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The Brick And Mortar Saviour

11/21/2011

11 Comments

 
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1. Networking.

2. How can you help?

3. Engage the small business.

4. Build a brand.

5. Negotiations.

6. Research competitors to do what they do and crush what they're not.

7. Put your ideas to use to gain exposure.

8. Hang on because it's going to be one hell of a ride!


Ah the Independent Contractor. Simple words of agreement can take you from paychecks and time card's to the freedom you've always dreamed of. Leaving the rat race to serve the rat race.  My former laundry business could be summed up as a tech savvy twist to an ancient service.  Now, being a middle man is easy but what isn't easy is being a middle man that 1- Has some kind of control over the service or 2- Finding a service that this could be implemented into. Enjoy :)

An independent contractor is a natural person, business, or corporation that provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract or within a verbal agreement.



I didn't wake up one day and say ahha! laundry. No, the only reason why laundry was chosen was because someone presented the opportunity to me to help build their new brick and mortar biz. Independent contracting come's from relationships with business men. When im looking to start a new Muse i don't pick the field and then network for that space. Instead i network for all spaces than analyze which space needs my input. 

  So how tough is it to get going once you have your idea in place. I'll take you through All of the steps of Comeclean.it to show you how I had my first paying customer in just 6 days from idea to reality.

  As the middle man I had to bring paying customers to the physical laundromat. Doing so while keeping a separate brand meant I needed to keep the focus on me. Building a website simply with weebly.com allowed me to build a functional site in 2 day's, therefore giving me a face and credibility to start building my customer relations. Site is built and now it was time to negotiate a wholesale price with the laundromat,  as I will now be their best customer. 

Example: Laundromat charges $3/LB to wash and fold your clothes. You would then be looking for 30% - 50% discount on the service. Making the service free for your customer's whether they use you or the store directly is a huge advantage.
Once the price is set verbally or legally open an LLC and you are officially in business.  Now find your competitors weakness' and pounce. Stick with it. Being consistent in business will be your hardest task but will also be you backbone (trust).

   In order for me to have the communication with my customers that THEY wanted I had to bite the bullet and purchase a smart phone. This was my office my car was my service was my product and my site was my store. Offering better time for pick up and deliveries I automatically grabbed the attention I needed. Attention to appointments was a huge factor. If I had a schedule for pick ups and had an appointment every 15 minutes, I had to be on time. This goes back to making it easier for your customer. If i were to say there is a 3 hour window like my competitors I mite as well been wearing a cable guy shirt because who likes them?! So take the time of your customer's seriously and they will reciprocate giving you more free time.

   Sound's easy right? Now proceed with consistency until it is now overwhelming for you. This will happen and you will look back and say is this why I started this? Time to hire someone to do your job but only after your cash flow each month will pay your employee well and still put enough money in your pocket to keep you driven. This is the stage in your new business when you have to make a decision. Is it worth it? Will i ever be able to generate enough for more employees? Sometimes negotiating a better price with the B&M could be your savior or maybe it's just time to MOVE ON. Either way stay as emotionally detached from the task at hand as possible or you may find this stepping stone to be your last venture.

With a few guerilla marketing campaigns that I will go further into detail below you have created a Muse that will able you to have much more free time to do the things you want, or to simply pay the bills while you develope your next big idea.

So take a look around your community.  See what small business' need help because of tired small business owner's or just lack of Tech. knowledge and go inside and speak with them. Most small business owner's are willing to make an arrangement so long as it's beneficial to them. 


1. Networking - As an Entrepreneur your networking abilities will be your number one asset. Using your personality and genuine interest to attract people towards you and your new venture. If you are not a know business man and opportunities aren't just coming to you, you will have to go out and find them. The biggest key will be to keep an open mind and to stay under the radar. 
  
Exp.- You just found yourself in the same room as the man who made you quit your job and start this crazy lifestyle in the first place. Simply thank him and forget who he is. Even though you probably crafted the entire night to "accidentally" see him. This is the best advice I can give to any entrepreneur. Instead listen and engage in a conversation with them. Don't agree with everything he say's unless you truly agree with him, this person probably has enough people doing that already.
 
You heard he ran a marathon recently? You have a genuine interest how he did it. Ask him to email you his work out plan when he gets a chance. Have a better plan? Offer to send him yours. This is engagement through two people on a common interest that builds the strongest longest lasting relationships.  Stay away from networking events as much as possible and control your connections through experiences.

2.  It's time to find a problem to solve. Maybe the bakery down the street from you that has been there for 40 years is losing business rapidly do to tired ownership or lack of innovation. Maybe starting a bread delivery route is in order with some kind of tech. implemented. What ever it may be more money will be coming to him in turn will be going to you at little or no effort on the Brick and Mortar side. Something as simple as a Facebook page could woo your prehistoric prospect. Start simple think big.

3. Engage the small business of interest and build a relationship. Buy coffee from that deli you want to help every morning taking time out of your day  to ask how everything is going. This can be done while you are developing your business idea giving you a better understanding of what they need or if they'll be interested at all. Build trust on both sides because you will need it. Remember you will be most likely dealing with this person for the length of you endeavor so make sure you can deal with that.

4. Once you've found your way to infiltrate build a model via website. This gives the owner the best visual way of seeing what it is you want to an how you will execute. It doesn't have o be expensive or extravegant a simple working/non working display will do just fine. Be prepared to have done this work for not money but credibility. 

