Business Smartz Workshop

Last year over 25 million people bought a cup of coffee at a Starbucks. Sales have climbed an average of 20% per year. Even in a down economy, when other companies have taken a beating, Starbucks store traffic has risen between 6%-8% a year.

Even more notable, however, is the fact that Starbucks has managed to generate these kinds of numbers spending very little on marketing.

How do they manage this achievement? …by identifying and implementing a low cost savvy marketing strategy that specifically works for them! 

Do you need an “obscene marketing budget” to grow your business…absolutely NOT!  Spend 2 hours with local Marketing Consultant, Ray Hirsh, as he quickly reviews an array of practical, savvy, no cost or low cost marketing “promotional toolbox” techniques to grow your business….utilizing one or a few could get you and your business to the next level!  Another Starbucks??…probably not…but “more bucks,” most definitely!

About the speaker:  Ray Hirsh founded and grew six successful business ventures in a 24-year business career. His expertise lies in the retail and service areas, particularly in small and medium size businesses.

In a lengthy career as a multi-unit Hallmark Shop owner, he was one of the first operators in the Country to achieve the status of Gold Crown Store Designee.  His front line pioneering business acumen in the retail field was instrumental in Hallmark Marketing’s introduction of store retailing concepts such as fine giftware, fresh chocolates, and fresh flowers, merchandise now common in these types of retail venues. As adjunct to his Hallmark career, Ray was able to identify allied profit centers, thus parlaying one business into five additional business enterprises. These additional ventures included the founding of a corporate greeting card company, an event planning firm, a day spa, and a café and catering company.

At Synergy Business Associates, he specializes in the areas of Business Concept Implementation, Corporate Event Planning, and most prominently, as a Marketing Consultant. In this role, he works with a wide variety of business entrepreneurs, including such small business owners as Anago Cleaning Systems, Sparkling Image, Suburban Cylinder Express, Marco’s Pizza, West USA Realty, 1-800-DryClean, and Capital Q Payment Solutions.

Ray has been quoted as a small business expert in The Wall Street Journal and Market News International. His businesses have been featured in USA Today as well as various trade publications, and he has been a recent marketing speaker at Kiwanis International,  The Alternative Board (TAB), and at ASU’s Barrett Honors Entrepreneurship Program.  He has “walked and worn down the shoes” of a small business owner, knows how to anticipate the “hoops to jump through and hurdles to jump over,” and loves to assist small business owners in ensuring their success and longevity.

Ray is a University of Wisconsin graduate, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and resides in Scottsdale with his wife Jill. Although he is particularly proud of his three well college-educated “twenty something” children, he does oftentimes remind them that what they now know, “can fit into a thimble, with room left over.”

Ray