2014 Goal Setting in 45 Minutes or Less

Have you begun your business planning for 2014 yet or have the impending holidays gotten you sidetracked? With Christmas less than two weeks away, the last thing you're probably thinking of is planning for 2014 but you should be. Pick a day in the next week, schedule an hour and put together your action plan for 2014 in 45 minutes or less with these three simple steps.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goals.jpg

Step 1: Clear Your Mind and Focus (20 minutes)

Planning for your business is 2014 doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming. Mute your phone, close the door and focus only on what you want to accomplish in 2014. Chances are you already have a good idea in your head, you simply need to write it down to make it more concrete.

Start by making a simple list of the things you want to achieve. Maybe it's some of the goals that didn't quite make it to completion in 2013? Is it to launch a new project that you've been thinking about for the last six months? Is it to reach a new milestone in your business? Adding new staff?

Reach for the stars and dream big. Anything is possible so just open your mind up to the possibilities and get excited about the potential in the new year.

Step 2: Narrow Down Your List and Create the Steps (15 minutes)

Steve Jobs had a wonderful approach to planning. He would advise his staff to write down all their ideas, big, small, and huge, it didn't matter. Then he would tell them to pick the top three. And those would be the first three projects to be worked on. Once those three were completed, there was a ready made list of projects to choose from.

Now look at the list you made in step 1 and circle the top three. Which ones will make the most impact for your customers or your business? Which ones get you the most excited or will be the ones to launch your business into its next level? Look at them and write down the steps it will take to get there for each one.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Billard.JPG

Step 3: An Object In Motion Stays in Motion (10 minutes)

Newton's first law of motion applies in business: An object in motion, stays in motion unless stopped and an object at rest, stays at rest until forced out of that rest. You are the force behind your business so get yourself in motion. Put your plan into action - don't just wait for the new year to start. Use this time to start on the steps you identified and get your goals moving in the right direction.

Bonus Step: Share Your Goals with the World

Sharing goals with others makes them more concrete and has the added benefit of allowing others to participate in your achievements. So get the word out!

Here's to your continued success and Happy New Year from all of us at AddressTwo University & AddressTwo!

3 Big Reasons to Stop Using Gmail as Your Business Email Address

Using a web-based email service has become the de facto method for email users in the last ten years. Easy to setup, free, and accessible from anywhere, web-based email makes perfect sense for business users. But that web-based email address can be doing damage to your business reputation every day and you don't even realize it. Here's three reasons to change your email address today.

Appears Unprofessional

In business, appearance means a lot. We make a million small decisions every day based on small bits of information. And as much as we all love Gmail, the fact is when your business card says username@gmail.com versus William@intelligence.com, it leaves an impression immediately regarding how seriously you take yourself in business. This can cost you potential business in the long run if a prospect feels you are “small time” in business.

Email Redirect Setup Is Easy

“But I like using Gmail. Won’t I have to start using a software like Outlook if I stop using Gmail or another web-based email provider?”

The answer is no. You can continue using whatever beloved email method you’re using currently, whether it’s Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Outlook or any of the others out there. Simply create an email alias and then a forwarding rule for those emails to a destination of your choice.

Essentially this process creates a “mask” for your email address, allowing you to use your website domain name as part of your email address. After all, you paid for and own the domain name, so why shouldn’t you be using it?

The simplest method is to use an email forwarding service through the domain name provider (the company you purchased the domain from). For this example, we’ll use GoDaddy since it’s one of the most popular out there. GoDaddy’s customer service can help you if you have trouble or you can use one of their articles to walk you through the process.

Step 1: Create the domain name email address (found in your hosting panel with GoDaddy)

Step 2: Once created, login to your web based email provider (Gmail instructions here) and in the mail settings “Add another email address”. This will allow you to both send and receive emails using your new domain name email address.

Amplify Your Branding Long Term

Using your domain name in your email address provides long term branding. Now, if someone loses your business card, or forgets your business name, as long as they have your email address in their contact list, they’ll always have your business name. This improves your top-of-mind awareness long term for clients and prospects.

Since setting up an email domain address is so easy, there really isn’t a good reason NOT to set up a proper email address to benefit and brand your business.

20 Days Left for 2013 Tax Write Offs

There are only 20 days left to reduce your tax liability for next year (i.e. find new writeoffs). AddressTwo can help! If you pay for your 2014 account in an annual payment instead of monthly, you'll receive a 20% discount (normally 10%) off a 12-month subscription. This is a huge savings to start 2014 right! This is available for current customers and new customers so sign up today!

Contact Troy Hanna at (317) 594-9550 (option 1) or email troy@addresstwo.com for details. Hurry, this offer expires on 12/31/2013!

About AddressTwo - the Simple CRM!

AddressTwo helps small businesses organize their contacts, manage leads, tasks and appointments, and provides email marketing options. A robust suite of services designed by a small business FOR small businesses, it's easy to use and gives small businesses tools they need to succeed. If you're not currently using a contact database manager or are unhappy with the one you have, AddressTwo is the solution. Learn more in the video below!

CRM Software Reviews: Cutco Representative Jamie King Loves AddressTwo!

 

AddressTwo University is thrilled to share with you the following CRM software reviewabout the AddressTwo CRM software, received from Cutco Representative, Jamie King. AddressTwo has partnered with Cutco to provide a CRM solution for their sales representatives and the results have been fabulous! But don't take it from us, here's Jamie to tell you all about it!

