Fantastic Friday: Creating Relationships with Clients

I was decluttering this morning and ran across a half sheet of paper with notes in "my" handwriting that must be from a small business seminar or online class that I took. No clue where or when but the peice of paper was a good reminder to me to double check that I am staying on task. With apologies for not know the sourse, here is what the paper says:

What does our customer need to know about our company?

"Quality" doesn't mean anything instead customers want to know:

• years of experience
• testimonials
• endorsements
• case studies

How does our customer know they can trust us?

Are we doing anything that makes it difficult for our customers to buy?

And here are MY questions to you:

1. Do you have on your website how long you have been in business?
2. Do you have testimonials and endorsements on your website that can be found easily?
3. Do you have links to case studies involving your products on your website?
4. Are you doing everything possible to help your customers buy from you?

If the answer is NO to any of those questions, roll up your sleeves and GET TO WORK today to turn that NO into a YES. YES means more sales!

Have a FANTASTIC FRIDAY!

Fantastic Friday: Overcoming Difficult Clients

My husband and I have been running our custom furniture business together for over 10 years. We have shipped furniture to over four thousand happy customers all over the U.S. and even a few other countries, as well.

Every once in a while, a client comes along that for whatever reason, throws a monkey wrench in the works. Luckily, I can say this has only happened a handful of times in the past 10 years. However, it is hard not to take it personal.

The thing is, we know we do a great job and make a fine quality product. We also know that no matter we do, these difficult clients will never be happy because they are miserable in their own lives.

Each situation is different and there is no magic cure all for overcoming difficult clients. The only thing you can do is to post your terms and conditions on your website, make the best product you know how to make and stand behind your terms and your product. Open up the machine and yank that monkey wrench out and then move on.

It also helps to keep a file of letters from satisfied clients that you can pull out and read to lift your spirits! Post your testimonials to your website and be proud of a job well done!

Guest Article: 4 Dynamic Marketing Tactics

Copyright 2005 Bob Leduc
http://BobLeduc.com

Some of the simplest marketing tactics often produce the most profitable results. Here are 4 examples that have proven highly effective for any business.

1. Focus on Your Best Prospects

Imagine how profitable your business would be if more of your new customers were like the best customers you have now. Here’s how you can make that happen…

Take some time to analyze your current customers to determine what key traits they share - and why those traits make them ideal customers for you. Then revise your sales message to appeal specifically to them.

This will increase both the number of new sales you get and the profitability of each new customer.

2. Pile on the Benefits

Customers usually buy something to save time or to save money. Offer them an opportunity to do both and you will boost your sales. But offer them multiple opportunities to do both and you will cause your sales to soar dramatically.

For example, structure your sales message to stress both the time saving and money saving benefits of your product or service. Then include a discount price offer if they buy before a certain deadline (more money saved). Finally,
figure out how you can deliver all or some of what they are buying immediately (more time saved).

Tip: If you cannot deliver all or part of your product immediately, add something to the purchase that you can deliver immediately. It can be as simple as a series of helpful tips related to your product posted on your web site …but available only to new customers.

3. Make Buying Easy

Make it easy for potential customers to buy from you and more will buy. Look for ways you can make your buying process easier - and faster.

For example, design your selling procedure so prospects do not have to make unnecessary decisions. Every decision they have to make interrupts the buying process …and diverts their attention away from completing the sale.

Tip: Don’t ask for unnecessary information during the ordering process. Instead, follow up after the sale with a personalized “thank you” message - and include a brief request for the information.

4. Follow Up - Again and Again

Selling is not a one step process. Most people do not buy something the first time the see or hear about it. You can salvage many of these potential customers with an effective follow up system.

Your follow up can be as simple as contacting these prospects periodically with a new offer. Or, better yet, follow up periodically with some useful information …and don’t charge them for it. You’ll build a supportive relationship that gains their trust - and eventually the sale.

Tip: Make sure you have a way to get the email addresses of visitors to your web site. You need it to follow up with them. For example, offer them a complimentary special report or other useful information …delivered only by email.

Each of these 4 dynamic marketing tactics provides a simple way for you to boost your sales and profits quickly. They are simple to use, highly effective and require very little if any new expense.

Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales. He just released a New Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards …and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You’ll find his low-cost marketing methods at: http://BobLeduc.com or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV

Guest Article: The 10 Crucial Differences Between Being a Small Business Owner and an Inspired Entrepreneur

By Nick Williams

When I was stuck in the corporate world many years ago, I dreamed of escape to the freedom of running my own small business. Eventually I plucked up the courage to leave and started my own small business, with the goal of training and inspiring people. In order to run my business, I taught myself how to do VAT, keep my books, do my accounts and keep stock of products. While I was free of the pressures of a boss and organisational structures and politics, but I still didn’t feel very free and I even felt a little disappointed. I felt a slave to my business, and had left the corporate world to work for love, but seemed to end up working for money, and working for my business, rather than my business working for me.

Today I see there is a big difference between the small business owner that I was then, and the inspired entrepreneur I have become today. I realise I had the heart and soul of an inspired entrepreneurs, but was trying to squeeze myself into the straightjacket of being a small business owner. Below I am sharing what I have identified as being the ten main differences between being a small business owner and an inspired entrepreneur.

Difference one - Inspired entrepreneurs follow their inner calling.

Inspired entrepreneurs have found the work they were born for, and are following their particular and unique calling. There is a great fit between what they do and who they are, and feel they are constantly drawn forward to become the person they were born to be.

Difference two - Inspired entrepreneurs create a business that supports their own talents, passions and lifestyle.

Inspired entrepreneurs create businesses that supports them and their lifestyle and don’t sacrifice their lifestyle to their businesses. Many small business owners sacrifice their own needs in order to be successful. Inspired entrepreneurs know their business can be a vehicle for discovering and expressing their own unique gifts and talents.

Difference three - Inspired entrepreneurs have a higher purpose than just making money.

Inspired entrepreneurs love making money and are very willing to make money, but that is not the sole purpose of their business. They didn’t set up a business to become an expert on tax and bookkeeping. Inspired entrepreneurs are motivated to create and contribute and that much of the conventional stuff needs to be done well, but is for the maintenance of the business, but not the purpose of the business.

Difference four - Inspired entrepreneurs are always evolving their business.

Inspired entrepreneurs love working on their business as well loving to work in their business. Small business owners tend just to work in their business, doing what needs doing to make the business work. Inspired entrepreneurs intrinsically love what they do, but also love stepping back and thinking creatively about their business, how it can be more fun, inspiring, profitable and effective.

Difference five- Inspired entrepreneurs love growing themselves.

Inspired entrepreneurs love learning and growing themselves through running their business. They know that running their own business is the best personal growth seminar on the planet, becoming a mirror to highlight both their strengths and their weaknesses. They are curious about what they can become and love discovering what they capable of. They are less interested in being competitive and more interested in realising their own potential.

Difference six - Inspired entrepreneurs are fuelled by inspiration rather than motivation.

Motivation is often about getting pumped up by some external force, whilst inspiration is about being lit by a fire within that can burn forever. Inspired entrepreneurs don’t need to pumped up, but they know they need to regularly kindle and rekindle their flame of inspiration, by going to their own wells of inspiration and inspiring themselves.

Difference seven - Inspired entrepreneurs love understanding how they find and attract their ideal clients.

Inspired entrepreneurs are endlessly curious about how to attract and serve their clients better. They love serving and contributing, and believe that what they do makes a difference. They enjoy getting the word out about what they do, and getting people to act, but only in ways that are grounded in honesty and integrity. They are willing to give up being anonymous.

Difference eight - Inspired entrepreneurs work in inspired, smart and strategic ways.

Inspired entrepreneurs know that hard work alone is no guarantee of success. They don’t confuse being busy with being strategic. They have shed the prevailing belief of the protestant work ethic and know that success doesn’t come from pain, struggle and sacrifice, but instead know it comes from brilliant ideas, well implemented. They know that “time out” to generate new ideas and think strategically is often more valuable than another hour at their desk.

Difference nine - Inspired entrepreneurs navigate their life by using joy as their compass.

Small businesses tend to be more mechanical and repetitive, whilst inspired entrepreneurs navigate their business and life through a sense of joy, inspiration and aliveness. They also have a sense of destiny and rightness about what they do, knowing that their particular talents are being used to the maximum and that they and their business evolve through a sense of ongoing revelation about their next steps. They hate being bored and are always asking, “How can I inspire myself next?”

