The 7 Rules of Business Etiquette

Doug Williams @ 3:58 am

This blog entry was posted on June 23, 2009.

Business is about relationships between people. Making a good impression can make the difference of getting the next contract… or not. Building relationships is about common sense and following business etiquette. It isn’t about outspending your competition.

Be responsive: Respond to emails within 24 hours and to phone calls within 4 hours. Even if you don’t have an answer, respond with an acknowledgment and a commitment of when you can have an answer. Responding quickly is a key difference for successful companies.
Give your full attention: When you take a call or attend a meeting, be fully engaged. Don’t multitask and only be partially there. Don’t look answer emails and only respond with one word answers. This sends the message that you really don’t care.
Eye contact: When you meet with customers or employees, look them in the eye. Show them what they are saying is important and that their opinions matter. Don’t take phone calls or other interruptions which send the message that they are unimportant.
Voice messages: Leave clear and to the point voice messages. Give your phone number clearly at the end of the message along with a good time you can be reached. Do everything you can to avoid the game of phone tag. If possible leave a question that the other person could answer in a voice message if they should miss connecting with you.
Respect people you meet: If you trade business cards with someone at a meeting or connect with someone on LinkedIn, it is OK to start a conversation or greet them with a call. It is not OK to spam them with email solicitations or launch into an unsolicited sales pitch.
Clear and concise emails: Time is limited and respect the other person’s time. Emails should be short with one or two paragraphs. There should be a clear and descriptive subject that describes what you are after. If you respond to an email about a different subject, change the subject accordingly. Use the spell check that comes with your email system.
Do a little extra: Follow up with handwritten cards, remember their spouse’s name or some other event. You can keep notes in your Outlook contacts or use a Customer relationship management system (CRM). Invite them to dinner or do something else to make it personal.

Business is far too competitive to risk making a bad impression… especially when it is not hard to make a positive impression. The ideas for this blog were inspired from the 2007 business Week article Rules for Making a Good Impression.

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Does anyone use the Yellow Pages anymore?

Doug Williams @ 4:25 am

This blog entry was posted on April 22, 2009.

I am in the middle of renewing a modest ad in the Yellow Book and I have to ask myself, should I spend the money? We advertise in two of the three local yellow page directories. Each year the books keep getting thinner with fewer people advertising in them.

Each year at the office whenever the directories get dropped off and they go straight to recycling. The same happens at home. I ask myself, why would anyone use the yellow pages when they have the Internet? Now online yellow pages have some value, but the printed books? It seems like such a waste of resources.

In this age of Internet, websites, online advertising and social review websites, printed yellow page directories are a dying resource. A business gets a much better return from a great business website design or from business blog marketing.

You may ask why we keep renewing our yellow page ads. It is because we still get a few new customers from the yellow pages. We ask every new client how they found us and we still get a few who tell us they found us in the Yellow Pages. We get barely enough customers to make advertising in the yellow pages worth while.

Will I renew again next year? I am not sure. The choice would be a lot easier if there was only a single directory like when I grew up. Having three directories in our local area splits the number of readers making it hardly worth the expense.

What do I recommend to other business owners? Track your advertising dollars carefully. If it makes money for your company, keep doing it. If it doesn’t make you money, quickly eliminate it. Replace it with something that works for your business.

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On-Hold Marketing: Using Your Phone System

Doug Williams @ 5:12 am

This blog entry was posted on April 12, 2009.

I have to share a great Guerilla Marketing tip. We have been using this service for about three years. On hold marketing is low cost and markets to people while they wait to be helped on-hold. Now this is far better than the standard on-hold message or music on-hold businesses. This service produces highly entertaining mini-commercials separated by short bits of music.

Patrick from HoldTime Studios has this perfect “radio voice.” His recordings alternates short periods of music with stories about your business. He is so good that I have actually had one person ask to be put back on hold to finish listening to a story.

