Communicating Value to Your Customers: 6 Solid Ways
This morning, the headline inflation is at a 40-year high hit me before my coffee did. If you’re like me, and millions of other businesses, you’re probably caught between the idea of raising your prices to cover the increase in your own costs and providing your loyal customers with good value. It’s difficult these days. I see many business owners apologizing for raising prices, but it can’t be helped. You need to make a profit to remain in business, yet your customers are likely struggling too. That’s why
Christina R. Metcalf
What Customers Want Post-Pandemic
The results of a recent survey commissioned by GoDaddy and conducted by OnePoll of 2,000 Americans and what they want from small business going forward, shouldn’t surprise business owners. But if you’ve been thinking that some of the things you did for safety purposes can be phased out once we start beating the numbers on this virus, you may be in for a rude awakening.
Christina R. Metcalf
Small Business Season Deal Ideas
One way to bring shoppers into your business over the holiday season is by offering deals. That’s how the big box stores work. They bring in customers through loss leaders. While you might not be in a situation to offer products at cost, you can offer deals to bring the crowds in. This year especially, shoppers will be looking for bargains and they may not always think of small businesses as places to find them. Here are a few ideas to help change their minds:
Christina R. Metcalf
How to Revive Connections with Former Customers
It happens. People buy from you and they love you. Then life gets in the way, and they don’t return. Sometimes it’s because they no longer have use for your products or services like when you sell gourmet dog biscuits, and they no longer have a pet. Sometimes they moved out of your area, and you don’t offer e-commerce options. Most often though, your business has simply slipped their minds. It’s no longer on their radar or part of their buying habit. It wasn’t something you did. They just have other things
Christina R. Metcalf
Take the Friction Out of Doing Business with You
Do you want more customers? Then you need to remove the friction behind doing business with you. Even if you have great customer service, support, and sales, you may have unknown friction that exists before you see the face of your customer. Luckily, you can smooth that out with content. Here are two problems you need to solve for to take the guesswork out of doing business with you.
Christina R. Metcalf
Dealing with Angry Customers When You’re Short Staffed
The scene is a common one these days. Lines of people waiting to pay in a restaurant, retail establishment, or grocery store. Tempers flare. Customers yell at staff and wonder why there’s only one person checking people out. Your staff thinks, “Who needs this?” and they’re not wrong. They feel overworked and underappreciated. Customers are demanding and loud. Customers vow not to return. It makes for a bad situation for everyone. So what can you do to ensure it doesn’t happen in your business?
Christina R. Metcalf
Give Prospects Something to Crave: Vanilla Isn’t It
You can satisfy most people by serving up plain vanilla – doesn’t matter if we’re talking dessert or using the term to describe something that’s ho-hum. Very few people will protest against vanilla. It doesn’t rile feathers, cause riots in the streets, or inflame protests. It simply is. But it also doesn’t excite or delight people. It doesn’t arouse an emotion. It doesn’t satiate a need. It fills a space, nothing more. Here are a few suggestions on how you can reach more prospects and keep a greater number
Christina R. Metcalf
Is Your Business a Carmaker or a Carriage Maker?
In today’s business world, it’s difficult to create something entirely new, something no one has seen before. You’re no longer competing with the same businesses in your town. You’re competing with people across the world. You can decide to produce cars, carriages, or flying saucers in your business.
Christina R. Metcalf
Help! I’m a Small Business Do I Really Need These Digital Media Tools?
I work with small businesses in marketing. I can tell when my suggestions aren’t registering. For some, it starts early when I mention increasing their social media presence. For others, it takes more technology talk like when I bring up an email list. Some of these small business owners simply nod at my suggestions. The more direct of them ask, “Do I really need these things?” Maybe you share their feelings. I get it. Who has time for all these things, right? But you would never ask who has time to answer
Christina R. Metcalf
15 Easy Ways to Build a Huge Email List
Guess what? You need an email list. Even if you’re only occasionally sending out emails and can’t/won’t commit to a newsletter, you MUST HAVE a list. I’m not even exaggerating or trying to scare you. In today’s business climate, most products and services aren’t instantaneous decisions. Generally, the person making the purchasing decision thinks about it before they even step foot in your place of business. If you’re not in touch with them on a regular basis, you won’t be on their mind when they decide to
Christina R. Green
