Building a Strong Customer Relationship</h1> <article> <h1>Building a Strong Customer Relationship</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:22 GMT</p> <p><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">There are many strategies on how you can provide customer satisfaction and keep your customers coming back for more. This is the reason why in almost every department store and supermarket, you will find a customer relations counter that specifically caters to the needs and concerns of the customers. But have you even thought of building customer relationships that goes beyond just providing customers with quality products and an after service feature?<br /><br />Well, in today's world, it is important to build these kinds of relationships because it will provide you with an edge that your competitors do not have. And you should also note that countless competitors can offer similar products or service that is currently in your product line. In fact, they can even provide cheaper prices for the same quality in some cases. In this case, having customer loyalty through building strong relationships with them is essential for you to survive. Here are some tips that will enable you to succeed in this endeavor.<br /><br />1. Be there personally<br /><br />Everyone wants to feel special and your customers are no different. So it is recommended for you to provide the personal touch that will let your customers know that you know about their needs and you care about their satisfaction. You can even let your customers feel the personal touch by answering your phone call personally and always being friendly on the phone even if you're already tired.<br /><br />2. Exceed their expectations<br /><br />You might have heard about this tip before and it is inevitable that you will hear it again because exceeding customer expectation is one of the best ways to build loyalty and establish good relationships with them. This can even be used as a promotional tool because customers who are satisfied are likely to tell their friends and family about your product or service.<br /><br />3. Show emotion<br /><br />This tip is somehow related to the first tip but each is unique in its approach. Showing emotions such as concern and understanding to your customers will enable them to feel that their opinion does matter to you. Of course, their opinion really does matter but showing them that it does will create the kind of relationship you seek.<br /><br />4. Always say thanks<br /><br />This tip may sound simple but it is powerful. Letting your customers know that they are greatly appreciated would mean a lot to them so be generous with your thank you. You might be surprised by the result. <br /><br />The truth is though, these tips are the kinds of courtesies that you must show to everyone but when you apply it to the business setting, you can expect to reap a lot of rewards from this endeavor simply because your customers will feel that they are treated as humans and not just a part of your business.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.articlesinsight.com/">Article Source</a>: <a href="http://www.articlesinsight.com/">http://www.articlesinsight.com</a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">Obinna Heche. Los Angeles - California</span></strong><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"> Delivering the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home successfully.. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/">www.homeincomeportal.com/obhmy365/</a></span></p> </article> <article> <h1>Promotions to Boost Holiday Sales</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:56:52 GMT</p> <p><strong>Promotions to Boost Holiday Sales</strong><br /> <br /> It is never too early for online retailers to begin thinking about the promotions they will want to offer their customers throughout the upcoming holiday shopping season. You must be ready to launch your promotions by Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving or Cyber Monday, which means that detailing your plan in August and September is ideal.<br /> <br /> <strong>First Steps: Analysis and Planning</strong><br /> <br /> The first phase of incorporating holiday promotions to boost your online sales this holiday season is to carefully analyze your customer base—existing and potential. What has prompted increased sales in the past? How did you fare in the 2008 holiday season? Answering these questions can give you an idea of which promotions will find the most success this year.<br /> <br /> Perhaps you determine that you have some tried and true methods that get shoppers to buy from your site. Maybe you want to try something new. Constructing a plan based on the information from the past year’s sales can help you chart a successful course through the host of promotional options to implement on your site this year.<br /> <br /> <strong>Next Steps: Decision-making</strong><br /> <br /> Some of the promotional ideas outlined here are not necessarily innovative, but they have been shown to work well to see an increase in online sales during the holiday season. Consider some of these options and evaluate which ones are most likely to help increase your holiday sales:<br /> <br /> <strong>Free Shipping</strong><br /> <br /> Offering free shipping, either during a certain time period during the holiday season or for a certain purchase amount, is a tried and true promotion that is certain to increase your sales. This promotion is executed so often, in fact, that it is almost a necessity to compete with other online retailers. For example:<br /> <br /> “All orders placed by December 15 get free shipping.” This may prompt people to buy with the imposed deadline in mind.<br /> <br /> “Free shipping on all orders over $250.” If a visitor to your site finds the items they need for less than $250, they may be inclined to get a few additional items to take advantage of the free shipping.<br /> <br /> “Shipping on all orders, just $5.” This may prompt people to purchase more on your site than they may have intended to squeeze as much as they can out of their cheap shipping cost.<br /> <br /> Closely look at your margins and determine when it is most profitable to offer the free shipping promotion and be sure to include some form of free or reduced shipping at some point during the holidays.<br /> <br /> <strong>Save By Spending</strong><br /> <br /> Offering a discount for spending a certain dollar amount is another strong motivator to get customers to make more and bigger purchases on your site over your competition. For example:<br /> <br /> “Get 20% off all orders over $100.00. Discounts taken at checkout”<br /> <br /> Simply setting the stage to encourage shoppers to buy more and get a discount can increase your sales dramatically over the six weeks between Cyber Monday and January 1st. <br /> <br /> While you’ll want to reserve this offer for launch during the peak holiday season, you’ll want to evaluate how to most cost-effectively design it right now.<br /> <br /> <strong>Contests and Joint Promotions</strong><br /> <br /> In 2008, Kmart® and Disney® worked jointly to offer the “Wish and You Could Win” promotional holiday event. The promotion was available in the retail stores and online and functioned very simply: purchasing certain items at Kmart rendered the buyer eligible for Disney prizes. Both companies realized increased profits during the holiday season by offering this promotion.<br /> <br /> While your shop may not be as far reaching as Kmart or Disney, you can still construct a promotion with other retailers, especially local ones if you are both an ecommerce store and a stick and brick shop, to maximize benefits for you both. Or you can offer a promotion similar in construct, but without the second party.<br /> <br /> For example, “Customers purchasing more than $100.00 are entered into a contest for a $100 gift card (to our shop, another shop, etc).”<br /> <br /> When you sweeten the deal with the prospect of a free gift chance, customers are more likely to purchase from you over your competition. Begin now by evaluating your budget and determining how to most benefit from a promotion like this. And begin exploring opportunities with other organizations or retailers to construct a joint promotion.<br /> <br /> <strong>Other Promotions to Boost Holiday Sales</strong><br /> <br /> There are a host of other simple promotions you may want to highlight during the holiday season, some promotions you offer year round may need to be more heavily advertised and others may expire after the holiday season ends.<br /> <br /> Gift Finder tools: This is the tool that shows other items that the buyer may be interested in purchasing<br /> <br /> Gift Cards: Gifts cards are now one of the hottest selling items purchased for the holidays. Make sure visitors to your site know that you offer one and how to purchase one.<br /> <br /> Free Gift Wrapping: This is a nice feature that many people will use.<br /> <strong><br /> Conclusion</strong><br /> <br /> Right now, in the late summer and early fall, it is time to start outlining your battle plan and mobilizing your efforts to get the most from the 2009 holiday season. Determining which promotions fit your company and your budget best is a critical first step. <br /> <br /> Your next step will be working with your web developer to implement the necessary features into your site to offer the promotions you choose. The developers at Network Solutions® help customers boost their holiday sales every year by “decorating” their sites, inputting promotional details, and much more. When you determine the promotions you want to offer and the other onsite preparations you want to make for the 2009 season, be sure to contact us to get started.<br /> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Creating a Positive Customer Experience</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:01:55 GMT</p> <p><strong>Providing a Positive Customer Experience Online to Promote Loyalty</strong><br /> <br /> As the adage goes, keeping a current customer is easier than acquiring a new one. <br /> <br /> Depending on your industry, customer satisfaction and its correlation to your bottom line vary a bit. However, every company relies on customer satisfaction, to some degree. <br /> <br /> Ways the customer experience affects you:</p> <ul> <li>A positive experience can prompt referral business.</li> <li>A positive experience can promote repeat business.</li> <li>A solid reputation is good for any company, of any size, in any industry.</li> </ul> <p><br /> Conversely:</p> <ul> <li>A negative experience causes cancellations and escalations.</li> <li>A negative experience halts the repeat and referral business potential stemming from that source.</li> <li>A negative reputation ramps up quickly and is difficult to overcome.</li> </ul> <p><br /> So, clearly, keeping customers satisfied and providing superior service is paramount to maintaining your company’s image of integrity of and fully tapping into repeat and referral business. Creating this environment ensures your customer loyalty.<br /> <br /> Once you recognize that this caliber of service promotes loyalty, how can you use your website and online activities to complement this endeavor?<br /> <br /> <strong>Using Your Website to Retain Customers and Promote Loyalty</strong><br /> <br /> Your website can be a great tool for increasing customer satisfaction and earning their loyalty. This is a resource that is often overlooked because online tasks seem too difficult, because navigating the Internet seems overwhelming, or a host of other reasons, but it would be a mistake to neglect capitalizing on this source of service.<br /> <br /> Your site can provide:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Availability and Access:</strong> Customers have instant access to information about you or about their accounts, can take advantage of around-the-clock ordering, and much more.</li> <li><strong>Communication: </strong>When you can’t be present, you can still have a presence.</li> <li><strong>Marketing:</strong> Use your site to proactively market to a broad audience.</li> </ul> <p><br /> Looking at each of these aspects in detail may give you some ideas about how you currently use your site (or how you might use one if you had one), or perhaps offer new ideas that you haven’t yet considered.<br /> <br /> <strong>Availability and Safe, Easy Access to YOU</strong><br /> <br /> Being available to your customers in today’s market and technological arenas is no longer a perk – it is vital. If you are a retailer, customers expect to be able to place orders 24/7; directing them to your shop is no longer viable in most markets. If your company is more consultative, your site can provide resources to help them become knowledgeable about your business. For example, a home inspection company can offer articles about what to expect, post rates, and other types of guidance. These informational pieces can help your customers feel confident about the expertise of your company and about the products or services you provide.