I give out HoldTime Studios contact information at least once a week to people who call in and hear our on-hold marketing. As you can tell, I am ecstatic with the results we have seen. For a very reasonable price, this on hold marketing makes us stand out with people who call in.

We always looking for unique marketing ideas that work; Holdtime Studios is one of them. You can listen to samples of their work when you go to their Music On Hold website.

In the interest of being transparent, Patrick and HoldTime Studios are now a client, but we have been using his service for the two and a half years prior to doing work for him. Because I was sending so many referrals to HoldTime, we eventually ended up talking often and eventually producing a new website for them.

If you want to try something truly innovative, try HoldTime Studios.

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Filed under: Business Consulting,Success Stories

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When Was The Last Time You Updated Your Home Page?

Adam Bullock @ 4:17 am

This blog entry was posted on March 19, 2009.

Remember “don’t tase me, bro?”

Or when the “Writers Guild of America” went on strike and we went without our favorite television shows, for what felt like forever?

These events happened about a year and a half ago, even though it may feel like just yesterday. And in that time, our entire outlook on living has shifted dramatically because of our current economic situation.

This recession has affected the buying habits of many people. While some strategies used in 2007 may still prove fruitful today, those instances are few and far between. We’re seeing major repercussions because of our situation which include huge companies re-branding themselves, well-known electronic stores filing for bankruptcy, and even companies shifting to a four-day workweek in an effort to combat dwindling profits.

At SEMpdx’s Searchfest 2009, esteemed SEO copywriter Heather Lloyd-Martin asked the entire audience, “When was the last time you updated your home page?” And now, this is a question I’m asking you.

Are you still focused on strategies that worked in 2007, or have you shifted in tone and type-of-sale to accommodate consumers in our new economic climate?

If any company was immune to a huge drop in profits, I’d wager Starbucks would be relatively fine. Everybody needs coffee, it’s become a part of our daily routine and branded in our minds as a necessity; so you think the business model and market that Starbucks owns is fool-proof.

On March 3rd, Starbucks introduced a company first: value “pairings” of a drink and food item at a low cost.

If you haven’t already, go to your website’s home page, analyze, and strategize accordingly.

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Filed under: Business Consulting,Internet Marketing

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The Most Important Thing I Learned From SearchFest 2009

Adam Bullock @ 6:12 am

This blog entry was posted on March 13, 2009.

SearchFest 2009 was an event held by SEMpdx, bringing together some of the greatest minds of Search Engine Optimization. I was fortunate enough to attend the event and spent the entire day soaking up so much knowledge my mind is still racing with ideas days afterward. Even with all of the different tips, tricks, and tweaks I’m going to try as a result of hearing about them, there was one session that fundamentally changed my outlook on the industry, and taught me a life lesson in the process.

The particular Social Media Marketing session consisted of three very influential individuals in their respective industry:

Online community expert Dawn Foster of Fast Wonder
Entrepreneur extraordinaire Neil Patel of QuickSprout
Matt Inman, who is behind some of the Internet’s most viral quizzes and widgets, of Next Dating, LLC.

Going into the session, I was expecting more information on the scorching-hot microblogging website Twitter or ideas on how to use Facebook, or LinkedIn to reel in potential customers. What I got out of it was so much more:

Thinking outside of the box, even for an area with established rules and norms, can yield unmatched success.

Matt Inman is the genius behind legendary viral marketing successes like Zombie Harmony and How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You. He realized that normal marketing methods wouldn’t work against companies with endless amounts of money to use for marketing and who were dominating search traffic. Using a linking method from well-crafted viral widgets and quizzes, he was able to get a new dating site to rank higher than any of the established giants in the industry in a relatively short amount of time.

During the Q&A portion, Neil Patel drew some heavy criticism from a fellow attendee in the audience about the different methods he outlined during his talk. And while they were definitely controversial, it was fascinating and thought-provoking to listen to the different ideas he has used. Even his presentation was a little outside of the box…

It pays off to think a little differently about a subject. To approach it from a different angle. Even if your industry is in something that doesn’t afford too much creativity, if you put your mind to it, you can do something spectacular with a brilliant idea.

