All posts tagged online marketing

Selling You

Selling You

There is a significant difference between buying something and being “sold.”  Your customers want to have confidence in not just the product or service, but the person representing it.  For this reason, it is important to sell yourself effectively and open doors for new opportunities.

  • Be Yourself.  As obvious as this may seem, it’s a pitfall of many people in the sales industry.  Don’t try to do and say what you think the customer wants to see and hear; people are turned off by lack of sincerity.  Identify your strengths and highlight them in your customer interactions.  This will also make a relationship you build easier to maintain.
  • Make a great impression.  The average consumer is bombarded by advertisements in their various forms all day long.  What can you bring to the table that will impress your customers?  Plan ahead what your objective is for that specific situation.  This way you won’t have to rely on a generic sales pitch that may not relate to the circumstance or may not have any relevance for the person to whom you are selling.
  • Demonstrate good character.  “Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.”  With this quotation in mind, conduct your business with integrity.  If you promise something to a customer, make sure you can deliver.  This also applies to the way you interact with customers; express a positive demeanor, practice good manners and common courtesies, and follow through on your end of the relationship.
  • Listen.  Just as most people don’t want to be “sold,” they also don’t want to be talked at.  Effective communication involves a great deal of give and take.  You may have the perfect dialogue planned, but the conversation takes an unexpected turn.  Listen to the customer’s concerns, questions, and information to be able to respond appropriately.  It will be clear to the person that you are truly listening, which is will be greatly appreciated.
  • Dress and speak appropriately.  This may vary greatly depending on your industry, but your personal appearance and conversational skills speak volumes to others about how you conduct business and the kind of person you are.  Make sure that these things are positive reflections of yourself that will contribute to and benefit your business.
  • Educate and provide solutions.  Customers may not even realize they have a need for your product or service, so demonstrate your expertise by educating them not just about your specific product, but about products like it in general.  From there, you will able to highlight why your product would best suit the customers’ needs.  Additionally, you should be able to accurately answer any questions the customer has about your product, your business, or you.  By focusing on the customer, you are essentially selling yourself as a person who can enrich his or her life in some way.

Selling yourself is about showing who you truly are and conducting yourself with a good balance of confidence and humility.  What tips do you have for “selling you”?  Please share them with us below!

How to Build a Unique Business

How to Build a Unique Business

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see a red bullseye? If you’re like most people, your answer is Target.  What is it about Starbucks that makes it different from other coffee establishments?  Perhaps it’s the taste of the coffee itself, the blended language of their drink sizes, or maybe even the first place to bring the culture of Italian espresso bars to the U.S.  These are exceptional examples of a million dollar idea, but they are also standards that we can look up to.  Sometimes it seems as if everything has been done before.  Even so, your business can be a unique endeavor if you can apply and incorporate your own individuality.

  • Focus on your personal strengths.  Even if your business is very similar to others, there is only one you.  Do some serious personal reflection to pinpoint what makes you different.  What can you bring to the table that no one else can?  For instance, you may be one of many direct sellers in your area working for the same type of company.  However, use your strengths to make yourself stand out from the rest.  A consultant with a background in theatre might do very well using his/her knowledge and expertise to create an entertaining and polished sales presentation unlike any that customers have seen before.  Your business is a reflection of who you are, so take advantage of that, and give it your personal flair.
  • Choose a micro-niche.  Instead of casting a wide net and trying to cater to a large market, narrow down your business and your target market.  The more narrow and specific you make it, the more recognized in your field you will become.  For example, a hair salon might focus on children’s hairdressing.  A micro-niche would be a salon that specializes in children’s hairstyles for the pageant circuit.  Now, a very specific target market can be reached, and the business can become a well-known one among those in that circle.
  • Make customer service a top priority.  Considering experiences you have had with other small businesses, what were their strong points?  Where were they lacking?  Use this knowledge to perfect your own customer relations.  Is there something you can offer that goes above and beyond what your competitors are doing?  Think about learning your customers’ names, something personal about them, and what they could get of your business that would somehow make their lives easier or more pleasant.  Modern technology has stolen much of our culture’s person-to-person interaction, so the better your customer service is, the more memorable you will be.
  • Use unusual interests to your advantage.  Whether you are starting a brand new business or looking to make an existing one more innovative, take a close look at your own interests.  Is there something unique or unusual about them?  For example, a forward-thinking individual named Jason Sadler developed an idea for wearing t-shirts to advertise companies wanting viral exposure.  His website has become its own community of people viewing and sharing his team’s content.

