Success Stories - Meet Steve Abshier!

I just love how the internet brings people together.  I met today's Success Story through an introduction from Sue Blumenfeld, another Success Story subject.  I first met Sue on Twitter.  Since then, Steve and I have become quite the Twitter peeps!  What is amazing is that both of these wonderful folks live right here in my neighborhood and yet I would probably never have met either of them if not for being an active Tweeter!  Now I get to share him with you.  Meet Steve Abshier!.

1.  Steve, tell us about yourself.

I am a native of NWA, born in Springdale and went to high school in Rogers. After working in security for a while I worked at the Benton County Sheriff’s Office as a jailer then I moved to Gentry, AR and became a police officer. Then, in 1985 I went to work for my father building custom homes in the Rocky Branch area of Benton County.

2. Tell us about Abshier Construction

Abshier Construction is a third generation business. We have been in business for over 50 years and are very proud that we are still able to serve Northwest Arkansas. We only do custom work, building custom homes, custom remodeling and additions. We also build decks and do renovations as requested by homeowners.

3. Why did you start your own business?

I took over the business when my dad retired and was given the task of continuing the same  quality, honesty and professional standards that my grandfather and father had established since the early 60s.

4. Why did you decide to go into construction?  Isn’t that somewhat seasonal?

When I first got out of school, construction was not in my plans. But as it turned out, I think that is where I was meant to be. I enjoy the people I meet, the projects we work on and the outcome of a project we can all be proud of.  There are times when the work is slow due to weather, but normally we are not slowed down too much.

5. What do you like most and least about being your own boss?

I read somewhere that being you own boss meant you only had to work a half day, you just have to decide what part of the day you want to put in your 12 hours. I do like some of the flexibility of scheduling and the opportunity’s that arise. Being the one to work with the customers and help them realize their dream on a new project or the changes made on a remodel is very rewarding.

6. What personality traits and skills are needed to run a business?

In this business it is important to be able to listen to your customer and make sure you both have the same understanding of what is to be done. I also think being able to react to a situation in a calm and thoughtful way can make all the difference in the relationship between you, your customer, employees, and sub-contractors. Things will go wrong at times and as business owner it is up to you to get things worked out to everyone’s satisfaction.

7. What has been the most difficult part of being an entrepreneur?

When I first took over the business, my father and grandfather had never done any type of advertisement. Word of mouth and our referrals from our customers had always been enough. When the economy crashed there was a lot less work to go around and I had to learn a lot real fast about getting our name and message out to the public. Since that time, things have improved greatly, with the help of the advertising and the continued referrals work has steadily increased.

8.  Do you have any resources that you have used to build your business that you would recommend?  

Some of my greatest resources are my employees and sub-contractors. We all work together to make sure our projects are completed properly. Most contractors are not licensed in all the fields and it is not feasible to keep up with all the changes. Everyone working together using their knowledge and experience to complete a project is what it takes to build your business and reputation.

I have found a lot of help through the Home Builders Association, local chambers, and from my peers.

9. Do you have any tips to share on promoting yourself?

When I was scrambling to get our name out I joined the Rogers and Bentonville Chambers and attended as many functions as I could. I also got more involved with the Northwest Arkansas Home Builders Association. We have always built custom homes and did custom remodels and additions. With the slowdown in the industry more people were doing remodels and addition. During this time I was a founding member and president for 3 years of the NWA Homebuilders remodeling council.

10. What other advice would like to share with someone starting their own business?
  

Join and be involved with groups that represent your industry. Always seek more education opportunities in your profession. In my case I have received certifications from the National Association of Home builders for: Certified Graduate Builder, Certified Graduate Remodeler, Certified Aging in Place Specialist (ADA) and Certified Green Professional. Do not forget the internet and social media platforms, they are cheap and a good way to get information about yourself and your company to people who are looking for your service.

11. How can we contact you to learn more about your products and services?  

Cell 479-640-0518

steve@abshierconstruction.com

www.abshierconstruction.com

www.houzz.com/pro/abshier-construction

www.facebook.com/abshierconstruction

The Instagram Engagement Formula



Guest post by network marketer and Instagram expert, Robin Smith

 

Instagram is HOT! There are over 400 million people from around the world on Instagram. 49% of users log in daily. 28% of users log in multiple times a day. And on average 70 million images are posted daily.

