Customer Service Tips: What Happens if Your Product Sucks?
April 20, 2012
By Vivienne Kane, Minuteman Press Prahran
Photo credit: cleaningspot.com.au
Were we expecting to have a great customer service experience when we looked at vacuum cleaners last Sunday? Not really – we just needed something that sucked! (unlike the sadly ineffectual model we were replacing). We ended up at a well known electrical retailer with limited time and pretty low expectations.
Enter the customer service specialist – friendly, efficient, and an absolute expert at getting inside our heads.
Did she blind us with choices from the jump? Absolutely not.
She asked lots of questions. We didn’t look at a single vacuum until she’d:
- Established our budget ballpark
- Quizzed us extensively on the purpose and expectations we had for the product
- Discussed the pros and cons of different product types
By that stage, she could show us a range of models from just below our budget to a few just above – but with value propositions that were very appropriate for our needs. She had us thinking through the options – with all the things that were important to us to the fore.
We had a play with them – and ended up with a model that was at the top of our budget range – but covered every base we were looking for brilliantly. Win win.
Really great customer service is not about bowling the customer over with your opinions.
You probably know more about the features and benefits of your product, and can appreciate the subtle differences between options better than the average customer. (Though not always, which will definitely keep you on your toes!)
Of course, for most customers, your expert advice is valuable – but don’t assume your preferences are the same as theirs. What you think and value may or may not correlate. The aim isn’t to make the customer think like you, it’s to provide great customer service and to find the best option for them.
Is that what you’re doing for your customers? And are your staff singing from the same song sheet or do you provide a great customer service experience?
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY VIVIENNE KANE
- You paid for the phone to ring – so don’t make these 9 mistakes
- Are You Hiding From Your Customers?
- If your business came to life as a person, what would your customers think?
|
|
Vivienne Kane – Minuteman Press PrahranAs the owner and operations manager of Minuteman Press Prahran, a franchise print supplier, Vivienne works with small business customers every day. She runs the business, and their online specialty division CalendarPrint, with her husband Nicholas and their talented staff. With a customer base which often has little experience in buying print, Minuteman Prahran’s point of difference is making the process as painless as possible. Vivienne is a strong advocate of clear and reliable communication as a key tool in winning and keeping customers. She started her professional life as a Speech Pathologist, and enjoyed a variety of roles in administration and community groups before establishing Minuteman Press in 2000. She has three Gen-Y adult children, is an almost an empty nester, loves travel and is a member of two book clubs.
|
Productive Flow for Creative People
April 19, 2012
By Lisa Murray, Revive Business Coaching
Most productivity experts offer a logical, linear way of being productive, that works for logical, linear, left-brain thinkers, but leaves the rest of us creative types feeling frustrated and unproductive because we can’t seem to follow those types of structures with ease. If you are primarily left-brained, you can stop reading now. If you are right-brained or can easily use both left and right brain, these ideas on creating productive flow are for you!
Creativity includes destruction – the possibility of stopping, changing or starting anew.
When we do productivity in a prescriptive way, we remove the possibility of including the creative chaos of destruction that can lead to greater possibilities.
Have you noticed that when you make something into a must/should/have to do that the joy totally disappears? That’s because you have stopped adding creative, generative energy to the project and made it into a task where there is no choice and no possibilities and no chance of deconstruction or destruction that could lead to something better. How is that working for you?
Right-brain people mostly hate the ‘have to do in priority order’ list.
Where is the love in a list like that? I have a list – but it’s not a list of have-to’s. It’s a list of possibilities. When you start to perceive your ‘to-do’ list as a set of choices that can lead to greater possibilities for your business, it stops being a millstone around your neck and starts to enable you to generate even more for your business.
Take a look at your current list – what can you expand, stop, change, rearrange, create or generate that would allow your business to flow with greater ease? What is easy for you? Can you bring that energy of ease into the projects that you have made difficult in your mind? What if everything could be done with ease? What would that be like for you?
When we ask questions like these, our capacity for having a creative, productive flow in our work increases dynamically.
As creative people, we need to remember that there is always a choice. Whether we do something or outsource it, how we do it and when we do it are all choices. When we exercise this choice creatively, we create a flow that allows us to produce much faster and with greater clarity than getting stuck in the ‘to-do’ doldrums.
