Marketing Ideas From a Leather Clad Vampire Hottie

I have to tell you... there are worse ways to spend a Saturday night than sitting down with a bottle of wine and a bowl of ice-cream and watching a skin-tight-leather-clad Kate Beckinsale dealing death and destruction.

I'm talking, of course, about Underworld 4, the latest film in the Underworld saga. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing 2 and 3 yet, but that didn't make the plot any harder to follow... although "plot" is probably a fairly optimistic way of putting things.

Why?

Because they're all pretty much the same: hot Vampire Chick slays numerous bad-guys and werewolves in various ingenious, inventive and improbable ways, and ends up in a humungous fight scene at the end where she invariably triumphs.

High art, it ain't.

But who cares?

After all, it's entertaining and it doesn't exactly take lot of effort to work out what's going on -- it's Kate Beckinsale in skintight leather.

Need I say more?

But here's a question: how many films like this can Hollywood make before everyone gets bored and stops watching them?

The answer is...

... as many as they please.

Because the public never tires of them and never is going to, because it taps deeply into our human psyche. Like I said: it's Kate Beckinsale in skintight leather.

So... what does this have to do with marketing your business?

Oh, just about everything, that's all.

Because a lot of my clients come to me and ask me to help then write new ads, web-pages and sales letters.

And I ask them why.

The answer?

Because they're bored of them and want something new.

Wrong answer.

It's perfectly valid to be testing new material against existing ads to see if you can improve response; but it's folly to take something that's working and replace it in toto, just because you are bored with it.

The only time to do that is when it's stopped working and is no longer making you money. And since your market will get bored long after you do, you ought to forget about how you feel about your marketing pieces and see what the numbers are telling you (because the numbers cannot lie).

To put it another way... writing your ads to please your own tastes is like Hollywood making a film to please the critics rather than the people who make the whole thing worthwhile: the cinema goers.

So rather than changing things around because you're bored of them, focus instead on putting your existing material in front of more people.

That'll pay you back big time.

Look... marketing success really does not have to be a struggle.

But it can be, if you don't know the easy way to do it. Jon McCulloch is perhaps Europe's top direct response marketing expert (and he's definitely the most irreverent and Non-PC one you'll ever meet).

So if you're feeling brave and you're not easily offended, then feel free to help yourself to his regular marketing tips by email, and a whole heap of free marketing goodies besides.

But be warned: these tips are NOT for shrinking violets or the faint hearted.

They're waiting for you here: http://www.jonmcculloch.com/free-email-tips

Restaurants Can Increase SEO With Keywords

Customers search millions of things a day on many different search engines. In order to take advantage of these searches, restaurants can use keywords and phrases to increase their SEO ratings and learn more about what their customers are really searching for.

The big mistake that restaurants do at the beginning of creating their keyword campaign is not using the proper keywords to attract people to their sites. To avoid this, SEOmoz has come up with a few things in their "Beginners Guide to SEO" that restaurants should do to insure that their keywords and phrases will be effective.

They should first ask does the keyword match the content that their site offers. It is important that the people that will be directed to the site by the keyword will be able to find the information that they are looking for. It is also important that the customers who visit the site will turn their search into a purchase from the site. If the keyword does not have this potential, it should not be used.

Doing research on the keyword or keywords that a restaurant is planning on doing is critical in order to see how beneficial it will be to the restaurant. They can do this by searching for the term on the major search engines and see if it appears in their search results. Also, they can use Google AdWords to do a sample run of the keyword. All that they have to do is pick exact match and direct all the traffic from the keyword search to their webpage. Then they can track how many impressions and the conversion rate of their keyword.

The last thing to do is evaluate how well the keywords and phrases did. A restaurant should see how valuable a customer is who used the keyword to get to their site. They can do this by looking at the number of people who visited the site and then how many were actually converted to profit. If this number is reasonable, then the keyword was successful, but if it was not up to par then the restaurant should rethink their keyword strategy and try again.

Something that restaurants looking to increase their SEO rating should know is what is called the long tail of keyword demand. What most businesses do is pick the popular keywords that get them a lot of clicks. What they don't know is that all of these clicks only make up about 30% of the total clicks. The remaining searches, about 70%, is called the long tail of search. These are keywords that are only searched a few times and sometimes only once. This is important because restaurants can fill their pages with these long tail words and get a larger number or people visiting their page.