So if you think you’re ideal customer or client isn’t just waiting for your picture to show up on their feed, you are dead wrong!

Last year I started marketing on Instagram. And now it accounts for about 90% of my leads and sales for my business.


I have created what I call the 5-5-5 Instagram Engagement Formula. Here it is:

Grab yourself a timer…

Spend 5 minutes going through your followers and engaging on their pictures. Simply like 3 images and leave 1 relevant comment (and be sure to tag their username by using @username so they get a notification) for each follower. Just be random. Think of this step as a warm up. Plus the benefit is, if they haven’t checked out your profile recently, now they will.

Spend the next 5 minutes by doing a search for a hashtag your ideal client or customer would use in their post. Then quickly scroll down the results and click like for each image. You will be shocked how many images you can like in 5 minutes.

Finally, spend the last 5 minutes by doing a search for a different hashtag your ideal client or customer would use in their posts. Then like 3 of their images and leave 1 relevant comment (with their username acknowledged) on people you do not follow. They will see this, check our your profile, interact on your images and follow you.

Simple right?

If you have more time, you can always repeat.

If you do this daily, (it only takes 15 minutes) you’ll be amazed how quickly your following and engagement will go up on each post.

If you liked this tip, and want to know the secrets to Instagram Marketing success? Come join the #NovInstaParty for 14 days full of Instagram trainings. http://www.MarketYourBusinessBlog.com/NovInstaParty

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Hi, I’m Robin Smith. I started in Network Marketing back in 2007. I had absolutely no experience at marketing. My background was in biology. I tried everything, cold calling people who have never heard of me, buying leads thinking that they would all sign up, posting fliers about my local event, even spamming Facebook and Twitter with my opportunity. I found successes, but it just never felt right with me. That was until last year when I started marketing on Instagram. Suddenly my introverted and my creative sides felt in harmony. So now just a year later, 90% of my daily leads and sales come from Instagram. I can be found @RobinSmith2007 on Instagram, and my blog is MarketYourBusinessBlog.com.http://www.instagram.com

Take a Tip from the Grocery Store

Every week, thousands of grocery stores across the country send out their store flyers with some unbelievable deals. Toothpaste for $.99. Cleaning supplies for a fraction of their value. Tuna for pennies. When you see these unbelievable sales, you may be asking yourself, “How do they make money selling at these prices?”

The answer is, they don’t. These items are called “loss leaders.” The store actually loses money on the sale of these particular items. They sell them at these ridiculous prices as a lure to pull shoppers into the store, knowing that once they’re there, they won’t just buy four cans of tuna for $1; they’ll pick up mayonnaise, pickles, relish, and a dozen other items that will allow the store to more than make up for the deficit from the tuna. 

As mentioned earlier, the first “yes” is the toughest. Once someone’s going through the hassle of driving to the store, standing in line, and paying, they may as well pick up a few more things to make the trip worthwhile. The same is true for your business. If you can get a customer to open his or her wallet with an unbelievable deal, you have a good chance of expanding the order.

This is different from an add-on sale, because you’re using a really low price initially to get the customer into your “store.” So the related products you present don’t need to follow the same guidelines they would for an add-on sale. Instead, keep these hints in mind:

1. The initial “loss leader” needs to be jaw-droppingly great. 10% or even 25% off is not going to cut it, unless the total cost reduction is huge, or it’s on an item that NEVER goes on sale. Reductions of at least 50% are usually the strongest lure.
2. Choose an item that might be better used in conjunction with something else. For instance, reduce the price of a particular shade of foundation to 50%, and then encourage the purchase of a set of brushes or the compact to hold it in.
3. Use add-on sales for loss-leaders. The principles you learned in the previous section on add-on sales can be used for loss leaders, too! The hot dogs are half off, but of course you need buns to go with them…
4. Select a loss leader that ensures you repeat business. Refillable items are great because once the customer has invested in the original package, they’ve got it sitting their in their garage, bathroom, or kitchen counter, just begging to be refilled.
5. Don’t do it too often. A monthly special is great, as are seasonal items. But if you offer too many loss leaders, or put things on sale too often, people will just wait for it to go to half off before they buy.

