How Do Your Customers Best See You?

We’d like to know from your perspective how you feel your customers see you. This information is being used for future publication. Once you make your selection, see what your peers selected. Thank you

When It’s Not Showtime

There was a telling comment made a few years ago by famed NBA basketball star, Allen Iverson. He revealed his perspective about practice, “We’re talking about practice man, we’re not even talking about the game, when it actually matters, we’re talking about practice.”

At that time, Iverson was the MVP of the National Basketball Association. He erred with his comments. He did not see the connection between excellence developed through repetition and showtime. Read more

Common Comma Mistakes

While the conviction and content of your writing are like the direction and destination for your reader, correct grammar and punctuation marks can be the smooth roadways that get them there. To a reader trying to follow your words, punctuation mistakes make the ride more bumpy and could perhaps even detour them thoroughly from your ideas and purpose.

Here are a few comma rules that will aid in the delivery of your writing:

1. Use a comma after long, introductory phrases and clauses often beginning with when, while, if, since, due to, because, although, through, or before.

For example:
If you think differently, you will get different results.

NOTE: It is often unnecessary to place a comma before or following the words listen here when they occur within a sentence.

For example:
You will get different results if you think differently. Read more

Types of Articles to Write

All of your articles will fall generally under the categories of narrative, expository, or persuasive. As you begin to write, consider which is the most effective for your message. Which will best connect with your audience and drive people to action or response? An ideal reaction from a reader would be to seek out your business or to show appreciation for the way you impacted their life through your message.

Add variety to your writing. Your articles should span the breadth of all three types. Whenever you find yourself in a rut, gravitating habitually to one or the other, consider the following ideas: Read more

Getting Started Writing an Ezine

A regular ezine is an excellent tool to stay connected to your current and potential customers. You will find that through this method of branding and writing, you will increase your credibility and trust with both clients and strangers.

These 5 habits will provide a solid foundation for growing as a writer:

• Read, read, read a variety of books. Be observant to unique styles and articulation of thoughts. Subscribe to other quality ezines.

• Continually brainstorm and record topic ideas. These will be generated from your observations about life, people, and your business; relevant issues that pertain to your specific clients; your reading and your experiences; as well as your unique passions and hobbies.

• Start writing. Have a place where you can log the topic, quote, or first paragraph idea and build from there. Write a first draft as soon as you think about it, not concerned with format or punctuation, but with clarity of thought and opinion.

• Write as if you were speaking. You will want to maintain your own “voice” as much as possible. People are attracted to you because of your unique style and convictions. “Keep it real” in your ezines, but stay professional.

• Write each article as if a potential client were meeting you for the first time. Make it personal, relevant, and fresh.

By making reading and writing a habit, you will find that the discipline becomes easier and easier as you go along. You will be able to watch both your confidence and influence begin to grow as you add value to people’s lives through your writing and ezine.

Create An Engaging Experience

Have you received a gift lately? It’s fun when someone shows gratitude by going out of their way to express it in a special tangible way. In our busyness we sometimes forget the importance of expressing our gratitude to others. A great story is modeled about this in a short, engaging and powerful book Mr. Shmooze by Richard Abraham. In this book the author paints a picture of what it looks like to be a master at observing details. What would happen if you “elevated” everything, every person, every time? By elevating, I mean looking for ways to applaud them. Look at some of the opportunities in which we can elevate (make a difference) others:

• That special waitress or waiter who served you at the restaurant, that made you look great.
• That employee that made your customer feel like a million dollars.
• Your spouse — loving you with all your faults.
• Your son/daughter — for showing gratitude to others
• Your customers — what’s happening in their life that you can recognize: i.e. marriage, birthday, promotion, death, new baby, a new house, a new car, etc.

What can you do to exceed everyone’s expectations?  By making people the heart of everything you do. When you make this your mantra you find opportunities to make a difference. A simple gift can provide a kind gesture of your appreciation and thankfulness.

Suggested reading:

• Love Is The Killer App by Tim Sanders. This is a must read! Buy 100 copies and give them out.
• Mr. Shmooze by Richard Abraham. This is a must read also. This book paints the picture.
• Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Why do some ideas stick and others don’t? Learn what makes sticky ideas.
• Blog: What’s In A Name? … Brand Identity
• Give A Biz Gift Without Your Name On It

The New Art of Customization

We live in a very competitive business world. The key to success in this competitive environment is offering our customers products and services where the selection process is simple, pleasant, and distinctive.

The availability of choice has caused successful companies to customize the customers experience. People like customized products and services, so long as the process or service does not feel intrusive.

Following are some insights on how to make the customization (branding) a powerful tool for creating loyal customers for life:

1. Customize the features your customers will actually care about. Remember they want your advice but they want it to be attractive not a boring presentation.
2. Make the process of doing business with you easy, and if you can, make it fun. Don’t make it laborious.
3. The qualifier: Be distinctive. People will remember if you are different.  They pay for distinctive. Being distinctive takes discipline and a lot of hard work to ensure value is added.
4. Keep customers coming back by continually refreshing your offerings. Most websites are dead — boring and of no value. You must offer value and keep it fresh.

May I Tell You The Future

Advertising is dead! Marketing and PR … hmmm now that’s something worth talking about. The future is here! It’s a new game. A game that has a limited supply of attention. Few people play the game well. While most people are focused on getting a customer, the “new economy” thinkers are focused on getting the customer’s attention. You can tell the ones that do it right when you see it. Here’s what you see: Read more

Writing with Purpose

Much of communication today happens on-line, whether by email, website, or blogs. It is increasingly important to make efforts to ensure that what was intended to be said is actually communicated clearly, without distraction. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you write:

• Be unique and compelling - Make sure that your thoughts are original and purposeful. If you reference another source, do not spend much time summarizing. Create your own ideas and be confident in sharing them.

• Be clear and concise - People will just scan what you write if it is too long. Use simple sentence structure. Make sure every single sentence ties into the main point. Include enough “evidence” to prove your point, but not too much that it becomes tangential. A person should not have to reread a sentence or wonder what you were really trying to say.

• Be perfect - Make sure that there are no grammatical or spelling errors that would distract from your content. Hire an editor if necessary.

It would be advantageous to take the time and effort to invest in becoming an excellent writer. Your credibility and financial success depend on it.