So what change and choices could you make around the projects on your list of possibilities that would create a dynamic flow of productivity in your business? What if you don’t have to do business in traditional ways? What else could this be like for your business that would be easier and way more fun for you?
These questions may sound like a strange way to be productive. Do you know it’s okay to be a little weird in business? That’s how some of the greatest businesses are created. Look at Apple and Zappos – both have very different approaches to business and productivity which work for them. Is it time for you to know what will work for you in your business?
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY LISA MURRAY
- Building Profitable Momentum
- Reached Your Target? Keep Moving!
- Grow Your Business: Exponentialise Your Vision!
|
|
Lisa Murray - Revive Business Coaching/Bliss TribeLisa Murray is an experienced business mentor who brings bliss back into your business. Her holistic, unconventional and creative strategies help small business owners design authentic, ease-filled and profitable businesses. Through her BlissTribe community, Lisa is a catalyst for business owners to choose a phenomenal, rich and joyful life without compromise! The sky is not the limit… there are no limits… unless you choose them! Lisa connects the dots for you… she is an idea generator, a sounding board, a skilled facilitator, a strategist, a problem solver and a contribution to the authenticity and potency of you creating the business you truly desire and deserve. What else is possible? Ask and you will receive!!
|
Be Controversial to Win Attention
April 13, 2012
By Kerry McDuling, McDuling PR
It is no secret that the media loves controversy, simply because sensationalism sells!
It is therefore always a good idea to keep this in mind when generating your idea and composing your media release.
A controversial news item is by definition one that has the characteristics of a prolonged public debate, dispute or point of contention.
With this in mind, the type of news items that are controversial dispute something of common knowledge. They can also appeal to audience fear about a negative impact occurring if they fail to take a certain action or as the result of an unavoidable circumstance. For example, a controversial headline might be: ‘Most small businesses will not survive another Global Financial Crisis.’
Here are some tips that may be helpful when generating news items of a controversial nature:
Newsworthiness
As well as being controversial, your story also needs to be newsworthy. For example, you might be refuting an expert opinion or findings that has recently been or is commonly reported in the media (e.g., that chocolate is in fact healthy). Make sure you are able to back your statement up with clear facts or statistics from research you have undertaken.
Impact
Just because something is controversial, doesn’t mean it will be of interest to any readers, or have the desired outcome for you. So, if your business is an accountancy firm, contacting the media with a story about chocolate being healthy or cane toads being useful to gardeners wanting to grow frangipani trees is not relevant to a small-business audience. Your news needs to have an impact on your audience.
Timely
Controversial news items should also coincide with events. For example, a news item about chocolate around Easter, or small business failure around a worsening economy, or struggling home owners around an interest rate rise.
Offer a positive outcome
It is also important to offer a lifeline or positive outcome when presenting a negative or fear-based headline. For example, taking the small business angle presented earlier in this article, an accountant might provide the suggestion that small business owners ensure they have enough reserves or a back-up plan/exit plan in the case of a worsening economy, with some suggestions on how to do it. This also presents an opportunity to demonstrate expert knowledge and status.
Surveys
The media view new research favourably, especially when refuting an item of common knowledge. If you have a good client database, create a short anonymous multiple choice survey with an incentive for completion. Remember to word the questions so that you can skew the results in favour of the result you would like to anticipate: e.g., Do you feel comfortable that your cash reserves are enough to tide you over in a lengthy downward economy?
Remember that you are not aiming to shock or create enemies – a little bit of controversy will go a long way.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY KERRY MCDULING
- How to Build Your Journalist Database
- The Biggest Problem all Businesses Face
- Is Publicity and Media Coverage the Magic Bullet for My Business?
|
|
Kerry McDuling – McDuling PRKerry McDuling is a publicist and Director of her own public relations and publicity consultancy McDuling PR and exposure speciality business, Stratosphere Me – building brands and developing profitable business opportunities for companies, authors, speakers and entrepreneurs.
|
7 Proven Tactics to Boost Your Website in 3 Months
April 12, 2012
By Bianca Board, Web123
Not sure what to do with your website? Do you feel it’s just sitting there doing nothing? Never fear; I’m here to rescue you! Here are 7 tactics you can implement within the next 3 months that will turn your website into the ultimate small business power machine!