<br /> <br /> Another issue, particularly if you sell products or take payments online, is security. Obtaining the right SSL Certificate and implementing proper security for your transactions is vital to encouraging your customers to complete online purchases through your site.<br /> <br /> <strong>Communication: Use the Content on Your Site </strong><br /> <br /> The text on your site can facilitate a positive customer experience and promote loyalty in black and white. Tell your customer outright who you are and what you do. Using the services of a professional Web designer with access to professional copywriters can be invaluable in relaying the messages you want to convey.<br /> <br /> Some ideas for the basic layout of your site:</p> <ul> <li>Include the basics: a detailed and welcoming home page, a user-friendly contact page, detailed products and services pages.</li> <li>Offer a company history or an “About Us” page.</li> <li>Make sure the navigation is easy to use and that the format is easy to read.</li> <li>Consider additional pages, such as “Testimonials.”</li> </ul> <p><br /> Each page of your site should be informative and pertinent to your goals. Implementing an Optimization campaign can further this end by helping you gain footing in the organic listings online, helping more customers find you and opening the opportunity for even more positive customer experiences.<br /> <br /> More than just telling visitors about yourself, another key element is speaking to your target customer. The text can offer solutions for common customer issues that are provided by your company or provide information about aspects of your industry. Optimized articles added to your site can offer a host of benefits for your company that will improve the customer experience:</p> <ul> <li>Adding pertinent information helps the spiders crawling the Web recognize your site as credible and therefore more customers will find you</li> <li>More information to the customers will help them feel comfortable with your company</li> </ul> <p><br /> <strong>Marketing Activities with Your Site: Reach Out to Your Customers</strong><br /> <br /> Having a trusted website offers the opportunity to branch out into many areas of marketing that may remain untapped, such as email alerts and company newsletters posted on the site or emailed. Keeping in touch with current or past customers further solidifies your commitment to repeat business and referrals.<br /> <br /> Another recent idea that is fast becoming widespread is adding a blog to your website. This allows customers or potential customers to ask questions, make comments, and generally interact with you. This personal connection fosters another layer of loyalty. It also allows you to post information about recent company activities or address any topic that you want to associate with your company.<br /> <strong><br /> Conclusion</strong><br /> <br /> The ideas identified here are a high-level overview of the different ways you can work with your website to turn it into a machine that promotes customer loyalty and grows your business. The possibilities are endless.<br /> <br /> <br /> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Why Web-Based Service Companies Need A Sales-Focused Website</h1> <p>Jonathan Bentz — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:30:49 GMT</p> <p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">The Internet has become has a 24-7 sales tool for every business that operates a website. Many companies have invested a lot of man hours pouring over the content of their site, too, with the intention of promoting services and products without being “too pushy.” Businesses that thrive online should always be optimizing their sites so that customers are taken down a particular path that ends at the “checkout” page.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">But what are companies that provide services supposed to do with their 24-7 sales machine? The product these companies provide isn't always tangible and is often unique. The “conversion” on a service-based company website isn't always the same either. Sometimes a company needs contact information in exchange for a consultation, some provide a free product, and some provide neither.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">As a way to guarantee that potential customers receive the right sales messaging from service-based companies, every service company should consider building a “sales-only website.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Think of a “sales-only” website as a sales presentation on the web. A lot of companies do a great job of explaining the services they provide on their main website. However, service companies that have a second website designed to be a sales tool (like <a href="http://gmhvsuccess.com">GetMyHomesValue.com</a>) for engaging prospects and converting them into customers can be powerful for legitimizing your business. Think about it; on the web, every company is presented in a very similar light in a confined space. Companies that have a second website specifically targeted towards sales functions immediately appear to be more professional. Also, because these companies have a larger piece of online real estate, they also have the appearance of having a larger investment in their web development than competitors.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Some service based companies have detailed product lines that can't be properly explained on a webpage designed to simply capture lead information. Many websites are also filled with blogs, “about us” pages, and other company information that can be distracting for visitors. Having a separate website designed only to be a sales tool – without additional content - allows the spotlight to be positioned on the individual services instead of the company that is providing the services.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Many service-based web companies have detailed facts from leading trade firms that explain the benefits of using their services over competitors nationally and regionally. Building a second website for the sales process ONLY can include reviews, educational resources, and information from leading trade organizations that can make the case for your company over the competition. Think of a sales-centric site as an “unofficial,” official endorsement for your services.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">If your company has a call center that manages customer prospecting for your company, having a sales-site can be a great asset for the prospect to learn about your company at their own pace. While the <a href="http://www.getclickz.com/2009/07/15/cold-calling-best-time/">best time to cold call</a> is typically early in the morning or late in the afternoon, call centers get prospects on the phone at all times of day. If the cold callers don't reach your prospect at the best time, having a sales-centric site allows the potential customer to review your services at their own pace.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Hosting your own online sales tool is also one of the best ways to take authority away from negative review websites. Many companies find themselves in a client-relations nightmare when one of these sites publishes a review of their company. Having quality websites devoted to the benefits of your company and services is a great way to take attention away from the negative reviews.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Potential customers are looking online for insight on your company and its services every day. Make sure they receive the right message, “straight from the horse's mouth,” by creating a sales-site. A sales-centric site allows customers to learn about your company at their personal convenience.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">You already run a company that provides great services. Do yourself (and your prospects) a favor by creating a sales website that properly describes your services in a way that boosts conversions and customer satisfaction.</p> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>How Providing A Customer Support Forum Can Boost Online Business</h1> <p>Jonathan Bentz — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:10:49 GMT</p> <p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">In today’s age, nearly every consumer is doing something online. Researching, reporting, and buying are probably some of three of the most common things. But one thing companies can’t quantify that potential consumers are doing online is passing judgment. And the way consumers go about passing judgments about companies is something that can be controlled… but most companies have no idea how to control it.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Customer reviews are a powerful tool on the internet. They are one of the most one-sided, subjective ways consumers evaluate companies online, and therefore might not seem to be a valid form of company review. However, there’s no doubt that these emotional, anonymous customer reviews are often the most influential form of copywriting your business is going to receive. What these online reviews say can often have a major effect on the success of your business.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">What can companies do to provide a home base for their customers? Both happy and unhappy customers appreciate having a place to offer service suggestions, vent their frustrations, and have their legitimate questions answered in a controlled, professional manner. The solution: open a message board that serves as a customer support forum.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Most websites have detailed FAQ sections that answer customer questions and some even offer 24-hour chat lines that can provide live support. But by opening an online forum, companies can put their customer support staff to work in the same way they do with live support. At the same time, forums also allow active customers to answer questions, offer advice, and provide realistic solutions to other customer issues.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Support Forums have been most commonly used on software websites, where users and developers often have specific questions that require the posting of coding examples. Most recently, message board support forums have been utilized by companies that offer subscription-based services online like <a href="http://heroes.getmyhomesvalue.com">GetMyHomesValue.com</a>, an Inc. 500 real estate marketing services firm, and online games like <a href="http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?forumId=11110&sid=1">World Of Warcraft</a>. Online subscription companies often use these forums as a way to provide transparent, real time communication with subscribers.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">Forums are great for providing answers to commonly asked customer questions. In opposition to live chat or FAQ’s, forum threads are indexed by search engines and easy to read when looking for an answer quickly. Often, providing an easy answer on a support forum to a competitor’s frustrated customer can lead that customer to bring their business to your company. Message boards also present information in a non-intrusive way on the customer’s time, saving them the hassle of having to wait for an available service representative by phone.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">When a customer takes issue with your service, support forums are also a great way to take the power away from the many negative review websites. Customer service representatives can review a customer’s comment and refer other commentors to your support forum. Start a thread on your forum addressing the negative review, tell your side of the story, and provide documentation of a solution to the customer’s gripe.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:0in;">With the development of social media networks like Facebook and Twitter, message boards may seem very outdated to online businesses. But the benefits of message boards to companies that rely on internet success are too great to pass on. If your company is considering adding social networks into a marketing plan, consider adding a support forum to your website as a way to benefit your customer service department.