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Showing posts from February, 2014

Turn You Competitors' Customers into YOUR Customers

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Here are a few creative ways to help turn your competitors' customers into your own: Offer a comparison chart that focuses on reasons why customers should choose your product over the competition. For example, you may offer a standard five-year warranty, while your competitors may only offer a three-year warranty. Or perhaps they offer an extended five-year warranty option, but at an additional price. Stay informed of what your competitors are doing, but avoid copying their ideas. Instead, add value and make their ideas even better. For example, if a competitor offers free shipping on purchases of $100+, you could provide free shipping on all purchases and possibly even returns. Create a unique tagline or slogan that focuses on your key selling points, such as: "Hassle-Free Returns" or "Receive your lunch order within 30 minutes or it's free." Add value to a comparable product through added services, such as longer support hours, free training, and l

Improve the Effectiveness of your Newsletter

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Newsletters have a proven track record for creating front-of-mind awareness, establishing and maintaining credibility, and publicizing an organization to the community. Here are a few tips to improve the effectiveness of your newsletter: Become a resource by including how-to articles, helpful industry tips and tricks, and links to other articles and podcasts that may be of interest to your audience. Feature a special offer or promotion in each issue to track your newsletter results. Include a customer testimonial section to highlight customers who are finding success using your products or services. This will not only boost your credibility, but also increase customer visibility. Offer subscribers a "sneak peak" at new products. This will make them feel special and encourage them to spread the word about their insider knowledge. Create an "Ask the Expert" section, featuring industry experts to answer customer questions. Include the name and business of the

Making Business Sweet: The Benefits of Delayed Gratification

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Imagine taking several children, one at a time, into a room, where you've placed a tantalizing marshmallow on a table. You tell the children that if they can resist eating the delicious sweet sitting in front of them while you step out of the room for a few minutes, they can have two when you return. If the child can't wait, they can eat the first marshmallow whenever they want, but they won't get the second marshmallow when you return. That's exactly the experiment researchers at Stanford performed in the late 1960s. The footage they obtained of the children was quite fascinating. Some children looked away from the treat in front of them, while others tried to distract themselves by kicking the table or fiddling with their hair. Some of the children poked or stroked the marshmallow. Years later, the researchers were able to make the connection that the children most capable of delaying gratification were the ones who were also more likely to succeed in school,

The 9 Best Business Blogs You Should Be Reading

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Ever feel like you're missing out on the latest buzz from the business world? We get it: The sheer amount of info out there can seem overwhelming, but whether you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or manager, it's essential to keep up. Now, here's the good news: We're here to make it easy for you to keep your finger on the pulse of the industry. We've searched the web for the best, brightest, and most innovative business blogs out there. Add these top blogs to your reading list for a simple way to stay in the loop! 1. You're the Boss (http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com) This New York Times blog is all about small business, from best practices to breaking trends. Written by entrepreneurs, business owners, and experts from a range of fields, You're the Boss provides a place for small business owners to connect, share their successes (and mistakes), and compare notes from the battlefield. 2. Seth Godin's Blog (http://sethgodin.typepad.com)

How to Make Networking as Easy as Child's Play

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Networking is an important aspect of the professional world on many levels. If you own a business, you network to find more clients, meet potential connections, and even find other companies you might collaborate with on a project one day. Those searching for a job have continuously heard how critical networking can be for finding the right fit. Unfortunately, many of us find networking stressful. After all, it involves going up to people we've never met before, introducing ourselves, making small talk, and selling ourselves and our skills, all at the same time. While it may become more natural with practice, for most people it never becomes an easy process. Except, of course, for the under ten years old crowd. While at the park the other day, two very young girls made eye contact and instantly became friends. Without so much as an introduction, they both stopped their respective games, took off toward the slide, and took turns racing each other around the playground. The m

What, Exactly, is Content Marketing?

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You've probably heard all the buzz about content marketing, yet may still be wondering what, exactly, it is. Content marketing is simply the new form of marketing that uses informative content, rather than blatant sales pitches, to attract potential customers. Instead of proverbially bashing people over the head with whatever you're trying to sell, content marketing entices them to come to you to learn more about your product, services, and brand. So, how the heck do you do that? Create a two-way conversation. Old-school advertising was pretty much a one-way street with the company doing all the talking. Content marketing turns it into a two-way conversation by actively engaging the audience. Do this by encouraging comments on your blog posts and social media sites, holding contests, or otherwise reaching out to your audience for input. Keep up your end of the bargain. Asking for audience participation is good, but it's not so good if you do nothing wit

Blaze Your Own Trail to Business Success

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Something interesting happens between childhood and adulthood. As children, people tend to not want others to copy them. As adults, however, we spend a considerable amount of time trying to copy those around us. We see someone with a new idea, and all we want to do is imitate their accomplishments. Someone successfully develops a new app, and 50 similar ones seem to spring up overnight. While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, it's not always the key to success. Consider this example: Two sisters, Anna and Mary, sit down together to draw pictures. As with many big sister/little sister pairs, Mary looks up to her big sister. She carefully watches as Anna sets about drawing a picture of their family house with everyone out in the yard. Mary picks up each crayon as Anna lays it down, then goes about copying her sister's artwork. After a few minutes, Anna notices what Mary is doing. "Mary, don't just copy me!" she exclaims. "You have to