Thursday, February 26, 2009

Distinguish your website from your competitors

Three "S" Your Way to a Distinguished Website
by Steve Wyrostek

What makes you different from your competitors? Sometimes this can be a difficult question. Why? Well, you know what unique touches you bring to your endeavors, your product or service or the way you run your business. But this knowledge can blind you to how your prospect sees you.

You want to shake yourself from this thinking. You need to look at your position in the business world the way potential customers might—the WIIFM (What's In It For Me) principle, with “me” being your prospect.

Let's take Messenger Services. I looked at websites for three of them. They all:

Stated 24/7 availability
Delivered with bikes, walkers or cars
Claimed the most dependability and quickness

I believe they all meant well, but I didn't see any real differentiators between them. I could choose any of them. But as a responsible consumer I need to know more. I want to be sold on the experience of using their service.

So, what would have impressed me on their sites and truly differentiated their businesses?

The Three S's:
Statistics
Stories
Samples

Statistics
Most companies keep statistics. Maybe these messenger services could have supplied data on the percentage of their deliveries that were made on-time and positioned this data against industry standard data.

(A word of caution on statistics, however. Sprinkle them into your site, rather than flood them throughout the site. They can appear cold, if overdone.)

Stories
If a good story exists on how the company was founded, use it. If there's a huge client, post it. If there's a compelling story about the company, tell it.

For example, in my role as small business columnist for the online Chicago Examiner, I did a piece on a company called Odd Bodd. I asked the co-founder about the company name. It turns out it was the name of a character from a movie spoof of Frankenstein produced in the UK (the business owner was from there). When the owner was a child, his sister tagged him with that nickname. It turned out to be the perfect name for the business (very Googleable!).

Samples
Samples act as testimonials. As business owners, you want to cultivate these. They're usually easy to get. And when written correctly, they help convert clients. When you write them, make sure they are:

Short (no more than three to five sentences)
Compelling
Authentic (real words from real customers)

Making the Three S's Work Over Time The real secret to making the three S’s work for your site? Regularly change the content. Update the site with new statistics. Rotate samples and stories that could appear dated. Fresh statistics, stories and samples keep prospects interested and help to differentiate you from your competitors.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Keeping in touch with customers will keep them calling

We all know by now how bad the economy is and how deep a recession we are in. What surprises me is that business owners or corporations still are not doing something simple and smart about this that can have a dramatic effect on their business right now.

To be profitable in any industry, a company must sell its product or service at a competitive price and, naturally, sell it at some sort of profit.

Oh sure, a company can sell its goods at an extremely low price and say that it sold an enormous amount and make very little profit or none at all.

The key is also to watch the expenses and have a profitable company with enough employees to satisfy customers and provide them with an experience that would cause the customer to do business with that company again.

What is so surprising to me is that companies are looking for ways to cut costs (which I have no problem with), but they are not looking at ways to improve their business model and become more productive, with better sales and customer service practices.

This is the area that is most overlooked and can have dramatic results with little effort and a simple game plan.

I have spoken to dozens of companies in the past few weeks, and none of them was doing what I am about to discuss.

Members of the organizations I talked to were at the CEO or executive VP level, and their industries included retail, health care, investment services, banking and manufacturing. Obviously, those industries I mentioned cover many different types of businesses that employ tens of thousands of people.

All the companies I talked with agreed that what I was explaining to them should be done.
They even said, "That is a good idea." I guarantee you that very few, if any, of the companies have actually implemented these concepts yet. If they did, they are not being done consistently, with management holding people accountable on a day-to-day basis.

Here is what you should do in good times as well as bad economic times:

CALL YOUR CUSTOMERS
For instance, in the furniture industry, why not have your salespeople make a few calls to their customer base to say hello rather than just standing around talking to one another waiting for someone to walk into your store?

The phone call could go something like this:
"Hello Mr. Jones, this is Hal calling from XYZ, and I want to thank you for your purchase of the couch. If you were to buy furniture for any other room in your house, which room would you be thinking about? It would be great if you kept us in mind. Thank you."

That same salesperson should be calling his or her customers at least three times a year just to say hello and hope they are enjoying the furniture and say nothing else.

No sales pitch, just a thank-you call to keep their name in front of the customer.

CALL PAST CUSTOMERS
If a salesperson left the company, who is staying in touch with the customer?
Usually no one, or the customer now goes to a "house account." The newer salespeople could acquire these customers and also stay in touch with them with a simple conversation:

"Hello, my name is Hal, and I am now taking over for your past salesperson. How has the (insert product or service here) been working for you? I will be in touch from time to time to make sure that you are still a satisfied customer of ours. Have a good afternoon, and thank you for your past business."