</p> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Using Twitter to Improve the Customer Experience</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:57:17 GMT</p> <p><strong>Building Customer Loyalty: Using Twitter® to Improve the Customer Experience</strong><br /> <br /> A lot of fuss is being made in the media about Twitter (www.twitter.com), the microblogging service and social networking tool whose name stands for Typing What I’m Thinking to Everyone Reading. The truth of the matter is that tools like Twitter are not just a passing fad, and a modern business with an online presence should at least be aware of the ways Twitter can help or hurt a business. <br /> <br /> Accessible via the World Wide Web or the latest generation of smart cell phones, Twitter® allows its users to type quick entries (140 characters or less) that are updated in real time. These are called “Tweets”. Users may follow the tweets of other users, and receive these updates as they are added. Many popular tweeters, such as celebrities, news services like CNN®, and other high-profile bloggers have thousands or tens of thousands of followers being updated on every entry they make. <br /> <br /> Businesses use Twitter for a number of purposes. Advertising new products or service offerings, reputation management, and responding to customer queries (a Canadian service called Bluefur even does technical support via Twitter) are all made easier through the quick connectivity of the Twitter service. For a small- or medium-sized business, there are three keys to using Twitter to improve customer experience:</p> <ul> <li>Being Available - Creating a profile and establishing a recognizable presence</li> <li>Being Proactive - Using the search function to locate potential customers</li> <li>Being Reactive - Addressing less than favorable information in a positive way</li> </ul> <p><br /> This article will explore briefly these three avenues.<br /> <br /> <strong>Being Available</strong><br /> <br /> To take advantage of Twitter, a business should have a profile. There is a link to join from Twitter’s homepage, or you can skip straight to https://twitter.com/signup. You will need to provide the following:</p> <ul> <li>Full Name (Company Name if not an individual)</li> <li>Username (Should be related to Company Name)</li> <li>Password</li> <li>Valid Email Address</li> </ul> <p><br /> Once you have joined, you will be taken to a page to fill out your profile. There you can add a location, a URL (great place to link to your business’ current website), and a bio (a great place for company info). Once your profile is set up, you can begin Tweeting, as well as following other Tweeters.<br /> <strong><br /> Being Proactive</strong><br /> <br /> One of the major benefits of Twitter is its powerful, real-time search function. Located on the right of your Twitter page once you’ve logged in, the search will pull up the most recent Tweets containing the keywords you’ve typed in the search bar. Below the search box “Trending Topics” are listed. These are the most popular topics on Twitter at the moment, and are often marked with a # sign, (e.g. #michaeljackson). This is called a Hashtag. When writing about a specific topic that many people might be searching for in your Tweets it is good to add the # and topic to the end of your Tweet. For example, a review of the new iPhone might read as follows: “Like the new interface, but unhappy with the speed of my connection. #apple”.<br /> <br /> You can use these searches and trending topics to locate potential customers. Once you have, follow these customers, and they will likely follow back. It is important, if you have set up a profile, to begin Tweeting regularly, or else you may look like a spammer. Do not just Tweet advertisements for your products; provide useful information to your client base as well, for free. This will enable you to gain trust.<br /> <br /> Services like Twilert (www.twilert.com) and EasyTweets (www.easytweets.com) are popping up all over the Web, offering the ability to track searches of your name, brand, products, and relevant keywords. Using these helps you track the “noise” about your particular business or market, and you can respond to current and potential clients in real time.<br /> <br /> <strong>Being Reactive</strong><br /> <br /> Once you have begun Tweeting, providing information to your clients, RTs (retweets) of relevant news articles, and links to your products and services, you are in a position to begin managing your online reputation via Twitter®. Gauging the “noise” about your brand on Twitter is made easy using the search function, trending topics, and services like Twilert and EasyTweets. But if that noise is bad, how do you respond?<br /> <br /> Often, reputation management in the past has not been about directly addressing critiques, but in today’s profoundly social Web 2.0 world, directly and honestly addressing critiques is exactly what you should do. Reply (using the @ symbol) to Tweets that negatively portray your business. Honestly answer questions that are brought up about the way you do business. Speak to potential buyers in their language. Do not attempt to use trickery: On the social Web, this will quickly be recognized and will likely result in more bad noise.<br /> <br /> Furthermore, respond to negative thoughts about your business by earning the attention of your current and potential customers by providing links to relevant, helpful information free of charge. This goodwill will come back to you tenfold if done properly.<br /> <br /> <strong>Conclusion</strong><br /> <br /> This is just the beginning. Many businesses are still working out how best to use Twitter to their advantage. For more information, here are a few helpful resources:</p> <ul> <li>35 Twitter Tips from Twitter Users - http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/01/25/35-twitter-tips-from-35-twitter-users/</li> <li>TwiTip – Twitter Tips in 140 Characters or More - http://www.twitip.com/</li> <li>25+ Incredibly Useful Twitter Tools and Firefox Plugins - http://www.noupe.com/tools/25-incredibly-useful-twitter-tools-and-firefox-plugins.html</li> </ul> <p><br /> There is a lot to keep in mind. Contact your expert at Network Solutions® for help any time.<br /> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>TBG QuickTips</h1> <p>The Brooks Group: Sales, Sales Training and Sales Management — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:04:54 GMT</p> <p><br /> Dealing with Objections… One at a Time<br /> <br /> <br /> If selling was an easy profession, there would be no objections from the prospect. However, we know that’s not the case – prospects are going to object to something – be it price, delivery schedule, color, quality, quantity, etc…<br /> <br /> <br /> When multiple objections do occur, don’t drop them into one pot and try to solve two or three objections as the same time. You’ll get confused and so will the prospect. And a confused buyer buys nothing.<br /> <br /> <br /> Instead, make a point of separating and restating every objection your prospect raises. Don’t be afraid to ask if there are any other issues of concern to the prospect that haven’t been discussed yet. In other words, get every objection on the table so they don’t fester in the prospect’s mind. It’s always important to listen to what your prospects or customers are telling you. And perhaps it’s even more important to listen to what they’re not telling you.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Once you’ve identified each objection, let the prospect know you’ll address each objection one at time. When you think you’ve resolved the first objection with a new solution or explanation for their concern, ask the prospect some form of this question, “Does that resolve your concern on this issue?” If the answer is “Yes,” then you’re ready to take on the next objection. If you do not resolve their objection, keep asking questions and offering solutions until the problem is resolved. Top performing salespeople understand that their focus must always be on the prospect or customer and that they must show genuine concern for the people they are meeting with.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Remember:<br /> <br /> In order to be seen as a value resource, the seller must first understand what the prospect or customer perceives as value. It doesn’t matter which features of the product or service you’re selling you think are important. It only matters which features your prospect thinks are important<br /> <br /> <br /> The salesperson that is in alignment with the way that a prospect or customer wants to buy will have a better chance of winning the business. People love to buy but they do not want to feel sold.</p> <p> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>TBG QuickTips</h1> <p>The Brooks Group: Sales, Sales Training and Sales Management — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:35:54 GMT</p> <p><br /> When dealing with performance problems of salespeople, there are five basic reasons why they may not be performing as expected:<br /> <br /> 1. They don’t have enough sales ability – You need to evaluate your hiring practices. Consider using an assessment to screen candidates.<br /> <br /> 2. They don’t understand what they are supposed to do – You need to establish expectations.<br /> <br /> 3. They don’t know how to do the job – You need to train them regularly.<br /> <br /> 4. They lack the necessary systems – You need to employ a sales model and hold salespeople accountable for using it.<br /> <br /> 5. They lack motivation – You need to create an environment where people are motivated by things that are important to them.<br /> <br /> Establishing expectations provides a salesperson with benchmarks for activity and achievement. Providing feedback against those expectations provides for accountability. Without expectations and without accountability, salespeople cannot be accused of not performing up to standards. Why not? Because they will have accomplished exactly what was expected from them – NOTHING!</p> <p> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>TBG QuickTips</h1> <p>The Brooks Group: Sales, Sales Training and Sales Management — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:27:04 GMT</p> <p><br /> When dealing with performance problems of salespeople, there are five basic reasons why they may not be performing as expected:</p> <p>1. They don’t have enough sales ability – You need to evaluate your hiring practices. Consider using an assessment to screen candidates.</p> <p> </p> <p>2. They don’t understand what they are supposed to do – You need to establish expectations.</p> <p> </p> <p>3. They don’t know how to do the job – You need to train them regularly.</p> <p> </p> <p>4. They lack the necessary systems – You need to employ a sales model and hold salespeople accountable for using it.</p> <p> </p> <p>5. They lack motivation – You need to create an environment where people are motivated by things that are important to them.</p> <p><br /> Establishing expectations provides a salesperson with benchmarks for activity and achievement. Providing feedback against those expectations provides for accountability. Without expectations and without accountability, salespeople cannot be accused of not performing up to standards. Why not? Because they will have accomplished exactly what was expected from them – NOTHING!</p> <p> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Keeping Customers During Tough Economic Times</h1> <p>Terri Schepps — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:22:39 GMT</p> <p>Businesses are getting hit from many directions. Expenses are climbing and revenue is shrinking. Typically a business may have to deal with only one issue, but now they are dealing with several. In addition, they are being forced to cut human resources and put more demands on retained staff. There doesn’t seem to be a difference between large and small businesses as it relates to this economic crisis. There is little difference in how a business can prevent the unthinkable-not being in business. There are proven ways to protect your #1 Asset, your customers during these challenging times. <br /><br /><b>Keeping Customers Loyal During Tough Economic Times:</b><br /><br />1. <b>Preserve relationships with your current customers-even those who are not buying from you.</b> The problem is you may have loyal customers, but those loyal customers may not have the ability or the luxury to make certain purchases. Those who reach out now, without the expectation of a purchase, will find an even more loyal following down the road. If your customer goes out of business or the contact goes to another business, they will potentially bring you new business. Let customers know they are valued. This is the best time to make friendly contact without necessarily pushing for sales. <br /><br />2. <b>Sell to the right customers.