Author: Eve Mendelovitch (Page 10 of 11)

5 Customer Appreciation Tips For 2017

On December 31, 2016

While a simple gesture, saying thank you is a sign of respect, appreciation, and gratitude. As a business owner, you can’t afford to overlook the importance of these two little words. Thanking customers is a huge factor in customer retention, as well as your online presence. Below are 5 creative ways to express gratitude. Not only will the following techniques make your customers feel appreciated, they also ensure your marketing efforts don’t go to waste.

Discounts

Who doesn’t like saving money? Offering loyal customers discounts via email is a great way to show that you are thinking of them. Make sure the content of the email is well-structured, playful, and fun. This is a chance to display a creative edge over your competition!

Freebies

Many businesses are beginning to see the value of saying thank you in the form of a freebie. Take advantage of holidays and clients’ birthdays (if you have that information), by offering a free service or product. This will make your customers feel valuable and appreciated.

Trials

When people are on the fence, a free trial can diminish any worries they may have about your company, products, or services. By doing so, you’re saying that you appreciate their interest. Thanking someone for even expressing interest may seem odd, but it says a lot about how far you will go for your customers.

Showcase

Brining attention to your customers on your website or social media pages will make them feel special. Let others know how much you appreciate their loyalty by being as specific as possible. This is a great way to reach a wider audience, as your customers will likely share your words of praise, if they haven’t already been tagged.

Refer

As a small business owner, you have the amazing opportunity to work with people in a wide range of industries. A great way to show them that you appreciate their business is by sending business their way. What goes around comes around.

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It can be tricky for new businesses to find a creative, genuine way to express gratitude, but don’t let that discourage you from venturing outside of the box. Giving thanks will become more intimate and refined as you build stronger relationships with your customers. Understanding your audience is the key to making the most of the after-transaction phase.

Who to Thank During the Holidays

By Eve Mendelovitch

On December 21, 2016

In Blog

With the holiday season in full swing, it’s high time to express gratitude to the people who help strengthen your brand and build your business. Rather than send a generic season’s greetings email to every person in your database, you should consider sending a thoughtful, personalized message. While it would be nice to send unique content to each your clients, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. The best way to personalize your messages and still have time for holiday shopping and festivities is to divide your customers into groups and create different content for each. Of course, we’re looking at this from a marketing perspective.

Potential Clients

Potential customers are people who have shown interest in your product or service, but will need an extra nudge to follow through on the purchase. Here’s where bottom of the funnel type of content comes in handy. To convert these potential customers, you will need to diminish any concerns they have about getting on board. Put yourself in their shoes. Do they need more information about your company? About how they will benefit? Is money the problem? Address these concerns in the form of a thank you. Thank them for showing interest by offering a free test-trial or a discount, in the spirit of Christmas.

Existing Clients

Existing clients don’t need more information about your company history, services, or pricing. They’re already sold. You likely already have an established relationship, and now is the time to strengthen this relationship. A good way to do this is by boosting what they already have, or cross-selling. Cross-selling is the practice of selling a different, but related product or service to an existing customer. If you are a company that sells different tiers of packages, give them the gift that keeps on giving by offering a discount on upgrading.

Collaborates

No company is without business partners and suppliers. Whatever yours provide you with, display your gratitude by sending a gift. You can do this via email with a digital gift card or via mail. Keep in mind that the businesses that you work with have employees too. Express your thanks with a company-wide lunch on you. This is a surefire way to show that you appreciate everyone and all they do to help your business grow and succeed.

Employees

The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, but it can be stressful for employees who are scrambling to complete work tasks before break, while juggling Christmas shopping, cooking, and planning. Show your employees you appreciate all the work they do by organizing a holiday office party with food, beverages, and fun presents. It’s a great way to destress, rejuvenate the holiday spirit, and display gratitude.

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Many businesses are seeing the benefit of creating separate messages for different clients and business partners. It allows for deeper relationships, without sacrificing precious time, which, let’s face it, can be scarce around the holidays. It’s not too late to send off some holiday emails, but you’ll want to be creative. Businesses everywhere are taking advantage of the season by offering special deals and promotions, so you’ll need to find a way to stand out. Think outside the box when it comes to subject lines, and keep the body of the email concise!

