What Happens in Your Company AFTER the Sale?

You’ve spent weeks, perhaps months getting your new product ‘just right.’ You’ve spent countless hours developing and implementing your marketing plan to get the word out. Your army of affiliates are lined up and ready to go.

The countdown to your launch date has begun and when that day finally arrives, you are excited as a kid on Christmas Eve!

Over those next several weeks and months, you’ve established yourself as the expert and your business is growing at a rate that is manageable and what makes sense.

Your new customers and your existing customers trust your word and your expertise.

So, now what happens? What happens after the sale?

Do Not Make this Mistake

After the launch and sales, it’s easy to start feeling confident and comfortable. Some business owners have already moved on getting ready for the next promotion. Before you do that, make absolutely sure you thank the customers who purchased your newest product.

“But… my customers already receive an email thank you after they checkout,” you say.

That’s nice, although not enough. How many after-sale emails have you received that sound sincere? I’m guessing very few.

Your clients are your bread and butter. If you do not let them know you appreciate the time and money they spend with you, do you think they will be long term, loyal customers?

Most likely, no.

Be Different, Stand Out

And what about your affiliates and business partners who helped you get this product launched and promoted? How did you thank them? Or did you?

Send them all a real, personalized thank you card in the mail. Yes, the snail mail, sent by the US Postal Service.

You will be amazed at the difference it makes in your business. When you send people messages of true appreciation, something in the mail that they can touch and feel that arrives in their mailbox by the curb, you are not just another website url any more.

You will have created a connection that very few businesses strive for and one that will help you stand above your competition.

Greeting Card Recommendations

We use two card companies to create custom business greeting cards. The first is Shutterfly and the other is Paper Direct. Shutterfly is great for creating custom photo cards.

Below is the card we send to clients and colleagues thanking them for the prior year.

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

While Shutterfly is great for creating the custom photo cards, I also needed a general ‘a note from Patty Gale’ card and that’s where Paper Direct comes in. I just ordered a box several days ago, so they should be on their way soon. As soon as they get here, I’ll post a picture.

Happy Card Sending!

Inspired WebWorks -

It was the fall of 2008 when I ‘finally’ got on Facebook. Three years later and Facebook is an integral part of networking online for Inspired WebWorks as well as many of our clients.

Planning to Raise $5 billion

According to CNN Money, in its upcoming IPO, Facebook is looking to raise $5 billion. The company has been profitable since 2009, employs nearly 3,200 people and in 2011, Facebook CEO Zuckerberg raked in a $500,000 base salary.

Like it or not (no pun intended!), once Facebook becomes a publicly traded company, it will be playing with the big boys on Wall Street.

What does that mean for Facebook’s nearly 850 million users?

Facebook’s main obligation will now be to its shareholders… and to keep shareholders happy, the company must continue to turn a profit. In order to turn a profit, Facebook needs to make money from its advertisers.

So, Facebook users (non-advertisers) now move to the bottom of the food chain. There’s no doubt the company will turn a profit in the short term, however, from a user perspective, there are several concerns I’ve seen raised around the web.

• What about privacy?
• Will Facebook implement a subscription for users?
• Are we going to see even more ads?

Very valid concerns, indeed. While I don’t have the answers, this raises another point that you need to pay attention to.

Your Website is Your Home

I’ve said this before in live presentations and it especially warrants your attention now. Your website is your home on the web… not Facebook, not Twitter, not even LinkedIn.

What do I mean by this? Your website is the hub of where all traffic should be directed to take some sort of action, whether it be signing up for a newsletter, reading a blog post, buying a product or service.

It’s where ALL of your content should originate from and be kept.

Social networking is just that… networking and engaging with your audience. Just think about if you woke up tomorrow and Facebook and LinkedIn were gone.

What about all that content? Poof! Gone! ….THAT’S why your website is, first and foremost, your home for content.

