Business Vision: More Eye, Less I
How To Do Business With the State of NJ
Direct Mail Isn’t All Junk: Some of It is Profitable
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This article was prepared for the October 10, 2001 edition of U.S.
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Trenton Small Business Week
Entrepreneurs always seem to have confident attitudes,
but Trenton’s eighth annual week to celebrate small business —
with its “The Opportunity is Here!” motto — shows more
than the usual optimism. Set for Monday to Friday, October 15 to 19,
this varied assortment of upbeat speeches, networking opportunities,
and nitty-gritty “how to” workshops offers encouragement to
every small business person, from the naive to the experienced.
Call the hotline at 609-396-8801 to make reservations for any of the
workshops or go to (www.smallbizweek.com). Additional telephone
numbers, provided in calendar listings or articles, refer to the
speaker for
that meeting.
In addition to a series of specific seminars, three major networking
gatherings will be held, beginning with the kickoff party, Monday,
October 15, at 8 a.m. at the Sovereign Bank Arena. On Wednesday,
October
17, the Urban World Cafe will host a Unite for Success Gala from 5:30
to 8:30 p.m. Also Thomas Edison College will provide another
opportunity
for business people to mingle, commiserate, and learn on Thursday,
October 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Networking begins with a kickoff breakfast on Monday, October 15,
from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Sovereign Bank Arena. It is free to those
who have registered, $10 at the door. Tuesday’s program features the
Greater Mercer County Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the War Memorial
($35), and on Wednesday, October 17, the Urban Word Cafe hosts a
networking
reception from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Three businesses will receive honors at a free networking event set
for Thursday, October 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Thomas Edison
State College, 101 West State Street. Finger food and desserts will
be provided by Trenton restaurants, such as Marsilio’s, Maxine’s,
La Cocina Criolla, John Henry’s, and Utopia. Wenonah Brooks & Company
will enteratin.
At the Small Business Celebration, Trenton Makes earns the “Most
Improved Appearance Award” for the five-year restoration of the
buildings at 439 South Broad Street, now the home of the Urban Word
Cafe, the Conduit nightclub, and studio/gallery spaes for 27 artists
(see page 47). The Mind and Soul Bookstore, a multi-cultural retailer
at the South Broad Street location, gets the “Most Successful
New Business Award.” And the long-established beer distributor,
Ritchie & Page Distributing Company, acquires the Small Business of
the Year Award for its significant contribution to the revival of
South Trenton.
Here is a sampling of the two dozen workshops offered during Trenton
Small Business Week.
Top Of PageBusiness Vision: More Eye, Less I
You should have seen her sprawled against that rock
face. She climbed three quarters of the way up, hit a comfortable
niche and just rested there. When it came time to scramble for the
summit, she slumped down exhausted. All her energy had been spent
clinging to that niche, so she went down.
If your business fits this analogy — or even if that summit has
seemed too elusive for too long, you may be in need of a quick power
boost. On Monday, October 15, at 4:30 p.m., at the Trenton Pubic
Library,
James Bartolomei of the business consulting firm Bartolomei
Pucciarelli LLC will head a free workshop entitled “Has Your
Business
Reached its Full Potential?” as part of the Trenton Small Business
Week. This seminar is designed for owners of small and mid-size
businesses,as
well as marketing and sales chiefs who are seeking to expand wisely.
There will be ample time for specific questions and problem solving.
Call 609-396-8801.
“I’m in business to make money, of course. I want more sales.”
If that’s your attitude, warns Bartolomei, you are destined to fail.
His motto? “Set up your business to satisfy needs and the money
will take care of itself.” It is a doctrine he has been preaching
and proving for the past 20 years to central Jersey businesses with
great efficacy. Having grown up in Chambersburg, Bartolomei attended
Rider University, graduating in l981 with a degree in accounting and
computer science. Five years of working for area CPA firms convinced
him that businesses needed much more than help with numbers. Thus
he founded his consulting firm, based at 2155 Brunswick Pike in
Lawrenceville,
which offers what he calls “a holistic improvement approach.”