Online Presence: Tips for Startups

By Eve Mendelovitch

On November 23, 2016

In Blog

We’ve talked a few times about the importance of responding to online reviews. Whether you’re dealing with a favorable opinion or harsh criticism, it’s important that you acknowledge your customers and respond appropriately. However, before you can respond to any reviews, you first need to be aware that you’ve received reviews. This can be a difficult and time-consuming task for a new business owner juggling several responsibilities. Who has time to keep up with all that? Luckily, there are many tools available that will help you keep up with what people are saying about your business, such as:

Which Monitor Tool is Best?

Some of these tools are more robust than others, so you’ll want to research each one to determine which is best suited for your business. As a startup, it’s in your best interest to go with a more dynamic tool. No one knows who you are, and that means you’ll need a strong web presence from the get-go.

Why Monitoring is Important for New Businesses

People trust online reviews in the same way they trust personal recommendations, but you’re not going to earn trust overnight. Establishing solid relationships with your customers takes time and effort, and it starts online. These days, people are expecting to see a company response, so you can’t afford to not reply. This is your chance to show your customers that you are approachable and can relate to their situation, whether it’s good or bad. It’s also an opportunity to spread the word about how people can get in touch with you, whether that’s by phone, email, or social media.

Why Do You Need A Strong Online Presence?

How people perceive your company is everything, and the stakes are higher for startups. You don’t have the chance to establish yourself then transition online. You’re doing these things tandem, and it can be a lot to handle. Monitoring tools like the ones listed above can make the process of responding a lot less tedious.

Having a strong online presence is an important factor in the success of your business, and having a conversation with your customers in the comments section on review sites like Yelp, Angie’s List, and Trip Advisor is a huge part of that. It’s unfortunate that so many startups fail in the first 5 years simply because business owners struggle when it comes to managing their online presence.

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This is just the tip of the iceberg. We are always looking for new tools that help small business owners manage their online presence, so stay tuned.

How to Push Down a Negative Review

By Eve Mendelovitch

On November 10, 2016

In Blog

In previous posts, we’ve talked about ways you can turn a negative review into an opportunity to show your clients how far you will go to meet their satisfaction. This week we’re offering advice about what to do when individuals share unfavorable opinions about your business on their personal blog or website.

Dealing with A Negative Blogger?

Everyone has something on the internet they wish would disappear. You can get on your knees and plead to Google all you want to remove the article from search results, but unless legal action is warranted, it is very unlikely that Google will remove the post. Of course, you always have the option of calling whoever wrote the review and explain your side of the story, but the chances of them taking it down are slim to nothing. You also run the risk of opening an old wound and making matters worse. That’s the last thing you want to happen.

If you can’t remove it, MOVE IT!

Most people do not go past the first page of Google’s search results when searching for a product or service, so getting the negative mention to appear on the second or third page is the goal here. This process is called Online Reputation Management (ORM), and it can be done by blogging, link building, citations management, or building a profile on any social media page, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Tumblr. Here are some ORM tips:

Blog Away!

A blog is an effective way to push a negative review to the second page of Google, and you don’t have to limit yourself to just one. Most industries lend themselves to a few different categories. If you’re an interior designer, for example, you can dedicate one blog to home decorating and another to office furniture trends. You’re only limited by your imagination. Consider using visuals, such as videos, GIFs, and Memes. With content becoming more interactive, your blog needs to engage and entertain your audience. Visuals can make your blog more attractive by breaking up chunks of text and provide visitors with a great experience.

Build Links!

Negative reviews hurt any way you slice it. Unlike review sites, where it’s in your best interest to respond, you’ll need to use a different tactic when it comes to websites and blog posts that are devoted entirely to hurting your business’s reputation. Building links to positive reviews is an effective way to move down an outlandish claim, while at the time shedding light on the good stuff. The last thing you want to do is make any references to the site or blog that contains the negative review, so avoid pointing any links in their direction.

Clean Up Citations!

Citations are mentions of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on the internet. It is important that this information is accurate and consistent across the board. Any discrepancy, such as your address appearing differently on Yelp than on Facebook, will cause Google to doubt the validity of your business, thus hurting your ranking. Cleaning up your citations is the process of making sure your NAP is the same across the board. This can be a tedious job, especially if your business is on the older side. If you don’t have time to hunt down this information, team up with a digital marketing company that offers citation management services.

Use Social Media!

Pushing a negative mention from the first page of Google to the second page isn’t going to happen overnight. Outperforming a scathing review takes time and effort. Creating a new social media account can help – but that’s only half of it – you’ll need to post regularly. If you don’t have time to manage your social media pages, you should consider enlisting the help of a social media specialist.

