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Grow You Business

Is Your Local Brand Delivering Unrelenting Passion

December 4 in Grow You Business by Kenda | No Comments


A Local Brand Survey. Are you delivering ‘unrelenting passion, not unending spin’?

According to Wikipedia, “A brand is a “name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”

Taking it one step further, under30ceo asks, “So what exactly is a brand? It’s the personification of a company. If a company were a person, it’s the personality and habits of that person. …the gut feeling a person gets about a product, service or organization.”

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“A brand isn’t a brand to you until it develops an emotional connection with you.” Daryl Travis – Emotional Branding

“…brands speak to the mind and heart” Alina Wheeler – Designing Brand Identity

“In a copycat economy hype will not sustain a brand.” Oren Harari – Break From the Pack

“The process of forming a brand is the result of “unrelenting passion, not unending spin.” John Moore – Tribal Knowledge

Building upon John Moore’s quote above, let’s take a look at your local brand to ensure you are delivering ‘unrelenting passion, not unending spin’.

A Simple Local Brand Survey

Your goal is to discover these three things:

1Awareness
Does your local community even know your small business exists?

2Engagement
Is your local community currently using your products or services?

3Satisfaction
Is your local community happy with your current offerings and how they are delivered?

You can easily survey your customers and local community via Social Media using the following simple brand survey questions. Copy and Paste these babies, you are gonna need them!

Do you trust [Insert Business Name]?

What are [Insert Business Name’s] greatest strengths?

What are [Insert Business Name’s] greatest weaknesses?

What does [Insert Business Name] stand for in your mind?

What is it about [Insert Business Name] that makes it unique?

What is the greatest value [Insert Business Name] provides to you?

What need does [Insert Business Name] fulfill?

What would you say is [Insert Business Name’s] mission?

Why does your local community need [Insert Business Name]?

With the new year right on our tail, this is a great time to survey your local brand performance so you can evaluate brand shortcomings, enhance brand successes, fill in the gaps for increased growth in 2013.

Final Note

In addition to surveying your customers and community on your local brand, likewise survey your employees. Read more in my previous post, 5 Step Employee Brand Slam.

 

To Your Small Business Success

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5 Tips To Building Targeted Local Referrals

November 12 in Grow You Business, Market Your Business by Kenda | No Comments


 Local Referrals Rock

Referral marketing reduces your sales expenses and sales cycle. With less time calling cold prospects, your small business can focus on customers and their circle of influence. –About.com

A customer has greater trust in your business if it was recommended to them by one of their friends or family members.

Did you know that local referrals are the best and least expensive way for local small businesses to gain new customers? If not, now you do! Much like the human body needs water for survival, the local small business needs a steady stream of local referrals for survival.

Here Are 5 Tips To Building Local Referrals

 1.  Be specific.

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When you ask for a local referral, be specific in your request. You are seeking more than random names. i.e. Families with young children; Realtors in Portland; etc. This may sound like a no-brainer, but all too often, being specific is overlooked. Don’t do that!

 2.  Pull out your list.

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There is a goldmine of local referral potential in updating your past customer list. To get started, scan your list for 10 past customers. Then pick up the phone. Yep, that thing that makes a ring-dingy sound! A personal request requires well, a personal request! Another often-untapped resource is past testimonials. Review your received testimonials and make sure you have personally thanked each one. Again, pick up the phone! Get on it!

 3.  Cozy Up.

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Build relationships with local community leaders and influencers. The more you build and connect, the more your local referral stream will grow. Your local Chamber of Commerce and Merchant’s Associations are priceless resources for any local small business. Consider becoming a member and being active in the abundance of local networking opportunities available. To find your local Chamber of Commerce, click here.

 4.  Welcome Wagon. 

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Be the first, and sadly quite often, the only local small business owner to personally visit new small business opening in your community.  Talk about positive future local referral impact. Bam!

 5.  Be A Giver. 

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It’s been said, “A man who has friends must show himself to be friendly.” Offer a referral for local businesses you have a positive working relationship with. Prepare a list and post it on your website. Take it a big step further and prepare the list as a handout when you visit new local businesses.

There is no better time to begin your local referral marketing campaign than today.

 

To Your Small Business Success

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13 Streams of Small Business Twitter Delight

October 30 in Grow You Business, Market Your Business by Kenda | No Comments


Small Business Inspiration In Your Twitter Stream

If you’re looking for informative people to follow on Twitter for your small business, look no further. Below is a list of 13 Streams Of Small Business Twitter Delight, designed to help you grow your small business. You’ll learn plenty of tips and tricks by simply clicking follow.

