Easy to Pay You?

Have you ever been in a large chain store because advertising or a special sale got you there? Then you find what you are looking for and are ready to check out but there is only one or two people at the registers and each one has a line. You also see other staff walking around or talking to each other and ignoring the people waiting to pay and your blood pressure goes up about 20 points. They used expensive advertising to get you in their store and how do they treat you once you're there? Isn't taking your money for a purchase the goal in the first place? Someone is not paying attention and it's management.

Always assist people to pay for their purchase quickly so they can get on with all the other tasks in their life. That's what they will remember and bring them back again. Have a back-up check out person watching the lines and jump in to help and cut down any wait by customers. And please don't have check out people answering the phone in the middle of a transaction and making the customer stand there and listen to the converation. This is not only frustrating for the customer but it's RUDE! Who trains these employees anyway, someone who never had to stand in line? Smaller businesses can fix this and get those frustrated customers to patronize them for prompt and courteous service.

Barry is a speaker/trainer who works with companies that want to create a better customer experience.

Employees Want to Do a Good Job

Your staff comes to work and in 95% of all situations tries to do their job the best that they are able. With some you will see great enthusiasm and others not as much external but that's not all bad. I believe that the large majority will try to do the very best job they can for you and your business. That means it's now up to you and your managers to let them know what expected and how to acomplish it using the abilities they have. Without proper guidance their desire to excel is just wasted and that's a shame.

There will, of course be those employees who just want to put in their time to get a paycheck and do the minimum to slide under the radar. Once you see this happening you must take action and replace them or find a way to motivate them quickly. We have all heard the axiom, 'One bad apple can spoil the barrel' and it's true. Getting the best from your employees is up to the owner and managers in the way they lead them. Praise when a job is well done and "corrective critisism" when improvement is needed. Remember that they look to you for guidance, be sure you offer it. They will do their best with your training and encouragement.

Barry is a small & medium size business speaker, coach & advisor, idealetter@aol.com

Making Advertising Work

The secret to effective advertising is first getting people to read it and then act on your offer. Most of us smaller and medium size businesses need to promote both our brand and a purchase. The key to getting our prospects to read our advertising is the headline that they see first. It needs to be short and attention grabbing plus of interest to the person reading it.

In your headline use attention getting words, a question or direct it to a specifice. Things like "New Improved", "Do you need more income?", "Homeowners Beware" will get people to read the rest of your copy andpossibly act on your offer. The rest of your copy should be clear, easy to read and state the facts honestly. Advertising is expensive and needs to be presented in a fair, honest and enticing way to be effective.

What Makes Your Business Different?

Every industry has many competitors and that is actually good for everyone. Competitors make you work harder, find better products and solutions plus treat customers/clients with respect. There will always be somewhere else to spend our money if we are not happy doing it where we are now. That is not a threat but realty and human nature so use it to your advantage. Don't take your customers/clients for granted because there is always someone out there who wants them.

Most people would like to keep buying from the same business when they become comfortable and feel they are getting a good value for what they are paying. If that feeling changes they will begin to look elsewhere. What makes your business be the place where they get that comfort feeling every time they visit and purchase? Do you provide outstanding (not just good) service before, during and after the sale? This is what you must do to survive the slow times and grow continually.

Contact Barry at idealetter@aol.com if you want to create a better customer experience.

Partner on Mailings

Direct mail still works for many businesses to keep in contact, promote new products, offer coupons and advertise sales. But why pay the expense of the postage and envelopes yourself? Find 2 or 3 other companies, who are not competitors that want to reach the same target customer. Then divide the cost between you and each put a flyer or brochure in the mailing. Select a mailing list that works for all of you and have a mail house send it out.

This way you can mail more often and stay in touch with you prospects more. It will also create a name recognition when they are in need of what you are selling. If your other partners don't want to mail as often as you do, find other who will want to fill in. I suggest that you limit each mailing to 5 partners so your information won't get lost in the stack or ignored. Mailing still works and this is a way that your can do it often at a reduced cost.

Your Business Will be Changing

When you have started a business of your own you may think the hard work is done and you can sit back and count the profits. But as most of us learn the real work is still ahead and never ends. The challenge of getting new clients and customers will never reach a point where your can stop all your marketing. There is always something new in your industry and target market, so you must compete with it. Whatever you offered your customer base in the past can and will be outdated or upgraded at some time, it always happens.

Even long time stable products and services will change, consider the automobile, will there even be a gasoline engine car offered in 20 years or maybe 10 years? The part of business I really enjoy is building a company as the techonolgy and the market changes. Trying to outsmart competitors and being first with new ideas and changes that make everyone's life better is an ongoing task. Always have a one year and five plan of how you will change to meet the new wants and needs of your customers and clients. If you just sit and do nothing you will soon be looking at the backs of your competitors.

Barry is a business and franchise coach, advisor and speaker.

