SpringRidge is only a hop, a skip, and a jump from Portland, but seemingly a world away. Situated on ten acres of the natural beauty, greenery and serenity that is the residential neighborhood of Charbonneau, SpringRidge, with its manicured garden courtyards and rich architectural detailing, seems reminiscent of a French Country manor—Portland style.
When my friend’s thirteen-year-old daughter was approached by a major brand to be an influencer for them, I knew things were changing. Cynically, I wondered what did a thirteen-year-old or any kid have that a brand wanted? The obvious answer is a young following that can easily be led to make purchases. But just what are these influencers doing to build their audiences and how can we get a little of that for our own businesses without directly hiring them?
No, they’re not really epic but that is your first half lesson from influencers—everything is amazing, epic, awesome, fantabulous, extreme, thick, or whatever other word describes something in a totally over the top way. Our English teachers used to call it hyperbole and influencers use it A LOT!!!!!… Read the rest
The past eighteen months have certainly not been something they taught us in business school. It started with a global pandemic and mandatory lockdowns of non-essential businesses, then erupted in costs of goods and services skyrocketing, only to complete this craziness with an employee shortage, and rent and real estate costs going through the roof for most areas of the country.
Whew!
If you’re like most businesses, you’re probably looking for ways to increase your revenue. Here are some things you can do right now as well as a few other ideas you can start implementing for long-term increases.
At some point COVID will be relegated to the same level of concern the flu gets every year. It won’t shutter businesses, alter family celebrations, and be the fuel behind contentious court cases.
Someday.
Let’s pretend we’re there now.
There are certain conveniences (and necessities) that businesses adapted during COVID that customers have become accustomed to. So, if you’re making plans for a “return to normal” you may just want to reevaluate what that looks like based on your customers’ newly developed expectations.
Whether you serve food or sell non-edible items, people have become accustomed to sitting in their cars (or at home) and receiving their goods. Customers love the convenience, the fact that they can come as they are and not worry about what they look like, and can run errands more efficiently. … Read the rest
