Silver Sneakers – Maturity Matters in Customer Service
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I ran into my local Lowes last week to get a light fixture and two ceiling moldings for my home office and master bedroom. I hate to say that this is not a chore I love doing. I enter the store fraught with worry about whether or not I’ll get the right item, if there will be anyone on the floor to help me, how long will I have to wait for a knowledgable sales person to rear his or her head and be of service – you get the picture.
To make matters worse, I had three children waiting at home, two of whom had upcoming doctor’s appointments in my town – 18 miles away. Lo and behold, as I entered the designated “lighting” department, Errol – my soon-to-be hero, emerged. Errol looked to be in his late sixties and asked if he could assist me with the list of items I was holding in my hands.
“Absolutely,” I said, and proceeded to explain my list of wants/needs to him. In less than five minutes, Errol had assisted me in finding a two-light sconce to enlighten the descent into my finished basement/family room, and found two of the same ceiling moldings that we both agreed were better looking than the rest. As I thanked Errol profusely for helping me navigate the home super store, he told me it was his first day on the job. I said if things didn’t work out for him at Lowes, to give me a call and I’d hire him.
Conversely, I recently popped into my local bakery here in Concord, MA to buy the most delicious bread I’ve ever tasted – Olive Bread! Before me in line was a woman who was purchasing a sampling of pastries and desserts in clear containers. The array of delectable treats sat on the counter until it occurred to the 16-year-old girl who was waiting on this woman to ask her if she wanted a bag. Of course she did – how else could one woman manage 10 individually packaged treats from here to her car? The young girl began stacking them up so high in a plastic bag that the woman had to stop and request she give her a bag with a handle. Otherwise, the pastries would be sure to tip over and ruin the beautiful presentation that, no doubt, had something to do with the fee she was paying. The girl obliged with a ripped paper bag with a handle and, exasperated, the woman left the bakery.
Common sense is anything but common, I agree, but with age and experience comes wisdom. Fortunately, Lowes is a company that values maturity and in making the investment in people over the age of 60 – is making a sound business decision as well. I know the next time I need to pop into a home improvement super store, I’m going to look for Errol to help guide the way.
What's your customer service experiences based on age? Please share your stories with us!
Networking Yesterday and Today – It’s up to you.
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Though networking has changed throughout the years, there are still many similarities between networking yesterday and today. After all, networking is fundamentally based on building new relationships with the people you meet, and later leveraging those relationships to build your career or business. But here are some differences that you may not be aware of, and which you can use to boost your networking efforts.
The Internet
With the Internet, finding relevant contacts is much faster — and removes the need to meet the person face-to-face (at least in the beginning). Networking, as a result, has become faster and easier as well. It's also easier to keep track of your network with the tools the Internet offers. The Internet has also allowed individuals and businesses to network in a more focused manner. Back in the day, the best way to network was to join groups and events, which while random, was quite effective. But with the Internet, you can now build a network that isn't only broad, but also focused and responsive.
Sharing Is Now The Norm
The Internet has also introduced us to a side effect that's either welcome or unwelcome, depending on how you look at it — information overload. These days it's easy to find information, and the norm is to share your expertise with people who may need it, often for free. It may seem counter-intuitive to share so much of your information, but time has shown that it's a very effective networking — and marketing — activity. It would seem that the old proverb of "You get what you give" applies in today's networking scene.
The Fundamentals Of Networking Are Still Strong
No matter how technology and other developing trends may influence our networking habits, the fundamentals of networking still remain strong and in place. For instance, networking is still more effective when your primary intent is to build relationships with the people you meet, instead of trying to make a quick buck. It also pays to remember that you can't spend all your time networking! There's also the matter of actually sitting down and getting work done. And when it comes to building a career or a business, your network won't do it for you. It's still, for the most part, up to you.
How To Manage Your Own Business Finances
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One of the biggest reasons so many people hesitate to get into business — or why many existing businesses fail suddenly — is the business owner's fear of accounting. If that sounds familiar, this article is for you! We'll talk about how to keep track of your business finances — and have fun doing it, too!