Restaurants are seeing satisfying results from search marketing when they implement it correctly. It can help increase profits and build awareness of a new business. In the end, restaurants should take SEO very seriously and apply it to their business in order to see the benefits their counterparts are already enjoying.

Why a Business Card Is Still Relevant in a Digital World

Everywhere you look, experts are saying that businesses have to focus on a web presence. Websites, social media profiles and search engine optimization have become industry buzzwords. Traditional networking methods may not seem relevant in the face of all this, but having a good business card is still just as important as it's always been.

Recognizable Format

Everyone recognizes a business card. The size and shape of this simple networking tool is standard for every business, and people of all ages are familiar with the format. This is important to keep in mind, especially if your company's products and services appeal to a varied customer base. You may be able to entice young consumers to check out your mobile site or Facebook page, but other potential customers might not be so tech-savvy. Having a business card lets you instantly connect with interested parties of any age, regardless of how familiar they are with the latest technology.

Quick Reference

A good business card puts all of your company's information in one place. The physical address of your office or store, land line and cell phone numbers, your e-mail address, social media profile links and more can all be included on one simple paper rectangle. Customers can see all of this information at a glance without having to touch their computers or Smartphones.

Fast Networking

Even if you have the most amazing, user-friendly website ever designed, it won't get you anywhere at a business meeting or trade show. You can't hand a digital page to potential customers. But business cards can be exchanged in a matter of seconds and referred back to just as quickly. Your card also makes a statement about your business. A concise, well-designed card tells potential customers that you care about details and organization, two important points which can put you ahead of the competition.

Doorway to Digital

Since the Internet isn't about to go away, you do want to have a digital presence. You can use your business card as a doorway to whatever Internet-based setup works best for your business. Including your website address and social media information on your business card gives people instant access to every aspect of your company's web presence. Interested customers can go to your website for an in-depth look at your products and services, while existing customers can "Like" you on Facebook or follow you on Twitter for up-to-date developments and real-time interactions.

Though many traditional business transaction and marketing methods have gone digital, it's still important to have a physical business card. A well-designed card gives you a quick way to connect with customers and clients while leaving a lasting impression that will make them want to come to you when they need your products or services.

If you're simply looking to refresh your cards, Snap business card printing professionals will work with your existing branding to create an eye-catching design that leaves a lasting impression.

Five Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make Which Keeps Them at a Competitive Disadvantage

Mistake #1

Act like a salesperson and you'll be treated like one!!!

I have seen this over and over again in my career and have actually worked for companies which train on exactly how to be treated like a salesperson.

They will recommend calling a prospect and asking permission to talk to them. Something like: "Hi, how are you today, It's Me from XYZ Company, do you have a minute???" Or, "Hi, it's Me from ABC Company, have I caught you at a good time??"

In most cases the answer is of course "No, try me back another time." Followed by the "Click" of the phone being hung up....

It's the exact same when a secretary/administrative person answers. Most people are trained to say something like "Hi it's Me from ABC Company, is Pete Theboss available?" What's the typical response here? "No he's not available, may I take a message?" or "What is this in reference to?"

By using this wimpy approach, you are giving the prospect the opportunity to shut you down before you ever get a chance to say why you're calling or how you can help them. The entire approach just screams SALES CALL.

Whether you own the business or are a salesperson, you need to put yourself on equal or superior footing with whomever you are calling. Do not give them the opportunity to take control. You must be the one in control. Your prospects will respect you more if you let them know that your time is just as valuable as theirs is and give them a great reason to stay on the line with you.

While working for a major marketing consultant and dealing with business owners all day every day, our inbound telephone call script never even used the word "Hello". We identified the company name, our name, asked for their name and got down to business. We immediately put ourselves in a position of authority and not just some phone peon.

When calling someone for the first time, try to sound as if you are already familiar with them, even a friend of theirs, and them with you. Particularly if a receptionist/secretary answers try something like: "Hi, it's Me calling for Him"....and just leave it at that....

Mistake #2

Sounding just like your competitors

I was recently consulting for a company and what they were most proud of with their new company and what they felt differentiated them from their competition was that they "have a lot of experience, offer personalized customer service and they make the process easy. "

Yeah, I'm sure their competitors are calling and saying, "Hey we're brand new, we have no idea what we're doing, our customer service stinks and working with us is really difficult!!"