Here are some of the steps Bartolomei lists toward getting businesses
off that comfy niche and up toward the summit:
Decreased owner dependency. “You’ve got to get the`I’ out of your business,” says Bartolomei. “Most owners startoff their business working 80 hours a week and think it always hasto be that way.” This leads to several limiting problems.Primarily,the company’s growth gets hemmed tightly within the bounds of theowner’s personal energy. “I will work harder” may have seemeda noble solution when expressed by Horse in George Orwell’s AnimalFarm, but remember, that head-down hero died young and fruitlessly.As the owner draws his hands and his vetoes out of the daily routine,his employees gain responsibility and job dedication. Further, theowner, by restraining his involvement to a standard work day, freeshimself with more time to think. Hours spent planning andcontemplatingneeds are what makes business grow. All change is difficult. But thisinitial step typically proves the most wrenching for the owner —not only emotionally but structurally and financially.Define your needs — and theirs. Three essentialelementsform all a business’ transactions: the client, the employees andlastly,the owner. Simply, to meet their needs, you’ve got to know them.Bartolomeirecommends a surprisingly honest approach. “Invite your 12 topclients to your offices in a semi-social atmosphere and hold aroundtableon their requirements.” What do they most want out of you as asupplier? What purchasing and payment methods do they prefer? What’san ideal service program? What surrounding amenities are frills? Whichare necessities? Just being personally consulted will heap moundsof client good will in your corner.Employees require and deserve the same involvement in a similargathering.”The owner may not always get what he wants to hear,” laughsBartolomei. “He may find out that the sales force `just can’tsell this beast.’ But you’ll never build a solid, directed teamwithoutsuch all-way communication.The owner has the responsibility to make his or her needs known. Ifshe sends both groups away expecting the moon, a tangle ofdisappointmentswill inevitably follow. The owner’s job at these ongoing meetingsis to share concern, hint at hope, and inject reality.Create a vision. A joint vision preferably, includingthe suggestions of all the company’s staff. Owners and top managersshould indeed step back and envision the firm’s future. However, theforging of this vision into a solid plan of action must necessarilyentail every member of the workforce. “Key your vision not onlyon how to offer the very best product,” advises Bartolomei.”buton providing your clients the best possible buying experience.”Set systems in place. This extends far beyond delineatingspecific job descriptions and individual duties. “For example,your customer wants the same information and the same reception eachtime he calls,” says Bartolomei. Thus a sharp company will trainits staff and formalize procedure. Rather than stifle creativity,such standardization provides employees with a security of knowledgeand methods. If they want to expand, fine, but they at least havethe basic direction and solid ammunition towards solving customerproblems.Keep monitoring. Every aspect of the business processneeds be tracked and assessed. You don’t mount an ad campaign, checkit’s value after the first month, then just keep it rolling onuncheckedfor the next year. (At least, hopefully, you don’t.) The same trackingmust continue ongoing with sales and all other teams. Here again,the very act of seeking customer input on your current service effortsearns goodwill and heads off client disenchantment.Doubtless, while tracking the process, you will unearth theindividual who may not fit the regime, but whose success isundeniable.How does one break blanket rules without shattering the system?Continualadjustment, often with chaffing, is inherent in growth.Bartolomei is the first to admit that his plan — and in fact mostbusiness boosting ideas — are scarcely revolutionary. As aconsultant,it frequently becomes his job to rub the client’s nose in the obvious.”Probably the greatest amount of a consultant’s time is spenthelping owners overcome the failure to implement plans that alreadylurk in their brains,” he says. Yet being obvious seldom makesan idea’s launching run more swift or smooth. For the owner to movehimself away from the daily details, and to empower his team withhis own vision may take years. Hard years. “But if you can embracethese tough changes,” says Bartolomei, “you will end up withan expanded business that doesn’t run you.”— Bart JacksonTop Of PageHow To Do Business With the State of NJWhat does your government buy? The answer is: Just abouteverything. There are over 3,000 different types of goods and servicesthat are routinely purchased by the State of New Jersey, includingfood, furniture, automobiles, office supplies, computers, shoes, andclothing. Construction work, landscaping, janitorial services andsupplies, maintenance contracts, accounting and auditing,telecommunications,are all in demand, and any company supplying these goods or servicesmight try to land a large and lucrative government contract.It’s not that easy, and it’s not for everyone. Competition is fierce:Can you work with smaller profit margins? Cash flow is crucial: Areyou able to pay employees while waiting to get paid? How flexibleis your workforce? Can you handle a contract that may be much biggerthan normal?To assess your government contract readiness, the New Jersey Commerce& Economic Growth Commission is sponsoring a free three-hour workshopon Tuesday, October 16, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Mary G. RoeblingBuilding, 20 West State Street, Room 218, in Trenton.Navigating your way toward a bid opportunity can be tricky, saysMadelineBritman, director of Procurement