12. August 2010 by Frank Goley, Business Consultant for ABC Business Consulting.

I like to offer different levels of products and services as some customers will not start with a company unless they have tried you out in a lower risk, nicely priced service or product. I strive to do an excellent job on the initial, lower end, service or product, and bam, what do you know, the customer comes right back and orders a more profitable service or product offering. To me it is about earning the client’s business, giving the client the easy choices to make when considering what I have to offer them. All businesses should adopt this philosophy, understanding that initially winning the customer over may start at a lower level product or service offering threshold.

I am Not Talking About Giving Services and Products Away for Free  

While this can be a good strategy, and one I use quite a bit (i.e. a free business plan review, a free consultation, free e-books, etc), it isn’t the same. This strategy just lowers the economic level the customer enters into a relationship with you. It isn’t a big money maker but a service or product that brings you some income and provides a huge opportunity to earn more quality business.

Offer Different Levels of Services and Products

I offer four levels of business plans so clients with a young and growing company can start with a solid entry plan, and then I can upgrade the plan for future needs as warranted (and as the initial business plan pays off for them). I also offer an entry level business plan so a client can comfortably try my services with very little risk, see the great value and payoff for them, and then become very open to speaking with me about my monthly and onsite consulting services. I also separate out certain sections of the business plan, like the Marketing Plan or Strategic Plan or the Executive Summary, if a client has the business plan and wants to strengthen it up, update it, or have a good implementation plan in place. I also offer other ancillary packages such as an Investor Overview or a Loan Package, which accompany a Funding Business Plan. These are value add services at lower levels that can earn the client’s bigger commitments in the future.

Earn the Bigger Business

Once I have thoroughly satisfied the customer at the lower level service, then the customer is very willing to talk about more of a commitment like the Business Coaching or Business Consulting services I offer, along with the more complex business planning. A lot of the introduction to my SEO and Web Development Services come through business at the lower service level and earning it later.

It Makes Business Sense

You get a small commitment from the customer initially which helps you maintain cash flow with the opportunity to make a more profitable sale in the future. It really is a win-win if designed, presented and sold properly. It works particularly well in this Recession when customer dollars are tight, and they need to make really good decisions with little room for error.

Consider Services or Products You Don’t Normally Offer

I wrote some business articles for an experienced and accomplished business owner which earned me small bucks, but they are great bucks! Why? Because it has led me to great SEO and Content work for his websites. It was a fantastic way for me to introduce myself and what I can offer. The owner jumped on the opportunity when he received the quality articles. I write quality content for myself everyday, why not for others to potentially earn that better business in the future?

Design, Package and Present it Well

The assortment of services and products I offer have a definite design, plan, strategy and process behind them. I know how to effortlessly present customers options, close them quickly with value and confidence, implement the lower service or product well and fast, then be right back with them in short time speaking about our other, higher level, yet more value and payoff based, services and products. It helps the customer and later the customer helps me, and in turn, I am so excited to help them succeed with the repeat business. It drives my passion! My passion to help customers and earn quality business down the road. Think about it…

Today’s Video is on “How to EARN a Customer’s Referral”

Posted in Business Marketing Strategies, The Business Success Blog | Print | No Comments »

4. August 2010 by Frank Goley, Business Consultant for ABC Business Consulting.

Due to the recession, Customers have fundamentally changed. They are more scrutinizing, want more support, and desire customized solutions for their needs. So for a business to be successful and grow, a company, despite all the economic odds, must see the vital importance of engaging prospects very early on in the budding relationship to gain their trust and later earn their business. You also need to stay engaged with your new and existing customers; otherwise, they will go down the street to someone who will. Here are some ways to engage your prospects and customers alike.

Online Chat

I recently added Online Chat to our website and have seen great success using it. I find we are engaging prospects which otherwise we may have missed. We are showing a genuine interest in our website visitors, providing them free advice, giving them many different ways to connect and contact us. It shows our willingness to earn business and be mindful of a new customer’s needs.

You Call Prospective Customers At Their Convenience

This is the reverse of the 1 800 number. We ask web visitors on our Contact Us page to simply email us their number and best time to call them. The prospective customer can tell you when and how to contact them. Amazon.com has been doing this for a while. It can cut costs, mitigates frustration if you can’t take their call, and yet, it really shows your commitment to a customer’s needs and schedule.