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Filed under: Business Consulting,Social Media Marketing

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Don’t Lose Your Web Domain

Adam Bullock @ 6:38 am

This blog entry was posted on February 27, 2009.

The domain industry can be confusing for someone who doesn’t understand the relationship between registrars, resellers & registrants. If you’re not 100% sure who hosts your website or which company handles registration for your domain, you could be in trouble when the domain’s registration expires.

Here’s a quick overview on the key points of domain ownership.

Check where your domain is to be ready for a pop quiz: When switching web hosts, you need to have administrative access to the account responsible for domain registration. Checking the WHOIS for the domain will tell you which company handles the top-level registration (the registrar like GoDaddy or eNom) and the registrant (who owns the domain). Check out popular WHOIS sites like Ajax Whois or WHOIS.net.

In which cellar does the reseller dweller?: Resellers sell domain registration using registrars. For example, if you bought your domain with a company named Domainer 101, and they use GoDaddy to register domains, your domain will appear to be registered with GoDaddy. Sometimes Domainer 101 will put their WHOIS information on the domain to dictate ownership. If you’re not sure which reseller you purchased your domain registration with, the registrar can help you figure it out and point you in the right direction.
The DNS nameserver is your domain’s life preserver: Think of DNS nameservers as being traffic cops for web users. When a person types your website into a browser, the DNS nameserver guides them to the right web hosting account.

The most important thing is to be aware. Take some time and document which company is responsible for your domain’s registration and which company you get web hosting services from. While it’s easier to work with a company that offers both web site hosting and domain registration, it’s essential to know every company that is responsible for keeping your website online.

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Filed under: Business Consulting,Business Web Hosting

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Get your business on Google Maps!

Adam Bullock @ 4:43 am

This blog entry was posted on February 21, 2009.

Google Maps has become an interesting resource for different needs searchers may have; it’s a fantastic way to look up directions, the street view can provide details about landmarks, and the way they handle local results in search queries is seamless and beneficial for companies.

The latest update to Google Maps expands the number of listings outside of the normal top 10 results. The new “map” results not only includes the lettered main results, but also dots that represent other options not included for the top 10 results.

What does this mean?

Specifically, if I’m looking for pizza in my area, I can finally see results that aren’t the big companies. And some of these places that were not in the top 10 results are actually closer to my location! Let me give you an example of what I’m seeing:

Searching for something very broad like “pizza vancouver wa” brings up quite a few options. Previous to this update for Google Maps, I would have only seen the items that have letters, the top results. The circled result is a pizza place I wouldn’t have seen prior to this update, and is actually my closest option!

Seeing a closer option, even if it isn’t a big chain, is something I would investigate in a second.

So, how does this affect your company?

If you’re competing in a market flooded with competitors, this new update gives you a means of competition – accessibility. If someone looking for yarn saw your specialty organic wool store closer than a Michaels or Jo-Ann location, they may be more inclined to visit you. Before this update, your listing wasn’t on the top 10 results – but now, even though you may not be listed on the left-hand side, searchers can very easily see a dot nearby their location, and may click on it to learn about your company.

So, take the time and add your business to Google Maps. While mobile functionality isn’t included in this update, it’s hopefully (you would think!) on the way. The closer you are to your searcher, the better chance of them choosing you for their business. And this new update gives some of the smaller guys that advantage.

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Filed under: Business Consulting,Internet Marketing,Local Search

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25 ways to Generate Sales Leads

Doug Williams @ 7:07 am

This blog entry was posted on January 30, 2009.

New sales leads are the lifeblood of any business. In tough times you have to get creative on ways to get sales leads. To grow your business and keep it healthy, you need a steady flow of new customers. Where will they come from? Here are 25 ways to generate new sales leads. We purposely did not include the dreaded cold calling that most people dislike.

