Customers and Constant Communication

Hello Business Owner,

I hope your business is doing what you want it to do. Are you developing better relationship with your customers which can translate into more sales?

Just one question for you though, how often do you communicate with your customers? 

  • Is it daily, weekly, monthly or never?
  • Once they contact your business or buy from you, is it bye-bye and chapter closed? 
  • Or is it – make sure you keep in touch so we can benefit from each other in the future?

Constant Communication

This is a key component in our world where we are bombarded on a daily basis with so much information.  You might say people receive so much information and I do not want to become part of the noise.  But it is the noisemakers that get the attention. 

Simple Scenario

Just follow me on this – You open your inbox to check your mail. All day you have been thinking of getting a fish tank. Though you remember asking for some information about fish tanks 8 months ago, you weren’t ready then and did not follow it up.  Now that you are ready, you are online anyway and Google is winking at you.  You type in fish tanks and tons of businesses compete for your attention. The company you got some information from is nowhere to be found. Customer Lost!

Just imagine if that company had been sending information about new fish tanks and special offers every month!!!

Let’s face it; it is hard to compete with every business online. There are the big guys with big budgets who are able to muscle their way into people’s hearts with fancy marketing gimmicks. 

So What Can I do?

If you provide your customers with exceptional service, they should come back to you for more.  But hey, you need to remind them that they need you and let them know how you can be of help.  You can do this through Constant Communication .

Keep in touch with your customers – it is that simply!  New Technology has made the job a lot easier so you do not have to sit in front of your computer all day typing email addresses every time you need to send information through. 

The format of your communication can be varied and equally interesting. You can write about your industry news, new inventions, new legislation, special offers, tips, benefits, how to look after products, what your services can do for your clients – the list is endless.

Use fancy emails, newsletters, blogs, one line statements, articles or even traditional emails.  Once you have got the information to hand, you can choose one of the following email marketing companies to do the hard work for you:

http://www.getresponse.com 

http://www.constantcontact.com

http://www.aweber.com

http://www.vistaprint.co.uk

I specifically choose these ones as most of the emails I receive from reputable businesses and Internet marketers use one of these three, that says a lot about them. 

So what’s next – fit weekly, fortnightly or monthly communication into your business schedule and see how things change for your business.

Our May Newsletter provides more tips on keeping in touch with your clients – Business First Steps May 2011 Newsletter

I wish you every success…Temi.

Photos courtesy of OmirOnia and Djayo – Sxc.hu.

Blog – An Online Marketing Strategy

Blogs are everywhere!

A lot of people are mystified by the word Blog, Blogging or Blogger which almost sounds like a rude word. So what is a Blog and what can it do for your business? 

Blog Definition

Blog a fusion of the words web and log is an online journal which a lot of people use to communicate personal thoughts, information and updates.  Blogs have advanced over the years and are no longer used just for personal needs.  Many businesses now use the services of professional Bloggers – those who write them – to journal business activities, inform about new products. Some are updated on a daily basis, with an archive of past Blogs available for viewing.   

No-Technical Skills Required

The great thing about owning a Blog is you do not need the technical knowledge synonymous with websites.  Neither do you need a domain name or pay for hosting your site. By linking with a provider such as WordPress the simple process allows you to share any information in cyberspace.

Online experts have not been able to define Blogs to anyone’s content.  According to some, you cannot give it a specific definition as it means different things to different people.  Some will use it to share personal perspectives, whilst others will use it to promote world peace.  But one notable thing about a Blog is the informal tone and format making it an interesting and engaging read. 

Useful Business Tool

Blogging is also a potent tool for businesses; it can serve as an extension of a company’s website.  Rather than the official tone of the homepage, businesses can connect on a one to one level with their clients through their Blogs.  In this cyber age, weblogs have become a must have for businesses that want to be at the forefront of online marketing.

 Most Blogs are updated quite regularly if not daily and can be a daunting task especially for small businesses with limited staff capacity. Most companies now employ the services of professional Bloggers.  These experts are able to provide compelling content for your Blogs and update them on a regular basis.  

So when next you read a captivating Blog, don’t be fooled into thinking someone has all the time in the world for Blogging.  Who knows, maybe there is a ghost-Blogger somewhere churning out fantastic content for people to enjoy.

 If you will love to own your own Blog, there are many online resources to help you get started. I will recommend WordPress and their online tools which are pretty cool.  But if you find writing and updating your weblog pretty daunting, then consider hiring the services of a professional Blogger – I blog for a living amongst other things, so get in touch Temi@write2explain.com