1. Adam Toren

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This co-founder of YoungEntrepreneur.com offers tweets pertaining to marketplace success.

2. Christine Perkett

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This founder of Perkett PR serves as a great role model for how beneficial Twitter can be for any business owner.

3. Michael Michalowicz

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He is best known as the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur and has written a book and maintains a blog aptly titled. His tweets are centered around helping fellow entrepreneurs become successful.

 4. Diane Hessen

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She is CEO of Communispace, an organization specializing in managing online communities.

 5. Andrew Ross Sorkin

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This co-founder of YoungEntrepreneur.com offers tweets pertaining to marketplace success.

 6. Norm Brodsky

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Street Smarts columnist and senior contributing editor for Inc. Magazine. Best of all, he’s a Serial Entrepreneur.

 7. Dan Schawbel

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He is a leading personal branding expert with a lot of interesting information to share.

 8. Becky McCray

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Her tweets provides insights from the many years of business experience, especially for the small town, small business.

  9.  David Garland

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He is the host of a television show and strives to empower entrepreneurs with a lot of great information.

10.  Scott Stratten

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His tweets are aimed at helping people engage more and market less.

 11.  Anita Campbell

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She is the editor of the website Small Business Trends and provides advice and helpful links designed to help business owners.

12.  Alyssa Gregory

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Small Business Collaborator. Entrepreneur. Writer. Speaker. Founder of @ smallbizbonfire 

Last but not least, me!

13.  Kenda Morrison

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I am a small business Twitter Tip fanatic. I’d love for you to join me and together, we’ll grow stronger and more profitable.

Who would you add to the list? Please share in the comments below.

To Your Small Business Success

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Review of Up Close & Persona

October 22 in Grow You Business, Manage Your Business by Kenda | 1 Comment

 

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A buyer persona can tell you a lot about your business. It is a composite of different factors that affect and motivate your buyer to make a decision. The buying cycle and related decisions are situated within a larger context. It is important to understand what motivates buyer behavior and this context is the key.

Your company most likely targets a wide range of customers and companies. The persona tool is what will help you create a big picture of the most important types of customers.

The key to determining your buyer persona is considering each factor involved in the buying process. Through this, you will be able to develop relevant content that will speak to your potential customers in a way that will make them care about what you have to say. Creating the picture is the hard part and that’s where Up Close & Persona, a buyer persona tool developed with B2B marketing strategist Ardath Albee, comes into play.

Up Close & Persona is a tool that removes the hurtle of knowing each and every piece of information necessary to create that buyer persona. Through a series of questions, it prompts the user to consider all the different buyer variables that go into making the final buying decision. This, in turn, helps create the whole picture needed to provide the right information to the public.

Up Close & Persona also allows you to save your work as you go along. This makes it possible to continue looking for answers to important questions without losing anything. You’ll even get tips on how to best find the answers you are seeking.

The fact that there are so many variables involved in creating a buyer persona means it’s often easy to miss some along the way. If this is your first time creating one, you may not even be aware of the sheer number of questions you’ll need to answer. Up Close & Persona simplifies the process by showing you the information you’ll need. This is accomplished by walking you through it one step at a time and ensuring no stone will remain unturned once it has been completed.

Buyer personas can be used to benefit our business in many ways. They allow you to target your customers by speaking directly to them. They take the guess work out of who you’re talking to and what you should be saying.

All the information is there at your fingertips. Up Close & Persona is quick, easy, and one of the most beneficial tools you can use for your small business. You’ll even learn a lot about your customers, and ultimately your business just by creating a buyer persona.

If you begin using Up Close & Persona at the inception of your business, you’ll never be without the most crucial pieces of information. Viewing the big picture will allow you to see the needs of your customers in a whole new way. You’ll also be able to understand these needs better because of the uniform view this overall picture will provide. There’s no reason not to try Up Close & Persona today.

 

To Your Small Business Success

 
 
 
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Clear The Clutter

October 4 in Grow You Business by Kenda | No Comments


Gain focus, perspective and clarity – Clear the Clutter

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As I sat at my home office looking for a spot for my daily cup of ‘joe’, I realized that there was none. My desk was saturated with post-it notes, pictures and even a singing bear. It was time to clear the clutter. I wondered how it had gotten to that state.  Realizing that the transgression wasn’t intentional and that many of the objects were special gifts, photos and knickknacks, I knew that it was time to clear the clutter.  When I think about times when I’m most productive, they are typically when my space is calm and distractions are minimal.  With that in mind, I began the venture of reorganization.

