Network the Right Way

Decide who your best prospects or target customers are and where to find them. Don't just go to events, meetings and conferences that are fun but where you will meet the right people. Networking is a business not entertainment so choose carefully and you will benefit more.

Have a 30 second introduction ready about yourself then stop talking and let the other person(s) speak. Ask open ended questions that don't require a yes or no answer, then listen intently. Smile or nod your head slightly so the other person knows that you are paying attention. Exchange business cards and always follow-up with a call or email to achieve the best results.
More short articles with business ideas in the monthly Idea-Letter (since 2002), free sample at www.idealetter.com

Closing Signals

During a face-to-face sales presentation you need to keep observing your prospect for that "ready to buy" signal. Some people are readdy sooner than others and you must stop your presentation when they are ready and begin to close the sale. Here are some signs to watch and listen for:

*They tell you they are ready to buy (easy one)
*They ask about the guarantee
*They ask about payment terms
*Their voice & attitude becomes very friendly
*They pick up and start looking at the order form
*They ask about delivery time
*They start handling or inspecting the product
*They show the product to their spouse or associate
*They want to know who else is using the product
*They say that it will handle their needs
*They ask about a larger model or package
*They ask about accessories or add-ons
*They ask other in-depth questions
*They ask what your best price is
*They compliment the product or your company
*They start writing a deposit check (a salesperson's dream)

More on face-to-face sales in my new book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Travel & Tourism Facts

Spending by travelers and visitors roughly accounts for 15 to 30 percent of revenues at table service restaurants with the average check size a little over $25.00.

About half of all travelers report that they dine out when they travel.

The travel and tourism industry is either the first, second or third largest employer in 29 states plus DC.

40-50 million international visitors are expected to travel to the United States each year.

The US travel industry is projected to receive more than $600 billion from travelers each year.

Source: restaurant.org

Does This Happen Often ?

A couple days ago I took my Jeep Cherokee SUV to the nearby Firestone store for an oil change & tire rotation. It's only about a quarter mile from my office so I walked back to give them the hour they needed. I never seem to find time to get these maintenance things done but I had the time that day. I walked back to get the car (they didn't call when done like I asked) a little more than an hour later and they said 5 more minutes (which was 10 min.). They said when they rotated the tires they were also required to check the brakes and rotors which they found in bad shape.
They gave me an estimate and said the rotors were shot had to be replaced along with all 4 brake pads, the estimate was $861.61 but they had a $40.00 coupon I could use. I said that I would let them know soon.

The next day I was at my accountant's office and her husband had a professional car & truck repair shop in the next building. I mentioned what Firestone said and she suggested that I let the repair shop check it out while we were doing the accounting. I said OK and gave them the key. About an 30 minutes later when we were finished the mechanic met me and told me that they checked all the brake pads and the front ones were "like new" and so were the rotors. The back ones needed replacing and the rotors could be machined (I know little about cars). I didn't need any rotors and just the back brake pads which they quoted at $209.97 and one hours time. Wow, what a difference, I made an appointment with them. Does this mean that the Firestone people were that inexperienced or just trying to overcharge me? I guess I will get a second opinion on all repairs in the future.
From a real life experience in February 2011

Don't Do These On Your Website

Her are some undesirable things you may want to not do on your website. You can't assume that every visitor is a high tech person so make it easy for everyone to use and be comfortable.
.Difficult name to remember or type
.Non-scannable text that visitors can't use elsewhere
.Too many pop-ups will annoy some people
.Asking visitors for too much personal information
.Misdirected links that take them places they weren't expecting
.Too many banners and advertising gets distracting
.Blinking or flashing signs, text or both
.Trapping them in pages or no links back to home page
.Text too small to read easily for some people
Always try to be user friendly and not user-hostile
More about making websites easy to use in chapter 11 of my upcoming book "The Smart Guide to Business Start-ups" Smart Guide Publishing

Don't Use These in Advertising

*Conveniently located
*All the names you know & love
*Don't forget...
*Stop in soon
*Doesn't it make sense to...
*Remember this...
*It's sale time at...
*Stretch your budget with...
*Super Savings
*Savings throughout the store
*And while you're there...
*Check this out...
*The friendly folks down at...
*Everyday low prices...
*Our friendly qualified personnel...
*Lowest possible prices
*Prices slashed to the bone
*We refuse to be undersold
*We will meet or beat any offer
*People who care about you
*Huge selection of...
*But wait, there's still more
*Unbelievable...
*You'll save Big on...
*Don't miss out...
*We service what we sell
*Super specials
By Jeff Pederson, http://www.jpedpublishing.com/

Is it Time to Commit?

