Filed under: marketing | Tags: bad economy, before i close my business, before i close my small business, business failure statistics, businesses close every year, businesses shut down every year, failure rate, failure statistics, how many small businesses fail every year, number of small businesses that fail, prevent business closing, prevent shutting down business, slowing economy, small business economy, small business help in bad economy, small businesses, what to do in a bad economy
Can’t blame the economy too much these days — because small businesses find they become financially unsustainable ALL OF THE TIME. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 6 in 10 businesses shut down within the first four years of operation. (Normally, what is quoted is that 90% of businesses fail in the first 4 years.)
There are lots of solutions to prevent shutting down your small business. If your business is slowing down, here are some low-cost things you can do:
- Contact existing clients/customers. Existing clients are much easier to sell to than brand new ones. Stay in front of them with email, postcards and other marketing media. Try a social media, like Facebook or LinkedIn — or some other direct campaign you haven’t tried already…like sending small gifts by mail, coupons and promotions only for existing customers.
- Add value. Is there something that you could be doing differently to add value to your solution that would increase the amount they are spending on your services or products? Only your customers know. Ask them.
- Contact former clients/customers. Find out why they left. The reason may not be what you think. Some customers may be reluctant to give you honest feedback. If you approach them with a commitment to listen deeply without judging their experience, you may be able to re-establish a relationship with clients who have discontinued doing business with you. You can also ask an independent entity to help you gather that information.
- Ask for referrals. …from friends, family, associates — but most of all, happy customers. You may have even more success if you offer an incentive for new customers to try you out that the referring person can give away as a gift– or an incentive for someone to refer you — or both.
- Find an Independent Sales Representative. …someone who would like to earn a cash commission on business referred to you. The percentage has to be high enough to justify the time the agent spends to acquire the relationship but low enough that you can afford to pay them what you’ve promised.
Have more ideas? Post them!
Filed under: email & phone management, software & hardware | Tags: anti-virus, antivirus, antivirus software, backup system, backups, benefits and risks, business ethics, computer, email, ethics, firewall, firewalls, McAfee, MS Outlook, Norton, outlook, pros and cons, RAM, random access memory, responsible business, security, virus, virus protection, viruses
A great question from an associate:
What program do you use for managing your email account? I like that you can have your picture on it.
Here’s my answer:
I just started using Outlook (not to be confused with Outlook Express, which is a truncated version of Outlook handling email only).
Outlook combines email, calendaring and contacts all in one application. It’s really slick. Being able to embed a photo or logo in outgoing emails is only the start of its really cool features. It’s also pretty easy to get started on.
On the downside, the most cool features require a bit of a learning curve to implement; however, once you get them set up, you never have to think about them again….unless your system crashes and you have to do a complete system reinstall.
That said, a major downside to Outlook is that it is HIGHLY susceptible to viruses – more so than about any other software on the market. So if you decide to use it, make sure you have a system in place for protecting your computer from viruses and backups.
I can’t stress backups highly enough. I once paid $2000 to get my data back after a system crash. I would have paid $10K. To avoid any expense, I could have paid $100 and done weekly backups.
I can’t recommend to anyone, anywhere, for any reason, at any time using virus protection software (McAffee or Norton) – but instead using hardware in the form of an external firewall, hardware offered by Internet service providers like Comcast or McLeod. (Qwest DSL is terrible, can’t recommend that either.)
The reasons I recommend against software virus protection are:
- Virus protection software companies have an incentive to put viruses ON people’s computers; doing this keeps them in business. Some have actually been caught doing this.
- Virus protection software interferes with the use of other software, particularly email and browsers.
- Virus protection software requires an enormous amount of RAM (Random Access Memory). RAM is what determines how fast your computer is able to think. The amount of RAM that comes standard in most of today’s computers is a healthy amount – but the anti virus software requires ALL of it to run properly. This means that there is no RAM left for your computer to run other software (like the operating system and Office); therefore, your computer will appear to function VERY SLOWLY – taking forever to do very simple things….like open a Word file.
- Virus protection software has been the #1 cause of support calls I have received in my 15-year career. It is likely the bane of most internal PC support technician’s careers — and a pretty good source of income for most external (contracting/consulting) PC support technicians.