Giving ourselves clear workspaces not only help us increase our efficiency, it also gives us newfound energy to develop and create.  In an effort to be your most effective during work hours, clearing your desk of small hindrances and bric-a-brac is certain to breathe new life into your business planning and development. Clear The Clutter!

According to a new survey of over 1000 workers by staffing firm Adecco, a majority of Americans (57%) admit they judge coworkers by how clean or dirty they keep their workspaces. Meanwhile, nearly half say they have been “appalled” by how messy a colleagues’ office is and most chalk it up to pure laziness. via Forbes

I found that a few of my greatest clutter offenders were personal mementos and memorabilia.  Somehow, I seem to gravitate toward the one-of-a kind photos.  I find them to be energizing and assistive in creating the kind of atmosphere I personally enjoy.  There are places for the memories and quirky collections; unfortunately, that place was going to have to find them in another area beside my desk.

I knew I needed to devise a plan of action to clear my desk of those mementos, organize and store them more suitably.

Here are a few helpful hints and suggestions that helped me move toward a clutter-free workspace:

  1. Set a ‘decluttering date’ with the your shredder and wastebasket

Before embarking on the journey to declutter and reorganize, dispose of all of the unnecessary debris and    outdated material.  If you aren’t sure about some of the papers, set them aside for the time being, so that you can remain on task.  Focus, focus, focus!

  1. Create a priority checklist

The best-laid plan is the one that includes execution.  Start a list of the most essential things you need to help you feel comfortable in your space.  Do you need bins and trays or would you prefer boxes with exchangeable labels?  Do you need an additional filing cabinet or shelves? Pens on the desk or off?  What office supplies do you absolutely need and which ones can move to the drawer? Do you need to shop for materials?  Be sure to think through and visualize what a clean desk will look like for you and draft the layout on paper.  Use it as a guide and goal.

  1. Shelve it, store it, sell it of give it away

With the items cleared from the desk, create four piles.  Have a friend who can remain neutral join in the process and begin dividing.  Make sure that the goal is to store and shelve less than you sell or give away.

  1. Declare your desk top as a ‘no return zone’

After shredding, prioritizing, dividing and reorganizing your work area, it would be a shame seeing it return to the same cluttered state.  Make a pact with yourself whenever you get new mementos or memorabilia.  Take the object through the “Shelve it, store it, sell it of give it away process.  It should easily find its way into one of the categories. (Hint: to avoid overstuffing your shelves, bring a friend to your office area and go through suggestion #3 to ensure it isn’t overcrowded, as well).

It is sometimes difficult to say no to a great find or a stunning family photo. Finding spaces for collections and other assorted items will keep you on track and your workspace free of the jumble. I’m finding it more and more necessary to adhere to this rule, and I am experiencing the great benefits.  I’ve added shelves, created a more efficient filing system, scanned photos into online photo albums and surrounded myself with all of the things that assist me in my productivity. Keep your workspace ordered and clutter-free and you will be certain to experience your most creative and effective efforts.

 

To Your Small Business Success

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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A Customer Relationship is More Important Than Closing a Sale

October 2 in Grow You Business by Kenda | No Comments


Customer relationships grow with genuine and reliable attention

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One of the main reasons that I went into the media industry was because I really enjoy people.  I know that might seem a bit cliché, but people are amazing. Each has their own story, their own unique personality and special qualities.  Being in the entertainment industry has really allowed me to feed that need for building customer relationships.  I’ve learned many things over the years in these interactions, and one of the best lessons learned would have to be that ‘opening a customer relationship is far more important than closing a sale’. 

Establishing customer relationships require an investment on both sides.  As business owners, we are often placed in the role of relationship initiator. We always keep our vision open wide to discover new opportunities.  We are not only business owners; we are customer relationship designers and maintainers. 

Although closing a sale is incredibly important for increasing revenue, it is vital to foster business relationships.  These relationships provide us with incredible prospects.  They also build a steady following and cultivate long-term customers. 

I remember a recent conversation I had with a business owner who felt like so much more of his time was spent in face-to-face conversations than it had been in the past.  He also mentioned that he’d felt far more connected to his business and to the clients than he had in some time as well.  I followed up with him and discovered that not only was his business beginning to see an increase in clients, but also in significant return customers.