It's sort of the living dream to be your own boss and see if your ideas really work. And it's just human nature to think you have a better way of doing things or making a better product. We all have our own ideas and opinions on how to improve things but how many of us follow through on those ideas? How many people take that first step and put those ideas into action? How many people can handle the thought of failure if it doesn't work out? And how many of us actually have the knowledge and expertise to start a business on their own? There is no right or wrong answers to these questions but you must make that decision youeself. Once you make the decision to go ahead you must be committed to your goal.
More in chapter 6 of my upcoming book "The Smart Guide to Business Start-ups" coming out in 2011

Ways to Create Loyalty

We all want customer loyalty but are we willing to do what's necessary to create it and sustain it? Here are some ideas that should be a priority in creating customer loyalty.
.Say Thank You after EVERY transaction
.Outstanding customer service (of course)
.Convenient business hours
.High value perception
.Personal service and attention
.Friendly refunds & exchanges
.Follow-up after the sale
.Fast payment & check-out
.Faster order processing
.An exceptional guarantee
.Special orders with a smile
.Immediate problem solving
.Reward or pay-back program
.Ask for their suggestions
.Tell them you value their business
.Always be available for questions & help
.Service with a smile, always
You may notice that price way not mentioned because price does not create loyalty. Forget trying to be the best price and concentrate on value and service and you will have more loyal customers.
More ideas like this in the monthly Idea-Letter at www.idealetter.com

Great Telephone Employees

Here are some things to look for when searching for great employees to work on the phone.
.Pleasant easy-to-listen to voice
.Speak at a speed that's not too fast or slow
.Use proper grammer & word pronunciation
.They sound positive and optimistic
.They are good listeners
.Speak loudly enough without offending
.Would you enjoy talking to them
.They are persistent without being pushy
.They know when to stop talking
.Have a sense of hummor without being silly
.They are up on current events
.They are friendly and like meeting new people
.They sound confident and reassuring
.They believe in your business and products
.No strong accent or difficult to understand
.They enjoy being on the phone
.They are someone you would do business with
From chapter 48 in the book "The Jelly Bean Principle"

Common Trust Busters

.Selfish - Taking care of yourself at the expense of others. Self promotion takes presedence over working with the team
.Ambitious - too focused on looking good yourself for the next job at the expense of the team.
.Insincere - Not upfront, withholding, distorting information. Tell one person one thing and another person something else.
.Controlling Nature - want to control all decisions. want control of information and use it for their own benefit.
.Defensive - defrnd own opimions and do not listen to others. Move ahead without adequate facts.
.Distrustful - Don't show trust or consideration for teamates. Leave others out if they think they might disagree, even when it's obvious they have a stake in the decision or action.
By Lee Ellis, more articles in the monthly newsletter at www.idealetter.com

Consider Used Equipment

Whether you're buying equipment for your office, store or factory, consider buying some of the less frequent needed equipment used or refurbished. The most important and frequently needed items can be bought new or on sale or older models. This will save much needed cash flow and will still do the job you need done just as well. When we owned an ice cream store we purchased about 40% of the equipment used and only the most-worked items new because of constant use. Our big 3-door ice cream freezer was new because it got the most use and had to sustain very low temperatures.

Things such as a general duty refrigerator and sandwich bar were bought used and we never had a problem with them. Most of the items in the customer service area were new to give a good impression. By buying the equipment (new & used) from one restaurant supplier, we were able to get a very good package price plus a few extras thrown in. Consider used when you can and save valuable cash flow dollars.
More on business spending in chapter 6 of my book "When the Shit Hits the Fan" Career Press Publisher available at amazon.com

Weekend at the Mall

If you are starting a new business or have a home-based business, here's an idea for some additional public exposure. Most shopping malls are looking for extra cash flow wherever they can find it and will allow you to do temporay selling for a reasonable rate. You can usually get a draped table (sometines a kiosk) and two chairs for a two or three day weekend for about $200-$300, where you can present and sell your products.

If you feel this amount is still more than your budget can handle, consider sharing it with another person who is trying to reach the same market or customer. Almost everyone shops the mall so your type of customer or client is likely to walk by. Get a sign from a quick sign company with a headline that will attract your target customer and get them to stop at your table to see what you have to offer. Then it's up to you to close the sale.
More on inexpensive promotions in my new book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner" Cengage Learning publisher