So get your engines revving, because here we go…
1. Promote your site through Facebook Ads.
Facebook Ads are a great, affordable marketing tactic to promote your website (or Facebook page) to your ultimate target market. You’ve got complete control over who sees your ads, what they see, and where they land.
Best of all, Facebook Ads are great for all budget types. You can start your Ad bids extremely low, or within the recommended bid amount; it all depends on how aggressive you want to be.
You are guaranteed to have an increase in website visitors or Facebook fan ‘likers’ if you implement Facebook Ads. Need help creating your Ads? Read this how-to article here >>
2. Get your website mobile.
Mobile devices are quickly becoming the #1 way that Australians connect online. When your customers are out and about, they’re surfing the web, looking up cool places, checking Facebook, plus much more — all via their smartphone or portable mobile device.
Did you know that not all websites you view on your desktop or laptop actually work on a mobile device? So with the increasing trend of people viewing websites on their mobile device, shouldn’t your website be compatible? Yes it should!
Get onto your website developer ASAP and get your mobile website compatible!
3. Keywords are key.
If you read this third heading and your response was “what are keywords?” or “Yeah, yeah, it’s too hard” all I have to say to you is: ‘Where have you been hiding in the last 12 months?’ Don’t say you’ve been too busy either; keywords are simple to use and easy to implement.
You need keywords in your copy on your website, so search engines recognise you and potential customers can find you. If your website can’t easily be found in Google, then how do you expect to get traffic to your site?
Understanding the search terms (keywords) that your customers are searching for to get to your website ought to be one of your top priorities. Go to Google AdWords Keyword Tool now and enter in your website URL to get started. Otherwise, read this article on how to research your keywords. If all this sounds too hard, consider outsourcing your SEO work to a credible SEO company – it can be very worth the while.
4. Tell your visitors where to go.
Is your website lacking Calls to Action? Go on, go have a look, then come back and read this…
If your website isn’t directing your viewers through a certain funnel, then where are your visitors going? You should have a clear goal for each of your pages. For example, if the goal for each page is to push the viewer to contact you, you should have a “Request More Info” button on every page.
Calls to Action are important for telling your visitors they can – and should! – do something on your site. If a visitor lands on a page without a Call to Action that grabs their attention, that visitor will bounce straight off your page. Failing to use good Calls to Action is like hanging up in the middle of a sales call! Tell your customers what to do to guide them along the sales process.
Ensure you update your Calls to Action every few months, keeping them fresh and interesting. Also make sure you have some fresh content to push the visitors to – it gives new visitors all the more reason to stick around. Most importantly of all, remember to always follow your Call to Action up with a lead capture form…
5. Capture your leads.
Lead capture forms are an absolute must! If you don’t have them, then you can’t assess who’s visiting your website, and whether or not you’re marketing to the right audience! Have you ever been to a website and not known how to get in touch with the business? Lead capture forms a great way of opening the lines of communication with your visitors. Lead capture forms are simple to implement; however, you may need to have your web design company build one for you.
When placing a Lead Capture form on your website, you need to determine what the form is attached to that the visitor is getting in return for providing their details. Secondly, depending on what they get and the perceived value of that item, should depend on how much information you ask from them.
For example, if a visitor to your website is subscribing to your newsletter, then asking for their name and email should be sufficient information in exchange for access to your weekly or monthly mailouts. However, for something more valuable like a whitepaper or report, you might like them to get additional details like company, phone, email, website address, etc.
You can even put in survey questions into your lead capture forms, which will allow you to find out even more information about who’s on your website.
6. Ask your customers questions.
Are your website and selling tactics all about ‘You’, ‘You’, and ‘You’? Take a quick look at any product on your site – do you realise you’re not buying your products and your customers are? Think about what your customers want, so you can effectively communicate your offering to them.
To do this, you need to speak to your customers and ask them questions about why they buy from you, or why they love your product so much, or even what could you do better to improve. All these answers will help you reframe your website and offerings to speak directly to your customer, instead of speaking about yourself.
