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Dont Be Bob

Bob looking confused

A Digital Footprint is essential for every business.

A Website + SEO = New Customers

Bob thinks his customers do not use the internet to find his business.

The best phone call I received this week was from Bob, a business owner who shared his struggles with the current performance of his business. Bob mentioned that his company wasn’t doing well compared to what he referred to as the “good old days.” However, his assertion that he doesn’t need a digital footprint or website because his customers don’t use the internet struck me as unrealistic.

In today’s highly digitalized world, an online presence has become increasingly crucial for businesses to stay competitive and reach a wider audience. Consumers rely heavily on the internet to gather information, compare products or services, and make purchasing decisions. A website and a digital presence allows businesses to showcase their offerings, establish credibility, and provide convenient options for potential customers.

Bob’s assertion that his customer base doesn’t use the internet may be flawed. While some of his existing customers may prefer phone calls and traditional methods of communication, it’s unlikely that all potential customers share the same behavior. Moreover, as generations evolve and technology becomes more ingrained in daily life, it’s becoming increasingly rare for individuals to be completely disconnected from the internet.

Moreover, even if Bob’s current customer base relies primarily on phone calls, there is still potential for growth and attracting new customers who may prefer digital channels. By not having a digital presence, Bob could be limiting his business’s visibility and missing out on opportunities to expand his customer base.

Business owners must adapt to changing market dynamics and consumer preferences. While Bob may have had success in the past without a digital presence, it’s essential to recognize that times have changed, and businesses need to evolve to stay relevant. Embracing digital tools and platforms can help companies to remain competitive and reach a broader range of potential customers.

In conclusion, while Bob’s phone call may have provided insights into his business’s struggles, his assertion that he doesn’t need a digital footprint or website due to his customers’ perceived lack of internet usage appears unrealistic. However, embracing digital channels can help businesses thrive in today’s interconnected world, and business owners need to adapt and explore new avenues for growth and customer engagement.

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Retirement, it’s a thing for hard-working people.

Retirement, it's a thing for hard working people.

You Owned or Created a small or medium size business. You took all the risks and put your life and your children’s lives at risk. Yet, you paid employees and helped them become successes too, and you paid your taxes which paid all sorts of other folks.

Retirement, you finally made it and worked hard your entire life; you did the right thing, walked the line, and worked long hours. You are a Real Hero. As a business owner, you worked 24/7/365.

You paid your taxes so politicians, city, state, and local towns employees, police, and teachers can receive their pay, health benefits, excessive pensions, and whatever else they secretly and unethically accumulate. And let’s not forget they will all retire 20 years earlier than you.

So who is the real hero? Of course, you are the real hero. Real American Heroes! You are the inspiration and envy the world over and the reason for our country’s survival. It’s time for you to retire. So let us try to pick a state and city that does not have high taxes so that you, the real hero, can retire in peace.

BEST PLACES TO RETIRE 2020

Let’s get to it; I found this article on Forbes online that lists the top 100 places to retire; here is the link for the full article. Would you please read it? If you have the time, it has great descriptions and images of each city. But if you don’t have time.

The #1 location in America to retire in Laramie, Wyoming, and the population is 32,000; the median home costs $228,000. High plains college town (University of Wyoming), 130 miles north of Denver. The cost of living is 4% above the national average.

PROS: Good rank on the Milken Institute list of best cities for successful aging, a high number of physicians per capita, good air quality, low serious crime rate, no state income tax, no state estate/inheritance tax.

CONS: Cold winters” (William P).

But if you are not ready for retirement just yet, visit the front page, and let’s get you back into a business.

REFERENCES:

Best Places To Retire In Each State. (2020, December 18). Retrieved December 20, 2020, from https://www3.forbes.com/business/best-places-to-retire-in-each-state-2018-vue/101/

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STAPLES CAN I HAVE A BAG

shopping cart next to a white paper bag

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS EVERYTHING

If you can imagine, I went out today, physically, to shop in a store called Staples. I needed some odds and ends for the office. It felt good to get out and shop in person and not online.

Now that the word line popped into my head when I had all my supplies, I went to pay and stood in line on one of those stupid little dots that everyone has with STAY SIX FEET APART. I anxiously moved up Dot after Dot after Dot only to meet with the counter person (politically correct jargon). After all my items were scanned, I kept my mouth closed; I looked at her, she looked at me; it was an old west standoff. I suppose she thought I would carry all ten items in my hands out to the car and throw them in the trunk with all the rest of my OTHER shopping (which were in BAGS). Not putting items directly into a bag is such a silly concept. I finally actually had to say, “CAN I HAVE A BAG.” I wondered, is this a Staples process? Does the executive team at Staples think that people come out and visit only their store? Is their Customer Experience Executive (more politically correct jargon) ignorant to the shopping experience?

When people come out to shop at multiple stores and have many items to carry. It would be best if you were grateful for people who came to your store and you GAVE them at the very least their FIRST BAG a paper bag for FREE. Yes, Staples, Customer Experience is a thing and it start at the door and ends out the door. #customerexperience