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Filed under: Tip of the Day
 Certain aspects of increasing your business opportunities are no-brainers: provide quality customer service, practice time management, and follow up. Don’t be fooled, though – there are things that you should definitely avoid if you plan on getting more business from your current customers. Here are three mistakes to never make:
1. Don’t emphasize your company’s age. You don’t want to hint at how long you’ve been in business if you’re a relative newbie, according to John Wagley, vice president of Jan’s Humdrum in Winona Lake, IN. “There may be competing businesses that have been doing it longer,” he says, so stress the quality service you offer.
2. Put away the crystal ball. It may seem as if guessing your clients’ needs will win you some brownie points, but it doesn’t always work that way. When you do this, you’re giving your client the “hard-sell pitch of how what you’ve got is what they need,” Wagley says. “Let them talk first, and then come up with a match of what you have for what they need.”
3. Let quality speak for itself. Assuring your customer of the quality of your products is nice, but ultimately they’re just words. To harp on it over and over again can actually make clients wary. “It can sometimes make your customer think you’re not going to be competitive with your prices, and that you’ll then overcharge them,” says Wagley. Make it known that your products are of good quality, and then simply let your goods speak for themselves.
From WearableStyle, vol. 128.
Filed under: Tip of the Day
 To build a website that really sings your company’s praises, avoid the seven deadly site design sins.
- Sin 1: Failing to formulate a clear purpose for your site. This may sound obvious, but failing to define and execute a clear purpose – what you want people to be able to learn or do on your site – is one of the more common website design errors, and one of the most costly.
- Sin 2: Failing to communicate your purpose clearly to your site designer. If you hire a professional to create your site (and you probably should), you’ll pay additional charges if you keep exercising your right to change your mind. Changes in basic design after the project is underway can result in wasted creative hours. Unless your designer has agreed to a flat rate, you’ll be stuck with a larger bill than you expected.
- Sin 3: Failing to realize content is king. Web surfers are looking for information about your business and the products and services you offer. Such details as site design elements and colors should always be transparent to the viewer. Too much “design” in a website can be compared with wearing too much makeup.
- Sin 4: Failing to provide a simple navigation system. “Your customers and prospects want their Web experience to be familiar and comfortable,” Redlich says. “They want to be able to find what they want quickly. All of your navigation should be simple and intuitive.”
- Sin 5: Failing to provide an easy way for interested viewers to contact you. If your site is a full e-commerce site, this requirement may seem too obvious to mention. However, if it contains only basic information, such as company contact information and a description of your services, it’ll be easy to overlook the need to provide a feedback link.
- Sin 6: Failing to test loading time on an average computer. Most people these days have short tech attention spans, so they’ll move on quickly if your site takes more than a few seconds to load on their screens.
- Sin 7: Failing to make it easy for search engines to find your site. Internet search engines allow Web surfers to type in key words such as “custom T-shirts,” “embroidery,” a company name or any other subject. Then, in the blink of an eye, the search engine scans the millions of sites on the Web and lists those that have meta-tags identical to the typed-in search term.
For the complete Stitches article, click here.
Filed under: Tip of the Day
 Here are four strategies to ensure you don’t lose communication with – and ultimately, lose business from – your top customers.
- Be around. Golf outings, charity events and swinging by the office with a box of cookies go a long way toward keeping you top of mind with your clients.
- Service, service, service. It is the one thing that will keep clients’ eyes from wandering. While they may be able to find products cheaper, they run the risk of having items show up incorrect or not at all.
- Be professional. There are thousands of distributors, and not all of them are fully committed to their clients and their businesses. Always show that you are 100% committed all of the time to your client’s promotional needs. The approach will make you stand out from the distributor crowd.
- Offer ideas. Sure, other people offer the same products, but do they offer the expertise as to how to use them correctly to receive the best results? Probably not. Your point of differentiation with current clients can be the creativity that you provide over lower-cost competitors.
From Counselor’s August 2010 issue.
Filed under: Tip of the Day
 There are lots of ways that savvy small-business owners can save some green. Here are five tips to help keep a little bit more cash in your pocket.
