Talent Agency 411

Last night I went to a local restaurant to purchase dinner for my family. I like this place. The food is eclectic and well prepared. They had a special written on their chalk board. It sounded great, turkey meatloaf. I knew that their version would be perfect and I ordered it.

The waitress told me it came with mashed potatoes and wilted spinach. Well I am watching my carb intake and I asked if they could substitute vegetables for the mashed potatoes. She thought not, but would go in the back and ask the chef. The answer came back “NO”. I asked if I could have more spinach instead of the potatoes. She said “NO.” “Why not?” I asked. She replied “cost control, spinach costs more than potatoes.” Well, I knew that this was a small, probably struggling business and I could appreciate the need to be cost sensitive, so I offered. “No problem, I’ll pay extra for the spinach” (I’m thinking that I will get the award for most understanding and reasonable customer of the month)

But boy was I wrong! Not only did I not get the coveted most reasonable customer award, I got one more big “NO!” At this point I was frustrated at their unwillingness to meet my needs and I left without ordering anything.

So their cost control efforts created a profit control of much bigger proportions. Even though they had saved money on the vegetables they had lost my four dinner orders that evening, which didn’t seem to phase the waitperson or chef one bit.

Clearly this was not a cost control issue, this was a control issue. The chef had created a “perfect combo” and was not about to ruin his piece of art for a mere customer. He was devoted to his vision and not his customer’s needs. He forgot he only gets to create because of people like me, his customer.

Perhaps as you read this you are thinking, wow I would NEVER treat my customers that way. Maybe you wouldn’t. But if you have said “no” to your customer in the last month, you might have to rethink that idea.

Sometimes our customers are unreasonable. Sometimes they ask for outrageous things. But sometimes it is easier for us to say “no” then to find a creative solution that meets everyone needs.

The next time you are about to say “no” to your customer, stop for a moment, catch your breath and instead say “Let me see what I can do.” If nothing else the customer will feel that you are on their side and trying to help them. Then get creative and find a way to give your customer what they need.

Laurie Brown is an international speaker, trainer and consultant who works to help people improve their sales, service and presentation skills. She is the author of The Teleprompter Manual, for Executives, Politicians, Broadcasters and Speakers. Laurie can be contacted through http://www.thedifference.net, or 1-877.999.3433, or at lauriebrown@thedifference.net.

Good customer service just isn’t enough anymore in the marketplace in which we live. Times are changing and business owners are learning that they need to create such an awesome customer loyalty program that they are always at the forefront of their customers’ minds on a regular basis.

To compete in today’s global marketplace you need to stand out from the crowd - be better than your competitors, be faster than your competitors and, more importantly -

BE MORE MEMORABLE THAN YOUR COMPETITORS!

Your success in business depends upon your ability to change.

Customers in 2003 are more demanding, more intelligent, and have more choices than ever before when it comes to where they spend their money and how often they spend it. Wouldn’t you rather it was your business and not your competitor’s?

You need to work smarter, not harder, and devote your time and energy on the things that count….

Building greater customer loyalty that will grow your business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week…even while you sleep.

Become important in your global marketplace and you will be rewarded by being at the forefront of your customers’ minds and receiving endless referrals to your business.

Create a memorable experience in the minds of your prospects and customers and you will benefit for a lifetime.

If you want to make a second, third, fifth and twelfth sale you must create an incredible customer service experience that your customers will talk about forever.

The quality of your customer service will be remembered long after the price they paid is forgotten.

If you want to drastically increase your number of visitors to customers and your customers to ongoing repeat customers you need to make contact with them as often as possible.

Marketing gurus tell us that if you are not in touch with your customers every six weeks they’re not really your customers, but people who your competitors are continually trying to lure away from you and your business.

WHOSE POCKETS DO YOU WANT YOUR CUSTOMERS TO FILL…YOURS OR YOUR COMPETITORS?

Create a point of difference that is so original that sets you apart from your competitors your customers wouldn’t dream of doing business with anyone else.

If your customers don’t see you as being different from your competition they will always make their buying decision based on price alone

Send The Right Message To Your Marketplace!

Follow up is one of the most critical elements of any business. It is vital to follow up at all times: your prospects, your customers, your affiliates.

Did you know on average it takes 7-12 follow ups for a person to buy from you so you MUST contact them regularly on an ongoing basis.

Look at these alarming statistics provided by the National Sales Association:

• 2% of sales are made on 1st contact.

