WELCOME TO SEASON 7 OF BUSINESS OF CRAFT
Welcome to Business of Craft, a show designed to help entrepreneurs with fabric or fiber businesses become more successful. Our guests share best practices and teach effective marketing skills, that help crafty business owners learn to grow and scale. Let’s start crafting a better business together!
Today our guest is Pamela Slim, celebrated author and small business expert who has dedicated decades to shaping and enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem. She is a co-founder of the KEH community lab in Mesa, Arizona, alongside her husband, Darryl. This innovative hub serves as a grassroots, community-based think tank dedicated to accelerating small business growth. Pam’s insights and expertise frequently grace the pages of esteemed publications, including The New York Times, Forbes, and BusinessWeek. She has written several books including “Escape from Cubicle Nation,” which was recognized as the Best Small Business and Entrepreneur book in 2009 and her follow up, Body of Work. Her latest book, “The Widest Net,” helps you grow your business by connecting with customers outside your usual field of view.
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[2:43] I was immediately intrigued by the thesis of your book because it seems to dovetail with some of the principles I’ve always taught as fundamental which is that you have to identify a customer avatar–or a target customer and then relentlessly pursue them– but you take a position in this book which is to cast a wider net because otherwise you might end up missing out on opportunities to sell your services or products to overlooked audiences. Is that an accurate summary?
[5:52] So, for a retail shop owner for example, how would they begin to build that framework to find new customers?
[16:21] So let’s jump to one of the central concepts in the book about implementing Tiny Marketing Actions or TMA’s to build your business ecosystem. What is a Tiny Marketing Action?
[20:37] Can you give us an example of how would you make a little list of what those tiny marketing actions would be to support the next step?
[25:31] Given that TMAs focus on consistent actions over time, what advice would you give to marketers or businesses seeking immediate results? What should they expect as far as that tiny marketing action investment, if you will?
[31:54] Given the need for regularity in TMAs, how do you recommend businesses integrate them into daily operations without feeling overwhelmed?
[35:02] You talk about “Action over perfection” which I try to remember in my own business life and certainly has merit for business owners. How can they overcome the paralysis of perfectionism to take consistent tiny actions?
[41:44] How do you start thinking about what your strategic analysis is, which will then create this roadmap for what you need to do with the tiny marketing actions?
[42:58] I am curious about the learning lab you run with your husband in Arizona. Can you tell us more about that?
[46:25] I know folks are going to want to get their hands on your book the Widest Net- which is available at all major book retailers. Where else would you direct them to learn more about you and your work?