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Harsh criticism is never fun, especially when the attacks are unwarranted. We recommend doing some serious ORM if you want to save face. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be.

Why Use Customer Reviews in Your Email Campaign?

By Eve Mendelovitch

On November 2, 2016

In Blog

When your business first started out, you may have urged happy customers to spread the word about your good service – but that has all changed. A lot. With social media, smartphones, and online customer review sites, there is no need to encourage. Customers have very few barriers in the way of sharing what they think about your business, for better or worse. If you’ve made it easy for your customers to leave reviews, getting them is a cinch – but that doesn’t mean you can go on autopilot once you do. There are many ways to enhance your online performance with positive reviews. One such way is with email campaigns.

Make the Most Out of Online Reviews

We’ve written in the past about the benefits of sharing positive reviews on your social media pages, and this week we’re looking at the benefits of using positive reviews in your email campaigns.

Many companies shy away from using email campaigns because, well, let’s face it – emails can be annoying. If you’re like most people, you get dozens of emails a day. Do you really have time to read through all of them?

It can be difficult to see the benefits of email campaigns because of the association with spam, but there are ways of reaching your customers without flooding their inbox. If you are interested in learning ways to do this, part 6 of The Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing for Small Businesses is devoted entirely to email campaign best practice. This was written by Lauchlin, one of the digital marketing specialists here. Whether your emails are sent with the purpose of sharing information or offering discounts, you’re sure to find great tips there. If you like what you see, you can buy the full version here.

Reviews Can Help You Connect with Your Audience

With information bombarding us everywhere we turn, we don’t have time to sift through text that isn’t speaking to us. If you are going to use email campaigns as part of your online marketing efforts, you need to connect with your audience, and you need to connect with them fast. A fantastic way to do that is by including a review from a satisfied customer. Featuring a review gets the message across about your service or product in a highly economical manner.

Not only does a real review from an actual customer establish a relationship with a prospective customer, it helps keep the email concise and to the point. If you have their permission, include their photo and name for a personal touch.

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There’s no shortage of people sharing advice on what to do about negative online reviews, but advice on positive reviews is few and far between. These are just a few tips on what you can do to make the most out of your positive online reviews. We’re sure to share more advice on ways to make the most out of positive reviews. Stay tuned!

3 Mistakes You Need to Stop Making When Saying Thank You

By Eve Mendelovitch

On October 30, 2016

In Blog

This week we’re looking at the technical side of things when it comes to customer appreciation. Whether you’re giving thanks via a handwritten note or email, errors can detract from the sincerity of your thank you. Not to mention, you run the risk of looking less professional. Don’t let a silly mistake get in the way of your thank you! Keep these points in mind when expressing gratitude:

Check for Grammar Mistakes

There’s no doubting you’re busy. You need to get your message across, and you need to get it across fast. But as the old saying goes, haste makes waste. It pays to double check your work, even something as short as a thank you. Here are some of the most common grammar mistakes to look out for:

Their vs. there vs. they’re
Your vs. you’re
Affect vs. effect
Who vs. that
Then vs. than
Assure vs. ensure vs. insure
Complement vs. compliment

If you ever have a grammar question, Grammar Girl is a great source for grammar tips and rules.

Avoid Passive Voice

Passive voice is one of the most common mistakes people make when writing. Many people don’t realize they are writing in passive voice, so it is an important point to keep in mind when proofreading.

A sentence where the subject performs the action expressed by the verb is considered to be active voice. Passive voice, on the other hand, occurs when the subject is acted upon. See, we did it right there – is acted upon!

The Hemingway App is a great tool to check for passive voice. It also checks for the level of readability and for phrases that have a simpler alternative. Clear writing made easy!

Keep an Eye on Tone

Have your target audience in mind. This is true for all forms of content, including thank you notes and emails. Are you thanking a new or long-term customer? Casual language is OK for someone you’ve established a relationship, but aim for higher diction when thanking a business partner. It’s also important to consider the deed at hand when writing. An over-the-top thank you for a small favor, is, well, over-the-top.

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These points might seem small, and they are – but when it comes to saying thanks, it’s the little things that count. Errors like these will take away from your message, so it’s worth having a second pair of eyes look over your writing.

Behold: The Power of the Handwritten Thank You Note

By Eve Mendelovitch

On October 18, 2016

In Blog

We dedicate a lot of time talking about new and innovative ways to say thank you to customers. This week we’re ditching the new and turning to an old-school form of saying thanks. That’s right, we’re looking at old-fashioned pen and paper. Many people will tell you that the handwritten note is a thing of the past, and we couldn’t agree more. But that’s what makes writing by hand such a powerful way to say thanks.