• 3% of sales are made on 2nd contact.

• 5% of sales are made on 3rd contact.

• 10% of sales are made on 4th contact.

• 80% OF SALES ARE MADE ON 5TH-12TH CONTACT.

The three areas of follow up are:

(1) PROSPECTS

Offer a free report, training course, ebook or newsletter so you can keep contact with those who don’t buy on the first visit.

(2) CUSTOMERS

By keeping in constant touch with your customers you’ll create so many happy and satisfied customers they will refer you to their friends. Happy customers are informed customers, less likely to ask for a refund and more likely to buy from you again.

(3) AFFILIATES

If you want income-producing affiliates you must give them the latest tips, techniques, training and motivation with constant follow up.

Once your business grows there’s no way you can follow up with your prospects, customers and affiliates by hand so you MUST set up your automated system from the beginning or as soon as you can.

*****ONCE IT’S SET UP IT RUNS WITH NO FURTHER INPUT FROM YOU*****

Thankfully in recent times companies have become aware of how important client follow up is and they have created autoresponders (automatic messages/emails) for this purpose to put your business on autopilot.

TIP: Avoid using free autoresponders as they usually include advertising for other people’s products (sidetracking people away from your offer and helping you to look unprofessional. Remember, in business how you are perceived by your customers means everything!)

Once your system is in place you fill it with the emails that will go out automatically once someone subscribes or is subscribed automatically!

SAMPLE FOR PROSPECTS:-

• Message (1) Free information you promised (immediate delivery)

• Message (2) More great information about the initial product (one day after message 1)

• Message (3) Mix in information about your product with free information (one day after message 2)

• Message (4) Start to sell your product while giving more information (one day after message 3)

• Message (5) More free information and how they will benefit from buying your product or service (one day after message 4).

SAMPLE FOR CUSTOMERS:-

• Message (1) Thank them for their order and let them know they can contact you if they need any help (immediate delivery)

• Message (2) Thank them again and give them a free bonus (one day after message 1)

• Message (3) Send a short note to say you are offering them another free bonus and ask how they are enjoying the product (seven days after message (2)

• Message (4) Send a short note saying you hope they are enjoying the product and that you thought they might be interested a complimentary product….(seven days to one month after message (1)

If you haven’t got autoresponders in place it’s not too late. Give your customers a reason to return to your business by keeping in contact with them and you’ll be am*zed at the results you’ll achieve. Have fun!

About The Author

Copyright 2003. All Rights Reserved. Karin Manning. Karin is the publisher of Net Wealth, an interactive newsletter for advanced internet veterans, entrepreneurs and beginners alike. To start receiving your weekly marketing, motivational, customer service and money tips visit http://www.reprintrights4u.com and fill out the popup on entry with details of your ePackage & bonus newsletter subscription & free gifts.

karin@reprintrights4u.com

Why do some businesses offer points, stamps or every tenth coffee for free?

These businesses understand that a customer retention program is a fantastic way to ensure that customers keep coming back. The most recognized customer retention programs are those loyalty programs used by retailers, but this same principal can be applied to any business that wishes to maintain a loyal customer base.

Ask yourself these simple questions.

•Does your business have a comprehensive retention strategy?

•Are you devoting a portion of your marketing budget to keeping current customers?

If you answered no, then you are jeopardizing the long-term success of your business.

Remember it is costs less to keep your current customers then it does to acquire new ones. That doesn’t mean that you should quit spending on marketing attempts to acquire new customers, but you should invest some of your marketing budget on retention strategies. Consider the 80/20 rule which states 80% of your business income comes from just 20% of your customers. A good Customer Retention program will work to convert those occasional customers into “loyal customers” who spend more money on a more frequent basis.

Customer retention doesn’t just happen. Poor customer service can undermine even the best retention strategy. For a customer retention program to be truly successful, the business must look at their total operation to ensure every aspect of their business is aimed at keeping the customers they already have. Is the accounting department too abrasive when collecting overdue accounts? Is the receptionist chewing gum when answering the phone? Every contact with your customer has to be positive for any retention program to work. Depending on the type of business you operate, there are several possibilities in the type of customer retention program could develop:

Frequent contact

You can develop a program that provides regular, scheduled contact with customer or prospect (a drip campaign). For example, develop a (opt-in) newsletter campaign, letter campaign or important reminder campaign (oil change, domain renewal etc). This is an excellent approach for many service industries or for sales professionals such as real estate agents or car sales people or any other industries where there is a significant lapse in time between new purchases. You can keep your business name fresh in your clients mind so that they call you instinctively when it is time for the next purchase.