Why Most Business Owners Fear Accounting
As the saying goes, "people fear what they don't understand." Naturally, when you don't know how accounting works and why it's so important to the survival of your business, you'll avoid it like the plague! That's why it's crucial to know how proper accounting can benefit your business, if only to dispel the misconceptions most of us have about it. The most obvious benefit keeping track of your business finances gives you is that in the end, you'll know where your business stands financially.
You'll know if it's sinking or swimming, and you'll know what's slowing down its growth. Accounting will clue you in on whether your business is charging too much or too little for its products and services, whether you're marketing too little or too much, or whether your target market is focused and sizable enough. And, yes, accounting will tell you what needs to be done. If you really want to be a money-maker in the future, you'll have to learn how accounting works. You'll have to know how money flows in and out of your business. And fortunately, it's easier than it sounds!
How To Get Into The Accounting Habit
If you REALLY hate numbers, you can avoid the problem by hiring a REALLY good accountant. Get someone who's helpful, available and communicative. And assemble a good financial team who keeps you updated on anything and everything involving your business finances. If you think you can handle it, it's a fact that it's always better to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty in accounting. The more you keep track of your business finances yourself, the more control you'll have over your business, and the better and more easily you'll steer it toward the goals you have for it. For many of us, simply keeping a balance sheet of assets, liabilities, and equity is enough to get us bitten by the accounting bug.
Why don't you start there?
What do you YOU do to better manage your accounting habits? Share your thoughts here!
Free Teleclass – Marketing on a Dime
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It's not like everyone that starts a business gets approved for some massive loan where you can hire a big time marketing agency (which I wouldn't recommend), a publicist, an amazing personal assistant, stellar staff and social media manager.
No, most businesses start just like mine did – on a dime.
On a hope and a dream and a "I really hope this works. God I hope this works. It's going to work. It's GOT it work! Please let this work…."
Did you study business in college? Because I didn't.
I did, however, study marketing, which I think in the long run was a far better choice, although I didn't know it at the time.
Not that a masters in marketing meant I actually knew how to APPLY IT to the real grown up world of business. But at least I had a clue. The truth is I started my business 20 years ago charging $25 an hour to businesses that didn't have their own internal marketing department.
I got tons of practice and then I moved on to
- Landing big corporate Fortune 500 clients
- Teaching small business owners HOW to market on a tiny budget
- Teaching small busines owners how to LAND big client
My friend and business coach Robin Samora said she sees people like me everyday – on a hope and prayer and a tiny budget.
And you want to know something? Just because I've been successful doesn't mean I've changed! I STILL market on a dime. If it's not broke, don't fix it!
Robin will be interviewing me next Monday and I really want to invite you because it's going to be PACKED with goodies and strategies that you can implement right now – for free or low cost.
And this teleclass won't cost you a dime either!
Marketing on a Dime
10 Steps to Increase Your Visibility – On a Shoestring Budget
Tuesday, March 22nd
8:00pm EST
*All calls will be recorded, so free to sign up and listen in later.
http://letsmakeyoushine.com/freeteleclass/
If you have questions, please send them to monaica@growyourbusinessnetwork.com or post them to my Facebook Page!
I will be sure and try to include as many as possible.
http://letsmakeyoushine.com/freeteleclass/
See you on Monday! Let's go!!!
Fortunately Yours,
Nancy
Nancy Michaels
America's is America's Most Sought-After Fortune 500 Consultant and leading women's small biz expert. She is the CEO/Founder of www.GrowYourBusinessNetwork.com
and Co-Founder of The Business Skinny – how to grow your business on a shoestring budget!
You can connect with Nancy on Twitter or on Facebook.
Customer Non-Service
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Tom and I were craving pizza last weekend while rushing to catch a movie, so we called ahead to the local pizza joint in Concord (as we know they take 25 minutes). We told them we'd love to enjoy our pie at the restaurant when we arrived.
Before I could even place my order with the adorable, 16-year-old young woman who waited on me, I was put on hold twice. Finally, I was able to place the order and we were on our way. Shortly thereafter, I received a call from the manager (or owner, I can't remember which), stating that we couldn't pre-order a pizza to eat when we arrived. Being that it was a call-ahead order, they'd have to package it in a to-go box. Does this defy logic to you? It certainly did to me. I simply replied, "ok, that's fine, we'll eat it out of the box at the restaurant." Everyone was happy.