Make Your Website Customer Centric and Friendly

I see so many websites which are so uninviting, provide little information and make little or no attempt to woo the web visitor. A website really needs to be all about the customer. Offer great content and free information to sincerely help the prospect. If it is good advice, the prospect is much closer to becoming a customer. Be sure to have customer testimonials.

Offer a Newsletter

When a prospect first enters your “realm”, your business, your sales process, give them access to a Newsletter. If the prospect fails to convert, then at least you are still in front of them, striving to earn their business, while providing them great info to use. A Newsletter needs to cater to the prospect, not be an obvious sales piece for your company. I like Newsletters sent twice per month. 4 times per month can be too much, depending on the Newsletter and recipients, and once per month is not enough. Be sure to ask the recipients to pass the newsletter on to friends, associates and fellow businesses.

Offer Surveys

Whether online or offline, offer surveys for prospects and customers alike to complete. It gives you important feedback on what you are doing right and wrong. It gives you another avenue of engagement.

Offer Free E-Books

Free E-Books are an excellent way to mine prospect contact information and provide that prospect or customer with your experienced advice and expertise. These also have a viral nature, often being passed along via email.

Offer the RSS Feed to Your Blog

Blogging is an excellent way to provide prospects and customers great information, tips and advice on a daily basis. Be sure to offer your RSS Feed so the prospect and customer can get your daily blog straight to their email inbox or updated in their RSS favorites. This is a fantastic tool to earn business, capture a prospect’s email address and solidify your relationship with your customers.

Avoid Auto Responders

I am all about technology and automating processes. But many prospects will be turned off by an email communication that is sent to everyone. They are not special. Find ways to personalize with in your auto response systems to show a prospect you think he or she is special. It is worth the added step.

Give Prospects Ways to Connect With You

The Social Network world is an awesome platform for prospects and customers to really connect with you on a personal level and on a level which they may prefer. Be open to integrating your business, yourself, your key executives and managers and employees, into the social networking world.

Write a Hand Written Thank You Note

Business people rarely do this anymore in the technology age. By sending a thank you to a prospect for considering your business or to an existing customer for their continued business shows that you care. It separates you from the pack and really engages the prospect and customer on that emotional level, which is key.

Show Them You Care

At the end of the day, if a prospect knows you have the necessary skills, products and services to help them, it is the “x” factor that closes the deal. Showing them you truly care about them will seal the deal. Caring taps that sub-conscious area, providing an emotional connection. Don’t just engage, really connect with your prospects. The same goes for your customers. Caring strengthens loyalty. Never forget your customers. Help them. Care about them. They will stay loyal and refer you great customers year in and year out.

Find New Ways to Engage to Prosper – Get Back to Basics

Think of ways you can better engage your prospects and existing customers. It is well worth the effort, particularly in this coming age of the new customer who values it. Or are just going back to the way business used to be? We used to earn it! We earned customers by nurturing a great relationship. It isn’t necessarily a new type of customer, it is just that customers are running the show and markets now, not the businesses.  

Today’s Video is on Giving Prospects Value First

Posted in Business Marketing Strategies, The Business Success Blog | Print | No Comments »

21. July 2010 by Frank Goley, Business Consultant for ABC Business Consulting.

Press Releases are really an overlooked avenue for businesses to generate interest in their products and services, and ultimately to generate more business. Here are some quick tips to get you along the way toward becoming a Press Release expert.

Start With Your Local and Regional News Agencies

Starting out with the smaller edition news mediums will help you get your feet wet, and they are often quite open to local entrepreneurs. Once you have met with success on the local level, you can use that knowledge to approach wider circulation news outfits.

Do Some Research

Research the kinds of papers and reporters that cover your type of story and target only those. Refrain from a general mail or email blast to all types of papers and reporters- you will be met with poor results.

Be Personal

Personalize each contact with the press so that they feel you care about them and really want to be shown in their paper or magazine. Follow the reporters so they see you have an interest in their articles and papers.  