</b> This is not the time to go after anything that moves. You have two choices: Either focus on those interested in your current products/services or create new products/services to bring to a new target market. This is the time to be creative. Many businesses are thinking of innovative ways to reach new markets. Bringing the right product/service to the right market is better than trying to sell to those who won’t fully appreciate nor utilize what you have to offer.<br /><br />3. <b>Cut expenses; but not at the expense of good customer service.</b> When making decisions on where to cut; think through the eyes of your customers. Customers will forgive you for cutting corners, so long as they are not left to fend for themselves. Choose wisely and make the cuts seamless to your customers. <br /><br />4. <b>Use your web site and emails to keep customers and prospects up-to-date.</b> By staying in touch with your customers, they won’t be wondering if your business has survived. Many people may assume, if they don’t hear from you, you’re not in business. Make sure you are providing useful information, not just pushing sales. Keep the “Open For Business” sign out through communications. <br /><br />5. <b>Partner with strategic allies, customers, vendors, and employees.</b> You should know who your closest allies are in business. These are the people you should include in your recovery. Chances are they may need your help as well. It requires being creative. Find out how you can further strategic alliances with other businesses. Perhaps you can market one another’s services to an existing client base. Vendors can be surprisingly supportive. Ask them for their recommendations on cutting expenses. If they want your business long-term, they should look for ways to keep your business, even if it is scaled back. You should be doing the same for your customers.<br /><br />6. <b>Keep your employee’s morale high.</b> You’ve got to make sure you have your best employees well placed in the organization. Recognize employees who go above and beyond. If you are looking to make cuts, you may find a more productive position within the organization. Employees may also consider reducing time or take on additional responsibilities to stay on-board. Set customer service as the highest priority within your organization and share with your staff the steps the organization is taking to continue customer loyal initiatives. <br /><br />7. <b>Don’t rush to cut consulting or professional development.</b> Depending on your needs, you may need it now more than ever. What you need to weigh is which expense is going to get you where you need to be. Before signing any vendor contract, make sure the service is scalable; make sure you have the ability to turn the service up or down based on your economic reality. <br /><br />My favorite cliché is “what doesn’t kill you, will make you stronger”. This applies to your business as well. If you can get through this crisis, your business will emerge stronger than ever before. Those you work with will appreciate your resolve. Once you have the business stable, you can begin to rebuild your business. The value of knowledge obtained through such an ordeal is priceless. While it’s not a situation any business would want to experience, those who have experienced hardship in their business and survive, come back with such vibrancy. </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Tips for Converting Leads to Customers</h1> <p>jen mercer — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:29:20 GMT</p> <p><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">If you have an online or physical storefront, you need sales to remain a viable business.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>To make those sales, you also need leads.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>Leads are the life line for any business. </span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"></span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">Today, many people perform their research online, thus eliminating the need for human interaction; therefore, online lead generation campaigns are necessary. This type of campaign is generally cost-efficient and highly effective. Plus, they can produce high quality leads that can result in sales.</span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"> </span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">Generating Leads</span></b></span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">Since your goal is to generate leads, you will need to create a user database. You can gather user information by persuading your visitors to complete a contact information form, register with your site or join your email list. However, keep in mind that people are wary of identity theft, so when gathering user information, don’t ask too much. The more information you require, the less likely the user will complete the form. You can always gather more information later on once you’ve established a relationship with the user. </span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">Upon receiving a completed data form, you should send the user an email thanking him or her for submitting the requested information. This is a good way to show your appreciation and verify the user’s email address.</span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"> </span></b></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">Content that Coverts</span></b></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">Like the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Therefore, your home page content must be engaging. Don’t use a lot of distracting links and ads that may cause visitors to stray from your site. The longer a user remains on your site, the more likely he or she <span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>will convert into a customer. </span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">So how do you create engaging content? First, keep your home page simple, and avoid using graphics that may draw the user’s attention away from the desired result. Also, don’t use too many paragraphs, and don’t be too wordy. You should bold keywords and use bullets to highlight key benefits. Bulleted phrases should be 6 words or less. Most users will simply scan your textual content. By applying these techniques, you can make sure that important information will not be overlooked.</span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">In addition to the tips above, you should also use the language of your customer. This will help them feel as though you are speaking directly to them. If possible, avoid using any jargon. Jargon can confuse your site visitors or cause them to lose interest. </span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;"> </span></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;">The Internet is used by more and more people every day. This makes it the ideal avenue for potential customers to find you. Use the tips provided to enhance your website so that you can increase the likelihood of conversion. If you need assistance, consider using services offered by companies like <a href="http://www.networksolutions.com/">Network Solutions</a>®. They can help you build a powerful and persuasive website.</span></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Building Loyalty in Trying Times</h1> <p>jen mercer — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:19:52 GMT</p> <p> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">It is hard to build customer loyalty during a recession because your customers are holding on to their hard earned money. But now is a great time to strengthen your customer loyalty. You do not need a high priced marketing campaign. Just remember to go back to the basics - customer service.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><o:p>Customer service is the distinguishing factor during this economic time. Best of all, it does not cost you anything. Most customers will enjoy their experience with your business if you know them and call them by their name, do not interrupt them when they are speaking to you, and if you are understanding when they have a complaint and let them vent before responding. A great experience will bring them back to your business and cause them to generate positive word of mouth about your company.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><o:p>Identify your best customers and work with them to meet their needs. This will help you keep them as your best customers during and after the recession. The cost of targeting new customers is high, so work on the customers you already have. You can cross-sell to your existing customers and also reach out to former customers.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">Your customers are just as concerned about the economy as you are. Listen to them, identify and understand what they need, and then react to it. One way to identify what your customers need is by asking them to fill out a survey. Customers will be more likely to return to you if they feel that they are being listened to and see results to their comments.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><o:p>You must know your products. Customers tend to frequent those shops that are knowledgeable about what they are selling and can help guide them in their decisions. If you do not understand what a product does and why your customers should purchase it, then it will remain on your shelves for a very long time.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><o:p>Now is a great time to take a look at your processes. What can you do to make their buying experience more efficient to save your customers time? Are your hours 9-5 but your customers’ shopping hours are not? E-commerce will give them easy access to your store. It will allow them to shop your products when it is convenient for them.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><o:p>Increase your communication with your customers, but don’t over-do it. Start a monthly or quarterly newsletter to let them know what new products you have and any upcoming sales. This is also a chance to let them know you are there for them and willing to help. Make your communication about them and show them the value it has for them.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><o:p>Loyal customers are built by creating an experience they want to come back to again and again. It is less costly to work on building customer loyalty with your current customers. Personalize their experience, listen to them, understand their concerns, and provide useful information that will help guide them with their purchasing decisions. In return, they will continue to come to you in the near and long-term future.</o:p></span></p> <p> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>TRUST: Your Most Vital Product</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:41:13 GMT</p> <p>Whatever product or service you offer on your site - or even if your site is purely informational - its most important aspect may well be the trust it creates for your visitors.</p> <p>Visitors to your Web site arrive with certain expectations, every one of them related to trust. In other words, your visitors bring the same expectations to your site that you bring to your own visits to businesses and financial institutions, both on-line and in the real world. These include assurances that:</p> <ul> <li>Your site is authentic and legitimate </li> <li>The information presented on your site is accurate and up-to-date</li> <li>Links embedded in your site are equally authentic, and virus and worm-free</li> <li>Customers' personal information will be protected, their financial information kept secure, and their identity safe; any use of customer information such as e-mail addresses should be spelled out in advance</li> <li>Any products or services purchased from the site are honestly represented, will be delivered or contracted as promised, with clear recourse and resolution paths should there be any problems</li> <li>They will come away from the site receiving only what they expected - any additional adware or customer-tracking tools must be clearly identified before being delivered to the customer's browser</li> </ul> <p>If you don't deliver the highest level of trustworthiness on all of these fronts, it won't matter how good your products or services are your customers will lose confidence in your business.</p> <h5>How do you do this?</h5> <p>A good starting place is to review the security policies and practices of all the companies involved in your Web presence. Any problems or breaches of security and trust on their part will reflect on you, your site and your business.