We caught up with @Sell, who recently adopted Square for his automotive business, Boosted Scat Pack.
Tell us about your business!
I have several ventures but I use Square for my online store which is focused mainly on automobile modifications.
What’s the best business advice you’ve received?
A professor once told my mother some great advice when she was in grad school. He said that if you have the opportunity to employ someone and you only profit 25 cents a year by doing so, then by all means, hire that person. You will have helped another family prosper and it didn’t cost you a dime. In fact, you made a quarter doing so.
How do you stay relevant in your industry and community?
I focus on marketing through social media in a non intrusive manner. I have over 30k Instagram followers for my automotive venture, many of whom I visit and interact with in person at race tracks and car related events. I also create products in house that are affordable and well accepted in the car community. My products improve aesthetics so they are generally shared online multiple times by my customers. I am active online and will like and comment on posts from my customers, and surprisingly I have made several good friends by being involved in social media. Long story short, make a good product, show it off, stand behind what you sell and be friendly. It works!
When did you start using Square?
I switched to Square in March, I believe. I don’t like changing things up, but I was in need of a POS for an event. I knew Square had that all figured out since I have seen them for years at various retail locations. Instant access to funds via debit card is a bonus, and the capital loans are a nice boost when you need a little help. I recently purchased a sign machine that was the price of a compact sedan, so the capital loan helped take a little bit of the sting out of that investment.
Any tips?
A few tips for online sellers would be...
- Be friendly in your email or phone interactions. Emails are often misinterpreted and can easily be taken the wrong way. I’ve done it myself. Start off friendly and the rest of your email will be read in a more positive light.
- Offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. This includes full refunds with no questions asked. You will be surprised of how many people will not want to return an item, but having that option puts potential buyers at ease.
- Have a phone number for customers to call. I offer a toll free number that also accepts text messaging.
- Get on social media.
- Get on social media.
- Get on social media!
What do you wish you knew on day 1 of your business?
It would have been nice to know that a 40 hour work week would be considered a part time gig at this point.