The key to building a unique business is identifying your own personal distinction.  What other ways do you bring originality to your business?  Share with us in the comments section below!

Socialize to Increase Business

Socialize to Increase Business

Socializing is the art of meeting and engaging people. Mastering socialization skills will not only help you in developing better relationships, but will also increase your business. Incorporating these characteristics into your everyday interactions will help you find and reach your target market.

  • Sincerity – Most people can see through a fake smile or greeting and are therefore turned off by it.  Be genuine in your interactions.  Your customers will know that you truly do care about satisfying their needs and giving them a positive experience.
  • Confidence – Project confidence not only in yourself, but also in the product/service you are offering and the manner in which you conduct your business. It reassures your customers that you are knowledgeable about your field and qualified to meet their needs.
  • Inquisitiveness – Getting people talking is all about asking the right questions.  It is of utmost importance that your customers feel that you have a sincere desire to learn more about them, but they won’t divulge anything without being asked.  Decide what you really should know about a customer to meet his or her needs and strike up conversations with people that relates to those topics. Tip:  Create a “script” to get you started that includes a few pre-planned questions, topics, or anecdotes to break the ice or fill a pause in a conversation.
  • Listening – There is a great difference between hearing what is being said and listening to it.  Listening requires you to process information; a person can easily tell if you are listening to him or her.  Show that you are listening by responding when prompted, making eye contact, and reading the body language of those to whom you are speaking.  Tip: Listening skills role-play makes a great activity for professional development.  Plan a few topics ahead of time, and take turns speaking about and listening to them for five minutes at a time.
  • Positive – People are turned off by negative people. Make sure your conversations stay positive. Even if the conversation turns critical, always maintain a positive view. The impression you will leave after the conversation is an optimistic and can do person. And that’s the kind of person people want to do business with.
  • Promote others – Make sure most of your conversations are about others. This shows people that not only are you caring, but also gives you an opportunity to highlight your ethics and values. Customers are loyal to businesses that they like and trust.

Places to socialize with your target market:

  • Community events and hot spots (local fundraisers, playgroups, sports games, farmers markets, dog parks)
  • Informal and formal parties (summer barbeques, beach outings, holiday cookie bakes, New Year’s celebrations)
  • Online through blogging, social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), your business website
  • Self-sponsored open house or grand opening event

However you choose to do so, socializing with your target market requires you to know exactly who they are.  Once you have identified them, put yourself in situations that allow for meaningful social interactions.  You will not only promote your business, but also learn more about how to satisfy your customers’ needs in the process.

How do you interact socially with your prospects? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

Free e-book “Business Owner’s Road Map to Success.” It has over 50 pages of techniques for everything a small business owner needs to master, from business planning and ethical selling to a success mindset. It’s all there and it’s free for you. To get it, just “Like” our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/KsIN6P Pass it on!

Event Ideas for Your Business

Event Ideas for Your Business

Events can be a powerful marketing tool. They provide something new, timely, and interesting you’re your customers and prospects to talk about. By building some excitement around your event, you build excitement about your business. Because of this, it is important for your small business to plan events that help with both marketing and customer service.  The following are some ideas to do so both in the real world and online.

  • Monthly clinics or seminars about a product or service you offer – These can give you a chance to highlight chosen products/services, bring in new clientele, and network with others in your community.  If done successfully, these types of regular events will also create buzz about your business and expose it to potential customers. 
  • Host an after-hours gathering for your employees and friends/families.  If you have a brick and mortar location, after-hours events can be effective marketing tools, but even if you are home-based, you can tweak this idea to work for your business.  Provide refreshments, music, and put together some special displays on which to focus the event.  Be sure to provide business cards, brochures, a free sample or giveaway, and other promotional materials to your guests. 
  • Host an Open House for your community. Consider holding an open house with city officials (mayor, congressmen/women) and local press in attendance.  Center the event around a theme or cause that is of interest to your community. 
  • Sponsor a holiday window design contest for art students at a local school.  Involving the young people in a community is a surefire way to spread word about your business.  You can even modify this idea to include technology students competing to design your next online ad or website graphic.  The announcement and celebration of the winner could be incorporated into the unveiling of the finished product.
  • Host an open-mike night for local business owners.  Most comedy clubs reserve their slowest nights of the week for amateur open-mike nights.  You can use this idea by hosting a forum for other local small business owners to exchange ideas for marketing and customer service.  Each participant could take a turn at the mike to offer input and take questions from the audience.
  • Do a Twitter Q&A about your industry or products.  This obviously requires you to have a moderate following on Twitter, but with the right promotion among your customers and preparation by you, it can be done fairly easily.  You can even offer a reward or incentive at the end for participants that can be tweeted about intermittently throughout the session. 
  • Host an online suggestion box via video chat headed by a panel of related industry experts.  Choose like-minded people in your field and/or fellow small business owners in your community with which you have no competition for your video chat using a program like Skype or iVideo.  Invite customers to “call in” with suggestions for what they think would improve their own shopping experience.

