Is Your Business on Track to Make a Profit?

It is officially the busiest time of the year for many people. The Holiday’s are filled with shopping, decorating, parties, and spending time with family and friends. It is that wonderful time of the year.

It is also the time when many businesses are adding to their bottom line, after all, “tis the season to be jolly”. For anyone I know, watching their bank account improve is cause to celebrate.

If your business is firing on all cylinders, you probably won’t have time right this minute to start planning your strategies for next year, you are too busy cashing in on all the hard work you have done this year. Well, I guess that can depend on your business.

If your business is just in the start up phase, or could use a little help, this is a great time of the year to start doing the work you need to do to make sure that next year at this time you are either enjoying the results of your efforts, or joining other businesses by participating in the “Black Friday & Black Monday”. By that I mean the definition of those terms, changing from operating in the red to in the black. Simply said, to be making money.

I know, that is easier said than done. One of the important things every business must do is to evaluate what they are doing or planning to do to assure they are on track. If what you are doing is not actually helping your business make a profit, why do it? To continue to do the same thing and expect a different result is the definition of insanity!

I know it is a hard thing to do, but if your website is not enjoying the traffic you need to grow you business, you are going to have to figure out what will bring you more traffic. Do you even know how to track the traffic that comes to your website?

If your answer to that is no, there are simple solutions out there that can help you with that. For online businesses, traffic is the life blood, and you need to know that people are actually coming. Knowing other information like where they are coming from can help you make decisions on where to spend your time and possibly money. If you are using WordPress, you can get the free pluggin, Google Analyticator.

That pluggin gives you info like the most popular pages on your website, how long they stayed on your site, where they came from, and more. If you are using cpanel, there is information like that there.
At any rate, tracking your visitors gives you some key insight on how you want to prioritize your time and money.

Contacting you is something that needs to be simple for your potential customers. If you have a Gmail account, (which is free), you can get a “Google Voice” number. It is great, and gives you a free tool for customers to contact you via phone for free. It gives you lots of options, and it is all free. You can find out more information about it here:  https://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html

IF you are not at the point that you are ready to spend money on an expensive shopping cart for your website, just use PayPal, it is a great way to get started, and there is no monthly fee. They charge a percentage per sale. There is a lot of information on the PayPal website. Here is a link to the business information page: https://merchant.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=_render-content&content_ID=merchant/compare_wp_products

Every Serious Business Needs a Website

If you are just in the start up process of your business, you are facing expenses that just go with the territory of owning your own business.

One of the expenses almost every business owner faces is setting up a website. It is almost a necessity for all of us. If you have lots of tech experience, you just have to download WordPress, get a webhost and domain name and you are set to go.

If you are not a tech person, the reality is that you probably need to hire someone to help you. That is the reason I wanted to write this post. I have worked with a company that does amazing WordPress websites, has great service, & offers lots of extras.

Now, I have to tell you that I love good deals, and when I find one, letting other people in on it is so fun. I did not go out at 4:00am to get in on the doorbusters, but I found something that is way better than anything I saw advertised.

The other day I got an email from a group of small business owners suggesting that as entrepreneurs, we are missing a golden opportunity if we don’t participate in Black Friday.

In answer to that, the web design company I was referring to has decided to offer a limited time offer. I copied it so that you can read all the details.

Get Your Website Designed or Re-Designed – Half Price Sale!

Use Coupon Code 65071 To Get 50% Discount!

Choose from the following Packages

Our Best Blog Customization Package with a Social Media Kicker – $397 (Sale Price $198.50!)

• This includes installation, customization and optimization of a blog theme. (If you want us to use a Premium Theme that we do not own a Developer’s License for, you must purchase the license.)
• Installation on a ‘cpanel’ equipped host such as Reliable Webs or MomWebs. (If your site is hosted on a different type of system, please let us know during your free consult so that we can make sure we’re able to work with it.)
• Customization includes creating your blog header graphic and adapting the colors and layout of the theme to match your desired look and needs.
• Optimization includes installing a very useful set of plugins that improve Search Engine Optimization efforts and increase the usability of your site.
• We’ll create one complimentary eCover graphic that you can use to represent a special report or ebook that you sell or use to attract visitors onto your mailing list.
• We’ll set up the autoresponder account of your choice, insert the optin form on the site and create a branded landing page to welcome new subscribers.
• We’ll create your Twitter & Facebook pages and connect them to your existing WordPress blog so that your blog posts get piped out to these important social media sites.  We’ll also create custom graphics to carry your branding over to these sites.  (And place social media icons of your choosing on your site to link over to these pages.)
• This package also includes up to one hour of One on One Coaching to make sure you know how to update your new blog.