These types of phone calls can be done by almost any type of business, not just retail.
Imagine if your doctor left you a voice mail saying: "Hello, I was just looking at your file and thinking about you, and I hope that you are feeling well and still watching your weight and cholesterol. See you on your next visit!"

Almost any industry can make customer follow-up phone calls, but very few companies and people do it with any consistency and regularity.

Trust me, if you start doing this ASAP, you will find a loyal customer base and satisfied customers or maybe even dissatisfied, which you now can help because of your efforts and two-way communication.

by Hal Becker Hal Becker (Becker is an author and trainer in sales and customer service.)

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Eight Key Ways to Say "Thank You" to Customers

(By Andrea Nierenberg)

Good salespeople strive to be in front of customers as often as possible. But, when we think about it, our clients and prospects give us many opportunities to stay in their minds in positive and non-threatening ways. Yet, these opportunities are often overlooked, simply because we neglect to send a note of thanks.Now's the time to start giving back. Here are eight opportunities to send a "thank you," plus when and how to do it effectively.

1. When customers do business with you, every time.
Write a short, personalized "thank you" on an interesting card, letterhead, or even a postcard that reads, "I appreciate your business, thank you." You can never say thank you to someone too many times. We all appreciate the fact that people go out of their way to make us feel important and recognized.

2. When they compliment you.
When a client compliments you about something, it's an opportunity to jot off a little note of thanks, saying, "Thank you for taking the time for making my day. I appreciate it." Compliments are given so rarely, so take the lead to say thank you when you get one.

3. When clients offer comments or suggestions.
It's a wonderful gift when your clients give you a suggestion or comment on how you might do something better or different. They're also giving you an incredible buying signal. They might really be saying, "If you make that change, your product or service will be more attractive to me." Here's how to start this type of note: "Thank you for your suggestion on how I can better serve you. I'm in business to do exactly that. And you make my job easier, and so much more enjoyable, when you provide input."
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4. When customers try something you recommended.
When clients buy into something new, solely based on your suggestion, they're going out of their "comfort zone". They're putting trust in you and your product. This calls for a special note that could read, "Thank you for your trust in me. I value your business."

5. When customers recommend you.
This is the best form of advertising you can ever get. It's so easy to take the time and go back to our advocate, and say, "Thank you for referring me to -----. I will keep you posted and informed on what develops. It means a great deal to me to know that you're willing to recommend me. I appreciate it." This type of thank-you might include a small gift as well.

6. When customers are patient, or not so patient.
Our clients help us when they give us time to learn how to best serve them. Often this requires their patience. On the other hand, they give us a wake-up call when they ask us to hurry up. When this happens they might really be saying, "Hey, remember me? Keep me in mind, or I just might get swept away by the competition." In either case, pull out a notecard again and let them know how important they are to you. Perhaps say, "Thanks for keeping me on my toes. I appreciate how you help me keep your business."

7. When clients say "no" to you.
You've just pitched an account and you didn't get their business, this time. It's still the an opportunity to write a short note. Thank them for their time, their consideration and their honesty. Keep the door opened by being friendly and courteous. People will remember the notes you send and it can make a difference. Even contacts who are not able to use your services will feel enticed to recommend you to others who can.

8. When customers make you smile.
Everyone likes good news. Whatever it is that makes you smile, clients want to know that they've made you feel good. Send them a note with one of those little smiley face stickers. This technique always gets noticed and remembered.Power of Three

Finally, here's my bonus note to you:
Dear reader,Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I know that you're busy. As a thank-you gift, I want to share what I call my "Power of Three."Every day take 15 minutes at the beginning or end of the day and write three short goodwill notes: one to a prospect, one to a client and one to a friend. Just say "Hi," send an article, or say thanks—just make it specific. When you do this, at the end of the week you'll have made 15 goodwill contacts, and at the end of the year, 750. Think of the "business seeds" you'll have planted. Some of this could germinate into additional business. And if you like this article, drop me a note.

Andrea R. Nierenberg is a best-selling author, world-renowned business authority and president of The Nierenberg Group, a business communications firm. www.nierenberggroup.com

Thursday, February 05, 2009

5 easy ways to speed up your computer

I have had a few of my clients ask me about this problem of their computer slowing down. I thought this article was very useful and easy to follow. I hope this helps!

One of the most common complaints heard by IT helpdesks is: “My computer is running too slowly – what can I do?” There are actually a number of reasons why this could be happening, and luckily, a number of ways to solve the problem. Here are our top five recommendations to help boost your desktop or notebook PC's speed and performance.

1. Clean up your hard drive
A typical hard drive is crammed full of files you really don’t need. The less stuff that’s on your hard drive, the faster your computer will be.

The best way to free up space on your PC is with the Windows® Disk Cleanup utility. To access it, go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup. You might need to specify which drive you want to clean.