So my recommendation is to get high speed cable with an external firewall (hardware). Fewer hassles. Much lower cost short and long term.
I’ve only had 2 viruses in the last 5 years — which was my own fault on both counts; I clicked on a nasty link while doing research. I also have a good backup system (external hard drive) and system recovery process (VMware) in place – so restoration only takes me 20 minutes as opposed to 2-3 days.
This all makes Outlook a good solution for me.
Filed under: branding, marketing | Tags: bad clients, bad customers, business planning, competitive analysis, get more business, good customers, i hate my clients, i hate my customers, make more sales, market position, marketing, marketing communications, marketing plan, sales, selling, selling tips
Not every customer will be a good match. The conflict might be pricing, style, process, values — you name it! When you position yourself in the market *well*, you will attract prospects that will be a better fit.
This requires 2 steps:
- careful analysis of your business, your marketplace – knowing where opportunities and competition are — and then,
- communicating/broadcasting a unique, effective message.
The results? You will find yourself spending less time on dissatisfying work and trying to sell yourself to customers who don’t want what you have.
What you can expect from t he results:
- clarity about who you are, what you do, what sets you apart from other (not “better,” but “different”)
- comfort being all of these things (authenticity and integrity), and
- faith that the “right” customers are out there
- peace – you will no longer have upset when there isn’t a match
If you need help with this process, please call 763-535-0880 for a free consultation.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: canada exports, canada shipping, marketing to canada, shipping us products to canada, us canada trade, us marketing in canada
Does your online store ship to Canada?
If so, there are restrictions and prohibitions for shipping that you should know about. The United States Postal Service (USPS) provides the following information:
PROHIBITIONS:
An issue of a publication in which more than 5 percent of its total advertising space is primarily directed to a Canadian market and which indicates:
(a) specifically where goods or services may be obtained in Canada, or
(b) specific items or conditions relating to the sale or provision of goods or services in Canada.
All alcoholic beverages including wines, etc.
An issue of a publication that contains an advertisement primarily directed to a Canadian market is a prohibited import if that advertisement does not appear in identical form in all editions of the issue distributed in the country of origin.
Articles so marked as to create the false impression that they were made in Canada, Great Britain or any other British country.
Commercial tags of metal.
Firearms, except as follows: Firearms may be mailed to Canada provided that they meet the requirements in DMM 601.11.1, 601.11.2, 601.11.3, and 601.11.6 and that the importer has the required documentation. Customers must visit www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/postal-postale/ind-imp-eng.html prior to mailing for Canadian import requirements.
Gold bullion, gold dust, and nonmanufactured precious metals.
Non-refillable lighters or any other lighter that contains fuel.
New lighters with no fuel may be sent.
Oleomargarine and other butter substitutes, including altered or renovated butter.
Shipments bearing caution labels indicating the contents are flammable.
Perishable infectious biological substances.
Perishable noninfectious biological substances.
Plumage and skins of wild birds.
Prison-made goods being sold or intended for sale by a person or firm.
Radioactive materials.
Reprints of Canadian or British works copyrighted in Canada.
Reproductions of Canadian postage stamps unless printed in publications in black and white only and with a defacing line drawn across each reproduction.
Smoke-making devices for motor vehicles and boats.
Used or secondhand hives or bee supplies.
RESTRICTIONS:
The maximum value of a GXG shipment to CANADA is $2,499 or a lesser amount if limited by content or value.
Coins; banknotes; currency notes; securities payable to bearer; traveler’s checks; gold, silver, platinum, manufactured or not; jewelry; and other valuable articles may be sent only in registered letter-post items.
Exceptions:
Coins sent to or from collectors or dealers may be mailed in ordinary (uninsured) parcel post packages. Jewelry and precious stones may be sent via GPL Air Courier (Premium) service to Canada subject to indemnity limits indicated in section 626.31.
Drugs and medicines must comply with Canadian law.
Eggs for hatching must be packed in new, clean containers and accompanied by a certificate issued by a veterinarian of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or one issued by a State veterinarian and endorsed by a veterinarian of that Bureau, stating that to the best of his or her knowledge the eggs come from a flock that is free from Newcastle disease, fowl pest, or fowl typhoid. See 135.3 for method of packing.