Basic Blog Customization Package – $297 (Sale Price $148.50!)

• This includes installation, customization and optimization of a blog theme. (If you want us to use a Premium Theme that we do not own a Developer’s License for, you must purchase the license.)
• Installation on a ‘cpanel’ equipped host such as Reliable Webs or MomWebs. (If your site is hosted on a different type of system, please let us know during your free consult so that we can make sure we’re able to work with it.)
• Customization includes creating your blog header graphic and adapting the colors and layout of the theme to match your desired look and needs.
• Optimization includes installing a very useful set of plugins that improve Search Engine Optimization efforts and increase the usability of your site.
• This package also includes up to one hour of One on One Coaching to make sure you know how to update your new blog.

I hope that you will check them out, they have given me exceptional service, and I feel sure they will do the same for you. Tell them Grace sent you.

So, have fun getting started, let me know the address of your blog so I can drop by.

I have always wondered where the term “Black Friday” originated. It seems   like a sort  of morbid term for the beginning of the Christmas Season. Today, as I saw Black Friday posted everywhere, I decided to find out the answer to that question. So, I am going to share that info with you so you won’t have to go and research it.

There seems to be some debate, but for brevity purposes, basically in today’s world, it is the benchmark when most retailers can change their financial status from in the red to in the black. Yep, it is the day when the registers are filled with cash and they are rollin in the green.

Okay, I admit that maybe I should be out getting great deals on my Christmas gifts, but the fact is, that sounds like too much work.There you have it, the truth is out.

As a matter of fact, I am planning on cashing in on some great deals, but I am going to do that on Cyber Monday. Hey, it is cold outside, the cost of gas is up, and I can just turn on the Christmas toons, grab my cup of java, and cruise the net for all those great deals.

The best part is that I don’t have to lug all that stuff around, worry about my car getting broken into, fight crowds AND they deliver it to my door! Most places even throw in free delivery, it just doesn’t get much better than that.

Well, I want to make reading this worth while for you. I came across a great deal for anyone who is wanting to add content to their website. I know that you probably won’t put this on your Christmas list, but you can do your business a favor and get a great deal on great content that can make your work easier during this busy Christmas Season.

Here is a link with great prices on valuable  business building tools. After all, it is Black Friday, and getting your business in the black would be an awesome way to end the year, and get a great start on 2011! Here is the link, check it out and see what you think. https://www.doughraisingmom.com/helpusell

So, here is to Black Friday and making your business more profitable in the season that helps so many businesses achieve that goal. The link I provided helps my business be more profitable as well, so if you would rather, you can go to DIYplr.com

photo credit: Justin Marty

Family Favorite Recipe for Dinner Rolls

I want to take a break here and share my favorite recipe for dinner rolls. I only make these a few times a year, so when we have them, the kids are crowded around waiting to grab one hot out of the oven.

These are a crowd pleaser, and I often had requests from friends to make a batch and freeze them. That is one of the reasons this is a recipe that gets a gold star in my book. You can make them ahead of time, form the dough and freeze them unbaked.

That way all the work is done and you just have to let them rise, bake and butter them, and you are an instant celebrity, you your house smells almost heavenly.

Well, I have given enough of an advertisement on this particular roll, I wish I had planned ahead enough and I would have taught Judy how to make these rolls and we could have made a video, I am sure that would have been entertaining. So, here is the recipe, I hope you enjoy.

Click here to print

Have fun, your family will thank you. If you have questions feel free to contact me.

Count the Costs and Build Wisely

Rather than jump into a huge expense to get your baking business off the ground, I would advise you test the water by dipping your toe in first. I have recommended that you start slowly and not go into huge debt to start your business, “been there, done that, got the t-shirt.”

If you love to bake and hope to make money doing that, there are ways to wade into the business before you begin to throw huge amounts of money into it. Believe me, brick & mortar stores, lease hold improvements, fancy build-outs, leases, commercial kitchens, etc are a big investment.