Facebook’s Future

I have no idea what the future holds for Facebook in light of this IPO. However, I am fairly certain that, given all the changes Facebook has made in the last couple of years, they will continue to change.

Facebook is a fantastic tool for networking, but it’s just that, a tool. Have you thought about the implications of the IPO? If Facebook were gone tomorrow, would it hurt your business or not have any effect at all?

Best,

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An issue for me, and perhaps you, too, is juggling the balancing act of my business and my family. I’m a mom, wife, business owner and wear lots of hats. It can be crazy at times, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I also know that as passionate as I am about my business, family comes first.

How do you separate your business from your family?

It’s hard, but it can be done. I grew up in a family business and I can tell you there were many holiday dinner conversations that turned to business talk with my dad, uncle and grandmother about ‘who’ had to get ‘what’ done.

We have a rule in our family, (Emily’s idea actually), that there is absolutely no business conversation when we are eating a meal… whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner.

What Works and What Doesn’t?

The first step is figuring out what’s working and what isn’t. Personally? I’m not a fan of multi-tasking. I work much better in laser-focused segments of time. I get too distracted if I try to do too many things at once. (So, you won’t see me on a business call while grocery shopping!)

Next is figuring out what really is the best use of your time. There are lots of things I love to do in my business, but I know it’s not what I should be doing. For example, I love to do digital design and logo work and in the early years, I did all of it myself.

These days, though, my role is to plan and run the business, so that’s why we have Kelly. She’s an absolutely amazing graphic artist and I am truly blessed she is on our team.

5 Quick Tips To Get More Done

Once you know what you should and shouldn’t be doing, it’s time to implement solutions.

1. Hire an assistant – I know.. you’re saying, “but I’m just a start-up, I can’t afford an assistant.” Let me tell you, you can’t afford NOT to have an assistant if you’re doing things in your business that you shouldn’t be.

If you honestly do not have it in your budget to hire a VA, then consider hiring an intern to work with you part-time. You’ll be amazed at how many college students would love the opportunity to learn directly from you.

2. Outsource – Outsourcing will take loads off your plate! Consider outsourcing the tasks on your list that you don’t like the most. For example, if it’s tech updates for your clients, who can you hire to do those for you?

3. Schedule fun – Seriously, if you don’t take care of you, who will? Many years ago, when I was a single mom, one of the things I absolutely HAD to do was make sure I took care of me. If I didn’t, then I wasn’t going to be any good to my kids.

I’m now remarried, but it still stands. I have to take care of me or I’m not good to my family or my business. So, instead of putting yourself last on your list, start scheduling your “me time.” Make room for it in your day, week, and month. In fact, sit down with your family and a calendar and schedule your vacations for the year.

This simple step helps you plan your business around your vacations instead of the other way around. It helps you put your personal life first.

4. Change your schedule – Do you keep a daily schedule? If so, does it support your goals? For example, we started implementing alternating weeks of client meetings versus production time. (We actually got the idea from a client!) This gives us to have more focused time so we are getting more done in less time.. which means more time for family and fun.

5. Prioritize – One of the problems with to-do lists is that they’re often just lists. Instead of working your way down a random task list, prioritize your tasks. What is most important to accomplish? Do that first. Make sure to put yourself at the top of the list too!

Finally, review your work and personal life more often than once a year. I like to use the calendar year as a guide. So at the end of each quarter is when I review and make any changes.

Hope that helps!

Inspired WebWorks -

What Was Your Name Again?

Refresh My Memory, Please

How many times have you attended a networking event, see someone you’ve met before, but just can’t quite place their name?

Yea, it’s happened to me, too, although I’m a lot better than I used to be.

We know it’s important to remember people’s names, (it makes them feel special) yet why… for some, is it so hard?

Sound familiar?

Dale Carnegie to the Rescue

Many years ago, I took a Dale Carnegie course on public speaking and it was amazing! It was at a critical time in my life (going through a divorce) and my self-esteem was pretty shot. One of the exercises we did was on remembering the names of the people we meet.