Difference ten - Inspired entrepreneurs value their heart and their thinking.

Inspired entrepreneurs know that they bring the love and the money together by marrying their inspired heart together with their brilliant entrepreneurial thinking. They become potent by using one to support the other and not have them be enemies. They use great business strategies to support their inspired ideas.
So start inspiring yourself and setting your sights higher by become an inspired entrepreneur rather than a small business owner. It is one of the best ways on the planet of being happy, inspired and fulfilled, and making the contribution you were born to make.

Nick has created a free 8 part transformational e-course “Secrets of an Inspired Entrepreneur” (value £79.99) You can sign up now by going to www.inspired-entrepreneur.com right now.

Nick Williams is one of the world’s experts on inspiration at work and is passionate about helping create a new kind of entrepreneur. He is the best selling author of five books including The Work We Were Born To Do.

Custom Embroidery

For Fantastic Friday I would like to share the completed

custom embroidery project that I have been working on. I ran into a little trouble yesterday when I was running the custom design because I had made it a little too large and the needle hit the hooping frame. Thank goodness (Thankful Thursday) that I had bought extra fabric. Once I redid the design to fit properly, everything ran smoothly.

The frame did not have a matting so this morning Nick and I went to Michaels and purchased a matt. I think framed art work looks so much nicer matted.
My customer is on his way. Hopefully he will love the results of this custom embroidered project. I would love to hear your comments.

Guest Article: The Power of Asking

This week's Fantastic Friday post will be a guest article from my favorite professional speaker and author, Jack Canfield. I listen to his "Success Principles" on CD whenever I need a boost in my productivity.

The Power of Asking; 7 Ways to Boost Your Business
by Jack Canfield

The gift called "asking" has been around for a long, long time. One of life's fundamental truths states, "Ask and you shall receive." Kids are masters at using this gift, but we adults seem to have lost our ability to ask. We come up with all sorts of excuses and reasons to avoid any possibility of rejection.

Yet the world responds to those who ask! If you are not moving closer to what you want, you probably aren't doing enough asking.

Here are seven asking strategies you can implement in your business (and in life) to boost your results and your bottom line:

Asking Strategy 1: Ask for Information

To win potential new clients, you first need to know what their current challenges are, what they want to accomplish and how they plan to do it. Only then can you proceed to demonstrate the advantages of your unique product or service.

Ask questions starting with the words who, why, what, where, when and how to obtain the information you need. Only when you truly understand and appreciate a prospect's needs can you offer a solution. Once you know what's important to them, stay on this topic and find solutions for them.

Asking Strategy 2: Ask for Business

Here's an amazing statistic: after giving a complete presentation about the benefits of their product or service, more than 60 percent of the time salespeople never ask for the order! That's a bad habit, and one that could ultimately put you out of business.

Always ask a closing question to secure the business. Don't waffle or talk around it—or worse, wait for your prospect to ask you. No doubt you have heard of many good ways to ask the question, "Would you like to give it a try?" The point is, ask.

Asking Strategy 3: Ask for Written Endorsements

Well-written, results-oriented testimonials from highly respected people are powerful for future sales. They solidify the quality of your product or service and leverage you as a person who has integrity, is trustworthy and gets the job done on time.

When is the best time to ask? Right after you have provided excellent service, gone the extra mile to help out, or in any other way made your customer really happy.

Simply ask if your customer would be willing to give you a testimonial about the value of your product or service, plus any other helpful comments.

Asking Strategy 4: Ask for Top-Quality Referrals

Just about everyone in business knows the importance of referrals. It's the easiest, least expensive way of ensuring your growth and success in the marketplace.

Your core clients will gladly give you referrals because you treat them so well. So why not ask all of them for referrals? It's a habit that will dramatically increase your income. Like any other habit, the more you do it the easier it becomes.

Asking Strategy 5: Ask for More Business

Look for other products or services you can provide your customers. Devise a system that tells you when your clients will require more of your products. The simplest way is to ask your customers when you should contact them to reorder. It's often easier to sell your existing clients more than to go looking for new ones.

Asking Strategy 6: Ask to Renegotiate

Regular business activities include negotiation. Many businesses get stuck because they lack skills in negotiation, yet this is simply another form of asking that can save a lot of time and money. Look at your vendors and suppliers and see if there are areas where you can be saving money. Just ask.