Grocery stores spend millions on analyzing customer behavior. Piggy-back on their research and use some of their hard-won strategies for your own.

 

Master the Art of Add-On Sales

If you head out for dinner with your family, the waiter or waitress will almost always ask you, “Can I get you an appetizer to start?” Then when you finish your meal, they’ll close with, “Would you like to look at our dessert menu?” They’re not just being polite or angling for a bigger tip. They’re doing something that in big business makes for big profit; they’re working for an add-on sale.

An add-on sale is an additional item that is added to the customer’s order in addition to the main purchase. If you buy a barbeque, the man at the hardware store may ask if you need a grill brush, cover, or extra kerosene. If you buy a new car, you’re asked about an upgraded stereo, floor mats, or a luggage rack. If you buy a cruise, you’re asked about trip insurance or shore excursions. All add-on sales!

Waiters, waitresses, travel advisors, and pretty much anyone in retail knows the truth: It’s the first sale that’s the hardest. Once the customer has agreed to buy, it’s much easier to get a “yes” on any subsequent purchase. But there are some guidelines to increase the likelihood of making the add-on sale:

1. Make it a related product. When someone buys a new car, they’re not asked if they want a bag of charcoal. When someone purchases a new sofa, they’re offered pillows or Scotch-guarding, not a new mattress. The add-on item should be complementary to the original purchase.
2. Make it smaller. Add-ons are typically less expensive than the original purchase. Research has shown that if someone is buying a large item (like a suit), then the cost of the smaller item (like a dress shirt or tie) seems almost negligible in comparison. If someone has just bought a mascara for $7 and you ask them if they want a skin care set priced at over $100, they’re going to look at you like you’re nuts. But in the reverse order, it makes sense.
3. Make the offer at the right time. If you offer the add-on item before the customer has decided to purchase the original item, you may be seen as too pushy and they may back out of the deal altogether. Conversely, if you offer an additional item after they’ve already paid for the original item, you’ve probably missed the boat. The sweet spot is when they’ve made up their mind to buy and they haven’t yet signed the credit card slip.

Offering a complementary item to your customers should become second nature to you. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it won’t. But each additional sale you achieve adds to your profit.

Build Your Network Marketing Business - Market Constantly

In my previous posts we discussed how to find more people to convert to customers or team members. Now, I want to talk about ways to be constantly marketing yourself so the sales and prospects come to you. For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll consider marketing your products as separate from the act of actually selling those products.

There are ways that you can promote your business and products without pushing your offerings down other people’s throats. In fact, the “hard sell” is rarely successful; and when it is, more often than not the customer resents being “forced” to buy. For a long-lived network marketing business, you will need happy, repeat customers and a strong, dedicated team. That’s why luring them to you in an ethical and relaxed manner is essential to your business success. Here are five ways to market your business without being pushy:

1. Add your business tag line to every email. Most email programs make it easy to add automatic signatures. Just by adding a sentence saying, “Jane Doe, independent sales representative for XYZ Corporation,” may net you extra business. You’ll soon find people saying, “I never knew you sold XYZ!?”
2. Distribute business cards prodigiously. Post them to public bulletin boards at libraries, bookstores, Laundromats, and gyms. Leave them with receptionists at the doctor’s office, hair salon, and barber shop. See each business card as a little bird winging its way to the person who needs it most.
3. Talk about what you do – in a positive manner. No one wants to hear about your work troubles. Complaining is especially destructive if in the next sentence you turn around and say, “Would you ever be interested in doing what I do?” Someone would have to be crazy to say yes!
4. Put it on your car. Mary Kay reps who are lucky enough to drive the coveted pink Cadillac almost all have a tale of someone flagging them down on the highway or following them into a parking lot to find out if they have their favorite lipstick in stock. If it works for them, it can work for you! Add a bumper sticker or window cling advertising your business.
5. Get online. In an earlier post we talked in more detail about creating a website to sell your goods; now, I want to encourage you to find ways to promote yourself and your business online. Write articles for sites like ezinearticles.com, blog about your area of expertise, create videos, and post regularly to Facebook and other social media sites. Each one of these efforts is a trail of breadcrumbs leading back to you.

You may think that your parent company does plenty of advertising and marketing, and that may be true. While you can’t match their million-dollar budgets, you don’t need to. There are dozens of low- or no-cost options that will bring hungry customers and business opportunity seekers right to you.

