Category: blog

Business owners often wonder how to build business relationships that last. After all, it’s not the number of names you have in your database that counts, but whether these contacts become steady customers that consistently rely on your business.

In many ways, building business relationships is much like building a great personal relationship. Here’s how you can turn an initial “blind date” into a lasting customer relationship.

LOOK GOOD

You probably wouldn’t ask someone out on a first date if they looked unkempt or didn’t present themselves well. Similarly, potential clients will look elsewhere for a more suitable “partner” if your business doesn’t project a crisp, professional image.

Make sure your business “looks good” through professional branding. It reflects who you are and what you do. When you combine good branding with top-notch products, potential customers get a good first impression and a peek into your business.

For instance, the best business cards designs do this well. They capture the spirit of the business, feel substantial in the hand, and provide vital contact information. They’re simple, eye-catching, and deliver a clear message.

With so many more affordable advertising options available today, there’s no end to the ways you can promote your brand, products, and services either. The mini-billboard is an excellent outdoor option since it offers impact, without the capital cost. It’s also portable, so you can position it to wherever potential customers are most likely to see it.

Whatever marketing avenues you choose, create a professional brand and use it consistently throughout all your advertising mediums. The more times a person “touches” your brand, the more likely they’ll remember it and connect.

SHARE YOUR VALUES

When dating, you’re usually drawn to a person with similar values. Similarly, potential clients are more likely to connect with a company when they relate to its values.

Relay your business values to potential customers. Are you committed to sustainability, innovation, excellence, community, customer service, honesty, compassion, reliability, efficiency, or something else? If they don’t know who you are and what you stand for, how can they trust you?

When people trust you, they’re more likely to become your customer. It is also more likely they’ll recommend you to others with similar values, such as their friends, family, and trusted co-workers.

BE AUTHENTIC

You wouldn’t date a person for long if you discovered they were dishonest or deceptive. Equally, you can’t make false promises in hopes of building a sustainable business.

People recognize inauthentic brands are only out for a quick sale. They resent it since they want to trust the companies they deal with so they can forge lasting relationships. Always tell people what you will do, and then do it. Never promise what you can’t deliver.

HONE YOUR SOFT SKILLS

Would you be more likely to date a person that makes you feel comfortable or one that makes you want to run for the door? Chances are you’d rather spend time with the person with good “soft skills”.

Soft skills are essential since they help earn trust. They include listening carefully, empathising, and communicating clearly. Simple techniques to achieve this include acknowledging the person and treating them as an equal, making eye contact, and using friendly body language.

Other soft skills include finding creative solutions, exuding confidence instead of arrogance, and learning how to negotiate and diffuse tense situations.

GIVE SUPPORT

Would you commit to a person who took everything you gave them without receiving even a small gesture in return? It’s not much different in business. Your company needs to give to your customers before you can expect them to become loyal to your brand.

Collect contact information and consider sending friendly reminders, birthday greetings, or a monthly newsletter. Invite customers to a hosted event with snacks and beverages.

Recurring revenue eases cash flow constraints, but more importantly happy customers become long-term customers and are more likely to speak highly of your brand.

Offer your customer a discount on their next purchase or when they exceed a set spending limit. Give away inexpensive branded items, such as calendars or notepads with your company logo and contact information. These are small, yet effective ways to keep your business top-of-mind.

Other ways to show customers you appreciate their business are as simple as sending them a personalized email or seasonal greeting card or postcard. Of course, a friendly handshake and a hearty “Thank you!” go a long way too.

Why go to all the trouble? First, it costs 5 to 10 times more to acquire a new customer than it does to sell to an existing one. Second, current customers spend about 67% more and they’re more willing to try new products and services.

PAMPER KEY RELATIONSHIPS

You would want to keep dating someone who is positive and fun, but what about that pesky co-worker or neighbour that eats up your time? Should you spend as much time on them when all they do is frustrate you?

The 80/20 rule, states 20 percent of your customers generate 80 percent of your revenue, and you know who they are. They’re less demanding, spend more money, and they’re the backbone of your business.

What you may not realize is the best of this 20 percent is a good place to focus your efforts if you want to build more lasting, beneficial relationships. When you pamper these customers, you’re more likely to get referrals to more like-minded people. This leads to more revenue generation with much less effort and who wouldn’t want that?

FOCUS ON THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE

Would you be more inclined to date someone who lives nearby or halfway around the planet? Chances are you’d focus closer to home. In business your local community offers a treasure trove of opportunity, because you often have similar values and preferences.

Despite the rise of internet shopping, Canadians still prefer to buy in-person. They like to browse, talk to a person, read literature, and touch products. Even if you run a home-based business or internet enterprise, you can tap into this preference by meeting people face-to-face whenever you can.

Building Business Relationships Postcard Portables

STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

You certainly wouldn’t expect to meet many new people if you always went to the same places and met with the same friends. It’s no different in business.

All too often companies focus on the same marketing efforts and never step out of their comfort zone. They can’t understand why they’re not getting great, new customers or why their existing customers drop off. Your customers change and so should your marketing efforts.

Advertising is always about reaching your ideal customer. If they’re young and tech-savvy, add a website address or hashtag to your material, and be active on social media. If your go-to advertising is a print ad, but your audience rarely reads the paper, why not try car magnets or a banner so you can reach them on their commute?

If you don’t give an existing customer a reason to reconnect, they could buy from someone who offers what you already have. Let them know about new products and services.

Diversify your networks, reach out in new ways, grab new leads, and retain your valued customers.

TIME TO COMINGLE?

Sharing life with another person adds variety and expands your horizons. Similarly, comingling with another business and combining resources can be equally advantageous. You can tap into new markets, find your best customers, and increase sales.

A joint venture can be as simple as marketing to each other’s customer list or sharing advertising costs and resources. For instance, if you offer financial advice, you might want to join forces with a lawyer. If you operate a garage, you might want to partner with a paint shop.

Joint ventures are very flexible, and you define the parameters together. For instance, you may want to run an advertising campaign for a set time and split the expenses. If both parties clearly understand the expectations and limitations, it can be very beneficial.

When a trusted company endorses your business, it can lead to great long-term, valuable customers. They already trust the other business, so they’re more likely to pay attention to you too.

OPEN COMMUNICATION

Just like dating, in business you need to have open communication and actively seek customers’ feedback to discover what you’re doing right and how to improve.

Invite anonymous customer feedback if you want honest answers. Big brands like Ford track customer satisfaction and “Things Gone Wrong” from initial contact through how they manage product issues and customer complaints. Use surveys and develop strategies to ease tensions if things do go awry.

