Amazon's Customers Are Up For Grabs

PERMISSION TO SPEAK

Steal Amazon's customers using their new feature

Amazon's good at tipping the scale in their favor - especially at the cost of small businesses. But since Jeff left, they're really slipping (and it's in your favor).

Before, Amazon didn't allow you to talk to your customers if they bought your products via their platform. So, customers went back to Amazon to buy again. Not directly to your site. Making them Amazon's customers - not yours.

But now, Amazon is testing out new tools that let you talk directly to your Amazon buyers. Meaning, you can let them know when you release new products or run a promo. Kind of like email marketing, but through Amazon. 

For now, these tools are only available to merchants enrolled in Amazon's Brand Registry program, which is the free group designed for sellers to protect their branding on Amazon.

And the play intends to get Amazon members to buy more stuff from the e-commerce giant. But from what we can tell, you can game this system!  

Roughly 60% of people would rather buy more products from a brand they know than a new one. So, sending messages (even if it's through Amazon) helps keep your business top of mind. 

And with the right messaging, you can even get them to go directly to your website when they're ready to reorder. Which is the goal. That way, you control the messaging and the experience - while ditching the middle man.

LEVEL UP

The best investment your business can make right now

Square and Tesla seem pretty confident it's Bitcoin - but we're not convinced. Instead, we're betting big that the best investment you can make right now is in your people. 

And that starts with building an employee development program! AKA a joint initiative between you and your employees to level up their skills and responsibilities.

We get it: a full-blown employee development program may seem a little extra for small businesses. But by investing in your employees today, you're really investing in your business' success tomorrow. Because your team gets better at what they do and sticks around a lot longer (so you get to reap the benefits). 

In fact, 94% of employees say they'd stay with a company longer if their employer invests in their career. And that matters! Because lower turnover means less time onboarding replacements - and more time growing your business!

So, here's a few highly effective (and cost-effective) development ideas to get you started:

1. Offer consistent coaching. Have direct managers schedule 1:1 time each week to provide their team members real-time feedback.
2. Cross-train employees. AKA train them on tasks that lie outside of their job description. That way, they get new skills and a better understanding of how your business comes together. 
3. Set 90-day challenges. Meaning, have employees set goals (personal or professional). Then, help hold them accountable for getting it done.
4. Provide a development fund. Set a budget aside for each employee. That way, they can pick their development opportunities and use this money to cover the cost.
5. Host leadership training. Ideally, this training should cover empathy, promoting diversity, and recognizing personal biases.

👉 Learn how to build a development program.

ORGANIZE CHAOS

How to find the hook that sets your business apart

To scale your business, you have to be different. There are really no exceptions. Because unless you can stand out from your competition, consumers will assume you’re just another option. And they’ll opt for whoever got to them first or whatever the cheapest option is. That's where your hook comes in.

In the latest episode of Organize Chaos, WebinarNinja founder and CEO Omar Zenhom breaks down how to find your hook. AKA proof that your business is the best option available. And it starts by showing potential customers you’ve got their back. 

👉 Catch the exclusive 30-minute interview.

YOU TOOK THE LEAP - NOW WHAT?

The no-BS answers to new biz owners’ difficult questions

Even if you don't know Gino Wickman's name, you probably know his legacy. He's the mastermind that brought you EOS. AKA the entrepreneurial operating system that helped 80k+ business owners get what they want from their business. 

And now he’s back with his new book, The Entrepreneurial Leap. And it works like your playbook for starting a better start-up.

While working on EOS, Gino realized most business owners take the leap, but they don't know what they're jumping into. So, they spend their first few years in business, asking:

• Do I have what it takes? 
• Is it worth it? 
• How the heck do I do it? 

This only holds their business back. So, in classic Gino fashion, he's back with zero-bullshit answers. How to tell if you’ve got it, proof that it’s worth it, and a how-to manual for making it happen included.

👉 Get the book.

TL;DR

This week's highlight reel

• Running a business doesn't need to be synonymous with burning out. That's why Fast Company breaks down how you can reclaim your time and energy - in 3 simple steps.
• Get funded in just a few clicks. (No, really.) Clearco, the lending company disrupting the VC industry, is rethinking how small businesses raise funds.
• Apparently, everyone wants to have a podcast. Apple and Spotify just rolled out podcast subscriptions for creators. Meanwhile, Facebook plans to add new podcast features by the summer.