To this day, I can still remember my own little ‘jingle’ of how the others in the class came up with how to remember my name.

Here’s How it Works

Pay Close Attention at the Introduction:

Pay close attention to the name of a person at the time of introduction and create an impression in your mind as you talk with them. Study the person, particularly the person’s facial features, the eyes, the nose, etc., so that your memory can store the image of the person along with the name.

How Do You Spell That?

Ask for the right spelling and pronunciation, especially if it is an unusual or foreign name. If the other person offers you their business card, study the spelling. Ask how the person would like to be addressed. For example, my full name is Patricia, but I prefer Patty. Nobody calls me Patricia. (That’s what my dad called me when I was young and if I got into trouble!)

Go ahead and ask the person to say their name again, in case you didn’t catch it initially. Generally, people don’t like their names misspelled or mispronounced. Better to be safe than sorry.

Repeat After Me

Repeat their name in every possible situation when you’re talking with them. (Of course, don’t go overboard). For example, you will want to repeat the name back to the person as soon as they say it. Then, use their name when greeting or leaving them. Repetition will help you memorize the name.

You’re a What?

Remember the little ‘jingle’ I mentioned earlier? Well, at the time I took the Dale Carnegie Course, my last name was Ryan. So, my association became “hamburger PATTY on a RYE bun”… hence Patty Ryan.

Connecting a name with some hobby, job or profession, or something you find interesting, funny or unforgettable is a great way that works.

(I took that Dale Carnegie class nearly 25 years ago and still remember that jingle!)

Take it One Step Further

As soon as you get home from the event, send the other person a ‘nice to meet you card’ in the mail.

Here’s what happened after a recent client training. My client brought a guest whom I never met before. I got her business card and sent her a real note in the snail mail when I got home. Just a couple of weeks later, she sent me a note in the mail saying how much she enjoyed the experience of getting something handwritten in the mail from me!

How to Win Friends and Influence People – in the Digital Age

As you can tell, I am definitely a fan of Dale Carnegie training because it works. If you’ve read “How To Win Friends and Influence People” you know how much of an impact it can make in your business and your personal life.

In 2011, the Dale Carnegie Institute published – How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age, a great addition to the Dale Carnegie collection.

Even with all you do on the web to grow your businesses, Dale Carnegie’s principle’s still apply, so grab your copy…

How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age

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Gail and I actually met after she posted a business card on a bulletin board at a local coffee house.

I was looking to start a local networking group, picked up Gail’s card and the rest is history… we’ve been friends and colleagues ever since.

Here is Gail’s story:

When Did You Open for Business? 1983

Why Did You Start this Business?

“It was to be home with my sons and continure to be involved in their upbringing. I could adjust my hours around their schedules.”

What keeps you moving forward?

“I love what I do. Matching a women’s outside beauty to the inner person is always my goal.”

What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs?

“Treat any business like a business. Get a checking account and keep the money from your business, separate. Use the 6 most important things list daily. And then get out and talk to people…let them know what you do. Be the expert they are looking for.”

What else would you like to tell us about your story?

“Leaderhip is challenging, but don’t be afraid to take it on. Meet difficult roles with a “Can Do” attitude. My role has changed! I still take on life with child-like enthusiasm and I enjoy taking risks. It is who I have become in the process that is important!”

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Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Gail. We are so excited for you and look forward to reading more about your future success.

Connect with Gail on:

Website: Gail’s Mary Kay website

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From There to Here

Next week, I’ll be attending an awards dinner for my local chamber. Inspired WebWorks was nominated for 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year. When I first found out a few months ago, it was pretty surreal, and to be honest, it still is.

If anyone would have told me 10 years ago that I’d be experiencing this, I would have never believed them. All the late nights, staring at the computer at 2 a.m., being afraid to look at my bank account wondering if there was any money… I can tell you there were many times I started questioning whether or not this was the path I was supposed to take.

