It’s no secret that I’m grateful for the fall. And November has two of my favorite days. One is Thanksgiving, and the other is tomorrow – my wedding anniversary.
Those are the two most important days of the year to me. Both help me focus on what is most important to me; incidentally, both also usually involve excellent food.
I started a tradition last year that I plan to continue. It’s using my blog to express what I’m grateful for related to my business. It’s less of a directly helpful blog for business owners, but it does fulfill one of the requirements I suggest to my clients – humanization in marketing.
People work with businesses because they connect with them. There are many competitors out there, so sharing a bit of you can help cut through the noise. So here goes!
Working From Home
Because I work from home, I don’t have to waste any time commuting. I can take care of my dogs and have lunch with my wife daily. It’s something I didn’t think would be possible even five years ago.
Grateful for Partnerships
It’s hard to make your way as a small business! I’m grateful for the partnerships I’ve formed with other local businesses. One such collaboration is with Roanoke Discount & Deals.
Discounts and Deals offers discounts to over forty restaurants and local businesses for just 4.99 a month. With most discounts starting at ten percent, your membership fee pays for itself pretty quickly.
While most of those discounts are more business-to-consumer, several are also great for business owners, like SWVA Tax & Accounting and Caleb Mann Insurance. And of course me!
I’ve also formed partnerships with two local magazines, The Roanoker and Cave Spring and Hiden Valley Neighbors. I contribute freelance stories for The Roanoker (see my article in the upcoming January issue) and am the Content Coordinator for Cave Spring & Hidden Valley Neighbors.
Magazine work has added some variety to my writing assignments that are fulfilling, and also can’t help but improve my storytelling skills.
The Internet!
So the title is a bit jokey, but hear me out.
Online marketing is part of the name of my company. So obviously, it’s a big part of what I do. Most of my clients are businesses who I write blogs, social media, and web copy for. I also create their sites. So naturally, the internet would be something I value!
But the internet has been helpful to me in another way.
It has allowed me to expand my business to clients all over the country. Just this month, I wrote blogs for businesses in Indiana, Florida, California, New York, Michigan, North Carolina, Iowa, and many more!
This brings me to my next item…
I’m Grateful for My Clients
You can’t have a business without customers. Over my brief time in business, I’ve had some great customers (and maybe a few less great ones). Some have been one-time, while others have been long-term. But, working with each has improved my way of doing business.
I’m going to highlight two of my current long-term clients who don’t mind me sharing that I contract for them.
NRV Tree Guy
Ian and Brooke Duvall came to me after a bad experience with someone else. The previous marketer they hired did not deliver. I should be thankful for that competitor, too because the Duvalls have been great to work with and are ecstatic to have someone who does what he promises.
The NRV Tree Guy does tree care in and around Dublin and the surrounding areas. This time of year, he also sells and delivers firewood. Check them out!
RCI Business Technology
RCI used to be my employer.They’ve been providing IT solutions for over 40 years. So I was grateful for the opportunity to have a flexible work schedule while I grew POP. But once I left, John Whitcomb wasn’t just encouraging – he became a client.
RCI’s needs are pretty simple. I just provide them with a blog once a month. But my contracts are flexible, and I’m happy to provide whatever my clients need.
And Thanks for Reading!
It’s difficult to say everything I’m thankful for in a few hundred words. While there is a lot of stress around running a business, it has allowed me opportunities I wouldn’t otherwise have.
Likewise, I realize that not everyone has the opportunity to start a business, and I’m grateful for that as well.
If you have a business and you need help with your marketing, I’d love to partner with you. If you’re a new or disenfranchised business owner struggling to get started, let’s see if we can find a way for us to work together anyway.
I’m thankful for what I have and want to give bac