Programs for the New Jersey SmallBusiness Development Centers, who speaks at the workshop. “Youhave to do your homework,”she says, “and very often it’s whoyou know. Networking is essential, also attending procurement fairsand conventions, and learning the different cultures of corporationsand government agencies.””Also,”says Britman, “you must be electronically capable.This is an absolute must these days. I am recommending websites almostmore than talking to people. There is so much information on theInternetthat you won’t find anywhere else.”Britman, a graduate of Douglas College at Rutgers with a master’sdegree in industrial relations, worked for an economic developmentcorporation providing on-the-job training for socio-economicallydisadvantagedpeople. When her company received a grant from the Defense Departmentto run a procurement center, she trained and learned how to advisesmall businesses on government contract procurement processes. Shealso received master’s certification in government contracting atGeorge Washington University.”While large, established companies obviously have an edge, thereare great opportunities for small businesses,” she says.”Smallbusinesses that think they may be eligible should definitely checkthings out with us. Our website is www.yourbizpartner.com/. Anothergood source is the Small Business Administration at www.sba.gov/.“Patrick Guidotti, director of New Jersey Commerce, Office ofSmall Business, agrees that getting basic information is essentialto becoming involved in state bidding. “Our office will help youin finding out where contract opportunities are in state government.If you’re not sure that you qualify, we work as a resource andreferraloffice for you. We are familiar with all of the 57 different stateagencies, and are in constant contact with them all. We can act asa go-between to help you get involved in the process.”Guidotti has worked for the state for 36 years, 19 of them in theDivision of Building Construction, working on construction sites asa surveyor. After courses in civil engineering, plus a lot ofon-the-jobtraining, he became chief of the state’s Prequalification Office,responsible for permitting contractors to bid on state contracts.”At the same time,” says Guidotti, “I was running my ownliquor store, because it was a business where there was clearly noconflict of interest involved — to my knowledge the state doesnot purchase alcohol.” Running the business was also goodexperiencein procuring small business loans. “Believe me,” he says”itcan be done.”Most important, Guidotti believes, is getting registered and approvedto bid on government contracts, whether or not you actually decideto do so. “There are so many opportunities,” he says. “Youcould be certified as a Minority Business Enterprise, or a WomanBusinessEnterprise. The state has goals to purchase a percentage of goodsand services from these certified minority businesses. You can becomea certified vendor on a multi-source contract, which can be a greatadvantage when goods are required rapidly and locally, or you canbid as a sub-contractor in a huge variety of fields.”At the workshop, Guidotti will advise on how to get the appropriateapplications filed with different agencies. “We teach you howto get on the list,” he says. “It’s essential to be registeredand approved by our office before you can be eligible for governmentcontracts.” To request a registration application, call888-239-1288.Or call 609-292-2146 for direct information.By attending workshops like this, would-be vendors will get hands-oninstruction, plus the names and phone numbers of contact people inthe government who are responsible for contracting. Says Guidotti:”I’m big on giving out names!”— Gina ZechielTop Of PageDirect Mail Isn’t All Junk: Some of It is ProfitableJunk mail. It clutters our homes and eventually feeds,via the recycling bin, into Marcal’s huge Garden State plant which,rather aptly, turns it into toilet paper. But done well, a goodmailingcan net you between 2 and 14 percent response.To help you discover exactly how to place your mailing out of thebathroom and in that valued two percent, Trenton Small Business Weekoffers a Direct Mail Marketing Roundtable on Wednesday, October 17,at 11:30 a.m., at the Trenton Public Library. Speakers includeArleneSchragger, founder/owner of ads Public Relations & Marketing,DebraPolhill from the U.S. Postal Service, and Edward Cenkner,owner of Corporate Addressing Services. Co-produced by the New JerseyAssociation of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO), Mercer Chapter, thisfree roundtable will allow time for discussion and questions. Call609-396-8801.Trenton Small Business Week provides a full daily calendar ofnetworkinggatherings, individual counseling and specific seminars for businesspeople throughout the central New Jersey area. Programs are designedwith very little time overlap, so you won’t have to make toughchoices.”The real reason we all keep getting so much direct mail,”says Schragger, “is that it’s profitable. A solid two percentresponse makes me very happy because it pays off.” The cost ofthe other 98 unanswered brochures is far below the two sales and thetwo new customers your campaign has won. But unless you plan directmail as a full, continuing campaign, with a lot of careful strategy,she says, you are just mailing your money away.For nearly two decades, Schragger has been laying just such successfulstrategies. After growing up in Baltimore, Schragger attended GoucherCollege, where her bachelor’s in English education taught her themotivating value of the precise word. Moving north into the GardenState, she directed marketing for Star Tours, and then launched herown company. She is past president of the Mercer Chapter of NJAWBOand this year is directing the Trenton Small Business Week.For the past 14 years, Schragger’s ads Pubic