Convert your website into a lead generation website.
Write a blog (business blog marketing).
Add a clear call to action on your website such as “Request a Quote”
Interact with website visitors by supplying valuable information using auto responders.
Publish a weekly newsletter with “how-to tips”
Optimize your website for search traffic.
Advertise on the search engines (PPC advertising)
Advertise on other websites using affiliate marketing.
Offer payment for referrals to partners in related industries.
Market new products to existing customers.
Email marketing
Direct mail post cards or sales letters
Use a follow-up tool such as a post card or note card
Hire a commission only sales force.
Speak regularly at business or trade events.
Put on a seminar or workshop
Educational events through the Web (webinars)
Print advertising (newspaper, magazines, trade journals)
Purchase leads
Advertise on local cable TV.
Join a lead referral group
Be active in your local chamber of commerce.
Encourage referrals from current customers.
Customer complaints can, and should be treated as opportunities.
Publish regular press releases

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Filed under: Business Consulting,Internet Marketing

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Spending A Little More Now Will Prevent Expensive Long-Term Headaches

Adam Bullock @ 5:11 am

This blog entry was posted on January 10, 2009.

In this economy, we’re all trying to save a buck. Whether we brew our own coffee more often instead of swinging by Starbucks before work, or buy those store-brand paper towels instead of ol’ dependable because it’s a little cheaper, we have all developed our own methods of saving money in the past few months.

One thing that you shouldn’t be looking into is cutting costs for the development and design of your website. Good business website design does cost money, and while saving some money up front by sacrificing features and making a website live in the short-term may sound like a good idea, the long-term effects can be disastrous.

What are some things that may hurt you?

Sloppy/outdated code – Having a website built in tables or using code that is out of date can really hurt efforts to be found on search engines. With ugly code, the spiders used to crawl through websites can hit roadblocks, not read all the content you have, or choose to not even index your page.

Lack of a lead generation form – While it does cost money to program this kind of functionality into your site, the power of quickly seeing and filling out a form can bring many more leads than asking your potential customer to click an email link and manually write a message. It’s a lot less work for the potential customer, which is never a bad thing!

Website store – If it will take some extra money to customize a store on your site that will allow you to make the edits, pay the extra money! Further down the line, the cost of constantly adding/deleting/editing items, and your ultimate decision to make it customizable on your end will be more expensive than what it would have cost in the first place.

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Filed under: Business Consulting,Internet Marketing

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Plan For Success Within Your 2009 Budget

Adam Bullock @ 6:04 am

This blog entry was posted on December 31, 2008.

Planning and executing an efficient budget plan in 2009 is going to be incredibly essential in this current economic climate. While thinking about how your company will be spending money this upcoming year of the ox, take some time to plan some of the things you wouldn’t normally think about.

These types of expenses that you usually don’t plan for can help create loyal clients, increase potential employee retention, and help fulfill the yearly end goal for every business: earn more profit than last year.

Think about thoughtful ways of staying in touch with your best clients. Dedicate some money to sending out cards for special occasions like a client’s Birthday, celebrating Independence Day, or Thanksgiving.
Your website may need a facelift – quickly and easily add a “call to action” form by using smart business website design which can help jumpstart sales leads.
Maybe include a small amount of money towards a reward, of sorts, for clients that are easy to work with. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy – a $10 gift card to Starbucks would have them thinking about your company whenever they order their double tall ~~half-caf, soy, 185-degree, one pump cinnamon, extra foamy, sugar-free vanilla~~ latte. Reward your clients when they nail a deliverable date, or just include a gift card with a project summary when complete.
Keep your employees happy! Employees who believe in their company and enjoy the workplace produce better work. Nothing makes an employee happier than donuts in the morning when they least expect it…*nudge, nudge*

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Filed under: Business Consulting,Internet Marketing