What events you have sponsored or attended which you have found to be informational and fun?  Tell us about them in the comments section below!

Improving Your Customer Engagement

Improving Your Customer Engagement

In this era of big box store dominance, it is more important than ever to help your customers feel that doing business with you is a worthwhile experience.  Improving your customer engagement builds customer loyalty, which in turn can help grow your business.  There are several ways to develop relationships with your clients so that your engagement with them results in a positive perception of you and your business.

  • Make yourself personally available to your customers.  As a small business owner or direct seller, you have an edge over big corporations in that you are able to personally interact with your customers.  Be sure to provide your customers with every possible way to reach you. Use it to your advantage by taking some time out to contact them once or twice a month.  Make a phone call, send out an email to 15-20 customers a month, connect over Facebook, or make time to have coffee with a few of them. Discover their passions, connect and start the conversation with topics important to them. Then, ask how satisfied they are with a recent purchase, ask if they need further assistance, and find out if there is some other way you can be of service to them.  Your customers will appreciate and remember the individualized attention, and won’t hesitate to mention you to their friends.
  • Use social media wisely.  If the thought of maintaining a Facebook page, a Twitter profile, a website, and a blog are overwhelming to you, then don’t try to do everything at once.  Start with Facebook. Be a positive and supportive voice online. Post fun, useful tips and be their cheerleader online. Treat them like a friend, and they’ll remember how you made them feel.
  • Ask and listen for feedback regularly.  Most people find it difficult to hear others point out what they’re doing wrong.  However, it is essential to seek out constructive criticism in business because not only will you be able to improve, but you also show your customers that you care about their satisfaction.  Eliciting feedback can be done in a variety of ways, including email and phone surveys, face-to-face conversation, and links placed on websites and blogs.  Be creative in your search for feedback; you can use reward and referrals systems, contests/giveaways, or even feedback parties.  Whatever you decide, make sure your customers know they are being heard by taking their suggestions to heart and thanking them for their input.
  • Invite your customers to participate in your business.  Many small businesses are encouraging participation by using “customer models” in ways that promote a product or service.  For example, a company that sells clothing or jewelry could ask customers to Twitpic a photo of themselves wearing a product, which would then be displayed in a special section of the company’s website.  By doing so, you are incorporating your business into your customers’ lives and making yourself more memorable than your competitors.  And to top it all off, you’re interacting with customers and promoting a product all at the same time.
  • Promote your values and build trust. Regularly talk about what’s important to you and the high standards you bring to your business. Put your high standards on your marketing materials and in your business practices. Your customers will begin to depend on your services/products and trust you as a person.

Customer engagement is all about having a genuine concern for your customers’ satisfaction.  With that idea as your guide, any or all of the above ideas can be tailored for your specific needs and allow you to improve your relationships with clients.

How have you engaged with your customers?  Share your ideas with us in the comments below!

 

Helping Customers Find You

Helping Customers Find You

Think about the last time you wanted to make a purchase that required some research, whether it was a new car, a new TV, some furniture, or a bike for your child.  What was the very first thing you did?  If you’re like most people, your answer can be summed up in one word: Google.  When consumers are in the early stages of buying something, they are likely to turn to Google.  So how can you use this to your advantage?  Read on for some ways to make yourself more visible online and offline.

  • Online commenting is a very effective way to drive traffic to your website.  Write brief but meaningful comments on sites that are relevant to your business.  You can also write reviews of books about your industry on sites like Amazon or Google Books.  Participating in this type of online discourse will allow you to network with other likeminded people in your field, and eventually make your name more recognizable on the web.  Furthermore, frequent commenting on well-chosen sites can increase the likelihood that people will find you on search engines like Google.
  • YouTube and podcasts are also available resources for you to use in your search for new customers.  Do not dismiss YouTube as solely a website for young people watching viral videos.  Many businesses are now using YouTube channels to post all kinds of videos such as tutorials, product demonstrations, and mini-advertisements.  Include the link to your website so viewers know where to go for more information.  The same goes for podcasts; for people on the go, they are a necessity.  Consider using this medium to communicate with not only prospects, but current customers as well.
  • Smartphone apps are a must for any brick and mortar business.  By registering for popular apps like FourSquare, Google Places, Yell, and GoWalla, you can take advantage of the ever increasing use of smartphones by current and potential customers.  Most of these apps are available for iPhones as well as Android and Blackberry phones.  People use these apps not only to find the location of a business, but also to link to the business website and read reviews by other users.
  • Here are some more ways –
    • Signage on cars
    • Fun signage/banner/T-shirts for your clients to display
    • Testimonials
    • Online/printed Reviews
    • Follow up cards, emails and phone calls
    • Seasonal promotions for your community
    • Sponsor charities and causes in your community
    • Weekly workshops and/or presentations in community hubs
    • Partnering with other businesses
    • Referral exchange – where you refer business to them and they refer business to you.
    • Sporting/community event meet and greet
    • Offer online/offline contest and give-a-ways
    • Joining or starting organizations and clubs