Rewards

Develop a “rewards” program such as points, free product or service or discounts earned by making. This is the retail rewards program most people are familiar with, but this type of retention program is often used in business to business relationships as well. You could develop a program that will offer cash back or a discount to businesses based on the volume of purchases annually. This type of program works particularly well if you have a diversified selection of products or services, and are looking to encourage your customers to purchase a broader range of your products or services

Combination

You could develop a Members only club that combines aspects from both the frequent contact and rewards program.

The best retention programs are those that provide an opportunity for you to learn more about your clients and their spending habits. This is invaluable information that can easily give you a leg up on the competition.

© 2004-2005 Tanya Beaudoin o/a Office on Demand, All rights reserved. You are free to use this article in its entirety, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify Mrs. Beaudoin as to where the material will appear. The attribution should read:
“Tanya Beaudoin, B.A. is a virtual assistant who specializes in e-solutions (including e-stationary) and administrative support for small businesses and non-profit organizations. Please visit Tanya’s web site at http://www.officeondemand.ca for additional business related articles”

Many people are now getting into online marketing to either
supplement their income or for it to become their primary source
of income. Why? Because online marketing provides a lot of
benefits and freedom!

First, you can reach just about anybody in the world who has
Internet access. That means a wider market for you, which can
translate to larger profits. Second, setting up an online
business requires less than a fraction of the cost required to
set up a traditional business establishment.

Something else that attracts people towards online marketing is
the fact that you don’t have to have your own products to get
started. With internet marketing, you can start making a lot of
money just by selling other people’s products. Getting started
with this kind of marketing strategy is actually really easy.
All you need to do is to set up an agreement with an online
retailer or merchant, after that, you can immediately start
making money selling the products. The most popular method of
selling other people’s products online is affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is a relationship between an online merchant
or retailer, who has products to sell, and his affiliates, who
are willing to promote the merchant’s product on their website
for a portion of the sales.

The merchant provides their affiliates with banners and text ads
that links to their site. The affiliates will then post these on
their website and they get paid whenever sales or traffic is
sent to the merchant’s site. Affiliates are usually paid on
commission basis, although some online merchants pay a fixed fee
for the affiliate’s compensation. Getting starting making money
online with affiliate marketing is quick and easy. All that you
have to do is sign up as an affiliate for a product or an online
company that offers an affiliate program. Another option, and
usually an easier one, is to sign up as a member of an affiliate
network, although other companies and networks may ask you to
pay a fee. Such fees are made as payment for additional services
that the company has to offer, like providing you with tools and
support to kickstart your online business.

When you sign up with an affiliate program and become an
affiliate, you are now ready to start making truckloads of cash
selling other people’s product online. How do you make money?
There are a number of ways for you to make money as an
affiliate, and most depends on the type of affiliate marketing
program you signed up for.

Most affiliate programs compensate their affiliates in one of
three ways: pay-per-click (PPC), pay-per-sale (PPS), or
pay-per-lead (PPL). With pay-per-click affiliate marketing, the
affiliate is paid whenever they direct traffic to the merchant’s
site. PPS and PPL affiliate marketing programs work different.
In PPS, the affiliate gets paid when their referral converts
into a sale. In typical PPS affiliate programs, the affiliate
usually gets 15% to 20% commission for each sale. PPL affiliate
programs work is a simalar way, although the affiliate is paid a
fixed fee whenever their referral converts into a lead.

There are also two-tier affiliate marketing programs, where the
affiliate can also recommend other affiliates to the merchant.
In such programs, the affiliate would not only be paid for the
traffic or sales that they would send to the merchant’s site but
also for the traffic or sales directed by the affiliates who
signed up through his recommendation.

One of the best ways to earn more profits with affiliate
marketing is through residual income programs. Residual programs
are affiliate programs where the affiliate gets paid a number of
times for as long as the merchant keeps the customer the
affiliate referred. One form of residual income is the affiliate
gets paid a commission every time the referred customer makes a
purchase on the merchant’s site. Another form of residual income
gets the affiliate paid a percentage every month for as long as
the customer remains with the company.