Jamie King - Your Cutco Rep

"There are many choices when it comes to a contact database manager [CRM] and people will tell you that the most important thing with regards to having a contact database manager [CRM] is to simply have one. I agree that it is a vital system for your business, but there is a difference in the level of service you receive from these different systems. 

One of my favorite things about AddressTwo (used by over 100 Cutco Representatives) is the willingness to go the extra mile for their clients, walking them through steps, and spending as much time as needed until you understand fully the answer to your question. The customer service is excellent to say the least. 

The AddressTwo CRM system is user friendly so it doesn't take long to figure things out, and if there is something you want it to do and it won't, chances are they will implement that tweak to the system almost immediately. AddressTwo's team has the knowledge and intuition to be able to do it and have an attitude of constant growth to get it just the way you want it. I don't see the need to spend more money on this part of the business than necessary, and with these guys, you get more than you pay for, so that's always a good deal in my book!" - Jamie King

Thank you Jamie, for your wonderful testimonial about your AddressTwo experience. We look forward to continuing to help you and the rest of the Cutco team grow their businesses to success while providing solutions for your CRM needs, both now and in the future. Thanks for being an AddressTwo client!

Incorporate LinkedIn with Your B2B Digital Marketing

With over 2 million company pages and 161 million users, LinkedIn offers a wealth of digital marketing options to businesses and professionals around the globe. Any digital marketing agency will tell you that this social media outlet offers exposure that is as valuable as word-of-mouth advertising, but has the added benefit of measurability.

B2B Digital Marketing Benefits of LinkedIn

Promote your blog. LinkedIn has a simple tool that allows you to add a link from your website to your business’ LinkedIn page. A digital marketing agency can even help you connect your blog to the LinkedIn account so your connections can see new posts as they go live, which can simultaneously increase traffic and brand awareness. 

·        Enhance website SEO. When you create a company page on LinkedIn, you have the option of making the information that you provide available for search engines to index. If you want to enhance the SEO of your business’ website, this is a good thing. Because of its popularity, LinkedIn ranks high on search engine results. This can influence what people see when they perform a search on your business or use specific key words, especially if you have your business’ public profile set to “Full View.”

·        Reach beyond your connections with sponsored updates. When you post updates on your business’ LinkedIn page, only your connections see them. LinkedIn now allows you to extend your reach with sponsored updates, which appear in the news feeds of other LinkedIn users. Digital marketing agency experts share that sponsored updates are simple to create and are non-intrusive. A well-worded update can drive users to check out things like new products, events, videos and white papers in a way that is more effective than a paid sidebar advertisement. You can also choose your target audience with just a few clicks.

·        Generate leads. Social media is a great way to engage with prospective and current customers, nurture relationships and enhance retention. It’s also an effective tool for generating new professional leads when you position yourself as a thought leader. To do this, you must have a consistent LinkedIn presence and offer valuable, relevant information to your target audience.
      
      After you create a rich profile for your business’ page, establish a presence by leveraging your existing network and offering timely status updates. Join and participate in up to five LinkedIn groups that are relevant to your target market and/or geographic location to offer expert insight, share valuable content and educate. As your LinkedIn presence increases and you extend your connections, the trust that you build in others will drive new leads.

Digital marketing extends beyond your company’s website, blog, Facebook profile and Twitter account. As with any other social media platform, B2B marketing on LinkedIn takes time, thoughtfulness and intentional efforts to build a following and get the returns that you seek. Speak to a marketing consultant to learn more about building your company’s LinkedIn presence or revamping your efforts.

Cameron Madill is CEO of PixelSpoke, a digital marketing and web design agency located in Portland, Oregon. PixelSpoke works with small to mid-size companies to design websites and create marketing plans which will expand their business. Connect with PixelSpoke on LinkedIn for other marketing insights.

Using Holiday Cards and AddressTwo to Grow Your Business

Yep, it's almost that time again. There's a crispness to the air, the first snowfall has come, and the kids are bringing home Thanksgiving decorations from school. That means it's time to start working on your holiday Christmas cards and holiday gifts for your clients. "But I can't! My database isn't ready." No problem, here at AddressTwo we've dealt with that challenge. Not only have we dealt with it, but below is a short (less than 5 minutes) video chock full of tips and tricks for the best way to turn this database cleanup into a sales generation activity to finish the year strong!

Database Tips for the Holidays

So, as you can see, Troy was able to turn his database cleanup into a real sales opportunity. How many sales opportunities are just waiting for you in YOUR database? Go get started reaching out to those customers and prospects. Then, when you're done, come back and tell us all about your experience!

About AddressTwo, the Simple CRM for Small Business

Never used AddressTwo? Tired of your current CRM? AddressTwo can help you with your contact management, tasks, email marketing, even your web forms. Sign up today for a free trial and learn just how much AddressTwo can improve your sales opportunities!

AddressTwo University Big Changes Ahead for 2014

AddressTwo University

As with any great endeavor, sometimes it is necessary to re-evaluate what’s working and what isn’t.  In addition, as sales at AddressTwo have grown, so too have my responsibilities.  So to provide the utmost support to the AddressTwo University Blog and our readers, AddressTwo has brought in Charity Kountz of Kountz Marketing Group, to help with blog management and provide more help to our A2U Authors.  A partner provider with AddressTwo for over two years, as well as an award-winning author herself, Charity’s role will be to serve as Editor-in-Chief, if you will, of the blog and to serve as a point of contact for all things blog related.  We hope you will join us in welcoming Charity!