</p> <p>Insist that your service providers - Web hosting company, Web site designer, software used on your site, and so on - provide a written list of their own security, privacy, and information-use policies. Where appropriate, find out how often the company updates its firewalls, anti-virus tools and other elements of a robust security profile.</p> <p>Make sure your site designer places any security certificates prominently on your site.</p> <p>If your site accepts credit card and other financial transactions, post the processor's name, logo and policies on your site. Insure that the highest standards of data encryption are employed. Review your transaction processor's policies on use of customer information and insist that it meet your standards.</p> <p>If you employ an external business for fulfillment of goods sold online, review their policies and practices as carefully as those of all other businesses involved in your online presence. Pay particular attention to fulfillment company guarantees, return policies and subsequent uses of customer information.</p> <p>Finally, don't forget the small details that can affect a customer's overall impression of your site and your business. Watch out for spelling errors, out-of-date information and other inaccuracies, as well as broken or incorrect links.</p> <p>Every aspect of your Web site contributes to your customers' trust in you and your business and any problem with any element can begin chipping away at that trust.</p> <p class="bottom-line"><strong>The Bottom Line:</strong> Trust itself may be intangible, but constant review of the security and marketing practices of your Web service providers can help insure that your site is trustworthy and that your customers recognize this every time they visit.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Three ways to generate sales leads online</h1> <p>Sian Simon — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:52:23 GMT</p> <p>Since the internet has become one of the main ways to generate new business for many companies, there are a number of new ways you can generate leads online. The internet allows for the development of targeted lead generation campaigns based on interest groups, geography and demographics. The main objective is to generate qualified leads at the lowest possible cost per lead.</p> <p>The obvious ways people think about generating leads online include pay-per-click advertising and getting listed in organic search results by optimizing your web site copy for particular search terms. However there are a number of other ways you can generate qualified leads by creating content that appeals to the types of customers you are targeting.</p> <p>Here are three ways you can generate more leads without major changes to your company website:</p> <ul style="margin-top:0in;"> <li style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in;" class="MsoNormal">Videos: You can create a video about your product or service and post it on video hosting sites such as <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com" class="null">YouTube</a>. A well known example of how this can generate traffic is blender manufacturer Blendtec that posted a series of videos titled “Will it Blend?” on YouTube and its own website <a target="_blank" href="http://www.willitblend.com" class="null">WillItBlend.com</a>. Each video generally starts with Tom Dickson of Blendtec asking: "Will it Blend? That is the question." Then items are dropped into a blender to see whether they blend. Items that have been blended include a 15 foot garden hose, a golf club, a video camera, and 53 toy cars. Between the two sites, these videos have generated over 100 million hits and generated significant extra sales for Blendtec. If you have a clever idea for creating a video about your products or services, sites like YouTube can be a great way to generate buzz and sales leads.</li> </ul> <ul style="margin-top:0in;"> <li style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in;" class="MsoNormal">Webinars or webcasts: You can create an educational web cast quite easily these days, and even host it for free on sites such as <a target="_blank" href="http://awcast.com" class="null">AWCast</a>. You can use Windows Media Encoder or Microsoft Expression Encoder to record the webinar. The benefit of using an external site to host your webinar is that most of them do their own marketing and search engine submissions, so your webinar may be found by people who wouldn’t necessarily find your web site. If your webinar is interesting enough, you can collect viewer data by asking for registration details before the webcast is watched.</li> </ul> <ul style="margin-top:0in;"> <li style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in;" class="MsoNormal">Create an e-zine or newsletter: The low production cost and easy distribution means that businesses who can’t produce a hard copy publication can design, write and send out newsletters on specific subjects to a dedicated group of readers. You can promote your newsletter on your own web site and in places such as The E-zine Directory. Again, by adding it to newsletter directories, you will be able to benefit from the promotional activities of the directories where your e-zine is listed.</li> </ul> <p>In all cases, be sure to link back to your own web site at the beginning and the end of your presentation. If you have a customer or prospect e-mail list, be sure to e-mail the links to your list. </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Strategies to Increase Sales: Offer CD's with Your Software</h1> <p>Jeff Camino — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:12:59 GMT</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#5f5f5f;">In addition to offering you more profit, CD’s give customers that like to “touch and feel” an otherwise intangible product more peace of mind and confidence that their purchase is actually for something of value to them.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial;color:#5f5f5f;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#5f5f5f;">Providing CD’s also helps reduce technical support for people that lose their "download", all the while providing a valuable service to the many customers that would like a backup CD for their purchase. <span> </span>Offering CD’s does not have to be a labor-intensive job for you, because any good e-commerce provider should offer you an easy way to just complete a few fields in your product details to take advantage of this feature. <span> </span>The entire process, from capturing the order from the customer, to affixing an attractive color label with your product name on it, to packaging the CD in a heavy mailer, to mailing the CD can -- and should -- be conveniently managed for you.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial;color:#5f5f5f;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#5f5f5f;">Also be sure that the process involves your product being dynamically retrieved via FTP from a URL that you indicate to ensure your customers always get the latest version of your software.<span> </span>With that strategy, you don’t have to worry about keeping the source up to date except to simply keep the download file current at your own web site.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial;color:#5f5f5f;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#5f5f5f;">When offering CD’s, you should also have full control over how they are offered to customers and what price is charged.<span> </span>You should also have the option to control whether they are added to a customer’s cart by default with the option to remove them (opt out), or not initially in the cart and offered as an option during the checkout process (opt in).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#5f5f5f;">If you don't have the ability to easily offer CD's for sale, and then burn and mail them, companies that specialize in e-commerce, for other software businesses such as <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nstarsolutions.com/">NorthStar Solutions</a>, can offer a valid strategy for that part of your sales process. </span></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Positive Attitude is Irrelevant</h1> <p>Paul Mush — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:09:17 GMT</p> <p> </p> <p style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><b>Is a </b><i><b>Positive Attitude</b></i><b> a Predictor for Sales Success?</b></span><b><br /></b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:13.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;"> So what exactly is a <i>positive attitude</i>? Attitude can be defined as a <i>state of mind or a feeling</i>. Positive is an antonym of negative. Antonym means a word of opposite meaning. So one word tends to be defined in terms of the other. There can be no "cold" without a "hot." There can only be a temperature, say 35F, which by itself is merely another number. Like a dog chasing his tail.... entertaining to watch but he nevers gets anywhere.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;">The supposition here is that there's a meaningful positive correlation between the nebulously defined "positive attitude" variable and the very concretely and easily measured "sales success."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;">I say SHOW ME THE RESEARCH. Show me the double-blind tests, subsequently repeated by other researchers. This is a little thing called the scientific method, that seems to work everywhere, but is rarely applied to sales.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;">The high school coaches and c-average mediocrities are running the show. Would you allow them to design a shuttle craft (maybe one did...). They may mean well but have no business teaching what they don't understand. What they guess and assume they know, that which they merely parrot from others that guessed or parroted before them, with nothing of substance to back it up.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;">I have not done such scientific research. But then, I am not claiming that the positive correlation above exists. Instead I will categorically state that I have trained and worked with thousands of sales reps, and that I see no correlation whatsoever.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;">In fact, I know many reps that are pessimistic, introverted, negative, social outcasts that can close deals all day long. And a lot that are miserable failures. I also know many reps that are optimistic, extroverted, positive, and popular that again, are top guns, and many that should shoot themselves. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;">I see no correlation because there is no correlation, at least not one so significant that it deserves it's own cliché.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;">I bet my reputation on my abilities and intuition to successfully build sales teams. If there were a shortcut, like just hiring those with positive attitudes, then I would do that. There isn't so I don't. I do however have better predictors and methodologies that work in the real world. I will discuss them in my next article.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;"><i>About the Author: Paul Mush operates Sales Team 1, building sales teams for companies that prefer not to do so in-house. Specializing in commission-only professional-level reps operating virtually across the country and worldwide.</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;"></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>No Love for Valentine's Day?</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:04:33 GMT</p> <p><b>Emphasizing the 'E' in Eros.</b></p> <p>There may be love in the air this Valentine's Day season, but apparently most small businesses owners in the US do not expect to find it in their cash registers. </p> <p>According to the "2nd Annual Small Business Valentine's Day Outlook" survey from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.constantcontact.com/">Constant Contact</a>, while 55% of small business owners in America anticipated a strong Valentine's Day sales season in 2006, only 37% of them feel the same this year. </p> <p>"This year's survey shows more conservative predictions among U.S. small business owners for Valentine's Day sales," said Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact. "The good news is that US small business owners anticipate more online sales this Valentine's Day." </p> <p>Despite a decline in optimism for 2007 Valentine's Day sales overall, 64% of small businesses expect stronger online sales this Valentine's Day. </p> <p align="left"></p> <p>In addition, the majority, 53%, plans to run special sales and marketing promotions, with online marketing methods largely favored over traditional print and advertising. </p> <p align="left"></p> <p>E-mail marketing ranked as the most popular promotional tactic method, cited by 66% of respondents, followed by other online methods, including paid search and banner ads. </p> <p align="left"></p> <p>As usual, flowers are expected to be the most popular gift item for the Valentine's season. </p> <p></p> <p>For more information on online retailing up north, read eMarketer's <a target="_blank" href="http://totalaccess.emarketer.com/Reports/All/Em_ecom_canada_b2c_jan07.aspx">Canada B2C E-Commerce</a> report.