For many of us, our goal in wanting to start a baking business is to help our families finances, but borrowing money to do the things I just mentioned could greatly jeopardize the financial welfare of our families.

I know I am repeating myself, but I am passionate about helping others avoid the mistakes I made. Many of us have the illusion that if we open the doors of a business, bags of money instantly appear in our bank accounts.
In reality, making bad decisions will do just the opposite, we could see our assets drained.

Okay, I am talking to people who are regular everyday folks who simply want to build a little business that will fulfill their dreams. If you are striving  to be the next McDonalds, and you have the funding to do that, you obviously  don’t need my advice.

I have been thinking about a baby step that can serve as the first step in building a solid foundation. I know that you are anxious to start selling your products, but perhaps a way to start slowly would be to start a “sinking fund” (another name for a savings account). Even little businesses usually require some start up money, so it is a good idea to get some money trickling into an account whose sole purpose is to fund your business.

One way to do that would be to start a blog that talks about your expertise in baking or cooking. You know a lot, sharing some of that knowledge with others could be a way to start funding your dream business.

Blogging is easy and fun. You don’t have to know all sorts of technology to be able to create a successful blog. There are very user friendly ways to get started doing that today, and they can be low cost or even free.

If you are reading this blog, you can see how easy it is. You simply write about what you are passionate about or just enjoy doing. All of us have plenty of experience that we can share with others. Don’t be shy about sharing.

Take a look, we are talking about baking here. If you are reading this, you are interested in baking or cooking, and are considering the possibilities of starting a business doing that. That is the content for your blog.

You love to bake/cook. There are great stories you can tell about your triumphs as well as disasters you have had with cooking. We all have those, and people interested in cooking/baking will enjoy reading about those. There is a lot of interest in baking/cooking these days. If you doubt that, take a look at the number of cooking shows you can watch each and every day.

You may agree with all of that, but still be intimidated by the thought of starting a foodie blog. I found a resource that offers great tips on how to not only start a foodie blog, but also make money with it. It not only gives valuable information about a starting a foodie blog, it give good information about blogging in general, and how to start finding good traffic for your blog.

Here is a link to an ebook that will tell you:

• how a blog can make you money
• how to set it up and design it using free tools
• how to generate traffic to your blog
• what content you can include in your blog
• and a lot more……

There is a small investment, just $14.95 and you will have the information you need to start blogging. Once you start, you won’t want to stop! The ebook is called “How to Start A Recipe Blog for Fun & Profit”. You can get it by clicking here:

“https://www.doughraisingmom.com/foodblog“>

Once you purchase that ebook, it will give you an immediate download, so you can get busy. It will take awhile to get good consistent traffic, but it is so  important to post often so the search engines visit your site often. If you can post something everyday, you will begin to see results much faster.

If you have questions, please contact me and I will try and help. You have your work cut out for you, enjoy. I want to be honest with you & let you know that the link I provided is an affiliate link that will be a blessing to my family. If you prefer, you can go to Just Add Sweat.com.
photo credit: wfeiden

The most logical place to start is with your favorite recipe.You need to establish yourself as the expert in one thing to start. You can surely expand your repertoire as you grow.It is better to be known for making the best pies, banana breads, cheesecakes, etc, you name your one thing.

For the sake of simplicity, let’s pretend that your favorite thing to make is pie. Every time you are taking food to a place where other people are going to have the chance to taste what you make, take pie, at least at first. That way you will begin to become known for your awesome pie!

Let it be known that you love to make pie, and that it is no imposition to make it for any occasion. If you are going to a meeting, take your pie. If there is a dinner at your church, you guessed it, take pie.

Soon everyone will know you for your pie, and you may even become the “pie lady”. Once that reputation begins to take hold, you probably will have others begin to ask you to make pie for them.

That is the beginning. Once you have made a pie for someone else, the word begins to spread. You are at the beginning of building a loyal following, and that is an important part of the foundation of a good business.

So, if you are a pie lady, or a cake lady, or a barbeque guy, your oven is waiting. Get busy and start building your reputation. This is what is called defining your niche. It is a critical foundational piece in building a solid business. It is what makes you the expert instead of a “Jack of all trades.”

We are talking about building the foundation, and the food is only one part of a successful business. So stay tuned for next time as I will tell you about more of this foundation building.

photo credit: medea_material