April
22, 2019

3 min read

When Walmart wanted to launch its own version of packaged third-wave coffee, it sought out the Denver-based Boyer’s Coffee, run by brothers Douglass and Jason Barrow. The brothers traced this win back to a success it had more than 10 years prior that laid the groundwork for the partnership.

In 2005, both brothers worked for corporations — Jason for General Electric and Douglass for ING — and then got the entrepreneurial itch. With their mutual love of coffee, they purchased a roastery called Luna. Their first big success would come soon, but it wasn’t under their brand’s name — rather, they got a deal for a private label with Schwan’s, the frozen food giant.

Related: The Story Behind the Coffee Company That Fuels Google, Microsoft and Facebook

“We basically took our brand story of ethically sourced, socially responsible, roast order coffees and we applied it to a Schwan’s private label,” Jason said. “What that ended up doing for us was it brought our first million dollars of revenue in very early. Our strategy has always been to get into the C suite and influence top down.”

With that infusion, the Barrows were able to invest significantly into their business.

“We literally built upon that deal every day of the week, because that big deal required us to get certifications that only Starbucks and Folgers would hold, like USDA organic certifications and safety and handling certifications,” Jason said. “It required us to get investors to put in millions of dollars into infrastructure that we needed.”

Image Credit: Courtesy of Boyer’s Coffee

The brothers would expand their coffee empire, purchasing Boyer’s as well as Boulder Organic Coffee and online retailer Boca Java. Before the Walmart deal, their coffees had been sold in about 700 stores. Its footprint is now around 1,300 stores with the addition of Walmart.

“Having a strong brand as a small producer lets big companies look at you and say, ‘What you can do for me?'” Jason said. “It was incredibly important to think at the C-suite level in this case,” adding that they created the Walmart exclusive Mash-Up Coffee based on how the retailer would market a third-wave coffee to its consumer.

Related: How This Coffee Startup Rocketed to National Retail Within a Few Months of Its Launch

Mash-Up Coffee blends coffee beans from two countries, such as Colombia and Sumatra. Each bag features a QR code that customers can scan to learn ideal food pairings and preparation methods. That’s part of an effort, Douglass said, to make quality coffee more approachable for the average consumer. The brothers also want to educate customers about the origins of their cup of joe.

“The U.S. coffee consumer doesn’t really understand the plight of the farmer,” he said. “One of our big challenges is trying to tell that story and connect the dots between the people that spend a lifetime growing the beans and the people that grind it and brew a pot at home.”

April
19, 2019

5 min read

Opinions expressed by Green Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

For seven years, Igor Yakovlev made a living as an urban beekeeper selling his honey at local farmer’s markets and independent stores in New York and New Jersey. “I got into the business because I was always interested in honeybees and helping people and the environment,” he says, noting that, “seventy-percent of our ecosystem is pollinated by honeybees” and touting the health benefits of honey.

Related: Call Them Canna-Bees. How Cannabis Helps Bees and Vice Versa.

In recent years, Yakovlev, like many, began hearing about the medicinal properties of CBD. “I started doing research,” he says, adding that he was inspired to find a way to up the healing properties of his products by infusing them with cannabidiol oil. “I thought, what if I could make my honey a super, super food?” he says.

Here’s how he got the business out of the hive and into the market.

Know your strengths and weaknesses

Yakovlev knew he wanted to branch out, but he also knew that he was not a businessperson. So, he sought out childhood friends Sam and Boris Savransky, who both had lucrative backgrounds in e-commerce. The brothers came on board bringing the funds needed to get the company off the ground. In 2018, Hempme was born.

Each partner in the company has a different role. “I do the production, Sam does the marketing, and Boris does all the logistics,” Yakovlev explains.

Find the best source

Yakovlev began searching for CBD partners and came across several industry hemp growers in Colorado, Oregon, and New York. “I ordered samples of different oils to play around with, to see what tasted better, what looked better, what was the best type of oil for the honey,” he recalls.

The founders started with a CBD isolate, generally accepted as the easiest to blend with a food product, but they quickly realized the formulation wouldn’t offer the benefits they were going for. “We wanted people to experience the full entourage effect so we started doing a full CBD full spectrum, a whole plant,” Yakovlev explains.

