Small Business Quick WINS w/ Jay Schwedelson l Presented By Thryv

In this episode, host Jay Schwedelson focuses on the importance of soliciting customer feedback for YOUR small business. Jay gives you an effective tactic for business owners to directly ask customers and prospects for input on things like:- New products/services- Industry trends- Overall satisfaction levels===============================================================================Best Moments:(00:56) Importance of customer feedback: Using positive feedback for testimonials and reacting to complaints(02:01) Tactic: Email with "Question" subject line to ask for new product/service ideas and general feedback(03:58) Benefits: High 10% reply rate, instant market insights, fostering customer dialogue, and addressing negativity(05:17) Expect some negative responses: A chance to turn complainants into advocates(06:28) Shout-out to Thryv all-in-one platform: Streamlines operations for small businesses(07:37) Personal experience: How this tactic led to new opportunities from his own customers==============================================================================Try Thryv For $1?!?Click HERE to get this $1 offer for 1 month using Thryv's Business Center!

In this episode, host Jay Schwedelson interviews Stephanie Love from Thryv again to discuss the importance of customer reviews for small businesses, how to proactively get good reviews, the value of testimonials, and how to deal with negative reviews.=================================================================Best Moments:(02:05) The reality is people often leave bad reviews more readily than good ones, so you can't just hope good reviews come in automatically(03:04) You need to proactively ask customers for reviews, whether via QR codes in your business, links on invoices, or follow up emails/texts(03:59) It's okay to incentivize reviews with giveaways or promotions, as long as you don't directly pay for EXCLUSIVELY positive reviews(05:29) Leverage great customer testimonials beyond just listing them online by featuring them prominently on your site, email footers, and even getting video testimonials(08:42) If an unhappy customer tries to "review bomb" you with multiple fake negative reviews, you can report them to Google as spam=================================================================Guest Bios:Stephanie Love leads content at Thryv, an all-in-one small business software platform.=================================================================Try Thryv For $1?!?Click HERE to get this $1 offer for 1 month using Thryv's Business Center!

In this episode of Small Business Quick WINS, host Jay Schwedelson interviews Connor Jeffers, founder and CEO of Aptitude 8 and Happily, about improving processes and operations in small businesses.They discuss starting processes from scratch, documenting procedures, building accountability, and overcoming common scaling challenges.=================================================================Best Moments:(08:06) Identify tasks that take your time but don't require you personally, and consider delegating those first(13:39) Documenting processes sets expectations and enables accountability(12:06) An "operating rhythm" combines regular meetings, purposes, reviews, roles and expectations into a documented process(11:09) Common "scale blockers" happen from 4-7 employees when tribal knowledge disappears(16:04) Hire those who think like you instead of seeking diversity of thought and opinions=================================================================Guest Bios:Connor Jeffers is the founder and CEO of Aptitude 8, a services firm focused on HubSpot implementations, and Happily, a SaaS app development company. Previously he helped scale an EdTech startup and worked in venture capital.

In this episode, host Jay Schwedelson interviews Stephanie Love, who leads the content strategy team at Thryv. They discuss valuable tips for how small business owners can get their business featured on local news programs to gain credibility and exposure.=================================================================Best Moments:(03:56) Getting on local news provides a “third party endorsement” that builds trust with potential customers(04:56) Pitch a story idea that provides VALUE TO VIEWERS, not just promotion of your business(06:22) Identify topics related to your business that tie into holidays, current events, etc.(08:17) Email the news desk, anchors, and producers separately with your pitch to increase chances of a response(12:19) Focus the pitch on helpful tips that viewers can IMMEDIATELY use(14:10) Going on the news can lend great credibility to build an entire marketing strategy around=================================================================Guest Bio:Stephanie Love leads the content strategy team at Thryv, an all-in-one software and services platform for small businesses. She also has an extensive background in local television news production.=================================================================Try Thryv For $1?!?Click HERE to get this $1 offer for 1 month using Thryv's Business Center!