Virtually every business, big or small, which I encounter seems to have a similar approach. That they're:

Experienced Will save you time Make you money Have great customer service Blah, blah, blah....

You need to differentiate yourself from your competitors.

I've always believed in an education based marketing approach to differentiate myself. I remember in the early 1990's while working for a major publisher who was migrating from a print publishing format and was starting to add CD delivery of their information. Computers in offices were just starting to be used and frankly most people weren't all that good with navigating around these new tools. So I went around to my clients and prospects offering them "10 Tips on Using The Computer". These tips had nothing to do with the services I offered. They were general tips which anyone could use to learn how to do common tasks on their new computers.

This offer of FREE and VALUABLE information got me in the door, built respect and rapport, and earned me the right to then discuss why they should consider the products/services I was selling.

You should create something similar. The approach of calling people to introduce yourself and your company by stating how you've helped many people just like them and will save them time and money is stale and weak.

As Chet Holmes, author of "The Ultimate Sales Machine" would say, "you will attract people much more quickly and in much greater numbers by offering to teach them something of value to themselves rather than just trying to sell them something".

Call them and offer to teach them something that they will find valuable. "Hi, it's Me. I'm a specialist in X and I've created a free report outlining the "The X Mistakes That People in Your Industry Make" and I want to stop by and give you your FREE copy of this valuable report"....

This approach works even better if you have a book or are working on a book. My Mentor Gerry Robert calls this the "interview" technique. It goes something like this: "I'm the author of the upcoming book "The 7 Dangers That People Like You Should Avoid" and I am interviewing respected business people in the area for possible inclusion in my book. You are a highly respected business owner in your industry, and I would like to interview you."

They'll likely invite you to visit with them within a couple days.

Prospects will be much more open to meeting with you if they don't believe that you're just trying to sell them something, but that you are sincerely interested in helping them.

Mistake #3

Not Building TOMA

TOMA you ask?? TOP OF MIND AWARENESS.

It wasn't that long ago that growing a company was fairly easy. Business was booming for everyone and there was plenty of room for more companies and more competitors. That just simply isn't the case anymore. Markets are shrinking. Companies are scared to part with their money. Competition is intense for the few companies willing to do business and spend some money.

The way to avoid being crushed by your competitors is to be the one doing the crushing. Be THE definitive expert in your field. Be THE go-to authority. Be everywhere that your clients and prospects are likely to be found. BUILD TOMA!!

Whenever your clients/prospects turn around they need to bump into you. They need to know that YOU are the person in the industry that they NEED to do business with. This should be done both offline and online.

Piece of cake right?? Actually, it's really not that difficult if you're committed to taking regular action and spending time on this regularly. You need to be devoted to marketing yourself and your business. This requires you to attend local functions within your area, perhaps via the local Chamber of Commerce, trade organizations for your target market, or other similar organizations.

When I worked for a major publisher of tax information, I used to attend virtually every meeting sponsored by the state CPA Society; whether the meeting was tax related or not. If there was a room-full of accountants somewhere, I wanted to be in the room also.

Mistake #4

Not Participating

Whether it's online or offline, the problem with most companies is that they don't actively "work" opportunities to get the most out of them.

They attend networking events and spend the whole evening talking with one guy who isn't even a prospect for their business or with people they already know. They don't actively participate, mingle with as many people as possible, or gather cards and names. Go to events with a strategy and understand exactly what you are trying to accomplish and with whom you are trying to connect with.

It's similar online. You can connect with a lot more people more quickly without ever leaving your office. You can make excellent contacts and create wonderful relationships. It's really just about PARTICIPATING. I recently had a situation where I was working for a company and helping them to enhance their web presence and social networking strategies. I created a blog, and LinkedIn and FaceBook pages. Within just a few weeks, I was driving massive traffic between all of these different pages and generating interest in what I had to offer.

Simply because I participated. I joined LinkedIn groups and PARTICIPATED in the conversations. I posted Polls and made many new contacts. In one of the groups, which has over 2,200 members, within a week I was one of the top contributors. In another, the editor of a magazine liked one of my posts and wanted to do an article on me.

Mistake #5

Margins are too low

This one is totally your fault. Your margins are too low because you allow them to be. You have likely made the previous mistakes in this report and are therefore fighting for business at the bottom of the pond with the other bottom feeders. If you want to compete on price, you will always have margins that are too low. Your business will have customers rather than clients as there will always be some other company willing to do the work for even less. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!!

