It seems simple enough, but you could be missing the mark relaying how much your customers mean to your business. From following up after the sale, to returning a text or call in a prompt fashion, any chance to show your customers you are paying attention to their needs sets you apart from businesses that don’t.

Trick: Learn the art of great communication. Tone, word choice, and engagement can all make a big difference in how a customer feels after connecting with you. Be personable, have an upbeat attitude, and be enthusiastic when speaking with your customers.

Tip: Be approachable on and off-line- Whether you’re troubleshooting a problem or crafting an email, make sure you come off as approachable. Customers can tell when you are simply going through the motions versus when you truly care about their needs. Avoid making customers feel like they are putting you out or turning you off with their needs.

Trick: Keep things light and casual. When customers feel at ease, they tend to like you better. Keep your conversation (and correspondence) light, casual, and respectful. It will come across more personal and can help build rapport, even during a difficult conversation. Old school business practices make sense!

Tip: Overcome objections with positivity- It’s not a matter of if a customer is going to have an objection, it’s when. When a customer presents an objection, meet them with a positive spin on things. You may be unable to meet their expectations or provide what they are after, but the way you handle things makes all the difference.

Trick: Pay attention to the most common objections customers have. Rehears a positive-focused reply to the typical objections your customers have, then you won’t be caught off guard with nothing to say. Avoid being sarcastic or disinterested. Instead, thank them for their feedback and reframe the conversation to something more positive.

Old School Business Habits Every New Business Needs

Thanks to the internet, it’s not far-fetched to become a nearly overnight success in business. Given the right exposure, you can go from zero orders to too many to count in one viral post. Without having the proper structures in place this can cause some serious problems.

Rather than risk getting in over your head, it’s a good idea to develop some healthy old-school business habits to start things off right. Here are five habits every new business needs:

Old School Biz Habit #1. Properly structure your business- Before your business takes off, it’s important to set things up for success. Determine what type of entity your business will be, obtain any permits, licenses, and authorizations you need. Decide if your business will become a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation. Identify your tax requirements and any other legal needs.

Old School Biz Habit #2. Create a business plan- A business plan is a roadmap for where you want to head in your business. Proper business plans help identify what you want to sell, to whom, and what steps need to be in place to do business. Without a business plan you run the risk of throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall to see what sticks and wasting time and money along the way.

Old School Biz Habit #3. Choose branding and stick with it- When customers are confused, they don’t buy. Your branding should indicate clearly who you are and what you offer. Keep your marketing consistent across all platforms so your customers know it’s you no matter where they encounter you.

Old School Biz Habit #4. Build personal relationships- Try to make a personal connection with your vendors and customers as much as possible. Make a point to get to know the people you buy your resources from and be pleasant and positive in your dealings with them. People like helping people they like and the effort you put into building relationships will pay off when you hit roadblocks and need support with your old school business practices.

Old School Biz Habit #5. Be a part of your community- Whether your business is brick and mortar or virtual, you are part of a community. Engage with your community and have a presence worth paying attention to. Support your community with sponsorships or referrals. Be an asset to the community and they will repay you with business and referrals too.

Old School Business Practices to Attract New Customers

Believe it or not, digital marketing isn’t the only way to attract new customers. There’s no denying the benefits of automation and reaching your customers where they are, which is often online, scrolling their phones at 10:00 pm. However, there are plenty of timeless ways to get customers curious about what you have to offer. In fact, some of the oldest marketing strategies in the books remain relevant today.

Here are three old-school approaches to marketing that can easily be modified for today’s market.

Revive and revise going out for lunch- There was a time when some of the biggest business deals were hashed out over a meal. ‘Let’s do lunch’ was an invitation to get together with an expectation to talk about business. The modern version of doing lunch may include meeting up for a latte or something physical like a round of pickle ball.

Be intentional about inviting colleagues, vendors, and customers for a meetup. If you are separated by distance, consider a Zoom or Facetime call. Set aside specific time in your schedule to entertain and be sure to pick up the tab to invest in the relationship.

