There’s a new kid in town these days – or at least one that’s been away for awhile. When The Work Place first opened, we were considered a Secretarial Support Service. That pretty much says it all, doesn’t it. We do secretarial work for other businesses. Now, we’re called Virtual Assistants (VA). Does that mean that we’re a temp agency? Nope. We do the work in our offices, which frees you – the small business owner – to do the work that you need to do to generate income and to grow your business. The administrative (things like answering emails, calendar scheduling, sending out invoices, writing marketing materials, mailing those materials, updating the customer database, etc.) gets handled efficiently and effectively without you having to worry about how you’re going to get it all done.
Sounds good doesn’t it. Kind of like a genie in a bottle. Just rub it and out we pop; your wish is our command. Hiring a VA has many advantages, particularly for a small business or an individual who is self-employed. Unfortunately, many would-be clients tend to shy away from such services because they don’t understand how they work and don’t understand the pricing value of such a partnership. For example, the VA does the work in his or her own office: not in the employer’s office. Questions like how can I control the work flow? Am I paying for them to sit around, do other people’s work, and take naps? come to the fore. The answer is NO.
First of all, a VA is a business owner, just like you. Their business will not be a success unless your business is a success. They want the same things that you do – for their company to grow and prosper. Thus, they put their whole effort into making your work as accurate and complete as possible. Oftentimes they will be able to even take over some of the more “thinking type” projects that tie you down – once they get to know you and have worked with you regularly.
And because you only pay them for the time that they are doing YOUR work, you save money. You’re not paying benefits, taxes and other compensation. You’re not paying for sick leave, vacation time, breaks and equipment. That is all the responsibility of the VA and frees you from those costs. Think about if for a minute. Say you’re a plumber. How much is your time worth. Do you charge $50, $75, $120 an hour? And when you’re spending time doing that admin work, how much potential income are you losing? Two hours of designing a newsletter (while an important marketing tool) costs you $240 (if you bill out at $120 an hour). Yet, if you were out there fixing a backed up kitchen sink, you could be earning $240. You’ve actually just lost $480. Now, if you had a VA doing that newsletter for you, it might cost you $50. You gain the $240 because you’re out there fixing that sink. And you might gain some new customers who read your newsletter and get a better understanding of what’s involved in remodeling their bathroom (an article you wrote for the newsletter). What’s the value of that?
A VA can be surprisingly affordable when you calculate how much more billable work you can accomplish when you’re not trying to do it all yourself. Give us a call at 269-503-7350 if you’d like more information on how The Work Place can help you free up your time, and add money to your bottom line.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Out to Lunch
We’re well into the summer months now, with the 4th of July behind us. I don’t know about you but with the sunshine we’ve had lately and the sounds of kids playing in pools and riding their bikes up and down the street, I’m not all that motivated to sit there at my desk typing away. Yet, the work continues, and if I want to make my clients happy (as well as my tummy), I have to put my nose to the grindstone, and my fingers to the keys of my computer.
Summer is generally the time for vacations and a more leisurely lifestyle – we need it after working hard all those dreary months of winter. Yet, we need to keep in mind (at least from a marketing standpoint) that we have to continue to focus on our efforts to do the work and to keep the work coming in our front doors. For the small and homebased businesses especially, it’s really tempting to say, “I think I’ll take the day off today. It’s just too pretty outside to be working.” But, what if your customers are trying to get you? Do they get a voice mail message? A ringing phone that never picks up? Or a darkened door with a closed sign hanging out front? What do you think that customer is going to do then? If they are very loyal they will probably keep trying until they finally reach you – the next day of so. But, if they are like the vast majority of people, they want their work done and they will head straight for the closest competitor.
What then are your choices? Do you have to stay there working away? Can you not ever take a day of vacation? Sure, but there are some simple actions you can take to ensure that the customer will get their needs taken care of quickly and efficiently even while you’re gone. At the very least, if you have walk in traffic, put out a sign that says that you are closed for the day but will reopen the next at a certain time. If your business lends itself to the humorous, put out a “gone fishing” note or something similar. It will give them a chuckle and they will not feel so frustrated by your absence. They may even wish they were out there on the water with you.
