Category Archives:
Sales

January 9, 2012

Something Old; Something New; Something Borrowed… and Now Something True Blue

Issue #214

For the last two weeks, we took an old English rhyme “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, And A Sixpence in your Shoe.” and applied it business. We started by examining the old – but valuable – marketing strategy of PR to promote brand continuity and investigated a new, related marketing trend called Brand Journalism that is helping customers connect to businesses in a new way. Then we borrowed the strategy of Corporate Giving as a way to help businesses connect with and engage consumers.

However, sometimes the smartest thing a business can do is go back to the basics. Despite the many changes in technology, communications, and marketing over the last 25 years, the fundamentals of running a sound business remain unchanged. This week, we’ll look at some ‘true blue’ business practices essential to any organization. These ten strategies are a must for long-term business success. Continue reading →

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January 2, 2012

After Something Old and Something New…. Something Borrowed

Issue #213

Part 2 – Borrowing the Successful Business Strategy of Corporate Giving

The old English rhyme “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, And A Sixpence in your Shoe.” was told to brides on their wedding day. With a look toward 2012, we tried to apply this wedding lore to a bright business future. We started last week by examining an old – but valuable – marketing strategy to promote brand continuity and investigated a new, related marketing trend that is helping customers connect to the business brand in a new way.

This week, we’ll look at ‘something borrowed’, symbolic of happiness borrowed from a new family. We’ll borrow a wise business strategy – that of corporate giving – as a way to connect with the community, engage consumers and stand apart from the competition. It is a strategy that has proven profitable for many companies, large and small… and even for one savvy start-up. Continue reading →

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November 28, 2011

One Thing: Every Business Should Find Theirs

Issue #208

Customer service is a topic that eventually finds its way into practically every dialogue about business at one point or another. Business school professors expound on the importance of it. Writers of blogs, columns and broadcasts wax poetic about it. Executives ponder over how to improve it. Customers complain when they don’t get it. It is a quintessential concern of any good business. It is also the failing of many businesses, new and old. Good customer service, it seems, is a moving target that many businesses fail to hit at one point or another. Tales of consistently great customer service are almost as unbelievable as stories about the Tooth Fairy, leaving many to wonder if being able to provide great customer service consistently is really only a fairytale.

Why is it so hard to deliver great customer service consistently? The reason is because customer service is actually much more than the exchange that happens between a customer and the business right at the point of sale. Customer service is inherently a part of every interaction between the customer and the brand from initial interaction until well after the sale is completed and the product or service is delivered. Customer service is part and parcel of the product or service, not just the interactions between customer and company. It is the responsibility of every employee in every department, from research and development to marketing and from manufacturing or operations to accounting.

One needn’t look very hard to find examples in the media of customer service gone terribly awry. But there are many organizations that do have a handle on good customer service. They have identified the one thing that matters most and focused on getting that single thing right. Continue reading →

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November 14, 2011

DOES CUSTOMER RESPONSE TIME MATTER?

Issue #206

Customers do not like to wait. The golden rule in business is that customers should be helped right away. We’re not talking about a manufacturer making a customer wait for the release of a new product or model… which can actually increase brand value by creating excitement and buzz. Instead, we are referring to the time a customer actually waits to be assisted with whatever they need from the business. At an office, a client that is made to wait more than 10 minutes for a scheduled appointment will be irate. At a store, a customer who sees a long line to pay might drop their purchases and leave. At a restaurant, a waiter is expected to welcome patrons within a few minutes of being seated.

Timeliness is directly related to customer satisfaction and customer repeat business. Wait time has an effect on customers that is similar to the effect of price. In fact, many economists view wait time as a form of price. Customers are aware of the price demanded in both money and time and adjust their behavior accordingly.

Clearly, response time matters when servicing a customer in person, but what about on the World Wide Web? Does a company’s response time online matter? For example, does the speed in which a company replies to a customer’s inquiry or request online (speed-to-call rate) really impact whether the ‘lead’ converts to a sale? If you answered yes, you’re absolutely right. However, the extent to which response time impacts online lead conversation may be surprising. Continue reading →

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November 7, 2011

LEVERAGING LINKEDIN – PART 6

Issue #205

Joining and Participating in LinkedIn Groups You’ve joined LinkedIn, created an impressive Profile and linked to all of your colleagues, coworkers past and present, schoolmates and associates.  Is that enough?  No.  While that was a lot of work, that work … Continue reading →

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October 31, 2011

LEVERAGING LINKEDIN – PART 5

Issue #204

Strategy For Linking To Others Over the last four weeks, we explored how to set up a complete and compelling professional profile on LinkedIn.  If you’ve done the work of establishing a profile that really reflects who you are as … Continue reading →

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October 24, 2011

LEVERAGING LINKEDIN – PART 4

Issue #203

New Ways To Make Your LinkedIn Profile Pack More Punch Over the last few weeks, we’ve been looking at how to leverage the power of LinkedIn by creating a personal Profile that really grabs readers.  In one web page, your … Continue reading →

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October 17, 2011

LEVERAGING LINKEDIN – PART 3

Issue #202

Creating a Compelling LinkedIn Profile Readable in 60 Seconds or Less LinkedIn is a vast, powerful and free networking tool for professionals with over 120 million members.  It is also a site that ranks highly with search engines, thus exposing … Continue reading →

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October 10, 2011

LEVERAGING LINKEDIN – PART 2

Issue #201

The Three Cs of Creating a Profile on LinkedIn Do you have a Profile on LinkedIn that meets the three C’s:  complete, correct and compelling?  If not, keep reading.  If you think you do, think again.  Unless you set up … Continue reading →

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October 3, 2011

LEVERAGING LINKEDIN – PART 1

Issue #200

Linking Is 21st Century Turbo-Charged Networking One of the most common questions that the marketing department is asked these days is about LinkedIn.  The question, which comes in varied forms, basically boils down to this:  “How can I use LinkedIn … Continue reading →

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