MONITOR WHAT PEOPLE THINK

Would you date someone if all your friends said they were horrible? Today’s online reviews carry that much weight.

Bright Local’s annual review survey for 2018 revealed some notable information, especially if you operate a local business. It concluded 86% of consumers read local business reviews, but that figure rises to 95% for those between the age of 18 and 34. Additionally, over half of all consumers will not use a business if it doesn’t have at least a 4-star rating.

The younger demographic writes online reviews more often than those over 55, but what’s more significant is they also trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Basically, good reviews are as valuable as a referral from a trusted friend.

So, how can you discover what people are saying about your company, products, and services? Google Alerts is a free service you can subscribe to when you have a Google account. Establish which keywords or phrases you want to monitor and then select how you want to receive the information. You can receive real-time monitoring via email or daily or weekly digests.

Social Mention monitors over 100 social media sites directly, such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and more. Just type in your brand, product, service, or keyword in the search field and measure the buzz. The app ranks the strength of the keyword, whether people are positive, negative, or neutral about it, and who uses the search item the most.

You can also access comments and users, which can be extraordinarily helpful if you want to understand who’s talking about your business and your competitors.

The survey mentioned also found 89% of consumers read the responses businesses leave for customer reviews, so it’s very important you handle them properly. Don’t ignore them. You can’t delete negative ratings, but you can handle them professionally to lessen their impact. Good reviews are gold mines you should leverage whenever possible.

Building Business Relationships Postcard Portables

If someone leaves your company a glowing review – thank them. Always mention your business name so your comment pops up in the search engines. Also highlight something about your business such as a product or service you offer and invite the person to try it out the next time they connect with your business.

Reply to negative comments to show your company’s responsive and not just sweeping problems under the carpet. People want to know you’re taking steps to remedy the problem.

Apologize and sympathise with their concerns so the person feels you’ve listened. Keep your response under 3 sentences, reiterate your company values such a commitment to customer service and high-quality products, but DON’T mention your company name. Otherwise, the negative review will keep showing up in searches.

Also provide the person with direct contact information to a person in your business. This keeps any negative comments off the internet and makes it more likely you’ll come to an amicable resolution.

Don’t forget to ask people who like your products and services to leave positive reviews for your company. They’re increasingly important as customers rely more and more on the internet and mobile devices.

Dating isn’t always easy, and neither is building business relationships. It takes devotion and dedication. It is well worth your time to find committed customers who fall in love with your business and champion your success.

Postcard Portables offers many products to help you build business relationships that endure. We’re not just a sign company – we offer advertising, networking, and relationship building solutions.

CONTACT US ANYTIME – We’re always happy to help!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss.

The best business books allow you to learn from others’ triumphs, mistakes, and challenges. They also inspire you to go further in your career or grow your business. Reading may seem like an unnecessary luxury in your busy life but think of reading the best business books as an investment in yourself. Get started now by reading this blog to learn why you should take the time to read, which best business books are worth your time, and how you can read more efficiently.

WHY TAKE TIME TO READ? – 4 Important Reminders

1.READING LEADS TO SUCCESS

The best business leaders work hard to attain greatness and even though they’re extremely busy, they make reading an integral part of their routine.

Warren Buffet routinely spends hours reading and stated knowledge “builds up, like compound interest”.

Mark Zuckerberg reads a book every second week. “Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today.”

Surveys repeatedly show most CEOs and executives read 4-5 books per month. Clearly, there is value in reading books if you want to create success.

2.READING CAN HELP YOU ACCOMPLISH GOALS

Have you ever wanted to do something, but you didn’t know enough to tackle the task? Why not set a goal and read to accomplish it?

Elon Musk didn’t want to pay others to build his rockets, so he learned how to do it himself. Tony Robbins learned to speed read so that he could improve his prospects after a hard childhood. Reading can help you accomplish your goals.

3.READING EXPOSES YOU TO IDEAS, TECHNIQUES METHODS

When learning how to run a successful business, you don’t have to go it alone. Many times you can expose yourself to ideas you’ve never heard of before. You can also learn why some techniques and methods withstand the test of time and create successful businesses.

4.READING MAKES YOU MORE PERSONABLE

Reading increases your world view as a business owner and helps you destress and unwind.

Discussing books you’ve read is also a great way to connect with others when you’re networking. You can learn a lot about a person’s values and whether they align with your own.

The books we’ve recommended below are highly-praised by many successful leaders. They provide priceless insights into how you can attain extraordinary business and personal success.

WHICH BEST BUSINESS BOOKS ARE WORTH YOUR TIME? – 3 Recommendations

1.REWORK – JASON FRIED AND DAVID HEINEMEIER HANSSON

This New York Times bestseller was written by the founder and co-founder of the successful company, Basecamp. Hansson also invented Ruby Rails, the powerful programming framework used on Twitter, GitHub, Shopify, and more.

Their novel business ideas stood the corporate world on its head and their business success attests to the effectiveness of their methods. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon went so far as to say they’ve rewritten the rules of business.

Instead of providing the same boring advice for burgeoning businesses, they provide a better, faster, and easier way to succeed today. Fried and Hansson’s system suits go-getters who prefer to learn through doing.

The book delivers its ideology simply and it challenges many of the business world’s traditional notions. Fried and Hansson suggest you don’t need an office; you don’t need to work insane hours; and you don’t need to deal with frustration.

It’s written in short, easily-digested chapters such as “No Time is No Excuse”, “Fire the Workaholics”, and “Pick a Fight”. Each provides a simple takeaway, clarity, and inspiration.

Read this book. It could change how you approach your business and your personal life.

2.INFLUENCE: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSUASION – ROBERT B. CIALDINI

Originally published in 1984, this book continues to rank as one of the best business books of all times. After almost forty years, it still drives business owners and marketers.

Business magnates such as Charlie Munger (vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway), Guy Kawasaki (marketing specialist, author, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist), Max Levchin (co-founder of PayPal), and Paul Allen (co-founder of Microsoft) rank it number one.

Why does this book still inspire so many people? It explains the psychology behind humanity’s’ mindset and Cialdini’s principles are still the basis of most marketing techniques today.

Cialdini’s book describes 6 Principles of Influence:

• Reciprocity
• Commitment/consistency
• Social proof
• Authority
• Liking
• Scarcity

You’ve probably seen articles about several of these, but you may not understand their psychological underpinnings.