Get the process down

Next, Yakovlev had to master the process of getting the honey just right and making their product stand out from competitors. “Hempme is special because we use a special process where we cream the honey, which many other companies do not do,” Yakovlev says. This is a combination of liquid and crystalized honey placed into a machine and spun for two days before the extract is added. This process, according to Boris, also helps to ensure that consumers are getting an even distribution of CBD with each use.
In addition to its cinnamon-flavored Creamed Honey, Hempme also offers a CBD honeycomb “straight from the hive,” as well as pain-relieving Hemp Balm.

“We use our own harvested honey for those. They are our staple,” Yakovlev says, the latter of which has been popular among athletes and UFC fighters. Floyd Mayweather’s personal bodyguards, for instance, have written in to rave about reduced joint pain and deeper sleep as a result of the products. HempMe’s catalog also includes full spectrum lip balm, and water-soluble full spectrum oil tinctures.

Image Credit: HempMe

Get yourself to market

Once the inventory was ready and third-party lab approved, the team dove headfirst into the task of preparing for retail in the spring of 2018. But it took a full nine months before they were able to secure an online merchant account and the founders were sitting on product with no way to legally sell it.

This delayed Hempme’s initial batch of sales until December 2018. “That was our first gut check,” Yakovlev adds. This threw their sales off course but the founders say if everything continues to go as planned; they should be fully profitable in 2020.

The second hurdle came in the form of realizing that mainstream platforms, like Facebook and Google, wouldn’t allow them to advertise in the traditional sense so they developed work-around strategies. For example, an ad for CBD honey would simply invite Facebook users to check out a new honey product that people are raving about. The ad wouldn’t mention CBD at all. The viewer would learn the secret ingredient is CBD later in their customer journey. 

Related: How to Finesse FDA Regulations and Successfully Market Your CBD Business

Word of mouth is also important. “We reach out to people online organically who are basically sharing that they are dealing with specific ailments and we get in touch, telling them about our product, and explaining how it can help,” Yakovlev says.

Gather research to back your case

Another challenge is the lack of research on the science behind CBD. For the time being, the team is referencing studies that highlight the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of honey and plugging the benefits of CBD though antidotal evidence and feedback they have. Many of their users, for instance, have claimed to be able to have improved sleep and reduced anxiety after taking a spoonful of their trademark CBD-infused honey.

Hempme is currently sold online. Going forward, the company hopes to broaden its reach and land in retailers like Whole Foods, CVS, and Walgreens but right now, the main goal is to educate the community on the benefits of their CBD products. “We offer a free dosing guide on our website to help clear up any confusion about this,” says Yakovlev. And new and improved products are always on the docket. Yakovlev, for instance, is currently experimenting with an ultrasonic homogenizer, which he says hopes will double the absorbability of topical CBD products.

Related: How Cannabis Ecommerce Challenges Are Driving Web Innovation

April
18, 2019

9 min read

Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

For many entrepreneurs, figuring out how to increase productivity at work is a task that’s both formidable and frustrating. It’s sort of like you’re Indiana Jones, but instead of dodging booby traps on your quest to find the Holy Grail, you’re trying to avoid working unnecessarily hard in your pursuit of total efficiency.

Spoiler: There’s no panacea when it comes to hacking your productivity; if there was, we’d all be doing it. Rather, you should strive to find simple, practical ways to fine-tune your day-to-day routine while establishing a healthy, comfortable, and distraction-free work environment.

If that sounds like a lot to handle, allow us to assist: Below, we’ve rounded up 10 different products that can help successful entrepreneurs tweak their lifestyle to increase productivity on just about any budget. 

1. Cushion 

Image Credit: Purple

Few things kill productivity faster than lower back and sciatic pain, which makes a good workplace seating situation (and good posture) a must. 

You’ve probably heard of their mattresses, but did you know that Purple makes a quality Seat Cushion, too? Available in a variety of different sizes and shapes, the popular bed-in-a-box brand’s “cushy for your tushy” comes with a one-year warranty and a 30-day trial period. 

A customer favorite that’s ideal for offices, you can get Purple’s Royal Seat Cushion model for just $79.