People Buy From People They Like

A person in sales of any type is usually looked at by the buyer before the product or service. The buyer wants to be comfortable handing over their money or credit card in return for what they purchase. If there are 2 similiar places to buy from the one that is likable and easy to work with will get the sale. The customer feels that if anything goes wrong after the purchase it will be taken care of promptly. This goes for online purchases as well as face-to-face sales. If it didn't matter then there would be no competitors to worry about.

This doesn't mean being friends with customers but it does mean being friendly, helpful and a smile on your face. Look and act professional regardless of what you are selling and you will get the buyer a little closer to their comfort zone. Don't sell by telling them what the product or service will do but how it can fulfill their wants and needs. There is always somewhere else to spend our money and the people we like and trust will usually get it.

I offer business coaching for start-ups and growth for small to medium size businesses, www.idealetter.com

Ask Before You Sell

When trying to sell a product or service, the more you know about the prospect and their wants or needs, the better chance you have to close the sale. The best way to find this out is to simply ask them. Ask a short open question (can't be answered by yes or no) the keep your mouth shut while you LISTEN. They will tell you valuable information you need to complete a sale with them. You might otherwise be selling a benefit they don't care about.

Every potential customer is a little different and what they care about is unique to them. You must find out what it is they want from your product or service before you can explain or demonstrate why you are better or the BEST. The successful sales people in the world know how to let the prospect talk more than 50% of the time and close on the points they bring up. So if you love sales like I do, listen more, even if you have to bite your lip to do it.

Retail is Not for Everyone

If you hate long hours and possibly working 7 days a week, a retail business may not be for you. Sure you can stay open any hours you want but if competitors are open longer you may lose business (and repeat business). You could always leave someone else in charge when you leave but will they do the job as well as you do and give outstanding service? Some of us love long hours and being involved in our business 24/7 and that's great. If you have a young family it's tough to be away that long, so consider a partner or a different type of business.

Retail businesses have other situations to deal with in addition to long hours. You have to hire, train, retrain and supervise your staff and sometimes fire them. You also need to keep your store/location clean and in stocked condition. Handling returns, credits and exchanges also takes time and finesse so customers will come back. And of course that occaisional nasty or unpleasant customer who can't wait to confront you. These are all part of owning a retail business and it's not for everyone. When it's doing well there is noting better, if you can handle the stress.

Keep Your Focus

There are many businesses failures lately that may have been avoided if people kept the determination and persistance to keep them going. When you let you attention waiver or get the feeling of giving up you lose focus on what you started out to do. Of course it's much easier to give up than continue in a difficult situation. But maybe that big payoff and success is just around the next corner, the next day or the next week. If you give up you won't be there to enjoy or profit from it.

I have had many tough times in the many businesses I have started and operated over the past 30 years. I never gave up unless someone else made me do it and that rarely happened. When adversity stikes you from both sides keep your focus on straight ahead and the goal you want to reach. You may be surprised at the positive outcome that results in not giving up.

I help businesses & franchises get started, grow and solve problems. 719-268-1322, www.idealetter.com

Putting Customers First

When you think of what your customers and clients want (not need) before your own they will remember your business and be back. When you are in business you come second , not first, if you want to grow and prosper. When your competitors are not doing this you will have a big advantage if you do. It's so simple but many owners and managers overlook the obvious and wonder why sales are down or slow. You want your customers to only think of only your business when they need anything in your industry and forget about other sales and promotions.

A few ways of doing this are having business hours that accomadate everyone's schedule (yes long hours), being available for important issues during off hours, carrying specialty products or services they can't find elsewhere and being available when they need you for questions or problems. Keeping a smile on your face (and staff) in person and on the phone and always cheerfully doing that little extra (you know what it is) to make that customer as loyal as a new puppy. It all pays off on your bottom line and keeps you prosperous when the economy is down. It's up to you, is it worth it?

From my new speech "Customer Satisfaction" www.idealetter.com

Brand Recognition

People may remember you brand name or logo before they think of anything about your business. Give them something to keep that name/logo in front of them or handy when they are thinking of a purchase. The long used promo items like pens, magnets, keychains, etc with your brand on them still work and are inexpensive. It's much easier to call the pizza place whose phone number is on a magnet nearby that to go to the phone book or search the internet. Whatever you use, be sure it's a useful item that the potential buyer will save. Promoting your brand will increase repeat sales and help your business grow.

Fun Sales & Promotions

Do you ever get tired of the same old sale names, President's sale, Columbus day sale, Halloween sale, etc? So do your customers and you also have to compete with all your competitor's those days. Why not have unusual holidays as sale days and create some fun for everyone. There are many holidays that most people don't know or forget about that you can use like National cake day, help a stranger day, walk your dog day etc. Tie a promotion or sale to these and be different and fun. Send an email to the media and you just might get some free publicity on a slow news day. Be creative and customers will remember you.