However, It occurred to us in a discussion later on that this was not a customer-centric approach to accommodating your clientele. For a place that has to put you on hold twice just to take your order, does it make sense that the top dog would have the time to call you to tell you that they can't accommodate a simple request of eating your pizza when you arrive? And going as far as telling you you'll have to eat it out of the box? Don't these people know they operate out of Concord, MA? Just ask Don Henley how green we are. It seems to me this is an insane way to allocate resources of time and pizza boxes based on the principle that you can not call ahead to order your pizza.
Unfortunately, we also didn't make it in time for our movie, "True Grit." And true grit was something we needed that night for sure!
How to Reach 33,000 New Customers
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Oh, the cat and mouse chase. How do I get more leads? How can I get more referrals? Who can I talk to?!?
Everyone wants new customers. If you don't have a steady flow of new customers or clients you won't have a business. Because at the end of the day, if you're not making sales or providing services for a fee, you don't have a business – but you might have an expensive hobby!
There are ways, tips, tricks and tools – low-cost ones – that can help you bring in a steady flow of leads. Over the next few months I am going to reveal how I've managed to maintain that steady flow of getting new clients and customers, as well as email subscribers to my newsletter for over 20 years.
To kick it off, I want to give the first 36 people who read this a first shot and 50% off at promoting your business and services to my email list of 33,000 small business owners.
But – only to the first 36 who can PROVE they have a product or service worth promoting!
We get emails WEEKLY from people who are begging us to promote them, and most of them we have to turn down. Now is your chance to reach thirty-three thousand new potential clients or customers. Announcing:
Project – Reach 33,000!
Not just any 33,000. We are talking thirty-three thousand small business owners who are looking for ways to grow their business.
Imagine your message being sent through the virtual airways with my stamp of approval on it! Here are your ad options and my one big catch to this all –
GYBN Newsletter Advertising 50% (One time only) – $100 (normally $200)
With this option you will:
- Reach 33,000 targeted business owners
- BONUS: Get mentioned on my Facebook Page
- BONUS: Get Tweeted
GYBN Newsletter Advertising 50% (4 consecutive weeks) – $375 (normally $750)
With this option you will:
- Reach 33,000 targeted business owners FOUR TIMES for a total of 132,000 reaches!
- You will be following the Laws of Marketing – consecutive marketing is proven to greatly enhance your reach and help you to become memorable.
- BONUS: Get mentioned on my Facebook Page
- BONUS: Get Tweeted
- SUPER BONUS: Get blogged about on our popular business blog!
But – there is one catch. You have to apply to be accepted. We want to be sure that the products and services we promote are top notch and are helpful to growing your business.
If you are interested in getting your message out to 33,000 small business customers and would like to take advantage of my 50% off sale, please send an email to monaica@growyourbusinessnetwork.com with your interest including your name, company, website and your potential offer. We WILL be providing best practice advertising tips to the first 36 people!
See you later this week for more on how Google is changing everything…and how you better be playing close attention to your online marketing efforts!
Fortunately Yours,
Nancy
P.S. - I am only extending the 50% for the first 36, so be sure and be one of them! I will make an announcement when we are have filled all 36!
Smart Networking
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Are you practicing smart networking? There are a few factors to consider before you can accurately answer that question. First off, smart networking focuses on the NEEDS of the people first, instead of focusing merely on landing the sale. When people know you offer genuine value — and often offer it for free — they'll stay in your network longer. And a small, responsive network is always better than a broad, non-responsive one!
Networking also becomes smarter when you use the new tools made available by the Internet. Online networking allows your business to present itself to the world 24/7, which means you can still network with people while you sleep. Social media and blogging are two of the more popular visibility measures offered by the Internet today, and they're great places to start.
In fact, using the Internet to streamline your business' networking efforts won't only help you find connections — people will actually start coming to you. The more visible your business is on the web, the more people will actually come to you for help. Wouldn't it be great to have a network that grows by itself? Get Smart! While face-to-face contact with the connections in your network is still very important in networking today, there's no doubt that the Internet has given us the opportunities to network smarter. So get smart today — see how the Internet can help boost your own business networking efforts.