There are a lot of options out there and a lot of ways to make
money, affiliate marketing is without a doubt the most popular
and the easiest way to make money selling other people’s
products online. As to how much money you can earn from
affiliate marketing actually depends on how much work you put
into it. A hardworking and dedicated affiliate will definately
get more from the program as compared to those affiliates who
sign up and don’t take action.

Every top affiliate will tend to keep their lips sealed when it comes to their successful marketing ways and tips. They will tend to only hint at them when they have a product to sell or promote.

So you can be sure that even as you read this there are numerous top affiliate marketing giants out there quietly raking in tens of thousands of dollars every month.

Here’s a useful technique I have used quite successfully to discover many a top affiliate marketing secret.

You will always learn much more by observing what the top affiliate marketing gurus do rather than from what they say. It is that simple. You just have to look for a top affiliate marketing name and then carefully look for every opportunity to observe. Check out their sites, their blogs and so on, and also subscribe to every ezine they produce. Soon a pattern will emerge and you will start to see the true secrets they use to succeed at what they do.

Top affiliate marketing is not as difficult as people think, the only problem is that it requires some specific skills and techniques to execute successfully. The big boys have learned their tricks over many years of trial and error and they are therefore hardly going to reveal their most effective tips and secrets so easily.

However using this little gem of a plan, you will gradually discover all the deepest secrets of top affiliate marketing gurus.

Learn more about the best home business opportunity from a blogger who rakes in thousands of dollars… and growing from their home business.

If you are new to online business, like I used to be, the fastest way to start your Internet online business is by becoming an affiliate to sell some one else’s products because it allows you to make money from your website visitors without having to worry about shipping and payment processing.

The products from the affiliate owners are usually information products such as electronic books (eBook) and software that can be delivered as a file that is then downloaded directly to your customers’ computers. They could be repeatedly reproduced and downloaded and sold at no cost. There’s no packing, shipping and delivery cost.

The question you’ve to ask yourself is how can you determine which of the thousands of affiliate programs available in the Internet is suitable?

Many beginners encountered disappointment and frustration after signing up with some affiliate programs only to find out later that they eventually end up having brought in very little money if any, after wasting a lot of time and effort.

Hence the choice of affiliate programs is of utmost importance.

The most important criteria you should look for are:

1) They must offer products that the market is asking for or that are already in demand i.e. the low hanging fruit type of products, rather than creating new ideas hoping that the consumers would be convinced to buy.

2) The affiliate program must offer good commission to their affiliates. Although different people define “good” differently, generally if it could bring in about $500/month as a start, it would be something worth looking into. As mentioned, affiliate programs offer high commission for their information products such as e-books and software. The owners of these affiliate programs can afford to give large commissions (50% or more) because of low cost of “production”.

3) It must be easy to set up with step by step easy to follow instruction. And the website should be simple and yet attractive.

4) They should provide you with banners, images, links, sample ads and articles and emails to help you promote their products. Besides, they should also have a good support system for helping you with any problems you might have.

Do not be satisfied only by the above mentioned points. You should conduct further research to check on the background of the organisations behind the products, their quality, reliability and reputation. Wherever applicable, testimonials must be obtained and verified.

Study the affiliate agreement and assess the organisations you’re dealing with. Check their quality of service by sending them an email or calling them to see how quickly and how effectively they respond - or if they ever respond at all. Assess their affiliate products. If you yourself are not convinced by the quality and effectiveness of the products, drop it and move on to another program.

There are sites which review, compare and recommend some great affiliate programs. You should be able to find some programs with the right categories of products to sell.

Like most search engines, visitors love content of our websites. Content is one of the most important aspects of attracting potential prospects to your web sites and prompting them to become customers based on the “AIDA” logic i.e. Attention, Intention, Desire and Action.

As far as possible, choose affiliate programs which relate to what you are already doing, and then promote those products.

Join relevant online discussion forums and seek information and advice from those who are already successful being an affiliate.

Once you’ve decided, draft a simple business plan, set target of your goals, budget your expenditure, follow the instructions given, be fully committed and go for it!

See you in the Web. Start taking your first step tonight in your pyjamas! Good luck!

Woon Sung-Liang(John Woon) is a Rubber and Latex Consultant with about 25 years of experience. Check this fantastic website to find out how he started his online Internet business: www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-9747 Visit his website www.johnwoon.com. Get to know him better at his Blog: www.blogwithjohnwoon.blogspot.com