Here at The Creative Ruby, we focus on helping Rexburg businesses succeed.
We believe in small business, and especially local businesses. That’s why we have been trying to help local startups get off on the right foot and make more money. One of the ways we wanted to help is by sharing 5 common mistakes we’ve seen in local Rexburg businesses.
5. Are You Open?
There are lots of problems with the hours of local businesses. We live in a small town where small business thrives, but the hours must accommodate the college students as well. Especially if you are a food business; being open til 5 or 6 just isn’t going to cut it for long. If you serve speciality foods, be open until at least 10pm! Just look at SodaVine; they are a great example of excellent hours. They are open late and always busy until closing. In addition, they saw a need for earlier business hours and now open their drive-thru at 9am. Every business of this nature should follow their example.
Another hours issue is not having set hours. This is going to send your business downward really fast. People need to know what your hours are and know they aren’t going to change if they want to be a repeat customer. If your hours are constantly changing, so will your business income. (And not for the better.)
4. Consistency is King.
Isn’t it the worst when you go to a restaurant to get an item you once loved, but the second time around it’s not good?! This is something we’ve seen in various Rexburg businesses, and it’s definitely unfortunate. The quality of your service, products, etc. should always be the same. One of our favorites as a great example of consistency is The Cookie Place! Their quality is always amazing and we never regret our $10 box of chocolate chip cookies. Remember, your customers are your best asset, so treat them well!
3. Act Like You Own the Place.
We’re lucky to live in a college town where students can be employed by local businesses and those businesses gain employees that work for minimum wage. However, never compromise quality. You should be willing to work for your business like crazy, even ridiculous hours, but also hire employees that are happy to be there. I love the example of Stephanie, owner of Olive Ave, and all of her employees. They are always warm and welcoming! You can tell she and her family worked really hard to run their business and make it what it is today. So pay your employees a little more if you have to, treat them with respect, and be willing to work your butt off! It’s worth it.
2. How Much is This?
What are you charging? Small business owners should always consider our location, cost of living, and competitors in order to price their food or services or products appropriately. Changing prices constantly also looks bad on your business, because people are used to paying one price. And remember, repeat customers are everything! We especially love The Hickory for staying true to their pricing while keeping their quality high. Keep pricing consistent and offer great deals. Punch cards are a major plus, and many local businesses have done that well.
1. Get Online!
Being a small town, sometimes business owners don’t take an online presence seriously. THIS IS A BIG NO NO! Businesses need a great presence online; it’s your future customers’ first impression of you! It’s important to show your target customer in Rexburg and surrounding areas why they should step outside their comfort zone and try something new.
We love love love the marketing that Red Rabbit Grill has begun doing on Facebook in preparation for opening their local restaurant in the next month. High quality videos and warm comments from the owners has peaked the interest of many locals, even before their opening! Absolutely fantastic online marketing; other businesses should take note!
Luckily, (yep here’s the pitch) here at The Creative Ruby, we can take your local business to new heights. We’ll build you a website, help with your social media, and tons of other in-betweens. Contact us today so we can help you avoid simple mistakes that other Rexburg businesses have made.