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We hope you find this arcthve useful. A subscription to The Small Business Advisor Newsletter is free. Subscribe now - it's easy! The Small Business Advisor Newsletter for April, 1999 CONTENTS
++++++++++++++++++++++++ NOTES/TIPS/etc "ON-HOLD" IDEA. If you must place callers on hold (and we all know how much a caller loves that!), include a background message that gives the caller a "secret" word which - if repeated - will earn them a discount on your product or service. MY FAVORITE TIP. This is my all time favorite that I like to repeat from time to time: Don't forget to include your business brochure or other sales information in the envelopes you use to pay your bills! A CLEVER UTILITY. Coloristic is a free utility that magnifies the area of the screen surrounding the current mouse position. It will also display the color value for the pixel that is exactly under the mouse position and allow you to copy that color value to the clipboard. Get it at http://www.bubblepop.com/coloristic/index.html GRANTS. From time to time I'm asked about obtaining a grant to start or expand a business. Although tough to come by it is possible to find grants depending on your type of business. Many foundations provide funding in the form of grants. Check "The Foundation Directory" at your local library or visit their website at http://fdncenter.org to find out what foundations may have an interest in your specific business. The Foundation Center may also be reached at 212 620 4230. MAIL INSURANCE. Finding out the status of a mail insurance claim can be difficult. Here is the number to use: 1 (888) 601 9328. Be sure you have your insured mail "V" number. SEARCH ENGINES. There are hundreds available but here is searchenginewatch' current listing of the largest and most useful. AltaVista http://www.altavista.com/ WEBSITE MARKETING. I've written frequently about the importance of website marketing and the use of "traditional" approaches. Marketing is essential for website success. One of the neatest approaches I have seen is "Webcards" by the folks at http://www.printing.com. They can capture your website homepage from the internet and place it on a 4x6 postcard with additional text front or back. I use them - they are excellent. Cost is reasonable and there are some options. Cost is about $150 for 500 cards. Reach them at 1 (800) 352 2333. MARKETING TIP. Want to amaze your customers? Give them a call (or e-mail) a few days after a purchase and ask if they are satisfied or if there is anything you can do for them. You will be amazed at the loyalty this can build. INTERNET STATS. The internet continues to be an amazing small business tool: Over 41% of small businesses now access the internet; current estimate for usage by 2001 is 4.3 million small businesses. The Internet Marketing Center, http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/7115 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES - READ THIS! In 1995, the Supreme Court changed the legal standard for affirmative action in Federal Procurement. The SBA is playing an important role in carrying out the resulting reforms. Studies by the Department of Commerce have shown where government procurement with Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs) is disproportionately low. The SBA has been charged with the responsibility of certifying companies in this government-wide program. Any company that wants to obtain certification must demonstrate social and economic disadvantage. If it meets the criteria, the company can then compete for federal contracts using its SDB status. Once certified, companies are being listed on the SBA's national database, PRO-Net. This online procurement tool makes it easy for federal contracting officers, and for large companies, to find qualified small disadvantaged contractors and subcontractors. Effective October 1998 certified companies seeking prime contracts with government agencies were eligible to receive a 10% price adjustment on their bids. Only firms that receive certification from SBA are eligible for this benefit. Starting January 1, 1999, large business prime contractors have been able to receive incentives for using certified SDBs in competing for federal contracts. For subcontracting, self-certifications will be accepted until July 1, 1999 after which time only SBA certified firms will be permissible. The program is mandatory government wide - which will mean many more contracting opportunities for SDBs. These changes will open new opportunities for small businesses to bid on and secure government contracts. But, in order to participate, small, disadvantaged firms must act now. To find out more about certification, firms may call their local SBA district offices or the SBA at 1-800-558-0884. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ CUSTOMER SERVICE = LOYALTY = SALES! Think about your reaction when you receive poor service! How often have you told someone about a bad service experience? Often, I bet. Customers have long memories for a bad experience and considering the importance of "word of mouth" marketing it is important to ensure your business is providing the BEST customer service possible. Your job as a business owner is to provide outstanding customer service all the time! Every satisfied customer will become a walking advertisement for your business. The key to customer service is to make it EASY to deal with your company. Make EVERYthing easy … Make it easy to find you Put yourself in place of the customer when assessing your performance. Little things make a difference. The following listing are a few elements of a "customer satisfaction" program - you'll surely find more that are specific to your own business.