- Don’t fall for technology hype. Although new technology is tempting – especially those cool smartphones that sync every aspect of your life in one handheld device – they’re not always the smartest purchase. Many business owners get sucked in by latest and greatest tech items such as iPads and innovative computer software; however, think before you buy – are you simply intrigued personally by the product? You must evaluate how useful the item is for your particular business before doling out money for it. If you do want a fancy smartphone, think about its ROI for your business: For example, if one of your service goals is to send a quick response to all e-mails you receive within 10 minutes, a smartphone would be a great investment.
- Hang on to your home office. Many business owners think that finding a retail space to rent is the first step in starting a business; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you often travel out of your shop space to see clients, remaining home-based will help tremendously when it comes to saving money. Until you grow large enough that you absolutely need more space for extra equipment or need a showroom, it’s much cheaper to run the show from a place that you’re already paying to also live in. If your business is product-driven, a showroom might be necessary, but even in that case, make sure you find the best deal on renting. Rent is an ongoing expense, so weigh it carefully. Some decorators do choose to rent inexpensive office space with a conference room to meet clients outside of their home-based business, if their homes aren’t conducive to client meetings.
- Try used office equipment. If you do move into a retail space, consider purchasing used desks, cabinets and other office equipment. There are always opportunities to buy used equipment and furniture, especially in the last couple years with the consolidation of large companies. If a company is going out of business, it’ll have tons of used machines and office supplies for low prices because it has to get rid of them. In many cases, the goods look brand-new and still run smoothly. In addition, as embroidery shop owners close their doors for a variety of reasons, you can benefit from purchasing their embroidery-specific equipment and supplies.
- Rethink recurring expenses. Every recurring expense, such as your rent and even your Internet bill, has to be offset by recurring revenue. Pay attention to what you’re spending the most money on every month and look at renegotiating the prices, if possible. For example, if you’re in a commercial property, you should think about renegotiating the lease or looking for cheaper space to rent. You should examine every dollar that goes out automatically, on a monthly basis. The recurring bills are going to have the biggest effect on your bottom line because if you don’t have revenue to offset expenses, your cash flow will be negative.
- Try combination-approach advertising. Just because some companies spend half their budgets on marketing and advertising doesn’t mean you have to do that. Social media vehicles, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, have been proven successful because most people are on one of the three Internet-based programs. Self-promotion items are also a cheap, easy way to advertise if you choose an item that represents your company rather than choosing the cheapest one. Using a combination of these approaches and reaching clients from several angles is the most efficient way to get your message across.
From Stitches’ Embroidery Business Insights vol. 123
Filed under: Tip of the Day
 Prioritizing daily tasks is key to successful time management. When you prioritize, you make sure you accomplish the most important tasks first. Make time management a habit, and your stress level will thank you. Follow this process offered by the team of experts behind Thriving in the Workplace All-in-One for Dummies.
- Start with a master list. Write down every single task, both mundane and critical, that you need to accomplish. Don’t rank the items at this point. Be sure to include routine duties. Neglecting to schedule the humdrum to-do items can topple your well-intentioned time-block schedule.
- Determine the top-priority A-level tasks – things that will lead to significant consequences if not done today. Focusing on consequences creates an urgency factor so you can better use your time. If you have a scheduled presentation today, that task definitely hits the A-list.
- Categorize the rest of the tasks. Use these categories:
- B-level tasks: Activities that may have a mildly negative consequence if not completed today.
- C-level tasks: Activities that have no penalty if not completed today.
- D-level tasks: D is for delegate. These are actions that someone else can take on.
- E-level tasks: Tasks that could be eliminated. Don’t even bother writing an E next to them – just cross them out completely.
From Advantages magazine’s July issue.
Filed under: Tip of the Day
 One of the most important ways to increase revenues immediately is to first fine-tune and increase your marketing efforts. After all, new business and new channels of revenue are the result of marketing campaigns that reveal new leads to call on. Whether it’s a new referral program, a new online social network campaign or a new targeted print advertisement, distributors have to ramp up their marketing now to take advantage of an expanding market and new opportunities.
Here, ad specialty distributors and business and management experts offer 10 ways that you can expand your marketing efforts right now.
- Follow your dollars.
- Get organized.
- Coordinate a targeted mail campaign.
- Fill the pipeline.
- Update your website.
- Send out e-newsletters or e-mail specials.