For instance, most of us know that once a person commits to a brand, they are more likely to become a consistent customer (commitment/consistency). However, Cialdini’s psychological explanation suggests a person commits, because the brand aligns with their self-image and not because of products and services specifically.

Obviously, understanding the reasons why a person behaves the way they do is very, very powerful marketing tool. For instance, when you understand the commitment principle you may want to provide a free sample, guide, or another useful item to potential customers to test the waters. If what you provide aligns with the person’s self-image they eventually see themselves as a customer and they’re more likely to buy.

Cialdini’s book is very insightful, even if you have a background in sales or marketing. The principles, techniques, and strategies in this book are timeless and marketers and business leaders worldwide attest to their effectiveness.

Since this is an older publication, you can listen to the audiobook for free. However, you may want a print copy so you can make notes and refer to it often.

3. DEEP WORK – CAL NEWPORT

This book was Amazon’s best pick for business and leadership and a Wall Street Journal business bestseller. The reason for this book’s huge success is that it teaches you how to eliminate distractions and achieve focus in our very demanding world.

Clearly, this is a valuable skill if you want to sort through the almost endless information we’re bombarded with daily. You also learn to decipher complex information for better results in less time.

These skills are especially helpful to entrepreneurs who wear many hats and often feel like they’re drowning in their tasks. It’s vital they accomplish meaningful goals if they want their business to succeed and even more so if they want to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

Newport’s book provides many tips to help you carve out time and space to focus on what’s important. These include principles such as steering away from social media, cellphones, and email. If you think this is impossible in the business world, he shows you how and why it is so important.

The author also allocates a strict time for work to limit burnout and maintain focus and backward planning to schedule your day. The idea is the more you set personal work limits, goals, and deadlines, the less time you have to dwell on frivolous activities.

Newport walks the walk too. He doesn’t work after 5:30 pm and seldom on weekends. Despite this, he’s an author, produces many academic papers, and he’s a computer science professor.

His book also offers many novel ideas to handle repetitive tasks that eat up your day. He shows you how you can focus on what’s “wildly important” instead of the shallow, mundane work that seems to occupy most of our time. This includes creating a visible tracking system, measuring your output, and staying accountable.

The benefits of this book include spending more time in the “zone” where you get things done. His ideas apply to your business and personal life so you can achieve more, be happier, and alleviate stress.

You can enjoy Newport’s work as an audiobook, e-book, or book so it’s simple to squeeze into your busy life.

We’re provided you with three choices, but scores of books exist to help you improve your skills and your life.

Don’t limit yourself to these or other best business books such as Tim Ferriss’ “The Four Day Workweek”, Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”, and Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. Even though they’re immensely popular for good reasons, they aren’t the only books that offer value. If you haven’t read them, you should.

HOW CAN YOU READ MORE EFFICIENTLY? – 7 TIPS

You may wonder how you can possibly read more when you’re already very busy. Here’s how many business leaders find the best business books and time to read, even with packed calendars.

1. CREATE A HABIT

Warren Buffet stated one of the keys to success is to “read 500 pages every day.” While no one’s going to count the pages you read, you should commit to reading a certain amount each week.

How do you find the time? Watch less TV suggests Tom Corley, author of “Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals.” His research revealed 67 percent of wealthy individuals watch TV less than one hour a day.

Some people choose to set a timer for thirty-minutes daily reading sprints to avoid burnout. Others read 30 pages before they go to sleep or read during a short break. Still others listen to audiobooks during their commute.

Whatever method you choose, ditch the book if it doesn’t resonate with you within the first few chapters. You won’t like it any more even if you struggle through until the end.

2. CHOOSE BOOKS THAT INTEREST YO

This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people read books just because they feel they should. Avoid subjects that don’t interest you and vary your choices.

You don’t always need to read business books either. Anything that adds to your knowledge such as biographies from inspiring leaders and philosophical and humanitarian publications are also worthwhile and relaxing. After all, we all need time to unwind and should learn about the world we live in.

3. CREATE A LIST

There’s no lack of inspirational sources if you want book recommendations. Friends, family, peers, bookstores, curated reading lists, blogs, and book sites are good starting points.

Goodreads is a great website that offers ratings and reviews and you can track your reading accomplishments. You can also join a book club for discounts and suggested titles.

Prioritize your list and always ensure you have several books on-hand. Many people read more than one book at a time to avoid boredom and some books won’t be what you expect. If you don’t have a backup book, you could stop using your newly-formed reading tradition.

4. MAKE NOTES

If something resonates with you in a book, write notes in the margins, highlight or underline the copy. All e-readers allow you to add notes and some allow annotations if you have a stylus.

Some people also mark particular pages with Post-it notes or bookmark so they can find passages easily when they want to refer to them later.

5. TAP INTO TECHNOLOG

Even though there’s nothing quite like to feel of a book in your hands, it isn’t always convenient to lug one around. Use your laptop, tablet, or e-reader when traveling or listen to an audiobook while working out.

If a book really impresses you and you make notes on your device, export them to a program like Evernote. Some people wait until they read the entire book and then summarize it in a few sentences.

6. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SKIM

You don’t need to read every single word to get the gist of a book. If you’re reading a book for specific information you may want to dwell on particular areas, but there will still be plenty of fluff.

This article provides many tips on how you can skim to save time, find answers, or research a project. Skimming saves valuable hours so you can read more books or attend to other valuable tasks.

7. READ FASTER & RETAIN WHAT YOU READ

Once you get into the reading habit, you’ll want to read faster, but retain what you’ve read.

This in-depth article offers a quick reading test to discover your reading speed and retention. It also offers a compilation of methods for improvement and how to use your book notes wisely. Stop making excuses and start reading. Knowledge can provide the competitive edge you need if you truly want to create a successful business and a better life. Always remember what the good doctor says:
“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a good book.” – Dr. Seuss

Postcard Portables offers many products to help you build your brand and customer base. We’re not just a sign company – we offer advertising solutions.

CONTACT US ANYTIME – We’re always happy to help!

Operators of successful businesses don’t get to where they are by playing it safe and leaving the hard work to others. They take risks, fall down, and get dirty. Then, they learn from their mistakes, get back up again, and try harder.

We’ve sniffed out five reasons why successful businesses “stink” so your business can “stink” too.

1.SWEAT PROFUSELY

When you run a business, you need to make many decisions, and some involve considerable risk. While you can weigh the pros and cons, sometimes it ultimately comes down to just going for it if you want to surpass a major business hurdle.