Customer Vs. Client: a customer is someone who just once or occasionally buys from you. A client is someone who comes to you over and over again and with whom you have a relationship.

If you want to increase your margins you have to give your clients a reason to spend more for your expertise. You have to create an aura around you that YOU are the authority and that it would benefit them to work with you; and not the other way around.

One of the best ways to build an atmosphere of expertise is by using the written word.

There are many ways to do this. You can write a book; author a great blog; offer to write articles for free in your local newspaper; submit articles to industry magazines; create a monthly newsletter; prepare eye opening FREE reports; and the list goes on.

If you show or give away your book to a prospect or show them your articles from a newspaper or magazine, you will instantly be looked at in a different way. You will gain in stature in their eyes and be much more credible.

Another way is to offer free training sessions on your area of expertise. At your business location or even at a hotel or some other meeting place have a regularly scheduled free meeting where you share your expertise with others. For instance,

if you are a hair stylist, offer a monthly free session on how to best take care of hair. CPA?? Offer a regular class on taxes, bookkeeping, financing options, etc. Real estate agent?? Offer a class on how to get the most money when selling your home or how to get your dream house for much less.

Get the idea?? You can also tie some of these ideas together. Write a free report or book on a topic and then give live sessions to deliver the content and answer questions. Although not quite as powerful as a live event, you could use webinars as well.

When you do it right, you can even get other people to pay for your marketing by sponsoring your event or book.

These are inexpensive yet extremely powerful ways to grow your business faster and easier; crush your competition; gain in credibility in the marketplace; create more loyal clients; and to get higher margins.

Differentiate yourself. Be THE authority. Give of yourself. By avoiding the mistakes in this article, you will attract prospects who are predisposed to wanting to buy from you and willing to pay more for your expertise.

I'm an author, firewalker, and education based attraction marketing specialist. I help small business owners learn how to dominate their marketplace, crush their competition, get others to pay for their marketing and become THE authority in their field.

http://teammaz.wordpress.com/about/

Is Content Killing Content Marketing?

For years we've heard that "Content is King," and businesses around the world have been listening. The growth of social media has provided a platform for distribution of content like never before, and companies are churning out articles, blogs, white papers and other content at a record pace.

So what's the problem?

Not too many years ago, content was produced by analysts, researchers, writers and journalists who spent a great deal of time developing well-written, thoughtful and provocative material. This material was published for readers who had a deep and genuine interest in the topic at hand.

Whether it was exploring new vendors and service offerings or researching competitors and market opportunities, consumers of this content could be reasonably confident that what they downloaded would be worth their time - and the price of their email address or contact information.

Not so much these days. Cranking out content has become an end in itself.

For many content marketers, content is simply a sales hook designed to capture email addresses (aka leads). There is less concern about offering a quality product, as long as the goal of building that email list is achieved.

The result is a whole lot of noise.

It's becoming more and more difficult to find quality content within the cacophony of the web.

People who are legitimately researching a topic must wade through mountains of low quality, bait-and-switch content in order to find a few gems of information. Even then, stats can be suspect and must be verified through multiple sources (and not just those that blindly quote the same data or "facts").

I'm not saying there is no great content out there. There is plenty of good content. The problem is finding it.

Short of paying big-ticket prices for analyst reports or subscribing to established media outlets, the average person doesn't have a lot of options. Finding quality content can be a huge task. Wade through the web, find resources you trust, and spend more and more time filtering to find the needle in the haystack.

The wave of mediocrity sweeping the web will eventually kill the intense demand for content that made content marketing so popular in the beginning.

It's kind of like the kid that loves chocolate until he has the chance to eat all his Halloween candy at once. He soon discovers that getting too much of what you want can be worse than not enough.

Are you part of the problem?

As a marketing consultant, I often advise clients to publish content as part of their thought leadership efforts. I tell them to write white papers and press releases that attract links and SEO karma.

The difference is that what I suggest is publishing valuable content. Items of interest that can't easily be found elsewhere. If you don't follow this advice and randomly push out materials without thinking twice about what value they add, you could be part of the problem.

What's a content marketer to do?

As you develop content for your business, make sure you are adding something of value to the universe of existing materials. Think about your audience, and what they need.