If you’re on a budget:

2. Standing Desk

Image Credit: Amazon

Research has indicated that standing desks do wonders for one’s productivity, with workers reporting increased energy levels, improved mental focus, and fewer aches and pains when they stayed upright. This impact isn’t insignificant, either: A study conducted by Texas A&M University’s Health Science Center School of Public Health found that call center employees who used standing desks were almost 50 percent more productive than their seated counterparts. 

Designed to keep your body moving, the modern Jarvis Standing Desk is made from sustainable bamboo and features an award-winning desk frame that adjusts from 23.23 inches to nearly 50 inches with the included push-button handset. Each unit is easy to assemble, strong enough to support up to 350 pounds, and comes with an industry-leading, seven-year warranty on all frame, mechanical, and electrical parts. 

You can get the Jarvis for only $534 and take your pick from four different finishes. 

If you’re on a budget:

3. Supplements 

Image Credit: TruBrain

Nootropics are a buzzy genre of nutritional supplements that are billed as “bio-hacks” to improve your cognitive function, creativity, and focus. Many Silicon Valley bigwigs swear by them despite the fact that, as with most other dietary supplements, they aren’t regulated by the Federal Drug Administration, touting them as jitter-free coffee substitutes that make it easier to see difficult tasks through to completion.

TruBrain aims to help you “carpe more diem” with its popular line of nootropics, available in drink and bar form. Featuring nootropics such as caffeine, L-Theanine, and noopept, both products were created by UCLA-trained neuroscientists for the purpose of helping you overcome mental blocks and increase your mental output. 

Score a month’s supply of 1-ounce TruBrain nootropic shots for $65, or grab a 12-pack of their chocolate and peanut butter snack bars for $49.

4. Noise-Canceling Headphones

Image Credit: Amazon

This one’s pretty obvious: A good pair of noise-cancelling headphones tunes out unwanted distractions in your surroundings, whether you’re at home, in the office, in an airport, or on the subway. The less you struggle with environmental diversions and interruptions, the more focused you can be on the task at hand.

The Sony Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones utilize industry-leading noise-cancellation and smart listening technology to create a crystal-clear listening experience that adjusts to your surroundings. Each pair comes equipped with the Amazon Alexa smart assistant for hands-free voice control as well as a built-in microphone that lets you take calls on the go. And with up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, they’re designed to keep up with you and your busy schedule.

Snag a pair of the Sony Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones in Black or Silver for only $348.

If you’re on a budget:

5. Portable Scanner

Image Credit: Amazon

Pro tip: The more you utilize the convenience of portable devices and eliminate detours to the office, the better for you and your personal productivity. 

Weighing in at less than one pound, the USB-powered Mobile Color Page Scanner from Brother is one such way to streamline your workflow. Simply slip it inside your backpack or briefcase — it’s just under 11.5 inches — and you’ll be able to take high-resolution scans of receipts, IDs, business cards, invoices, and other documents on the go in both color and black-and-white.

A $129.99 value, you can get one today for just $81.77.

6. A Second Monitor

Image Credit: Amazon

From swiftly switching between applications to comparing files and segmenting tasks, the productivity-boosting benefits of a multi-monitor setup are manifold — and quantifiable. According to a 2017

study conducted by the IT statistics firm Jon Peddie Research, workers achieved up to a 42 percent increase in productivity upon switching to a multi-display configuration.

If you’d like to add another monitor to your own lineup, we recommend looking into the BenQ 28” 4K HDR10 Monitor. Brandishing more than 700 five-star reviews on Amazon, it’s equipped with 4K resolution for ridiculously clear and vibrant graphics; Brightness Intelligence Plus Technology that tweaks the display settings in accordance with the brightness of your work environment; and a unique “Smart Focus” feature that highlights a selected viewing area to reduce background distractions. 

Normally $499.99, you can get the BenQ 28” monitor for just $386.98.

If you’re on a budget:

• The Asus 23” HD LED Monitor offers pristine image quality and sharpness, and comes with a mountable, detachable base ($128.09)

7. Journal 

Image Credit: Amazon

Journaling is one of the most popular methods of practicing mindfulness, or the state of being completely tuned into the present moment — physically, mentally, emotionally, etcetera. It’s a proven way to reduce stress, but as productivity coach Ciara Conlon notes in a blog post for Lifehack, a personal development site, mindfulness is also a great way to hone one’s focus and organizational skills: “Mindfulness jumps in the way of all [life’s] distractions of the mind and says ‘Hey, come back to the present moment, get what needs to be done, done!’” she writes.

