DSEF & CBBB: No Sale Prices? Will JC Penney Make it Work?

Today’s highlighted blog post from the Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB):

No Sale Prices? Will JC Penney Make it Work?

NO! NO! NO! I’m sure you’ve all seen the new JC Penney commercials where consumers are screaming NO! I don’t know about you, but I wanted to mute the TV immediately, but I wanted to also find out why they had all these people screaming no.

JC Penney has now released the concept behind the advertisements – here are two articles which explain, one from Business Week and one from the Wall Street Journal.

It will be interesting to see if this works – if consumers can give up their addiction to 50, 60 and 70% off sales and believe that prices could be lower without a sale. It sure would be nice, as a consumer, to shop on price points versus whether an item is 50% off.

BBB’s regularly review advertisements and comparison prices are so prevalent in today’s market.

Do you think it will work?

DSEF and Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) fosters honest and responsive relationships between businesses and consumers—instilling consumer confidence and advancing a trustworthy marketplace for all.

About the Better Business Bureaus
As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews® and BBB Wise Giving Reports® to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. Visitwww.bbb.org/us for more information.

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Seven Ways to Get Others to Promote Your Business

When other people talk about your business, it increases credibility and adds value to your brand. But when people want to help you promote your business, do you know what to ask them to do?

Here are ways that other people, such as family, friends, community members, and network associates can help you promote your business.

Display your literature. Something as simple as a brochure on a table in a waiting room can pique the interest of potential customers. If designed well, such promotional materials will attract others to pick them up, read them, and ask about them. Other places to display information are community bulletin boards (clubhouse lobbies, libraries, municipal buildings, and online newsletters), local businesses with whom you have no direct competition, and places of worship. Increasing your visibility can quickly add to your customer base. Remember to ask permission from the appropriate people before doing so.
Showcase your testimonials and reviews. Highlight your loyal client testimonials and reviews of your products/services in your literature, online presences and other marketing materials. People will be more likely to trust what their neighbors, friends and family say about your business than any other kind of marketing.
Reward referrals. People who help you promote your business can provide prospects that may be in need of your products or services with your contact information, a little bit about you, how they know you, etc. If you have an incentive system in place to reward those who give you referrals, they will be more likely to continue doing so.
Sponsor events. When holding an event such as an open house, recruit others to donate space, equipment, advertising, or other resources needed. This kind of help can be mutually beneficial as it increases the visibility and promotes the interests of all involved. For example, if you sell jewelry and are running a holiday shopping promotion for corporate customers, ask someone you know who works in an office setting to let you set up in their conference room, talk up your event to coworkers, and perhaps recommend a local deli to provide finger foods and beverages.
Use social media and contests. You most likely already have a website, Facebook page, Twitter account, blog or any combination of these set up. One key to making these work for you is to get others to want to share your content with their friends. Consider setting up contests, polls and games that give out prizes. This encourages sharing of your information, products, or events and maximizes the effect that word of mouth can have.
Invite you to relevant events. Many business organizations hold conventions, workshops, and seminars for their members and guests. Ask members of such organizations to invite you to one of these events. For example, a workshop for interior designers would be a great place for a self-employed home organizer to meet prospects who may either be in need of their services or who regularly work with others that do. Not only will you gain valuable information there, but you will also have a chance to meet potential customers.
Tap influencers. Seek out influencers in your community and provide them an incentive to promote your business. The difference here is that influencers generally have larger networks and/or have more credibility. The key here is again to have them share your information and provide a testimonial to increase word of mouth.

Decide what methods you are most comfortable with in getting others to promote your business, and make a list for yourself. Incorporate one of more of these methods on a regular basis to facilitate the growth of your business.

What have you found to be an effective way for others to promote you? Please share your ideas and experiences below!

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How to Become an Expert

How to Become an Expert

Being recognized as an expert in your field can bring many opportunities to edge out your competitors and grow your business. Once you have devoted yourself to becoming an expert, you will need to take the appropriate steps. Read on for some ways to get started.

Get focused. Even if you consider yourself an expert in several fields, especially if they are unrelated, choose one on which to focus. You may know a great deal about scrap-booking and fashion, but the two aren’t closely enough related to tie together in your search for expert status. Choose one area of your business (marketing, customer service, social media, etc.), and make it your job to know everything there is to know about it. Tip – Find a mentor or an individual you want to emulate. Copy what they did. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

Get learning. Even the most respected folks in their fields are continually seeking professional development to further their education. Read up on your subject, interview other experienced people, attend workshops, and take some classes. You might even want to get yourself a mentor. Tip – Consider taking a certificate course to add to your credentials and experience.