7. Get onto Pinterest.
Yes, another social media site for you to learn how to use! I know we’re all short hours in the day, but this particular one is worth it, and because it’s still early days, you have heaps of time to learn how to use it.
Pinterest is growing faster than Facebook, and that’s saying something! Basically, Pinterest is a photo board that you ‘pin’ images too; people can then follow your board or comment on your photos.
Whereas Facebook is like going to a bar to socialise, Pinterest is like shopping at the weekend markets. So, if you’re selling products, be sure to include the price so people can browse and potentially buy via Pinterest too.
Pinterest is gaining popularity quickly due to the great backlinks it provides to websites. For those of you that don’t know, backlinks = improved ranking = traffic! So, get onto Pinterest, start ‘pinning’ some of your products or favourite photos you like, and see how it works.
What have you got planned for your website for the next 3 months? I’d love to hear what you think. Leave a comment below.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY BIANCA BOARD
- Features of Facebook’s Timeline that Suck for Small Business
- Secrets to the Ultimate Online Customer Experience – Turning ‘Search’ into ‘Sold’
- The Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Website Date
|
|
Bianca Board – Web123Bianca Board is a self-confessed perfectionist, but that’s a good thing, because as Web123′s chief designer and web strategist, she’s expert at helping small business achieve something that makes money and looks incredible without the designer price tag. With a creative streak that extends to sales, organic gardening, painting, decorating and generally making the world a more beautiful place, Bianca’s the person who will make sure that, along with functioning just as it should, your company’s website will look nothing short of amazing.
|
Employees vs Contractors
April 11, 2012
By Kristy-Lee Johnston, Footprint Recruitment
Employees vs Contractors – is the difference really that clear?
I have spent much time working with employers in recent years who engage contractors on a regular basis in their business to assist with both operational and core business functions.
This has always been seen as a flexible way to engage people into their businesses, without the commitment, and sometimes cost, and overall management of hiring employees.
However, I have noticed more and more so in the last 12 months that the use of contractors has seemingly become more common in many of the small businesses I speak to, and the line between what constitutes a contractor seems to be less clear now than ever.
It’s an important point to understand, because it’s an issue the ATO looks carefully at, and, should it be bought to their attention, and you as an employer are found to be treating a contractor as an employee, then effectively it is possible that they can rule that they are in fact an employee, leaving you liable for payments you hadn’t anticipated, such as superannuation and tax.
So how do you tell whether the people you engage in your business are in fact contractors or employees?
Admittedly, for many businesses, the line is not that clear cut, and there are arguments on either side for their situation.
The first thing I encourage you to do is review the details on the ATO website, which can be found at www.ato.gov.au. On there, you will find a handy little table (pictured below) which helps to clarify the boundaries for you.
Are you, or is your worker, an employee or a contractor?
| Factors to consider | Employee | Contractor |
| Control over work |
The employer has an implied right within industrial law to direct and control the work of an employee. The employee works in the business of the employer and the employer is free to manage their business as they see fit. |
A payer has a right to specify how the contracted services are to be performed. However, such control must be specified in the terms of the contract, otherwise the contractor is free to exercise their own discretion. |
| Independence | An employee performs work for the employer in accordance with an employment contract. | A contractor performs services as specified in a contract with the payer and provides additional services only by agreement. |
| Payment |
Payment is often based on the period of time worked, but an employee can also work on ‘piece rates’ or commission. |
Payment is dependent on the performance of the contract services. |
| Commercial risks |
An employee generally bears no legal risks in respect of the work; since the employee works in the business of the employer, the employer is legally responsible for any work performed by the employee. |
A contractor bears legal risk in respect of the work. They have the potential to make a profit or loss, and must remedy any defective work at their own expense. |
| Ability to delegate |
An employee performs the work personally and generally cannot subcontract the work to someone else. |
Unless otherwise specified in the contract, a contractor can subcontract or delegate the work. |
| Tools and equipment |
The employer, except when specifically agreed otherwise, usually provides tools and equipment. |
Generally, a contractor provides their own tools and equipment |
*source: ATO website
At the heart of it, here are the key rules:
(please note though these are not black and white, and there is some grey area in each)
- A contractor is typically paid to perform a task, not for the time they work. An example might be a contractor is paid to complete a retaining wall at your house. They are paid when finish the job, not for the number of hours). Whereas an employee must be paid for the hours they work, regardless of the output.
