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Will You Add? - 6 Things You'll Want to Do In '06 to Start Growing Your Business
Before the emergence of television and radio, print media dominated the majority of known societies. However, the technological innovations that were introduced during from the 19th till the 21st Century have created a new global marketplace, transcending national borders and culture barriers. This proliferation of news and their homogenous nature is evident in almost all media mediums used and it is far more forceful and dynamic than the print press news initiators could have ever imagined. Nevertheless, although the technological changes that have occurred have increased the speed and the amount of the exchanged information, especially though the use of the Internet, it has been almost impossible for scholars to accept a universal defi
6. Ask Your Customers
Your customers are an absolute goldmine of information, and business owners often ignore them. Who better to ask how you are doing, what you need improvement on and what additional products/services you need to offer than asking your customers? It's easy to overlook your customers when developing strategy. By including the very people that support your business in your strategies, you will avoid the mistake that most owners make in thinking they know more than their customers. You know better than that, and here's the great news, the information they give you is free!
Tell your customers that you'd like to ask them a few questions that will help you provide better products and services in the future. Ask them when a convenient time would be for them, develop a short list of questions to ask them and
What?There is a time when chaos comes in handy. How many times have you struggled to get started on something and when you finally got started, everything was easy from then on? Consider getting off to a chaotic start. You can go back to your more methodical and sane ways after you have the project rolling forward.So What?Many people procrastinate or fail to start something because they try to “get it right” on the front end. It’s much easier to get started on something, and revise it or improve it, than to get it right the first time.Now What?Here’s a good way to get things going when you are stuck.Get a few people (preferably some out-of-the-bo
Giving and sharing aren't exclusive to the holiday season. Share your knowledge FOR FREE with all of your customers and
anyone else that wants to listen to you. Look, you're probably an expert in your
field and have a number of great ideas and advice that would really help your
customers out - write them down and pass them along to people as much as possible.
Show your customers that you are dedicated to helping them and that you are an
expert in your field.
Communicating on a consistent basis is one of the best ways to build your business. If you stop communicating with your customers, you'll
start becoming invisible. Invisibility is good if you are a superhero, not if
you are running a business.
When you couple communication with providing valuable information that would help your customers improve their lives, you really kick
your marketing into high gear. Consider starting a newsletter, offering free reports
on your web site or creating a direct mail advice campaign. Share your expertise
with your customers frequently, authentically and honestly - it'll help establish
you as a caring, knowledgeable expert and keep you in the forefront of your customers'
minds. To see what I've done in this area, you can visit http://www.candographics.com
to sign up for the Can-Do Confidence Builder.
2. Stand Behind
Have you ever heard, "I'll just stick with what I have" from a prospect? Chances are that if you've
been in business long, you have. Even if doing business with you is clearly the
better option, sometimes people will just stick with what they have. Why? Often
times you'll find it boils down to risk; people don't like risk, so they try to
minimize it when possible. Help people minimize risk by standing behind your product
or service and offer a guarantee. Visit http://www.candographics.com to see my
guarantee.
3. Encourage People to Spread the Word
If your business thrives on referrals, develop a program that rewards people for stepping out of their way
to send business to you. Develop an easy to follow, understandable and convenient
referral program for your customers - and make sure they know about it. Take a
proactive, rather than reactive approach in obtaining more referrals. Give customers
a way to easily refer prospects to you, tell your customers about it and reward
them for it. If you'd like to see my referral program, email me at comments@candographics.com
and I'll send you my 1 page referral program pdf document.
4. Get Consistent
Everyone knows that first impressions are critical. Did you know that your customers make
up their mind about your business in a matter of seconds? We all do this, and
we all know that first impressions have to be good ones; the trick is you don't
know which impression is going to be first. Prospects might see your logo first,
your web site, a sign, or a brochure, so it's important that ALL of them project
a clear, professional message to your prospects.
Your marketing materials and company identity are telling a story to your customer: how professional you are,
how quality conscious you are and how unique you are. What do your marketing materials
and company identity say to customers? If you've never asked them, you should!
Take inventory of all of your marketing and collateral materials; line them up
on your desk. Do they all tell a consistent, professional story about your business?
Are they projecting the image you want to send to your customers? Be honest with
yourself, and if they aren't projecting the professional, consistent image your
company deserves, contact a business savvy designer to help you.
5. Make the Commitment
You've been hearing this one ever since
you were little, "Save your pennies for a rainy day". Smart business owners know
that marketing and design are necessities; they devote a certain percentage of
every sale to growing their company. You can do this too, just take 10% of your
revenue and dedicate it to marketing efforts, improving your brand image and growing
your business. You've heard the term, "If you're not growing, you're dying", make
sure you do this for yourself and your company - you're both worth it.