For instance IMAX, the revolutionary Canadian filmmaking brand, started in 1967 with the idea to create films on a grand scale. However, they encountered a major roadblock even after developing their state-of-the-art technology that wooed the viewing audience and set the film industry on its ear.

If the three founding experimental filmmakers wanted to get IMAX technology into Hollywood, it required special screens and Hollywood wasn’t convinced it was worth the expense. Until this point, IMAX theaters were only found in museums and science centres.

Movie theatres weren’t convinced either since IMAX only offered limited releases and they would need to invest heavily in expensive renovations. The IMAX founders needed to make a big decision.

When a Toronto-based computer scientist wrote an algorithm that converted existing films into the larger IMAX format in 2001, the founders immediately seized the opportunity. They knew access to existing movies would make movie theatres more receptive, plus they were already starting to convert to digital formats. However, it took them 8 more years to crack Hollywood.

In 2009, the founders released an IMAX conversion of Avatar and the response was nothing short of phenomenal. The movie sold more than $250 million globally and suddenly Hollywood was very interested. The founders risked it all and it paid off, but they most certainly sweated profusely over their decision over those 8 years.

Taking risks is an essential part of entrepreneurship. Look at Elon Musk. He clearly loves danger and wrote that founding a rocket company was one of the “dumbest and hardest ways to make money”. However, he also understands you can’t accomplish great things if you listen to what others say and you’ll certainly never achieve success if you never try.

He claims to “feel fear quite strongly” and he’s constantly bombarded by criticism. However, when he comes up against a barrier he tries to work around it. For instance, when he couldn’t buy Russian rockets he did in-depth research, crunched the numbers, and decided it was possible to build them himself.

2.STEP IN YOUR OWN DOO-DOO

You can’t know whether something will work unless you try it. Of course, that means you will fail sometimes and big companies routinely step in their own doo-doo. Probably the most publicized blunder in the past century was Coca-Cola’s decision to change their cola formula after 99 years.

It was a huge risk fueled by their steady drop in market share over 15 consecutive years due to changes in consumer preferences. Plus, they faced increased competition from Pepsi through a huge marketing campaign, The Pepsi Challenge. The ads repeatedly showed diehard Coke drinkers surprisingly choosing the competitor’s brand.

However, “New Coke” met with anger and huge consumer protests that immediately showed Coca-Cola they had indeed stepped into a big pile of doo-doo. Within months, Coca-Cola re-released the old formula under the new name, Coca-Cola Classic.

While critics are quick to point out Coca-Cola’s decision was a dismal failure, the company doesn’t agree. They state it was a “testimony to the power of taking intelligent risks, even when they don’t quite work as intended.”

People’s negative reactions were due to brand loyalty, not the product. New Coke did quite well and Pepsi sales dropped. Coca-Cola marketed New Coke and Classic Coke simultaneously and appealed to two distinct markets.

Coca-Cola also diversified their product offerings since people were steering away from sugar. They now sell water and sports drinks, coffee and tea, and juice, dairy and plant-based drinks, and hold the >a href=”https://money.cnn.com/2018/02/20/news/companies/cola-wars-coke-pepsi/index.html”>top spot in the cola market.

3.PATCH YOUR OLD CLOTHES

Coca-Cola isn’t the only company that found success through ingenuity and perseverance. The Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. known for comic superheroes persevered and adapted too.

They started during the Depression and rode waves of success and slumps for decades. During the fifties, comic books became a sinister force that some thought led to juvenile delinquency. People protested, burnt comic books, and stiff laws and censorship became the norm. Comic book sales plummeted.

Marvel survived and eventually partnered with D.C. Comics. By the sixties, they were selling 50 million comic books a year, but their success was fleeting.

Eventually, Marvel threw off the comic book restrictions and began publishing forbidden characters such as vampires and werewolves, as well as black and female heroes.

Marvel still struggled as their traditional retail outlets such as corner stores disappeared to make way for supermarket chains. Higher paper prices also cut into earnings. They cut back on expenses and printed new publications, but by the seventies comic books were at an all-time low, until the 1977 hit television series the Incredible Hulk.

Suddenly a new market of spin-offs emerged for Marvel. They licensed their characters, bought a trading card company, and stocks in a toy manufacturing company. They experienced tremendous business growth as they tapped into overseas markets, sold advertising space in comic books, and signed movie deals.

Marvel’s success clearly shows a business must adapt to the needs of the market if they want to do well. They continually patched their old clothes or tailored them to fit the new wearer, instead of throwing them out and starting anew.

4.DUST OFF & KEEP GOING

Amazon is the most valuable public company in the world, but they didn’t achieve success without failure. Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos strongly believes you must embrace failure if you want to survive and succeed in the modern business world.

Bezos stated, “I’ve made billions of dollars of failures at Amazon.com.” However, he’s quick to remind entrepreneurs you can’t dwell on your mistakes. He likened ruminating over your failures to “a root canal with no anaesthesia.”

Of course, no one wants to fail and it’s never enjoyable when you do, but companies need to continually try new products and services to discover what works. Bezos says companies that don’t embrace failure can only pray for survival and that’s no way to run a business.

Bezos also stresses companies need to focus on their big successes, instead of the small failures. It takes experimentation to discover whether an idea will work or not, so you should expect to fail many times before you get it right. The important thing is that you dust yourself off and try again.

Bezos biggest failure was the Fire Phone which led to Amazon writing off $170 million when they did not sell their product. Nonetheless, Bezos considers the loss a valuable learning experience. He hasn’t abandoned the smartphone market, but continues to refine their offerings.

The “Prime Drone” service is another daring experiment that has yet to earn revenues. However, Bezos knows many other countries have already adopted commercial drone technology and there’s potential in the North American market too. He believes the initial risk will pay off many times over.

Bezos risks his own money too when he sees potential. He purchased the Washington Post in 2013 without knowing anything about the newspaper business and when others saw it as a dying enterprise. However, he could see potential and within three years their readership exploded and content aligned with the needs of the digital world.

The business magnate states if you’re afraid of missteps, disappointment, and mistakes, your company can’t be creative and innovative. “If you’re not prepared to fail, you’re not prepared to learn. And unless people and organizations manage to keep learning as fast as the world is changing, they’ll never keep growing and evolving.”

Obviously, many companies choose not to try new ideas, because we’ve been taught that winning is everything. As a result, we stick with what seems safe and companies stagnate.

Successful businesses understand you need to give yourself permission to fail. It makes a

business stronger and more willing to try new ideas. If you don’t fail and learn, you can’t create successful businesses.