</p> <p><b>Article Source</b>: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.emarketer.com">www.emarketer.com</a></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Practice Online? Not Yet, Say Most Docs</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:37:23 GMT</p> <p><b>Waiting rooms for doctors are not going away.</b></p> <p>Virtually all US physicians go online for professional information, and 83% of these physicians say the Internet is essential to their practice,</p> <table align="top" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.manhattanresearch.com/">Manhattan Research</a>'s latest "Taking the Pulse: US Physician Market Trends" report. <br /><br />The research company also said the rise of online physician communities created opportunities for pharmaceutical and healthcare marketers to learn about physician opinions and concerns.<br /><br />Although doctors go online to research and communicate with each other, physicians who communicate with their patients online are in the minority—nearly two-thirds of responding physicians said they did not do so, with the primary reason being concerns about liability. </td> <td> </td> </tr> </table> <p>For their part, US adult Internet users are ready to use a range of doctor-provided online tools and services, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.deloitte.com/">Deloitte</a>. In fact, more than one-quarter of respondents said they would be willing to pay extra in order to get same-day appointments and electronic access to medical records and test results.</p> <p align="center"></p> <p>Patients preferred getting advice and information from their doctors rather than other sources. More than three-quarters of US adult Internet users surveyed by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.opinionresearch.com/">Opinion Research Corporation</a> for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.icrossing.com/">iCrossing</a> rated their primary care physician as a trusted source of health and wellness information. That was more than any other source, including the Internet. </p> <p align="center"></p> <p>The eMarketer Pharmaceutical Marketing Online report will be published in the fall. <a target="_blank" href="http://totalaccess.emarketer.com/ReportNotification.aspx?src=report_notification_reports=blank">Click here</a> to be notified when it is released.<br /><br /><b>Article Source</b>: www.emarketer.com</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Health and Beauty Online: More than Just a Pretty Face</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:50:05 GMT</p> <p><b>A site for sore eyes?</b></p> <p>"The adage 'age before beauty' has taken on new meaning for health and beauty marketers. Every year for the next 10 years, more than four million Americans will turn 21, and even more will turn 50. As boomers chase the Fountain of Youth, the oldest Gen Ys, now 26, are starting careers and families," says Lisa Phillips, eMarketer senior analyst and the author of the new report, <a target="_blank" href="http://totalaccess.emarketer.com/Report.aspx?em_health_oct06">Health and Beauty Marketing: Meet Your Online Customers</a>. "More than 85% of each group is online, and health and beauty marketers are taking notice." </p> <p>In addition, eMarketer estimates that 51% of all Internet users in the US are women (five million more than men), and according to a recent <a target="_blank" href="http://www.euromonitor.com/">Euromonitor</a> report, personal care items are firmly in the top 10 product categories they purchase. </p> <p> </p> <p>"Personal care marketers have not been big Web advertising spenders," says Ms. Phillips, "but like their counterparts in the rest of the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, they are learning to use the Internet to reach their target audiences in new ways — with microsites and accompanying viral campaigns, sponsoring podcasts and online games, and posting online videos, to name a few." </p> <p>Most health and beauty category sales are made through offline grocery and drug stores, mass merchandisers and supercenters, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://us.infores.com/">Information Resources, Inc.</a> (IRI), and that is not going to change dramatically in the near future. But IRI data show that shopping trips have dropped steadily over the past five years, so that consumers are in stores one time less often per month — down 12 visits per year. As gas prices climbed in 2006 and further impacted consumers' shopping habits, there are fewer opportunities to influence in-store purchases. </p> <p>"In fact, Drugstore.com, a pure-play online retailer of pharmacy, vision, health and beauty products, saw its sales grow 6% in the second quarter of 2006, to $102.4 million," says Ms. Phillips. </p> <table width="100%" align="top" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top">"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.internetretailer.com/">Internet Retailer</a> reported that orders hit 1.3 million, the highest second-quarter volume in the company's history. Repeat customers represented a record 82% of net sales, and the number of active customers grew 13% to 2.1 million, and their average annual spend was $188." <br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.forresterresearch.com/">Forrester Research </a>estimates that 5.6% of all health and beauty sales were made online in 2005, and predicts the Internet channel will grow to 13.8% in 2010. <br /><br />Online sales of health and beauty products showed growth early in the year, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.comscore.com/">comScore Networks</a>. Sales on Valentine's Day gift-related Web sites increased 22%, to $907 million, in the month leading up to the February holiday. Online health and beauty sales in that period hit $270 million, up 24% over the year before. <br /><br /> "It won't happen overnight, but the makeup of the advertising and marketing for the health and beauty category will change," says Ms. Phillips. "The online portion of promotional budgets will grow — because online is, as in so many other categories, where the customers are." </td> <td valign="top"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>For more on information on how this category will evolve, read eMarketer's new <a target="_blank" href="http://totalaccess.emarketer.com/Report.aspx?em_health_oct06">Health and Beauty Marketing: Meet Your Online Customers </a>report today.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>How To Take The Chill Out Of Cold Calls</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:39:14 GMT</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style=">We all know of the general public's oft-quoted distaste of "snake-oil" salesmen, and we don't want ourselves associated with "the pushy geek on the phone who won't leave me alone when I just want to watch "ER".</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style=">There are several things you can do to take the "chill" out of prospect calls. Here are some common sense "do's and don'ts" to help you get more quality appointments on such calls:</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><strong>1. Get "clued-up" first</strong></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> The more you know about your prospect before placing a prospect call and speaking with him, the better your chances of an appointment. It will help you prepare a more customised opening and better questions, plus it impresses the prospect. Conversely, if you have to ask, "Uh, what do you do there?" you're labeled as a time-wasting, self-interested peddler. So do your research thoroughly first before making any calls at all.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> If you're calling up a business, work with anyone who answers the phone and ask questions. It can help to target someone other than your primary target at first - I've often had success by going through a PA, or a company librarian, i.e, people who are used to answering questions.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style=">Ask them things like: "I hope you can help me. First, I'm looking for the name of the person there who ........." then, when they give you the name, back it up with:</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />"Thank you. So I'm better prepared when I speak with him, there's probably some information you can help me with, first......."</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style=">This way you should be able to get a lot of your "knowledge-gathering" questions answered by people other than the person you are ultimately going to target. This also has the effect of making you more confident on the call to the "decision-maker" - after all, you already know something about the person you're calling. Psychologically, this makes it seem less of a "cold" call.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><strong>2. Don't send information before the prospect call</strong></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />Starting out a prospect call with, "I sent you a letter, did you get it?" rarely elicits a response like, "Oh, yeah. I want to meet with you!" People treat EVERYBODY'S sales material the same....it is considered junk mail and is binned, often before even getting opened. It is best to offer to back up your call with information, not the other way round.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br /><strong>3. Don't expect a result.</strong></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />Prospect calling for appointments is a quality game. Approach each with a professional attitude, and hope for a result but don't push if there's too much resistance. And don't burn through the list of prospects as fast as you can with the expectancy that your number will be drawn eventually.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><strong>4. Don't ask for a decision early in the call.</strong></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />People are resistant when faced with decisions before they see any what they'll get in return.. Also avoid the equally inane question, "If I could show you a way to ......, you would, wouldn't you?" No one likes to be "techniqued." Always remember, the the only way they'll consider investing time with you is if you can show that you're going to help them in some way.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><strong>5. Do have an interest-creating opening in your call.</strong></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />Here's one you might be able to adapt: "Ms. M. Oney, I'm with . We specialise in.........(sell your speciality, highlighting how it will improve your customer's business/life/prospects).and end the build up with "I'd like to ask a few questions to see if you'd like more information."</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><strong>6. Do ask questions on the call.</strong></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />You can make your customer curious and pre-sell him on what you'll speak about when you arrive. For example: "Based on what you told me, it looks like you could show quite a significant saving with our product. The best thing to do would be for us to get together so I can ask a few more questions and show you some of our options to see if we have a fit. How about next week?" Then narrow down a convenient time for both of you.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><strong>7. Do make a confirmation call after the call.</strong></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />Some prospects might cancel, but it's a risk you have to take... you need to know you won't be wasting your time in turning up, and it reinforces their memory of the original call</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><strong>8. Don't give up</strong></p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />And don't let a "no" get you down. The last call has nothing to do with the next unless you let negative feelings affect your attitude. Talking to people generates income, but avoiding the phone, stuffing envelopes and walking around do not. Set a secondary objective, one you can accomplish on every call, such as simply qualifying someone as a prospect or not, so you can have a success of sorts on every call.