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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 November, 2002 ======================== ======================== Considering how important written and oral communications
are in the business world, it is amazing how little attention is
given to these areas. Furthermore, most of us are not too good at
either. However, it is encouraging to note that improvements in
speaking and writing are easy to achieve and can pay big dividends.
This chapter will focus on suggestions for improving your performance
in both these areas. You must write clearly and not obfuscate (see what I mean?) the message, since your business survival depends to a great extent on making yourself understood. This chapter provides some tips for making your message understandable. WRITING GUIDELINES Keep the recipient in mind. Keep in mind who is to get the message and adjust your text and writing style accordingly. Correspondence to a customer should always be friendly and upbeat even when discussing a problem. Wrong: “Our warranty clearly states that no returns will be accepted after 60 days. After that time the manufacturer is responsible for any repairs.” Better: “I am sorry you are having problems with your lawn mower. As you know we do not accept returns after 60 days. As noted in the manual, you can return the mower to the manufacturer for repairs. And, because we value you as a customer, we will be happy to loan you our demonstration unit until yours is returned.” Now, make certain there is a big sign on the side of the mower that states, “Loaner courtesy ABC Company.” You get free advertising in your customer’s neighborhood. Make your message as personal as possible ... it
makes you more believable. Better: “I hope to see you in the store again soon.” Understand the purpose for the communications. Include only what is required for clarity. In other words, don’t beat around the bush. Your reader is looking for a certain message ... present that message early in the text, before the reader becomes bored. Wrong. “We appreciate the opportunity to ... blah blah ... XYZ has been in business for ... and we have furnished similar ... blah blah ... Attachment 1 lists your cost for the items requested.” Better. “Ref: Your request for pricing dated April 2, 1992. [chart of prices]. Thank you and please call with any questions.” People are busy, just like you are, and do not want to be entertained by correspondence. They just want answers. Obtain an independent review. If possible, have someone review your correspondence for under-standing and clarity. The message may be obvious to you and no one else. There is a story told that Napoleon had his “dullest” foot soldier read all his directives before they were sent to his generals. His thought was that if this foot soldier understood the message, there was no chance that anyone else would misinterpret his orders. Proofread. It is amazing how many errors can be found in correspondence. When this happens you immediately lose credibility with the reader. Never mind how the error crept in ... it is now too late. Proofread thoroughly. Do NOT rely on your word processor’s spell checker ... it cannot interpret what you are trying to say. For example it cannot make the correct decision with respect to words like there/their, for/four, capitol/capital. Do not rely on any of the software “grammar
checkers.” They are simply not good enough (yet) to be effective
and you cannot afford mistakes. “Sorry, Mr. Jones, but apparently
my computer did not understand what I was trying to say.” Organize your writing. Start with an outline and
then fill in the specifics. In that manner, you will be assured
of an organized document. Do organize your material to present a clear message. Do be precise. Use words with exact meanings. Do use humor, if it’s appropriate, and especially if the subject is dull ... it will help to keep the reader’s attention. Don’t be verbose. Read any legal document for examples of this! Don’t try to impress the reader with big complex words. Just clearly state your message. The best way to learn to write is to write. Practice! Write letters to companies and ask for literature, begin a daily diary, write to your mother. SPEAKING Every book written about speaking in various situations never fails to mention that speaking in front of an audience is everyone’s number one fear (perhaps even edging out death!). Maybe that’s true, and with a few pointers, it is amazing how easy and, yes, enjoyable, public speaking can be. Incidentally, an audience of ONE should be treated no differently than an auditorium full of people. When you are speaking, all eyes will be on you!
Therefore, everything, both audible and visual becomes important.
