Business Advice From The Dragon's Den

CBC's popular television show, Dragon's Den, puts ambitious entrepreneurs in front of a panel of wealthy and experienced businesspeople. These market-savvy "dragons" are there to decide whether or not they want to invest in ideas and products presented by entrepreneurs.

The lineup of "dragons" has changed over time - this season's group includes Boston Pizza's Jim Treliving, oil & gas billionaire Brett Wilson, fire-breathing software and investment mogul Kevin O'Leary, and marketing magician Arlene Dickinson. To help you benefit from the wisdom of this highly successful panel, we've compiled some fascinating quotes and tidbits about making your business (and your general contentment with life) grow and thrive:

Montreal native Kevin O'Leary believes that entrepreneurship will only turn into financial success when you demonstrate incredible dedication. If you want to grow your home improvement business, he is certain you'll need to devote your every waking moment to attaining your goals. Balance isn't something O'Leary values - he believes in a full-throttle approach, especially in today's shaky economy:

"I think entrepreneurs are going to have to be much more savvy and willing to work much harder. Working 24 hours a day isn't enough anymore. You have to be willing to sacrifice everything to be successful, including your personal life, your family life, maybe more. If people think it's any less, they're wrong, and they will fail."

Entrepreneur Brett Wilson, known as the sensitive, caring Dragon, is more devoted to work-life balance...but this wasn't always the case. He, too, worked himself into the ground during his career ascent; in fact, his first marriage failed due to his single-minded pursuit of business success. Wilson also fought cancer and won, and then he learned to live in a different way. Now, he supports many philanthropic efforts all over Canada, including cancer research. His views on career have changed drastically since he rose to prominence with FirstEnergy Corp in 1993 - he now rejects O'Leary's all-encompassing pursuit of the dollar:

"My priorities are my children and having fun. And, frankly, I've let a lot of things slip that I shouldn't have. I'm slow to return phone calls, bad at returning e-mails, terrible at responding to letters, because when an opportunity comes to chase my children, I jump on it.

I regret that I didn't achieve balance in my life sooner, because it might've allowed me to continue a marriage, and it would've been easier on three amazing children. I had a couple of wake-up calls and recognized the time that I have with my children is the most valuable time."

Jim Treveling is the strong, silent type. The Boston Pizza founder began as an RCMP officer, but quickly realized there was more money in entrepreneurship. Treliving's success didn't happen overnight - he suffered plenty of reversals and problems as he attempted to build his restaurant chain. However, he never doubted himself or gave up. He learned how to craft deals and get ahead from his father, who instilled good values in his son:

"I'll never forget telling my dad, 'I've just done my first deal, and I squeezed every nickel out of the guy,'" he says. "And he immediately said, 'That's not going to be a good deal for you.'

"He told me the best kind of deal is where both parties are winners," Mr. Treliving continues, "and that's stuck with me from day one."

Arlene Dickinson sports a lush head of flame-red hair, with a distinctive grey stripe near the temple. Her glamorous outward image belies inner great strength and substance. Dickinson is a single mother and the CEO of Venture Communications, a hugely successful marketing and communication firm. Dickinson struggled to build her career while raising four children - at one point, she was drowning in debt after a client went under and left her holding the bag...but she persevered:

"There was nothing left to mortgage," so Dickinson went to a local printer and arranged to pay their bill in small increments. It took six months to pay it down, but the experience was a valuable one. "The people were kind. We continued to work together. It felt good that we didn't walk away from the debt."

These dragons have many things is common, but they are not all the same. Wilson and Dickinson, use empathy and instinct to balance work and life; O'Leary and Treliving seem to fit the old-school, capitalist mode. You can use their stories, experiences and philosophies to get an edge as you build your own company.

How To Create An Appealing Brochure For Your Home Improvement Company

Creating a brochure to advertise your services can be a great way to market your home improvement company. Potential customers want to see what you can do - a glossy brochure featuring images of your best work can be a very powerful enticement. Although producing an elegant brochure will cost you, it can be used for a variety of marketing purposes. First, you need to consider all of the design elements found in an appealing brochure:

Images Must Be Of High Resolution - To get a premium final result, you need high-res images that will translate well on paper. When you surf the net and look at pics, you will generally see images with a resolution of about 72 dots per inch. This type of resolution won't cut it for a sleek, polished business brochure. In order to make your images look good, choose pictures with a resolution of 300 dots per inch and up. When you pick the right images, your whole design will come into focus. Sharp, clear pictures are the key to creating work you will be proud to show off. If you don't have your own images, check out sites like StockXchange - they offer free and low-cost downloads of professional or high-quality amateur photography. You can easily find a high-res image that will look great with your overall theme.

You'll Need Great Materials For A Professional Result - When you select paper for your brochure, go for a 80 or 100 pound stock - in general, the higher the number, the better the result. Flimsy brochures don't really impress - it's better to have a more substantial stock weight. You may find that the difference in price between a midweight and heavy stock paper is really not that extreme. Since you're putting so much time and effort into your brochures, finish them correctly with an ideal glossy or matte paper. Some printers add a clear varnish to brochures - this protects the ink and adds even more shine to the finished product.