When a great deal of attention is given to building customer relationships, trust is established.  In today’s market, competition is stiff and unyielding.  Every business owner is trying to find ways to stay relevant and viable.  That attention is not lost on the customer.  Our customers are able to sniff out disingenuous and fraudulent gimmicks like well-bred bloodhounds.  We want to offer honesty, good product, great customer service and availability.  It is what we would expect, and our customers are not much different in their expectations.

Opening customer relationships are also new opportunities.  Perhaps the relationship might not lead to a closed sale, what it might land is a new connection or a new business opportunity.  If we were solely focused on the closing, we would completely miss the beauty of networking and connection to nurture new and potential business possibilities.  Don’t close an open door by placing far too much of your energy on trying to get the sale.  It might not be a sale today, but that certainly doesn’t mean that person will not return in the future.  You want to leave the space unhindered so that return can be likely and available.

You know that I am the first to talk about the importance of strategies for potential earnings and about business integrity. 

Building relationships is not a strategy it is an absolute necessity.

 Our customers deserve the best and we can offer them with genuine and reliable attention.  That attention is developed as we take the time to establish great and lasting relationships with them.  I know that I’m going to revisit how I am doing in this area and make all of the needed adjustments to make sure that I, too, am offering my best to my customers.  Remember that every encounter is an opportunity to launch a potential business relationship and not merely closing a sale.  Happy relationship building!

 

To Your Small Business Success.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Turning Your Back On The Crowd

September 28 in Expanding Your Comfort Zone, Grow You Business, Manage Your Business by Kenda | No Comments

Recently, while surfing the net at the coffeehouse, I happened upon a wonderful quote by James Cook:

                  A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.

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I was struck by the wisdom of the words. I thought about how they were such necessary truths for business owners. I sat doing a test to see how I measured up on my focus and devotion to my craft.  I’ve done well, but am committed to always improving.

What does that phrase mean for me and what does that quote mean for business.  Well, I think it has two very distinct lessons that can be gleaned. The first lesson is that focusing on your craft (your orchestral presentation) will bring the greatest performance.  The second is that in an orchestra, only the best players are chosen.

When I think about focusing on my craft, I think about not being swayed by ‘fly by night notions’ and short-lived trends.  I’ve worked very diligently to perfect my skills and so have you! Don’t allow the gimmicks to distract you.  You’ve spent countless hours and invested hard-earned cash to develop your business.  You’ve done it with care and patience. Far too many businesses fall short chasing fads. It is important to be aware of trends and updates, but they are never a ‘one size fits all’. Be careful not to fall into the trap. Take time to investigate before you devote time and money into a new popular marketing venture. 

Similar to the idea of centering on your craft to avoid the influence of the masses is the practice of focusing on the right things.  When we are not certain about what our focus should be, it is obvious.  Priorities frequently change, we lack a solid plan and our business suffers.  Take a moment to establish goals for your company.  Make sure that you dedicate sufficient time to organize your thoughts and create a list of priorities for accomplishing those goals.  Share those goals with the other stakeholders in your company. Revisit your goals every few months to see if you’re making progress or if you might need to adjust them to better suit current conditions. Focus!

The second take-away from the Cook’s quote centers around the idea of the orchestra.  What are the instruments that are part of your orchestra?  Who sits first chair?  Do you need to change the music? Do you need to add new or different instruments? Is your orchestra following your lead? Do they know the music?  Although the suggestion of our business being similar to an orchestra is quirky, it isn’t far reaching to understand the parallels.

I often said that a team full of the best players still needs a coach.  As the coach, we make the decision about who the players on our team are and what positions they will play.  In our businesses, if we aren’t choosing the right staff and placing them in the appropriate positions, we’re setting ourselves up to lose the game.  Make sure that you have a solid hiring practice and training program for your staff.  They need explicit direction and complete understanding of what your business is, how it runs, how to make quick decisions and the best way to handle changes. 

I love going to performances with orchestras.  I love watching the intensity with which each of the players perform. I also love watching the conductor as the orchestra is lead. The conductor has the power and can soften the music, increase the tempo and even elevate the concentration of particular segments within the piece.  You and I have that same responsibility and the same power to guide our companies—and we will!

 

To Your Small Business Success

 
 
 
 
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Train All Levels of Your Staff on the Basics of Handling Customer Issues and Inquiries

September 26 in Grow You Business, Manage Your Business by Kenda | No Comments

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Recently, I visited a boutique for a new outfit.  On this day, I just popped in for a quick trip.  Little did I know that my attempts at an ‘in-and-out’ visit would soon become the greatest testing of my patience for the day.  I found the perfect outfit, but was confused about the cost.  Two identical outfits in the same size and color were marked differently.