Your audience, whether one or many, is listening to the inflections
and tone of your voice and watching your body language and your
facial expressions. You will feel like you cannot afford even a
little mistake in either word or gesture. This is probably one of
the reasons everyone is so nervous about speaking. The answer to
alleviating your fears in this situation is easier than you might
think: Be aware of a few basic rules of speaking and then practice. Practice a smile and take a few deep breaths. Smile at your audience, when appropriate. Do not be afraid to gesture ... it is a great technique for emphasizing a point. But don’t overdue it to the point where you are always in motion which can be distracting to the listeners. Talk in a conversational tone. Don’t “lecture.” PREPARE. This is obvious and too important not to mention. If you are prepared you will exude self-confidence that will be apparent to the audience. Preparation means researching so you understand your topic. PRACTICE. Practice until you are satisfied with
your delivery. Big, impressive words are not necessary and can be distracting when your audience tries to figure out what they mean. Make sure your message is organized, clear, and
to the point. Maintain eye contact with your audience. Ob-serve other speakers and note how often they are speaking to something other than their listeners. It is very distracting to an audience to have a speaker address the ceiling or podium! Use the pause effectively. A second or two of silence is preferred over three or four “uh” or “ums.” The stuttering speech that results from those little “uh” and “um” sounds drive listeners crazy and makes it sound like you don’t know your material. You lose credibility. So don’t do it. Simply pause! Do not argue or become confrontational with anyone in your audience. If someone gives you a hard time, do your best to ignore it or offer to speak with them at the end of your delivery. Be honest. If you don’t know something, simply say “I don’t know.” Be yourself. If you put on an act, you lose sincerity and credibility. SUMMARY ======================== These 3 simple marketing strategies work for any business. You can implement them quickly and produce immediate results. They won't cost you much money. And the sales growth they generate continues as long as you continue using them. 1. CREATE A SPECIAL COMBINATION OFFER Combine several of your products or services into a Special Combination Package with a price lower than the total cost of buying each item separately. Promote it as a Special Offer for a limited time. When you pass the expiration date, replace it with another Special Combination Offer using a different selection of products or services. Special Combination Offers increase your total sales by motivating hesitant customers to buy now so they can get your "good deal". Special Combination Offers also increase the size of your average sale. And bigger average sales generate more total profit for you. TIP: After you develop 3 or 4 different combinations you can continuously recycle through the same series of offers. This enables you to continue promoting Special Combination Offers without taking the time to create new ones. 2. SINGLE OUT A SMALL CUSTOMER SEGMENT Look for a narrowly defined niche within your targeted market. Identify a specific group of potential customers with a strong need (or desire) for the benefits provided by your product or service. Create a special version of your advertising catering to the specific concerns and needs of prospects in this new market. Customize your sales message so each prospect perceives your product or service as the perfect solution to their unique needs. For example, one person selling a lead service to small businesses noticed that many of her clients were network marketers or real estate agents. She created a customized web site for each of these 2 niche markets. The sites looked similar. But the content was different. A visitor to either site could assume the lead service applied exclusively to their industry. BONUS: A highly defined, small niche market also insulates you from competition. Other small businesses are likely to overlook it. And large businesses completely ignore small market segments. 3. ESTABLISH A SUBTLE REFERRAL PROGRAM Referrals from customers are easier to sell than cold prospects. And they don't cost you anything. It's too bad you get so few of them. You can generate a continuous flow of referrals with a simple but subtle Customer Survey. Send it to your customers by postal mail, email, fax or post it on your web site. The survey I use asks only 3 questions: 1. What did you like best about our (product or service)? 2. What can we do to improve the value of our (product or service) for you?
The first 2 questions focus attention on the benefits you provide. Your customers are more likely to volunteer referrals at the 3rd question when they are already thinking about the value of those benefits. BONUS: You also gain something from the answers you get to the first 2 questions. The first question often generates a response you can use as a testimonial (with your customer's permission). The second question may provide an early warning of a problem you need to correct ...or it may alert you to an opportunity you can exploit. Select one of these simple marketing strategies and start using it in your business. It won't take much time or effort and you'll see results almost immediately. Then repeat the process with each of the other 2 strategies until all 3 are part of your marketing system. You'll enjoy a permanent increase in your sales volume for a very small increase in your expenses. Return to top of page - Back to Home Page - Back to Archive Index |