True Confessions

I am a web professional and lover of technology. I designed websites for many years and now write web content. I love computers, laptops, tablets and gadgets. I do not, however, love phones. I have never liked phones. Phone calls make me feel trapped. I just want the call to be over. That's me. I have always been that way. So, guess what? I do not own a smartphone. I use a simple little Tracfone with pay-as-you-go minutes. It makes calls, it handles text messages, it even has a web browser that I never use. It does exactly what I need it to do - exists in case I need it. It is unobtrusive and it is inexpensive.

I was at the grocery store a few weeks ago, looked down the aisle and three of the five people I saw were looking at their phones! Really? I simply don't understand the need to constantly be "connected," even as a business professional. In fact, I believe the constant "on" has a negative impact on productivity and company budgets.

Smartphones are not only costly initial purchases, but the digital plans they require are outrageous. If you are a business owner, does necessity really outweigh the costs of supplying staff with smartphones and plans? I see very few situations where benefits outweigh costs.

Smartphone marketing is impressive. People get caught up in the "have to have" mentality and spend money on items they don't really need. I have a feeling that very few people use even a tiny percentage of the bells and whistles on their phones.

And, kids with smartphones? Don't get me started on THAT one!

Dread Customer Complaints? Here's What to Do!

No business owner or employee escapes dealing with customer complaints. The trick to dealing with unhappy customers is to somehow turn a negative into a positive for both you and the customer. Complaints often open the door to more efficient business practices that benefit you and your business in the long run. Handling complaints in a positive way also increases the likelihood that a customer will stick with you and not go elsewhere.

Here are some tips for dealing effectively with customer complaints:

• Listen to your customer: It's easy to react defensively when you're dealing with an angry customer. Don't do it. Two angry people accomplish nothing. Keep your cool. One of the best methods to diffuse a tense situation is first to listen, then calmly repeat in your own words what you believe your customer just said. Repeating and listening to the ensuing comments enhances your understanding of the situation and lets the customer know you are listening to what they have to say.
• Determine the source of the problem: Did you or one of your employees mess up? Is there a problem with a subcontractor or manufacturer? Satisfying a complaining customer may be as easy as replacing a product or fixing a gap in service. 
• Be honest and open: If you are responsible for substandard products or services, be honest. Don't try to shift the blame to someone else. Take responsibility for the problem and offer solutions.
• Offer complainants something of value: Whether you feel the complaint is legitimate or not, offer something of value to the customer after you fix the original problem. Give them a discount on a future purchase, a free item or account credit. Keeping a current customer is much more cost-efficient than finding a new one, so do whatever it takes to keep the one you already have. 
• Use complaints as a path to grow: I recently read of a restaurant that turned a bad Yelp review into a clever marketing campaign. A patron posted that the restaurant had the worst burger in town. The restaurant bragged about the review on their Facebook page and invited followers to come in and experience the worst burger in town for themselves. Not everyone would feel comfortable boasting about a bad Yelp review, but complaints give you a unique opportunity to analyze practices and come up with more efficient methods of doing business. I'll bet the restaurant makes one mean burger these days. 

Sure, there will be the occasional customer who uses the situation to get something for nothing. It's even okay to "fire" customers sometimes. Most of the time, however, complaining customers respond positively to efforts to resolve problems if they feel listened to and valued. In fact, former complainers often become a business's biggest online and word-of-mouth advertisers. Look at each complaint as an opportunity to grow.  

The Art of Customer Service

I often hear people say that there is no customer service anymore. Most of us snicker when we hear the infamous "your call is important to us" line. Phone trees, recorded calls and automated emails add to the feeling that businesses no longer care about their customers as people. Business owners themselves may struggle with providing optimum customer service in a technological world. Fortunately, there are effective ways to improve customer service, even if you've slipped up in the past.