Meat and meat food products must be accompanied by an export certificate issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and labeled in accordance with Canadian regulations. Exception to these requirements are:
(1) bona fide sample shipments weighing less than 10 kg;
(2) meat products addressed to a government department or agency;
(3) meat products intended for personal consumption when they enter Canada in the possession of the importer.
Precious stones, set or not set; all items used as dress ornaments and coming under the term “jewelry” including articles of gold or other precious metal for personal use such as cigarette holders, cases, powder cases, card cases, opera glasses, fountain pens, watches, etc., are permitted in insured parcel post packages provided the articles have value not over $5 U.S. A parcel post package containing a number of such articles valued at $5 or less may be insured for the total value of the contents up to a maximum of $200.
Veterinary biological products including serums and vaccines must be accompanied by a permit issued by the Veterinary Director General, Ministry of Agriculture of Canada.
Customers who fail to electronically file their export information may be subject to civil and criminal penalties. If you need further assistance with AES filing requirements, contact the U.S. Census Bureau on their toll-free hotline at 1-800-549-0595 =, Option 1 – AES Assistance, Option 2 – Commodity Classification Assistance, Option 3 – Regulatory
Filed under: domain names | Tags: domain expiration, domain name, domain names, domain registrant, domain registrar, domain registration, domains, expiration, expire, expired domain, expired domains, expires, get an expiring domain name, get domain back, get my domain name back, how do i get my domain name back, how to get a domain name back, reclaiming a domain, reclaiming a domain name, reclaiming domain names, register an expiring domain name, snatch up an expiring domain name
If you have a significant amount of resources invested in your domain name, don’t lose it! Here is what happens when you let your domain name expire:
When your domain name expires, you have a 12-day grace period in which to renew it. When the grace period is complete, it is sent back to the registrar.
Note that the place your registered your domain name is most likely a “domain reseller” — and not necessarily the registrar you registered it from or that “issued” it to you. Who are registrars? It is likely to be GoDaddy, Verisign or Wild West Domains.
The registrar then puts your domain on a 10-day auction in order to make the most money they possibly can from it before they put it back in their database.
Once your domain has gone to auction, you still have 42 days in which to reclaim it; however, you will have to pay the registrar $80 and the their standard annual fee — usually from $8-35 per year.
If you reclaim your domain, then you must set it up once again as you did when you originally registered it — through the reseller — by pointing it to your web server, etc.
If you do not reclaim your domain name during the 42-day waiting period, then if someone bid on it at auction, they will be the new registrant.
Here is the story of Mike Davidson and his quest to register an expiring domain name.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: download ms office free, download ms word free, free applications, free ms word, free office, free office software, free word processor
When you are starting a business but can’t afford Microsoft’s expensive Office Suite, consider using one of ZoHo’s free online applications until then.
http://www.zoho.com/
Filed under: email & phone management | Tags: do not call, phone, phone calls, telemarketers, telemarketing
Especially when you depend upon your home phone for your business calls, unwanted calls can disrupt a work day and decrease your efficiency. The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether or not to receive telemarketing calls at home. The majority of telemarketers should not be calling your number after it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at the following web site. You can register your residential (home or home office) and mobile phone for free. Best of all, once you register your number, you’re finished; your registration will not expire.
www.donotcall.gov/
Filed under: web site features | Tags: web site features, web site functionality, website features, website functionality
Being an alumnus of the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts, I receive Reach magazine and read a quote containing much of what I’ve been preaching throughout all the years I’ve been a practicing web consultant.
Brian Southwell, Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication interviewed for an article entitled “The Internet: Face-Off with Academia” as saying:
“All that glitters is not gold in technology. You can have too much of a good thing.”
I couldn’t agree more. So much so that, many times I find myself talking my clients out of lucrative features for their web site because what they want really is just for show and provides no real value for their investment.
Professor Southwell qualifies his statement:
“We [professional academics] often think of the Web’s interactive nature as a boon: you see what you want to see and pass by the dull or irrelevant. …[t]he interactivity that makes the Web so appealing might be the very thing that derails our search , interfering with our understanding and retention of the information we find.”