Relations & Marketinghas guided scores of non-profits, professional groups and otherregionalfirms into the realm of public outreach. “Direct mail successis usually less a question of what people do wrong, than what theydon’t do at all,” she says.Defining your list. No owner can properly define mailinglist parameters until she herself has an exact idea of who wants herproduct (not merely who currently is buying it.) Of course, yourcurrentcustomer list is the ideal base, but expand and sharpen it to, forexample, all families with children ages 3 to 13, within 20 adjacentzip codes.Once your scope is defined, you can purchase a well-defined mailinglist from an advertised list broker. Which list from which brokerseems the most chancy, but frequently proves to be the most importantchoice of your campaign. Many mail list brokers will provide potentialclients a sampling list of a dozen names. “Be careful aboutputtingtoo much stock in these samples,” warns Schragger. “They’retoo small to determine a list’s quality, yet a broker’s willingnessto offer it shows at least he has faith in his product.”Hit your target with the proper image. One of the dumbest,but alas most frequent, direct mail errors is neglecting a returnaddress. Even if all your customer contact is by phone and E-commerce,customers want to know that your company is a fixed entity, not somecluster of tent-folding scam artists.Second dumbest on the most offensive blunder list comes misspellingthe customer’s name. You may not always be able to tell with yourinitial mailing of a purchased list, yet at least give a priorproofread.(Odds are those two ZZ’s in JacZZk are a typo.) And inquire aboutthe spelling on the follow up call.Send a real message. First, broaden your perspective:not every direct mail offer is a product pitch. You may be askingfor an appointment (perhaps to discuss insurance or financialmanagement),or you may be sending a coupon, or a letter of solicitation, or maybeyou want to provide a calendar of events to your theater’s fall plays,or to your store’s special sales.Whatever your approach, says Schragger, “try totranslate care and some solid benefit to your recipient.” In anideal world, she says, “direct mail pieces would be all handwritten.”Considering this obvious impossibility, she finds laser script orany presentation that appears different and more personal isappreciatedby person sorting through his daily mail.The goal is to hit your audience with an attractive front andimmediatelygrab their attention, and you haven’t got it long. (“Here is anoffer you can’t refuse…”) Blocks of solid print are formidable.Try sculpting your print body to an appealing shape and breaking itup with graphics. But remember, print is how people will get yourmessage. Pictures alone need captions to make them “honest.”Focus your intent. “It is easier to sell one bookthan a bookstore,” says Schragger. Perhaps choose a few items,feature them, then add a coupon stating “everything in the storeis 20 per cent off.” Firms offering a broader spectrum of productsmay want to visibly discount one item each from several categoriesand feature them among a smaller, general discount coupon.Follow up — continually. It takes at least sevenmailingsfor your name to become established in a potential customer’s mind.Schragger reports that “too many business owners splurge on onelovely color brochure, glean nil response, and grumble `I’ll neverdo that again’.” All campaigns are won by strong follow up. Viewthe first flyer or letter as your foot in the door. The best followups are by telephone. Get the name corrected; find the customer’sspecific needs.If your staff is too small to phone the entire list, and hiringtelemarketersseems a budget buster, continue your campaign with a varied type ofmailing. Begin with a letter or flyer, then make your second piecea signed post card, and the third a coupon.Cut mailing costs. Is a bar coder worth the money? Ispre-sorting worth the time? Do regional cost/weight limits decreasewith volume? Polhill of the Postal Service says that these questions— and others you may not dream of asking — can be answeredby the Postal Service’s specialized bulk mail counselors. They willassign your business a mailing mentor.Before you slip it in the box, “know the compliance laws and don’tmail a pig into an poke,” says Cenkner, a graduate of St. PetersCollege in Jersey City who has spent the last nine years making surethe mail gets through via his South Brunswick-based CorporateAddressingServices.Cenkner’s first rule is don’t buck the recipient or the Post Office.Too many direct mailers insist on the street address, even thoughthe recipient lists a P.O. box. “Companies and individuals usethose boxes for a reason,” says Cenkner. “Box mail gets sortedand distributed. Street address mail only gets delivered.”Also, Cenkner warns, watch your indicia — that little mailingsquare in the corner. The words “Bulk Rate” have beendisallowedby the Postal Service for two years, and the grace period for thiserror comes swiftly upon us.Cenkner’s list of tricks goes on. Printing the address on the piecegleans a greater customer response than a glued on label. Thattri-foldedpiece with the open (unfolded) end facing up takes one less wafertab than the same piece with the open end down. Accordion pieces areclever, yet if they show no closed end, the Post Office will mailthem merrily (and expensively) all at regular first class rate.Like any aspect of business, direct mailing has a score of tricksand pitfalls that require advice. Yet to make mailing truly work,it must be one integrated part of your own sales and marketingcampaign.And yes, currently your business may be moving along very well withoutit. In fact, if you don’t look too closely, you may scarcely noticethe limp of lost customers.— Bart JacksonNext StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