Build Your Network Marketing Business - Never Close the Doors to Your Business

It’s been said that if you want to be a success in network marketing, your business must always be open.  That means you’re ready to sell or recruit when you head to the supermarket, coach your son’s T-ball team, or attend a parent-teacher conference.  You are your business, so if your eyes are open, your business is open.  Here’s what this tip means when it comes to network marketing:

1. View each person you meet as a potential customer or team member.  That means each person you meet will either buy from you, join your team, or introduce you to someone who will.  If you don’t ask, you’re missing out somewhere down the road.
2. Find a way to break the time barriers.  Having an online presence will allow you to take sales and find prospects (and make money!) even when you’re asleep.  Even just giving your existing customers to option to order via email will save you one more phone call.
3. Layer your activities.  If you’re holding a class or party, invite someone from your downline to attend with you.  This allows them to see how you interact with customers as well as lets them hear the product and company information another time – much more interesting than reading about it in the training materials!
4. Be a walking advertisement for your business.  I don’t mean wearing a t-shirt that proclaims, “I lost 40 lbs. in six weeks.  Ask me how!”  Although that is an option. Instead, I mean using the products you represent, from top to bottom.  The first thing a skeptic will ask you is, “Do you use the products?”  You do NOT want to have to answer, “Well… no.”
5. Don’t be embarrassed by what you do.  Sometimes we feel embarrassed because we’re in direct sales.  This usually occurs because we know that some network marketing companies and salespeople give our industry a bad rap.  But how are you going to change the public’s perception of this business if you don’t let them know what you do?  Never be embarrassed by your profession.   If you truly are ashamed, it’s time to find a new company – or a new profession.

Being constantly “on” can be tough and draining.  However, you don’t always have to be selling; you just need to be ready to do business.  Hopefully, these five suggestions can help you expand your business hours without burning you out.

Build Your Network Marketing Business - Go Online

The internet is one of the biggest tools you can leverage for your network marketing business success.  Where else can you have push-button access to over a billion people – and mostly for free?  The internet removes time and geographic boundaries, and allows you to reach individuals you never would have had access to.  If you’re not using the internet as a sales and lead generation channel, you’re making a huge mistake.

Many network marketing companies have already realized that the future of their business is online, and they provide tons of resources to enable web-based sales and prospecting. These resources might include:

-Consultant websites.

-Online sales materials such as order forms, digital catalogs, etc.

-A system and platform for conducting online parties or sales events.

-Capture pages to collect information from prospective team members.

If your company offers these tools, set everything else aside (including this report!) and get up and running RIGHT NOW.  Each day you are not online is a day a competitor is stealing your potential business.  Go claim your slice of the internet immediately, and then come back and finish reading.

If your network marketing company doesn’t offer a complete suite of online sales tools, it’s still possible to make this channel produce for you.  Here’s how:

1. First, check out your company’s web-based sales and lead-generation  policy. You may find that you are not allowed to sell via a website, or that there are other restrictions.  It’s better to find those out now instead of building your own website, only to find out you’ve violated your business agreement.
2. Start small.  You don’t have to take over the whole web in a day!  Try creating a simple site where you can take re-orders from existing customers, and let them know they can now email you their orders.   You can always build, but if you try to take on too much at once, you can easily become overwhelmed.
3. Host a virtual party.  Your mom always said she’d hold a party for you, but has never been able to because she lives in Arkansas and you’re in Florida.  Ask her to host a virtual party.  This can be done via Skype in real time, or via a dedicated website where guests ask questions, place their orders, and interact at their convenience.  (If your company doesn’t have an online catalog, ship a box full to Aunt Ellie and ask her to distribute them for you.)
4. Keep in contact.  A blog where you post regular tips, specials, and other information and resources related to your business is a great way to get people coming back for more.  Become an expert in your field, and you’ll be the one they turn to when they need to buy.
5. Recruit team members.  Provide a brief overview of your company and create a contact form for anyone interested in learning more about your opportunity.

Doing business online isn’t that much different than the way you’ve been working up until now.  The same principles of customer service, integrity, and honesty work just as well – if not better – in a virtual world.  It’s just a new channel and a new opportunity, one you can’t afford to miss out on.