Here are some tips to improve your customer service style:

• People before calls: This is one of my pet peeves. Oh how I hate standing in line for help and have the person behind the counter take a phone call and talk for five minutes. This should never, never happen. Well, maybe if it's the president of the United States. Most of the time, though, people take precedence over phone calls. The best way to handle incoming calls is to quickly answer and ask the person to hold. Remember to thank the person for holding when you get back to them. 
• Answer emails and contact form questions immediately: I've covered this before, but it bears repeating. Answer emails and contact form inquiries as soon as you receive them. If you have to do some research first, at least acknowledge receipt immediately. A kind, "Thank you so much for contacting me. I need to do some research and will get back to you as soon as possible," promotes customer confidence. Oh, and, one more thing - get back to them as soon as possible.  Never blow someone off. (Are you listening DISH Network? You are so outta here!) 
• Personalize each customer experience: If you know the customer's name, say it. If you don't, find out. Introduce yourself.  If you use automated email responses, make sure the responses are set to use the individual's name. Make each customer contact, whether in person or through email, a personal, friendly experience.
• Send handwritten thank you notes: Old school? You bet! At a time when many elementary schools are debating the elimination of teaching cursive writing, which I am wholeheartedly against, sending handwritten thank you notes is one of the best ways to build customer loyalty. Handwritten correspondence is especially beneficial for local businesses.
• Train employees well: You may find an employee who is a natural at customer service, but most employees require some training. It never hurts to have customer service refreshers from time-to-time, either. Refreshers are also a great way for employees to share different experiences, discuss what worked and what didn't and offer practical suggestions to one another. 

Practicing the art of customer service really comes down to one thing. Customers are not numbers. Customers are people. As soon as you start treating them as people, the better your customer service practices become.

Go Dog Go Gets a New Website

Officially launched this morning, Go Dog Go Mobile Dog Grooming, has a new website. A small local mobile dog grooming business in Erie, PA, Go Dog Go didn't  need a complicated site with all the bells and whistles. What they needed was an updated look and informative, targeted content.

Websites are never "finished."  Each site needs a careful plan for the future and developers must be aware of changes in technologies and search engine algorithms in order to keep pace. For Go Dog Go, the plan is to eventually add before and after pictures to highlight Nancy Carroll-Hunt's extraordinary dog grooming talents. A personal service business, particularly one like Go Dog Go that is geared toward a beloved pet, requires a website that makes potential clients comfortable with the provider.

Go Dog Go of Erie PA

A Little Courtesy is All I Ask

Email, text messages, social media, blogs and chats - all are relatively new ways for businesses to advertise and communicate with customers, potential customers and colleagues. In the old days, there were strict rules about communication. Letters required a certain format and employees were trained in phone etiquette. With the newer forms of communications, however, we seem to have forgotten how to treat people. Instead, we often appear cold and unresponsive. Not a good thing, either in business or personal life.

Why is Courtesy Important?

Depersonalization is a huge obstacle when it comes to doing business online. Many potential customers comparison shop on the web, but run to their local store, to that familiar face, when it comes time to buy. Shopping carts are abandoned for a number of reasons, but one of those reasons is that people do not feel special when shopping online. They want do deal with someone who knows their name. They want to deal with someone who treats them with respect. Obviously, it is more difficult to do that online, but there are ways to improve the courtesy factor. Here's how:

1. Answer emails and answer them promptly. Whether it is a customer, potential customer, employee or colleague, answer those emails, preferably within one business day.

2. Personalize the experience. In emails, return phone calls, on Facebook or wherever, use the person's name if you have it. If you don't have it, get it.

3. Do not blow people off. Don't say, "I'll get back to you on Tuesday" and then forget about them.

4. Answer back immediately, even if you don't know the answer yet. If someone sends you an email or communicates with you in some way, let them know you heard them. Email or call them back. Let them know that you are working on getting the information they need. There is nothing worse than sending an email and getting absolutely no response.