5.DO STEP IN DIFFERENT PILES OF DOO-DO

As mentioned, making mistakes is part of doing business and you’ll make plenty. You’ll need to step in new piles of doo-doo, not repeat the same mistakes, or it will lead to disaster.

You will step in it, but learn from your failures. Successful businesses create systems to track and analyze what they’re done. For instance, Google conducts a “post-mortem” to record negative incidents and the impact it had on the company and users. They also list the actions taken and create preventative measures to ensure the incident doesn’t occur again.

They emphasize a post-mortem is a team learning tool, not a finger pointing exercise. “By discussing our failures in public and working together to investigate their root causes, everyone gets the opportunity to learn from each incident and to be involved with any next steps.”

Critical analysis of failures is incredibly important for all companies. It can highlight a lack of resources, poorly designed systems, and flaws in your corporate culture that can worsen if not addressed.

Blameless and constructive feedback leads to open discussion, creative suggestions, and business growth. It focuses your company on improvement to reposition your business, instead of creating negativity and animosity from failed ventures.

More importantly, analyzing your mistakes can be the difference between business success and collapse. It saves you time and money and improves processes.

When you fail, define the major problem. Create a written record of the incident, what went well, what didn’t go well, and what you could do differently the next time. Involve your entire team and promote business growth, not blame.

For solopreneurs, this process often involves an analysis of your skills, resources, and business practices. You may need to improve your financial, time management, or marketing skills, examine and redefine your business and personal goals, or spend more time on your business.

This is also why continual learning is so important for solopreneurs since they must stay in the loop and constantly upgrade their skills. Reading the best business books, attending industry seminars and workshops, and connecting with mentors are keys to any businessperson’s success. However, they’re particularly important for anyone working alone since they bear the burden of all aspects of business operations.

According to a Startup Genome report which examined 650 fledgling companies, one of the 14 most important indicators of business success is the willingness to observe, listen, and learn.

Establishing and implementing solid business principles and practices and self-analysis is crucial you your success. Create a systematic process; plan, commit, and track results – whether good or bad.

Instead of blaming yourself for your failures, perform a post-mortem and act. The more you learn about your shortcomings, the easier it is to change, grow, and succeed.

It’s fine to step in your own doo-doo once in awhile, but be sure to learn how to sidestep the same pile to create a thriving company.

You’ve read why successful businesses stink and why it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Small businesses become thriving enterprises, because they take risks, adapt, fail, and learn from their mistakes. They don’t dwell on the negative, but focus their energy on improvement and business growth instead.

If you’re itching to become an entrepreneur, Postcard Portables has franchise opportunities throughout Canada. It is simple to get started operating your home- based business.

Our highly-respected brand and franchise network offers unlimited growth potential for a low investment amount. Ask yourself: Are you ready to make a mark in your community and have the work/life balance you deserve? If so, then it’s time to sign. Contact us to learn more.

Hockey started in Canada in the late nineteenth century, so it is no wonder the sport accumulated many fun facts throughout its existence. Even a successful business can learn from these standout hockey moments. Here are seven wacky hockey facts every successful business should know.

WACKY HOCKEY FACT #1 –

THE FIRST HOCKEY PUCKS WERE FROZEN PATTIES OF COW POOP.

While no one knows for certain how this idea came to be, it seems likely it grew out of necessity. Hockey evolved from the field game Hurley in the primarily rural Essex County area of Southern Ontario. Players probably resorted to the frozen poop since it was plentiful and free. It is clear players had a passion for the game to resort to such measures.

While the hockey puck has evolved and players no longer deal with this “original material”, most business owners deal with plenty of “poop”, especially in the beginning on their journey to success.

Successful business owners know the game won’t come naturally to them in the beginning. They’ll need to learn skills such as cash flow and time management, marketing, and how to grow their business on a tight budget. You may set goals, fall short, and deal with difficult customers.

Nonetheless, a business owner must have the burning desire to succeed. They find better pucks, improve their skills, and play a better game.

WACKY HOCKEY FACT #2 –

WHEN THE MONTREAL CANADIENS WON THE STANLEY CUP IN 1924 PLAYERS STASHED THE CUP IN THE TRUNK AND DROVE TO THEIR VICTORY PARTY. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAD A FLAT, PULLED THE TROPHY OUT OF THE TRUNK FOR THE SPARE, AND LEFT THE TROPHY. LUCKILY, IT WAS STILL SITTING IN A SNOW BANK WHEN THEY RETURNED LATER THAT NIGHT.

There’s no doubt – when you run a business you’re going to make mistakes. Consider what these champions did when they realized their prized cup wasn’t in the trunk.

They analyzed the situation and recognized what they’d done wrong. They didn’t leave the Stanley Cup sitting in the snowbank overnight. They took immediate action to rectify the situation.

Business owners can follow the same process and “analyze and recognize” what went wrong when they make a mistake. Retrace your steps, look at where you fell short and what you did right, and then find a new way to proceed so you don’t repeat the same mistake.

Google has this down to an art. It’s not about assigning blame – it’s about finding ways to ensure the Cup never sits in a snowbank again.

WACKY HOCKEY FACT #3 –

BEFORE 1914, REFEREES SET THE PUCK DOWN ON THE ICE BETWEEN THE PLAYERS’ STICKS DURING FACE-OFFS. THIS LED TO MANY REFEREE CUTS AND BRUISES AS PLAYERS SCRAMBLED FOR THE PUCK. LATER, THE RULES CHANGED AND REFEREES DROPPED THE PUCK INSTEAD.

The league recognized that the traditional face-off strategy wasn’t working well and was actually jeopardizing the referees. They changed the rules to make the game safer, without losing the excitement of the face-off.

It’s equally important that a business owner recognizes when something isn’t working in their business. If you’re working many hours, but aren’t generating profits it can impact your health, work quality, attitude, and ultimately have a successful business. However, change can be daunting.

You may not know why your strategy isn’t working or what to do about it. A good business mentor may be able to see the problem when you can’t.

Alternatively, look to your competitors to see how they address the issue. Brainstorm with peers to see if they can offer any solutions. Research potential options and don’t be afraid try something new.

Don’t suffer unnecessary scrapes and bruises, when you could find a better way to drop the puck.

WACKY HOCKEY FACT #4 –

THE TEXT ON THE STANLEY CUP INCLUDES OVER 20 ENGRAVING ERRORS. LOOK CAREFULLY AND YOU’LL SEE BOSTON SPELT AS “BQSTQN” AND THE LEAFS SPELT AS “LEAES”.

