5 quick and easy things to make any business better

When inundated with daily tasks of running a business, it’s easy to overlook some of the simpler ways to make a big impact with your customers. Here are my top 5 EASY ways to make your business better:

      1. Type, don’t handwrite

Whether you are a well-oiled entrepreneurial machine or a home-based cleaning service, typing your correspondence, ads, coupons, etc. is an absolute must. I saw an ad for a piano instructor posted on the neighbourhood mailboxes…written in marker. Despite what might have been stellar credentials, the lack of professionalism in the delivery of the information tainted the information itself. Save handwritten notes for personal correspondence like Christmas cards and thank you notes.

2. No typos!

Similar to point #1, credibility is lost immediately if there are typos on a webpage, email, advertisement, etc. Taking the time to review, re-review and then have someone else do the same is time well spent. Typos and errors speak volumes to potential customers, conveying a perceived level of professionalism, care for detail and pride of ownership – all qualities that contribute to the overall perception of a business.

           3. Respond in a timely BUT relevant fashion

Consumer behaviour research indicates that when customers are ready to make the leap to contact your business, it is the result of having a need or want they are looking to satisfy, usually accompanied by a sense of urgency. Don’t miss this opportunity to be the one to answer their call (or email!). While time is of the essence, do take some time to know what the potential customer is seeking. A prompt but irrelevant email reply is just as damaging to the relationship you are building as is a delayed response. I know a bride-to-be who emailed a wedding planning company with questions about specific services. What she received, while prompt, was an automated response showing that no one actually read her email. That business was quickly removed from her list of potential suppliers.

       4. Answer the phone like a pro

This one is pretty straight-forward but often easy to overlook. Remember that a customer contacting you is extremely valuable. Answer every call like it’s your next big client; be courteous, polite, speak clearly and be friendly. And oh yes, don’t sound like you were just awoken from a nap by their call! Yes, that actually did happen...again to the bride I know.

       5. Make sure your web links work

If you have a ‘contact us’ link, make sure it actually does what it says and allows the customer to get the information to contact you. Make sure your webpages load properly for various browsers and now, more than ever, devices just as iPads and smart phones. Because web pages are typically the first point of contact for potential customers, ensuring the links are functional is essential and will influence the opinion and perception of your business’s professionalism.

Summary: Don’t waste an opportunity to make a great impression. You don’t have to jump over the moon to serve; following these 5 easy tips will go a long way to creating a positive experience for potential customers and existing clients alike. A positive experience is the basis for building great customer relationships. Good luck!

Do you have any other easy but essential tips to share? Don’t be shy, please comment below! Our community is richer the more we learn from eachother.

3 ways your passion is the ticket to business success

There are many things that need to be in place for a business to be successful. Having a product or service that meets market demand, securing distribution channels and communicating with your target audience are all essential components to any business plan. But don't forget to include in your arsenal, the fire that fuelled going into business in the first place: PASSION.

Building a business is hard work that requires many hours of dedication - no surprise there - often stretching late into the day and necessitating being ready to act at a moment's notice. Your kids look at it like the younger brother or sister who has their own needs and requirements. It is so easy to become buried under the to-do lists, customers, accounting, promotion, sales calls, bookkeeping, etc.. (that's a post for another day). Despite the demands, it is so important not to lose sight of your 'raison d'être', or, put less eloquently: why the heck are you doing this? Do you even remember anymore? If not, it's time to step back and take stock of one of the most valuable tools you have at your disposal: PASSION.

Somewhere along the way, you saw an opportunity to offer someone a solution to something through your service or product. You wanted to make someone's life easier, fuller, faster, more convenient, more stylish, healthy....the list goes on. Remembering what drove you to believe in yourself and that this business was viable is so important to keeping your brand in check and your business growing.

Here are three ways your passion can help your business:

1.  Focuses your brand
Remembering the gap in the market you wanted to fill, recalling the way you wanted to offer an improved product or customer experience...whatever it might have been for you, dust it off and keep it front and centre in your mind (and maybe at your desk too!). No, seriously. Print it out and put it up where you can see it everyday. This helps drill down to your brand essence - what your business offers that you want to build your brand upon. Did you want to provide organic doggie chew toys that are biodegradable because so many are disposed of each year? Let what inspired you inspire others too and use that to build and focus your brand.

2. Sets you apart
Entering the market because you saw an opportunity to offer something that wasn't already out there, or to do it better means that there is something different and special about your business. If you were going to offer the same thing as everyone else in your market segment, what would be the point? At one point, you saw the chance to stand out from the competition - be passionate about this idea and share it with others. Don't be afraid to tout how and why your business is different and why that is good for your customer.