Get writing. After doing the appropriate amount of research required to share your expertise, publish as much quality literature on your subject as you can. Ideally, you will want to publish in several different media, such as blogs, newsletters, articles, and mailers. Having some published material will demonstrate your knowledge of the subject matter and act as a “pre-sell” of your information. Tip – Partner with bloggers and offer a weekly article/post or join their staff.

Get talking. Begin setting up speaking engagements; there’s nothing wrong with starting small. Begin by reaching out to your local library, community center, senior center, or chamber of commerce. Design your talk to highlight your accomplishments and background as well what you have to offer that makes you unique. Of course, bring some literature to distribute and use the time before and after to network and book further speaking engagements. Word of mouth can go a long way, and if you are good at what you do, people will notice and seek you out. Tip – Promote and offer your availability to do interviews.

Get promoting. You should already be used to doing this as an entrepreneur, but in order for others to recognize you as an expert, you need to promote yourself in a different way. Contact local newspapers and cable news networks to get attention put on you and your subject matter. Find some way that your expertise can benefit them as well. Tip – Present workshops, participate on internet radio, create your own YouTube videos, and submit to article websites, and present on community TV channels.

Experts in business have many doors open for them once they become established and respected. With hard work and dedication, two qualities you undoubtedly possess already, you can position yourself as an expert and reap the benefits that go along with it. What do you think it takes to become an expert? Share your ideas in the comments below!

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6 Strategies to Attract Customers

6 Strategies to Attract Customers

As a small business owner or direct seller, your customers are your livelihood. Attracting customers is something you’ll likely be striving to do whether you are just starting up or have been in business for years. In order to attract customers more effectively here are six strategies to help you attract customers and keep them coming back.

Host an open house and make yourself accessible. In doing so, you have an opportunity to not only bring in new customers, but also to connect with your community. Consider inviting local business owners and residents to your open house, where they can become acquainted with what you have to offer. Provide merchandise samples, product or service demonstrations, giveaways, and brochures. Supply refreshments for your guests and use the time to introduce yourself to them so they can put a face to your business name. You can begin building professional relationships by immersing yourself in the community.
Cross-promote your business. Another benefit of being active in your community is the ability to join forces with other businesses in order to reach a wider customer base. There are many ways to use cross-promotion such as: offering incentives to customers who use both your services, providing each other’s fliers to your customers, and sharing ad space in newspapers that you could not afford by yourself. Cross-promotion, when used effectively, can become an inexpensive way to expand your clientele.
Generate conversation and maintain an online presence. Let’s face it: ever since the word “Google” became a regularly used verb, most people have begun to research nearly everything online before making an actual purchase. Your website should not only be informational, but useful as well. If possible, provide specific product information and the ability to purchase online. Furthermore, many business owners are adding blogs to their sites where they can answer questions and provide tips that their customers would find useful. Beyond your business’s website, use social media to promote your business and generate conversation with your target market. Facebook and Twitter are obvious choices, but also consider Foursquare and Pinterest.
Explore and tap into unique communities. Explore your interests. Look for hobbyists, clubs/organizations, and causes that you can get involve with. This is a natural and low stress way to network. The more interest you explore the more people you network with and the more exposure for your business.
Provide a little something special. Many consumers perceive indifference from the businesses they frequent, which is why it’s extremely important that you provide the special extras. Here are some examples, when customers make a purchase, provide an inexpensive sample product and ask for their input about it. Remember to send them a birthday card, sponsor free kid workshops to give your customers who are parents a break, offer free gift wrapping, and local delivery service. This will help retain your customers, but also remember that word of mouth is very effective. By making a memorable and positive impression, your customers will want to share their experiences with their families and friends.
Make customer service the focus of your business. Create a system that rewards customers for their patronage and loyalty. Develop a clear, simple process on how to engage prospects, first time customers, repeat customers, loyal customers and doing follow ups. Your goal is to make prospects and customers feel that they are special and highly valued with their first experience with you. You want to hear that they’ll be back soon and that they’ll refer their friends to your business. Click here for some good ideas to increase your referrals.

When coming up with more ideas to attract customers, remember to be genuine, friendly, and professional. Aim for accessibility, authentic engagement, uniqueness and processes that deliver consistent excellence. What are some of your tried and true strategies for attracting customers? Please share them with us in the comments section below.