Certainly, no one threw out the Stanley Cup because of the errors on the trophy, but you can bet they changed engravers. Players, coaches, and managers probably made a fuss and the mistakes remain on the Cup forever.

When you send any communication from you or your business, ensure what you write is correct. Besides offering a professional and credible image, it also prevents very costly mistakes. You don’t want your customers or business associates to always remember you for what you did wrong.

Just think of the impact if you accidentally quote a client $100 instead of $500 for a job. Even if you reach out to the customer and explain the mistake, do you think they’ll still think the same way about your business? Or will they think you’re trying to squeeze more money out of them or you’re careless?

What happens if you prepare a legal agreement which includes an error and you’re bound to the terms? You could pay dearly for weeks, months, or years.

Always take time to proofread written documents including correspondence, contracts, and especially emails. We tend to write emails quickly, hit send, and then see the error.

Spell check catches most spelling errors, but it can’t catch grammatical problems, or when you swap an inappropriate word for the one intended. You might call a “she” a “he”, or a “manager” a “manger”. When the recipient reads the message they might chuckle, but it could also offend them.

Before you send out, or sign any written document, go through these steps to ensure they’re error-free:

Read it aloud – You might look like you’ve lost your marbles, but reading what you’ve written aloud forces you to contemplate each word.

Print it out – Editors and business moguls know the importance of moving the written word off the computer screen and onto paper. No matter how many times you proofread digital copy, you’ll see many more errors in printed copy.

Break large documents into chunks – If your document is over 5 pages, break it into smaller pieces. Otherwise, it becomes an overwhelming task and you’ll lose focus. Always take a short break before you start a new set of pages.

WACKY HOCKEY FACT #5 –

HOCKEY RULES STATE THAT ANYONE CAN PLAY THE POSITION OF GOALIE IF THE GOALIES OF BOTH TEAMS SUSTAIN INJURIES DURING A GAME. THIS INCLUDES ANY FAN IN THE ARENA!

Naturally, you’d be horrified if the coach of your favourite team yanked a fan out of the stands, gave them a stick and pads, and said “Get out there!” You probably wouldn’t want an offense man in the net either, but at least they’d have a fighting chance since they’re athletic, skilled, and understand team strategies.

In business, you want your best players to handle the important tasks too. You don’t want your best salesperson spending their valuable time on bookkeeping or managing your website.

Fully utilizing your available resources is vital to managing a successful business. When sales personnel aren’t selling, they should be pursuing new leads, following up with past clients, and networking, not trying to figure out how to install a website plugin.

However, when you and your employees are unable to manage the day-to-day business, plus build your business, it may be time to consider outsourcing or hiring additional staff. When you assign additional tasks to an already busy employee it can cost you more. They’re busy trying to learn new skills instead of focusing on core competencies.

Nonetheless, every company should consider whether outsourcing or hiring will propel their business forward, boost capabilities, or improve efficiency before they proceed. If it appears advantageous, embrace the option so your team can focus on company growth and development.

Entrepreneur.com suggests good tasks to outsource include repetitious, low-level tasks or those that require expertise beyond what you have in-house. These include work such as bookkeeping and payroll, writing and posting social media posts and online content, website support, and administrative tasks.

Small businesses can often access highly-skilled workers less expensively than when they hire employees or use a local service. There’s a global pool of workers and outsourcing offers the flexibility of a fixed price or hourly work.

Even so, outsourcing has potential disadvantages. When you outsource the person isn’t under your direct supervision. You may also experience communication lags, especially if the worker is in another time zone. Plus, candidates may have varying cultural and professional standards and language skills. However, the reduction in costs and streamlined business processes often outweigh them when you choose a good contractor.

You may want to hire an employee if you want to build a local business. They’re loyal to your company, know the area, and can provide you with a flexible, diverse workforce as your business grows.

Hiring one person makes it much easier to coordinate projects too. There’s no need to juggle multiple contractors which makes it easier to meet project deadlines.

Of course, hiring another person increases your need for space and equipment and increases payroll burden and compliance complexities. However, a new dedicated employee could evolve into a great manager should you decide to expand your business. Deciding whether to hire or outsource depends on your short and long-term goals.

WACKY HOCKEY FACT #6 –

THE NHL’S FIRST OUTDOOR GAME WAS IN LAS VEGAS IN 1991. DURING THE THIRD PERIOD, HUNDREDS OF GRASSHOPPERS INVADED THE ICE. FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE END OF THE THIRD PERIOD, BLACK FLIES SWARMED THE ICE TOO.

The folks at that outdoor game certainly never anticipated a bug invasion. However, in business you can’t afford to ignore the unexpected.

Even if your office is never invaded by critters, many things can go wrong. You need a contingency plan to deal with scenarios that could disrupt your business.

A contingency plan assures your business can move forward after an unexpected event. It could be how it will react internally and externally if the head of the firm has an accident, becomes ill, or dies.

Other possible threats include cyber attack, deliberate or unintended mismanagement, customer injuries, workplace accidents, natural disasters, and more.

Experts suggest your company outlines the potential scenarios for each top-priority risk. Then analyze your available resources and the possible impact on your company. Finally, explore ways to reduce these risks and develop a written contingency plan. Test the plan for effectiveness and maintain it so it remains relevant.

A contingency plan ensures you can get your business up and running again quickly so you can earn money after an unexpected event. The Business Development Bank of Canada offers many resources, including templates to help you through the process.

WACKY HOCKEY FACT #7 –

THE NHL AND THE STANLEY CUP HAVE TWITTER, FACEBOOK, AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS.

Yes, even the Stanley Cup has social media accounts. Why? Because the NHL and the Stanley Cup reach out to the places people frequent, and today that’s online. Social media provides instant access to information from anywhere at any time.

The days of tuning in the CBC for Hockey Night in Canada have given way to live streams on the internet. People check stats and scores on their phones, tablets, and laptops instead of hoping to snatch information on their car radio.

Consequently, it is equally imperative your business uses social media. According to a 2018 report, 91% of adult Canadian internet users have at least one social media account and almost all social media users read their feeds at least once per week.

Any business that doesn’t take advantage of social media is missing out on huge opportunities. It increases brand awareness, loyalty, and authority. It also promotes inbound traffic, and improves your search engine rankings.

Social media can also improve customer satisfaction, make you a leader in your industry, and help you gain meaningful marketplace insights. It’s no wonder the Stanley Cup and the NHL take social media so seriously!