- As a contractor, they typically have the ability to outsource the work to another party.
- As a contractor, they control how the work is completed, within the terms of their agreement with the payer, and usually provide their own resources, such as computer, printer, office supplies, etc.
- Contractors bear their own legal risks, and provide their own insurances.
- A contractor has the ability to accept or decline projects, assignments and contracts as offered to them.
At the heart of it is the issue of control – if, as a business owner or employer, you want to very tightly control the people you engage in your business, to the point that you want to require them to work certain hours, perform work in a specific way within strict guidelines, and expect them to work exclusively for you then it’s quite likely they are an employee – no matter how you might be actually paying them.
There are undoubtedly needs for both contractors and employees in the modern workplace, and contractors continue to provide an exceptional way to gain new resources into your business, without the burden and commitment of having employees. But I encourage you to know what you need in your business, and what will achieve the best result for you, and above all else be aware of the structure as set out by the ATO to protect yourself and your business from being liable for additional costs either now or in the future.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY KRISTY-LEE JOHNSTON:
- Avoid These Common Recruitment Traps
- Recruitment 101: The Basics to Making Your First Hire
- Providing Reference Checks
|
|
Kristy-Lee Johnston - Footprint RecruitmentKristy-Lee Johnston is the Director of Footprint Recruitment, a Central Coast based Recruitment and HR agency which is run by locals, for locals. Kristy’s background includes 10 years in Recruitment, as well as 10+ years in a broad range of other customer facing sectors. She possesses Post Graduate qualifications in Psychology, as well as a Masters in Human Resource Management. Kristy is passionate about bringing something unique to the recruitment sector in her local area and wants to see all businesses make the most successful staffing decisions they can.
|
Getting Real (Time) – Synchronistic Communication Through Social Media
April 5, 2012
By Suzi Dafnis, Australian Businesswomen’s Network
I’m a fan of real-time communication. Synchronistic communication refers to live communication through social media.And, unlike a Facebook post or blog comments where someone can add a response that I will see later, synchronistic communications with social platforms allow a real-time communication experience.
One person who does synchronistic communication very well is the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki. Obviously, he has a huge following, but he doesn’t do as many seminars as he did in the past. But what he’ll do (usually once a month) is set up a live Facebook chat and answer questions.
Here’s some ways that you can use this type of communication in your business:
Live Online Chats
You could schedule a live chat (at a particular date and time that you pre-promote to your clients) on Facebook and invite people to join the conversation. Or you could try Google+ hangout and do a live video chat with some of your customers.
At the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, we integrate a live Twitter stream with our webinars. So, while attendees of the webinars can’t see each other they can network and share knowledge, live during the events.
We also use the webinar platform GotoMeeting for virtual meetings. The chat function, combined with the audio and visuals makes for a meeting as interactive and effective as a face-to-face one.
Streaming Video
For the very brave, you could use a site like LiveStream and actually stream yourself live over the Internet. Those watching have access to a chat box to comment as you present. I did just that last year and, were it not for all the video experience I’d had with our In her Shoes and The Venture series, I think I’d have flopped. I actually found it quite exciting and fun.
A word of caution: There’s no editing, so it’s not for the faint-hearted. Live video streaming is not for everyone, but I encourage you to at least try a live chat. You never know who might join the conversation!
Being an online organisation, we don’t often get to see and hear our clients. So, using the opportunities of synchronistic communication allows us the opportunity to have great conversations and to share knowledge.
Have you tried any of these methods?
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY SUZI DAFNIS
- Reach out for more Social Media Traffic
- Is it time to update your business website?
