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Monday Morning Motivators – August 4, 2008
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Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. Subscribing and unsubscribing at www.mondaymorningmotivators.com
“Fortunes gravitate to those whose minds have been prepared to attract them, just as surely as water gravitates to the ocean.”
--Napoleon Hill
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Table of Contents
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1. Is Your Customer Service Working For You? - Linda Fayerweather
2. Do Not Cut Your Marketing Budget! - Rebecca Booth
3. Journey to WOW – Ignite the Power Within - Pat Altvater
4. Online Communities Part 2: Writing Recommendations - Paula Frazier
5. To Do This Week
6. Fine Print
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1. Is Your Customer Service Working For You?
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Customer service is a critical component of business and when handled correctly, it keeps your customers coming back and talking about your great business, even if your product or service is viewed as a commodity.
I overheard a young man yesterday saying “I would have bought another ____ car if the service wasn’t so horrible.” Imagine how you would feel if you were the salesperson that had sold a great car that your customer loved but you couldn’t get a repeat sale because of the service center! It happens all the time.
I personally had a laughable experience with game software I purchased after tiring of playing the free version with commercials. Once purchased, the game would no longer operate. Customer service has NO phone number – only email – and each time you respond to their “try this” email, you get a new service rep. By the time I called my credit card company and had the charge reversed, I had emailed Dearden, Turner, Sara, Duke and Kate. Each time, I would put all the names in the salutation, hoping someone would say “Hey, maybe we should pick up the phone”. The last correspondence asked for my User ID, birthdate, phone number, address and when I purchased the game. Since I had attached the sales receipt each time which included all but my date of birth, I emailed back and asked sarcastically if they wanted my social security number and mother’s maiden name, too?
The point here is very simple:
1. Times are tough meaning new customers may be hard to find
2. Customers kept are golden
3. Customer service means being available
4. Customer service is friendly
5. The company that values existing customers will thrive!
Oh yes, the game software is sold by a very large publicly traded company that Microsoft is trying to buy!
Copyright 2008 Linda Fayerweather
Bottled Up Barriers Need Breaking
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz
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2. Do Not Cut Your Marketing Budget! Part 1
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Do Not Cut Your Advertising/Marketing Budget – REPEAT – No Budget Cuts to Marketing! For those of you who believe it, there has been a downturn in the economy. Most business owners, when faced with such a downturn, look to axe expenses. One of the first places they start is with the Advertising/Marketing budget. This is a crucial mistake. Why? Because business will keep going with or without you. And all of the good things you’ve put into place – advertising, direct mail, sales calls, etc. - will lose momentum because you’ve pulled out of the game. Instead of reducing your budget, spend your money more wisely. Here are some suggestions on marketing smarter:
• Move prospecting dollars to courting more business from your current customer list. It costs 7 times as much money to secure a new client. Instead focus on re-contacting past clients who already know you, they’ve simply forgotten about you because you haven’t marketed to them!
• Need a constant stream of new clients? Get off your duff and network. It eats up more time than money, but it’s viable to every business.
• Focus on your current client list. (I can’t say this enough.) Divide yor list into ABC clients. A’s buy the most from you; B’s are a great buy, but they might only buy quarterly – bring them up to bi-monthly or monthly purchases. Same with C’s. However you qualify your client list, focus on moving those who don’t buy as frequently or as much into an A or B level.
In summary: Do NOT cut your marketing/advertising budget. Instead market smarter. I’ll share more ideas with you next week!
Copyright 2008 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419-855-3399
www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com
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3. Journey to WOW – Ignite the Power Within
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Have you heard about limiting core beliefs and understand how they can hold you back from achieving your goals but have been at a loss to uncover yours? You are not alone! In my coaching practice, I’ve met many people who know they sabotage themselves but don’t know what to do about it.
My new book, Journey to WOW- Ignite the Power Within, simplifies the process of identifying limiting beliefs by reviewing the behaviors of people with perfectionism, instant gratification and scarcity mindsets. You’ll recognize your self-destructive behaviors and be able to easily release those using the Transformations Breakthrough Process™.
Journey to WOW- Ignite the Power Within also introduces an easy to use 5-step Law of Attraction model, which effectively meshes the Law of Attraction and goal setting. There are many written exercises, strategies, and tools to help you gain clarity and attract the outcomes that you desire into your life.
My thanks go to Rebecca Booth, marketing goddess, for designing a beautiful cover, laying out the book, and creating charming, pointed illustrations that enhance understanding.
To find out more about the book and read the first chapter, go to www.ignitethepowerwithinbook.com. I'm celebrating the launch of this book by offering $500 of bonus items, such as eBooks, reports, gift certificates, etc., and holding a drawing with valuable prizes for anyone who purchases a copy of my book between now and 8:08pm on 08/08/08. Visit the website for details about my virtual book launch party!
Pat Altvater
Author, Journey to WOW - Ignite the Power Within
Certified Law of Attraction Practitioner
www.ignitethepowerwithinbook.com
www.permanentweightlossebook.com
www.transformationsinstitute.com
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4. Online Communities Part 2: Writing Recommendations
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Dear Readers – In an effort to help you explore and engage on-line communities to increase your networks, I’m submitting an article from my good friend and colleague, Hazel Walker. Enjoy!
Another valuable way to support your network is to write recommendations for each other. Good recommendations are very valuable, you can put a Linkedin badge on your website and people can read what others have to say about you. Well written recommendations are as good as testimonials on your website.
Here are a few tips for writing Recommendations:
Make sure that you write a recommendation that tells what your results were for having done business with that person. "They are nice and have a great attitude" will not build credibility. Instead, let people know, "We saved money and got the best results ever, we realized an 80% increase in profit, while realizing 12% increase in sales." Now that is a recommendation that sells.
Don't ask someone to write you a recommendation if you have never done business with them, or you have never seen any of their work. I am often asked to write recommendations for people whose product or service I have never used. I may know them, but I have no real clue about how well they do what they do. It is impossible to write an effective recommendation.
Be kind, if someone writes you a great recommendation either write one for them or thank them for the recommendation.
Linkedin is a great place to share connections and information. Unfortunately there are a lot of people on the site who collect names for the sake of collecting. Try to stick with people you know or people who have common networks. For instance, I have connections to people in BNI, people from the Referral Institute, and people from the National Speakers Association. I have some common ground with them, and there are opportunities for us to connect in other ways.
While Linkedin has its place in the networking world, it tends to build visibility and some lower levels of credibility, to date, I have not closed a deal because of being on Linkedin, but I have gotten some great material for future articles.
I look forward to seeing more of you on Linkedin!
Copyright 2008 Hazel M Walker, owns three award winning franchise's. She is a 10 year owner of two BNI Franchises where she teaches members how to leverage their time and network to build each other’s businesses. As a member of the National Speakers Association she travels the world speaking to businesses and women's organizations on the topics of networking to create a life you love.
hazel@referralinstitue-in.com .
Paula Frazier is a referral marketing trainer, coach, consultant and keynote speaker. She is an Executive Director for BNI and part of a select team of Master Trainers for Referral Institute. Paula’s business networking articles have been published nationally. She is also acknowledged in the New York Times best seller, Truth or Delusion – Busting Networkings Biggest Myths. Check out #33, Delusion with a twist!
paula@referralinstitute-va.com.
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5. To Do This Week
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Check to make sure your back-up system is working by trying to restore a file.