- Get involved locally.
- Position yourself as an expert within your organizations.
- Mention what you do to everyone.
- Market yourself consistently.
For the complete Counselor article, click here.
Filed under: Tip of the Day
 Buzz Hill, owner of SourceMaster, uses a video e-mail tool that allows him to shoot a several-minute-long personal video greeting from his desk, upload it, attach it to an e-mail, and send it to his would-be clients.
The tool, which is powered by CoVideo Systems, is customizable. “If you have a good digital catalog that you want customers to look at, you can link the digital catalog there and direct them to all of your specials,” Hill says. “And it only takes two minutes to customize your templates.”
Hill recently used this techno-savvy door-opener to renew a relationship with a client. “Madelaine had been a customer since about 2007 and ordered on a regular basis, but then all orders stopped in July 2009,” he says. “I called and left messages and sent e-mails, but it looked like the relationship was done.
“Then, I got the video e-mail program, and I made my regular follow-up phone call to her as usual. I got the voicemail, but this time, rather than leave a message to please call me back, I just left a message that I sent a personal video e-mail to her inbox, and to please view it. In the video, I told her I appreciated her business, and although she had not ordered in almost a year, I still wanted her business and appreciated her as a customer.”
From Education Adviser e-newsletter, vol. 29.
Filed under: Tip of the Day
 Steal some ideas from real reps who put persistence and creativity to work to win their prospects’ business.
- Tell a Great Story - “There was an old grandpa who drove an old Chevy…”
- Buy Something From Them - “Might I buy your products back?”
- E-mail a Value-Packed Video - Re-establish a personal connection.
- Consider Yourself “Awesome” - It’s all in the attitude.
- Suggest a Product/Slogan Tie-In - “We’re a cut above.”
- Send a Bouquet - “Take some time to smell the flowers.”
- Add a Signature Touch - Signed artwork sealed the deal.
- Drop a Line - Don’t leave a notepad naked.
- Team Up - Help others help you sell your services.
- Do What You Love - Use your personal passions to connect with prospects.
Read the complete Advantages story here!
Filed under: The ASI Show, Tip of the Day
 Six way-cool tradeshow tips:
- Go to a show with an idea-oriented mindset, thinking of the whole programs of particular clients and possible applications for everything you see.
- Use the divide-and-conquer strategy. Meet with other reps from your company before the show to plan how you will cover all the booths. Draw up a list of explicit customer wishes, plus other ideas you’re looking for and give each rep a printout of the list.
- You can save time by scheduling meetings on the floor with only those preferred suppliers who don’t have local representation or who you don’t normally see back at the office. But be sure to stop by your local suppliers booths to at least say hello.
- Suppliers’ networking events can be a great way for newer reps to form beneficial relationships with vendor partners.
- Be sure to take advantage of education sessions and share what you’ve learned with other reps. Also, share product ideas back at the office.
- Speak with suppliers about their newest products and which markets you should target, as well as ideas for great uses of tried-and-true items.
Filed under: Tip of the Day
 After a big merger and many management shifts, distributor Active Concepts (asi/104857) has lost a major pharmaceutical company as a client. Here are four ways for owner Debbie Honig to win the client back.\
- Ask for referrals. Honig should speak to any contacts she has within the client company and try to get them to refer her to the new decision-makers. Internal contacts often have a lot of influence on how executives make purchases. Honig should be using these contacts to her advantage as much as possible.
- Target decision-makers. Once she identifies exactly who is making the purchasing decisions, Honig should target those people with her marketing and sales efforts. During a merger and management shift, the key for a former vendor is to get in the good graces of any new decision-makers. It may feel like starting from square one with a client you already know, but in reality this is a completely new client. New buyers equals new client.
- Provide ideas. Honig needs to stay relevant with this company by offering those decision-makers marketing and promotion ideas. Active Concepts knows the client’s business quite well, considering Honig has done work for them for years now. Put that experience to use by offering marketing ideas that provide solid returns on the client’s investment.
- Go to a trade show. Can’t get into a former client’s office? Go to a trade show where they’re exhibiting. They’re probably using promotional products there anyway, so it could be a great place to begin a conversation with new contacts.
From Counselor’s July 2010 issue.
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