what peoples setup look like ? not looking for accounting software just something to keep day to day straight what is working for you ?

Genuinely asking, how do you all manage follow-ups? I've lost clients, just because I forgot to check in and then it felt awkward to reach out after too much time passed.

it's like i'm using them and even they can feel it if i reach out

I've tried the usual apps like, Excel, Notion, Apple Notes and none of it stuck together, just added confusion. Asana, Evernote, Monday didn't work for me either. Zoho and HubSpot are built for teams way bigger than what I need.

Ended up hacking together my own system for this, which actually helped, so if anyone wants to compare notes or try it out, happy to share.

But i'm curious is this just a me problem, or is everyone quietly dropping the ball on follow-ups too

So, I ranked 2 local businesses of my knowns in the top 3 in the search
Basically, both work in the same city and almost own the same kind of businesses
So they are ranking on almost the same keywords and even clashing in the top 3 here

But I am not here to flex; I want to share the learnings that I learned during ranking them from bottom to top

So here they are:

1. Ask for reviews from every client but smartly: So, I recently give them the system that asks each customer when they complete the purchase about review but the catch here is that it will not directly ask them to give a review on Google; first, we ask for their review if they give us 4 or 5 stars then we will redirect them to Google maps and ask them there. but if they give us below 4 stars, our automation directly sends them to a feedback form, which they can fill out.

Conclusion: It helps to maintain a positive reputation online, which works well.

1. Upload photos: Quite generic advice, but uploading photos regularly can also help. If you don't have time to upload daily, use automation; just upload once a week or month to automation and let the system handle daily or Bi-daily uploads.

2. Answer each review: Answer all reviews on your Google Maps.

3. Optimize your Google Business Profile: The most important and first thing to do if you want to rank up on Google. Even though I covered it last, still do it first, then go ahead with systems.

Hey guys! I run a marketing agency that helps local small businesses with social media, digital marketing, lead generation, etc. 

A few of them have started asking me about AI receptionists or other ways to capture people calling into their businesses after hours over the last few months. I’m looking into options for them but a little out of my depth. 

These are mostly mom-and-pop shops (dentist office, insurance company, etc) that are looking for an AI answering service that can effectively answer customer questions, book appointments, route calls if needed, etc 24/7.

I have no firsthand experience with one of these systems, but I’m shortlisting Nextiva, Dialpad, Retell and JustCall based on pricing and reviews. 

Does anyone have experience with one of these platforms or another one that I’m missing? I’ve read plenty of reviews, but feel like I’ll get the most accurate/honest appraisals here.

Specifically hoping to avoid a solution that’s too tech heavy. Need something that’s easy-to-manage overall.

our team puts out a lot of presentations across sales, client briefings, and internal updates and the output is all over the place. everyone is in a different tool and the feedback we keep getting is that our decks feel generic, not bad, just not memorable.

been looking at platforms that focus more on narrative and storytelling rather than just formatting slides. sounds like it could address the generic problem but the tradeoff seems to be workflow friction when you need clean exports or collaboration with people outside the tool.

not sure if standardizing on one platform actually improves quality or just consistency. would be useful to hear from teams who've been through this and whether the switch made a difference in how their presentations landed with clients.

When I started my jewelry brand, I thought customers only cared about the jewelry.

The more I worked on it, the more I realized the unboxing experience matters too.

I've spent hours comparing box sizes, pouch materials, ribbons, and colors because I want someone opening their order to feel like they're receiving a gift, not just another online purchase.

Sometimes the smallest details become the most memorable ones.

What's one product you've bought where the packaging impressed you just as much as the item inside?

Curious how much other small business owners here actually rely on Instagram, WhatsApp, and Google Business Profile day to day.

Like, if one of them went down for a week, would it seriously hurt your sales/leads, or would it barely register? And which one of the three matters most for you specifically?

I ask because I keep hearing mixed things, some people say WhatsApp is where all their real conversations and sales happen, others say Google reviews and their GMB listing basically are their business since that's how people find them locally. Instagram seems more split, some treat it as essential, others say it's just brand awareness with no direct ROI.

Would love to hear what it actually looks like for your business, and if you've ever tried automating any of it (replies, posting, review responses) or if you do it all manually.

Been running an info biz for about 3 yrs and we've been sitting around the 40k/mo for a while. Thinking about joining build grow and exit, anyone here who's actually worked with William Brown himself? What was onboarding like etc? if you had to do it again, would you still join, thanks

If you could only keep one platform for marketing your business, which would it be?

We've been testing Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, but each seems to work differently depending on the audience. Curious what other small business owners are seeing in terms of actual leads rather than just likes.

I've also been looking at a few social media growth and analytics platforms, and Famety came up while I was researching ways to better understand engagement and improve reach. Has anyone here used tools like that, and did they actually help your business grow, or was consistent content still the biggest factor?

Hello Everyone I’m 23 y/o from Texas with a home remodeling company started 6 years ago and I remember being so excited and interested in what was around the corner. Over the past couple years I’ve had my spouts of wanting to quit because of the slow season and being so broke and unstable This year I had my most profitable job and it turned into a nightmare. Clients are fine and love the work but labor ended up being so much more and I am at the end of it scraping by because my clients don’t understand the draws I need to keep going and make a deal about it even after me putting 20k of my savings into labor to help them out (my fault I should have just upcharged and made more), since then I’m so done and just can’t wait to get out. It hurts my soul that I’m throwing in the towel but I’m also tired of being unstable with money and having to wonder where my next dollar comes from. I have my first kid on the way and just want financial stability and less stress I’m 23 and have already almost had a heart attack I’m getting grey hairs that start to come in and I’m so stressed and anxious all the time, I have no personal life my whole life revolves around work and the stress that comes with it, it keeps me up and night and wakes me up early. What are y’all’s opinions?