There are also some really good alternatives to voice mail. One for instance, is that for relatively little a month, you can have a live answering service that takes care of your customers as if they were their own. In the article What are the real costs of Virtual Services? later in this newsletter, we’ll see how bringing on someone to answer phones (virtually) and do other work for you will actually save you money. By having someone who sounds like they are part of your business taking messages, you get the calls answered (THE NUMBER ONE BENEFIT) as well as someone who can reach you in an emergency, get accurate information and give out details to someone – perhaps somebody new who is looking to hire your company.
The bottom line is that as small businesses ourselves, we know how important it is to be available to our customers when they need us; yet it is a thin line we must walk in order to have time for ourselves as well. By maintaining some elementary precautions such as these above, we are able to show our clients that we are there for them, and that we will be able to do our best because we’ve had some time to rejuvenate ourselves as well.
Have a great summer and enjoy some time with family and friends!
Summer is generally the time for vacations and a more leisurely lifestyle – we need it after working hard all those dreary months of winter. Yet, we need to keep in mind (at least from a marketing standpoint) that we have to continue to focus on our efforts to do the work and to keep the work coming in our front doors. For the small and homebased businesses especially, it’s really tempting to say, “I think I’ll take the day off today. It’s just too pretty outside to be working.” But, what if your customers are trying to get you? Do they get a voice mail message? A ringing phone that never picks up? Or a darkened door with a closed sign hanging out front? What do you think that customer is going to do then? If they are very loyal they will probably keep trying until they finally reach you – the next day of so. But, if they are like the vast majority of people, they want their work done and they will head straight for the closest competitor.
What then are your choices? Do you have to stay there working away? Can you not ever take a day of vacation? Sure, but there are some simple actions you can take to ensure that the customer will get their needs taken care of quickly and efficiently even while you’re gone. At the very least, if you have walk in traffic, put out a sign that says that you are closed for the day but will reopen the next at a certain time. If your business lends itself to the humorous, put out a “gone fishing” note or something similar. It will give them a chuckle and they will not feel so frustrated by your absence. They may even wish they were out there on the water with you.
There are also some really good alternatives to voice mail. One for instance, is that for relatively little a month, you can have a live answering service that takes care of your customers as if they were their own. In the article What are the real costs of Virtual Services? later in this newsletter, we’ll see how bringing on someone to answer phones (virtually) and do other work for you will actually save you money. By having someone who sounds like they are part of your business taking messages, you get the calls answered (THE NUMBER ONE BENEFIT) as well as someone who can reach you in an emergency, get accurate information and give out details to someone – perhaps somebody new who is looking to hire your company.
The bottom line is that as small businesses ourselves, we know how important it is to be available to our customers when they need us; yet it is a thin line we must walk in order to have time for ourselves as well. By maintaining some elementary precautions such as these above, we are able to show our clients that we are there for them, and that we will be able to do our best because we’ve had some time to rejuvenate ourselves as well.
Have a great summer and enjoy some time with family and friends!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Help!!!! Resolutions 2008
The days of 2007 have come to an end — if yours were like mine, the time has flown by and you wonder what happened to the spring, then the summer, and finally fall. Snow is on the ground and the Christmas holidays have come and gone. That, of course, means that it is now time to look ahead to the shiny bright new year where the cycle starts all over again.
For entrepreneurs and small business people that can be a scary thought. “How am I going to get it all done?” you may think. “I want to spend time with my family and friends, but I want to have money to pay my bills and do the things I enjoy doing. And of course that means I have to work.” A few years ago, people were talking about 4 day work weeks and having time for travel and time for relaxation. Now, it seems that we’re working well into the night and through the weekends just to start all over again the next week. There is too much work, not enough time and far too much stress. It all is never ending.