Make it Timely News

Tie the story to a new release, new product, an event, a company milestone, etc. Make it juicy and newsworthy. Have an angle!

Be Unique

Find ways where you can stand out against all the other press releases coming in. Send the product in the mail to the reporter for evaluation (also ask permission before sending so it is expected and so doesn’t violate reporter rules). Follow up politely, and if you are unique enough, the reporter should actually remember you! 

Have Great Copy

Write out your Press Release yourself and refine it a bunch of times and then send it over to a copywriter to make it sing. It is worth the extra bucks. Know what a PR format is, and how to lay it out properly.

Invite the Reporter to Your Business

If you find the reporter has interest in your Press Release, ask him or her to visit your business for a tour. You may end up as an article instead, verses a standard press release.

Use Online PR Sites

Supplement your print PR with online PR. There are a ton of reasonable PR sites and services. Do this after you finish your print PR campaign so they don’t see the duplication. This also has great SEO results for your website.

Get Blogged About

Target bloggers in your niche with your PR. Great blogging about your product or service spreads fast. Amplify this several fold by using the social networks as well.

Use Video to Promote Yourself

YouTube it! Having a professional video about what you are promoting is a great medium to send to reporters, especially if you are looking to get covered on TV or be a radio guest host. This also has great SEO and traffic benefits for your website.

Offer Snippets and Reprints of Your PR on Your Website and Brochures

“As seen in…” has a powerful effect on your website, flyers, brochures, videos and more! It lends instant credibility with a cold prospect. Get your PR jump started today! It won’t cost much and the return can be incredible if done right.

Video Resource: How To Write a Press Release

Posted in Business Marketing Strategies, The Business Success Blog | Print | No Comments »

15. July 2010 by Frank Goley, Business Consultant for ABC Business Consulting.

I am battling a case of the flu so my blogging has been suffering a bit. Sorry about that.

There is so much on social media nowadays and so many social media outlets. It can get confusing. The bottom line to ask yourself as a business owner or marketer is whether social media is worth it. Well, watch this short video and you may make up your mind in a hurry!

Video Resource: The Social Media Revolution

Posted in Business Marketing Strategies, The Business Success Blog | Print | No Comments »

13. July 2010 by Frank Goley, Business Consultant for ABC Business Consulting.

Giving away a product or service has long been a tried and true strategy to land more clients and customers. But have you considered combining this strategy with your Social Networking strategy?

Let’s say you are on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. How many connections, friends and followers do you have? Could be thousands, right? Definitely hundreds if you have been doing any social networking at all.  

How about growing your Social Network audience exponentially, maybe ten fold? Interested? I am!

Here is a simple strategy how:

§  Send an email to your followers, friends and connections saying you are giving away a free product or service. As an example, could be a free 30 minute consultation. Just make sure it is a valuable give away.

§  In the email, tell them there is a Catch. There is always a catch, right? Might as well be honest and upfront! Well, the catch in this strategy is two fold:

o    Catch 1: You are giving away this valuable free service or product because if they are pleased with the result, you hope they will share your information with their friends, connections and followers. Basically a “friendly” referral.

o    Catch 2: If they are satisfied with the free offer, you will ask them for a Testimonial on your website.

§  Follow up with your Free “consults” once per month, asking them to refer you to the new friends and connections they may have made in the last 30 days. Give them a free E-book or some valuable information for their business as a “thank you.”

§  Make sure you put all your free “consults” on your RSS Feed and Newsletter list to stay in touch with them and continually give them free and valuable business tools.

That is it! A very simple strategy to grow your business exponentially through the social networks. Basically it is business networking on steroids!

Now many of the free “consults” will not do any business with you, and many may not refer you the right customers or any good number of customers. No matter. This is a numbers strategy, as the exponential growth in your social networks will increase your online presence and certainly bring in fresh prospects and customers. Once you have perfected this system, you can start concentrating on quality and run less of a numbers game. Remember, one quality referrer can bring you lots of quality customers. Think of the possibilities! (you could be giving away business with this strategy because you have too many clients!)

Form your give it way for free social networking strategy today!

Video Resource: Is Social Networking Worthwhile?

Posted in Business Marketing Strategies, The Business Success Blog | Print | No Comments »