Even Old Companies Need New Services

As I sit back with my cup of hot black coffee ☕ yesterday for us here was the start into a new world. AI videos. Yes AI,

because putting a videoographer on site is next to impossible. I know I have been trying for 2 years to find someone for my Tradeshow Fanatic radio show. 

I wanted something that inspires and lets you dream of the possibilities and I think we hit the target for Neighborhood Handyman LLC up in Minnesota.

Most of what is out there is fast pased , in your face. So we went the totally opposite direction and slowed down so future clients could envision themselves in their future home. 

You need to stand out from the crowd. Who are you and what makes you special. Remember in life and in business, no one can be you. 

Howard

Larson & Associates 

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

848-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.we

Tradeshows Bring Out The Possiblities

 Enjoying a nice cup of coffee☕ with you this morning as I settle back after PackExpo. 

Shows like PackExpo , FabTech, the Assembly Show , Chicago Build , IFTChicago are exilerating as they are educational. 

It makes you think of what is or could be possible. Given the right people I could have closed on 2 manufacturer rep contracts. And those were only the two that approached me. Not the three or four others who had signs saying they were looking. Pretty crazy.

Then I was doing some product sourcing for sampler coffee cups for Larson Knows Coffee and I had not one but two companies wanting to sell me a machine to make paper cups. I told them I did not want to get into the cup making business BUT what if I did. Hummm. As Andrew Carnage once said take all my factories but leave me my salesmen and in 2 years I'll have everything back again. 

I think Andrew had it right. Salespeople vs AI ?  People skills vs tech skills. Given the choice I will always buy from a person. What do you think?

Howard

Profit Margins

 As I sit back with my morning coffee

this morning my thoughts moved to margins, profit margins to be exact.

That's where know your numbers comes in handy. I drove my overhead
down as far as possible so I could get better margins. But then a (not so) strange thing happened. Cost creep set in. It always does to every business and system (like government). When you're not looking you get sloppy and a recurring service here, a wasteful buy there and all of a sudden you have a problem.

Back to margins. Where does your company make it's money. Popular opinion says companies make too much profit. I have to believe these people never worked or owned a business or they would know better. When you need supplies, how do you pay for it. When you need to fix a machine how do you pay for it. When you building needs a new roof where does the money come from?

Know your margins and defend them. Things are tight for everyone these days so when needed a little push back is in order. Even 1% could mean your selling at a loss! But sometimes you need to play the game, just remember always know your numbers.

Howard

Wanting us to sell their stuff

Good morning friends. As I sit back with my cup of hot black coffee I look at the requests of people and companies wanting us to sell their stuff.

As you my loyal fans know I am already looking for an army, well really 2 armies or reps. I even have a fairly decent referral compensation plan in my back pocket. So if you know anyone in any state in the USA send them my way please.

Getting back to the looking for sales and marketing that caught my eye was near and dear to my heart. COFFEE! I have about a dozen coffee roasting companies which follow me. I even picked up the phone, my favorite way to communicate, and talked to a couple about private labeling for advertising and marketing purposes. I even go to the Packaging Show I have a above average understanding of bags, labels and filling. But the dozen or so fans who were already following me were not interested so I go to of all places, a tradeshow, and find a coffee guy who was not just interested but had in his back pocket a plan to do the same thing!

I am now selling private label coffee!

The good news is its not an exclusive deal. The bad news is, it's not an exclusive deal.

So I can buy from other coffee roasters and the can sell through other sales and marketing organizations.

My point here is what you need is probably right under your nose if you look.

We still have openings for lead generation and cold calling so give us a call, why don't you.

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Businesses Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

Howard@larsonassociates.ws

The Sand Bar Called Advice.

 It's Tuesday as I sit back with my cup of coffee.

When I woke up today I was going to write about exuberance but as my morning as gone on slowly like a winding river I hit a sand bar called advice.

When I tell you something or give advice it is only from my perspective. I see things happening, let them bounce around in my head and then if it sounds right and looks good, I give it a shot. Now I believe in marketing with shallow pockets. Call it shallow pocket marketing, shoestring marketing, boot strap marketing, it's all the same.

Most experts have never had to make a monthly sales goal and have long forgotten how it was to be a startup. My first desk was used as was the chair. New was not in my budget or vocabulary. My father would say if you build anything that is temporary build it expecting it to become permanent and when you buy something buy the absolute best you can afford.

I suspect if I wanted I could go out a buy into 10 different AI chatbots the experts say we all need. I really don't think most of these experts have ever run a company past 3 years or had to meet payroll in a recession. I look at hundreds of marketing ideas and tools. Most of them are very good but 9 times out of10 I go into the trenches .

7 years ago when social media marketing came along and never make another cold call again savior of sales I did a competition against one of these social media companies. We split the country down the Mississippi River. I got the east and they got the west. For 1 month we did our thing on our side of the country and after1 month:

They were getting over 500% likes on posted content, followers were up at the same level and they got 3 sales appointments and 1 sale.

My single person was given a list of companies just like there top 3 customers. At the end of the month We had 4 sales, were getting 5 appointments a week and the pipeline was filling up. Sometimes you only need to go back to what works no matter how old fashioned.

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

 It's been a busy morning today as I finally settle in with a nice cup of coffee .

I'm going to be taking about controlling the AI narrative and how to position your company (yes call me naive but I think AI can be manipulated) but first . . .

. . . I need outside sales people in Golf Apparel nation (USA) wide. If you know any good ones I'd love to speak with them.

Ok back to the AI narrative. I'm not talking about how you can use AI but how the way in which you use your online content makes a difference. Here on Facebook or LinkedIn, your web page, metatag description (those were the rage with SEO 10 years ago) blogs, podcast and online radio like K-Phred Radio.

I was so dumb I kept using them, extensively. I figured why not, there is a spot for them and if it gets me above only 1 other sites in a search it's worth it. Well guess what, what goes around comes around and AI search loves metatags.

As the new world unveils itself keep your head up and eyes open. SEO, AI search, Social all matter. But so does your off line sales and marketing. Don't forget or underestimate f2f network, f2f sales calls , associations, conventions and yes, Tradeshows.

And when you find you need help call us.

Larson & Associates

Business Marketing Services

We Make Good Business Great and Great Businesses Even Better

847-489-0006

howard@larsonassociates.ws

Social And AI. It is all different and all the same.

 It is all different and all the same.

Sitting here in the quiet of the morning with my coffee ☕ I am finding what was with Google 15 years ago is still true today only now with AI it is amplified.

Google loves Google. LinkedIn likes LinkedIn. Meta loves Meta. And grok loves X or do we still call it Twitter?

When you do a content thing with AI it footnotes the sources. So yes Social Media Marketing is still a major part of the mix in online and digital marketing.

Which brings me to my second point for today.

Yes I monetize on Facebook It is not a revenue stream but it gives me some good sound marketing ideas which 70% to 80% I can use and put into practice.

I am operating a marketing business so my object is slightly different. As a business the more followers I have the more exposure Facebook gives my posts. When a reels hit 1000 they are given more exposure working off the Facebook algorithms. I look at the goals Facebook gives and 80% of them are sound social media business goals.

Meta might turn into a revenue stream for me but when I can pick up a business lead or two a month I am good with 5 to 10 cents a day. And a new client a month is good too.

Larson & Associates
Business Marketing Services
We Make Good Business Great and Great Businesses Even Better
(847) 489-0006
howard@larsonassociates.ws