With the coming of the new year, tradition often has us thinking about setting new goals and objectives. We make our New Year’s Resolutions to go on a diet, stop smoking, get more organized, and on and on. For the business person who is the “chief cook and bottle washer” for their company, such resolutions probably contain thoughts like those above with getting more organized being at the top. But how do we do that? We’re faced with streams of e-mails, phones ringing off the hook and paperwork flowing non-stop, not to mention back-to-back meetings. Productivity goes out the window as we sit there and worry about how to get it all done.
But there are ways of helping yourself through this dilemma. And with the new year just around the corner, now’s a great time to put this plan into action. Start by sitting down and setting some goals for yourself. Make it something that you really want to accomplish because the motivation will help see you through. It is much easier to do something when motivated to do it, than when you’re not. Next, create some activity logs and for a week or so, write down exactly what you do and when you do it. How long does it take to complete? What else could you have been doing when you were trying to accomplish this task? Is it an important task that ONLY you can do, or could you delegate it to someone else? When you really take a look at how you spend your time, you can see what you do with your day. Then, once you know how you spend your time, you can create prioritized to-do lists and schedule when and how to complete those tasks.
Finally you need to remember that something like this does not become habit overnight. You must work with these time management tools for at least 30 days for them to set in as regular parts of your work life. But once you start, you won’t regret it. You will find that you have more time for your personal life, while your business life becomes more effective, efficient and productive.
I wish you a happy new year and a busy, successful 2008.
— Nancy Sherman, The Work Place
Business Consultant
For entrepreneurs and small business people that can be a scary thought. “How am I going to get it all done?” you may think. “I want to spend time with my family and friends, but I want to have money to pay my bills and do the things I enjoy doing. And of course that means I have to work.” A few years ago, people were talking about 4 day work weeks and having time for travel and time for relaxation. Now, it seems that we’re working well into the night and through the weekends just to start all over again the next week. There is too much work, not enough time and far too much stress. It all is never ending.
With the coming of the new year, tradition often has us thinking about setting new goals and objectives. We make our New Year’s Resolutions to go on a diet, stop smoking, get more organized, and on and on. For the business person who is the “chief cook and bottle washer” for their company, such resolutions probably contain thoughts like those above with getting more organized being at the top. But how do we do that? We’re faced with streams of e-mails, phones ringing off the hook and paperwork flowing non-stop, not to mention back-to-back meetings. Productivity goes out the window as we sit there and worry about how to get it all done.
But there are ways of helping yourself through this dilemma. And with the new year just around the corner, now’s a great time to put this plan into action. Start by sitting down and setting some goals for yourself. Make it something that you really want to accomplish because the motivation will help see you through. It is much easier to do something when motivated to do it, than when you’re not. Next, create some activity logs and for a week or so, write down exactly what you do and when you do it. How long does it take to complete? What else could you have been doing when you were trying to accomplish this task? Is it an important task that ONLY you can do, or could you delegate it to someone else? When you really take a look at how you spend your time, you can see what you do with your day. Then, once you know how you spend your time, you can create prioritized to-do lists and schedule when and how to complete those tasks.
Finally you need to remember that something like this does not become habit overnight. You must work with these time management tools for at least 30 days for them to set in as regular parts of your work life. But once you start, you won’t regret it. You will find that you have more time for your personal life, while your business life becomes more effective, efficient and productive.
I wish you a happy new year and a busy, successful 2008.
— Nancy Sherman, The Work Place
Business Consultant
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Hidden Opportunities
This came as a repost from a friend on Myspace and there was no one's name attached to give authorship to. However, I think what it says is worth reading and taking away ideas from.... Enjoy.
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I cringe when I hear people complain about limited opportunities in business. Opportunities in business and life are plenty when your awareness is high and you're looking in the right places.
Where are you looking?
How do you find hidden opportunities?
Why is it some people seem to uncover the best opportunities and other never do? Answer. Because the ones who do understand if it appears on the surface to be a great opportunity, it's probably not. The best opportunities are the ones that are there the entire time, but not everyone sees them.