Your time and effort can result in sales, referrals, or collaborations that lead to new customers.

Use incentive programs that offer value- People love an incentive to buy. If you’ve ever filled a stamp card and gotten a free item from your favorite coffee stand you know the feeling. Offering a fun reason for someone to engage your business and come back again and again works.

Giving customers an opportunity for an inside advantage, exclusives, free trial, or memberships is a great way to build interest and brand loyalty. Try giving away promotional items for passive advertising while offering something useful for your customers to use.

Create incentive programs that make sense for your business. Whether its freebies, deep discounts, or BOGO offers, there’s always a way to offer value and encourage customer engagement.

Incorporate testimonials into your marketing- The old-school practice of using testimonials is very effective, even in today’s digital market. Word of mouth still remains one of the most effective ways to entice new customers. Nowadays, influencers showcase goods and services while offering testimonials to their tribes, often reaching upwards of a million followers.

Couple testimonials with other old-school marketing strategies like sending flyers, adding testimonials to written content, or showcasing customers on your social media.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a testimonial. Be sure to offer more than one way for someone to give you a shout out or feedback about their experience. Ask customers to ‘tag’ you in their social media for a future discount. Offer a freebie for someone to do a video or review of your business on platforms like YELP or Google.

It’s important to stay current with the trends, but don’t give up on the old-school methods for marketing because they are still very relevant.

Retro Marketing Ideas that Give Your Business the Edge

The term retro refers to experiences, objects, or memories that illicit nostalgia and bring people back to a time in life that has particular meaning for them. Retro marketing can be a highly effective way to attract and excite customers and give your business an edge, especially if you’re focusing on old school business practices.

Every generation relates to iconic moments, music, objects, and people they enjoyed at pivotal times in their lives. Tapping into their emotions and offering them a blast from the past is a great way to engage them and earn their business. Here are some fun ways to introduce retro marketing into your business:

Use storytelling in your advertising- Storytelling is an excellent way to evoke memories or trigger nostalgia. Tying a story to a collective memory and relating it to your goods and services is an easy way for people to connect the dots between something they loved as a child that you offer today.

For example, a local hot dog shop offers a ‘dreamsicle’ drink. The orange and vanilla soda is reminiscent of an old-school ice cream called the 50/50 bar. This nostalgic take on a modern beverage takes people back to their childhood and is a fan favorite on the menu.

Use imagery, color, and fonts in advertising- Subliminally, our brains are attracted to nostalgic imagery. Creating branding and marketing material with retro colors, images, and fonts can take viewers back to a specific time in history giving them happy feelings and creating interest in your business.

For example, vintage t-shirts with band or business logos on them are a timeless way for people to feel connected to their past. Brands like Burger King have recently retro branded back to their earlier branding making them more popular than ever, especially with an aging customer who recalls the specific time of their youth.

Package something new in an old-school way- It’s possible to connect the dots between something iconic with something totally new and innovative. Your packaging can be reminiscent of something timeless or nostalgic while offering something brand new.

For example, Nike is offering retro styled sneakers. The lightweight shoes look like their iconic forefathers, but have all the comfort and features of today’s technology.

Showcase a blast from the past- Choose an icon to represent your goods and services. Use social media to tie your marketing to a song or an image that triggers fond memories from the past as a way to enhance your old school business practices.

For example, creating reels on Instagram is an excellent way to tie a visual story with an iconic song. Done well, the viewer will be taken back to a nostalgic time in their lives and see feel a connection to your goods and services in relationship to the song and their memories. Be sure to keep top of mind that old school business practices will continue to make sense, no matter what your niche market and how you intend on serving them.

I’m Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, independent publisher, and serial entrepreneur Connie Ragen Green and would love to connect with you. If you’re new to the world of online entrepreneurship please check out my training on how to make your first income online at 3 Day eBiz (Use Code: MAKEITHAPPEN to Save) and learn how to gain an unfair advantage when it comes to building a lucrative online business.