Avoid Print "Bleeding" With The Right Design - Sometimes, when you order a large number of brochures to be printed, there will be issues with print bleed. This is what happens when a machine's knife-edge cuts out brochures and there is a slight variance from one edge to the next. When you design your brochure, extend the edges by about one quarter of an inch - this way, you'll still get a pro result when a razor or blade misses the mark. Allowing for print bleed is a great strategy for creating uniform brochures you'll be happy to distribute.

Use Software Templates - If you're new to designing brochures, and you don't want to outsource the job, consider using a software program to get going. There are dozens of options available online, and some of them have attractive free trials that will cost you nothing. Experiment with freeware and shareware if you want to shop around before you buy a program. Having your own brochure software will make it easier to change things up now and then - occasional updates will keep your direct mail marketing fresh. 

Entrepreneurs needs positive feedback to create a buzz - sometimes, glowing reviews and testimonials (also known as third-party endorsements) can be worth their weight in gold. If you're not currently displaying these endorsements on your website, brochures, signage, and other promos, you're missing out on a valuable way to connect with new customers. Everyone loves authentic stories about a business or customer service experiences...new clients tend to "trust" third parties more than they trust a "new" company. Therefore, building rapport with prospective clientele is just easier when you have testimonials working for your business.

As you may already know, getting the testimonials you need to rise above the competition can sometimes be a huge chore. Here are some useful ways to seek out third-party endorsements and then use them to build your home improvement brand:

Get To Know Reporters - Look at the media as a rich source of "authentic" product endorsements. Every testimonial or review doesn't have to come from a client. Look at trade publications and local magazines - ask yourself who covers your subject matter and what they can do for your business. Contact columnists and suggest interviews or subjects they might want to cover - you could supply answers, quotes, and other information about home improvement services. Once you've been featured in the media, you can use the clip or file to promote your business - this amps up your credibility and exposure. If you're frustrated with the task of getting testimonials from your clients, branch out and look at local and national media outlets.

Ask Outright - In takes some finesse to get testimonials from regular clients - you need to be certain you've built a strong relationship with customers, and provided optimum renos and repairs. In general, you'll have good instincts about who will come through for you - for example, a friendly, cheery client who has told you they are very happy with their home improvements will probably be happy to help. If a client is standoffish or very private, they may not appreciate being asked. Use your best judgment - if you do get a testimonial, be sure to reward the client for their time and effort with a small gift or thank you card. Let the client know that the testimonial is valued.

Use Evaluation Forms - Every feedback or evaluation form you give to a client should include plenty of white space for random musings and comments - a "fill in the blanks" style of form simply won't give you the personal edge you need when you're looking for great testimonials. Be sure to offer plenty of ways for clients to express their opinions about your business - from follow-up phone calls, to email surveys, to direct mail outs of feedback forms. When you find a testimonial with real potential, contact the client and ask them if you can feature it on your website or brochure. Chances are, they will be flattered by the request. If they don't want their last name featured, be certain to comply with their wishes.

Add Images And Headlines - Make third-party endorsements "pop" by framing them with fresh images, attractive fonts, and interactive elements. How you present your testimonials can make a big difference. The words themselves should always be easy to see and read - don't get too creative with fonts for the testimonials - save your artistic touches for the areas surrounding the positive review. Share your testimonials on social networking sites and anywhere else you can spread the word.

Grow Your Company With Point-Of-Sale Financing

Take your cue from smart, successful entrepreneurs - make your business shine by offering attractive term financing that opens up affordability. A partnership with Crelogix can be the best way to adopt point-of-sale financing...we offer a unique online system of instant pre-approval for consumer loans. No more endless faxes, phone calls, and unnecessary paperwork. When you offer in-house financing through our company, we streamline the process by providing you with the MyCrelogix.com platform - this web-based program is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you're looking for an easy, painless transition to term financing, you can rest assured that we offer the best services around...and we handle all loan administration.

Getting started with in-house financing is as easy as picking up the phone or sending us an email - once you've partnered with Crelogix, our team of specialists will be there, tailoring financial services to the specific needs of your company. You'll find out just how simple it is to use MyCrelogix.com - all you'll need to do is punch in some data about a prospective client...the system will give you an instant answer about whether or not they qualify for low, monthly payment plans and affordable interest rates.

When you join with us to offer your clients home improvement loans, your company will have the backup it needs to attract new customers and make more money. Growth is the key to longevity in the home improvement industry - if you want to grab more market share, you need to edge out the competition by offering services they don't provide. In-house financing can add cachet to your marketing materials, because phrases like "in-house financing" and "monthly payment plans" make it so easy for customers to buy what you offer.

Our services pay for themselves over time...they are designed to add value to your business. Grow and evolve with the right infrastructure for your home improvement company. We can help you make it happen. Call or email us today.

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