What will your reader get in return for the time they spend with your content? Provide a unique perspective, some fresh insights or real data. Think about what information will help your audience improve their situation, be more informed or better educated.

If you're just regurgitating something you read elsewhere, stop. Instead, use items you like as inspiration to offer your own unique spin or position.

Avoid contributing to the clutter. Blindly sharing can be dangerous to your reputation, as Jordan Kasteler points out in this post on Social Sharing and Personal Credibility.

Before you retweet, share or post content from other sources, review it. Yes, that means take the time to actually click that link, read it and think: Is it really good? Would you recommend it to a friend or client you were meeting with face-to-face? If not, hold off for something better.

A little restraint in curating the content you share will not only slow the spread of mindless stuff, if will also reflect positively on you. Carefully picking what to share - whether you write it yourself or promote content from other sources - will establish your position as an intelligent thought leader, a "go to" person who knows what's of value, and what's not.

What do you think? If you're a marketer, especially one who uses content marketing in your own business, I bet you have your own thoughts on the issue of content overload. Where do you stand?

Joellyn "Joey" Sargent is principal of BrandSprout LLC, an Atlanta-based strategic marketing and management consulting firm. Joey brings fresh perspectives to challenging business issues, helping her clients succeed by building brand awareness, engaging customers and increasing market share.

A passionate advocate of entrepreneurship, Joey has founded 3 companies, was a key executive with two start-ups and has worked for Fortune 500 companies including UPS and BellSouth (now AT&T). With global leadership experience in branding, strategy, and communications, Joey advises business owners on strategies for dramatic growth, building high-performing marketing teams and leveraging technology for maximum impact.

Looking To Make An Informed Buying Decision? Check Out Trade Show Displays First

 

When it comes to making big purchases, it always pays to do as much research as possible before breaking out the checkbook. Visiting online websites, checking out the options and models offered by various providers, and reading up on big ticket items can all help to ensure that you receive the best deal possible. Want to know another great way to decide if the merchandise you're looking for is worth it? Attend industry expos. If you're researching specific items, always check out trade show displays showcasing these products to make the most informed buying decision possible.

Are Trade Show Displays Worth The Price Of Admission?

Not sure if checking out a trade show stand will deliver a return on the price of entering the event? You're not alone. Often, consumers assume that purchasing a ticket to peruse a company's promotional stand may offset any positive outcomes reaped at the event. However, this simply is not the case. Understanding some of the many benefits yielded at these industry marketing events can help you determine if this particular marketing method adds value to your purchasing process.

Trade Show Displays Deliver Unparalleled Benefits To Consumers In Every Market

One of the biggest benefits offered by visiting trade show stands is that they offer potential consumers an up-close and personal look at not only the product in question, but also the company behind the merchandise. Sure, oftentimes heading into a distributor or even a retail store will allow you to view the item in question. But, how often can you actually get such direct connection with the team that creates the product you have your eye on? Best of all, stopping by a company trade show stand always offers the option to have one of the company's seasoned professionals grant you a product demo to show you all the key differentiators of the item and answer any questions you may have. All you have to do is ask!

Also, oftentimes exhibitors at industry functions offer special deals and promotions for purchases made during the event itself. If you've already done your research and are confident that you know what you want, always check out a local marketing convention before you make a final decision. Chances are, you'll be able to negotiate price, add on accessories or even enjoy some type of exhibit only discount that you wouldn't be able to find elsewhere.

Finally, trade show displays and exhibits provide the rare opportunity for consumers to product shop and compare with many of the industry leaders all presenting at the same venue. Yes, online and retail store comparisons are possible. However, various distributors may only carry certain brands at any given time. Shopping at these company displays means that all the big brand names will be in one centrally located arena. Most importantly, their ultimate goal is to vie for the crowd's attention, making it truly a buyer's market. Peruse, inquire and negotiate, negotiate, negotiate to guarantee you get the best price possible on your new purchase!

Looking for a one of a kind San Antonio trade show stand? Xtreme Xhibits creates unparalleled designs for San Antonio trade show displays to help your business announce its industry presence. Contact the firm today to get started on your customized trade show stand in Austin and beyond!

Printing Services: Types of Ink Used in Printing

Printing is a process whereby text and images are reproduced on various materials. There are different printing methods and depending on the printing method different types of inks are used. Inks used in printing can be classified into 4 different categories such as aqueous, liquid, paste and powder.