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5 Tips to Improve Your Social Media Marketing

5 Tips to Improve Your Social Media Marketing

Social media tools can be a wonderful way to increase your business’ visibility while also improving communication with existing customers. However it is not a “magic bullet,” and relying on social media exclusively to build your business is usually a mistake. That said, there are ways to improve the effectiveness of your social media marketing efforts, in order to increase your overall bottom line. Here are 5 tips to improve your social media marketing:

Focus. Instead of jumping onto Facebook or Pinterest and getting swept away with posts from your friends, force yourself to focus on business objectives and goals for the time you’ve allotted for social media marketing for your business. Of course, this means that you need to HAVE some goals for your time. Think about what you’d like social media to do for your business, and write it down. Things like increasing reorders from existing customers, encouraging team members to reach their goals, etc. Then, when you go online, work on activities that are directly related to those goals.
Find the Locals. Yes, social media tools can be great for reaching people far away. But it can be even more effective in helping you build deeper relationships with the people you know casually in your own community. So figure out where the locals hang out online. Is it a Facebook Page or Group for your church or town? A website set up for town issues? Find out where the people you know spend their time, and become actively involved. It’s a great way to build relationships which can ultimately help to increase your business’ visibility.
Do One Thing Well. Rather than trying to have a presence EVERYWHERE online, determine the social site where you’ll both enjoy spending time, and get the most social media “bang for your buck.” Two sites that seem to be doing good things for those in sales right now are Facebook and Pinterest. But whichever site you choose, pick one and really learn it. Invest the time in becoming part of the community, have conversations, and avoid the temptation to just blast your advertisement and move on. This will bring you much greater success than a “finger in every social media pot.”
Time Yourself. How long do you typically spend on social media tools? How does that translate into dollars? If you’re spending a lot of time on social media tools and it’s not translating into sales the way, say, meeting new clients face to face does, then maybe you should reevaluate how much time you’re spending online.
Measure Your Results. One of the biggest mistakes business owners make when using social media is the failure to measure. Setting up a Facebook Page is not enough. You MUST know how it’s working for you, and if the activities on your page are bringing you closer to your goal. So start by defining a goal for your online efforts, and then look at the analytics of each tool, along with the sales you produce, to determine whether the activities you’re engaging in are worth the time you’re investing. At the end of the day, you’re in business to make money. Make sure the work you’re doing brings results.

By making slight adjustments to the way you “do” social media marketing, you can enjoy big improvements which impact your bottom line positively.

What have we missed? What tips do you have to improve social media marketing for small business owners? We would love to read your thoughts and comments below.

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Gamification To Increase Business

Gamification To Increase Business

Gamification is a relatively new term that refers to the integration of game dynamics into any aspect of business. Its main objectives are to drive participation, increase awareness of the business, and draw in new customers. Here a few ways to get started.

Use a service designed to track your customers’ loyalty. A great place to begin is Badgeville, a “social loyalty platform” that gives businesses the “power to drive and measure user behavior with social game mechanics.” Badgeville provides a step by step process to help you set an objective, choose which behaviors to track, and create real-time user rewards. This is similar to the way FourSquare works, except you get to create your own system. The advantage here is that you can truly tailor your game to the needs and wants of your customer base.
Gamify your team’s professional development. Big businesses, such as Google, are using this with increasing frequency. In order to motivate employees to spend less than they were allotted for business trips, they created a game in which employees could save up unused amounts to receive cash back, donate to charity, or save up towards a future trip. (Source) Small business owners and direct sellers can use this same concept to motivate teams and increase sales.
Take to Twitter and Facebook. Many companies are using gamification to increase awareness of themselves to prospective clients. A simple way to do this would be to give away a free small sample. For every 20 new Twitter “retweets” or every Facebook “like”, you draw a name from the new likes or people who retweeted for the give-away. Doing so will keep customers coming back to your site, encourage them to seek out what’s new with your business, and drive them to recommend you to their friends. Think of it as 21^st century word of mouth.
Invite participation in your blog. The fast-food chain Wendy’s recently created a short-lived game show on Twitter to promote a series of new items on its menu. The game show gained a cult following for several reasons, including the mystery surrounding who was hosting it, but also because prizes were being given away for participating in various tasks. Fellow tweeters were asked to post pictures of themselves in their funniest pair of socks, for example. Consider using this method in your blog by creating a task and giving each participant one entry into a small giveaway. Getting creative here will also draw more people to your blog and of course, your business.
Other game formats to explore. A scavenger hunt, Motto/Jingle contest, Wheel of fortune like – fill in the blank, and an old fashion riddle of the day contest. As you continue to explore using games and contests to generate engagement please check your social media site’s terms of service before installing a game. Most social media sites have rules you must follow or risk being removed from the site. For example, Facebook requires that you use a third party service like Wildfire to administer any contest on its platform.