Lots of Amazon reviewers have found the Morning Sidekick Journal helpful on their personal mindfulness journeys. Made by Habit Nest, this non-dated routine planner and habit tracker aims to help you start each day with an actionable tidbit of content — such as a tip or inspiring anecdote — and goal strategy to help you more effectively reach your true potential and stay motivated. Get it in Sunrise Red for only $29.90.

Another solid pick is The SELF Journal from BestSelf Co., a non-dated, highly detailed journal whose purpose is to help you better structure and organize your life in accordance with your goals. It typically retails for $37.99, but it’s yours today for only $31.99.

8. Storage

Image Credit: Amazon

Whether it’s a jumble of files on your desktop or a forgotten library of old albums sitting in your “Downloads” folder, digital clutter can be a huge barrier to an efficient workflow. Not only is it distracting, but it can seriously slow down your device’s performance.

The SanDisk Cruzer USB 2.0 Flash Drive ups your storage game with 32GB of space for your movies, music, files, photos, and more. Once you’ve finished transferring your documents to its memory, you can take your content with you everywhere — and no more having to lug your laptop around. Plus, you get additional peace of mind in the form of one SecureAccess software download (included with every purchase), which lets you password-protect your most important files.

This portable storage solution normally retails for $23.99, but you can get it for only $7.99.

9. Meals

Image Credit: Home Chef

As a successful entrepreneur, you don’t have time to throw together an elaborate, home-cooked meal every day. Fortunately, you’ve got a couple of healthy alternatives to takeout that’ll suit your busy schedule, the first being Home Chef, a meal delivery service that promises to take you “from doorstep to dinner in about 30 minutes.” Just take your pick of a dozen or so delicious, easy-to-follow recipes each week and set a delivery date; Home Chef will then ship the ingredients right to your front door and walk you through the process of crafting your tasty dishes.

For a limited time, you can take $30 off your first Home Chef order and $10 off your second. Click here to learn more.

If your ultra-busy schedule requires an even more practical, no-frills mealtime solution, take Soylent’s shakes for a test drive. Each bottle of its plant-based, 400-calorie meal alternative contains 20 percent of your daily vitamins and minerals, making them great breakfast or lunch replacements or post-workout meals. 

Get a 12-pack of Soylent in your choice of four flavors — Original, Cacao, Strawberry, or Vanilla — for only $39.

10. Blue Light Frames

Image Credit: Amazon

Much ado has been made about blue light, or the short-wavelength, high-energy glow from your devices’ screens that contributes to digital eye strain. In some studies, long-term exposure to it has been linked to retinal damage and the delayed release of melatonin (the hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle). It goes without saying that these effects can make productivity quite difficult, if not impossible.

For premium protection from your screens’ eye-straining glow at a very reasonable price point, look no further than the ANRRI Blue Light-Blocking Glasses. They’re capable of eliminating up to 90 percent of blue light, which dramatically reduces eye fatigue, blurriness, dryness, and premature aging. What’s more, you’ll sleep better and more deeply at night with less exposure to blue light’s disruptive wavelengths. 

Blue light frames can run upwards of $75, which makes ANRRI’s glasses a steal at just $19.95.

April
17, 2019

3 min read

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

Carl’s Jr. is making history this 4/20.

On Saturday, Carl’s Jr. will debut the CBD-infused “Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight” at a single location in Denver. The CBD burger will be available for $4.20 during the one-day test, fittingly held on April 20, a weed-filled celebration for many Americans.

With the test, Carl’s Jr. would become the first major fast-food chain to roll out a cannabis-infused menu item — even if just for a one-location, one-day event.

The CheeseBurger Delight consists of two beef patties, topped with pickled jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, fries, and CBD-infused “Santa Fe Sauce.”

The rise of the CBD-infused burger

Carl’s Jr.

Image credit: Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

Carl’s Jr. has been working on the CBD burger since its vegan Beyond Meat burger launch in early January, according to Patty Trevino, Carl’s Jr.’s senior vice president of brand marketing.

Unlike with most menu tests, one of Trevino’s earliest conversations about Carl’s Jr.’s decision to make a CBD-infused burger was with the company’s legal team. The Denver restaurant was picked as the 4/20 test spot in part because Colorado legalized recreational marijuana in 2014.