Have you ever said I wish I had thought of that idea? The website YouTube came about as a result of wanting to satisfy a need. And it sold for hundreds of millions of dollars. How did the creators see that opportunity? If you think they're just "lucky," you're wrong. There's a discipline associated with finding the best opportunities. You need to understand how to discover the unknown and be ready to do the hard work to make it a success.
Here are a couple of strategies to help you find hidden opportunities:
Having keen awareness. Without looking away from your computer, name five things that are green where you're sitting. Now, take a quick look around. Chances are you'll find several items that were there the entire time, but you weren't looking for them. Opportunities are no different. If you're not looking, you'll never find them. When you meet people, think about how you can help them. Discover ways to refer business to them. Introduce them to someone you know that can help them in some way. The lesson is simple. When your awareness is about finding ways to help others, opportunities show up. YouTube was created so people could share their home videos in an easy manner. The result was a $1.6 billion sale. They couldn't share their own videos online the way they wanted to and assumed others felt the same way. This awareness of a need uncovered an opportunity that turned into real money. The best part is, they weren't looking to be bought out; they were helping fill a gap on the Internet and the sale was the bonus for uncovering an opportunity that hadn't yet been discovered.
Being ready to take action. When you uncover an opportunity you must do something about it. If not, it's a wasted chance. It's like knowing the winning lottery numbers, but being too busy to buy the ticket. An opportunity without action is nothing. When you find a hidden opportunity, will you be prepared to do something with it? You have to believe you can achieve and be willing and ready to take the right actions to make the opportunity a reality. Sometimes people are given a chance to make something happen and do nothing with it. They blow it because they believe "showing up" is good enough. Take each opportunity you are given as the "chance of a lifetime." When you do, you will find your level of intensity will go up ten fold. That intensity will transfer into passion. And that passion will turn into success.
Life is full of opportunities if you're willing take a closer look. Being aware is the first step to unlock those potentials. Everywhere you go you'll find potential customers, life-changing relationships, and opportunities waiting to be found. They could be right in front of you, but if you're not looking they don't exist. Don't worry about how crazy an opportunity may look. If you had been approached to invest your time and money into YouTube before it launched, would you have? Don't waste your time thinking about all of the opportunities you lost or missed. Instead, start focusing on all of the hidden opportunities around you right now. You can have everything you want and everything you deserve if you're willing and eager to find hidden opportunities
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I cringe when I hear people complain about limited opportunities in business. Opportunities in business and life are plenty when your awareness is high and you're looking in the right places.
Where are you looking?
How do you find hidden opportunities?
Why is it some people seem to uncover the best opportunities and other never do? Answer. Because the ones who do understand if it appears on the surface to be a great opportunity, it's probably not. The best opportunities are the ones that are there the entire time, but not everyone sees them.
Have you ever said I wish I had thought of that idea? The website YouTube came about as a result of wanting to satisfy a need. And it sold for hundreds of millions of dollars. How did the creators see that opportunity? If you think they're just "lucky," you're wrong. There's a discipline associated with finding the best opportunities. You need to understand how to discover the unknown and be ready to do the hard work to make it a success.
Here are a couple of strategies to help you find hidden opportunities:
Having keen awareness. Without looking away from your computer, name five things that are green where you're sitting. Now, take a quick look around. Chances are you'll find several items that were there the entire time, but you weren't looking for them. Opportunities are no different. If you're not looking, you'll never find them. When you meet people, think about how you can help them. Discover ways to refer business to them. Introduce them to someone you know that can help them in some way. The lesson is simple. When your awareness is about finding ways to help others, opportunities show up. YouTube was created so people could share their home videos in an easy manner. The result was a $1.6 billion sale. They couldn't share their own videos online the way they wanted to and assumed others felt the same way. This awareness of a need uncovered an opportunity that turned into real money. The best part is, they weren't looking to be bought out; they were helping fill a gap on the Internet and the sale was the bonus for uncovering an opportunity that hadn't yet been discovered.
