Social Media - THE #1 Reason to Get Involved

The future is now! Sounds like a motivational speaker doesn't it? But there is some serious truth to that phrase when it comes to online marketing. Slowly but surely businesses are discovering how social media can help potential customers find out about their business but there are still countless businesses that aren't taking advantage of social media. Because internet searches are the Yellow Pages of our times you should use social media to maximize your business' chances of being found on the internet. That is THE reason to get involved.

If you have an online business you really should be looking into social media now. I stress that for online business because you are selling online so why shouldn't the internet be one of the first sources of creating business. Your customer base will likely come from people looking for your products by doing searches on Google, Yahoo, and other search engines. It depends on the line of work your business is in but likely your competitors are using social media already. Put your company's name in a blog, a Twitter account, a YouTube channel, etc. Search engines are like advertising in print. The more your name is out there the more likely someone will find your business in a search. We have begun using these means of marketing at Sourcical.com and it has resulted in better search engine positioning. We have a long way to go but every little bit helps.

If you have a brick and mortar store or service business you have an even better chance of social media paying off for you. In most situations businesses that aren't focused on internet based sales are slower to use the internet as a means of marketing. This gives you a chance to beat the competition to it and get the name of your local business or service out there on the internet. Everyone searches for local businesses every now and then so don't think you're wasting your time. Likely you've done it many times before yourself... "(insert city name here) restaurants" or "(insert city name here) plumber". Using social media will improve your chances of being found all the more in those internet searches.

A bonus reason for getting involved is that it's free! Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, YouTube channels are free and most others are free at least for basic accounts. Of course, you can buy ads on Google and a lot of sites but that is an entirely separate topic. You have to keep at it for social media to pay off but since the internet is the Yellow Pages of our times why not take advantage of it?

Alright, you and your friends, coworkers, etc. can debate if this really is the number one reason to get involved in social media but you are hurting your business if you are not taking advantage of social media in some way.

Do you agree? Some social media sites will fail but I firmly believe social media as a whole is here to stay. What do you think? Is there a more important reason to get involved in social media?

Essential Shipping Final Touches - Packing Slips and Thank You Notes

It is surprising to me how often I order an item online and when it is received there is nothing in the box besides the item and some packing material. A thank you note done properly can go a long way to sealing the deal and creating return customers.

In no way do you need to make a long message of thanks. In fact, you want to keep it short to keep the attention of your customer. Simply thank them for their business, remind them you are there for their needs, and add your contact information. Likewise, on the packing slip just add a line for each item included in the box, the price, and a total. It is probably wise to add in bold or large type the phrase "This is NOT a bill" just to avoid confusion. If you wanted to you could simply create a packing slip and add your thank you wording to it. One sheet all done.

On a personal level I like the thank you messages that are typed and then signed by hand (no stamped signatures). It is easier than writing the entire thing but the hand signature gives it that personal touch. This is what we aim to do at Sourcical.com. We have a base template of thanks but then add a greeting with the buyers first name, mention the item they purchased, and sign above our contact info at the end. If someone buys Tyvek wristbands or green powder coating tape from us we'll mention that in the thank you. That is going that extra personal step in my opinion. I realize that some aspects of this may be too time consuming for some businesses but choose what is important to you and try and not make the message sound too canned.

Undoubtedly there will be times when your packing slip is simply ignored by the buyer but for those who do take the time to confirm the order and read how you appreciate your business it can go a long way. As I've mentioned in previous posts, why not take that extra step for your business to stand out. In virtually every line of business competition is growing as the internet has allowed for more small and at home businesses to sell to consumers. With so much competition it is essential that you give your company the edge in every way possible even if it does seem small. Even for only occasional eBay sellers a thank you note and nice organized packing slip can get a buyer to add you to their favorite sellers or get that positive feedback and 5 star detailed seller ratings you need.

What information do you put on your packing slips that may not be ordinary? What are the most important things to include in a thank you note? Give us your comments and help out other online retailers.

Is it Time to Buy Shipping Supplies in Bulk?

So you've started your small business and it is doing pretty well. Maybe you should consider buying supplies in bulk to help bring your costs down. This post is a reminder to frequently assess whether buying supplies in bulk is right for you.

Most likely you have thought about this when first starting out and perhaps you even bought a few supplies in bulk to begin with but are afraid to again because you sat on the first batch for such a long time. This is typical of many people who start an eBay business or something similar out of their homes. Expectations are high when you start out and you may over buy on some supplies. But as your business expands it may benefit your bottom line to save money by purchasing in larger amounts.