Why would I do such a thing?
Filed under: web site features | Tags: business web sites, commerce, customer demands, customers, ebusiness, ecommerce
According to the book The Customer Revolution by Patricia B Seybold, customer relationships are driving how businesses should be run – and those businesses that are denying these relationships will soon be die. She lists twelve demands customers are making today. Though the demands can be met through all types of business processes and systems, the Internet accounts for a greatest means for achieving the customer satisfaction she writes about.
Applying these principles to the web, here are 15 actions customers want to take online that are reflecting these demands:
| Patricia B Seybold’s 12 Customer Demands |
Rebecca St. Martin’s 15 Online Actions |
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To better illustrate how the Actions relate to the Demands, I have prepared a chart (below) with examples of businesses that are already providing their customers the means to take these Actions on their web sites.
| Customers Want To… | What | Examples |
| Track | Purchases | PayPal.com tracks all purchases & sales plus all transfers to and from your bank accounts and credit cards.Amazon.com allows you to see your purchase history from as early as 2001 and all of the order details. |
| Problems & Resolutions | Sprint.com has a trouble ticketing system that records your interaction with technicians and all open and closed issues. | |
| Status of order / delivery | Nebraska Furniture Mart allows you to type in a tracking number to find out where your order status is. Many systems can be tied into USPS / UPS / Fed Ex, etc. | |
| Buy | Products & services with credit card | Any site that allows users to make a purchase with a shopping cart using a credit, debit, or electronic check equal good examples where customers can buy. |
| Utility services with bill pay | Many banks offer electronic bill pay through online services such as CheckFree.com and MyCheckFree.com. Funds are automatically withdrawn from a customer’s bank account. This is a convenience to customers who want to avoid late charges, mail and processing paperwork. | |
| Trade | Products & services | SwapEasy.com makes trading easy by asking users to pay very modest fee for trade.Nebraska Furniture Mart allows customers to trade in used merchandise for credit toward the purchase of other merchandise. |
| Sell / Earn | Auction Goods | EBay.com is an auction system for all kinds of goods.SkyAuction.com is a site where travel agencies, individuals, brokers, and ticketing agencies can list tickets, packages and travel deals on auction. |
| Products & Services (Affiliate) | Amazon.com pays a commission for items purchased via a special affiliate link you place on your web site | |
| Access Securely | Records | Health Care: Because of current HIPPA compliance laws, many clinics hesitate to put private health records online.Education: The University of Minnesota allows students to access and order official transcripts online. |
| Test Results | Health Care: Because of current HIPPA compliance laws, many clinics hesitate to put private medical test results online.Education: Boy Scouts of America offers online educational classes | |
| Transaction Histories | TCF.com online banking, PayPal.com internet payment system allow users to see complete histories of the transactions they’ve made to their accounts – incoming, outgoing and transfers of funds. | |
| Usage Histories | Tmobile.com – check cell phone usageWebSitesThatFly.com hosting – allows you to check disk space used. | |
| Learn | Pricing | Sites selling products almost always show product pricing.BizRate.com, DealTime.com, NexTag.com all offer side-by-side pricing along with customer ratings on each company’s’ service. |
| Real-time availability | Sears.com shows real-time availability of specific items in stock and at how many are at each store. You also have a choice to pick up or have the item delivered after you’ve purchased. | |
| Express Themselves | Discussion Groups | Microsoft.com has discussion groups where users can help each other as an alternative to buying per incident / subscription support services. |
| Rating & Feedback Forums | Amazon.com, Download.com and CircuitCity.com allow customers to rate products — and for visitors to rate ratings (how useful each rating is.) | |
| Surveys | IRS.gov asks for user feedback via an online survey. | |
| Entertainment | OfficeMax.com “Elf Yourself” campaign. Users can upload and crop photos of themselves and loved ones and have the faces appear on dancing elves to the tune of Jingle Bells. | |
| Research | Specialty Databases | Multiple Listing System for locating homes on the market. |
| Specialty Buying Systems | eTrade.com allows consumers buy and sell their stocks themselves. | |
| Schedule | Reminders for themselves | Hallmark.com has a web feature allowing you to have email reminders sent to you for remembering birthdays, anniversaries, etc. |
| Appointments with others | Balance U Bodywork & Massage offers the ability to schedule appointments with therapists online after enrolling in their system. | |
| Try / Experience | Demos / Trial Versions | Download.com features thousands of trial and demo software. The creators generally have this availability on their site also. Demos can also be provided with step-by-step photos, PowerPoint presentations, flash presentations and video. |
| Samples | About.com lists companies that offer product samples for free. ThePaperMillStore.com has swatch books of paper you can buy before committing to the cost and shipping of reams of paper. AnchorBayTile.com similarly offers tile samples for sale at a nominal price.
