Customers don’t want to contact Info
The customer experience starts with your contact email.
Using a generic contact email address might seem like a good idea, but it's damaging your brand. Here's what to do instead. Global companies and sole proprietorships have several things in common. Despite the difference in size or revenue they are all run by humans....
Do the unexpected to stand out
"You can achieve amazing things by doing the unexpected." - Jesse Cole
Jesse Cole is an inspirational business leader who dares to be different in every aspect of his life and has proven that doing the unexpected will create incredible success and joy. You need to know about him because he is an amazing human being, innovative business...
Stupid marketing idea: Vanity Phone Numbers
A vanity phone number that spells out your company name is memorable, but it is a nightmare for customers to use and costing you leads and sales. Nothing makes me madder than good companies making stupid marketing moves that hurt their sales or reputations. One of...
Should you mention your competition in your marketing?
Should you mention your competition in your marketing? YES - When you do it with good intentions. Companies that do mention their competition - in a positive or neutral way - stand out. One way to do this is by adding a comparison article to your marketing mix. It's...
Are you meaningless?
Consumers have dismissed 77% of everyday brands. If you don’t do something that is unexpected in your industry, you will be one of them. Here are the whys and the hows you need to know to remain a meaningful brand. “Globally, consumers say they would not care if 77%...
Fear Sucks
Is fear stopping you from better results?
I want to tell you a little bit about daring to be different so customers can find you. "Daring" and "Different" have uncertainty attached to them, and that can quickly turn into fear. The thought of doing stand-up comedy in a club in New York City terrified me. And...
6 Immediate Deal Killers
Your customers wish you knew about
LinkedIn released their State of Sales 2021 report with some info that serves as a reminder or a wake-up call. You can get the free report here. This quote in the report stood out: “Top-performing salespeople spend far more of their time researching their industry,...
Use the Phil Mickelson approach to beat your competition
Photo by Steven Shircliff on Unsplash Phil Mickelson won his first major tournament in eight years on May 23, 2021, and became the oldest player in history to do it. His journey to the trophy was every bit as exhilarating as a blockbuster movie. Hero uses ingenuity to...
How to Use LinkedIn Name Pronunciation Feature
Have you added a 10-second personal message to your LinkedIn profile yet? The Name Pronunciation feature on your LinkedIn profile can be used for a lot more than helping people say your name correctly. It can be a mini radio ad for your business! Use it to state who...
If It Ain’t OK, Fix It
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it ain't ok, fix it. I love the double meaning this quote has when you play with the font. It's a challenge to resist the magnetic draw of the status quo, even when you know you need to make a change. It's easier to keep going on...
Build Your Business by Showing Customers You Care
Fact: Showing customers you appreciate them will build your business. Here are two apps that make it easy to appreciate people for their business, referrals, partnership, or just because! Wouldn't it be nice to have an Easy button for expressing gratitude and making...
Would a Caveman Understand Your Marketing Message?
Have you looked at the words on your website home page or your business's social media profiles lately? Whenever I ask a client, “what does that mean?” or “how does that help your customer?” I know inside they’re saying, “Well, duh!” But if I can’t understand it,...
What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do
It’s the end of summer. Or the quarter. Or maybe it's any given Tuesday. You know you need to do something to get in front of your ideal customers. But WHAT? DO is the keyword here. You have to do something to reach your business and personal goals. The #1 question...
How to Avoid Losing Access to Your Customers (and Sales)
I hate seeing good people doing bad things to market their businesses, and lately, I feel like the kid in “The Sixth Sense.” I see them everywhere. The bad thing I want to warn you about today is putting all your marketing time and money on social media. It should...
Float Through Summer Without Losing Your Business (or Your Mind)
Hot summer days Freshly cut grass 8 pm sunsets What can you do when these things make you feel like you need to slow down and chill (but you have a business to run)? The challenge: This physical, mental, and emotional urge competes with the to-do lists, networking,...
Gratitude & Celebration are as Crucial as Marketing & Sales
Gratitude and celebration are just as crucial to your business as marketing and sales. Taking time once a week, month, or quarter to reflect on where you've been, where you are, and what you've accomplished should be part of your business plan. Here are a few ideas...
Using Video in Email Campaigns
Using video in email marketing can increase open and click rates and reduce unsubscribes. Here's what you can and can't do, and what to do instead. There are good reasons to use videos in your emails. Adding a video can: Increase email open rates by 19% Increase...
Creating a Customer Journey Map
Creating a customer journey map is critical for your business. It provides perspective, ideas for new or improved products and services, and a blueprint for an exceptional customer experience. A study by McKinsey showed that organizations that focus on journey...
Updating your customer journey map for the post-COVID world
Things have changed significantly for your customers since last week. You can't schedule your marketing for the next four weeks and trust it'll be relevant when it posts, like the good old days (in February). The message you wrote two weeks ago might be outdated...
Identify & Eliminate Customer Frustration Points in Your Sales Process
Frustration kills sales. You've experienced it. You fill out the form in the checkout process on a site, hit the "Buy Now" button and get this message, "Address Not Valid". You double-check your address, hit the button again, and get the same message! After doing...
Creating or Updating Your Customer Personas
How do you step into your customer's shoes if you don't know what kind of shoes they wear? Creating customer profiles or personas using details about your best customers will help you to attract more customers like them. When you know specific things about...
Business Buzz – Why & How to Do Email Marketing
Have you ever wondered what the big deal is with email marketing and newsletters? Why should you bother? After all, you're getting 'Likes' and shares on social media. You get referrals from customers and friends. Here's why you should do it: Email is 40% better at...