Trevino said the test is more than a one-day 4/20 stunt. Carl’s Jr. will be monitoring sales and customer and franchisee responses, and if all goes well, Trevino said, expanding the test remains an option — with the possibility of one day rolling out a CBD-infused burger across the U.S.

“If anyone is going to do it, I would want Carl’s Jr. to do it,” Trevino said of the prospect of launching a CBD-infused menu item nationally.

While navigating state-by-state regulations could prove challenging, Trevino said Carl’s Jr. had an advantage as a West Coast chain, operating in more states that have fully legalized marijuana. In total, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, its sister brand that dominates the South and Midwest, have 3,800 locations in 44 states and internationally.

CBD, which has been celebrated for its potential health benefits, is the nonpsychoactive component of marijuana — meaning that eating a CBD burger will not get you high. With the passage of last year’s farm bill, CBD is becoming mainstream, despite reports of dangerous ingredients and misleading labels.

By Chloe’s CBD-infused desserts.

Image credit: By Chloe/Leslie Kirchoff

Retailers and restaurants are increasingly intrigued by CBD — Walgreens and CVS have signed deals to sell CBD topicals, and the trendy restaurant chain By Chloe serves up CBD-infused sweets, for example. A team of analysts at the investment bank Cowen recently estimated that the US market for CBD could skyrocket to $16 billion by 2025 from roughly $1 billion to $2 billion now.

Carl’s Jr. is sourcing its hemp-derived CBD oil from BlueBird Botanicals, a Colorado company.

Trevino said that a few years ago, it didn’t seem as if CBD and legal weed would ever be something national restaurants could explore.

“If you were to ask me when I was at Burger King back in the mid-2000s, I would have been like, no way,” Trevino said. “But today, this is a huge trend with consumers.”

The “Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight” will be sold at the Carl’s Jr. at 4050 Colorado Blvd. in Denver starting at 6 a.m. on Saturday, while supplies last.

April
16, 2019

3 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Jennifer Fisher launched her eponymous jewelry line in 2005 with a necklace design that fufilled a parent’s desire to purchase a necklace customized with her infant son’s name. Fisher was that parent; and she’s since started a brand to fulfill other parents’ jewelry needs as well as offer luxury pieces. She’s also opened a flagship store on New York City’s Fifth Avenue.

“I feel like I’ve built a  accessible luxury jewelry brand — for women — that isn’t scary,” Fisher told me in an interview. “And I’ve built it painstakingly over the last 12 years.”

Related: Shannon Keith Is Fighting Sex Trafficking in India, One Beautiful Pajama Set at a Time

Jewelry hasn’t been her only entrepreneurial creation. In 2017, Fisher ventured into the culinary space as well, with the creation of three custom-blended salts. I, for one, can’t wait to see where she goes next!

Image credit: Courtesy of Jennifer Fisher

I sat down with Fisher to discuss how she launched her jewelry line for the same reason so many entrepreneurs launch their businesses: She saw a need and nothing to fill it. During our conversation, we dove into how she makes bravery and busting through breakthroughs an everyday act. We also talked about the power of “no” and how she sticks to what she’s passionate about, to fuel her business’s expansion.

Check out the video above, in which Fisher tells me, “It was really a matter of learning how to use my voice, and once you learn how to use my voice, there’s no coming back. You become a leader.”

Biography

Southern California native Jennifer Fisher began her career as a wardrobe stylist working on movies, TV shows and and commercials in both New York and Los Angeles. After ten years of dressing and styling Hollywood, Fisher married, and with her husband Kevin settled in New York City, where her company is now based.

Upon the birth of the couple’s first child, Shane, Fisher looked for a piece of fine jewelry that not only spelled his name, but also expressed her own personal style. Unable to find anything unique, she designed a piece with Shane’s name stamped on the front that she styled with a long, thick link gold chain. When friends, family and even strangers began requesting that Fisher design something for them, she launched Jennifer Fisher Jewelry, in 2005. In 2014 she opened her flagship store on New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Related: Bobbi Brown Started a Beauty Empire With Just One (Revolutionary) Lipstick

In the years since, she’s expanded her line with a brass collection; and also in 2014, she moved into the culinary realm for Jennifer Fisher Universal Salt (and two other blends), offering custom-blended dual-purpose salt.