As a reader of the AddressTwo University Blog you can expect to see regular content that is relevant, exciting, and will truly help your business thrive in 2014.  AddressTwo University Blog serves a dual purpose: providing important content and resources to our customers, partner providers, and the business community in general, while also providing a platform for small business experts to showcase their knowledge and expertise to an interested audience.

If you are interested in contributing to our community as an Author please contact Charity [email her,] space is limited and our 2014 Author enrollment period is quickly ending. 

Do you have topics you’d like to see covered in 2014?  We want to hear from you!  Email Charity and let her know what you want to see covered in 2014.

Your Email List and the Value Exchange

Your name has value. Your email has value. As business owners we need to respect the high value of those two pieces of information and how we do that is by providing something of equal value in exchange.  Too often, we make the mistake of approaching how we build our email list by making it all about increasing our numbers.  Oh, don’t get me wrong; numbers are good.  You want numbers.  However, I challenge you to approach your email list building with a different mindset.  Think about: What kind of value can I offer to my community that SHOWS them how much I value them sharing their name and email?

Here’s the thing: it’s getting more and more competitive in the value space.  It used to be good enough to call your newsletter ‘valuable.’  Your newsletter probably is valuable.  It’s not the value of the newsletter that’s changed (hopefully).  What has changed is the expectation of how immediate that value exchange is.  Thus the reason why you see so much “enter your name and email and you will get INSTANT access to….” People want you to immediately show them how much you value them and then they expect you to keep showing them.  So, you give them an e-book, a free video, a white paper, a template---let your imagination run wild.  We have different value propositions tucked in a variety of places in our website. No neon signs. Just an offer of our value for yours.

Then, once you make that initial exchange, check in with them. Ask them how they are. Invite them to engage. Let them know that you care about their issues, their insights, their contribution.  Give them more value—something unexpected. Continuing along this value path will lead them through to where they become not just a number in your email list but they become part of your email community. Through this value exchange, you develop a relationship that you keep building.  Your trust keeps building and before you know it…your business is building right along with it.

Hmm. Funny how that happens.

Holly Kile is President and Chief Business Strategist of HJK Global Solutions, parent company of A2I Business Consulting and Pixie Dust University. Using her extensive background in operations management, systems analysis/implementation and strategic business marketing, Holly works with business owners and entrepreneurs who struggle with figuring out how to effectively achieve their vision for their business. As a result of working with Holly individually or participating in one of her many specialized training programs, her clients are able to access multiple opportunities for growth in their organizations and realize potential they didn’t previously know existed. To learn more about Holly and HJK Global Solutions visit www.hjkglobal.biz.

One Fun Way to Boost Your Social Media List

Sitting around wondering what email content I should post in our September Monthly News letter was taking me forever.  So what did I do?  I went and surfed around Facebook for a little while trying to come up with a topic for my headline story.  After about an hour of getting lost in Social Media it hit me, I could use a boost of fans on our AddressTwo Facebook Fan Page.    Here is a picture from my main story in our monthly newsletter.

Guess what, it worked!  Over the next few days we gained 77 new facebook fans of AddressTwo.

So what did I learn?

• Sometimes the most random ideas are the best ideas.
• When you "like" another company's fan page with your fan page, it doesn't count for a "like."  Check out the story on Social Media Travelers.
• A good idea is worth repeating.

Social Media List Building #2

With my facebook idea going well in September, I’m going to try it again this month….

Follow us on Twitter and we’ll follow you back – It’s that easy!  - Read our October newsletter for more details.
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The Failure of Outlook as a CRM System

I expect there may be a few more objections to this premise from some who have successfully used Outlook as their CRM for years. To that end, I would say that it's also true that people have successfully used their car keys as box cutters, but it's less than ideal. Truly, what it boils down to is the fact that the box cutter was all the way in the garage and your keys were already in your pocket.

For a one-off job, this is acceptable. But in your business, we're not talking about a one-off job. We're talking about the lifeblood of a small business: your contacts and your relationship with those contacts. You wouldn't think it too wise to walk into a warehouse where all the workers have their keys out cutting box after box, would you? I didn't think so. So, without further adieux: the failure of Outlook as a CRM...

1. Easily corrupted PST files. Currently, I can no longer access the address book function in my Outlook because after 5 years of emails the storage file known as a PST where all messages, contacts, and settings are stored became corrupted. I was able to recover emails thanks to a slick $30 program, but contacts are gone.
2. Limited search capabilities. I could title this point, "reliance on manual grouping" because the basic point is that in order to build collections of contacts that have some commonality, you have to manually create distribution groups. This plagues business people so terribly that when they finally migrate to a true CRM system like AddressTwo, users often struggle to grasp the idea of queriable data as a means for building target groups.
3. Lack of history record. Sure, you can see any email history (in fact, to a fault... do you really need to see all email history when what you really want to know is, "have I quoted them once before or not.") but there is in fact no way to easily track date-stamped activities such as calls, appointments, etc.
4. The plague of standalone software. If you have a sophisticated network using Microsoft's cost-prohibitive server solutions, then you can finally take control as manager and see what your employees are up to, share calendars, pass data back and forth, etc. But if not, the discontinuity of data can become very aggravating as your company grows to that intermediate size where you cannot justify purchasing and implementing Exchange, but you can't stand that each user is a veritable data island unto themselves.
5. The singular focus on email. CRM should help you automate multiple aspects of your sales and marketing. Try giving an Outlook CSV file to your printer for a direct mail campaign and you'll likely end up paying for clean-up, or having to spend time cleaning it up yourself.