Business Buzz – High-impact Actions to Take Now
Business Buzz Episode #6: No-cost, high-impact marketing actions to take now! What does an ironing board have to do with marketing your business? It's 1 of 3 no-cost, high impact tips I'm sharing in this episode of the Business Buzz show! These are ideas from experts...
Business Buzz – How to look Sharp in virtual meetings (Tips for men)
Business Buzz Episode #5: How to look Sharp for virtual meetings (Tips for men) In this episode of the Business Buzz Show, Tavia Sharp, image consultant and founder of Styled Sharp shares the psychology behind style. What you wear and your grooming are sending a...
Business Buzz – Tips for Setting Up Your Space for Video Meetings
Business Buzz Episode #4: Tips for Setting Up Your Space for Video Meetings In this episode of the Business Buzz Show, Virtual Presence Coach and photographer, Alyssa Peek shares ways to make your space and YOU look sunny and professional. She shares her top tips for...
Business Buzz – What to Wear on Video Calls
Business Buzz Episode #3: What to Wear on Video Calls In this episode of the Business Buzz show, you get expert tips to help you look your best every time you join a video call. This week's guest is Tania Sterl, a personal stylist, branding style expert, and CEO of...
Business Buzz – Newsletters
Business Buzz Episode #2: Newsletters This episode of the Business Buzz show focuses on newsletters. We covered: Warren Buffet's secret for writing his annual investor letter Restarting your newsletter (I shared a big DON'T) Examples of different newsletter styles...
Business Buzz – How to market your business in a crisis
Business Buzz #1: How to market your business in a crisis In this episode, we discuss what you should NOT be doing right now to grow your business (selling) and what to DO (help, be sensitive, offer relevant info/resources). I'll show you some examples of businesses...
Podcast Guest: Public speaking without the terror
Speaking in public is one of the best ways to establish yourself as a leader and an expert in your field. BUT, if speaking in front of people scares you to death, being a podcast guest is the next best way to share your expertise with a lot of people (in some cases...
4 Critical Business Actions to Take Any Time of the Year
I have been reading a lot of lists lately, and one that really resonated with me was 13 Actions to Take in January for a Successful New Year, from Forbes.com. While they are excellent tips for the start of the year, you could start doing them any time of year! Here...
The Green Bean Casserole is Marketing at its Best
What do a Green Bean Casserole and smart marketing have in common? They put a product into the context and circumstances of customers’ lives. The problem with most marketing is it usually covers the features but leaves out how it makes a customer's life better. Trust...
Niches are for witches (and smart business owners like you)
Niches & Your Ideal Customer's Language Determining your niche, unique selling proposition, what you're famous for, etc., and who you want to serve is critical if you want to minimize or eliminate your competition. Donald Miller, the author of the book, Building a...
How To Add Pumpkin Spice To Your Marketing
Your business doesn't have to miss out on the annual pumpkin spice craze. Here are a few refreshingly fun ideas to inspire your marketing! Ah, the magic of pumpkin spice marketing! 2.1 million Instagram posts with the hashtag #PumpkinSpice (as of September 14,...
Why Sharing Competitors’ Articles is Great For Your Business
I am sure you've heard someone say, "sharing is caring" in the past. When it's the flu, it's meant as a cruel joke. But when it's something awesome, people are really glad you shared. I encourage my clients to find great articles and videos from other experts and...
How To Find Your Customer’s Questions (So you can answer them)
You’ve heard the phrase, “Give the people what they want!” And I’ll bet you’ve heard one of the best ways to market your business and build your online presence is to share your knowledge. What do your customers want to know, that you could help them with? The obvious...
Are You Guilty of TLI?
You’ve heard of TMI (Too Much Information), right? Usually, it's associated with someone sharing cringe-inducing information that burns an image into your mind and prevents you from making eye contact with that person for eternity. Well, there’s also a thing called...
Are You Making These 2 Costly Email Mistakes?
Email discrimination is real. If you are making these two costly email mistakes, your well-crafted business emails may be going straight to the spam folder. It's like you NEVER SENT THEM. We don't have a lot of control over what happens once we hit "send", but there...
Do You Have Funnel Vision?
In the last few weeks, every time I turn around I see an article about funnels or meet someone who is passionate about them. Maybe you’re like me. I’ve heard the terms, “funnel” and “sales funnel”, used in marketing strategy for years. But I wasn’t sure how I could...
Are You Afraid to Use this Powerful Business Tool?
At first, I was more of a rapper… When it was my turn to sing, my mouth felt like it was full of tube socks, my heart was surely going to blow out of my chest, and I was sweating through my shoes. What happened next? Did they survive? Learning the story behind almost...
Customize Your Customer
As I was trying to explain to someone how detailed you need to be when defining your ideal customer, it hit me. It’s right there in the word. The most successful businesses CUSTOMize their description with as many specific details as possible. It’s not a range of...
(Fill in offer) For New Customers Only!
I’m a relatively normal human being, but when I see one of those, “for new customers only” discount offers for a business or product that I have been a loyal, PAYING customer of for years, I turn into The Hulk. I know my full-price,...
How to Lose Current and Potential Customers in 30 Days or Less!
20+ Expert tips that will bring your business to screeching halt* (*Lessons learned from my own brilliant business career) These tips will help you free up a lot of time in your business! Don’t buy coffee for someone you just met – Wait until they become your customer...
Blind Dates and Networking Are Part of Life
Just like death and taxes, blind dates and networking are part of life. Since you can't avoid networking or meeting new people, you need a plan. So I'm sharing some great networking strategies that I developed while enduring some unusual, cringe-worthy, sweet, fun,...
Could This Make You Forgettable?
Is your business a familiar service we all need and use, like these? | accountant | plumber | dentist | realtor | home security rep | lawyer | insurance agent | retirement planner | doctor | general contractor Usually being in a familiar business is a good thing,...