Being ready to take action. When you uncover an opportunity you must do something about it. If not, it's a wasted chance. It's like knowing the winning lottery numbers, but being too busy to buy the ticket. An opportunity without action is nothing. When you find a hidden opportunity, will you be prepared to do something with it? You have to believe you can achieve and be willing and ready to take the right actions to make the opportunity a reality. Sometimes people are given a chance to make something happen and do nothing with it. They blow it because they believe "showing up" is good enough. Take each opportunity you are given as the "chance of a lifetime." When you do, you will find your level of intensity will go up ten fold. That intensity will transfer into passion. And that passion will turn into success.
Life is full of opportunities if you're willing take a closer look. Being aware is the first step to unlock those potentials. Everywhere you go you'll find potential customers, life-changing relationships, and opportunities waiting to be found. They could be right in front of you, but if you're not looking they don't exist. Don't worry about how crazy an opportunity may look. If you had been approached to invest your time and money into YouTube before it launched, would you have? Don't waste your time thinking about all of the opportunities you lost or missed. Instead, start focusing on all of the hidden opportunities around you right now. You can have everything you want and everything you deserve if you're willing and eager to find hidden opportunities
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
A VA What?
Thanks to VANA (Virtual Assistant's Networking Association) for their input on this. I had posted something earlier giving full credit to the author but I guess they didn't like their information shown and demanded I take it down. VANA on the other hand has graciously stated that as long as a person gives them credit they are happy to share. So here goes .... What is a VA (Virtual Assistant) and why do you need one?
Top 10 Things A Virtual Assistant (VA) Can Do For Your Business
By VANA member Diana Ennen
Have you ever wondered, “What exactly is that Virtual Assistant that you keep hearing so much about?” The answer is simple. A Virtual Assistant, or VA, is an administrative professional who provides immediate professional support, services, and skills to busy entrepreneurs and business managers via the Internet.
But “What can a Virtual Assistant do for me?” is a little more complicated. The ways in which a VA can help you and your business are as unique and diverse as the individual VAs are themselves. To help narrow down the possibilities, the Virtual Assistants at the Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) forum, ttp://www.VAnetworking.com were asked to list the top 10 things they could do for their clients.
This is what they said. A VA can assist you with marketing support, increasing your clientele and freeing up valuable time to service your customers. They also can handle all your marketing and publicity helping you to spread the word about your product or services. Many Virtual Assistants specialize in web design and search engine optimization. Once you work with a VA, they know your business inside and out, who better to help you prepare your website. A Virtual Assistant can make your next presentation shine by giving it that polished professional presentation which is sure to capture your audience and promote all your products and services. A Virtual Assistant can be instrumental in proofing, editing, and typing all your correspondence, pleadings, manuscripts, etc., thus allowing a more professional edge to all your business communications. A Virtual Assistant can take over all your bookkeeping, bills and accounts payable. Let them worry about payroll so you can worry about the important tasks of running your business.
A Virtual Assistant can plan your next company event or outing providing for an enjoyable and memorable time for all. Think how much more enjoyable it can be when the burden of planning is removed. Because VAs work on an “as needed basis” and only when you have work, hiring a VA can save you money. Clients only pay for the work done, and don’t have to pay for benefits, equipment, or supplies. What a cost savings that can be.
A VA can save you space because s/he works from his/her office as an independent contractor. Hiring a VA can save you time because you will not have to spend time hiring an employee or temporary help, as well as training the new staff. A Virtual Assistant can schedule your appointments, manage your calendar, organize your desk, and make running a business that much smoother.
Tawnya Sutherland is the founder of The Virtual Assistant Networking Association Forum (VANA), the largest member based Virtual Assistant global networking community for aspiring and successful Virtual Assistants online. She states, “By bringing “the best of the best” of Virtual Assistants to the VANA Community, we make it easy for clients to partner with successful VAs.”
