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Showing posts from June, 2022

5 Key Customer Service Skills and How to Develop Them

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Above and beyond customer service leaves customers satisfied and impressed.  Customer service is essential for many clients in determining their overall satisfaction with your company. Most customers have little patience for poor customer service. Customers with a bad customer service experience are more likely to leave than those unhappy with prices. That’s a primary reason why 89% of consumers switched to a competitor after a poor customer experience.  Customer retention saves your company money. Repeat customers spend more and in larger amounts while also bringing in more customers. Customer service is at the forefront of keeping customers happy and coming back for more. Providing top-notch customer service is imperative for the success of your business.  Check out the qualities that make for great customer service.  1. Customer service skill: positivity Often, customer service representatives are dealing with angry customers. It’s important for them to keep a positi

5 Key Trends in Direct Mail for 2022

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In a world of online and virtual marketing, direct mail promotions are still going strong. According to a study by the Direct Marketing Association, direct mail has an average return rate of 4.4%, which is 10 to 30 times higher than digital marketing efforts. With these stats, businesses that are not taking advantage of direct mailing marketing are missing a large group of potential customers and clients. Below are five key trends in direct mail for 2022: 1. Send Out Postcards Direct mailing campaigns using postcards have grown in popularity, providing an inexpensive method to reach customers and clients. Postcards are affordable to print and mail, offering many opportunities for a quick turnaround and fast marketing effort. Keep information on the postcards minimal, to the point, and visually appealing. 2. Mail Out Gift Cards Materials can increase the return by including gift cards featuring a discount or special offer with direct mail. Gift cards entice recipients to

7 Direct Mail Strategies Based on Social Media

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Direct mail has been around for as long as businesses have been around. Still, social media is relatively new in our world. With that said, there are some things to learn from social media when producing direct mail. Take a look. 7 Direct Mail Strategies Based on Social Media 1. Test Direct Mail with Social Media. You can use social media as a trial for your direct mail. Before you print out a postcard, try using the graphics and text online on a social media post. Then see how the public responds to it. 2. Introduce Direct Mail Pieces. Use social media to announce your upcoming direct mail. Try telling customers to look in their mailbox for special offers, catalogs, coupons, and deals. 3. Do It Often. Social media has taught us that people like to see your information several times before responding, and this is true of direct mail as well. So, send out regular postcards, flyers, or mailers. 4. Ask For the Sale. Social media is excellent for offering deals and co

How to Prevent Entrepreneurial Burnout

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Tait Shanafelt, MD , was a senior resident at the University of Washington in 2000, and he witnessed incredible burnout among interns. He did a study to examine burnout trends among medical residents. Their fatigue affected the quality of care and patients' health. How similar this is to entrepreneurial burnout. But what can be done? 7 Ways to Ensure You Don't Lose Your Edge 1. Burnout isn't a rite of passage. Recognize you don't need to go through burnout. It's not a rite of passage, and it's something to be avoided. However, if you are getting burned out, you need to stop the cycle and do something about it. 2. Spend your energy frugally. Prioritize where to spend your energy. You don't need to do everything yourself, and not everything requires your energy. Decide what you truly need to spend your energy on. 3. Document your procedures. Document your standard operating procedures. Then, if you need to hire some help, you can ensure

Brand Your Business with Consistency

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We all want to be remembered, and those who succeed know one thing: Consistency is the key. “A report from Forrester says that 95% of customers use three or more channels to connect with a company in a single service interaction,” according to Grammarly Business. To get people’s attention, you need several routes and types of interaction. Businesses that brand consistently are 3.5x more likely to get strong brand visibility than inconsistent brands. How do you brand more consistently? 7 Top Tips to Stay Branded 1. Brand Consistency. There needs to be a similar message and experience for your brand. Brand consistency is important for every business because it directly and immediately impacts the perception of your brand and company, both internally and externally. If it’s not consistent, it causes mistrust among your customers, which causes them not to want to do business with you. 2. Remember the Rule of 7. Marketers need an average of seven contacts (or touches,

Top Offline Marketing Tips in 2022

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The digital marketing age has become an essential component of any company’s marketing strategy. Since much of the world has moved online, search ads, blog content, email newsletters, and social media posts are relatively inexpensive and practical tools to increase a marketing plan’s reach. Although we find many of our clients and customers online, we must not forget the importance of having a non-digital marketing strategy and getting out face-to-face with our potential clients and customers.  What Is Offline Marketing?  Essentially, offline marketing is any advertising, marketing, or promotional practice using channels that are not online or accessible via cell phones, computers, or tablets. Though many do not always consider offline marketing because they feel it is an outdated practice, it can be somewhat effective. Using both online and offline marketing strategies, businesses can expand their reach and capture the attention of many more clients and customers. Offline

5 Tips for Effective Product Packaging

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Product packaging can be just as important as your product. The packaging is what the potential consumer sees, influencing their purchasing decision. In fact, 72% of Americans say the product packaging influences their purchasing decision. Check out these five tips for effective product packaging.  1. On-brand product packaging  Your packaging should be a consistent extension of your brand.  Your brand is how your company looks and feels. Follow your brand style guide when designing the packaging. If you don’t already have a brand style guide created, now would be a great time to get started.  Your brand style guide is used throughout your business to create general guidelines for the look and style of your brand. It establishes colors, fonts, and much more to ensure the consistency of the brand. It should portray your brand’s personality and values.  Just as important as staying on brand is functionality.  2. Functional product packaging  Your product packaging should

7 Facts About Offline Marketing You Probably Didn't Know

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Offline marketing consists of advertising conducted through traditional offline media, including billboards, print, and in-person events. Although conventional advertising methods like these are all around, there are many things you probably didn’t know. Check out these seven facts about offline marketing.  1. It’s not online versus offline It’s not a competition between online and offline marketing as both have their pros and cons. Plus, your marketing strategy is usually more effective when utilizing multiple platforms, leading to greater brand exposure and returns on investment. Offline marketing effectively brings people to your business’s online website and social media platforms. This is why 58% of offline retailers use offline marketing to build online customer engagement without being too invasive.  2. Offline marketing is not invasive  As the market becomes more competitive, marketing strategies are becoming more intense.  However, this can lead some consumers to