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Aug31
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After dealing with this whole customer service, or should I say lack of customer service ordeal, I thought it was worth reminding business owners about the high cost of rude or insensitive employees. I know that as we mature and move away from home, some of us seem to lose or forget all those manners mom taught us. We somehow allow rudeness to become our SOP (standard operating procedure). But can you really afford the cost of rudeness in business? Rudeness by you a business owner or your employees can cost you more than you’re willing to pay. And you can be assured that rudeness will not build your business, but tear it down. The word about bad manners will spread quickly, and that’s not the kind of word-of-mouth advertising you want or need.
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Aug30
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Earlier in the summer, MySpace was reported on the national news because of its use by younger internet visitors. MySpace let its users build free profile pages that were typically filled with personal information and photos. According to Nielsen/NetRatings, it...
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In my blog, ‘Becoming Assertive in Communication without a Word’ I talked about how to understand that you can communicate both professionally and personally without saying a word. A reader commented, “You can be more assertive, get more what YOU...
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Aug29
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After a horrible experience with the Geek Squad from Best Buy, I am left with one of the two computers I started with before he came. My second desktop was only three (3) years old. This is where the nightmarish...
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Okay I excitedly shared with you my wonderful customer service experience I had with Best Buy. But I regret to share with you my nightmarish day I had with them today. Let me explain, on this past weekend not only...
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In a press release released before the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Insurance Information Institute Reports in a survey that homeowners’ claims settlements from private insurers estimated at nearly $15.5 billion to date found a high level of customer satisfaction....
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A year after the devastating effects of hurricane Katrina, federal agencies are slow to release available funds from the $110 billion approved to help the victims rebuild their homes and lives. Only $44 billion has been spent and thousands of...
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Aug28
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If you just can’t think of any creative ways to market your business, how about an old fashioned prize drawing. Although I’m not a big fan of giveaways, that could be one way to get more traffic into your place...
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In past blogs you’ve heard me rant and rave about stirring up your creative juices, not trying to re-invent the wheel, but find one that’s rolling and give it a different spin to fit your business. Keep in mind that...
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Yes, it’s about customer service again! I hope by sharing my customer service experiences, it will help businesses improve their customer service, get some ideas and maybe even try some of the suggestions and examples. This past weekend I went...
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I can’t stress enough about how creative marketing can really change the life of your business and you life as well. In my blog ‘Search for Creativity in Marketing’ a commenter wrote, “I agree completely, the most successful marketers accumulate...
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Aug25
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Being creative in marketing can pay off if you learn how to master, let’s coin a phrase “creativity marketing.” Creativity marketing can be thought of as marketing for small to medium business that do not want to increase...
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Now here’s a customer benefit, although it’s not what these restaurants marketing experts intended. I do however; think this strategy will help, but not enough to recover losses in 2006. Outback Steakhouse, Applebee’s and T.G.I. Friday’s are considered casual restaurants,...
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Hey, I heard on ABC news brief about the “Careers and Marriage” article by Michael Noer and the controversy its attracting. Yes, I read both the point by Michael and the counterpoint by Elizabeth Corcoran, his colleague and frankly I...
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Small to Medium organizations don’t have to have an enormous advertising budget to get a very successful and profitable marketing campaign. Case in point, I recently read a marketing strategy implemented by Disney and I would like to share it...
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When it comes to marketing and advertising dollars, should mega companies really be concerned with where they come from. Wal-mart and Target alike have implemented a target marketing campaign geared strictly for teens. More recently these retailers are using TV...
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Logitech just released its new Revolution Mouse. It is the new technology in computer mice, the MX Revolution and the VX Revolution for notebooks. The company boasts that they are cordless, laser-guided mice that will redefine how users interact with...
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Nintendo is expecting to launch a new gaming console called Wii. It will be released in Europe for less than $420, less than $281 in and $330 or lower in the . Wii will feature a motion sensor-enabled controller and...
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Microsoft and Facebook have joined forces and Microsoft will become the exclusive provider of banner advertising and sponsored links on this social networking website. This is another example of strategic marketing at its best. A joint venture is when one...
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Aug24
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I am going to take this opportunity to say again, communication, communication and more communication are never enough. Have an open line of communication with your customers. Be prepared to be committed to your clients by being organized and reliable. ...
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In setting goals for your organization’s customer service relations, always consider how your product or service will create a need for your potential customer. I suggest you work with your customers to set clear, appropriate, and more importantly, realistic expectations...
