Improve Customer Service by Making It Personal–Part Three

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Business Builder Tip, Serve Customers, Take Action

The first two steps in our simple three-step strategy for making your business standout were:Recognize every customer, every time, and Deliver a sincere, personalized thank you to every customer.

Today’s action step focuses developing the relationship and taking conscious action to build customer loyalty–Create special moments for your customers.

  1. Send (or deliver by hand) handwritten thank you, congratulations, or hope to see you again soon notes to your customers.
  2. Find ways to deliver a little something extra once in a while, such as a free service, a small bonus, a special discount, or a product sample.
  3. Create a space in your business and online where your customers can be recognized and celebrated.  Post photos and videos of customers with your product and services on your website and your social media pages.

Put these steps to work and watch your business grow!

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Improve Customer Service by Making It Personal–Part Two

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Business Builder Tip, Serve Customers, Take Action

Our first step in the simple three-step strategy for making your business standout focused on the start of the customer’s interaction with your business–Recognize every customer, every time.

Today’s action step focuses on the end of each customer’s interaction with your business–Deliver a sincere, personalized thank you to every customer.

  1. Whenever someone leaves your business, make eye contact and extend a sincere “Thank you for coming in today” or “Thanks for stopping by, see you again soon.”
  2. Regularly make an extra effort with a customer who is leaving to learn more about their experience.  Ask them “Can you help me for a moment?”  Next, inquire about what you could do to make their experience better.  Listen carefully, thank them for sharing their ideas, and take action where appropriate.

Tune in tomorrow for Step Three.

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Generate Better Ideas with Quick Web Searches

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Generate Ideas, Take Action, Think Strategically

This post might best fall into the category of ‘pet-peeves,’ but I’ll share it in the hope that it helps someone.

One of the things that astounds me is how often people contact me with questions that I end up answering with a quick web search–often just by typing their question into the address bar in Google’s Chrome browser–something they could just have easily have done themselves.

Here’s your action advice– Continue reading →

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Improve Customer Service by Making It Personal–Part One

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Business Builder Tip, Serve Customers, Take Action

When you think about it, customer service is a very personal thing.  The interaction with the customer is private, as is the decision regarding its effectiveness.

Because of this, there is a simple three-step strategy you can use to make your business standout.

Here’s step one–Recognize every customer, every time.

  1. Whenever someone enters your business make eye contact and say hello.
  2. Greet repeat customers by name.  If you don’t know their name, extend a hand, introduce yourself and ask.  [If you do this on their second or third visit and you'll greatly increase the likelihood the'll become a regular].
  3. When there is a line, look up, say hello, and let them know you will be with them in a moment.

Tune in tomorrow for Step Two.

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Three Things Every Small Business Owner Must Do

by Dr. Michael Hudson · 2 Comments
Filed under: Business Builder Tip, Define Solutions, Solve Problems, Take Action, Think Strategically

Small business owners are busy people.  But in my work with them across almost a quarter of a century, there are common actions that differentiate those who achieve the most from the rest.

Successful small business owners do these three things on a regular basis:

  1. Celebrate Success…They take time to celebrate the positive outcomes they experience in their business, no matter how small.
  2. Analyze Missteps…They take time to review the things that didn’t work and identify ways to improve their processes to avoid future problems.
  3. Plan Next Moves…They allocate time to looking ahead to define the outcomes they want and the actions they will take to create those outcomes.

If you’re not already doing these things, make a commitment to start doing them in the future.  You’ll quickly see results.

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Social Media Lessons Every Business Should Learn

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Business Builder Tip, Get Results, Take Action, Think Strategically

In one of my LinkedIn groups, someone asked the following question: What is the most important thing you learned about social media in 2010?

Here is my response:

  1. Social media is one tool among many that can be used, and its importance is increasing exponentially.
  2. Social media is built around the core concepts of conversation, interaction, and sharing, and that should always come before selling. Always!
  3. Social media is dramatically changing the entire online landscape and will continue to do so in powerful and meaningful ways, and in the process it will create opportunities for those who know how to translate data and ideas into information and action.
  4. Every business needs a social media action plan because your customers are using the tool and expect you to be there to connect with, and those who aren’t soon will be.

What’s your response?  Please leave a comment and share your insights.

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Focus Your Facebook Business Posts

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Business Builder Tip, Expand Market, Get Results, Serve Customers, Solve Problems, Take Action, Think Strategically

If you have a business page on Facebook (and you should) then you need to find ways to translate your posts into business results.

Whether you are building increased visibility, looking to share information, or seeking sales, the tone and context of your messages will impact your success.

Here are three approaches you can use to increase your impact:

  1. Share Your Insights…quotes, blog posts, videos, tips, tricks, and tools you’ve created, with links to more information whenever possible.
  2. Share Things You’ve Discovered…blog posts, articles, videos, Facebook posts, and links from others with information of relevance.
  3. Share Product/Service Offers…single focused offers for specific products and services that you provide for your customers or clients.

Remember to ask questions and encourage people to join you in the conversation; and don’t even think about using the 3rd option until you’ve become a regular with the first two.

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Solicit & Use Testimonials to Grow Your Business

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Build Business, Business Builder Tip, Expand Market, Increase Sales

Everyone knows that word-of-mouth marketing has power.  Few things are more convincing than having a person like you tell you how a product or service impacted them.  Their story has credibility, context, and connection.

But despite the fact that we all know this, many small business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent professionals fail to take advantage of it.

Think about the last time someone told you something positive about your product or service and how they used it or benefited from it.

What did you do?

  • Pull out your flip-cam or smart-phone and record their testimonial on video for posting on your YouTube channel?
  • Ask them to send you a letter sharing their story?
  • Take their picture, write down their story, and post it on your website and/or bulletin board?

Start your testimonial file today.  Find ways to capture and share stories from your satisfied customers.  It works!

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Sales Success Depends Upon Asking for the Order

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Business Builder Tip, Expand Market, Increase Sales, Take Action

Every business succeeds or fails based on whether or not someone buys the products or services that the business sells. But in many small businesses very little time or effort is devoted to actually asking for the sale.

Think of if this way.  Every sales process is a bit like a dating relationship.  It starts when one party shows interest in the other.  It builds through a series of interactions, some intentional and some random.  It is strengthened (or weakened) by what others say to the people involved.

But ultimately someone has to take action to ask the other one to go on a date, or the relationship goes nowhere.

If you are serious about growing your business, there are three things you need to be doing every day:

  1. Building relationships with prospects and customers;
  2. Asking for the order; and
  3. Following up to ensure satisfaction.

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Share Your Expertise with a Broader Audience

by Dr. Michael Hudson · Leave a comment
Filed under: Build Business, Business Builder Tip, Serve Customers

Here’s a tool worth a look if you are interested in sharing your expertise with a broader audience.

LivePerson.com is a website that provides people with easy access to experts in a number of areas, including counseling, technology, health, education, spirituality, and business.  The site boasts over 30,000 experts who make themselves available at hourly rates to people seeking their ideas and insight.

If you are a coach, mentor, consultant, speaker, or information guru, it might be a site worth checking out.

Your Turn…If you have any experience with this site, either as an expert or as someone seeking expertise, please post a comment and share your insights with us…

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