When integrating games into your business, keep in mind your objective, audience, and reward systems. You need not spend exorbitant amounts of money to gamify; start simple with the plethora of free resources found all around the internet and build out from there. And most importantly, have fun! That is what gaming is about, after all. What ideas do you have for gamification? Share them with us in the comments section below!

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Seven Ways to Increase Friends and Build Your Network

In this digital age, it is now easier than ever to interact with people all around the globe, so a solid network is within your reach. Increasing your friends and building your network is a cost-effective marketing strategy that can lead to sales opportunities in a variety of ways. Read on for seven ways to get started.

1. Don’t just attend events, be an active participant. Deciding to attend workshops, conventions, and the like is a great start to meeting new people in your field. However, you should make the most of your time there. Speak up, be helpful and get involved. Set a goal for how many new people you will meet at an event, and be consistent. The more you do it, the easier it will become.

2. Hold off on the sales pitch. When introducing yourself to potential contacts, DO share your name, business, and other relevant information. DO NOT break into a prepared commercial in hopes of selling yourself then and there. The relationship you want to build must be based on common interests and shared goals. Save the sales pitch for a follow-up meeting or phone call.

3. Ask good questions. When talking to people you’ve just met, asking questions shows that you are interested in what they have to say and that you are truly listening. Take this strategy to the next level by asking the right types of questions that facilitate a worthwhile conversation. For example, “So how do you like the food here?” will doom you to several minutes of small talk and get you nowhere. On the other hand, “So what is your role in your business?” and “What are you hoping to get out of this convention that will help you in your business?” are more effective questions that get people talking about themselves. Not only are you learning more about them, but you are building the foundation for a professional relationship. As you perfect your conversations skills you may want start with and develop a script to help you with this process.

4. Follow up. So you’ve met several potential contacts; now what? Don’t be lax about initiating the first phone call or email. Remind the person where you met him or her, mention that it was a pleasure to meet, and set a time to discuss what you talked about earlier. Furthermore, don’t wait more than a day or two after meeting the person to make contact. Make this a weekly habit to meet with new people.

5. Incorporate your online presence with your offline presence. When you meet people at a networking event, be sure to give them what they need to find you online (your website URL, Twitter handle, etc.). It’s also a good idea to arrange for face-to-face meet-ups with some of your online business contacts. By integrating your networks, you enhance those relationships and build your business.

6. Ask friends to make introductions. When you’re at a social gathering or event, don’t be shy to ask your friends to introduce you to other people. Just like in tip one, set a goal for how many new people you want to meet.

7. Do something new. Don’t sit around and wait to be invited to a party or event. Make it happen. Find something new that peaks your interest or something that you have no concept of. Once you get there have fun, engage in conversation with others, and tag along with individuals you like. Again, set a goal for how many new people you would like to meet.

What are your ideas for building your network? Please share them with us in the comments section below.

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A Sales Pitch that Doesn’t Sound Like a Sales Pitch

In the past, sales pitches were intrusive and created to reach a wide population. Now, with the dominance of the internet, effective sales pitches cater to individual customers’ needs. They are not canned or contrived because the modern consumer can see right through it and has a wide variety of alternatives right at his or her fingertips. Here are a few ways to frame your sales pitches in such a way that it allows you to promote your products/services without sounding like a pushy sales pitch, and even encourage others to market your products/services for you.

Scavenger Hunt – This can be used to draw in new customers. Use promotional items (electronic or paper) to start a scavenger hunt for a special first-time customer gift. As an added convenience, you can create one totally online by taking your prospective clients on a guided tour of some relevant websites. Start by creating a theme that works with your business, like food, jewelry, or health & beauty products. Make sure the questions are easy to answer and that each item only takes a short time to find. At the end of the hunt, your would-be customer is rewarded with a special gift! You’ve now drawn them in to try your product, made it fun for them to share it with their friends, and you’ve promoted your business without the traditional sales pitch.
Giveaways – Many businesses offer free products or services for first-time customers, but usually some sort of purchase is necessary. Consider a giveaway that stands out from the rest: one that literally gives something away totally for free. Offer it for free for first-timers, and wow them with your quality and customer service. By doing so, you create a risk-free situation and promote your products/services through the giveaway without sounding like a sales pitch. You have now started a relationship and given them a reason to share it with their friends.
Referrals & Rewards – Not only do you want to draw in new customers, but you want to reward your loyal ones as well. Create and use a reward system for referrals that promotes your products/services. Whenever a new customer makes a purchase, all they have to do is mention the name of the person who referred them. That referrer then gets a special discount or promotional item. Word of mouth is an effective method for bringing in new customers, so motivate your current ones by showing them how much you appreciate their patronage and recommendations.