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Organizations must realize that customer service is a crucial factor when it comes to ensuring customers coming back and that they will refer you to others. You should adapt the whole idea and attitude of customer service as an important...
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If a business want to improve their customer service, maybe getting a clear definition of the term “customer service” would be appropriate. According to the ACA Group, “customer service is the ability of an organization to constantly and consistently give...
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Now I’m trying to figure out how in the world this person got my order wrong. We were on the phone for almost an hour and I had her to repeat my order back to me. Yes!! She repeated it in...
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I would not be me if I did not share my most recent experience with you. You guessed it---customer service again. I thought I was going to be proven wrong that customer service was a lost art, but not. Some...
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One of the things I’ve learned in business is that it is better to start over from scratch than to keep moving in a direction where drowning is the next step. That’s where the re-evaluation comes in. Taking a look...
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I have talked quite a bit about marketing strategies lately and I am sure that I have provoked you to tap into your creative self. If you have not identified a marketing strategy that will work for your business, then...
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Aug23
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Yes, becoming an expert is a definite plus and a free and simple marketing strategy that most business owners fail to consider. What’s an expert? An expert is simply a thoroughly skilled person. If you are a professional, you should...
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How is becoming an active listener a marketing strategy? Well, for starters, you make the people around you feel comfortable with you because you have actively heard them and responded appropriately. That does not happen often, at least not with...
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I have found from experience that people will open up to you if you engage them. When you engage people, they will become relational with you within a very short period. Usually our seminars are two hours long with a...
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I communicate quite a lot of my business via email and from the amount I get, lets me know that there is an enormous amount of other businesses communicating through email also. But, to effectively communicate via email, the same...
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In one of our teleconferences, my business partner and I were discussing our marketing strategy and this particular plan is simple. It’s called, constant contact. We are implementing a very simple free marketing strategy, and that is to contact our...
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I can’t believe it, here I’ve been on my customer service soap box and I’m hearing more and more about how employees are starting to recognize the value of customers to business and how valuing the customer contributes to their...
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Today I had the pleasure of being treated like a valued customer. I was taking care of business with GoDaddy.com and they did what I hope was their usual welcome script. That wasn’t the pleasure I experienced. Now, I have...
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So, if what’s right for management has to be right for the business, how do you decide who does what? How do you define your duties from that of your staff and it can’t be 'I am the boss so...
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Aug22
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Building the organizational structure of your business is as crucial as building you organization with effective management. There has to be a clear line between the work your managers think they should do what they actually do and the work...
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Not only do the organizations have to have a foundational structure, the top is just a s important as the bottom. Your organization must have existing organization charts which defines and hierarchical structure on paper. From there a functional region,...
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By now you know how much I value and believe in mastering the art of effective communications in business which can affect your effectiveness in every other phase of your business. And any successful business requires a network of people and...
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What I’ve found myself doing lately is partnering with other businesses that offer services different from mine, however they are services that can benefit me in my business, and the type of business I do, and their business can benefit...
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This is a marketing strategy that I heard in a seminar. I had never really considered Buy One Get One (BOGO) an example of up-selling, but that’s exactly what it is. The idea behind this strategy is to sell something...
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Reducing your advertising budget by 50% and applying that money to public relations which is a low risk concept can be a clever marketing strategy. Public relations is the business of promoting goodwill toward yourself or your business. When a business...
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How could networking be a marketing strategy you might ask, and I would say, I’m glad you asked, I’ll tell you? When networking, don’t think of it as handing out business cards or shaking people’s hand. Don’t forget as a...
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As a medium to small business you may or may not have a budget allocated for marketing or advertising. But there are marketing strategies available to a business for little or no money. For instance, most businesses probably do not...
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Aug21
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If doing your research is going to help you better identify customers in your location, it will also help you to find a niche for your product or service, even if it is similar to your competitors. This is where...
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Doing your research will help you to define your product and services and also the product and services of your competitors in your area. You can get a better idea of how to make your business different and better than...
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If businesses are to create a good marketing campaign, they must start with understanding their position in the marketplace. Consider your location, your target market, your employees and your product or service. Keep in mind that you the business owner...
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When I was trying to conduct business with my web hosting company, it would have been the perfect opportunity for them to engage me in a conversation where they would implement their marketing strategy to retain me as a repeat...
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I had an interesting experience recently when trying to get information for my website domain name. The registration was taken care of by my web hosting company and supposedly, the registration was put in my name. I later found that...
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If you are not a large corporation, the responsibility of marketing is left with the business owner. One of the first decisions to make is, the fact that more emphasis must be placed on developing a systematic marketing plan. Remember,...