- Is this Social Media Myth Hindering your Business Results?
|
|
Suzi Dafnis – Australian Businesswomen’s NetworkSuzi Dafnis is the Australian Businesswomen’s Network’s Community Director and Chairperson of the Advisory Board. Suzi has been involved with the network since 1995. In 1998, she took over the network from its founder and has since managed and grown the network. She remains its media spokesperson and a champion of women in business. She is also the editor of the ABN’s newsletters, author of the herBusiness blog and presents the In Her Shoes video series and herBusiness podcast.
|
10 Steps to the Perfect Proposal
April 4, 2012
By Johanna Baker-Dowdell, Strawberry Communications
Winning a new contract for your business cements your status as an industry expert, brings in extra money and gives you a boost in confidence.
Whether the proposal is submitted in writing, via email or in person, there are some essential ingredients to make sure your proposal is selected, rather than tossed on the pile of rejects.
How to Win a New Contract for Your Business:
- Keep your branding strong throughout so your pitch leaves a lasting impression – include your logo and use your brand colours in headlines, headers and footers and watermarks.
- Tell your business story – capture the prospect’s attention with a short history of your business.
- Explain what your business can do for theirs at a glance – spell it out with short words and phrases, so they know exactly what they will get when working with you, but aren’t bogged down with long explanations.
- Explain how you do what you do – like the point before, use words, phrases or diagrams to show what will happen when they work with you, from establishing their aim through to their desired outcome.
- Include biographical information for yourself and any other staff members or contractors who will be involved – this way the prospect knows exactly who they will be working with.
- List your business awards and milestones – this adds to your existing credentials.
- Feature case studies from existing clients – show how you have worked with other companies to achieve their aims, listing the goals and solutions your business provided.
- Explain how you plan to work with them – list the tasks your business will perform as part of the contract and the strategy behind these.
- List the methods used to evaluate your work – measurement is an important factor, so show how your business will help theirs measure the success of the work completed. This could be through media clippings, increased sales, unique website visitors, online engagement or the actions the prospect’s customers take as a result.
- End your proposal with the ways to contact you for more information – this shows you are willing to answer further questions and welcome contact.
Once you have all this information it will provide a solid foundation for your proposal, so you can make your pitch for their business knowing everything is covered.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY JOHANNA BAKER-DOWDELL
- Diary of a Sweet Startup: Stanley & Nelson Cupcakes
- Creating PR around Special Dates
- Using Photos in Your Media Pitches
|
|
Johanna Baker-Dowdell – Strawberry CommunicationsJohanna owns and runs writing and public relations service Strawberry Communications. The agency builds relationships with the media and key stakeholders on behalf of its SME clients. This service is provided through careful research and strategic communication, then maintained by telling the business’s story through amazing publicity and expertly crafted words. Strawberry Communications is based in Launceston and was launched in 2007. Johanna has more than 16 years experience in the media industry and is also a freelance journalist and blogger.
|
We or Me: Choosing the right personal pronoun for a professional business image
April 2, 2012
By Belinda Weaver, Copywrite Matters
Starting your own business requires confidence and guts. You have to believe in yourself and put in the hard yards to make it all run smoothly. At some point you have to decide how you will reference your business. Will your marketing message come from “me” or “us”?
Even when you’re the only the one making all the wheels turn, do you want your clients to know that?
There are benefits and challenges to both approaches, but your answer to the “we” or “me” question can determine how your target market will engage with your business.
When I started offering copywriting services, I came from a corporate marketing background. I wanted to look successful and professional and I felt that an implied team gave me that image. But once I started building my client base, I switched my marketing back to “me”. And here’s why…
Social Media Marketing Has Changed Everything
Social media marketing means we no longer have to jump through expensive hoops to talk to our customers or our industry partners and competitors for that matter. Faceless organisations no longer impress us (if they ever did).
By building transparency into my marketing, my clients get to know me. When they choose to work with Copywrite Matters, they get the sum of my marketing experience and knowledge. This connection, amongst other things, has led to my business having a growing group of champions who make social media a very powerful part of my marketing.
The Advantages Of “We”
By implying that you have a team of resources in your business, you can present a lower risk to your customers because:
- Your business will appear successful enough to have “staff”
- Your customers get a sense of security from the idea of shared responsibility
- A team image is especially valuable if you need to respond quickly
- You are making a looking forward statement about your plans for your business
The other possibility is to stick with “me” right from day one and there can be some benefits to this.