5. Be polite and respectful. Every day business requires that we deal with all kinds of people from every age group. Some may be older. Others may be from a different culture. Treating everyone with respect and common courtesy is not only good business sense, it's the right thing to do.









 

Is Small Business Social Networking Important?

With all the things small business owners have to worry about, the question of using Facebook as a marketing tool begs the question - do I really have to? Is it worth the time and effort? What possible benefit would using Facebook bring a small business?

In truth, it's unclear whether or not using Facebook as a  marketing tool increases business or not. As part of a marketing campaign, however, it is difficult to ignore the possibilities. Facebook keeps growing. It's easy and free to use. Lots of businesses are using it. The question now becomes "why not use Facebook?"

Facebook offers some real advantages over, for example, maintaining a blog. In an instant, a small business owner can post sales and other types of customer information on the company Facebook page. Interaction with customers or potential customers is fast and straightforward. Facebook is easily accessed via computer, tablet or smart phone, making it just about as convenient as it gets.

Perhaps the real reason to use Facebook, however, is that customers expect it. A business that does not use the latest marketing tools seems out-of-touch. Even though there is no research that indicates using Facebook increases revenue, it is without a doubt a marketing tool that should be utilized.

Just a quick note hoping everyone is enjoying the season and is not inundated with end of the year woes. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Security Refresher

After a long hiatus, I am back. Let's just say that life has a way of throwing things at you, sometimes all at the same time. That said, let's get back to business.

It seems like a good time to remind ourselves about internet security. No one expects to be a victim of a computer virus or identity theft. The perpetrators are unseen, they don't jump at you from behind a building. Their crimes can be as devastating, however.

A quick refresher on best practices when using your home or business computer:

1. Use a firewall: Most Windows systems come with a firewall. Make sure it is set to "on" unless your security software has one of its own that conflicts with the Windows firewall.

2. Use anti-virus software: With the availability of free anti-virus packages, no one should be without protection. Business owners should invest in anti-virus software because most free packages are for personal computer users only. They are not designed for business use.

3. Be smart about email attachments: If you receive an attachment, do not open it unless you were expecting it. This type of trick is innocent looking because typically it appears to come from a friend or business associate. In fact, it may have. That's how many viruses work - they send themselves to email addresses in an address book. Before opening an attachment, contact the person who sent it and find out what it is.

4. Email is not private: Never send any confidential or private information in an email. Email is not a secure medium.

5. Create strong passwords: Tempting as it is, don't use the dog's name. Use a combination of letters, both lower and upper case, numbers, and, if permitted by the web site host, use a special character or two.

 These are just a few of the security measures that help to keep your home and business systems safe and secure. Security requires a many faceted approach, but with the right tools you can lessen the possibilities of becoming a victim.

Part 2 - Do I Still Need a Business Web Site?

As we saw in Part 1, in spite of the popularity of social networking sites, a business still needs a web site to survive online. That's just the beginning, though.

Fresh content is essential for web site success. New content keeps visitors coming back and is important in search engine rankings. Below are some ways to keep your web site from becoming dead weight:

* Change the content on your home page periodically
* Keep operation hours and addresses updated
* Add a blog to your site and add new posts at least twice a week
* Add informational content for customers that is related to your product or service

Never, never, never load your site with key word repetition and fluffy content. Google has recently implemented an upgrade that is, at the time of this writing, severely penalizing sites that use such practices. Be smart, write for your audience, and update your content often.

Why It Matters

Some business owners lead double lives. They have a separate set of "business" ethics, apart from their personal lives. For some, anything goes when trying to make a buck. It's okay as long as they go to church on Sunday.

Small business owners sometimes engage in activities that harm or deceive customers. Stretching the truth about products, pushing the envelope when it comes to truth in advertising, and making promises that cannot be kept all seem like standard business practices. The problem is that running your business in the "standard" way is not good enough, not for you and not for your business.