I brought my purchase to the counter to inquire about the true price and to alert the boutique staff to the pricing conflict.  The customer service member became a bit discourteous and suggested that someone had pulled the discounted price from another item.  The suggestive tone made me feel as if the ‘someone’ being referred to was me.  I clearly stated that I wasn’t certain how either price was placed on the items, but wanted to inquire about the true price.  A supervisor, upon hearing our exchange, came over to assist.  After explaining what I’d encountered, she simply looked the item up in the system to confirm the true price and to see if there indeed a discount.  There was a discount, but one of the items had been overlooked when the prices were changed.

I was tempted to be offended and make a fuss about the encounter but realized that the problem did not solely rest with the customer service member, but also with the company for insufficiently training her in the basics of customer service.  I was convinced, even more, about the necessity of training all levels of staff in the basics of handling customer service issues and inquiries.

You work diligently to present the best product possible.  You’ve invested a create deal of time, energy and capital into your business.  There are a few questions to ask yourself when you consider how you handle customer service in your business:

  1. Does my staff understand the essential role customer service plays in my business?
  2.  Does my staff have the same passion for positive issue resolution that I have?
  3.  Do I have a written customer service policy?
  4.  Is customer service a part of all new employee training?
  5.  How often do I offer refresher discussions and training about customer service?

Customer service training should include an understanding of who is responsible for what within your company.  Staff should be confident in contacting the appropriate person when fielding questions and responding to service issues.  Confident and competent staff helps to build trust relationships in your business.  If your customers feel that their questions and issues were handled with care and proficiency, it only builds their confidence in your business and your products.

Don’t let all of the great work you’ve established be decimated by not taking the extra step to ensure that all your staff is appropriated equipped to handle the unknown and unforeseen that might arise in your business.

 
 
 
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Do Your Family and Friends Know What It Is That You Do?

September 21 in Grow You Business, Manage Your Business by Kenda | No Comments


Business Ambassadors

A satisfied customer is a wonderful advertising tool, but a confident friend or family member will be your greatest ambassador.

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When I’m out with my family, I always get a little giggle when I hear one of them describe what it is that I do.  It’s interesting to hear them search for ‘just the right words’ and I as I watch their enthusiasm.  It wasn’t always this way.  In fact, it used to be very uncomfortable watching them scramble and meander through a hapless description, hoping that there would be no follow-up question from whomever they’d just shared the information.  With a pained expression, I would attempt to rush to the rescue and attempt to salvage the damage. I know that it seems unadorned and harmless but, for business owners, having misrepresentations and unclear descriptions milling about could be the makings for missed opportunities and the loss of potential customers.

Do you have children? Do they know what you do?  Can they easily answer a question with detail or description, concerning your business?  If you’ve found the answer to be no, then I encourage you to find fairly simple language and illustrations to help your child or children when it comes to talking about what you do.  As business owners, we should look at every moment as being both a teachable moment and a moment for us to learn and grow.

A satisfied customer is a wonderful advertising tool, but a confident  friend or family member will be your greatest ambassador.  With correct information, they can move your business forward in very positive ways.  They can recruit new customers, help build and boost consumer confidence for your product, help with sustaining current customers and be the dispellers of poor and inaccurate information.

Another important reason for making sure that your friends and family members know exactly what it is that your business does is to set a solid foundation for future expansion.  Perhaps your desire is to have your business remain in the family.  Your children and other family members have the opportunity to see your excellent work ethic, get excited about the business alongside you and in some cases, receive one-on-one mentoring and instruction under your or a trusted staff members guidance.

Establishing legacies and traditions are vital to family-owned business.  I value the great examples set by my family and believe them to be what gave me the confidence and impetus to begin my own business adventure.  Perhaps your business is not arranged in a fashion that allows it to be passed along; there is still a great responsibility to having your friends and family know what it is that you do.  If one of your dreams or visions for your business is to expand or merge, their connections might be the needed spark for that relationship.  With their confidence in you and your business, they reinforce your solid business ethic to their associations. They, again, are the mouthpiece and advertisement that gets you in the door where other methods and strategies might prove far less practical and effective.