Top 10 Things A Virtual Assistant (VA) Can Do For Your Business
By VANA member Diana Ennen
Have you ever wondered, “What exactly is that Virtual Assistant that you keep hearing so much about?” The answer is simple. A Virtual Assistant, or VA, is an administrative professional who provides immediate professional support, services, and skills to busy entrepreneurs and business managers via the Internet.
But “What can a Virtual Assistant do for me?” is a little more complicated. The ways in which a VA can help you and your business are as unique and diverse as the individual VAs are themselves. To help narrow down the possibilities, the Virtual Assistants at the Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA) forum, ttp://www.VAnetworking.com were asked to list the top 10 things they could do for their clients.
This is what they said. A VA can assist you with marketing support, increasing your clientele and freeing up valuable time to service your customers. They also can handle all your marketing and publicity helping you to spread the word about your product or services. Many Virtual Assistants specialize in web design and search engine optimization. Once you work with a VA, they know your business inside and out, who better to help you prepare your website. A Virtual Assistant can make your next presentation shine by giving it that polished professional presentation which is sure to capture your audience and promote all your products and services. A Virtual Assistant can be instrumental in proofing, editing, and typing all your correspondence, pleadings, manuscripts, etc., thus allowing a more professional edge to all your business communications. A Virtual Assistant can take over all your bookkeeping, bills and accounts payable. Let them worry about payroll so you can worry about the important tasks of running your business.
A Virtual Assistant can plan your next company event or outing providing for an enjoyable and memorable time for all. Think how much more enjoyable it can be when the burden of planning is removed. Because VAs work on an “as needed basis” and only when you have work, hiring a VA can save you money. Clients only pay for the work done, and don’t have to pay for benefits, equipment, or supplies. What a cost savings that can be.
A VA can save you space because s/he works from his/her office as an independent contractor. Hiring a VA can save you time because you will not have to spend time hiring an employee or temporary help, as well as training the new staff. A Virtual Assistant can schedule your appointments, manage your calendar, organize your desk, and make running a business that much smoother.
Tawnya Sutherland is the founder of The Virtual Assistant Networking Association Forum (VANA), the largest member based Virtual Assistant global networking community for aspiring and successful Virtual Assistants online. She states, “By bringing “the best of the best” of Virtual Assistants to the VANA Community, we make it easy for clients to partner with successful VAs.”
Stop by Virtual Assistant Networking Assocation (VANA) today and find that VA you’ve been looking for. They are waiting, ready to assist you with all your business needs.
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*Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA)
The ever popular, friendly, informative, educational & resourceful network for successful and aspiring "IN THE KNOW" Virtual Assistants and Achievers globally that everyone online is talking about.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Use Live Bait When Fishing for Business
By now I’m sure everyone has heard of the term networking – and has been out there meeting and greeting other businesses for many years. But do we really understand what SHOULD be involved in networking? That I’m not so sure of.
The other type of regular networking is a weekly or monthly meeting where people sit around a table, introduce themselves and share leads or referrals with each other. Today’s article will discuss this type of networking in more detail.
A referral group, as this type of meeting is often called, is a great form of marketing as you have a ready made audience that’s mission is to support other people in the group. However, all too often it seems that (in this form of networking as well as the other forms) people decide to get out there and network with only themselves in mind. In other words a “gimme attitude”. I can tell you right now, this is NOT going to work well for you. One such networking organization that’s been around for many years is called BNI, or Business Networking International, and it has the philosophy of “Givers Gain”. What this entails is that you go into a networking event or meeting with the idea that you can help others. YOU become their marketing arm. When you help provide them with quality leads (we’ll discuss this later), then they will, in turn, provide the same to you. How do you do this?
Called Spheres of Influence, most people have a circle of some 200 others that they know. And each of those 200 knows another 200 – an ever widening ripple of contacts for a business network to connect with. Here’s a scenario of how it might translate:
Joe Realtor has been getting requests from his new home buyers/sellers for someone that can come into the home and fix little things like power washing or carpet cleaning. He asks the others in his networking group if they know of any really good handymen that can handle this type of job. Charlie Home Builder says, oh yeah. I have a great handyman service that I use all the time. Let me get in touch with him and have him call you. His name, by the way, is Harley Homebody.