In this episode, host Jay Schwedelson discusses why awards can create HUGE value for small businesses like yours.He shares stats on how awards increase customer trust and willingness to pay more, as well as make a business stand out from competitors. Jay then offers tips on where you can find local awards to apply for AND win (local chambers of commerce, media outlets, and civic organizations).=================================================================Best Moments:(01:52) 92% of consumers are more likely to TRUST an award-winning company — 68% are willing to pay MORE for their products/services(02:10) Awards DIFFERENTIATE and brand you compared to your competitors(04:11) It's easier to win local awards than you may think?!?(05:50) Potential places to find local awards you can WIN(08:12) Winning awards results in 22% more job applications on average=================================================================Try Thryv For $1?!?Click HERE to get this $1 offer for 1 month using Thryv's Business Center!

In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson provides tips on how to write effective email subject lines that WIN you business!He shares specific techniques based on data from over 15 MILLION subject lines analyzed, explaining that strong subject lines dramatically increase open rates. You'll learn simple but impactful tactics to implement in your own email campaigns!=================================================================Best Moments:(02:54) The first few characters of a subject line are most important for capturing attention(03:13) Starting subject lines with a number like "The 5 things..." lifts open rates 20%(03:36) Capitalizing the first 1-2 words grabs ATTENTION in crowded inboxes(04:26) Using an emoji as the first character boosts open rates by up to 25%(05:32) Turning subject lines into questions increases opens over 30%(07:45) Ending subject lines with ellipses ("...") creates suspense and lifts opens 30%=================================================================Try Thryv For $1?!?Click HERE to get this $1 offer for 1 month using Thryv's Business Center!

In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson talks about how small businesses can leverage AI tools to save time and resources. You'll hear about some great free AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity that YOU can use to easily generate content, ideas, and insights as a small business owner!=================================================================Best Moments:(01:15) AI is simple to use and accessible for small businesses — you just need basic internet search skills(01:37) AI can save small businesses significant time and resources in creating content, ideas, and insights(03:06) How to use ChatGPT to effortlessly create social media content calendars, find local partnership opportunities, develop website FAQs, and more(05:32) Gemini can summarize YouTube videos into bullet points to reuse content(06:41) Perplexity provides suggestions to improve your AI queries(08:24) 67% of small businesses are already using AI in their businesses=================================================================Try Thryv For $1?!?Click HERE to get this $1 offer for 1 month using Thryv's Business Center!

In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson shares an incredibly effective sales and marketing technique - speaking directly to your potential customers' wallets. He provides examples of compelling messaging that clearly conveys the financial savings and benefits customers will gain. Listeners can expect to learn specific techniques to craft wallet-focused messages and offers.=================================================================Best Moments:(01:51) Headlines, subject lines and messaging focused on saving money generate over 30% more engagement(04:09) Share the exact cost savings to create interest e.g "Save $200 annually by upgrading your HVAC system"(04:29) Use comparative cost analysis e.g. "Old AC units cost you an extra $300 a year. Upgrade now and start saving."(07:18) Comparative cost analysis converts at 60% higher rates than standard offers=================================================================Try Thryv For $1?!?Click HERE to get this $1 offer for 1 month using Thryv's Business Center!

In this episode, host Jay Schwedelson talks about the importance of failing fast as a small business owner. Jay also shares statistics about how many startups pivot their initial business model and how failing fast can save development costs in the end.=================================================================Best Moments:(00:36) Failing fast in business(04:35) Why FAILING fast in small business marketing is GOOD and helps you reach results quicker(07:15) Actionable tips for small business leaders=================================================================Try Thryv For $1?!?Click HERE to get this $1 offer for 1 month using Thryv's Business Center!

Business coach Kenny Lange shares strategies for small business owners to delegate tasks, create org charts, design roles with clear KPIs, and build psychological safety. Learn how to transition from being the 'Chief Everything Officer' to focusing on growth and vision.