Handwritten notes are at the top of the list with other ways of demonstrating customer appreciation, such as giving a freebie or showcasing a loyal customer on a social channel. In many cases, the pen is mightier than the keyboard, so to speak. Here’s why:

Increased Intimacy

In today’s turbo-charged world, it can be difficult to find a free block to get anything done. Even setting aside 5 minutes to give a simple thanks can prove difficult. This is where turning to the screen can save you a whole lot of time and energy. If this is how you currently communicate with your clients, it might be hard to imagine doing anything otherwise. However, you’d be surprised by how little time it takes to write a thank you note. Since writing by hand is a heartwarming gesture in and of itself, keeping it short and sweet is totally OK.

Improved Personalization

There is no doubting that the digital world makes communication a whole lot more convenient, but be careful – convenience can quickly move into generic territory. After all, who’s to say that the email is written by the person who is actually giving thanks? A handwritten note is as intimate as you can get, without going overboard. A handwritten note also offers the opportunity to be creative. Even if you’re not an artist, you can add a touch of quirkiness with a small doodle.

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Saying thank you is huge part of maintaining a loyal client base, so taking the time to write by hand may be worth it depending on your audience. It will be evident to your customers that you took time from your busy day to say thanks, and this will make them feel special.

What is your company doing to ensure your customers feel appreciated? Let us know in the comments section below!

Show Your Customers They Are Appreciated, In A Creative Way

By Eve Mendelovitch

On October 12, 2016

In Blog

As a business owner, you should always be looking for opportunities to enhance your brand, even when it comes to the small stuff. Something as simple as saying thank you can show just how innovative and creative you can be. Expressing gratitude in an outside-the-box kind of way not only makes your customers feel special, it also helps your brand gain momentum. We’re not saying that saying thanks should be a self-serving act, but it’s important to keep in mind that small deeds are part of a bigger picture. Here are three creative ways to say thanks:

Use A Freebie

Easier said than done – this is true in many cases, but not when it comes to saying thank you. If you can’t find the words to tell a customer how much you appreciate their business, why not give a gift? Actions speak louder than words, after all. Your clients will love a personalized gift bag, and you’ll benefit from giving, too. Have you ever wondered why you get mints with the dinner bill? Studies have shown that by leaving customers with mints, waiters are more likely to get a better a tip. In the long run, you’ll reap the rewards.

Showcase A Customer

Displaying appreciation makes your loyal clients feel valued, and thanking your customers on your social media platforms is a great way to do that. Don’t be shy to give a shout on Facebook or Twitter to customers who have supported your business along the way, and don’t forget the little guys. Acknowledging your smaller customers shows a deep level of appreciation, and it will come to them as a pleasant surprise. Showing your gratitude publicly goes a long way.

Hold an Event

Hosting a free event at your business location is a great way to give thanks to familiar faces as well as bring in new customers. When it comes to event themes, keep your target audience in mind. If you run a clothing boutique for example, a book signing from someone in the fashion industry is an awesome way to bring in a crowd. You can then take advantage of the number of people in your store by offering discounts on selected items. Something like this can be applied to nearly any industry.

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Don’t worry about how long or how grand your thank you is. They key thing here is sincerity. If your thank you comes from the bottom of your heart, it will come across as authentic any way you slice it.

How A Content Calendar Can Help You Build a Relationship with Your Customers

By Eve Mendelovitch

On September 29, 2016

In Blog

Social media offers advantages for businesses of all shapes and sizes. It’s a great way to promote ongoing promotions, connect with clients, and enhance your brand image. Despite these reasons for implementing a social media campaign, managing social media accounts can be difficult. If you run your own business, you have a lot on your plate. When it comes to posting on the daily, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Hiring social media specialists is the way to go, but is there more you can do to streamline your digital marketing efforts? A content calendar can sure help!

What is a content calendar?

A content calendar is exactly what it sounds like – a calendar that helps you keep track of content. The purpose is to let you see what you are going to post and when you are going to post it. Beyond staying organized, a content calendar is a useful tool for helping you tell your company’s story. Mapping out your posts allows you to establish an overarching theme.

Typically, content calendars include the following information:

Title of the post
Writer’s name
Deadline
The channel where it will be posted

This information ensures that each social media profile is getting equal amounts of attention, whether that’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or a blog.