Paste inks:

Paste is often used in offset printing and there are different types of paste inks such as cold set, heat set and energy curable ones. Some of the different energy curable sorts are electron beam curable and ultraviolet curable. While energy curable offers the highest quality print, heat sets are most commonly used. Energy curable ones also require special equipment which makes it one of the most expensive types of inks used in offset printing.

The heat set one requires heat to set it and then it is cooled rapidly as it catalyses the curing process. In cold set inks, it is set by using the phenomenon of absorption into the stocks that are non-coated. Cold set ones are usually used for printing books, newspapers, insert printing and are the most cost effective option if you are on a tight budget.

Solvent ink:

Solvent ink comprises a mixture of organic chemical compounds and volatile organic compounds. These ingredients have high vapour pressure and colour in this type of ink is achieved through pigments which makes them resistant to fading. Solvent inks can be used to print on uncoated vinyl substrates and they are cost effective. Banners, billboards, graphics and decals are typically printed using solvent ink. The main advantage of using solvent ink for printing is that the prints are UV resistant and waterproof however the downside to using this is the disposal of the solvent and the vapour produced by the solvent.

Aqueous ink:

Aqueous inks are primarily used in desktop inkjet printers. These comprise a mixture of pigments or dyes, glycol and water. Aqueous offer the vivid and a variety of colour options the only disadvantage of this ink is that it is not waterproof and can be washed away from the surface without lamination or specialized coating to protect the ink. Aqueous inks are also inexpensive to manufacture.

UV curable inks:

UV curable inks have acrylic monomers coupled with an initiator package. After the printing job is completed the printed material is exposed to strong UV light which cures the ink. The main advantage of this ink is that it dries quickly and the disadvantage is that they are very expensive.

These are some of the different types of inks used in commercial printing services.

How to Improve Your Net Promoter Score

Net Promoter is used to gauge your company's performance by determining the level of satisfaction customers have with your company. This is achieved by simply asking customers how likely they are to recommend your company to a friend or colleague, using a scale of 0 to 10. By asking this question, you get a very clear understanding of what percentage of your customers are loyal.

Every customer who provides a 9 or 10 ranking is classified as a promoter. Promoters are loyal customers who keep buying and refer others without hesitation. Customers who provide a 7 or 8 ranking are classified as passive. Passives are satisfied but indifferent customers who are in danger of moving their business elsewhere. Customers who provide a ranking of 6 or below are classified as detractors. Detractors are unhappy customers who are unlikely to do further business with your company and may use word-of-mouth to let others know of their bad experience.

To calculate your company's Net Promoter Score, take the percentage of customers who are promoters and subtract the percentage who are detractors. Although Net Promoter Scores vary by industry, a satisfactory score would be anything above 50%, but never settle. Measuring and tracking your Net Promoter Score is not the end of your work. You must still drive improvements in customer loyalty and act on customer feedback.

Regardless of the level of your score, there will always be room for improvement. As a result, consider the following steps when looking to maximize your Net Promoter Score.

Hire and train with focus on customer needs
Make it a strategic imperative to ensure each new hire is customer-focused and that employees spend 5 to 10 percent of their time each week in training that will help develop their skills and understanding of what customers expect. Focus on ensuring employees understand how important it is for everyone to know the business of your customers and how your products and services can help them succeed.

Give staff ownership of customer satisfaction
Add value and expertise to each customer interaction by making sure your employees have the authority to make the customer happy. Promote an environment that encourages employees to think out of the box, while maintaining a healthy balance between customer loyalty and company health. Focus on what you can do, and how well, and not on what you can't do. Be upfront with customers, as they will always remember how you handled the problem, instead of the problem itself.

Market your mission, invite customer contact
Weave in your mission, core message and brand voice into every customer interaction, and invite customer contact so you can excite more customers. Inspire your customers by focusing on the positive and demonstrating your enthusiasm through thoughtful actions and attitudes.

Listen and be accountable
Listen to your customers and take time to understand their expectations. Empathize, understand and respond to the customer's needs. Listening for the customer's emotional state and the actions the customer has already taken is extremely important, as this shows a genuine interest in what the customer has to say. Also acknowledge customers by thanking them for their business.