Her jewelry has a loyal fan base with such such celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Michelle Obama, Naomi Watts, Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker and Selena Gomez. Honors include becoming a top ten finalist in the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Vogue Fashion Fund Competition in 2012, and being invited to become an official member of the CFDA the following year. In 2018, Fisher received the Retail Innovation Award at the first ever Town & Country Jewelry Awards. 

Fisher lives in New York City with her husband and two children.

April
15, 2019

5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Most small business owners today know that they need a website. But what many fail to realize is that their websites need to be more effective.

A website is meant to attract consumers to your business. But what do those consumers do once they land on your website? Maybe they give you a call or pop into your bricks-and-mortar location some time. And, sure, that’s all fine and dandy. But even better than that, your website itself can actually generate leads and sales for you with just a few simple tweaks.

Related: 10 Tips for Web Design That Drives Sales

Ready to get more business from your small business website? Here’s how to make it more effective.

Make it look good.

First, you need to make your website look good. A professional-looking website makes a great first impression, encourages users to stay on your website longer and presents your business as an industry leader. In fact, according to Adobe, 38 percent of people in one study said they would stop engaging with a website if the content/layout was unattractive.

Look at the example below. The website on the left is cluttered and appears dated. But the website on the left is sleek and modern.

 

Image Source: Cope Sales and Marketing 

Don’t worry though; you don’t have to spend a bunch of money on a web designer to give your small business site a makeover. If you run your site on WordPress, you can choose from thousands of free and for-fee themes that will give your website a professional look in an instant.

Make it easy to contact you.

Many small businesses simply list their address, phone number and email on their website. But, you’ve got to make it easy for your potential customers to contact you. Many would rather not pick up the phone and call you to ask a simple question. In fact, in a survey by BankMyCell, 75 percent of millennials surveyed said they avoided phone calls because they’re time-consuming.

Related: How (and Why) Collaboration Brings About Stronger, More Creative Web Design

So, make it easy for them by adding a simple contact form to your website. With a contact form on your website, you’ll be able to generate more leads for your business by giving your website visitors a convenient way to get in touch.  

Consumers also want to be able to get information before making a purchase — and when it’s convenient for them. So, consider adding a chatbot to your website too. A chatbot will be available to answer users’ questions 24/7, even when you’re not around.

Add social proof.

To encourage your website visitors to pick your business over a competitor’s, add social proof to your website. The term was coined by Robert Cialdini in his 1984 book, Influence. It describes a “psychological and social phenomenon wherein people copy the actions of others in an attempt to undertake behavior in a given situation.” In other words, if you show off your happy customers and clients to the world, website visitors will be more likely to want to become your customers too.

Amazon does this well by showing customer reviews on all of the products sold on its website.

Image Source: Use Proof blog 

Aside from showing customer reviews, you can add social proof to your website in the form of case studies, testimonials, a display of the logos of your biggest clients, data about the number of your products sold/customers, user-generated content, media coverage and more.

Start a blog.

Another element that will make your small business website more effective is a blog. A blog not only helps attract more visitors to your website, but once they’re there encourages them to become a customer.

Just remember, your business blog is not a diary to share your thoughts. You need to write content that educates and converts your readers. For instance, if you have a small landscaping business and you start blogging about landscaping tips, your website visitors will be able to see that you know your stuff. If you can show that you’re an expert in your industry, they’ll be more likely to become paying customers.

Include a strong call to action.

A common mistake many small business websites make is not including a strong call to action. What, exactly, do you want customers to do? A call to action specifies that expectation and is designed to prompt an immediate response. Without one, your website visitors won’t be encouraged to take action on your site; they’ll look around, maybe make a mental note to call you sometime and move on to something else.

For an example, the Bark Box website includes not one but two call-to-action buttons on the home page that guide consumers through the buying journey. When a user clicks on the button, he or she is taken to a page to make a purchase.

 

Image Source: Bark Box 

It doesn’t matter what type of business you have, you can create a call-to-action that works for you. Your call-to-action could be a number of different phrases such as call now, book an appointment, get a quote and so on.

Related: 5 Psychological Principles of High Converting Websites

Over to you.