There are fundamental ways of treating people, whether it is during the course of business or in our personal lives. Telling the truth, showing respect, making things right, and caring are as important in business as they are anywhere else.

Part I - Do I Still Need a Business Web Site?

As each new trend appears, others take a back seat. Facebook and Twitter have far outdistanced MySpace as the top social networking sites. Entrepreneurs are obligated to keep up with trends and turn each into a marketing tool.

Using social media as a way to connect with customers, small business owners may question the necessity of having a web site. Is the web site concept outdated? Does a business owner still need to spend money having a site developed and updated?

The simple answer is yes. A web site serves a different purpose than social networking. Social networking is great for personal interaction with customers. A web site is the more professional side of a company. A smartly developed web site with informational content is the online version of a brick and mortar store. It enhances the perception of a solid, trustworthy business.

The majority of online businesses are still found through search engines. A business web site with enriched and useful content has a better chance of being highly listed and more easily found in the list of results. A first page search engine listing will increase your exposure.

A web site is a low-cost form of advertising that can reap wide dividends. A simple, informational, and easily navigable web site is an "always on" marketing broadcast, where people learn about your company, products or services, and discover why they should buy from you.

That said, a web site must update regularly or it will lose status with most search engines. In Part II, we'll talk about ways to keep your web site fresh, the search engines happy, and get returning web site visitors.

Have a Back Up Plan

My mother passed away on January 26, 2011. I was unable to work for two weeks as I traveled to Illinois to attend to family matters and the funeral services. As a freelance writer, being gone for two weeks meant contacting clients and explaining my absence. I don't have employees depending me. What if I had, though? How would my company have survived during those two weeks?

Life throws us all kinds of curves. Small business owners must be prepared. If you had to be absent for any length of time, how would your business continue? You cannot make yourself so indispensable that your business would collapse if something happened to take you away for a while. A contingency plan must be in place before the unexpected happens. Trusted employees must be trained in all aspects of the business. Small business owners tend to be a controlling lot. That is what makes for success. It's difficult to give up the idea that, as the owner, you are the most important cog in the wheel. While that's true in essence, ensuring that your business can run without you is vital.

No New Articles for a Few Days

There will be no new articles for a few days so I can attend the funeral services for my mother.

Your Niche?

The word "niche" gets batted around a lot. If you have done any reading about running a small business, the word has undoubtedly cropped up. Every small business should have one, they say. What's unclear is exactly what having a niche means.

"Niche" literally means "nook" or, more descriptively, a corner. It's not large. In fact, it's a small, very specific place. And, all of your customers reside there.

Many new small business owners have a difficult time narrowing down their focus. Trying to sell a product or service to everyone is an easy trap to fall in to. Throwing precious advertising dollars into marketing campaigns and not targeting those who are the most likely buyers is a recipe for disaster.

Aspiring small business owners need to think about the following before going into business:

• What problem will my service or product solve for customers?
• Is there a need that is currently not being filled?
• How can I serve customers better than existing businesses?
• What will make my service or product more desirable than others?
• Given my unique products or services, is there enough demand for me to become successful?

Existing business owners may also benefit from adding a new niche product or service. Moving into areas that you currently don't serve can be a great way to increase revenue. The key is being aware. For example, a local competitor may have gone out of business. Is there a way to step in and make the competitor's customers your own? Why did customers use them instead of you? Can you add products or services to increase your base?

Remember - you don't need a bazillion customers, you just need enough. Making them happy and keeping them coming back is the best recipe for success.

Friday Thought

"Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live." -- Mark Twain

Finding Inspiration

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."
-- Jack London

It's easy to fall into the trap of waiting. Waiting for inspiration, waiting for work to come to us, waiting, waiting, waiting for something to happen. The problem with waiting is that whatever we are waiting for may never find us. Isn't it better to go out and find it for yourself?

Inspiration can actually just happen. Those times come rarely during the course of our lives, though. Actively looking for inspiration can bring results much more often.