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />All of the items above will help you once you're actually on the phone, but getting to the phone and actually picking it up can be just as difficult. You have to develop the mindset that what you are selling is of benefit to the people you're selling too....so much of benefit that they really have to know about it,... and you're just the person to tell them.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />When I was starting I wrote up a script, and tried it out, first on myself in the mirror, then on my family, then on friends, always asking for feedback, and refining it as I went along. You get used to saying the words, and it becomes a lot more fluent and less embarrassing.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />Most of the advice I've given here is equally applicable to direct mailing. The trouble with direct mailing from a salesman's point of view is that it is impersonal, and you know that 99.9% of it is going straight in the bin. But it is easier than prospect calling, and that's why it is used in a lot of cases.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />Personally I always had much more success on the phone, and the techniques listed above actually work. I should know - I was too shy to speak to anybody when I started, but these notes helped a lot.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />If you develop the right mindset, and remember that your prospects are real people with real lives and treat them professionally and courteously, you are already more than halfway there.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="> </p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style=">About the author:</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style=">William Meikle is a tech author and novelist. He is available for all freelance writing work. Read more articles and free fiction at his web site <a href="http://www.williammeikle.com">http://www.williammeikle.com</a>. He promises not to call you up.</p> <p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal" style="><br />Article Source: <a href="http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com">http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com</a> #000000</p> </article> <article> <h1>15 Creative and Profitable Ways to Use Autoresponders</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:16:23 GMT</p> <p>An interested visitor who has been strolling through your site has finally come to just what she is looking for and is about to make a purchase. It's a sunny afternoon, and her cat, which happens to be sitting on the moss under the visitor's large fifty-year-old snow-rose bonsai tree, suddenly jumps down, and the priceless tree, topples over.<br /><br />In the blink of an eye, your visitor exits your site, and your sale is dust - unless you have had the foresight to utilize an autoresponder that has captured her email address. If you have installed an autoresponder, you can then follow-up with her, and in all probability, make the sale when the poor woman has finished repotting her precious bonsai.<br /><br />Autoresponders are remarkable, versatile programs that do so much more than just automatically answer your email. Here are a few ideas that will help you to creatively and productively use your autoresponder to transform the casual visitor into a profitable customer. Use your autoresponder to:<br /><br />1. Publish a newsletter. Certain quality auto responders will manage subscriptions and follow-up with interested prospects. Your newsletter can keep your visitors informed about your services or products, while building your reputation as a credible expert in your particular business.<br /><br />2. Publish a newsletter only for your affiliates. Inform them of current sales you are running and of promotional material that your affiliates can use themselves to increase their commissions. Include tips, advice, and techniques that your affiliates can use to successfully go out and promote your business.<br /><br />3. Write reviews. Cover books, software, music, e-books, movies, etc., and put each review in an auto responder. Review your affiliate programs, using a link to your affiliate's page in your auto responder.<br /><br />4. Distribute your articles. Writing and distributing targeted articles is a powerful tool to build your business credibility, bring traffic to your site, and increase your sales potential. If your articles contain valuable information, many editors will print what is known as a resource box for you. A resource box contains your bio and a brief description of your service or product. It can also contain your autoresponder address. Let's say you've written fifty articles. Put them on separate autoresponder accounts and create a master list that contains the titles of each article, the autoresponder address, and a brief abstract. Then promote your master list. Additionally, include your publishing guidelines so your affiliates can add their articles to your list, increasing the number of writers who are represented in your article list.<br /><br />5. Create mailing lists. Inform subscribers to your articles when you've written new ones that they may want to publish in their own newsletter or website.<br /><br />6. Automate your sales process. Use an ad to insure repeated exposure of your message, which has been proven to effectively increase sales. In your ad, put your autoresponder address where a visitor will be exposed to numerous marketing materials. This multiplies the chances of converting visitors into customers. For example, if you're selling a particular product, put testimonials about how spectacular it is on your auto responder, and add a detailed, enticing description of your product.<br /><br />7. Distribute advertising. Let's say you sell advertising on your website or in your newsletter or e-zine. Set your autoresponder to send the information about rates and how to place an ad automatically to all prospects' email addresses. Then have your autoresponder follow-up. It can also send notification of any special deals you are currently offering.<br /><br />8. Distribute an email course. Each day, have your auto responder send out another lesson. Just be sure that each lesson has quality content - not a sales pitch. Your content will do the selling for you, and will do it much more effectively. You can include tips centered on a different topic for each lesson, illustrating how your product will benefit the reader. Include the tangible benefits the visitor will reap by purchasing your product. Make sure to include a paragraph or two at the end of each lesson enticing your prospect to consider making a purchase.<br /><br />9. Automate a reminder about your service or product after a visitor has completed your course. This will increase the possibility of sales from visitors who have taken your course but are dragging their feet about actually making a purchase. You can also use these reminders to promote new products or services, and the products and services of your affiliate programs.<br /><br />10. Distribute free reports. This gives your visitor an idea of the type of information you can provide and the quality of your product or service. Make sure these reports are not sales letters or you will more than likely lose a potential customer than gain a sale.<br /><br />11. Create trivia quizzes on your site and place the answers in an autoresponder. Your visitor will then be motivated to request your autoresponder, and you will have a record of the visitors' email addresses who took your quiz. Or create a contest and have any visitors that enter send their responses to your autoresponder. Your autoresponder can be set-up to send them a confirmation of their entry.<br /><br />12. Offer a trial version of your product. Give your prospects a sample of your e-book, course, software, membership, etc. People who are exposed to a little taste often end up wanting the whole pie. You can also capture their email addresses when you offer them a free trial from your website. Set up your auto responder to give instructions on how to obtain their free trial, and then make sure to follow-up to try and close the sale.<br /><br />13. Link to hidden pages on your autoresponder. For example, a hidden page could be your affiliate page that contains graphics, promotional articles, and text links that interested affiliates can make use of. Inform visitors that they may have free access to your affiliate page by simply requesting your autoresponder. You will then gather a list of visitors who may be interested in becoming your affiliates.<br /><br />14. Use an autoresponder on your order page. Post a request form for visitors to be notified of special offers or discounts in the future. This creates a very effective mailing list that contains the names of people who are already your customers.<br /><br />15. Put your links page on your autoresponder. It should contain up to fifty links that would be of particular interest to your visitors. Make sure to add your own promotional copy at the top or bottom of this page.<br /><br />Now that you have proof that auto responders can be used creatively, see if you can come up with some brilliant ideas of your own<br /></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Introduction to Autoresponders - Improving Your Customer Service</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:04:50 GMT</p> <p>If you've reached the point of exhaustion trying to keep up with answering the mountain of emails that threatens to bury you alive every single day, you're ready to learn about autoresponders.<br /><br />The bad news is that people expect prompt replies to their email inquiries. However, unless you can figure out how to work continual twenty-four hour shifts, or hire enough people to constantly monitor incoming emails (while they're eating up your revenue), you have a problem. The good news is an autoresponder is an inexpensive - or even free - method of quickly responding to emails. What these programs do is automatically respond to incoming emails as soon as they are received.<br /><br />Emails are essential to your business for many different reasons. Most importantly, these invisible email voices give you their feedback about your website - for free! However, if you spend all your working hours answering these emails, how are you supposed to run your business? The answer is simple: use autoresponders. Autoresponders are programs that automatically respond to your emails without you so much as having to click on your mouse.<br /><br />There are a number of good reasons why you need an autoresponder besides just answering your email. For example, autoresponders can be used if you need a way to send information about your services or products, price lists, or if there are repeated questions asked across large numbers of emails. Maybe you want to offer your site visitors a special bonus of some kind, such as advice or relevant articles. All of this can be handled by an autoresponder. Additionally, you can advertise your business and then build stable relationships with your customers by using autoresponders.<br /><br />Autoresponder programs vary from software that runs with your email program to a specialized script that runs on your web hosting company's server. This kind of script may use a web page form or simply operate with your email account. This kind of script is programmed to send out a standardized message whenever an email is received. The message is sent to a particular script or email address.<br /><br />Some autoresponders can do more than simply send out standardized messages. They can send out an unlimited number of follow-up messages sent at predetermined interval of time. For example, you can set your autoresponder to send out a new message every day for as long a period as you desire.<br /><br />There are numerous companies who offer autoresponders free of charge. Your website hosting company often provides autoresponders as a free service. If this is not the case with your web hosting company, there are numerous companies who offer this service for a small fee, or free of charge, providing you attach an advertisement for their company to your emails.<br />To personalize your autoresponder messages, you can attach a signature. Signatures in this case are much like business cards. You can include your name, company, all your contact numbers and addresses, and a brief message.<br /><br />It's a good idea to attach a signature to every email that is sent out. This works as a repeated reminder of your business identity every time a customer sees it. The more they look at your signature, the more likely your company will spring to mind when your particular service or product is needed.