All sorts of contracts can be renegotiated in your personal life, too, such as changing your mortgage terms and rate, reviewing your cell phone plan and requesting a policy review with your insurance agent. As long as you negotiate ethically and in the spirit of win-win, you can enjoy a lot of flexibility. Nothing is ever cast in stone.

Asking Strategy 7: Ask for Feedback

This is a powerful way to fine-tune your business that is often overlooked. How do you really know if your product or service is meeting your customers' needs? Ask them, "How are we doing? What can we do to improve our service to you? Please share what you like or don't like about our products." Set up regular customer surveys that ask good questions and tough questions.

HOW TO ASK

Some people don't enjoy the fruits of asking because they don't ask effectively. If you use vague language you will not be clearly understood. Here are five ways to ensure that your asking gets results.

Ask Clearly
Be precise. Think clearly about your request. Take time to prepare. Use a note pad to pick words that have the greatest impact. Words are powerful, so choose them carefully.

Ask with Confidence
People who ask confidently get more than those who are hesitant and uncertain. When you've figured out what you want to ask for, do it with certainty, boldness and confidence.

Ask Consistently

Some people fold after making one timid request. They quit too soon. Keep asking until you find the answers. In prospecting there are usually four or five "no's" before you get a "yes." Top producers understand this. When you find a way to ask that works, keep on asking it.

Ask Creatively

In this age of global competition, your asking may get lost in the crowd, unheard by the decision-makers you hope to reach. There is a way around this. If you want someone's attention, don't ask the ordinary way. Use your creativity to dream up a high-impact presentation.

Ask Sincerely

When you really need help, people will respond. Sincerity means dropping the image facade and showing a willingness to be vulnerable. Tell it the way it is, lumps and all. Don't worry if your presentation isn't perfect; ask from your heart. Keep it simple and people will open up to you.

© 2008 Jack Canfield

Jack Canfield, America's 1 Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: http://www.freesuccessstrategies.com/

Custom Embroidery

Here at D's Stitcheree I am usually embroidering company logos. I like to specialize in small companies. As a small company I know how hard it is to advertise and you need to make every penny count. I think that I can preform a service to other small companies by offering promotional items at a reasonable price. If you are close you are more than welcome to bring in your own apparel, if you are far, I have an online catalog you can access for apparel and accessories.
Sometimes though I am given the great honor of doing a Custom Embroidery job. Custom jobs are exciting and time consuming but the end product can be an exceptional piece to be cherished by the recipient.
A few years ago I was asked by a mom to design a project for her daughter who was getting married. There is a lot of back and forth when designing a custom piece. Thank goodness (Thankful Thursday) for email. Once the piece was embroidered I shipped it to the mom rolled around a cardboard core. She took it to the cleaners and had it pressed and framed.

I am now working on another Custom piece. The process can be long but in this case I only have 3 days. The original drawing is rough but someplace to start.
I turn the drawing into embroidery on my computer. Get an approval and then go forward with the embroidery.
I will do the embroidery today and post more pictures tomorrow.

From Shaka Studios: Compelling Reasons to Buy Custom Furniture

"There is a better way to purchase furniture that is better for the environment, better for our local economy, allows you to get exactly the furniture you want, and most importantly, gives you a better value for you dollar. How? Work with a local custom furniture craftsman. "

Read more: Shaka Studios: It's a Bargain: Compelling Reasons to Buy Custom Furniture

Patience is a Virtue

Today I am dealing with patience....I have a customer who has been emailing basic questions about piggy banks. Where to find this one, how big are they.... Apparently she is on a computer because she is sending me emails. But she must not be clicking links in the sidebar of the website, because every answer can easily be found there. Maybe the answers aren't easily found. Maybe I just think they are because it is my site and I know where the links are, I don't know.

Anyway, I have sent her links back, but she writes for more information. Which could be found at the link I sent her. If she clicked on it. Maybe she is just not as computer saavy as I think people are. So I am practicing patience here....even though I am hot and tired from scooping dog poop in 90 degree weather (I know, TMI), I will be a good business owner and BE NICE.

Nothing is worse than bad customer service, or a short tempered business owner. There is never any reason to be rude to a (potential) customer....maybe in extreme cases there is a reason. Make sure you have enough patience to deal with people directly if you are going to run your own business. Patience = Happy Customers = $$$