Later that day, Harley calls Joe and they set up a time to meet and talk a little about what they both do and are looking for. Eventually, Joe has someone that he feels comfortable referring his clients to (his clients become happy campers) and Harley gets a lot of new business and can become repeat or additional referrals.
This is a simplistic way of describing how referral networking operates, but it gives you a good idea of a very possible end result when done correctly. But, another thing to keep in mind is the difference between leads and referrals. Often people in these groups are pressured into thinking that they have to provide names ... This can be anything from “I think I heard my neighbor next door say he was going to sell his house. Hey Joe, why don’t you give them a call.” to I saw a little league team that needs new t-shirts. Ms. Printer, why don’t you track down the Paulie’s Pizza and Sub Shop and tell them about your t-shirt printing business.” These are called LEADS and are basically nothing more than cold calls – or at the very best, lukewarm calls.
A referral, on the other hand, is like the previous example of the handyman. The person GIVING the referral makes sure that it is something that is really wanted and then does what he or she can do to arrange a “meet” between the two people that will be conducting the business together. The way to start getting these referrals is through creating a sense of trust between yourself and the other members of your group. It is not always quick and easy, but it is well worth it in the long run.
It can be very frustrating for someone to get lead after lead after lead and to have nothing ever materialize. You wouldn’t want to be in that situation would you? So, here are a few tips to get you started in the networking arena:
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Database Management
Is work slowing down these days? Do you wonder what has happened to your customer base? What have you been doing to bring individuals in to buy your “widget”? For people who are used to having more business than they can handle, a slowdown may come as somewhat of a surprise. And they’re not sure what to do to get things back on track. The answer, for most concerns, is to form valued business relationships with past, present and potential clients. Through regular prospecting for new clients as well as keeping in touch with those you already have worked with, you will generate maximum economic profit.
According to Jay Conrad Levinson, the marketing guru of “Guerrilla” fame, “most business owners contact prospects once or twice and if they don’t show an interest, the business owners move on to greener territories...Guerrillas continue romancing those they are courting. Eventually, those prospects feel so cared for, so important, so attended to, that they switch over and begin to patronize the guerrilla who never stops courting.”
If direct mail is not part of your marketing mix, it may be time to rethink your strategy. By targeting a specific group of prospects (don’t forget your present and past clients, too!) with personalized greetings and offers, direct mail can be the least expensive method of marketing you use. It is an economic way for entrepreneurs to work on a tight budget.
There are two important parts to marketing with direct mail. The first, already alluded to is the fact that such marketing probably will not work overnight and so it is vital to maintain the momentum of the media. Things like timely reminders of needed services; cards and letters on the anniversary of a purchase; birthday and anniversary cards; periodic surveys; invitations to seminars; contests; frequent buyer programs; and more are all part of this direct mail saturation. It is felt by most marketing experts that it takes at least seven “hits” before a client will recognize your name or act on your offer. Therefore, you need to plan ahead and create marketing pieces that will make the most of your potential. Continuous interaction is the best way to keep your name in front of your potential clients.
The second part of this important process is to have good, qualified lists. The best offer in the world will not do you any good if you’re sending it to someone who simply is not interested. For example, mailing a dentist’s teeth cleaning reminder to someone who has dentures or who has moved away, will be a waste of money, both in the printing and in the mailing costs. If the dentist had recorded in his database that this particular client had left the area or had had a full set of dentures made, would know that a mailing would do no good. Thus, having a good database, with accurate, up-to-date information in it is also vital.
What information should be collected? Anything that is obtainable and would be of benefit to your company is fair game. However, in a survey conducted by DIRECT magazine (2/96), the following types of customer data were maintained on the database by 50% or more of the companies surveyed:
➝ Names of prospects
➝ Length of time he/she has been a customer
➝ Number of purchases annually
➝ Dollar value of purchases (monetary)
➝ Recency (date of most recent purchase)
➝ Frequency (how often he/she buys)
and ➝ Source of original lead or contact.