5.  You did it! They are now interested. Now is time to negotiate your prices. Taking your fair share with a cut that won't put him out of business. No strings attached, you will be making what you deserve and that's it. You can raise the price of service and keep your brand totally separate or you can offer a free service and give the actual store some credit which will be beneficial in the future of negotiating a better price.

6.  Now that the price is set. Time to do the leg work. See who your competitors are and do some research. Check all of the review sites ( Yelp.com,Zagaat.com) to see what your competitors are doing and not doing. We're not reinventing the wheel here so if they are doing something that work's implement it, if they are doing something that doesn't it's time for innovation. This will be your core/edge on the competition. 

7.  Time to get going. Now all you need is customer's. Maybe ask the store owner if you can put something up offering your service to his existing customers in benefit bringing more. Guerilla marketing is my drug of choice. Here is a site to get your juices flowing with some budget ad. campaigns. 

8.  That's right hang on because you have just entered the world of business. There will be many was you can go from here but remember to always stay true to yourself and have fun. The business is not your new job but a task in your real job of being and Entrepreneur."Some will laugh, many will follow"

If you enjoyed this article please submit it to Stumble it below. Thanks! 
11 Comments
Antwon Davis link
12/1/2011 03:27:43 pm

Great post Gary. I love your thinking. It's really that simple to create a muse. There are literally more small businesses than we can count who are waiting for someone to step in and help them innovate. These are great opportunities to create small and simple, or even very profitable muses.

I'll be bookmarking this post for future reference. Thanks man!

Reply
white card sydney link
8/28/2012 05:07:23 pm

Nice blog on the brick.I like the blog post to read.Thanks a lot for sharing.I like the blog post to read.

Reply
SM
12/11/2011 03:32:42 pm

Thank you. Ok, I have an idea but I am coming from different angle. I want set up something international I mean specifically between two countries - one is US but the second - in Europe.
Also I want set up something based on information not a physical product. I want sort of share best business practices marketed for that culture. I really like to give it a shot but feel overwhelmed. Do not know where to start.

Reply
Gary link
12/11/2011 08:49:40 pm

Hey SM!
Im trying to understand what you mean. You would like to share how to market a business from one country to the other because of cultural differences? How long have you stayed in this other country?

Reply
SM
12/13/2011 10:29:44 am

I am in US about 15 years. I came from Europe, from the Eastern block. I did international business here in US, so I know how Eastern block does business in general and I know how other cultures do business. I have to tell you - there is nobody come even close to how productive, efficient etc American business in general.

It is not in details really, it is in general mentality. Example, I would propose business people a business idea, - they would give me 1000 reasons why it would not work. I mean, not a one person whould even consider. You see what I am saying?

So, what I would like to do for Eastern block, - give them idea what business mentality in US and how to work with US business.
Example, I am looking at some Polish website and they have terrible green color on every page and pictures of their team memebers and all taken against the same window blinds with the same facial expressions and same pose.
Looks pathetic. I almost passed this site by but I remembered their mentality and decided to actually look into it and see if they have something worth wile. They actually did, but their presentation just not there. So, I contacted them and offered to help. First they were exited than when I actually asked what ideas they have that I can help them to find partners here - they never answered. So, here it is ,- and I am from that culture and I have a hard time...

You see what I am saying? I want create something to be a bridge. That say, a small Chech company come to me with their product or service and will guide them to adopt it to US market, to be able to find a partner etc.

Does it make sence?

Another example I heard, US and Russian company are discussing new beer. US side designed a bottle. Russians does notlike the design, they oferred a different one. US side replied: "we will think about it". You know what Russian commented on this: "Americans are not very smart, they have to take time to think about it. It takes one minute to see if you like it or not." They told US side - can you just tell us you like it or not? Now US side thinks Russian are crazy. They need run numbers for new design - production cost, new shipping cost etc..

So, they did not make a deal. And both ended up thinking others are stupid.

Do you know what Italians do? They promise to ship product in 2 months and when time is to ship they would just start making product. And ship two (or more) months late. And deliver a wrong color.

So, I do not want to cover a whole world but I do want to do it for Eastern block because it where I am from and I do know how they think.

What do u think? Too complicated?

Reply
Gary misner link
12/13/2011 01:01:07 pm

Thanks Antwon!
Agreed!
There has never been a better time to help the older generations adapt to this crazy world of business we live in today.
Go get'em!

Reply
Alex
12/17/2011 07:50:52 am

Hello Gary,

Thank you very much for what you doing here.. big help..
I got some nerve and talked to my neigbor, who has 2 video stores. They do not make much money any more.. I went there - and they do not even have a Facebook page... so I am trying to think what can I do to get customers in again..

Reply
Gary M link
1/10/2012 12:13:50 pm

This could be interesting depending on where the location is. Delivery service could also work here. Netflix is killing it , I'm assuming a Facebook page won't give them the edge they need. Just think would you rent from there? If not Why.Thats a good starting point for any troubled business.
Hope this helps!

Reply
Rock Solid Paving link
7/25/2012 04:47:05 pm

Nice blog about The Brick And Mortar Saviour. I like the blog post to read. Thanks for the blog post.

Reply
Concrete Contractor Minneapolis link
9/4/2012 07:49:49 pm

The insights and the opinions shared in this blog are appreciable. Blogger seems like an educated and knowledgeable writer with sensible thoughts. Good work and Keep it up.

Reply
www.apietigconcrete.com link
9/28/2012 07:45:59 am

http://www.stilettosinthemud.com/25/post/2011/12/leaving-the-yellow-brick-road-going-gluten-free.html

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