3. Keeps your business decisions on-track
Remembering the reason for starting out - the passion you had and the drive to offer something distinct to the marketplace can come in handy when faced with business decisions. It's easy to be tempted by offers to grow your business by adding new products or services. Referring back to your original motivation can help ensure business decisions won't dilute your brand or mission.

Summary:
Keeping your business's raison d'être close at hand (and preferably, in view daily), helps keep your business focussed and true to its mission. Amid the day-to-day activities, balancing multiple roles and meeting demands as a business owner, taking time to check that your decisions are in-line with and support your business's brand are essential to success!

Do you have questions about how to turn your passion into tangible business objectives? Do you want help translating that passion into messaging to promote your business to others? Contact me for a free 1-hour, no obligation meeting. I would be happy to sit down and chat with you and get to know your business: info@theroguepeamarketing.com

Above all, things to keep in mind...

Thought for the day!

Work-life balance is a lie. Here's why.

I thought today, being a long weekend in Ontario, would be a great day to write about work-life balance, the proverbial holy grail of parenthood. We all aim for it, but seldom feel like we are achieving it. It's a constant struggle of time spliced into fractals that we hope will eventually lead to that enviable place where all ducks are in a row, balanced and beautiful. And now the honest truth: it's never going to happen. Here's why.

Consider the term itself: work-life balance. The term balance implies something that is in precarious danger of becoming off-balance. Here is how the word is defined.

Used as a noun, it means: An even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.

Used as a verb, it means: Keep or put (something) in a steady position so that it does not fall.

And therein lies the problem and the truth. Using the word balance is inherently flawed.

Now think about life honestly. I don't know about you, but steady is not something that I would use to describe mine. I am thinking about the relatively consistent things on any given day: the seven cheerleading practices per week my girls attend plus their school work, running my own business, being a wife, mother, friend, sister and entrepreneur, not to mention time to do yoga, writing, walking or whatever else it is that keeps me feeling centred and focused. Then there's all the peripheral necessities of life that my husband and I share: washing floors, doing dishes, groceries and the never-ending laundry mountain, walking the dog...the list goes on. There are so many moving parts that change from day to day, hour to hour and minute to minute that the notion of  keeping any or all pieces 'steady' is like building a quick bridge to insanity rather than salvation.

Setting boundaries and going with the flow

The effort we put in, however admirable, is doomed for failure just by believing that somehow, someday, with enough conviction, planning, organization, control, and just plain wishful thinking, that we'll eventually achieve balance in our lives. Let's be honest: the thought of maintaining that precarious balance is exhausting, let alone trying to execute it, day in, day out. Yeesh. 

So how can we live without feeling a loss of control?  By setting boundaries and learning to adapt and recognize the changing priorities in our lives. By doing this, we can allocate the necessary amount of time and effort without  committing to that being how it is always and forever from this day forward, amen. I read an amazing article that inspired me to this way of thinking and I invite you to read it as well. It really started me on the path to re-evaluating my perspective and what is really manageable. We can't control life but we can have a sense of control by going with the ebb and flow of life. To allow priorities to change and fluctuate as needed in order to deal with them becomes the goal. For example, a proposal for a potential client may be your utmost priority for the day while on another it might be volunteering at your child's school and work is taking then taking a backseat. This doesn't mean the balance is off, it simply means that there is harmony among all those moving pieces that allow you to accommodate what needs being done without feeling defeated, out of control and like you've lost the battle for balance. 

Another key part to this approach is setting boundaries. They aren't rigid lines that cannot be crossed. I look at setting boundaries as the overall 'plan' for how I would like the majority of my time to be spent, the "blueprint" for what is really important in my life. One such area is our family life and family time. I pledged to myself that even as a business owner and entrepreneur, I would not work during holidays and weekends. That may not be possible 100% of the time, but keeping this in my blueprint allows me to remain mindful of the place and time it should habitually take up in my life. That isn't to say, there aren't days where work will have to come first whether it's a Saturday or not, but it is not a habit and accommodating this priority once in a while doesn't mean the harmony is lost and I've failed. 

Summary: Life is hard enough as it is without beating yourself up for not being able to keep all the balls in the air at once; NO ONE can do that, not even the best Cirque de Soleil performer. It's important to create a blueprint to guide you but it's also important to be flexible enough to give yourself a break when things don't go exactly as planned or priorities change. Remember that harmony, not balance, is the goal. 

Why building your brand is good for business

A lot of small and medium-sized businesses have at their core a fantastic service or solid product offering. Success can certainly be had by getting in front of the right people and into the right hands, resulting in sales. That is, afterall, what drives the bottom line. Or is it?

Sure, a product, can sell itself if is in the right place, at the right time and the right person is there, but what happens if one of those factors is not present? The precarious balance between right time, right place and right customer is thrown out of whack, and subsequently the likelihood of a sale declines. Going even further, what if that was your only opportunity to be in front of this potential customer? Now it becomes obvious that most of the sale is left to chance.

