Making Contact through Email Alternatives

Your main Email account is probably like mine: clogged with spam that no filter can remove. It’s difficult to determine which messages are legitimate and which aren’t, especially when subject lines aren’t always used correctly.

Creating new Email accounts through other carriers is an option. However, solo and small business owners are turning to alternate means of online communication.

Business Week’s November 28th issue reports that many marketers are using instant messaging, wikis, and blogs to contact clients. These more immediate means of contact reduces the time it takes for two or more people to respond by Email. And you can immediately see who sent the message. That’s better than wading through spam.

These alternatives are free of charge, or at least built into the cost of Internet access. Setting up these new access points will allow you streamline customer contact and strengthen the marketing process.

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November 30, 2005 | Filed Under Online Ideas, Problems & Solutions, Recent Entries | 2 Comments 

Clients Happily Pay More for Service

As the Internet changes the way we do business, some believe that certain industries will experience massive layoffs and restructuring. One industry thought to become a casualty is travel. But agencies that understand their clients have the tools to thrive in the midst of change.

Customers of C&L Travel in Hackensack, New Jersey, count on them to provide numerous services the Internet can’t match. As reported in The Record on November 27th, customers pay a service fee for booked flights, but they get a lot in return.

The agency’s staff tracks clients’ flights from end to end, making new reservations if needed before the customer calls. They also secure preferred airline seats, help with visas and passports, and manage frequent flyer miles.

These services allow clients to concentrate on business while travel experts maintain trip schedules.

Solo business owners can also set fees for premium services that allow clients to concentrate on what they do best. The more you flaunt your expertise, the more customers will rely on you rather than the Internet.

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November 29, 2005 | Filed Under Customer Connections, Offline Ideas, Recent Entries | 2 Comments 

A Story that Glitters with Potential

Having trouble deciding how to market and connect with customers? Try the “happy endings” approach.

When a Los Angeles cab driver opened a zippered bag found on the passenger seat, he discovered several pouches filled with diamonds worth an estimated $350,000.00. The bag also contained a cell phone bill, which the cabbie used to call the diamonds’ owner.

The Week, the magazine that recounts the story in its December 2nd issue, added that the cab driver never considered keeping the gems because “someone else earned that.”

This story should encourage small and solo couriers, limousine services, cleaners and other service-based businesses to begin documenting the items that they reunite with owners. People love human-interest stories, and such information is perfect for marketing your business and your integrity.

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November 28, 2005 | Filed Under Customer Connections, Marketing News, Recent Entries | 2 Comments 

Customer Care is Still King

Treating customers with kindness continues to be the key to selling lots of products and services. Just ask the owners of Zappos.com, a company interviewed in the December 5th edition of Business Week.

Customer service takes center stage at this Internet shoe seller, which relies heavily on customers telling friends and family about the perks associated with buying online. Free shipping and return shipping, free overnight or second-day delivery for repeat customers, and a selection of over 90,000 styles are reasons why Zappos has doubled its sales for the past six years.

Zappos’ owners employ a call center staff and warehouse delivery personnel, but small and solo business owners working on their own can learn from their profitable tactics.

1. Offer customers perks that won’t hurt profitability. One of my companies gives customers free shipping on orders over $50, which has increased the average order total from $34 to $100.

2. Give customers varied options. If your best-selling service is too pricey for some, consider offering the same service with a shorter timetable or fewer steps. Some companies in my industry sell large supply kits for thousands of dollars. I sell a smaller kit for a lesser price, and my kit sells by the thousands to those who need an alternative that stays within their budget.

3. Change your hours for better accommodation. Zappos allows customers to place orders up to 11:00 pm. This may not be an everyday option for you, but late hours on certain days during the week may help you connect with more clients who don’t work the traditional 9-5.

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November 27, 2005 | Filed Under Customer Connections, Recent Entries | 2 Comments 

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