The bottom line is that Outlook was an email tool that then added an address book... and then bolted on a calendar... and then stuck in a notes tool. Before you know it you're driving 59,60,61... automobile (for all you Johnny Cash fans out there). It's great for what it does. In fact, I still use it for email and for my daily calendar. But CRM... c'mon, take control of your data and market smarter!

Why are Businesses opting for VoIP systems?

Over the recent years, you've probably heard lots of talk in the business world about “voice over IP” or quite simply, VoIP. This term is used to describe a phone call made over an internet connection rather than a traditional telephone line. It might sound a bit ahead of our times, but there are many businesses that have transitioned or are planning to transition to this new telecommunication method. So, why are more and more businesses turning to VoIP systems every day? The reasons are numerous!

Businesses Save Money with VoIP

The various processes that come along with VoIP, such as set up, investment, management, and maintenance, are all much more affordable rather than traditional telephone system. Because voice and data are consolidated and move together on a single network, the savings ultimately start there. Because this type of system is easy to maintain and manage, it’s also the more financially sound option.

VoIP Offers More Productivity and Features

Communication is much more manageable and efficient due to the loads of features that VoIP comes along with. There are many features that are only possible over VoIP systems such as user presence, web integration, virtual phone numbers, voicemail transcription for email, and much more.

VoIP Setup is Straightforward

If you ever used a traditional phone system or worked in a setting that utilizes one, then you probably know that it required a phone switch to operate. If you're not familiar with the term, then you probably saw an area in the facility that looked like lots of hardware with cords running in and out of it. This hardware is essentially the control centre for the telephone system, and as you would assume, it requires lots of time and professional assistance to maintain and repair it. VoIP does not require this because the setup is incredibly simple and doesn't require nearly as much hardware or wiring.

VoIP is Backed By Strong Customer Support

Because the VoIP system works over the internet, customer support can be administered via the internet. This defeats the need for a physical professional to travel to the location of the phone system and work on it. These systems can easily be troubleshot with web-based support or via telephone support. Additionally, because the majority of the operations take place in the software of the phone system, it's quite easy to troubleshoot most of the time.

Auto Attendants are Easy to Set Up

Lastly, if you need to set up an automatic menu that queues whenever a caller phones in, this is incredibly easy to do on VoIP. Setting something like this up takes a lot more time and configuration on a traditional telephone system, but this is not so for VoIP lines.

Author Bio: Jonny Grant works with Business VoIP providers Packnet, advising business owners on the right VoIP systems for their business needs. As well as his daily role with Packnet, Jonny is also involved in writing and blogging about VoIP based trends and updates, alongside reviewing the latest calling based apps.

Blogging: 5 Tips to Make Your Blog Work For You

In the last ten years, blogging has evolved. Now, a blog is considered a key marketing component to providing value to current and prospective customers. As a result, blogging has evolved into an art form all its own. Is it any wonder many blog owners find themselves floundering in unfamiliar territory? Here are five tips to make your blog work for you.

Blog Writing Tip 1: Build Blog Engagement

Does your blog resonate with readers? Creating resonance is easy. Offer value. Think about what’s in it for your reader, not what’s in it for you. What’s the pain point for your audience? How can your unique product or experiences help someone else? These are key elements to reaching your audience and making your blog special.

Blog Writing Tip 2: Good Blog Posts Don’t Use Gimmicks

Sensational headlines and cheesy word play only does disservice to your blog if there’s no real substance behind the title. Readers want to be sucked in because they see value in your blog post. Your title is the first and most important way to achieve that. A vague, uninteresting, or misleading blog title will kill reader interest in ten seconds or less.

Blog Writing Tip 3: Don't Ignore SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a blog writer's best friend. Every blog post can and should provide value to readers but why just give it away?

A blog post can do double duty – providing long term SEO value for your website while attracting new visitors who have an interest in your products and providing value to the reader.

If time is money, then SEO insures your time spent blog writing (or paying for blog writing services) is money well spent. Keyword research is an essential part of this. Once created, that focused, timely, keyword-rich blog post is yours forever and can give your website dividends for years to come.

Blog Writing Tip 4: Avoid Too Much Content

Think of Goldilocks - too small, too big, and just right. Creating a 1,000 word blog post is too big and few will read it. Too short and search engines won't index it. Expect to share your message in 300 – 600 concise words. (Search engines require at least 300 words minimum). Use the "just right" number of words to get your message across.

This is not a hard and fast rule as more complicated topics may require more word count. Break complex topics up into multiple articles. Always choose a tightly focused keyword topic and stick to it. Use images to add variety to your content. Too much dense content packed on a page will overwhelm a reader mentally. A few creative minutes with PowerPoint and a picture editor could work wonders. Not to mention all the free images on the internet.

Blog Writing Tip 5: Avoid Posting Too Frequently

Life sure is busy these days, isn’t it? Between work, family, social media, and hobbies, who has time for casual reading online? As it turns out, blogs are an easy way to gain information quickly. Blog posts should be a reasonable number of times to suit your audience size and needs. A good rule of thumb is no more than twice a week and only if your blog post has important information (see blog writing tip #1) to share. Don’t blog for the sake of meeting some self-imposed expectation to do so every Tuesday and Thursday. Value your readers' time and they’ll stick with you long after your first blog post.

Are you overwhelmed by blogging and need more than just five simple blog writing tips? Never fear, our AddressTwo partner provider Charity Kountz of Kountz Marketing Group, has a special offer below just for our readers! 