The Advantages Of “Me”
When you admit to the world that you are your business, you:
- Add a very personal element to your product or service that could be what makes you unique
- Operate in a more transparent fashion, which can be rewarded with more trust
- Open the door to developing closer relationships with your customers (and stronger, closer relationships lead to more loyal customers with a much higher ‘lifetime value’)
- Instinctively communicate in a friendlier, less formal tone
So, Which Pronoun is Better For Your Business?
This is a question that depends on your product or service; the expectations of your target market and the consequences if they find out you’re faking it.
Is either option more professional? I don’t think so.
Authenticity is the key. If your greatest asset is YOU, don’t be afraid to show yourself off in your marketing. Promote your personal service and unique experience, as it could just be your competitive advantage. I have learned that sometimes showing your vulnerabilities is a strength that your market embraces.
Whichever path you choose: be consistent and work the angle to your advantage.
So now it’s over to you. Did you choose “we” or “me” when you started your business? Or which do you respond to when you are selecting a provider to work with?
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY BELINDA WEAVER
- A Copywriter’s Secret To Finding Your Brand Voice
- 7 Proven Tips to Help You Win the Email Marketing War
- 7 Ways To Optimise Your Online Copywriting in 7 Minutes
|
|
Belinda Weaver – Copywrite MattersBelinda is a professional marketing copywriter who confidently walks the line between writing effective copy and creating an engaging brand personality. You don’t have to choose between them! The words you use really do make a difference and offline or online, you will get more clicks, calls and sales with the right words. It’s that simple. Belinda also empowers business owners to write great copy and the Copywrite Matters Facebook & Twitter pages have FREE weekly tips on copywriting and marketing. She loves to chat about SEO, websites, good business and all things marketing. Say hi and join the conversation!
|
How to Build Your Journalist Database
March 30, 2012
By Kerry McDuling, McDuling PR
There is arguably nothing more valuable than a favourable article about you and your business in a media outlet (newspaper, magazine, online, TV) that your target client group accesses.
Why is an article so much more valuable than an advertisement?
Simply because it is written objectively by a third party (and therefore more likely to be viewed as accurate and credible by your audience, than an advertisement, that is entirely subjective) and of course this space is free!
Your most valuable tool when building your profile in the media will be your journalist database. If you have an up-to-date list of all the journalists that operate in your area/industry and for the relevant media outlets, this list will become gold for you.
So, when starting out, how do you build your list?
Firstly, do some research online for the media outlets that you feel are relevant to your business. For example, if you own a local clothing store, then your local media – radio/newspapers – would be most relevant. If your business is an online store of baby products, your target audience would be parenting publications (magazines, online publications, etc).
Once you have gathered a list of the media outlets, you need to find out the contact details of the journalists. These are usually displayed in the publication itself, or alternatively on the publication’s corporate website. Alternatively, put in a phone call to reception and ask for the journalists’ name and contact details.
Continue to add to this list as it outdates and work on building genuine relationships and rapport with the journalists on it.
Here are my golden rules to establishing a mutually-rewarding relationship with a journalist:
- Never send them junk. If you have no news, then rather wait until you do have something interesting to tell them.
- A well-written media release or email with some sentences plainly describing your news will go a long way. Follow up with a phone call and offer a photo.
- No need to follow up more than once or the journalist will feel hounded. If they don’t respond, they are not interested. Don’t be offended. Next time you might strike gold.
- Treat your list like gold! Be careful who you share it with.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY KERRY MCDULING
- The Biggest Problem all Businesses Face
- Is Publicity and Media Coverage the Magic Bullet for My Business?
- Sending and Receiving News Updates via Social Media
|
|
Kerry McDuling – McDuling PRKerry McDuling is a publicist and Director of her own public relations and publicity consultancy McDuling PR and exposure speciality business, Stratosphere Me – building brands and developing profitable business opportunities for companies, authors, speakers and entrepreneurs.
|
How to Pull Your Small Business Out of a Slump
March 28, 2012
By Nerida Gill, Admin Bandit
Small business so often comprises highs and lows. Sometimes I’m rushed with adrenaline and feel invincible, yet other times, well, I wonder why I bother.