I love the way that we can personalize and put our own stamp on our businesses as owners.  We set the stage for our own success and build upon that stage with informative and selective advertising.  One of the best ways to create that is by making sure we create opportunities to accurately and efficiently disseminate our message.  Making our friends and family strong business ambassadors, armed with the latest and most valuable information about what it is that we do is one of the best ways.  At your next family gathering, be sure to strike up a conversation about your business.  Include all the new and exciting things happening, any changes, transitions, and ideas for new opportunities with them.  You’ll be certain to have some of the most cost-effective and impactful advertising ever!

 
To Your Small Business Success
 
 
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Expose and Share the Human Side of Your Small Business

September 20 in Expanding Your Comfort Zone, Grow You Business, Manage Your Business by Kenda | No Comments


People want a peephole into the lives of others

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Lately, the sheer number of sales pitches and gimmicks being used to entice audiences has nearly overwhelmed me.   Consumers seem to be overrun with infomercials, lofty promises, and “we’ll add a second one, at no cost—just pay shipping and handling.’  I know that as creatures of comfort, we are drawn to relationships.  Even the most reticent of us find connections to someone or with someone.  Understanding this, the importance of sharing the human side of your company is vital to creating and establishing returning and long-term customers.

Having been in the media industry, I am keenly aware that at any given time of day, you are certain to encounter a reality show of some variety.  People want a peephole into the lives of others.  This is evidenced by the dominance of reality television during prime times for the last decade.  These shows offer an aspect of connection.  We’ve seen the unmarried find love, the abandoned puppy find a new home, the ‘little princess’ have a hissy-fit when she didn’t win the pageant and the kid who only sang in the shower get a recording contract.  As a society, we seem to gravitate toward stories with real life scenarios and individuals who share their authenticity.  How does this translate itself for your business?

Many of our clients are the very ones watching the reality shows, hoping to find a connection or something with which they can relate.  I strongly believe that our clients want to align themselves with our companies in a more personal way.  They want the ‘real face’ —the genuine article.  They long to build a trust relationship in a world that hasn’t always been trustworthy. By offering your personal story and the human side of your business, we build the foundation for the trust relationships that invite customers, both new and current to join us on our business journey and remain with us as reliable associates.

When I think about sharing the human side of our companies and what that really means, I think about giving them insight into our passions and visions. Your business began with intention—whether it was by spark of your ingenuity, noticing an unmet need, and holding on to the desire to continue your family legacy or by the extension of a hobby, our customers long to know our story and to know they too are heard.

Set yourself apart. Work as diligently to share the human side of your company as you would in creating a marketing plan.  Social media has become so popular because it is SOCIAL.  Including a bit of humanity in your business strategy will not only help build trust and loyalty, you’ll find that you have volunteer ambassadors eager to share your story…your customers.  They will recommend you above others because of the relationship you’ve fostered with them.  Recommendations lead to new customers and new customers lead to profit increases. The rewards of a solid and steady customer base are certainly worth it.

To Your Small Business Success

 

 

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Have You Thanked A Customer Today

September 19 in Grow You Business, Manage Your Business by Kenda | No Comments


The mere use of the word opens more frank conversation.

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I don’t know about you, but nothing makes my day quite as much as being remembered and regarded.  Nothing soothes or remedies a wearied spirit nearly as much.  ‘Thank yous’ go a long way in sustaining and when required, salvaging relationships.  The mere use of the word opens more frank conversation.

I understand the crucial role of capturing and preserving our client base.  Competition these days is unyielding. Customers are more discerning and their spending practices more guarded.  What factor separates you from your competitors? What aspect of your business shines as your greatest feature?

You are your company’s leader and your patterns set the tone and the example that others will follow.  What example do you want to set?

Here a few ways that you might establish a “Customer Thank You” centric practice for your small business:

  • In your staff meetings, talk about how important you feel thanking the customer is for your company.
  • Institute a practice of saying “Thank You” as customers leave your establishment and following all phone calls.
  • Make certain that your staff sees you offering thanks to customers consistently.
  • Cultivate the culture by not only thanking your customers, but your staff as well.

I see a face light up every time a ‘Thank You’ is offered.  Even if the person you thank doesn’t purchase anything at the time, it’s not to say that they won’t with their next visit.

There are hundreds of ways to say thanks to your customers.  I see the advantage of this in my business on a constant basis.  I’ve seen a smile and a ‘Thank You’ change the atmosphere. I know that my own mood lightens when I offer thanks.

The customers are not the only ones who benefit from the gratitude.  Your countenance and attitude is unquestionably affected.  Like a domino effect, when you exude positive energy, those around you are influenced by that positive energy, as well.

To Your Small Business Success!

 

 

 

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