During customer interactions, take the time needed to ensure customers understand your solution, and provide the information in a manner they can easily understand. Educating the customer should be a top priority. Also be sure to provide the customer with a summary of your understanding of the issue, so the customer knows you were listening and know how to proceed. This forces you to listen.

Demonstrate transparency
Create an online experience that is easy, intuitive, efficient and transparent. Customers should walk away from the transaction feeling they were provided with all of the information they needed to make informed decisions on their purchase. An example of transparency would be to ensure your pricing has no hidden up charges or fees.

Foster internal communication
Strengthen the ties and create a communication link between Customer Service and the rest of the company in order to keep the focus where it belongs, on the customer experience. Coordination of communication between departments is a key to the success of the company as a whole. Departments will have to constantly monitor and change how they interact with each other to sustain a level of success, but the key is to keep the lines of communication open. What you don't want is the customer to suffer because Customer Service was not aware of or not properly trained on a new product, promotion or partnership that customers have questions on.

Deliver a quality experience
Provide high-quality products that exceed expectations and if for some reason the customer is not satisfied, make it right! Don't tell the customer there is nothing you can do. There is always something you can do. It may not be exactly what the customer wants, but it is the effort to provide the customer some resolution and the way it is delivered that will make the difference.

It is all about the customer experience. Obviously, you will not be able to satisfy every customer, but providing a rewarding experience will be the basis for customers to take their positive experiences and become promoters and vocal voices for your company.

[For more information on Net Promoter, visit http://www.netpromoter.com]

Top 5 Ways to Promote Your Company

As a small business, you may not always have the money to put adverts on the FA Cup final or send a blimp past the Olympics to get people to care about your vision. Since this is the case, we need to focus on the most time and cost effective solutions to the problem of being able to promote the company enough to generate the income needed to be successful.

1. Twitter

Just having a Twitter account is a great start. It may have a poor reputation of being the narcissist's meeting point, but there is actually a lot of value that can be gained from having a way to communicate with your peers and letting potential clients know that you exist.

It's also very handy for providing a way for customers to contact you for support while publicly showing your interest in keeping them happy.

2. LinkedIn

If you're mainly looking to network within a professional environment and swap virtual business cards with people you're interested in working with, LinkedIn is a slightly better option than Twitter. As it was designed specifically to help small business owners, freelancers and other entrepreneurial forces find each other, you'll find a lot of value in the service even if you just use it as a head hunting post for new employees.

One very popular use is searching for a prospective interviewee on LinkedIn and using it as a quick way to gauge their experience and how they interact with peers without having to wait for them to come in and tell you for themselves.

3. Facebook

But since I mentioned checking up on clients and employees, it would be almost impossible to leave out Facebook. As one of the largest social platforms in the history of mankind, it's almost a crime not to take advantage of the site and use it to locate targeted users to speak to directly. Having someone post regular updates on Facebook and keeping your followers entertained is absolutely invaluable in how useful it is for promoting a positive image of your company.

The idea is to find people who are interested in what you do, finding a way to entertain their curiosity, and then garnering your follower base to let them spread the word to other Facebook users. Social proof is very important in marketing, so if you can find a way to stay relevant and have scores of people commenting on your page, it's almost harder to not make sales than to prosper.

4. Word Of Mouth

No matter how advanced technology gets, word of mouth will always be intensely important for small businesses. It is (and always will be) free, so there's really no reason to avoid interacting with people and leaving them feeling positive enough to risk their own reputation and recommend your company.

Whether you choose PR stunts like give-aways or competitions, utilise any of the previous social media ideas to galvanise your customer base, or just ask friends and family to help you out, there are very few advertising forms that can compare to somebody telling their close friends how great your company is.

5. Traditional Advertising

If you find the right local station or newspaper, you'd be surprised to see how cheap it is to take out a prominent advertisement in an old media source. Given that thousands of people will listen to local radio in some areas, and a lot of local newspapers are free, there is a massive pool of potential customers who will be able to find out exactly what you do and hunt you down.

Keeping your advert short, catchy and interesting is always the key. You only have a few seconds to grab their attention, so make it bold and keep it informative. Humour is an added bonus, since it gets people asking their friends if they've heard your hilarious ad, turning it in to word of mouth and radio advertising all for one price.

Graeme is writing on behalf of oneagency an SEO Agency and Haven Power Business Electricity