In the Disk Cleanup box, scroll through the content of the Files to delete list and check the items you want to remove. If you’re not sure what to get rid of, the safest bets are temporary Internet files and programs you’ve installed that you no longer use. When you’re done, click OK.

If you don’t want to delete files altogether, such as things like photos and music or video files, consider moving them to an external hard drive.

2. Get rid of visual effects
Windows Vista® comes with some cool visual effects, but they can drain system resources. Disabling some will speed your system. To do this, click on the Start button, and then Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Performance Information and Tools.

Click on Adjust Visual Effects. You may be asked to enter an administrator password. Then click on the Visual Effects tab, and select Adjust for Best Performance. Then click OK.

3. Scan for viruses and spyware
One of the main culprits of sluggish PC performance is malware: viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, worms, and other kinds of malicious unwanted software. If you don’t already have some kind of antivirus protection installed, you should do so right away! Consider using Microsoft Windows Defender, which is included in Windows Vista, and is available as a free download for Microsoft XP SP2. Make sure to schedule an automatic virus scan at least once a month. You should also always keep a firewall running to help block malware from getting to your PC in the first place.

4. Add more RAM (the easy way)
Adding system memory (also known as random access memory or RAM) can be a good way to improve a PC's performance. However, upgrading memory can sometimes be difficult and costly. Windows Vista now offers Windows ReadyBoost, which allows you to add memory without having to install anything. It allows you to use a flash memory device, such as a USB flash drive or a secure digital (SD) memory card, as an additional memory cache.

5. Run a defragmentation utility
Disk Defragmenter is a Windows utility that consolidates files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space, which in turn speeds up reading and writing to the disk.

To defragment your hard drive, go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter, then select the drive you want to defragment. Then go to Settings and make sure there's a tick beside the two options in the section

When defragmenting my hard drive, then click OK twice to begin. When the defragmentation is done, you’ll probably have to reboot your computer.

After following these tips, you should notice an improvement in your computer’s performance.

Microsoft, Windows and Windows Vista are US registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Lessons Learned From Hard Times Past

By PAUL B. BROWN
Published: February 2, 2009

Invariably, once the recession is over, hundreds of people are going to come forth and offer “lessons learned from the recent hard times.” That’s fine. But we all can use that advice now. Here is what some entrepreneurs said they learned during the last economic downturn.

KEEP PLUGGING
Trish Bear, chief executive of I-ology, an Internet strategy firm in Arizona, started her business right before the dot-com bubble burst. So Ms. Bear has seen hard times before. She offers these three pieces of advice:

1. Continue marketing. “Being consistently visible demonstrates to both existing and potential customers that you are stable and in for the long haul.”

2. “Take advantage of the trickle-down effect in hiring great talent. Unfortunately, there are many people out of work right now. But the larger talent pool means opportunities for small businesses that do have the means to bring on new employees.”

3. Give back to the community. It is “a great way to keep employee morale strong during hard times, stay busy when business is slow, and get your name out by donating time. Aside from all that, it’s the right thing to do.”

HELP OTHERS
Giving back can extend to other people and business as well, says Steve Woodruff, writing on SmallBusinessBranding.com.

“Give of what you have — your time, your knowledge, your connections, Mr. Woodruff writes. “When you help others with their needs, they will go to extraordinary lengths to help you.”
He says that he has been able to help people make connections with others, including potential employers, and find needed resources with no financial return expected. But, he adds: “I fully expect that this commitment to help my clients and partners and other colleagues will not be in vain. For some of my partners, I’ve ‘given away’ my business and marketing expertise to help them refine their approach and I know that, in return, there is tremendous loyalty built up over time.”

KEEP LEARNING
Executives at Gaebler Ventures, a business incubator and holding company, say they have found that “seasoned entrepreneurs” offer this advice to new small-business owners: “Never fall into the trap of thinking that you know everything. The moment you stop learning about new things is the moment you start losing ground to the competition.”

UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS
“All business relationships have a natural evolution,” Carol Ross, who owns a coaching and consulting firm, writes on HR.com.

“Don’t fight it,” Ms. Ross says. “Some relationships never get off the ground, some gain momentum quickly and just as quickly run their course, some develop slowly and burst into action when the time is right. Others feel comfortable from the start and then, like the winter jacket in springtime, become unnecessary and constraining.”

In addition, she counsels, “Be clear on what each business relationship brings.” She writes that she has relationships that exist for the sake of referrals. “Other relationships,” she says, “are about creating and creating wealth together.”

LAST CALL
After 20 years of running small businesses, Harvey King can offer advice like this: “Beef up your line of credit when you don’t need to. For some reason, a bank’s desire to lend you money has a negative correlation to your need for it.”

I hope these articles from experts in the business field have been a help to you! We, at Concept Design Studios, are committed to helping your business through the recession. Please let us know how we can help!