Charity Kountz is an award winning children's author, freelance writer, and marketing consultant based in Dallas, Texas. She is committed to one simple goal: success for her clients. Connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more or visit her website.

A-scared and Paralyzed

When asked to write about a common business mistake, I immediately started a list of all the things we business owners do - or don't do - that are mistakes. You know that list; you probably play your own version through your head. Things like:

•         We don't follow up with potential clients or properly acknowledge referrals.
•         We don't plan well or stay organized.
•          We don't market enough, with a USP or brand as our focus.

But, to me, the biggest mistake made most often is being a-scared.

 Being a-scared is more than not liking spiders or worrying your skirt 

might be hiked up inappropriately.  A-scared is that made up word 

from my childhood that meant being so frightened it's paralyzing. 

Being a-scared makes it impossible to move forward or even maintain

 a position. It makes you take steps backward and as business owners,

 we let ourselves get a-scared - too often. It looks like this:

• You know you’d get more accomplished if you hired a VA or assistant. Why don't you? Yep - a-scared. You're thinking, "What if I can't pay them? What if I don't have enough to keep them busy and I'm wasting money." So you do nothing.
• You are behind on invoicing and paying your bills. The money is there, you just don't have time to make deposits or write checks. Again, being a-scared prevents you from investing in software or a bookkeeper. You're paralyzed and you add to the six months of paperwork stacked up. You do nothing to improve the situation and are dreading tax time!
• You have a great idea for a marketing campaign. You know it would increase your business. A-scared - squared. You’re afraid it will be so successful that you can't handle it all or, on the other hand, you're afraid it will flop and be a waste of money. So you do nothing.
• Nights are spent staring at the ceiling for hours. Why aren't you sleeping? Yep, a-scared. Too wound up to sleep and too exhausted to make a clear plan or find solutions. Your personal relationships are floundering because of too many hours away. Your home and vehicle need attention and you're avoiding the issues. So what do you do? Nothing, except start the next day exhausted and foggy.

Being a-scared becomes the norm and pretty soon, every day is filled with backward business-killing steps. It's easy to say don't be so afraid. Rational and realistic people know a little fear keeps us from making some ill-advised decisions. But being a-scared can keep us from making any decisions.

So, start by acknowledging you feel a-scared. And then begin with just one decision. It doesn't have to be a big one - just one that will make a change for the better.

Continue to build and pretty soon, you might feel cautious or uncertain, but you won't be a-scared - at least not all the time. You'll consciously know that nothing good- or bad- lasts forever. And, if you make a mistake, just apologize to everyone (and yourself) and try something else.

Remember, if you don't like something, you can change it, you're not a tree - and you don't have to be a-scared.

    Elaine Whitesides

Online Reputations Matter

Everybody knows that the customer service at Xbox Live and Microsoft stinks—even when you have to report serious issues like sexual harassment and threatening behavior. How does everybody know this? Because people talk.

They don’t just talk anymore, though: they type—they type and tweet and update their Facebook pages and leave online reviews on every review site they can find. They email their friends. Those friends tweet, etc.

In the case of Jenny Haniver (see link above), the biggest part of the problem was how far she had to go (posting about the problem publicly and inadvertently creating a media circus around her situation) to get any sort of action taken. Even with repeated calls and emails in to customer service and support teams, she couldn’t find out whether or not her complaint had gotten farther than being registered with the system.

This is not the sort of thing you want people to equate with your company.

The biggest part of preventing this is, obviously, having a stellar customer service team on staff. In addition to being available, you need to train your customer service and support departments on how to help the people who send in feedback feel heard. Imagine how much better Xbox Live could have fared if its team kept customers happy and buying by following up immediately with people who file complaints.

Sure, there’s room to acknowledge that Xbox Live is a huge company and probably has to deal with thousands if not millions of tickets submitted every day. They probably employ a large number of people to handle, at least on a superficial basis, the tickets that get filed. It’s possible that they even outsource a large amount of their customer service duties to call and support centers. They can do that because their company has gotten so big that—even in the wake of this recent slough of bad press—they know that people will keep playing even when they mess up (at least for now).

You probably don’t have that confidence just yet. Unlike Amazon, you don’t have the dough to hire a couple thousand more customer service agents. So what can you do? How do you make sure that your company’s online presence and reputation are as solid and positive as possible?

The best way to ensure that you don’t have to deal with the level of bad press that XBox Live recieved is to be proactive. Solve problems before they can grow. If you don’t have the staff power to take care of that in house, follow the big guys’ leads and outsource those duties to companies like Brand.com who do have the staff on hand to manage your presence and reputation.

Make sure that, whoever you employ to handle your customer service and support—in house or outsourced—understands how to make sure that the person filing the ticket feels taken seriously. How do you do that?

1. Have the team respond immediately and personally. A quick, “thanks for your feedback” note that features the person’s name and a couple of details about their issue will suffice.

2. Follow up. It should be customer service policy that no complaint or raised issues go more than forty eight hours without a follow up. Even if you don’t have anything new to report a simple “we’re still working on it” will get the job done.

3. Keep the person in the loop. Letting the person know what you’re doing to fix the problem goes a long way toward building trust and rebuilding the relationship.

Imagine what would have happened if XBox Live had just used these tips!
_______________________________________________________
Alex Woods is a freelance writer who most often writes about smart business choices. You can find him on Google+.

The Iron Clad Business - It's Better to Be Safe Than Sorry

“It’s better to be safe than sorry.” A phrase that invokes a sense of prevention for the modern business owner. There are several ways the security within a business can be breached. Now, with technology at full mast, it’s not only just possible to steal from businesses physically, but electronically as well.