So how do you eliminate some of that uncertainty? By building your brand and implementing a strong marketing communications framework that builds touchpoints for potential customers to have contact with your product or service long before a purchase is made.

How does building my brand help?

By building your brand, you are building a relationship with your potential consumers beyond the brief window in time that the purchase is made (or service is acquired, etc.). The purchase transaction really represents only a fraction of the decision-making process: the end result. Building your brand ensures your presence with consumers is ongoing throughout that process, and helps you avoid being lumped together among many other choices in the marketplace. It’s not enough to simply be present in the marketplace: your brand needs to be the only choice for your customers, and to do this, it must stand out well ahead of purchase decision time.

How do I build my brand?

I mentioned ‘touchpoints’ above. These are each opportunity a potential customer has to interact with your brand be it via your Facebook page or group, Twitter account, blog, website or customer service centre, etc.. One of the best ways to build your brand is to capitalize on each touchpoint with a consumer. This can be accomplished by ensuring the messaging and visual representation of your brand (or company, depending on the goals) is consistent and communicates a clear message, usually built around what your brand represents. For example, ensuring consistent use of a tagline, logo and even customer service policies at various retailers are all ways that contribute to the relationship you are building with your potential and existing customers. This reinforces your brand at each and every touchpoint, helping to keep your brand top-of-mind outside the moment of purchase, setting yourself apart from competitors and leaving less to chance when it comes to generating sales.

Summary: Building your brand helps to differentiate your product or service in the mind of potential and existing customers well before a purchase decision is made. This can be accomplished by utilizing touchpoints to communicate your brand’s message consistently, thereby building a relationship and top-of-mind awareness with your target audience.

I will cover essentials to deciding on your branding strategy and messaging in separate post very soon! Stay tuned…

Why YOU are your own best social media 'expert'

Crown courtesy of Clker.com

I realize the title of this post might elicit some scoffing, followed by thoughts along the lines of "How can I be a social media expert? My background isn't in marketing or advertising!!" And rightly so; knowing how to best use social media for your business may not be your forte, but that is only part of the social media equation.

The other key part of social media is content; RELEVANT content. Relevant content is what makes Tweets, posts, updates and pin boards resonate with your audience. So what is relevant content? It is the bit of news, the photo, the thought of the day, the link to an article that will seize the attention of your audience. It is what makes them click instead of scrolling, read instead of scanning, notice instead of ignoring. It provides value and in doing so, makes the time they spend engaging with your business worthwhile to them. That is what will keep them coming back, thereby keeping your business top of mind. Content has the potential to affect the overall experience with your business and it contributes to your business's overall image, otherwise known as your brand.

So, going back to my initial statement, I'll ask now: who best to guide the content part of your social media presence than you? After all, you know your business, you know what your customers value, and the keys that guide your business inside and out. Embrace that knowledge and utilize it to your benefit.

Cultivating the knowledge

The key is knowing how to harness the knowledge you hold about your business and developing a sixth sense of sorts to be able to recognize what can be turned into valuable social media tid-bits. It does take a bit of practice, but once you start looking for things in this light, the more easily you will recognize them. Not all posts or Tweets will be zingers, but take heart: one of the beautiful things about social media is the ability to experiment, adjust and keep trying different things until you hit your groove and see what resonates most with your audience.

Summary: Sit down and think about what news and information is valuable to your customers that is related and complements your business. Start scanning blogs, news sources and online magazines for ideas that can add value to your social media presence.


If you would like to learn more about how to manage social media for your business, The Rogue Pea Marketing offers a combination package that includes a 1-hour consultation, a 1-hour personalized training session with training guide, and a custom strategy for your business. Contact me at info@theroguepeamarketing.

Nancy

UPDATE Learn & Work session: July 31

THIS SESSION HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2013. A DATE WILL BE POSTED AS SOON AS IT IS CONFIRMED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST. IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE IN THE MEANTIME, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME!

UPDATE: Topic selected

The topic for the Learn & Work session on July 31, 2013 will be:

Social media: I have a social media account; so what's next? 

The session will discuss developing a social media strategy, different ways different businesses can benefit from using social media, and how to keep it manageable. In the workshop portion, participants will discuss their own businesse's social media presence and we will work towards establishing an outline for a plan and cover the essentials for managing your brand online.

If you are interested in attending, please register in advance by emailing info@theroguepeamarketing.com

Cost: $40 + HST = $45.20. Receipts will be provided.
Date: July 31, 2013
Location: boardroom, TD Canada Trust at Huntmar Road and Hazeldean Road, Stittsville
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m  OR 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. is preferred. Please indicate your preference when registering.

Please note that there is a maximum of 12 spots available for this Learn & Work Session.