The hardest thing is that slow times, officially called “slumps”, frequently have no rhyme, nor reason, or occur just when I need to make a large financial outlay.
This makes it all too easy to fall into a pattern of helpless thinking, which, of course, is the exact opposite of what we need to be do … and that’s to stay cool and deal with what’s happening.
Take a deep breath
First, we need to accept that small business is unpredictable, and slow times arepart of the deal. Unfortunately, you can’t always be in control, so choose to remain focused and not give up,nor lay blame. Sometimes, I think what we do is more about patience and persistence than anything else.
The temptation is to ditch your strategic plans and hunt for quick fixes. Instead, take a step back and brainstorm reasons for the lull:
- Does it reflect the stage of your business? For example, are you a start-up on a learning curve or an established business on the plateau, waiting to explode?
- Have you recently made significant changes? Good or bad, they may take time to take effect.
- Do you need to take your business education or understanding of your market to the next level?
- Has a competitor had a major publicity coup, such as big sale, an award or a lot of free press?
- Is it an awkward time of year for your industry? For example, winter or when the post-Christmas credit card bills are due are often tough.
- Has something substantial happened in your industry overall?
- What’s the state of the economy?
- Has a world event occurred to make consumers tighten their belts or shop conservatively?
Whether or not you uncover a reason for the lull, an action plan will lessen its impact and keep you motivated.
Connect with people
During tough times, it’s easy to go into hiding or indulge in a self-pity party. Forget that… right now, you need people more than ever!
Start with providing excellent service to your existing and potential customers. And I don’t just mean the usual definition, the one business consultants propound that’s all about sales technique. Instead, be a real and genuine person, and treat others as individual human beings.
We live in an extremely privileged society, but the more we apparently “advance”, the lonelier and more isolated people get. We crave interaction … cheerful banter, questions the asker really wants to hear the answer to, and a bit of fun. Provide this — in person or through social media — and you’ll truly get to know people. Share generously from deep within and you’ll get more joy from your business and people will come back again and again.
Sometimes, of course, you’re the one who needs perking up. This is when you turn to your mentors and business associates. Shout a small and trusted group to coffee or lunch, share your frustrations and brainstorm solutions. Then put them into action!
You don’t have to tell everyone your woes to get help, though. Chat to your suppliers, contacts and best customers to get referrals and ideas, not to mention keep up-to-date with your industry. This can be as simple as asking questions, such as:
- Do you know anyone who needs…?
- Where else are customers buying…?
- What are other businesses doing to have success with…?
- What are the latest techniques or trends to achieving…?
Kick-Start your marketing
No, I’m not talking about mammoth campaigns that require famous faces, a lot of paper or a second mortgage … I’m talking about quick boosts for sales and morale.
Here are some ideas:
- Distribute a short-term special offer to existing customers through free channels, such as email or Facebook.
- Run a competition that people want to win and use the opportunity to add to your mailing list.
- Hold a free seminar or webinar. Either invite existing customers and contacts or work with a local organization, service club or charity.
- Demonstrate your products or services: make a video, do a podcast, write a blog post, host an event.
- Build relationships and have fun at the same time: hold a party with a wacky theme, take your team out to lunch, drop afternoon tea to a helpful supplier.
And if you still have extra time
If you’re still twiddling your thumbs after all of the above, I have even more ideas to make sure you’re well-and-truly exhausted by bed time!
- Tackle those jobs you’ve been putting off, such as organising your office, doing the accounts, reviewing your strategic plans, creating a website or starting a newsletter.
- Write an e-book and distribute it as a gift.
- Hit the business section of your local library (and buy yourself a coffee at the same time!).
- Check out what your competition is doing and “borrow” their best ideas.
- Find out what your customers really want and need by conducting a survey, offering a prize draw as an incentive.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY NERIDA GILL
- A Facebook Case Study: Craft Makes Me Happy
- Conquering the Facebook Frontier for Small Business
- Energise Your Business with Easy New Year’s Resolutions
|
|
Nerida Gill - Admin BanditNerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, a web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in community groups. After winning numerous business awards, Admin Bandit is in a growth phase after recently attracting external investment.
|