When creating a non-sales pitch sales pitch, remember to frame it in such a way that the promotion includes marketing your products/services. If done correctly, people should feel like you are talking about the promotion and not delivering a sales pitch. Make them simple and direct, but most importantly, be genuine in your interactions with prospective clients. They will appreciate your sincerity and your creative approach.

Please share your own ideas for a creative sales pitch in the comments below!

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Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

The proverbial comfort zone: it is what prevents us from pursuing our dreams and achieving our goals. The good news is that your zone isn’t a jail cell, but instead a place that you’ve created over time. Because of this, you are free to leave anytime, but you have to be ready. Below is a step-by-step guide to breaking out of your comfort zone and growing your business.

Understand the return on investment (ROI) in stepping out of your comfort zone. Some of these benefits include standing out in a crowd, overcoming your fear, trying new things, and learning more. Imagine what these benefits can do for your business.
Identify someone in your field that you look up to and admire. List that person’s qualities and accomplishments. Cross out the ones that you have in common. From the items that remain, rank them in order of importance to you. You now have a set of objectives to start on, so take them one step at a time. What can you do right now to begin to achieve the first one on your list?
Put all your cards on the table. Fear is the most powerful emotion, so assess what you are afraid of that has prevented your business growth. Pledge to yourself to jump in head first. For example, if the idea of public speaking makes you want to run for the hills, call your local library and set up a workshop. The venue is small, but will force you to face your fear and make it easier to do again.
Expect and embrace change. The nature of our comfort zones is that they are predictable. Even if what you are doing on a regular basis is making you money, you may be leaving a lot of money on the table if you don’t try something new. Adjust your mindset to one that willingly accepts change because stepping out of your comfort zone will bring about a great deal of it.
Visualize yourself doing it. Whatever it may be that you are afraid of doing, close your eyes for a few minutes and picture yourself doing it successfully. The mind is a very powerful thing, and by continually focusing yourself toward the positive, you will be more likely to achieve your goals.
Work backwards. When developing a plan of action, pinpoint your endgame first. When you have an outcome in mind, your actions will be more specific and effective. Furthermore, you will be better able to stay motivated while working toward that end.

What advice do you have about leaving your comfort zone? Please share your suggestions with us in the comment section below.

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How To Get More Referrals

How To Get More Referrals

It’s no secret that referrals are an excellent way to boost sales; potential customers are much more comfortable doing business with people they meet via personal recommendations. Wouldn’t you be? Why is it then that they seem so difficult to come by? Pursuing referrals is a lot like any other skill; it takes commitment and practice. The first step is making the search for referrals a regular and necessary part of your business. Implement the following suggestions to start doing so.

Ask! This seems obvious, but many people shy away from asking for referrals directly from their customers. There are, of course, certain ways to ask that are more effective than others, such as being specific. For example, instead of asking, “Who do you know that would want my services?” a better question is, “Who do you know that loves to cook?” A specific question will draw more names from your customer and will also bring you relevant leads rather than a whole list of people who may not be interested in what you offer.
Help others. You may be missing an opportunity to put yourself in a mutually beneficial situation. Attending a charity event in which a friend or family member is involved can be useful in obtaining referrals. You will be helping someone out, contributing to a cause, and meeting new prospects all at the same time.
Build strong relationships. Of course you want your clients to trust you, but you also want them to be enthusiastic about doing business with you. Find out what your customers are passionate about and cater to that when interacting with them. You will be able to add a personal touch to your business dealings, which will in turn impress your customer, who will want to tell his or her friends about you. Always be professional, courteous, and caring.
Set a precise goal for yourself. Make it part of your daily work day to ask for referrals. Keep track of how many you ask for every day, and as you feel more comfortable pursuing referrals, challenge yourself by increasing that number and setting a new goal.
Send out holiday cards. It’s that time of year again, and holiday cards, if done well, can really stand out and lead to referrals. Remember that most people put their cards on display, where party guests and family members will see them. So take some time to create a unique card that is noticeable, and send it early so it will be one of the first to make it to your customer’s display.
Offer rewards. When a customer does give you a referral, let them know how much you appreciate it. A handwritten note sent through snail mail is very thoughtful in this age of emails, texts, and video chats. Furthermore, don’t hesitate to get creative. For example, whenever a customer gives you a referral, send the customer a scratch-off lottery ticket along with a quick thank you card. Because you’re showing that you are genuinely grateful, they won’t think twice about referring you to others again and again.

What are some creative methods you have used to acquire referrals? We’d love to hear from you!