It’s best to battle these two fronts head on, by preventing theft and securing your business. Here are a few ways business owners are preventing their business investments from going down the drain due to theft.

Anti-Theft Software
    
If you don’t have security software in your computer, then your business could be a potential target for online hackers and identity thieves looking for ways to steal from the average Joe. Basically, with modern technology, hackers can identify, infiltrate and steal data, bank account numbers and client information from a remote location.

One of the most effective and widely used anti-theft software is McAfee. Tested and pre-loaded onto most computers, specifically new Macs and Ultrabooks, keeps personal data and information from being siphoned by foreign computers. For a nominal fee, those without this service hardwired into their computers, can download McAfee.

Tracking Software
Modern business owners are always on the go. With them, they take their laptops, smart phones and other electronic devices that not only store valuable, business and financial information, but also keep record of personal information (i.e. social security numbers, DOB). In a blink of an eye, you could leave your device on a coffee shop table to go to the bathroom, only to come back and find it missing.

Luckily, more people are understanding the importance of smart, tracking software. A few of the most popular and business approved software are Adeona, GadgetTrak and Laptop Cop.

Adeona is an open-source software that reports the internet address of a stolen device that is being used to the owner, pinpointing the exact location of the laptop once it connects to wireless networks. If McAfee protects the contents of your device, Adeona protects it physically.

GadgetTrak, another tracking software, not only tracks the whereabouts of your device, but also snaps a picture of the thief every 30 minutes or whenever it’s being used. GadgetTrak is available for Windows, PCs, Blackberrys, iPhones and Windows mobile phones.

Looking for a tracking software that not only locates your device, but allows you to delete, lock out or retrieve data files remotely? Laptop Cop does just that! Once you report your device stolen, users are able to log into the main site, monitor, track information and manipulate data. It also allows the user to send messages to the thief, while they’re using your device.

Business Security
Once you secure electronic information as well as the devices you use to store that information, it may be time to secure the nest itself. By securing your business with security systems (i.e. alarms, break in detection), you’ll not only be securing your personal property, but you’ll also be adding to your piece of mind.

One of the most common systems used by business owners and homeowners that run their business from their homes is ADT. Of course, to better understand your security system options, it’s best to compare them side-by-side on sites like http://www.SecurityChoice.com. Doing research and comparing providers will help you find the best business security system and service on the market.

By protecting your business electronically and physically, not only will you be able to reduce your risk of theft, but you’ll be securing your investments. Take heed, it’s better to be safe than sorry! 
_____

Alex Woods is a freelance writer who most often writes about smart business choices. You can find him on Google+.

Those With the Biggest Win ... Databases That Is!

Are you looking for a better and more effective way to increase your email address list?

Adding Mobile marketing to your arsenal has proven to increase email databases by as much as 300%

Mobile marketing technologies by way of action based text offers has proven to build our clients mobile lists dramatically.  But did you know that you can grow your email list this dramatically as well?

When you engage your customers by using our exclusive web widget collection device, YOUR prospect or customer fills in their information and receives an instant text message coupon, message and/or link.  You have now captured a mobile device to re-connect with instantly. However, the stats show as high as 75% of these mobile consumers also enter their email addresses even when we do not make it mandatory

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Over the last year, Email open rates have increased by upwards of 20%, so adding new emails to get your message across to your target markets is a good and smart business decision.

When you are ready to double or even triple the size of your email list, call Baytech Mobile today for a FREE consultation and mention the promotion code ADDYTWO for a 15% off of your managed monthly service of the first YEAR!!

First there was direct mail, then email…now there is mobile.

         www.baytechmobile.com

         888-374-0555
         info@baytechmobile.com

Solving the Writing Dilemma

People joke about Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) but when they are well done, they can make a business hum right along. Following established SOPs creates consistency for customers and allows workers to know what has to be done, how and when it needs to be done – and often, who is going to do it. Processes make it easier to grow and promote greater profits because energy can be expended on expansion, not the routine – just like using AddressTwo!

Use a process to take away the frustration of writing.

In today’s business environment, many business owners know about the “free” marketing available using blogging and social media like Facebook and Twitter. And they like the cost of it. The price they see is that the content has to be written and that’s when all of us at Whitesides Words hear:

• I don't have anything to say
• I can't write it so people would understand.
• Who would want to hear what I have to say?

My reply is, “Yes, you do. Yes, you can and a lot of people are looking for the information you provide.” Let’s look at blogging and one SOP process to make it routine and more easily achievable.

First off, understand that people search the Internet every day looking for products, services and solutions to their problems. Identify the problems your business can solve or prevent, explain how and searchers are led to your website. But just writing how you can solve a problem probably won’t give you the 300 – 500 word blog post. It’s easy, though, to achieve that if you create a story following a format, a process:

1. Set up the story: Share that you are telling about a customer experience, a news item that highlights a problem, a common situation you encounter or a customer testimonial.
2. Explain the problem: How was it found (symptoms or signs) and how to diagnose it.
3. Offer the solution(s): Explain the possible solutions and then tell which was chosen and why. Don’t get too technical or divulge too many details. Most customers want evidence of expertise and professionalism, but then they want you to fix the problem.
4. Share the outcome: How did the fix go? Did other problems crop up? What was prevented by fixing it now?
5. Suggest they contact you: This is a “call to action.” A sentence at the end that says your company is there to help them solve their problems, too. All they have to do is pick up the phone!