Postcard Portables offers many products to help you build a successful business to set you apart from the competition. We’re not just a sign company – we offer advertising solutions.

CONTACT US ANYTIME – We’re always happy to help!

Postcard Portables Canada is proud to announce the Franchise of the Year award winner for 2018 is Postcard Portables Medicine Hat, owned and operated by Dustin Turcotte and Robert Campbell. “This is the third time in the last four years that the Medicine Hat location has won this coveted award,” explained Francis Ostapovich, President of Postcard Portables. “It speaks volumes to all of their hard work and we are very proud of their accomplishments.”

Postcard Portables Medicine Hat has been in business for over 11 years offering mini-billboard rental advertising and other B2B services. Dustin and Rob are proud to work in the community where they were born and where they now raise their families. “The most rewarding part of owning Postcard Portables is seeing how our products and services help make other businesses better,” said Dustin Turcotte. “I feel like a big reason for our success is that we are passionate about helping customers promote, display, and showcase their products, services, promotions, and events in order to make themselves more profitable and successful.”

In addition to delivering unparalleled service to their customers, Dustin and Rob are passionate about giving back to their community. They do so in a variety of ways including volunteering with youth athletic teams and service organizations such as the Kinsmen Club of Medicine Hat, the Medicine Hat Santa Claus Fund & Medicine Hat Little League.

“We are very proud of all we have accomplished so far with our business and in our community,” commented Dustin. “We have our sights set on continuing to grow our business and to finding new ways to be Bigger, Better, Faster, and Stronger.”

Postcard Portables offers many products to help you attract your ideal customer, including our affordable Mini-Billboard. We’re not just a sign company – we offer advertising solutions.

CONTACT US ANYTIME – We’re always happy to help!

Postcard Portables was honoured as a recipient of the Franchisees’ Choice Designation at the 2019 Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) National Convention. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Postcard Portables has received this award.

The Franchisees’ Choice designees are CFA member franchise systems who voluntarily took part in an independently-administered survey. This year, more than 70 CFA member franchise brands participated in the survey. Franchisees were asked to assess their franchisor in key areas of the franchise business model, including the franchisee selection process; franchisee information package; leadership; business planning and marketing; training and support; ongoing operations; and the relationship between the franchisor and franchisee.

“We have a remarkable group of accomplished franchise owners who comprise the Postcard Portables team,” explained Francis Ostapovich, Postcard Portables’ President. “Receiving the Franchisees’ Choice Award this year is very special. Receiving it five years in a row is an incredible honour.

In the due diligence process of investigating a franchise opportunity, speaking with existing franchisees about the opportunity being explored is essential. For prospective franchisees, the Franchisees’ Choice Designation identifies that a franchise brand has received a solid endorsement through its satisfaction ratings from its franchisees. The 2019 Franchisees’ Choice Designees are representative of the diversity of franchise opportunities and the standard of excellence of CFA members.

“The Canadian Franchise Association’s Franchisees’ Choice Designation celebrates a core principle of franchising: everyday Canadians sharing success and Growing Together™,” says Sherry McNeil, CFA President & Chief Executive Officer. “Congratulations to all the Franchisees’ Choice Designees this year on receiving this honour and vote of confidence from their franchisees.

Postcard Portables offers many products to help you attract your ideal customer, including our affordable Mini-Billboard. We’re not just a sign company – we offer advertising solutions.

CONTACT US ANYTIME – We’re always happy to help

Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes 56 seconds

Customer service may not be at the top of your list when you decide where to invest your money and time. Most companies tend to focus on sales revenue, profit margins, and growth, rather than customer satisfaction. However, according to Entrepreneur.com customer service is the most important metric of any company.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

Since consumers have so many choices, providing good customer service can give you a competitive edge. Considering your customer’s best interests rather than fiscal interests alone leads to greater customer satisfaction, brand affinity, more sales, and growth. If you’re not entirely convinced, here are four financial and business implications that could convince you to pamper your customers.

1.Customer Retention Costs Less

Studies repeatedly show it costs much more to find new customer than to retain an existing one. How much more? While studies vary, expect to pay anywhere between five and twenty-five times the cost of retaining an existing customer.

2.Increased Customer Retention Boosts Profits

Research by Bain & Company found increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits by 25% to 95%.

3. Existing Customers Tend To Buy More Often

Convincing a new customer to buy is far more difficult than selling to an existing customer. Studies show existing customers spend 67% more on average than those new to your business.

4.Strengthens Your Brand

Public perception of your brand is paramount to success. Positive customer interactions reflect well on your company and make it more likely customers will share their experiences and recommend your products and services. Word-of-mouth recommendations can lead to more sales from friends, family, and peers. Good customer service reviews also makes it easier to partner with other businesses to access new opportunities.

THE IMPORTANCE OF REAL-TIME RESPONSES

Responding to customer comments in a timely manner propels a business towards success. Companies that fail to do so leave the customer feeling their opinions don’t matter or the company doesn’t feel it is worth the effort to address their concerns. This is definitely not the message you want to send potential and existing clients. A damaged reputation is very hard to undo and ignoring your customer comments, good or bad, leads to less feedback making it even more difficult to gauge the effectiveness of your products, services, and support. Flagging comments for real-time response allows you to respond rapidly which is always important, but especially when it’s a negative opinion. A quick response can prevent escalation and limit damage.

HOW TO HANDLE A DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER

All business owners deal with discontented customers sometimes, while others are thrilled with their products and services. Handling both scenarios properly is a necessary skill for business success.

– Don’t Take Criticism Personally

A customer’s anger usually has everything to do with their perception of your product, service, or performance. Don’t take a negative criticism of your business as a personal insult. This can be difficult to do when you’re a solopreneur, but it’s important you realize they’re criticizing your business – not you.

– Request a Face-To-Face Meeting

Complicated or emotional situations merit one-to-one communication. Sending an email is definitely not the best way to respond to a sensitive issue. The customer may feel slighted, plus it’s almost impossible to totally assess the issue and calm the client. Request a face-to-face meeting. If that isn’t possible, arrange a time for a telephone discussion. This shows you’re interested in what they have to say and willing to set aside time specifically for them so you can resolve the issue.

– Stay Calm

Dissatisfied clients are usually angry, so don’t add fuel to the fire. Allow the person to vent and don’t interrupt. Even if you believe the client is wrong, don’t get into a yelling match. This leads to bitterness and eliminates any possibility of reconciliation or further business. Sometimes a person is too angry to think clearly which makes a positive outcome impossible. In this case, suggest you discuss the issue later when you’re both calmer. Give it time, and then contact the individual again.