Author of JoinTheConversation.us allows readers to download a free chapter before committing to buy the whole book. |
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| Customize | Interface (Personalize) | My.Yahoo.com allows users to specify what content they want on their screen (weather, comics, etc.) and where it will be located. Users can choose color schemes / themes. Users can also import contacts from their phone book and appointments from their calendar. The calendar can be set to be public or private. |
| Communication Experience | eInstruction.com customers can choose to communicate via live chat, email or phone. Many chat systems allow customers to save the dialogue for future reference. | |
| Design-Your-Product (Wizards) | Diamond Rings at aDiamondIsForever.com Kitchens at Merillat.com Patios at ConcreteNetwork.com
M&M’s at MyMMs.com/customprint |
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| Calculate | Amount of a project / solution | Insulation at PriorityInsulation.com can be estimated based on measurements users have taken from their homes. |
| Amount of monthly payment | Many lending and financial organizations, in addition to MLS distributors provide a mortgage calculator so that borrowers can see how much their monthly payments will be based on interest rate and other custom factors. Some will also display amortization charts. | |
| Receive | Expert Advice | Content on DIYnetwork.com gives step-by-step instructions with photos and sometimes videos on how to do a project from sewing a Valentine pillow to adding accent lighting to your living room.Nuskin.com has a questionnaire, or digital consultation, that narrows down product selections based on customer inputs.eTherapistsOnline.com offers real time counseling services via chat. |
| Support | Epson.com has interactive help programs to assist you in uncovering and solving the problem you’re having with your product. | |
| Alerts | Symantec.com, makers of anti-spam desktop software, allows users to subscribe to receive alerts on new worms, viruses, spy-ware, etc and receive instructions on how to solve the problems the invaders cause. Expedia.com & Travlecoity.com allow you to sign up for destinations you wish to travel to and receive an alert when the price has dropped to a level you specify. | |
| Manage / Change | Email Subscriptions | WebSitesThatFly.com > put on / take off email list |
| Relationships | LinkedIn.com and Ryze.com provide platforms for business people to meet online, request and receive introductions and prospect for new business. Users can see who is linked* to whom so that they can request introductions. Match.com and eHarmony provide a platform for singles to screen prospective dates and make a romantic match. | |
| Mix & Match Products & Services or Just-the-Part-Desired | WebSitesThatFly.com professional services with someone else’s’ hosting.IChapters.com allows you to buy single chapters of books. | |
| Data from system to system | PayPal.com features the ability to download your transaction history and import it into Quickbooks or Quicken software. | |
| Itinerary | NWA.com allows users – not just travel agents — to select flights based on time of departure, partner carrier, and number of stops/transfers. You can also change any aspect of your air travel online for $25 per ticket. | |
| Your Own Information | Every site that offers the ability to create an account also allows the ability to update that information. | |
| Physical Direction of an Item | UPS.com and FedEx.com allow senders and receivers of packages to stop and change the direction of a package. | |
| Customer’s Contact Information | Plaxo.com provides a platform for users of contact management systems (a.k.a. address books and CRM – customer relationship management systems) to allow the contact to change their own contact information. When the information has been updated, the system owner can import the data back into their system | |
| Brand as Own | Intellectual Property | WebSitesThatFly.com Workbook > other designers can have their logos imprinted on the book and resell or use as a giveaway to prospective clients. MLS makes their system available for real estate agents to build into their web sites.BuyersRealEstateGroup.com refines MLS searches to only the areas they serve.
Blogging systems like Blogger.com & LiveJournal.com have made it easy for you to incorporate someone else’s articles into your own web site. |
