Archive for the ‘Client Relations’ Category

A Review of Hiring a Service Professional

Friday, February 17th, 2012

Project: Basement Ceiling, drywall, tape & finish, paint. Timeframe – 30 -45 days.

Referral #1 – Ben* was highly recommended by a close friend and we had seen his work. We were planning to hire him on the spot without interviewing anyone else. Scheduled an appointment and my husband took off work to be here. Ben calls at the last minute saying he is tied up and can’t make it. Reschedule for the next day. When he looks at the project he doesn’t seem knowledgeable or interested. Says he’ll get us a proposal in a day or so. He never returns our calls or submits a proposal. A better way to communicate: “This project is outside my area of expertise and/or we are too busy right now to take on this type of project, I recommend you call ______. “

Referral #2 – Highly recommended by a neighbor. Sam* doesn’t return our phone calls. (more…)

Posted in Client Relations, Small Business Owners | No Comments »

In the Spirit of Giving

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

giftThis is a wonderful time of year to express gratitude to your clients. Here are three quick ideas for giving thanks to your greatest source of referrals.

  1. Place a special offer or bonus on your site for the month of November. Example: Sign up for our newsletter and receive a special report “How to Escape Family Drama During the Holidays”.
  2. Plan a client appreciation celebration. Join forces with some other businesses for a joint appreciation party. Imagine the connections! Who better to sing your praises than your clients?
  3. Stand out from the crowd by sending cards or gifts to your clients now instead of in December. Remember, your greatest source of referrals comes from existing clients so reward them!

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust

How do you thank your clients and make them feel special? Leave your comments below and we’ll all benefit from your ideas.

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Posted in Client Relations, Creative Marketing | 1 Comment »

Talk to Me

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

How do you like to communicate with potential clients who visit your website?

If you prefer email, here are a few tips:

  • Include your email address more than once on your Home Page and several times throughout your site.
  • Consider having your email address in a larger font to make it stand out.
  • Ask your web person to use an anti-harvesting script on the email address so you won’t get spammed.
  • Forget the cute graphic envelopes or postal boxes that say, “Email me”. When the page is printed, the recipient won’t know what your email address is.
  • Check your inbox several times a day and respond promptly to all inquiries. If a potential client sends you an email they will expect an immediate response – no later than 24 hours. The quicker you respond, the more likely you are to get the sale. (more…)

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Posted in Attract Your Ideal Clients, Client Relations, Small Business Owners | No Comments »

Searching by Part Numbers

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

searchThis is an expanded version of what was written in the March 2009 Muse News. If you’d like to subscribe to the free monthly Muse News or read the archives then click here.

A plastic part in our refrigerator broke so I drove over to Sears thinking I could either buy one or they would order it for me. They said, “Oh, no we don’t do that, you have to go to our Parts Store and they are closed today.” Then I said, “Hmmm, can you order it for me online?” Then she replied again, “No, you would need to do that yourself.” So, I went back home, fired up the computer and typed the part # in Google. The first couple sites I found were awfully confusing and I couldn’t even figure out how to buy the part from these sites. Then I discovered: www.partselect.com This is an amazing website and so easy to navigate. Not only did I find the part right away with a price; the bonus was reading the Do-It-Yourself stories they post on the site. I was able to print those specific to the installation of this part and also realized I needed to order one more piece to make this thing work. With just a few clicks of the mouse, my order was placed and I received the part in less than 7 days. Now, THAT is customer service!
(more…)

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Posted in Client Relations, Effective Web Sites, Web Marketing, Web Site Design | No Comments »

Offline Marketing to Bring Visitors to Your Website

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

www-smallIt’s baffling to me when people put up a website and expect people to just find it. If you read these suggestions and smack your forehead saying, “Oh, I can’t believe we ran that $3,000 magazine ad without our web address! “ You are not alone! Businesses every day are frequently overlooking offline marketing to bring visitors to their site.

How many people are going to find out about your website off-the-web before they are online? Print your web address and e-mail on every piece of paper and promotional material that leaves your office. Your web address and e-mail address should be on business cards, brochures, letterhead and envelopes. The recipients of these items may not know you have a website and will be prompted to take a look. If they know about your website, maybe they haven’t been back to visit and will place your business card by their computer as a reminder to check it out.

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Posted in Artists, Client Relations, Creative Marketing, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, Web Marketing | No Comments »

Pre-Qualify Potential Clients with Your Website

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
Prequalify clients with your FAQ's

Prequalify clients with your FAQ's

A great way to pre-qualify potential clients that visit your website is to add a FAQ or Do’s/Don’ts page. This will help fine-tune the types of clients who will contact you for your products or services. To develop your own FAQ page, think of the top questions your ideal clients ask you. Browse your emails for the most commonly asked questions and your responses. When people are shopping for a product either on or offline, the FAQ can help close the deal.

Here is a short example:

Just like each client is unique – every web company has unique offerings. Here’s what we do and don’t do:

We Do:

  • Create customized web designs.
  • Work virtually with companies outside of Colorado.
  • Respond to every phone call and email within 24 hours.

Think about what makes you stand out from your competition. Put the top 3 on your website, you might also include one of these benefits at the end of your voice message.

(more…)

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Posted in Artists, Attract Your Ideal Clients, Client Relations, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners | 1 Comment »

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