Like many of you, our business (Sourcical.com) is in that in between stage where we are trying to determine when and how much we should purchase in bulk. While not the most important step in our immediate future it is one that can snowball in to huge savings down the road as we determine other areas that we may buy in bulk.

For eBay businesses and other online retail websites you probably want to consider buying things like packing tape, boxes, shipping and handling labels, etc. in bulk. Consider that you will be making far fewer trips to your local shipping supply store saving you time and wear to your vehicle. Yes, our website offers a variety of bulk shipping supplies from economical 3M 371 tape (http://www.sourcical.com/3M-371-clear-tape) and premium 3M 375 tape (http://www.sourcical.com/3M-375-clear-tape) as well as various fragile labels (http://www.sourcical.com/labels). But the point here is to get you to think about reevaluating your small business and remembering that buying supplies in bulk can save you big money in the long run.

When do you think it is right to start making the step toward buying supplies in bulk? Do you think you should from the get go? What has been your experience? Feel free to comment and help other small businesses.

Blogging to Help Your Business

As I was considering my next topic for this blog it occured to me that the blog itself is a topic. Blogging is far more than just a means of putting your opinions and ideas out on the web for the world to see. Make no mistake, the content of your blogs is very important for your readers but blogging reaches beyond just what humans think of your blog. Google and other search engines are key to getting readers in the first place and, as a business, it is key to helping increase your site's placement on search engines.

It is most important to keep human readers interested but as you are creating your blog content keep search engines in mind as well. Make sure to put keywords into your blog and make a mention of your business in the content as well. In the online world it is called Search Engine Optimization (or SEO). It is an art as much as a science. Over use keywords and you get "penalized" by search engines for "keyword spamming"; don't use keywords enough your webpage gets lost far down the search engine results pages.

When mentioning your business try to do it in a tasteful way or if at least in a humorous way so your readers don't think you are putting a blog post out there just to drop your company name. As we mention in the heading of our blog we created it to help get the name of Sourcical.com out there but also take a look at our content. We try to create blog posts that create meaningful ideas and conversation starters. We mention our products like shipping labels, Tyvek wristbands, etc. but try to come up with posts that are related to those products.

Mentioning your business and essential keywords in your blog will help you with search engine rankings. That means even if no real person actually reads your blog the fact that you have put the keywords into your blog means that search engines will read them and that will help get your business going. Don't get me wrong, it will take time and you likely won't see results instantly but by keeping at it and coming up with new content you will be helping yourself just by blogging.

Even if no one is reading your blog, setting one up is an essential part of getting your business going especially if it is an online business.

Do you have other reasons why a blog is important? How have you seen results in creating a blog for your business? Feel free to add your comments or ideas!

Professional Packaging Includes Proper Shipping and Handling Labels

In my last post I blogged about methods of putting your company name on to the exterior of your shipments. In a similar way, the boxes you ship out can show you are professional and looking out for your customers. Use shipping and handling labels! Fragile stickers, do not stack labels, do not bend labels, etc. If there is any question, use them.

Of course using shipping labels are wise for shipping purposes but they also play a role when your customers receive their packages. When a customer sees that you have taken proper precautions it will look more professional. This may seem like a small step but really every little advantage you can give yourself over a "lazy" seller helps. Often customers may not notice or care that you used the proper labels but if you get into the habit of using them the more customers will notice them.

Additionally, some labels can help protect you in the event there is damage by the carrier. If you need to make a claim to your shipper for damage during shipping they will sometimes send someone out to inspect the box and packaging. If you put fragile labels on a box which contained a delicate item that will certainly help put a claim in your favor.

Similarly in a warehouse environment, you can protect your inventory. As an employee in a warehouse you could be liable for damage if you did not label a box or pallet properly. Likewise, as an employer you protect your inventory by directing your workers to place specific handling labels where needed. Why not protect yourself and the work you have done as best you can?

It seems fairly obvious to take the steps noted above but think how often you or others you know have cut corners by not putting these labels on your packages or boxes. A lot of times these labels are the first things to be ignored when you are in a rush.

Fragile labels, Do not double stack labels, and biohazard labels are all available at our website, Sourcical.com/labels.

Now that I've put in our shameless plug tell us what you think. Other great reasons to use these labels? Perhaps some unintended consequences? Feel free to comment.