Month: June 2013

  • The Importance of Following-Up

    Updated 8-19-2018

     

    There is an old saying that says, ‘The fortune is in the follow-up.”

     

    It’s become an old saying for good a reason:  it’s true.  Following up with customers and clients can be one of the most important business actions a business owner can take. I believe it’s an essential key to success that once mastered will bring you awesome results.

     

    There are many ways to follow-up, all of them being important in their own unique ways.  One of these is to follow-up with potential and past customers. This can be done very easily through sending out regular email campaigns.

     

    Following Up
    To send out a customer email campaign, or do any form of email marketing for that matter, it is recommended to have an autoresponder service.  This will make sending updates very easy.  They can even be loaded into the system several months or even years in advance.

     

    It is no secret that people lead busy lives and they cannot always remember to do all the things they want or need to do.  Simply sending out a little email, reminding them that your business is still there maybe all it takes to stimulate a sale.
    Following up with customers can also make them feel special and appreciated.  Offering them a special customer appreciation sale is one way to do this.  This can, again, be done through email marketing.  Another twist is to send your customer an actual card in the mail.

     

    As you can imagine from your own buying habits, when you feel appreciated by a business, you are more likely to buy more product from that business. When you feel ignored or unappreciated, you are more likely to avoid that business.

     

    One reason that some business owners fall behind on following up with their customers is due to a lack of time.  If this sounds familiar, setting up some systems to keep things flowing can make life easier.

     

    Following UpThis could include buying pre-written newsletters and hiring a virtual assistant to personalize them before loading them into an autoresponder, or having a ghostwriter create custom-content.

     

    If you have a service-based business, it is also very important to follow-up with potential clients on quotes and proposals you’ve submitted.  When a person contacts you for potential work, they may be at a starting point where they are just trying to sort out their project.

     

    Following up will let them know you are interested in working with them and remind them that they need to hurry up and hire you before someone else does.

     

    That doesn’t mean you have to be pushy at all.  Just sending a quick note to let them know that you currently have space on your calendar for them, but also reminding them that your spaces fill up fast, is all that is needed.

     

    Once a business owner implements a regular follow-up routine into their business, they will open up the potential for repeat business and more profits. So remember to follow-up because it’s important.

    Need more information to help grow your business through email follow-up? As a Certified Solutions Provider for Constant Contact we have a black belt in email marketing strategies so reach out to us today to see how we can help you.

    Feel you want to DIY your own project visit our resources page . We have tons of tips and information available to you for free!

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  • Marketing Mojo

    Marketing ChoicesThe term “mojo” can mean different things to different people.  For some, it means being “in the swing of things” or on top of their game.  When a business owner has marketing mojo, they are on top of their marketing efforts and are having fun with them.
    Having this mojo is very desirable.  When a business owner is having fun with their marketing, it won’t seem like a chore at all.
    One of the easiest ways to develop marketing mojo is for a business owner to fully know their product.  What are the product’s best features?  What can the product do that the competition’s product can’t?

     

    Setting mini marketing goals can be a fun way to stay on track.  Constantly setting and meeting new deadlines will help raise confidence and that will definitely get your mojo running.

     

    These mini goals can be based on tasks that need to be done, such as writing your monthly newsletter or spending an hour doing some social networking.  They can also be based on new things you would like to learn.

     

    Learn By Doing

     

    One of the best ways to build your marketing mojo is to just do it.  Instead of spending hours of your time reading up on the latest marketing techniques and then debating over which will benefit your business, try different ideas out as you go.

     

    By testing the waters yourself, you can better judge what is going to be worth your time and what needs to be tweaked to suit your product.

     

    Don’t be afraid to experiment or modify marketing ideas that you have discovered.  Changes to the standards are what give companies an edge in their marketing strategies.

     

    Even if the tactics you test out do not work for you, analyze why they didn’t quite pan out and see where you can build on the strengths and weaknesses.  Those with real marketing mojo learn from their mistakes and downfalls, creating a better plan for the next effort.

     

    Watch Pros In ActionModern business concept

     

    Feed off the marketing mojo of others to help build your own.  Watching the marketing strategies of those who have already found success is a great way to build your business’ arsenal.  What works for them just might work for you as well.

     

    Networking with other business owners both in and out of your own industry can really pay off with new marketing tips and ideas.  Ask for their advice or just keep an eye on what they are doing to present their own product to the world.

     

    Set goals for yourself, try out new ideas, learn from others and above all, have fun with your marketing efforts.  Before you know it, you’ll have your own marketing mojo working and will be reaping the benefits of your success.

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  • Keeping Customers is Better than Finding New Ones

    Getting New ClientsAsk any experienced business owner how important their customers are, and they will tell you that customers are the lifeblood of their business.  Because of that, many business owners believe that the key to success is to constantly find new customers.

    Smart business owners know that the real key to success is to develop long-standing business relationships with their clients and keep them coming back.

    This has many benefits.  First of all, when a business owner has clients coming back for repeat purchases, the business owner will not need to spend as much time on finding new customers.

    The business’ income will not suffer, as new work will be coming to the business, instead of the business constantly chasing new work down

    Sphere from dollar sign isolated on white.Not only will this save time and resources, it is also a more cost-effective way to do business.  The business owner won’t need to invest as much in their marketing and advertising campaigns. 

    Happy customers are also more likely to send referrals to a business.  If a satisfied customer runs into a friend or colleague needing the type of services you offer, they will give that person your contact information.  This results in even more work coming into the business without the business owner chasing after it.

    If you like the sound of enjoying repeat business with your current customers while spending less time and money attracting new clients, you may be wondering how to put this into action.  Here are some tips on how to keep your customers happy and coming back.

    Business handshakeOffer Quality Products and or Services

    While it is hard to say which of the following tips is the most important, this one is extremely important.  Without a quality product or service, there is not much reason for your customers to come back. 

     

    Practice Effective Communication

    This is important whenever a business owner is dealing with a customer or client, but it really comes into play for service providers.  It can be very difficult for a business owner to turn over a piece of their business to someone else, especially someone who does not live close by.

    But that is exactly what happens whenever a business owner hires a virtual assistant, ghostwriter, web designer, or other service provider. 

    Service providers can keep their clients happy and at ease by providing regular updates on project statuses and asking questions whenever they are in doubt about something.

    Provide Good Customer Service

    In the above tip, we talked about effective communication skills, but that is just one part of a good customer service plan.  You have probably received poor customer service from a business in the past.  How did that make you feel about the business, and did it change your mind about doing business with them again in the future?

    A general rule of thumb is to always treat your customers the way you would like to be treated.  That simple statement will ensure you will have customers coming back time and time again.

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session. 

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