But I had a dream… a BIG DREAM! and I knew that my dream was placed on my heart by God or it wouldn’t exist and I wouldn’t have endured. Whether we win the award next week or not is irrelevant. It’s an honor just to be nominated and without my God, it wouldn’t be happening.

So, When Does Success Finally Show Up? – Ask Tyler Perry

Last week, the video below was going viral on Facebook. When I watched what Tyler Perry had to say, all I could think was “WOW!” This message should be a must-watch for every entrepreneur regardless of how long they’ve been in business.

See for yourself….

Shhhh! We’re Not Supposed to Talk About It

One of the things that immediately struck me is that how he mentions that the media removes his references to God when asked about his success. In May of 2010, I wrote a blog post (on my personal blog), PattyGale.com on a similar topic.

Here’s a short excerpt:

“Depending on who you listen to, as business owners on the web, we’re not supposed to openly talk about religion or politics.

What’s the Big Secret?

Well, here’s my take on it. If the internet today, social media, removing six degrees of separation, etc. is supposed to be about transparency and allowing others to see us for who we really are, then aren’t we supposed to be real and true to who we are?

Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s a big difference between expressing your faith (very cool) and publicly bashing somebody else’s beliefs (not cool at all).

You can read the full blog post here:

Final Thoughts…

Keep watering your seeds, don’t ever, ever give up! and ask yourself… Who is walking with you on your quest for success?

I’d love to know your thoughts and comments!

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Frenn Photography is also the official photographer donating all their time and talents to help with An Evening of Elegance charity event. We’re happy to spotlight their business this week.

Here’s their story.

When Did You Open for Business? 1975

Why Did You Start this Business?

“Gilbert started in high school working with his favorite teacher and audio visual advisor. He than started photographing weddings and the business grew to portraits.”

What keeps you moving forward?

“Our clients. We feel very privileged to be able to create memories. Our desire is to have our clients love their finished portrait as much as we love creating it.”

What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs?

“Love what you do, laugh a lot, stayed focused and remember who has given you your talent in the first place.”

What else would you like to tell us about your story?

“We feel very blessed to be able to create these memories for clients that are like family to us.”

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Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Jamie! I love how you said to ‘laugh a lot.’ That is so true! We’re so excited for your long-standing success and look forward to what the future has in store for you.

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Connect with Frenn Photography on:

Website: www.FrennPhotography.com
Facebook: Frenn Photography on Facebook
Twitter: Frenn Photography on Twitter
LinkedIn: Jamie Frenn on LinkedIn

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Companies such Google, Wikipedia and others either blacked-out for the day or displayed their position on their websites.

So did we…(we weren’t blacked out, we posted a lot on social media)

What Exactly is SOPA?

SOPA is an acronym for the Stop Online Piracy Act. It’s a proposed bill that aims to crack down on copyright infringement by restricting access to sites that host or facilitate the trading of stolen copyright-protected content.

On the surface, seems like it makes sense, right? I mean, who (besides thieves) condones stealing copyrighted content?

Piracy is Wrong… Right?

Of course, piracy is wrong, however, that’s not the issue. The issue is HOW to protect copyrighted content and the recourse against thieves.

SOPA is creating such an uproar because of how the legislation is written and the potential consequences of even more government regulation.

One of the biggest concerns? The federal government can shut down a site without due process. (Ummm, isn’t due process what we fought for over 200 years ago?)

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Rather than me try to explain all the dangerous details about SOPA, here’s a great couple of videos that can do a much better job than I.

and one more from Molly over at CNET

Crazy, huh?

So, how do you know where your legislators stand on the issue?

Here you go: A list of legislators, their stand on PIPA/SOPA, and the amount of money accepted from entertainment and internet industry donors:

House list (SOPA): Click here for the House List
Senate list (PIPA): Click here for the Senate List

As you can tell, we are against SOPA. It is dangerous legislation that gives way too much power to the government to control how online business is conducted and stifles free speech. Google has already accumulated over 4 million petition signatures via their online form.

