Small Business Marketing
Have you ever driven past a small business and thought it looked dingy, dilapidated or outdated? Have you ever been on a website that felt cumbersome to use, with the information you sought hard to find? Perhaps you think the…
Read MoreWhen you send mixed marketing messages, your customers become confused, suspicious or even angry. Take, for instance, the dissonant image below. The dry cleaner says they love customers but damaged the suit they cleaned. I believe the dangling button more…
Read MoreA Facebook follower recently asked, “What can I do when an advertising or marketing campaign isn’t working?” There are several reasons a marketing campaign might fail. Here are several common ones: You aren’t marketing to the right customers. The first…
Read MoreThe hardest part of delivering good customer service is when you need to give bad news to your customer. But this marketing podcast provides four tips for delivering great customer service when you have to tell a customer, “No.” As…
Read MoreSales promotions are a popular part of the marketing mix. Sales promotions can be a great way to build awareness about your brand, reward loyal customers or just eliminate excess stock. Except this one. It is a sales promotion fail. I…
Read MoreGood customer service is easy when things are going smoothly, and you can say, “Yes!” to your customers’ requests. But when you have to tell a customer, “No,” it takes more thought and effort to deliver good customer service. Recently, I…
Read MoreGetting customers to call is a primary step in many small businesses’ sales processes. Telling them, “Call for information,” “Call Now!” or “Call to order!” are not enough. You need to give customers a reason to call you. Offering a…
Read MoreCustomer service interactions are a big part of marketing for most companies. Customer service employees are often the face or voice of a company when customers have problems, whether it be to accept a return, resolve a billing issue or…
Read MoreHow often do you “give thanks” to your customers? I don’t mean sending them a coupon or throwing them a scanty “Thank you!” as they walk out the door. I mean being truly thankful to your customers. They could spend…
Read MoreOn David Weatherholt’s radio program “Getting Down to Business,” I explored further the concept that marketing is everything. Every interaction customer have with your business affects your brand. But what does “brand” mean? A synonym for “brand” is “reputation.” It’s…
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