6. Ask Your Customers
Your customers are an absolute goldmine of information, and business
owners often ignore them. Who better to ask how you are doing, what you need improvement
on and what additional products/services you need to offer than asking your customers?
It's easy to overlook your customers when developing strategy. By including the
very people that support your business in your strategies, you will avoid the
mistake that most owners make in thinking they know more than their customers.
You know better than that, and here's the great news, the information they give
you is free!
Tell your customers that you'd like to ask them a few questions that
will help you provide better products and services in the future. Ask them when
a convenient time would be for them, develop a short list of questions to ask
them and
Too often, customers are frustrated in restaurants by indifferent service and food quality, and companies seem to be unable to solve the turnover problem - it's blamed on bad hires or inadequate training. Some companies even cut training dollars since they expect their employees to quit anyway.Perhaps the training dollars are targeted at the wrong level.A recent trip through the local electronics store illustrates the point. I spent nearly $1,000, and the checker, who also happened to be the manager, didn’t say a word the whole time. I asked why I didn’t at least get a “thank you” for spending so much money. His reply, within earshot of numerous employees? “It says so on the receipt.”All the employee training p
2. Stand Behind
Have you ever heard, "I'll just stick with what I have" from a prospect? Chances are that if you've been in business long, you have. Even if doing business with you is clearly the better option, sometimes people will just stick with what they have. Why? Often times you'll find it boils down to risk; people don't like risk, so they try to minimize it when possible. Help people minimize risk by standing behind your product or service and offer a guarantee. Visit http://www.candographics.com to see my guarantee.
3. Encourage People to Spread the Word
If your business thrives on referrals, develop a program that rewards people for stepping out of their way to send business to you. Develop an easy to follow, understandable and convenient referral program for your customers - and make sure they know about it. Take a proactive, rather than reactive approach in obtaining more referrals. Give customers a way to easily refer prospects to you, tell your customers about it and reward them for it. If you'd like to see my referral program, email me at comments@candographics.com and I'll send you my 1 page referral program pdf document.
4. Get Consistent
Everyone knows that first impressions are critical. Did you know that your customers make up their mind about your business in a matter of seconds? We all do this, and we all know that first impressions have to be good ones; the trick is you don't know which impression is going to be first. Prospects might see your logo first, your web site, a sign, or a brochure, so it's important that ALL of them project a clear, professional message to your prospects.
Your marketing materials and company identity are telling a story to your customer: how professional you are, how quality conscious you are and how unique you are. What do your marketing materials and company identity say to customers? If you've never asked them, you should! Take inventory of all of your marketing and collateral materials; line them up on your desk. Do they all tell a consistent, professional story about your business? Are they projecting the image you want to send to your customers? Be honest with yourself, and if they aren't projecting the professional, consistent image your company deserves, contact a business savvy designer to help you.
5. Make the Commitment
You've been hearing this one ever since you were little, "Save your pennies for a rainy day". Smart business owners know that marketing and design are necessities; they devote a certain percentage of every sale to growing their company. You can do this too, just take 10% of your revenue and dedicate it to marketing efforts, improving your brand image and growing your business. You've heard the term, "If you're not growing, you're dying", make sure you do this for yourself and your company - you're both worth it.
6. Ask Your Customers
Your customers are an absolute goldmine of information, and business owners often ignore them. Who better to ask how you are doing, what you need improvement on and what additional products/services you need to offer than asking your customers? It's easy to overlook your customers when developing strategy. By including the very people that support your business in your strategies, you will avoid the mistake that most owners make in thinking they know more than their customers. You know better than that, and here's the great news, the information they give you is free!
Tell your customers that you'd like to ask them a few questions that will help you provide better products and services in the future. Ask them when a convenient time would be for them, develop a short list of questions to ask them and
To get your prospects to take action you need to understand a bit about what will motivate them into taking action of any sort.You have to understand what drives them?You have to understand basic human nature!Most people are motivated by the same things, PLEASURE & FEAR. Out of the two most would agree we are more motivated by fear than pleasure.I’m sure you have plenty of examples in your life to back this up.In general people are fearful of losing things. We are fearful of losing what we have, fearful of losing our looks, our money, our loved ones and the list goes on.We don’t like feeling scared or fearful, and will go to great lengths to avoid these ‘feelings’. We want it all now. We want thi
4. Get Consistent
Everyone knows that first impressions are critical. Did you know that your customers make up their mind about your business in a matter of seconds? We all do this, and we all know that first impressions have to be good ones; the trick is you don't know which impression is going to be first. Prospects might see your logo first, your web site, a sign, or a brochure, so it's important that ALL of them project a clear, professional message to your prospects.