You can get that here and sign it now.

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Do you know why your customers stop doing business with you?

Each month that you do not communicate with your customers, you lose 10% of your influence with them. If 10 months go by, then you lose 100% of your influence. In other words, they’ll forget about you. Only you can stop this from happening.

Years ago, the early European immigrant business owners didn’t have the Internet or advertising budgets and while you may not have a lot of money to spend on advertising, you don’t have to.

Today, you have the Internet, and you can literally reach the world, but you have to take it one step further. Do not underestimate the power of the web combined with the power of appreciation.

So, where do they go?

1. 1% die
2. 3% move away
3. 5% seek alternatives or develop other relationships
4. 9% state competitive reasons
5. 14% are dissatisfied with the product or service
6. AND a whopping 68% state “perceived indifference.” In other words, they feel that they are not appreciated or not needed.

Let’s talk about this for a minute.

1% die: You may be thinking there is absolutely nothing you can do about that, but there is! You can send the family a sympathy card, not to promote your business, but to let them know that you valued and appreciated their family member who did business with you.

3% move away: We live in a very mobile society. No question about that. The average length of stay in a new home is only 4 years. If your business is only local and your customers move away, send them a “congratulations on your new home” card or gift.

They will appreciate the welcome to their new location. If you have a business with a website and your products can be shipped nationally, make sure your customer knows that even though they are moving, you’re still more than happy to serve their needs in their new town.

5% seek alternatives or develop other relationships: It happens. Your customer’s “Uncle Joe” or “Cousin Billy” recommends someone else who is in the same industry as you and your customer leaves to do business with them. In these cases, there’s really not much you can do, except send a “thank you for your business” card and let them know that you’d be happy to serve them in the future should the need arise.

14% are dissatisfied with the product or service: This is very simple. Do not over promise and under-deliver! Always, always always, under promise and over-deliver! Do what you say you’re going to do and go for quality. You can never go wrong with quality.

It takes a lot of great encounters for your customers to recommend your service to their friends and family. It also takes one bad encounter for them to do the same thing.

And last but not least….

68% of customers state ‘perceived indifference’ as the primarily reason why they stop doing business with a certain company.

Perceived indifference is a huge issue in today’s business world, and the change can start with your company.

Free Questionnaire

We created a quick assessment that you can download and use when training new employees or team members. There’s no registration required.

Download it from the link below. This is a pdf document, so you will need Adobe Reader

Customer Appreciation Questionnaire

Enjoy!

P.S. I’d love your feedback. Please let me know how this has helped your company in the comments section below.

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I’ve also personally had the pleasure of working with Tammy and her team at the salon in preparation for my son’s wedding this past summer. They are amazing and very talented stylists.

Tammy’s story is so inspiring!

When Did You Open for Business? 2005

Why Did You Start this Business?

“My clients are very important to me and I wanted to establish a place that would be the ultimate retreat for their mind, body and spirit.”

What keeps you moving forward?

My passion to provide exceptional service along with endless ideas that are always evolving.

What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs?

“Be open to change, embrace your talent and the talents of those around you and be prepared to get very little sleep!”

What else would you like to tell us about your story?

“You Dream It! We Achieve It!…In addition to offering hair,nails,make-up,facials and massage…we specialize in private parties for all ages. Elegance Salon & Spa hosts community events and workshops and is launching Elegant U in January 2012.

I am also grateful for the wonderful services provided by Children’s Hospital of WI. and have a charitable calendar of events on my website…please take a moment to check out how many other businesses are involved in giving back to the community!”

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Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Tammy. I am continually inspired by you and are so excited for you and look forward to your future success.

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Connect with Tammy on:

Website: Elegance Salon & Spa
Facebook: Elegance Salon & Spa on Facebook
Twitter: Elegance Salon & Spa on Twitter

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