Just think of all the situations and problems you encounter every week. Use this process and you could have at least one blog post per week. In fact, others in your business could follow the process and contribute, too!

Just think about it!

Elaine Whitesides

Common Business Mistakes

Avoiding these common business mistakes will help you cultivate lasting relationships with your customers, increase sales and revenue, improve productivity, and save time throughout your workday.

Here are some of the most common business mistakes made by small business owners, and what to do about them!

Lack of Engagement

Whether it’s social media, email marketing, or a good old fashioned phone call, many entrepreneurs fail to engage with their customers in a meaningful way.

For example, a lot of small businesses spend time and money posting on Facebook, tweeting, and crafting interesting email blasts. However, authentic relationships can only be cultivated by authentic engagement.

Engagement with your users is created when there is a regular back and forth conversation happening between you and your customers. This means that when you post a link on Facebook and a user responds, you then respond to their comment. Your response to their comment is a crucial third step that many businesses fail to make.

Engaging with your customers encourages them to continue the conversation with you. When they are rewarded for actively participating with you and your product, they are not only more likely to buy; they’re much more likely to recommend you to a friend.

Engagement creates a strong bond between the customer and your brand. They feel heard and seen, and they feel like their opinion matters to you. Be sure to return voicemails, respond to survey results, and respond to each and every comment online!

Failure to Follow Through

Another common business mistake is the failure to follow through. You want to increase sales and make your customers happy, so you bend over backward to promise them the world.

Unless you can make good on that promise, don’t make it! It’s much better to under-promise and over-deliver. Doing what you say you’re going to do cultivates trust and loyalty, and is even more important than offering a mind-blowing product or service.

Wasting Time

One of the most widespread common business mistakes is the tendency to waste time and money because of disorganization. From your schedule to your office space, disorganization is the clutter-clad monster keeping you from truly thriving and taking your business to the next level.

The first step toward eliminating wasted time throughout the workday is organizing your office space. Shoeboxed is a receipt scanning service that will eliminate stacks of paper clutter and help you prevent new clutter from accumulating.

When you sign up for Shoeboxed, you’ll receive several Magic Envelopes. Toss receipts, bank statements, and anything else that needs to be saved into the envelope, then place the envelope in the mail. Your workspace will suddenly be clutter free, and your receipts and documents will be digitized in your Shoeboxed account.

A clear workspace and an organized Shoeboxed account will eliminate countless hours spent searching for lost receipts and documents, and free you up to get back to business.

Most common business mistakes are easy to fix and lead to increased profits.

By strengthening engagement, following through, and getting organized, you’ll see a measurable boost in conversions, repeat customers, and lucrative long-term referrals. 

How To Create A Unique Website

Without much knowledge, but a little ingenuity and creativity you can make a unique website. There are all sorts of ways to create a unique websites depending on who your target audience profile. The number one thing that you have to keep in mind when designing your own website is to keep yourself in the mind of the consumer and those who will and who you want to be looking at your website. Key elements to include that will make it stand out from all the rest are pictures, headlines, and those things that make you or your product(s) interesting and intriguing to prospect and clients.

The one thing you have to keep in mind is the point of view of the person you are or want to communication with through your site. If you are going to create a website that is more informational than entertaining, then you'll want loads of facts about the issue that are important to your ideal client/prospect. However, if your goal is to have a website dedicated to entertainment and keeping people interested, then you may want to consider having a more colorful website and making the text and pictures you include stand out a great example of this is one of my favorite www.comicbookfonts.com, I love their look.

Another rule to follow would be to remember that headlines stand out among the rest of the jumble on the website and make it more interesting anyway! Think about it! If you create a website that has a lot of information on it, that website may be helpful but how are people to sort through all the information that is displayed? Creating headlines on your website will make it easily navigable! There is a great book on this called “Don’t Make Me Think!” by Steve Krug.

Having a clear organization or flow to your website is also thing to keep in mind. Your website won't do any good if you have information about dogs under the cat topic. Of course, that is only a suggestion but you'd be surprised at the many people who disorganize their website, only to find that they receive little to no traffic because of their disorganization!

Pictures and icons also serve a purpose in your website! Whether you realize it or not, the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words," is absolutely true! People and consumers will be drawn to your website even more if there is a picture about something that they are interested in. Consider having a picture or an illustration about your main topic which will give your prospect a summary of what your website is about!

All of these things will go a long way in helping you to receive more traffic constantly for your website. If you have no organization to your website then the information will be extremely hard to follow. Creating headlines will create an awesome, stand-out website, along with the pictures and illustrations that you add! Of course, you don't have to strictly follow only these rules when creating your website. There is literally an unlimited number of ways to make your website more unique, and all you have to do is tap into that creative power to give your website a zing for your customers!

One last and very important thing to remember, Be sure to use AddressTwo to have someplace on your site for people to join your mailing list.

Jack Klemeyer

Business Development Coach

A Digital Mirror – Your Website

When potential customers visit your website, do they see a true reflection of you and your business?

Have you ever met a new acquaintance and have the feeling that the person already knows something about you? There is a good chance that they have already “met” you online via Google, Facebook or your business website. That means that you have already made that first impression and they bring it to the moment when they actually meet you face-to-face.

What does your website say about you – and your business?

