Increase Sales with This Smart Tip

December 23, 2024

One of the best things you can do for your business is make it painfully obvious what you provide for your ideal audience. Coyness, after all, does not sell products.


Have you ever known someone who puts what they love out there? They tell you unabashedly what they want for Christmas, their birthday, or just any old day? I had a co-worker like this once. He loved Batman. He told everyone and decorated his cubicle accordingly.


Do you know what showed up on his cubicle doorstep all the time?


Batman.


And they were from people who normally wouldn’t give him gifts. They’d see Batman at a thrift store and think of him. They’d go through their kids’ toy bins to donate items, and guess what they did with the Batmen?


My co-worker amassed a collection of items because he “put it out there.” People knew what he wanted. The power of suggestion is a mighty one. They saw Batman; they thought of him.


If he had directly asked any of our co-workers to buy him a Batman figurine, they would’ve scoffed. But tell them over and over it’s what he loved and enjoyed, he became known for it. Batman became his nickname. Have a tech problem? Go see Batman.


He may not have been in marketing, but he understood the power of association and suggestion.


You need to do the same for your business. Unabashedly announce what you are (or want to be) known for and reiterate it at every chance. Cosmetic maven Laura Geller launched a huge influencer campaign this holiday with the help of (mainly) Gen X actresses. People like Jenny Garth (of Beverly Hills 90210 fame) and Danica McKellar (Winnie from The Wonder Years) were posting “before” and “after” makeover videos like their acting careers depended on it all over social media. They were all espousing how quick and easy it was to apply and how Geller’s cosmetics were perfect for mature skin.


Geller’s marketing team targeted middle-aged women exclusively (if you don’t pay attention to the models on the website). The influencers pointed out things most of us find annoying—makeup settling into fine lines AND a routine taking too long. They didn’t talk price, smell, trends. They focused on the two things they had determined were important to moms and grandmas—looking younger and refreshed and being able to do it quickly.


Because of this niche marketing technique and laser focus on the needs of their ideal audience, this line is becoming known as the make-up for “mature skin.”


If you do nothing else in this coming year, get very clear on “who” your business is, whether that’s THE line for mature skin or Batman. Then put it out there in everything you do.


Don’t assume a happy customer will draw that correlation for you. Too many businesses do this. Geller didn’t wait for someone with mature skin to try her product, love it, and post about how it doesn’t sink into the lines. She linked her name with that ahead of time.


Additionally, she didn’t worry about those who would find this claim unappealing (Gen Z, I’m looking at you). Instead, she found her target and zeroed in on it.


Perhaps you don’t want to be known for an item or service but a vision or mission. Put that out there as well. Don’t assume people will think it of you. Tell them. And tell them more than once. Don’t worry about sounding like a song on repeat. They’ll only hear you about 30% of the time you’re claiming it anyway. It takes a while to sink in and equally long to get past the obstacles of the social algorithms.


While we don’t all have the budget that Geller (obviously) invested in these actresses/stars, we can do what my former co-worker did and stick to something we want to become known for.


This year, as you’re going over sales and planning your business’ future, ask who you want to be and what you want to be known for. Then put it out there.




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Christina Metcalf is a writer and women’s speaker 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 is the author of The Glinda Principle, rediscovering the magic within.

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Medium: @christinametcalf

Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking

Instagram: @christinametcalfauthor

LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

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Beyond the Mixer: Maximizing Your Chamber Membership

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If your chamber membership is gathering dust because you don't enjoy networking events, you're missing out on significant value hiding in plain sight. While mixers and ribbon cuttings get the spotlight, your membership includes strategic resources that can solve real business problems, even for those of us who hate “working a room.” Your Chamber as Problem-Solving Partner Before hiring expensive consultants or spending hours researching solutions or attending City Council meetings with time you don’t have, tap into your chamber's institutional knowledge. Most chambers field dozens of questions weekly from businesses facing similar challenges. Need a reliable commercial insurance broker? Wondering about local permit requirements? Looking for employee benefits providers? Your chamber staff has likely connected ten other businesses with exactly what you need in the past month alone. A simple phone call can save you days of research and connect you with pre-vetted resources. Leverage Collective Buying Power Your chamber membership often includes access to group rates on essential services. Health insurance, payment processing, shipping discounts, office supplies, and advertising opportunities frequently come with member pricing that can save thousands annually. Many business owners never explore these benefits because they assume switching providers is complicated. Start with one area—perhaps credit card processing fees or shipping costs—and request a comparison quote through your chamber's endorsed programs. The savings often pay for your membership several times over. - Medical Plan available to Chamber Members through Aetna Strategic Visibility Without the Small Talk Hate networking events but still need visibility? Most chambers offer alternative exposure opportunities: member spotlights in newsletters, social media features, directory listings with SEO benefits, an article in their destination guide, and quote opportunities for press releases. Volunteer for a committee that meets during business hours rather than evening mixers. You'll build deeper relationships with fewer people while contributing your expertise. Economic development, public policy, events, or education committees often need people and meet in formats more comfortable than cocktail parties. - Your membership comes with an online listing that has a customizable landing page, complete with ability to rate and review. However, if your current membership level does not include this, feel free to contact us to discuss an upgrade: Office@llchamber.com - Interested in volunteering? Let us know: Office@llchamber.com . We’re always looking for people willing to lend a hand! - We’d love to hear your praise for the Chamber—send us a short quote!. Interested? You know the email: Office@llchamber.com . - Join our 2026 Leadership class and spend time with a select group of up and coming community leaders. Currently accepting applications through December 1. Make Your Voice Count Chambers actively advocate on behalf of businesses with local and state government. Your membership gives you a direct channel to influence policies affecting your bottom line from zoning regulations to tax policies. Most chambers solicit member input on advocacy priorities but rarely hear from the majority of their membership. When your chamber sends advocacy surveys or requests feedback, take ten minutes to respond. Your specific challenges and stories give chamber leaders concrete examples when they're meeting with elected officials. -Check out our Government Affairs Committee or join them, second Thursdays monthly, 9-10AM, at the Chamber. Playlists of past events also available on YouTube ! - Check out our Military Affairs Council- they meet monthly, first Tuesdays at noon, at the conference room in Fairfield Inn & Suites. They also have quarterly MAC socials. Sign up for our December 10 th social (free!) or contact us to discuss hosting one: Office@llchamber.com. Your chamber membership is a toolkit, not a ticket to parties. Identify two or three benefits aligned with your current business needs and commit to using them this quarter. The return on investment is there. You just need to claim it. - We are also collecting survey answers to better serve our community- please let us know! It’s short (we promise!) and will enter you for a chance to win a “LeavenworthIt” Swag bag. Read More: - 10 Ways to Get the Most from your Chamber Membership - How to Build Business Connections (Even if You Hate Networking) - Local Business Partnerships Strengthen Communities and Drive Growth - Your Chamber Listing Matters More Than Ever! ----------------- 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 is currently reading three books at once. _______________________________________ Medium: @christinametcalf Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking Instagram: @christinametcalfauthor LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

