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Lions and tigers and bears – oh my! No need to be afraid. It's a new year and it doesn't have to be scary. As a business owner or manager, now is when you can give yourself the best chance for success. Here’s a new year prep checklist to use as a guide.

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North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

What Does It Mean To Be A Chamber Member?

I spent a few minutes this morning with Maria, the owner of Cortado Roastery. Actually, I've been in Cortado at least once each week for at least four months now. We've spent a lot of time together in her coffee shop. This morning in particular was different. I pitched an idea to Maria about showcasing Cortado Roastery in a blog post. I sat at the bar counter while she and staff continued to serve guests. Each time she had a spare moment, I asked another question. What follows is the result of that conversation. Member Spotlight: Cortado Roastery Favorite drink to make : cortado (thus the name of the coffee shop) What makes your Cortado unique? She enjoys making this the most because it requires a very skillful and careful touch that she's mastered Most popular drink ordered by clients : latte Most popular flavor add-in : totally depends on the season Holiday specials this winter : peppermint mocha, white chocolate tiramisu latte (wow, right!) Specials coming up in February 2023 : strawberry shortcake latte How do you create new drinks : mostly the staff. Maria trusts the crew she's hired and allows them creative freedom to develop the menu. (there's an important leadership lesson right there) Food Choices Cortado Roastery offers a perfect collection of food choices to go with your coffee and tea. Choices include protein waffles, breakfast sandwiches, acai bowls, avocado toast, and more. Featuring Local Artists While I sat there enjoying my first cup of the day (quad shot latte with caramel & vanilla) and making note of Maria's answers, I found myself enjoying the artwork on the walls. Maria has told me in the past that she features local artists. In particular, these are works created by Paradise Valley Community College students across the street (and PVCC is also a member of the North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce). Supporting Other Local Businesses Besides artwork by Paradise Valley Community College art students, Maria also has retail space at the front of the shop. She has opened up some space for another new chamber member member, Seasons Ville . They create activity boxes for children. Very creative and educational. Cortado Roastery is a great place to meet for business 1:1s (7am - 3pm, 7 days a week) Maria is also open to renting the venue after hours for specific business functions. For More Information (And A Great Coffee Experience) Cortado Roastery 3230 E Union Hills. Suite 135 Phoenix AZ 85050 602-714-5166 Facebook: https://facebook.com/kingcoffeeroastery Instagram: https://instagram.com//kingcoffeeroastery/

The holiday shopping season is in full tilt right now and while you’re busy analyzing your Black Friday and Cyber Monday revenue, there are a few things you want to do to capture those December holiday dollars. Refresh Your Website If you still have Black Friday info up there, it’s time to strip it down and focus on last-minute shoppers. You want to ensure everyone knows the last days to order from you to meet shipping deadlines as well as what your availability is for pick-up or services. If you have hard-to-find items available, let people know. If you have space left for reservations, offer that on your front page. Websites are designed to feature the most up-to-date info so make sure you are using that space to drive the most sales. Make an Offer December has a way of getting away from people. We enter the month thinking we have an entire month to shop and before we know it, we’re missing ordering deadlines and holiday shopping at a 24-hour grocery store as we head to a friend’s house. That’s why December is the perfect time to roll out a special deal. It doesn’t have to be a loss leader. People are already in a need-to-buy situation. It’s just a little something extra to make them feel the value behind what they’re getting. That could be a coupon for a free dessert with every $100 gift card or special tote bags for purchases. Use a bonus offer with purchase to drive more sales. Launch a Social Media Giveaway A quick way to build your following (and your email list) is by launching a social media giveaway. Post on social media and encourage people to sign up for your newsletter/discount list. Then pull a name from that list and provide them with a gift card for your business. Why not just limit the contest to social media posts and shares? Why require them to sign up for your mailing list? Because you don’t own the information on social media. You need a way to contact your fans outside of social sites. Highlight Past Purchases or Services A confused mind doesn’t act. You want to be clear about what you offer and what your customers receive. December is a great time to showcase what others have purchased or the services you have rendered. Spotlight clients. Show gift baskets or things you designed for them. When people see options, it’s easier for them to make decisions. Difficulty kills more sales than cost. December is the most frantic part of Small Business Season. But it’s also an excellent time to help people when they need it most. You can make a big impression on customers when they’re feeling stressed and frantic. Do what you can to make holiday shopping easier on them and you’ll end up with fantastic end-of-year revenue. Christina Metcalf is a writer/ghostwriter who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She loves road trips, hates exclamation points, and believes the world would be a better place if we all had our own theme song that played when we entered the room. What would yours be? _______________________________________ Twitter: @christinagsmith Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

Multi-channelMarketingMulti-channelmarketing is a pronged approach to increasing revenue and sales. If you've everheard the phrasedon't put all your eggs in one basket,then you know the idea behindmulti-channelmarketing.Most people are on multiple devices and sitesthroughout the day. Any marketer will tellyou for a buyer to be moved by effective marketing they need to see multiple touchpoints(as manyas seven)from you. That's one of the reasons why Google and Facebook ads are so effective.Theyshowvisitors/usersthose ads multiple times. But seeing ads on one platform isn't nearly aseffective as using multiple ways to connect to your ideal customer.DuringSmallBusinessSeason and throughout the year an effective marketing campaign calls for acombination ofpaid, free, digital, and traditional channels.This small business season you should consider using:ads on social mediapostcardsads on other respected sitessuch as the Chamber of Commerceparticipation in a shop local program likeSmall Business SeasonReviews posted to your websiteor shared via social mediaa newsletter or e-mail campaign to drive salesvideocontent marketingonyour websiteEach of your ideal customers favors different ways of interacting with you.For instance, somepeople love to read helpful blog posts and resources from you on your products or services, whileothers can be coaxed into purchasing through entertaining videos. A multi-channel marketingcampaign is successful because it not only helps you reach people in the way that they want toenjoy your information but also helps them see you more.That's how they get to know you in orderto buy from you.