Incorporate these ideas into how you treat your customers, your sales literature and website (you do have a website, right?). And speaking of your website ensure that it is included in your "customer satisfaction" program. For example;
Providing exceptional customer service is one major way a small and home based business can compete with larger businesses. Don't forget this and you'll win and keep customers. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ GET FREE MEDIA PUBLICITY BY AVOIDING THESE EDITOR
PET PEEVES. Media publicity is terrific FREE advertising if you can get it. Nothing convinces prospects that you, your product, or service is worth their money like an unbiased media endorsement. Although media make their money by selling advertising, you can get free media publicity if you follow these editor needs and pet peeves. Newspapers, ezines, magazines, tabloids, TV stations, and radio personalities are constantly on the look out for good stories and helpful information **their audience will appreciate**. Those last few words deserve emphasis. Editors aren't interested in giving you a free plug nearly as much as they want to give their audience something valuable. If your information is of interest to the audience, editors don't mind giving you a boost in the process. There are several do's and don'ts that impress editors. 1. When contacting an editor or publisher, get right to the point with your phone call, email, or letter. Start with the part of your story that will interest them the most. Don't ramble on too long. Their time is valuable. Provide contact information so the editor can get back in touch at a later date. Offer to follow up with more information. 2. Don't call a newspaper editor or reporter after 3pm. That's crunch time at most daily newspapers when the staff is rushing to reach deadlines. It's best not to call a TV station just minutes before the newscast or while the cast in on the air. 3. Make sure your story is "newsworthy." Your message must be of interest to a large part of the audience. Editors hate it when somebody tries to disguise an ad or commercial as news or an article. 4. Make sure your written message has good grammar and correctly spelled words. TV programs are looking for something visual. Offer to supply tape showing your event or product. Ezines and tabloids are interested in helpful information you can share with readers. 5. Don't forget radio which needs a constant supply of interesting stories every day of the year. Call radio DJs when they're on the air or right after their air shift is over. Have something entertaining, funny, interesting, or controversial to say. (Visit Carol Wadell's website, The WorkShop, at http://www.WorkShopInc.com or email mme@workshopinc.com) ++++++++++++++++++++++++ How to Increase the Power of Your Testimonials
by 500 Percent Are you using testimonials in your marketing? If not, you are missing one of the most successful forms of marketing ever used. Adding a testimonial to your current marketing material can not only increase your sales, but more importantly, increase your credibility! Adding testimonials can greatly increase the power of your marketing program, if done correctly. Done correctly? How hard can it be to add a testimonial, you say? Read on and learn how you can increase the power of your testimonial by ten-fold and avoid the most common marketing mistake many top online sites make. Browse around some of your favorite websites and see how many testimonials from satisfied customers are prominently displayed. I bet many of them are lacking the most important part. Contact! How many times have you come across a page full of testimonials that are listed like the following example: Great products and services! I will recommend you to everyone I know. Your services are fantastic. D.S. - Wilkes Barre, PA Wow, that's believable...Not! Who is D.S. and why should I believe this person? When you are using a testimonial on your site, or for any form of marketing for that matter, include as much information about the person as you can. How much more credible do you think the above testimonial would be if it had the full name, email address and URL, if available, of the author? Ten times or more! If you are concerned about people blasting your customers with email asking about your business, don't be. Most people will not bother to email them. Just the fact that they could is all the support your testimonial needs. When you receive a testimonial from a customer or a happy visitor, respond and thank them! Ask them if it would be okay to use their kind words on your site. Be sure to tell them you will give them full credit for their testimonial with a link. Leery about asking for your customers' permission? Most people will be glad to let you post their testimonial. In fact, I bet most would appreciate the link. Always ask before posting comments on your site or including them in your marketing material. You will be surprised at how far a testimonial can go in the eyes of your prospects. One great bonus is the fact that there is absolutely no cost! Nothing beats a personal recommendation. I hope you re-evaluate your use of testimonials and if you have never used them, start. They could make you rich! (Visit David at http://www.associatesearch.com. Internet Marketing Newsletter Free subscription - mailto:subscribe@associatesearch.com) Return to top of page - Back to Home Page - Back to Archive Index |