Many of the methods listed above are low-cost ways to help customers find you. Make the most out of your online presence, but don’t forget to also make it easy for your local community to find you offline as well.

How else can you increase your visibility to gain new customers?  Share your ideas below!

Free e-book “Business Owner’s Road Map to Success.” It has over 50 pages of techniques for everything a small business owner needs to master, from business planning and ethical selling to a success mindset. It’s all there and it’s free for you. To get it, just “Like” our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/KsIN6P Pass it on!

 

How Much Time Should I Spend on Social Media?

How Much Time Should I Spend on Social Media?

As an entrepreneur, you have a million things to do. From sales to finance to marketing, many entrepreneurs find themselves responsible for every aspect of their businesses. When you hear about social media, it’s often pitched as a critical component to the success of a small business. As a result, you take time away from other important tasks in order to optimize and maintain a Facebook Page, Twitter account, blog, or any one of a number of social tools pitched as the “next big thing.” And then you’re disappointed when it doesn’t bring the results you’re looking for.

So how do you balance it all? How much time should you put into social media so that it brings results without sacrificing other income-producing time for your business?

Here’s a process to follow to help you decide:

  1. Decide what your goal is for social media. What specific, measurable result are you looking for as a result of your social media efforts? Are you trying to increase sales? Find more recruits for your direct selling business? Increase reorders? Whatever it is, choose one goal to focus on in the beginning, and make a plan to measure your progress towards that goal.
  2. Decide who you want to reach. Who is the best target market for the goal you are trying to achieve? For example, if your goal is to increase sales, what is the demographic that you can reach who will buy the most? This is who you want to focus on. What is important to them? What need do they have that your product or service solves for them? Where do they spend time online? By answering these questions, you’re better prepared to reach out to them online.
  3. Decide when you can realistically use social media for your business. Try to choose a consistent amount of time each day, even if it’s only 20 minutes, and schedule it as part of your day’s routine. Obviously the more time you invest, the more results you’ll see faster, but plenty of entrepreneurs invest 20 minutes a day on Facebook and see results.
  4. Choose your social media tools based on your available time. If you’ve only got 20 minutes per day, choose just one (probably Facebook.) If you’ve got more time, you might want to add a blog to the mix. But don’t take on more than you can realistically manage. This is very important if you want to use social media tools to build the relationships that lead to business.
  5. Plan your tasks ahead of time. One of the best ways to keep yourself focused when you’re using social media for your business is to write down your tasks ahead of time. What can you do online to reach the goal you defined in step 1? Will you reach out to former customers? Search online for great content to share? Write blog posts? Respond to comments in online forums? By deciding ahead of time, and then sticking to your list, you can make sure that social media time is productive for your business, and you avoid wasting time that would be better spent on offline activities.

A little pre-planning is essential for effective business social media use. By making a plan, you can enjoy the benefits of social media for your business, without taking too much time away from the other important things you have to do.

How do you manage social media for your business? How much time do you spend, and does it translate into results for you? What tips would you share? Please share in the comments below!

Tips for Maximizing your Warm Market List

Tips for Maximizing your Warm Market List

Any kind of business requires relationship building. Those who have great social and communication skills are a step ahead. But for most of us it’s trial and error before we develop those skills. Here are a few tips to make it easier.