Business inspiration can come in any number of ways. Below are some methods for finding those sometimes illusive inspirational moments:

1. Brainstorm: Get a piece of paper and a pencil and write down whatever comes into your head. It may sound silly, seem impossible, or even stupid, it doesn't matter. A brainstorming session should be short, 15 minutes or less. After the session, put the paper away for at least 24 hours. You might surprised at what you came up with during that 15 minutes.

2. Look for inspiration: While running your errands, doing your grocery shopping, visiting the doctor - really look at everything around you. Don't take anything for granted.

3. Communicate: Talk with lots of different types of people, from other business professionals to family members. Don't forget the kids. Fresh ideas often come from those young minds.

Inspiration is out there. Sometimes we just have to open our minds to find it.

Prosperity

"Prosperity is only an instrument to be used, not a deity to be worshiped." -- Calvin Coolidge

Oh, if we would only remember that. The pursuit of money over the best interests of our fellow human beings is all too common. Scams, selling potentially dangerous products, and identity theft are perpetrated every single minute of every single day. Most business owners are not in those categories, of course. But we may have been guilty of pursuing dollars to the detriment of our customers. Sometimes, there is a fine line between money and what's best for the customer. Business owners are human beings and temptation can be great.

We are in business to make money, to support ourselves and our families, and to enjoy life. Money is the ultimate goal. If we lose site of the fact that people are more important than money, we open ourselves up to feeling okay about selling substandard products or following procedures that hurt our customers, whether they realize it or not.

People first, business second is the most rewarding business philosophy you can live by. Nothing is more important than believing in your product or service, knowing it is beneficial to the customer, and treating customers like family.

Spelling It Out

It's pretty common for small business owners to hire family and friends as employees. The wisdom of that decision is a subject for another post. Whether your employees are family, friends, or strictly staff, the best way to avoid the vast majority of employee problems and solve issues as they arrive is to have a detailed employee manual.

A precise employee manual should outline company procedures, rules, and consequences.

The following should be included:

1. Hiring procedures
2. Employee duties
3. Break and lunch time rules
4. Conduct
5. Internet use policy
6. Procedures for employee discipline
7. Procedures for employee termination
8. Employee responsibilities
9. Dress code, if any
10. Miscellaneous company rules and regulations

Each employee should have a copy of the employee handbook and be required to read it. Business owners should periodically update the manual and, again, require all employees read the updated material.

An employee handbook or manual is an essential part of successfully running a small business. It outlines expected employee behavior and defines procedures. Many employee problems could be avoided with an accurate employee handbook.

Forward or Backward?

"In the business world, the rear-view mirror is always clearer than the windshield." -- Warren Buffett

Is that ever true! We know exactly what we "should have" done, but don't know exactly how to go on from there. Still, there is something to be learned in those "should have" dones, as well as in those "should not have" dones. Perhaps the path to the future is staring at us out of the past.

Small business is not just about finding the right product, service, or business model. Successful entrepreneurs have more than a few things in common. Drive, determination, and a willingness to take risks are a few. Another skill that most have in common is the ability to look at those "should" and "shouldn't" haves and perceive the road ahead. Learning from mistakes as well as successes often teaches us the most beneficial way to move forward.

Plans, Plans, and More Plans

Everyone knows that it is important that a business start-up develop a comprehensive business plan. A well-done business plan can greatly improve the chances of obtaining financing and gives the new business owner a blueprint to follow in those first frantic months. Business plans are not just for start-ups, though. A yearly business plan can be of great benefit, allowing the business owner to refine procedures and plan for the future.

Business plans force a business owner to examine every aspect of the business. Discovering what's working and what isn't can be an eye-opening experience. A written business plan is the ideal way to learn whether the time is right to expand your business and, if so, how to go about doing it. A yearly business plan can, just as with a business start-up, help you gain financing to grow your business as well.