So, if potential clients stopped by your website for a sneak peek, what impression would they have about you and your business? The organization of information and the quality of the composition can sway opinions one way or another. For instance:

•   Is the tone of the writing friendly, yet professional? Does it reflect who you are and what you want your business to be?
• Is the message on each page clear, logically ordered and concise? Does it tell potential clients that you and your team are organized and communicate well?
• Is the composition following standard spelling, grammar and punctuation conventions? Will your clients feel that you will handle their account without cutting corners and with attention to the details?
• Is the language engaging, creative and interesting? Many a situation can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction with some creative thinking, a positive perspective and a sense of humor. Is it evident from the copy that problems and challenges are addressed with an open mind and possibilities?

How your website looks, functions and the words used convey much more than just nice colors, photos, navigation and message. It represents how you and the business present yourself, how you approach your work and the importance you put on communication and client satisfaction.

Business evolves and so should your website

In the beginning, you might have had a completely different vision or path for your business and your website should evolve right along with the changes that occur in operations or direction. If it doesn't, that sends another message – one you wouldn't want potential clients to get. There is nothing worse than getting a call for an out-of-date service listed on the website and having to explain that it is no longer offered. Those calls are usually very short.

Think of it this way: You wouldn't wear dirty, worn and tattered clothing to call on your customers. You would take them off, clean them and repair the torn seams or replace missing buttons. Some might even need to be discarded. Handle your website the same way. Every once in a while take a look and see if pieces need to be thrown out or repaired. Perhaps the entire site and organization needs to be updated. Remember, it could be the first impression potential clients have of you. Let the quality of composition help you make it a good one.

Elaine Whitesides

Owner/Writer Whitesides Words

www.whitesideswords.com

The Zero Second Impression

Remember the "good ol' days" when business owners weren't sure if they needed to have a cell phone. Maybe not, but today even farmers have cell phones, satellite imagery and GPS navigation systems for their tractors to know what fields to harvest when. The same is true with business owners and websites. A few years ago I can remember that some businesses thought they didn't need one and although, I do still hear that from time to time, it is getting pretty rare to find a business owner that thinks that way today.

It use to be said that you have 10 seconds to make a good first impression. The assumption is that as a business owner when someone came into your establishment or you spoke with them on the phone that you had 10 seconds based on your body language, tone of voice, appearance of the location and many other factors to make a good first impression. Of course, all that is true in personal interactions for the first time, but in many cases a personal interaction is not the first interaction your potential customer or client has had with you. It's very likely that they "googled" you and looked at your profiles online and visited your website. So in reality by the time they've met you an opinion has already been formed. That is what I like to call the "zero second impression".

In my opinion the single most important factor to help establish a good first impression online is still your businesses website. It does not have to be a massive site or have complex functionality to help establish a good brand identity. Websites can cost from hundreds of thousands of dollars to a few thousand dollars and if you have some basic technical skills just a few hundred dollars with tools like WordPress. So now there are no excuses not to have a nice looking well maintained site.

Websites are today's storefronts. They should be clean and well maintained. No good store owner would sweep their window displays on establishing their business and dust them or change displays once every 5 years. Keeping your website fresh with imagery and content is also good for search engine ranking.

It's important to remember that your website is your calling card to the search engines and thus your potential customers. There is no reason not to have one and to keep it fresh and maintained so that you can make the best zero second impression possible.

Mat Maynor

Mat is co-founder and chief strategy guy of Big Vision Media Group.  /]  He has nearly 20 of experience developing branding and marketing strategies for companies ranging from Fortune 50 to start-ups.  Connect with Mat on twitter @thinkstrategy and Facebook. 

Do’s and Don’ts: Videos as a Digital Marketing Tool

This post is courtesy of Cameron Madill, CEO of PixelSpoke.com, a Portland, Oregon based digital marketing & website redesign agency.

 In a day when great online content is king, many companies are turning to digital marketing in the form of videos. Videos are an accepted form of marketing that consumers enjoy and are cost effective. Plus, a video can be a great way to bring organic traffic to your site. There are times, however, when a video can do more harm than good. Before your next video goes live, make sure it has a mix of all the right elements.

Do

Make a Great First Impression

Any digital marketing and content that you post online is the face of your business and reflects your definition of quality.

Go Natural

Everyone can tell when someone on camera is trying to remember lines or feels uncomfortable. Whether you use professional actors or people from your office, the dialogue should sound natural, as if the person on camera is having a conversation. 

Focus on the Customer

Viewers don’t care about how great you think your business is or any of its achievements. They want to know about what you can do for them. In your video, show your target audience how your business addresses their needs and solves their problem. Prove that you are a practical solution that they can trust.  

Don’t

Settle for ‘Good Enough’

If your video is anything less than high quality, it will compromise your business’ image and reputation. Never publish a video that is shaky, low quality, over or underexposed or filmed with a handheld camera.

Remember that first impressions are everything. If prospective customers see that you are okay with publishing a less-than-quality video, they may think that you are okay with selling sub-par items or services.

Give the Competition a Chance

Let’s say that there are two identically great products with similar prices. One comes in a beautiful package and the other comes in a box that has dents and bad graphics. Which would you choose? Chances are that you would pick the one with the nice packaging because it gives the appearance of quality, a perceived added value.

When you have a poor video, you business offers customers a good product or service with an ugly package. This gives the competition the upper hand, even if it doesn’t have any videos on its site.

Forego Professional Services

Producing and publishing a low-budget video won’t save you any money if it doesn't lead to an increase in sales or traffic. If you or someone in your office knows how to professionally produce and edit a video, great! Purchase or rent quality equipment and go for it. Otherwise, hire a video production company so you can blow the competition away.

Video is a great digital marketing solution that offers countless benefits when done correctly. Use it to introduce and share your company with others and encourage consumer engagement.