  • Once you’ve made your warm market list and written down everyone you know, create another list of people you think are using the type of products/services you will be selling. Then compile a final and most likely list. These are all the people you think will purchase from you immediately and support your new business.
  • Invite the people on your “mostly likely” list to a small party or BBQ. At the gathering, announce your new business. Make it social…don’t try to sell anything yet. Just ask to make appointments to meet with them individually to talk about the new business.
  • Once you begin to follow up on your appointments from your mostly likely list, seek people who are most excited about your new business and are willing to support you. These people are those most likely to do business with you, and send you their referrals.
  • Provide your most excited people with excellent customer service consistently and they will likely be your loyal customers and repeat customers.
  • Start to connect with all the people on your warm market list on Facebook or other social networks to begin the process of building relationships.
  • Meanwhile, also call the rest of your list and ask to meet with people for coffee or breakfast to discuss your new venture.
  • Always keep your appointments social, friendly and pressure free. Ask about them first, and discover needs that your products/services may meet. Then share how your products/services help people solve their problems. So even if they aren’t interested for themselves they will see the benefits and may still give you a referral or two. Ask them to put in a good word for you to their referrals.
  • As you build your social network online, offer solutions with your products/services that solve the problems of your friends. Share tips/useable information related to your products/services without selling online. Think of social network as a subtle way to introduce your new products/services and NOT e-commerce.
  • Start going to family, friend and other social gatherings. Be social and don’t sell, but if they ask about your new business, offer to make an appointment to meet. Always have your appointment book with you, offer dates you are available and don’t leave any request for information open-ended.
  • Start getting involved with your warm market’s organizations and causes, and genuinely participate. Being with them at these events can imply you can be trusted and may help you generate face to face referrals.
  • Use the principle of quantity and many numbers. At this point you want to connect with as many people as you can through your warm market. These people are more likely to be converted because they trust you and/or your warm market referrals. Don’t rely on your salesmanship skills, rely on the numbers. This way if you get a few no’s you won’t be discouraged, because there are still a lot of people to talk to.
  • At some point you will encounter no’s from your warm market and that’s to be expected. But keep them updated with your progress. You never know why they said no in the first place: maybe wanted to see you do it first or maybe it was poor timing.

Take it a step at a time. Connect socially, develop relationships, ask for an appointment, and then ask for the sale. After the sale, follow up to make sure they’re happy with their purchase. The key to success is to go through the process, learn from your mistakes and stick with it for a while. In the end it will help you build your business skills and lead to more opportunities for success.

How do you work with your warm market? What tips would you give to someone new to this? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments!

Free e-book “Business Owner’s Road Map to Success.” It has over 50 pages of techniques for everything a small business owner needs to master, from business planning and ethical selling to a success mindset. It’s all there and it’s free for you. To get it, just “Like” our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/KsIN6P Pass it on!

Online Advertising and Marketing: A Checklist to Protect your Business and Consumers

Online Advertising and Marketing: A Checklist to Protect your Business and Consumers

These days, it seems like everyone is marketing online. From Facebook Pages, Google Adwords, blogs, and more, there are seemingly unlimited options when it comes to promoting your business online. Yet online marketing provides some challenges as well. Since there is some anonymity built into the internet, ethical considerations become even more important.

Here are some guidelines for business owners to remember when advertising and marketing online. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has provided these guidelines to protect businesses and consumers.

  • Maintain credibility on the Internet. The honest and ethical practices you maintain in your offline business must also be adhered to online. So be sure that your marketing doesn’t mislead, or contain omissions that prevent consumers from making informed choices. Make sure that people know exactly where they’re going when they click on your ad, and help them feel confident that they’re dealing with an ethical business person.
  • All claims must be substantiated, especially concerning health, safety and/or performance. The evidence will depend on the product, the claims and what experts believe necessary. Testimonials and endorsements must reflect typical experiences, unless clearly stated, and cannot be used if the advertiser itself cannot substantiate it. So don’t claim that your product cures a disease if you don’t have a clinical study to back it up. When in doubt, check with your company so you only post what you’re allowed to say.
  • Sellers are responsible and liable for all claims about their products or services. If you’re even slightly unsure whether you should say something, you probably shouldn’t. After all, you could cause serious trouble for your business.
  • Disclaimers and disclosures must be clearly stated. While there are many facets to this, one important one is that government rules require that you disclose your relationship with any company where you’ll profit through a recommendation. This means that if you recommend a product, people must clearly understand that you’ll make money if people follow your recommendation.
  • Advertising directly to children involves special rules. So if you’re sharing your information on a social network where children are allowed, or your products are for children, be sure to check with your company to find out what you can and cannot say legally.

For more information about marketing online legally, visit http://www.ftc.gov. Here you’ll find lots of resources that help protect you, and your customers!

Our mission at the Direct Selling Education Foundation is to help protect your business and your clients, and provide crucial education for your business success! If you find DSEF a valuable partner for your business, please click here and make a donation. Your support makes all the difference in our ability to support you!