How to Start Using AI in Your Small Business (Without the Overwhelm)

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Everyone is telling you that you should be doing something with AI for your business. Every newsletter, podcast, and conference talk seems to assume you're already knee-deep in implementation. Meanwhile, you're stuck at square one (or just using it to write an email here or there), overwhelmed by options and uncertain where to begin. Welcome to AI paralysis—the small business challenge nobody's talking about. When we talk about AI paralysis, we’re not addressing the technophobe or those business owners who are resistant to change. It's understandable that they have their hesitation. But you’re different. You’re not against AI. You already use it a little but you’re not sure how to implement it in your business for maximum efficiencies. You’re just being a practical business owner and you don’t want to make an expensive mistake. But you're watching competitors post about their "AI transformation" and wondering if ChatGPT is even relevant to your industry. The fear of choosing wrong often feels worse than choosing nothing at all. Why Businesses Are Afraid of AI The paralysis typically stems from three sources. First, the options are genuinely overwhelming. Do you need a custom solution or an off-the-shelf tool? Should you be thinking about customer service bots, marketing automation, or operational efficiency? Second, the terminology is deliberately confusing. Companies slap "AI-powered" on everything, making it impossible to separate genuine innovation from rebranded software. Third, there's no clear ROI calculator for your specific situation. What works for a tech startup might be useless for a dental practice. You don't need an AI strategy with all the bells and whistles. You need to solve specific problems, and AI might be one tool in your arsenal. How to Use AI for Your Business Start by ignoring the hype entirely. Don’t just jump on the latest rollout. Instead, write down your three biggest operational headaches. Get clear on the tasks that waste time, create bottlenecks, or drive you crazy. Maybe it's answering the same customer questions repeatedly, writing product descriptions, or scheduling appointments. Don't think about AI yet. Just identify the pain. Now, for each problem, spend thirty minutes exploring if an AI tool exists that addresses it. Not researching broadly—specifically searching for solutions to that exact problem. You'll quickly discover that for many small business needs, purpose-built AI tools already exist and cost less than hiring additional help. The key is starting microscopically small. Don't implement an enterprise solution. Try one free or low-cost tool for one specific task. Use ChatGPT to draft email responses for a week. Test an AI scheduling assistant for a month. Let an AI transcription service handle your meeting notes. These tiny experiments cost almost nothing and teach you what AI can do. For most small businesses, AI's real value isn't in dramatic transformation. It's in recovering small pockets of time that accumulate into meaningful savings. Fifteen minutes saved on daily email drafts. Twenty minutes saved on social media planning. An hour saved on meeting summaries. It’s unlikely you’ll fall behind your competition because you haven’t built custom AI solutions. The businesses that will struggle in the future are those that haven’t experimented with anything at all. AI paralysis ends the moment you treat it like any other business tool: try something small, measure if it works, keep it or dump it, then move on to the next experiment. If you’re not sure where to start, check with your chamber of commerce. It’s likely they have resources, programming, or connections that can help you figure out how to use AI tools for greater efficiency. Further Reading: 5 Genius Ways AI Can Stretch Your Existing Content AI For Small Businesses: Practical Steps to Boost Efficiency and Customer Engagement AI Isn't Replacing SEO- It's Redefining It How to Win at Content With AI  ----------------- Christina Metcalf is a writer and women’s speaker 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 is the author of The Glinda Principle , rediscovering the magic within. _______________________________________ Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking Instagram: @christinametcalfauthor LinkedIn: @christinagsmith