Your marketing materials and company identity are telling a story to your customer: how professional you are, how quality conscious you are and how unique you are. What do your marketing materials and company identity say to customers? If you've never asked them, you should! Take inventory of all of your marketing and collateral materials; line them up on your desk. Do they all tell a consistent, professional story about your business? Are they projecting the image you want to send to your customers? Be honest with yourself, and if they aren't projecting the professional, consistent image your company deserves, contact a business savvy designer to help you.
5. Make the Commitment
You've been hearing this one ever since you were little, "Save your pennies for a rainy day". Smart business owners know that marketing and design are necessities; they devote a certain percentage of every sale to growing their company. You can do this too, just take 10% of your revenue and dedicate it to marketing efforts, improving your brand image and growing your business. You've heard the term, "If you're not growing, you're dying", make sure you do this for yourself and your company - you're both worth it.
6. Ask Your Customers
Your customers are an absolute goldmine of information, and business owners often ignore them. Who better to ask how you are doing, what you need improvement on and what additional products/services you need to offer than asking your customers? It's easy to overlook your customers when developing strategy. By including the very people that support your business in your strategies, you will avoid the mistake that most owners make in thinking they know more than their customers. You know better than that, and here's the great news, the information they give you is free!
Tell your customers that you'd like to ask them a few questions that will help you provide better products and services in the future. Ask them when a convenient time would be for them, develop a short list of questions to ask them and
When trying to decide whether a newsletter is the way to go there are four elements you must consider that are critical to its success; they are commitment, cost, frequency and size.Commitment The first thing to consider when starting a newsletter is whether you and your staff can commit to this initiative over the long run, which also includes supporting it financially. Make certain that everybody involved is on board from the beginning and that once started you continue to publish it for a minimum period of time. You want people to become familiar with your newsletter and turn into loyal readers. This takes time and consistency. Starting one and then deciding to stop after a few issues may suggest to your readers a lack of
5. Make the Commitment
You've been hearing this one ever since you were little, "Save your pennies for a rainy day". Smart business owners know that marketing and design are necessities; they devote a certain percentage of every sale to growing their company. You can do this too, just take 10% of your revenue and dedicate it to marketing efforts, improving your brand image and growing your business. You've heard the term, "If you're not growing, you're dying", make sure you do this for yourself and your company - you're both worth it.
6. Ask Your Customers
Your customers are an absolute goldmine of information, and business owners often ignore them. Who better to ask how you are doing, what you need improvement on and what additional products/services you need to offer than asking your customers? It's easy to overlook your customers when developing strategy. By including the very people that support your business in your strategies, you will avoid the mistake that most owners make in thinking they know more than their customers. You know better than that, and here's the great news, the information they give you is free!
Tell your customers that you'd like to ask them a few questions that will help you provide better products and services in the future. Ask them when a convenient time would be for them, develop a short list of questions to ask them and
It's a tough notion for job-seekers to get their heads around, but the essence of negotiation is choice.If you don't have options, you can't negotiate - you just can't. If you have no roof over your head, for instance, and someone offers to let you stay in his barn in exchange for ten hours a day of backbreaking work, you will take it. You have no options, so you have no juice.Job-seekers can feel option-less during the job-search process. They can feel that they NEED a new job (or any job) so badly that they have no options. The problem is that your level of need, as a job-seeker, may be greater than, equal to, or less than the level of need the employee has for someone with your skill set. But job-seekers don't often thin
6. Ask Your Customers
Your customers are an absolute goldmine of information, and business owners often ignore them. Who better to ask how you are doing, what you need improvement on and what additional products/services you need to offer than asking your customers? It's easy to overlook your customers when developing strategy. By including the very people that support your business in your strategies, you will avoid the mistake that most owners make in thinking they know more than their customers. You know better than that, and here's the great news, the information they give you is free!
Tell your customers that you'd like to ask them a few questions that will help you provide better products and services in the future. Ask them when a convenient time would be for them, develop a short list of questions to ask them and of course thank them for their time and ideas.
As we all look to the promise of a new year, take a moment to look how far you've come and plan where you want to go in 2006. This is a time of great excitement and hope for everyone running a business. If you hadn't included these approaches into your strategy last year, now would be a perfect time to integrate them into your business. If you have any questions, comments or if you found this article helpful, give me a shout at 480-391-0704, or email me at comments@candographics.com. Happy and prosperous 2006.
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