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A comment from a reader encouraged me to research more marketing strategies to help businesses with strategic marketing campaigns that target customer service rather than customer profits, because focusing in on good customer service relations will automatically bring in the...
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In my blog on Customer Rewards, I talked about becoming a friend to your customers and becoming a friend with a hand out. Check it out. And a comment came in from Cyberguy and this is what he said, “It’s...
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Aug18
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When you make an investment in your customer relations department of your business, you are really investing in yourself. However you need to do that, be willing to do your research, keep great records and make the commitment to yourself. ...
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In nurturing your customers, why not have a Customer Appreciation Day. What other way to celebrate your customer, nurture your relationship, reward them and openly say, we appreciate you and value your business and loyalty to us. This is where...
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If you have kept records and every business should, you know what your customers need, what products or which services they use. Armed with this information, always have something for your customers. Become a friend with a hand out. But...
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Business owners should never lose sight of the fact that customer service is as important to the bottom line as the product or service you provide. It is a must to develop a strategic systematic marketing campaign that will keep...
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It takes time to gain trust from people, so one thing you can do to nurture your customers is to keep in contact with them. Many things are happening in people’s life and being busy is an understatement. Most people...
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I realized the main reason I chose Wal-mart over other retailers was because I felt Jerrod and the other greeter most times too, seem to be genuine in their greeting and compliments to customers coming into Wal-mart to shop. This...
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Sometimes when I’m trying to decide where to go to shop, (I live within a 2 mile radius of several discount retailers) I always find myself going back to Wal-mart. Even when some of the supermarkets, which are closer, are...
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I thought I was done with this whole notion of servicing your customers. Well, I attended a seminar last night that talked about the importance of following up with your customers. And then I checked my email this morning, guess...
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Aug17
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You know, I think that I’m turning into a techie! Not on purpose, but the more I research products and services to help my readers grow and improve their business, the more I get excited about this new technology myself. ...
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I like giving you the information on these new products and even reminding you of the older products because they are offering the small business owner inexpensive ways to market their products and services and maybe increase revenues at the...
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This is another product that allows real time collaboration in working with Microsoft Excel with all the features of an online spreadsheet. There’s no installation required. This product is Xcellery. You can use this product to share and edit spreadsheets...
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Gotta love trying out the freebies. Now there’s free downloadable PrinterAnywhere. With this software you can print directly from your application such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, Photo Editor or any other program you work with to a printer connected to...
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Here’s a freebie. You know if you are just starting a small business and you don’t have much capital, take advantage of some of the free software and products offer. They can help you grow your business faster than the...
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I wondered if you have noticed the recent marketing campaign by NetZero. They have taken the opportunity to leverage AOL’s freebies. There new marketing is a TV commercial reminding the viewing audience who have AOL that they can keep their...
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When I use explanations, it means I am excited to share with you the latest information, this one's in targeted marketing. Get this, I just saw a news story and it told of the new marketing strategies of supermarkets. There are...
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You know when I use explanations I’m really excited about what I have to share. By the way, before I share this new marketing campaign with you, I received a comment from a PR person from Softalk. I told you...
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Aug16
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I think one of the great wonders of the world is mastering the art of effective communications. So you know that I fell in love with this one! The Softalk Collaboration Suite provides your organization with everything it needs to...
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Mindjet is productivity software for visualizing and managing information. Mindjet Corporation is the leading provider of productivity software that allows individuals and teams to more effectively (one of my favorite words-effectively) think, plan, and collaborate. Users can visually connect and...
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I love the very thought of a virtual assistant. I think I mentioned that I just completed a virtual book tour last week. I conducted seminars, conferences and radio interviews and one on one consultation all in our...
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Now for those of you that have been operating you business online for sometime and has grown from small business to a bigger business and ready to take your business to the next level, you might be interested in a...
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As I share with you these products to assist you with your business, keep in mind your specific business needs and choose according to what will work best for you, your staff, your product or service and your business. Some...
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I must tell you that I never thought I would be encouraging anyone to do as much of you business as possible online. Alright, I am doing more pushing you to do business online then encouraging, but it’s because I...
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Now that I am off my soap box about customer relations, I think I will move back to encouraging you to continue seeking ways to grow your business online. The potential is tremendous. This age of information has brought with...
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I had a reader comment on my customer service kick; it’s good to know that someone else would like to have a little customer service also. I went shopping at an outlet mall this past weekend and I went into...
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