<br /><br />You can create a standardized signature that every employee in your business uses, or you can go wild, and let every staff member create their own personal signature. Of course, like everything in life, there are some rules and guidelines to creating a personal signature.<br /><br />Keep the length of your signature between four to six lines of text, with no more than 70 characters in a single line. Make sure that your email program does not cut off your text! The content should include your name, your company name, your email address, fax number, and any other contact details, such as 800 numbers. Lastly, always include a short personal message about your company. It should be a subtle sell of your services or your products, and possibly your company's reliability and longevity.<br /><br />Another specialized use of autoresponders is to create courses that you can then offer your site visitors for free. You must choose a topic in which you are an expert and that precisely targets your potential customers.<br /><br />Once you have carefully chosen your subject, divide it into a number of different sub-topics. Then offer your site visitor a free 10 or 15 day course, each day offering a different sub-topic. The first topic should always be a welcome message to your site visitor and an explanation about what is to follow. Your explanation should be enticing, getting the point across that you are offering free, quality information that your target audience will find of great value.<br /><br />With every lesson, include the number of the lesson, the topic title, information about your company and its services or products. At the end, include a few blurbs about the next lesson to entice the subscriber to continue on.<br /><br />Make sure each topic is packed with essential and valuable information, and leaves the visitor lusting to know more. Otherwise, you may lose them in the very beginning.<br /><br />Of course, you have to write up your course before you can offer it. Once you have done this, and gone over the material carefully, employing a professional writer or editor if necessary, you must transfer your text to your autoresponder.<br /><br />There are a number of free autoresponders you can use. Try http:/www.getresponse.com, or http://www.fastfacts.net. Or go onto Google and you will find a long list of free autoresponder companies, then sign-up for your chosen autoresponder. Once you do, you will receive instructions as to how to set it up and transfer your text.<br /><br />Email is an excellent marketing tool; it is inexpensive and it is fast. Use it to advertise your business by choosing your email address carefully. Your website should contain different email addresses for different contact requests. For example, use info@yourdomain.com for information requests, or sales@yourdomain.com for questions about sales. It's a good idea to set up one for the owner, such as president@yourdomain.com. This presents your company in a personal, approachable light and insures that direct contact is provided.<br /><br />Autoresponders are an effective and powerful marketing tool, allowing you to make contact with thousands of potential customers. This is an invaluable asset considering how many potential customers you usually have contact with before you make an actual sale. Essentially, an autoresponser allows you to automate part of your marketing campaign.<br /><br /><br /></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Small Business Owners Are Salespeople in Disguise</h1> <p>MySolutionSpot Editor — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:26:36 GMT</p> <p>Small business owners must play many different roles over the lifespan of their business, but perhaps the most important role owners play is that of salesperson, as the success of a small business rests heavily on the owner's ability to sell. </p> <p>Successfully selling in a small business is more than just selling a product or service, as selling skills apply to every aspect of the entrepreneurial process. A small business owner must be able to obtain credit from a supplier and funding from lenders by convincing them that their small business is a viable and sustainable endeavor. </p> <p>Small business owners must also be able to convince employees to commit to strengthening the business, which may involve working overtime, working weekends, increasing productivity, and adjusting to changes in work processes. Suppliers may need to be persuaded into delivering a product on time, or even ahead of time, and clients may need to be cajoled into paying an account. </p> <p>Many small business owners, including those with no prior sales experience, are considered excellent salespeople because of their strong desire for the business to succeed and a passion for what they do, along with a variety of other emotions that go along with owning a business. </p> <p>The owner of a business also carries greater influence with potential clients and business partners than a typical salesperson, and some may believe that they are getting a better price when dealing directly with the owner. Ultimately, the success of a business is the responsibility of the owner, which drives them to make the business succeed and helps them commit to doing whatever it takes. </p> <p><b>"Small Business Owners Are Salespeople in Disguise"</b></p> <p><i>Fort Worth Business Press (08/11/08) Gitomer, Jeffrey </i></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Who's over being treated poorly by different customer service reps?</h1> <p>Paulina Swiatkowski — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:01:21 GMT</p> <p></p> <p>I am sure that you have experienced less than satisfactory customer service at least once in your day. But I don't think that you ever expected to hear about a solution to such problems.</p> <p>Now-a-days, more and more people are starting up their own businesses instead of working for someone else. Support those Mom-and-Pop shops with your business! Not only will you help diversify the economic growth from not only the huge main-stream corporations, but the odds that your customer service is <em>much </em>more personal and efficient go up ten-fold. </p> <p>Sure, sometimes you can't avoid the big guys who dominate the playing field, but there are <em>lots </em>of ways and different areas in your life where you can! Not to mention when it comes to your business! </p> <p>When promoting your business, avoid the big guys. Not only do they get so many orders and clients that, sometimes, they can't keep their facts straight, but they may not be the best solution in case something <em>does </em>go wrong. </p> <p>Actually, the likelyhood that something might go wrong in the promotional industry rises when you work with a bigger firm. Smaller companies pay better attention to their clients and are more familiar with the details. And if something happens to go wrong, detail is ever-so-important. Small promotional companies like us (Innopack USA) make sure that the product is exactly what you asked for. We're quick to help you out with any questions or concerns you may have. </p> <p>So whether it's the local grocery store where you do your shopping or the privately-owned clothing boutique where you pick up your latest business attire, don't forget to share the wealth with the people that will give you better customer service. You deserver nothing less than <em>great </em>customer service in every situation-- especially when promoting your business!</p> <p></p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> <article> <h1>Four Tips to Make the Most of Online Communications</h1> <p>Deborah Garry — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:24:27 GMT</p> <p>There are two thoughts that appeared on the marketing landscape this year that, I have to admit, make me chuckle.<br /><br /><br />One says that email is dead. The other heralds the birth (or return) of Word-of-Mouth Advertising.<br /><br /><br />I was highly surprised to hear that email is dead as a communications or marketing tool because nobody told me. Nor did they tell all my business contacts, vendors, clients, associates, and would-be vendors who routinely communicate with me or market to me on a daily basis.<br /><br /><br />IN DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS LIFE AND ON THE DIRECT MARKETING LANDSCAPE, email is as strong as ever. If you want more proof than what’s in your in-box, take a look at DoubleClick, ExactTarget , and Habeas, all of whom have released studies over the past month or so testifying to the overall strength of email. All show customers are quite comfortable buying through email and feel comfortable receiving email — as long as they have granted their permission and the companies are ones they know and trust. In fact, across the board, consumers prefer email when dealing with businesses for most communications. Not even college students see that changing any time in the near future.<br /><br /><br />Why are these false alarms proclaiming the death of email appearing? Because new communication channels are emerging rapidly. Although email is currently the established technology for outbound digital messaging, more are appearing on the scene at great speed, adding even more complexity to direct marketing. Since 2000, there has been an explosion of new communication tools to add to the one-to-one marketers toolbox.<br /><br /><br />The challenge to marketers is to evaluate and discern the role each tool should play within a balanced, integrated plan. To further complicate things, customers use different sets of tools for communication, and they use those tools differently depending upon varying factors. And those preferences don’t always line up in neat categories alongside traditional data points like age, income, or zip code.<br /><br /><br />What’s an E-Marketer to do? Start Listening!<br />So what would your marketing program look like if you really listened to your customers? How do they share about deals they know are a good value and want to pass along? Or promotions? What about new products and services? Industry news? Or customer service alerts? Do they only use email? Or text? Or podcasts? Or the phone? Most likely they will want to receive communications differently, depending upon topic, content, and other factors. To listen to our consumers means that we need to commit to understanding and meeting how they wish to be contacted and communicated with. Here are integral issues to ask your customers about:<br /><br /><br />1. Permission. Do your consumers want to hear from you at all? Are you a "friend"? We need to understand this at a very base level, but then go deeper as well. How “close” of a friend are you? How can you deepen the relationship? Hint: be a friend by offering something of value with no strings attached.<br />2. Type of communication by channel. How do they want to receive promotions? What about account statements or product alerts? They may want certain types of communications to arrive by text, others by email, and some even by direct “snail mail”. Ask them.<br />3. Frequency. How often is too often? Again, this will vary by customer and by channel. They may want email once a week, direct mail quarterly, podcasts downloadable at their convenience, and text messaging — only in emergencies!<br />4. Content. "Opting-in" should give your customers a chance to tell you what they want and don’t want, and when, not just be an on/off switch. Don’t assume that one channel will work for them.<br /><br /><br />I am happy to report email is certainly not dead, but it is far from being the only communications channel either. Pay attention to your customer’s preferences, or someone else will.<br /><br />This is critically important because Word-of-Mouth is popular again. Personally, I doubt that anyone in any local/regional business community ever seriously thought it went away. But we have moved light years from the time when mass marketing and broadcast media were our only options, and word-of-mouth spread only to people our customers actually spoke to.<br />Prospective and existing customers we communicate with want to have more control, they want to provide input into our programs, and they use all these communication channels to tell their friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and complete strangers what they think of us — in seconds. So, build the tools to listen now and reap the rewards for years to come.<br /><br />Deborah Garry is president of BBG&G, a full service advertising, marketing, and public relations agency servicing a wide range of local and regional clients from healthcare and financial services to B2B, tourism destination, and franchise promotion industries. She can be reached at smartstrategies@bbggadv.com</p><div style="clear:both;"></div> </article> </main></body></html>