There are a bunch free content calendar templates available that will help take the stress out of planning and integrating a content strategy. Experiment to find one that suits your needs!

Why do you need it?

When it comes to posting regularly, coming up with new topics is half the battle. Even the best writers get stuck from time to time, and this is a major reason why posts become so few and far between. A content calendar can easily solve this problem because there won’t be any need to scramble for a new topic. Having dozens of ideas mapped out will make going to the blank page far less daunting. It also allows more time to personalize your post with GIFs and images.

A Content Calendar Will Keep You Organized

A content calendar makes it easy for writers to see who is posting what and when, streamlining your digital marketing strategy. Since a content calendar aids in organization, it also lets others members of your staff get involved. Two heads are always better than one, and a content calendar can open up the stage to employees who have a unique perspective on your business’s mission. All your writers need to do is ask around! The more the merrier, as they say.

And Prepare You for The Holiday Season

Holidays are the perfect time to post about ongoing promotions and spread some holiday cheer. But, as you may already know, holidays have a way of sneaking up. Nothing is more overwhelming than trying to scramble together a piece to post on the appropriate day. A content calendar allows you to plan out a longer, or more important post, such as a holiday special.

Closing

Keeping a calendar will help you post consistently. It also allows you to see individual posts as part of a bigger story. The latter is arguably the most important point when it comes to posting content. The most successful companies have a have a story to tell. If it’s well-honed, people will stick around to hear it.

4 Tips To Help You Make The Most of Your Testimonial Page

By Eve Mendelovitch

On September 22, 2016

In Blog

If you are selling a product or providing a service, incorporating a customer testimonial page on your website should be part of your digital marketing strategy. Unbiased comments from a third party greatly increase credibility and can help a client who is on the fence choose your company over your competitor.

Once integrated, encourage satisfied clients to share their words of praise on your website. If they’re happy with your services, they’ll be happy to do so. These reviews can prompt visitors to make a purchase or encourage an already satisfied client to follow suit with a comment. Even when customer testimonials are coming in, you shouldn’t go on autopilot. There’s more you can do to drive traffic to your website. Here are some tips that will help you make the most of your testimonials:

Showcase Your Testimonials

Reviews needn’t be relegated to the testimonial page. Consider using testimonials elsewhere on your website, such as your homepage. Your homepage serves as an introduction to your company, so why toot your own horn? No one likes a bragger! Let your happy clients do the legwork.

Consider Video Testimonials

Seeing and hearing a real person talk about your company can have a greater impact than simply reading. Approach a loyal client with the idea of creating a short video about how they benefited from your service or product. Video testimonials can provide visitors with the experience they’re looking for.

Include a Visual

Numerous studies indicate that including a human face on your website can increase conversions. This is because people often buy based on emotional factors, so an image of a person can be an effective way to connect with your audience. Including a photo of your happy customer alongside their testimonial can significantly elevate the text.

Write Testimonials For Other Companies

As the old saying goes, what goes around comes around. As a small business, you should always be looking to build relationships with other businesses in your area. If you need a professional, like a plumber or a painter, team up with someone local. If you are pleased with their services, leave a testimonial on their webpage. It’s not only a nice thing to do, but it is a great way to build links back to your website. Not to mention, they’ll be giving you a call when they’re in a pickle. It’s a win-win.

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Never underestimate the power of customer reviews. If technical work isn’t in your wheelhouse, get in touch with your web designer to get the ball rolling on your testimonial page.

The Web is Waiting For You

Author: Eve Mendelovitch (Page 10 of 11)

Discounts

Freebies

Trials

Showcase

Refer

Closing

Potential Clients

Existing Clients

Collaborates

Employees

Closing

Which Monitor Tool is Best?

Why Monitoring is Important for New Businesses

Why Do You Need A Strong Online Presence?

Closing

Dealing with A Negative Blogger?

If you can’t remove it, MOVE IT!

Blog Away!

Build Links!

Clean Up Citations!

Use Social Media!

Closing

Make the Most Out of Online Reviews

Reviews Can Help You Connect with Your Audience

Closing

Check for Grammar Mistakes

Avoid Passive Voice

Keep an Eye on Tone

Closing

Increased Intimacy

Improved Personalization

Closing

Use A Freebie

Showcase A Customer

Hold an Event

Closing

Showcase Your Testimonials

Consider Video Testimonials

Include a Visual

Write Testimonials For Other Companies

Closing

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