– Listen Carefully

Ask the client to spell out precisely what they feel went wrong. Try to understand the issue from their point of view. Give the person your full attention, be patient, and take notes. Recount the issues to show the person you’ve heard what they had to say and you’ve understood their key concerns. They may add additional information after you read back what you wrote.

– Ask Open-Ended Questions

Once your customer finishes relaying their concerns, don’t respond defensively. Instead, ask open-ended questions such as: “What could I do to remedy this situation?” or “What do you think we could have done instead?” Open-ended questions are a great way to start a conversation since they show you’re eager to come to a resolution.

– Respond Appropriately

Once you fully understand the problem and you agree they have a valid concern, acknowledge it. Do what is necessary to fix the problem such as reducing your charge or redoing the work. If you disagree with their point of view, let them know you understand they are upset and apologize for any misunderstanding. Explain your point of view in a factual, but compassionate manner without hostility. Often times customers believe they’ve been wronged, but they don’t have all the information. Even if your actions were completely justified, offer an olive branch. A discount on their current invoice or a future purchase increases the chances they’ll resolve the matter and do business with you again.

– Let Them Have the Last Word

It is important the client’s satisfied with the outcome. Don’t try to defend yourself once you’ve smoothed their ruffled feathers. This is a good way to send them back into their anger zone and scuttle any progress you’ve made.

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF HAPPY CUSTOMERS

Fortunately, if you’re doing things right you’ll only have an occasional customer that complains. Nonetheless, don’t take your satisfied customers for granted. Get the most out of your happy customers so they’re more likely to spread the word about your business.

– Thank Them

When a customer makes a positive comment about your company, take a moment to let them know how much you appreciate their business and how happy you are that they’re satisfied. It’s a small gesture that goes a very long way and many companies don’t bother. Great marketers also suggest a similar product or service the customer may not know about, but may like. This reinforces that you respect them as an individual with specific preferences, and they’re not just an account.

– Provide Sneak Peeks

Planning to release a new product or service? Offer your good customers an insider sneak peek into what’s coming and a shot at trying it before anyone else. Alternatively, offer them a discount if they bundle the new offering with something they routinely buy.

– Ask For Reviews

Encourage happy customers to review your business on social media, Yelp, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau to strengthen your brand. Results from a Local Consumer Review Survey found 86 percent of consumers read online reviews and 91 percent of those between 18 and 34 years trust them as much as personal recommendations.

– Create a Referral Program

Customers are more likely to recommend your brand if there’s something in it for them. Providing a discount or free product for a referral makes them feel valued and when you entice a new customer, they’re likely to refer their own friends to receive the perk too.

– Celebrate Milestones

Your customers are individuals, so go the extra mile to show them you care. If you’ve connected through social media, automatically send them congratulations or a coupon when their birthday pops up on your feed.

– Track Preferences

Always collect as much data as possible about your customer and their buying habits. This makes it easier to cross-market related products and as mentioned, aligning preferences increases customer satisfaction too.

– Customer Service Tools

You can’t understand your customers or what’s working in your business unless you connect with your buyers and measure their satisfaction. Companies have many tools at their disposal to create a good customer service experience, and to measure their products, services, and support.

– Social Media

Companies traditionally used social media to boost brand awareness and to market new products and services. However, businesses recently started using social media for customer service inquiries too. According to SocialMediaToday.com, nearly 70 percent of consumers have used social media to engage with companies for customer service inquiries and 1 in 3 social media users prefer it over telephone or email. Why the preference? Users expect a quick response on social media, while they could wait hours, days, or weeks using other methods.

Responding quickly on social media is very, very important and the expected response times on social media platforms are very short. For instance, Facebook only considers a business “very responsive” when it replies within 5 minutes or less, anytime of the day. Obviously, this isn’t possible for a mere human, but you can respond using programmable messenger “bots” and customized away messages during business off-hours.

Monitoring customer service activity on social media channels is best accomplished with software. Popular programs such as Hootsuite, Buffer, Mention, and Sparkcentral make customer interaction manageable and measurable.

When using social media for customer service, it is also very important to decide which comments you’ll resolve publicly and which you’ll direct to email, phone, or a direct message. Respond politely and provide their next step, including an embedded link if you want them to direct message.

Respond positively to ALL comments, questions, and feedback. If you don’t reply, you’re ignoring your customers instead of addressing concerns and building community.

– Conduct Surveys

Surveying your customers regularly in various ways is critical for business success, regardless of industry, product, or service. Surveys provide candid comments regarding satisfaction and dissatisfaction with your products, services, and support. Surveys also build trust when you respond to customer concerns. This can lead to staunchly loyal customers and highly qualified referrals.

Ask open-ended questions and keep your surveys short for a good response rate. People are busy and probably won’t spend more than 5 or 10 minutes on your survey. Continually modify surveys to reflect the data you collect. This can help you pinpoint problem areas and improve. Consider handing out a survey after a sale, through email or your website, or on your social media channels.

Surveys are relatively simple to prepare using free or paid survey software. You can find information on how to write effective survey questions here. You can also hire a survey company to design, implement, and compile data, but can cost substantially more.

Online website surveys are the most readily accessed, followed by email. You may want to offer a small incentive to encourage people to respond to gather a representative sample of your demographic, not just the people who extol your business or have nothing good to say. Ask respondents for their contact information so you can follow up.

Of course, the most enlightening customer feedback often comes from direct contact with your customers after they respond. If respondents provide their contact information, reach out to them to discuss their survey comments, whether pleased or displeased. Ask for feedback on your products and services and the support they received.

The mere act of asking a customer for their opinion can increase customer satisfaction. It shows your company genuinely cares about their opinion and you’re acting on their feedback. It’s an unexpected gesture most companies don’t extend and it can strengthen your brand’s image.

Thoughtfully review responses and consider their implications. Look for patterns of consistently negative comments in specific areas of your operations. This can help you discover what’s working and what’s not to better equip your company for success. Publish your survey results on your website and show your customers how you’ve used their input for positive change. People are more likely to respond to your next survey when they know you actually listen.

Good customer service quiets the dissenters and encourages peaceful, contented clients who share their positive experiences. This leads to a business with fewer problems, happier clients, and a peaceful world.

Postcard Portables offers many products to help you attract your ideal customer, including our affordable Mini-Billboard. We’re not just a sign company – we offer advertising solutions.
CONTACT US ANYTIME – We’re always happy to help!