Your website shouldn’t exist just as an online listing for your small business. Rather, it should help you generate leads and increase sales. With these tips for how to make your small business website more effective, your website visitors won’t just be browsing, they’ll be turning into paying customers.

April
12, 2019

6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

When my company fails to make a sale I feel sick to my stomach, but not for the reasons you might think.

No, I’m not some greedy businessman, nor some scammy internet marketer living in my parents’ basement. My squirrelly stomach happens because our company, The Feel Good Lab, is centered on helping people. And when they don’t buy, I know that we’ve done them a disservice. We haven’t met their goals.

For modern brands to survive they need to be built around customer goals. Everything else must come second.  

Below are three steps we took to build our company with customers at the center. Plus, the surprising outcomes of doing so.

Step 1: Bridge the gap between “before” and “after.”

Think about your customers and ask yourself what their situation is before they purchase your product and where do they want to be after? Describe what they’re experiencing, thinking, feeling, both before and after your product enters their world. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Now, here’s the trick. Write down everything that’s holding them back from getting from before to after. For us, this revealed dozens of barriers that we could help our community overcome. Here are a couple of examples:

• Our customers are hesitant to try new products because they feel like they’ve “tried everything.”

• Our customers often get poor results from pain relief products because they’re not given easy-to-follow education on how to effectively use them.

The list goes on and on. What barriers are holding back your customers from getting from before to after?

Related: 11 Tips on How to Handle Customer Complaints

Step 2: Help customers overcome barriers.

Now, remember that your products are only part of the solution. Because everything you do as a brand should focus on making that path to after faster and easier.

Pin your customers’ barriers on a wall. Stare at them. Analyze them. Use them as inspiration for your next business move, even when it’s not clear how you’ll make money from it right away. The money will come when you’re genuinely helping people overcome what’s holding them back.

For us, this approach has led to dozens of decisions that have made an enormous impact on our business and the rate of success for our customers.

Our “Honest Shot” guarantee is a great example.

It was inspired by the two barriers listed above, that is, hesitation around trying new products and lack of easy-to-follow education. So, we offered folks a deal. Follow our instructions to a tee, and if you don’t feel a reduction in your pain, we’ll give you your money back. And like any fair deal, we considered it a two-way street. We put the burden on ourselves to create instructions that really worked and were simple to follow.

Here’s a challenge for you.

Imagine you were forced to offer a money-back guarantee on your product or service. If that makes you uncomfortable, that’s a signal that you have work to do. It’s time to start thinking of what support, services or education you could provide to make a guarantee that works for both your business and your customers.

Step 3: Make a “no inward-facing decisions” rule.  

For every business decision, we ask ourselves, “How does this benefit our customers?” If it’s a struggle to answer, we don’t do it. Easier said than done, let me tell you.

Want to play a fun game? Ask your CFO that question when they are trying to save some cash by cutting a few corners. (Spoiler alert: it won’t be a fun game.) But continuously having the conversation creates a culture of always putting customers first.

Pretend your customer is sitting beside you whenever you make a decision. How would you transparently explain why you’re about to make that decision? That’s the litmus test for doing good business today.

Related: 5 Customer Service Rules to Boost Your Profit by 18 Percent

A lot of good comes from focusing on helping customers before revenue and profit—not that we don’t care about those things. Here are three surprising outcomes this process has had for us:

Outcome 1: We never have to make hard sells.

When you wholeheartedly build your products and brand with the focus of helping people, there’s no need for any slimy sales pitch. It becomes about sharing what you’ve created because you know it will help. Sure, there’s still work to be done to elegantly show off what you have to offer, but if you do things right, you nor your salespeople will ever have to have that shady feeling of “selling.”

Outcome 2: Generating new ideas is easier.

The more we strive to help our customers, the more unique and exciting our ideas for future products become. Today, we have no shortage of ideas in our pipeline that we’re certain our customers will love and want to buy. Why? Because each idea comes from a deep understanding of what’s really going to help them.

Related: 3 Essentials for Building a Loyal Customer Base

Outcome 3: When our customers win, we win.

At the end of the day, we’re a business. And to grow as a business, we must make a profit. But even when we look at the profit metric we look at it through the lens of helping our customers. Because profit allows us to make more great products, create even better experiences, and reach more people that need some help.

Here’s the funny thing. The more we focus on helping, the more profitable we are becoming.