Other information maintained by many companies were things like: age/date of birth; other purchase influences; sociodemographic information; SIC code; promotional history; company info; nonrespondents; and types of purchases. The people that answered this survey stated that their database enabled them to move people through the pipeline from “suspect” to advocate in a highly efficient and effective manner. They boasted a very high rate of repeat business among their clientele, and since keeping a customer costs a mere fraction of the initial cost of acquiring one, most of that added revenue went straight to their bottom line.
By creating an image of your business as caring and concerned about your clients, you are giving those clients a sense of security and confidence in you. By recognizing the customer and using his or her name, by talking about personal things before getting down to business, by listening very carefully and sincerely, your business will create a loyal customer. And when you have a loyal customer, you not only have increased revenues, but a feeling of value and worth to yourself as well. And isn’t that really what its all about?
According to Jay Conrad Levinson, the marketing guru of “Guerrilla” fame, “most business owners contact prospects once or twice and if they don’t show an interest, the business owners move on to greener territories...Guerrillas continue romancing those they are courting. Eventually, those prospects feel so cared for, so important, so attended to, that they switch over and begin to patronize the guerrilla who never stops courting.”
If direct mail is not part of your marketing mix, it may be time to rethink your strategy. By targeting a specific group of prospects (don’t forget your present and past clients, too!) with personalized greetings and offers, direct mail can be the least expensive method of marketing you use. It is an economic way for entrepreneurs to work on a tight budget.
There are two important parts to marketing with direct mail. The first, already alluded to is the fact that such marketing probably will not work overnight and so it is vital to maintain the momentum of the media. Things like timely reminders of needed services; cards and letters on the anniversary of a purchase; birthday and anniversary cards; periodic surveys; invitations to seminars; contests; frequent buyer programs; and more are all part of this direct mail saturation. It is felt by most marketing experts that it takes at least seven “hits” before a client will recognize your name or act on your offer. Therefore, you need to plan ahead and create marketing pieces that will make the most of your potential. Continuous interaction is the best way to keep your name in front of your potential clients.
The second part of this important process is to have good, qualified lists. The best offer in the world will not do you any good if you’re sending it to someone who simply is not interested. For example, mailing a dentist’s teeth cleaning reminder to someone who has dentures or who has moved away, will be a waste of money, both in the printing and in the mailing costs. If the dentist had recorded in his database that this particular client had left the area or had had a full set of dentures made, would know that a mailing would do no good. Thus, having a good database, with accurate, up-to-date information in it is also vital.
What information should be collected? Anything that is obtainable and would be of benefit to your company is fair game. However, in a survey conducted by DIRECT magazine (2/96), the following types of customer data were maintained on the database by 50% or more of the companies surveyed:
➝ Names of prospects
➝ Length of time he/she has been a customer
➝ Number of purchases annually
➝ Dollar value of purchases (monetary)
➝ Recency (date of most recent purchase)
➝ Frequency (how often he/she buys)
and ➝ Source of original lead or contact.
Other information maintained by many companies were things like: age/date of birth; other purchase influences; sociodemographic information; SIC code; promotional history; company info; nonrespondents; and types of purchases. The people that answered this survey stated that their database enabled them to move people through the pipeline from “suspect” to advocate in a highly efficient and effective manner. They boasted a very high rate of repeat business among their clientele, and since keeping a customer costs a mere fraction of the initial cost of acquiring one, most of that added revenue went straight to their bottom line.
By creating an image of your business as caring and concerned about your clients, you are giving those clients a sense of security and confidence in you. By recognizing the customer and using his or her name, by talking about personal things before getting down to business, by listening very carefully and sincerely, your business will create a loyal customer. And when you have a loyal customer, you not only have increased revenues, but a feeling of value and worth to yourself as well. And isn’t that really what its all about?
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