Homemaker CEOGrowing Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally

Good customer service is important, but it will not necessarily bring repeat business or referrals – it is expected

 People don’t refer business to you because you meet their minimum expectations. They refer you because they expect you to do a good job which, in turn, enhances their relationship with the person they are referring

   1. Take their pulse. In this changing economy, it’s more important than ever to get ongoing feedback from your customers. Using inexpensive online surveys, you can quickly learn what your customers are thinking at any given moment. Ask how you can help them. This is powerful information you can use to make real-time adjustments to your business based on your customers’ current needs.

       2. Have a dialogue with your customers. Don’t just feed information to your customers and talk at them; invite them to engage in a conversation with you through your e-mail marketing newsletters. Do this by writing content that inspires your audience to talk back in a Q&A or a “stump the experts” section. Ask readers to submit their questions or concerns, and then publish answers and opinions. When you feature a conversation with customers, you demonstrate to your readers that you share their concerns and that you’re also dealing with the pressures of the economy. Providing timely, interesting and entertaining content shows off your expertise, while listening and responding show that you care.

ž      3. Co-host an event with another local business. Whether you’re a retail business with a Main Street shop, a professional service with an at-home office or an entrepreneur with a web presence, teaming up with a related business is a great way to cross-promote to likely customers.

Use your e-mail marketing tool to publicize these live events and leverage both your list and your co-host’s list. Always have an e-mail signup book readily available to collect new addresses from future customers.

ž      4. Do good and drive business to your business. Consumers are becoming more aware of social issues and their impact on the world around them. Tap into your customers’ desire to give back to the community. Team up with a local charity that will use your business as a drop-off location over the holidays, or make a donation in your customers’ name in a charity holiday gift drive as an incentive for them to do business with you.

Use e-mail marketing to inform customers about your involvement with the charity and invite them to join you in your support by offering their time, money, or ideas. You’ll be doing something great for the community while increasing awareness for your business.

ž      Touch base frequently. If they recently placed an order or you provided a service, ask them for feedback. Showing you care about their satisfaction level speaks volumes about your commitment to them. It can also provide you with an opportunity to gain insight on other products and services that you can offer to gain new business.

ž      If they have not done business with you in a while, check to see how you can help them. It may also serve as a reminder that they may need your product or service.

ž      2. Pick up the phone. If most of your communication takes place via e-mail, it’s still important to pick up the phone occasionally to touch base with your customers. Personal interaction is an important element in building a relationship

ž       Branch out. You may have a particular target market in mind, but to reach it doesn’t mean that you network with just that group. Find groups that don’t mirror your target market and build relationships with their members. That is the benefit of networking. People you meet know people who might be future customers.

ž      4. Become a resource. Stepping out to assist someone doesn’t always mean you’ll get an immediate return on your efforts. Refer a customer to them, help with an event or offer suggestions. When they, or someone they know, are looking for a product or service that you offer, you’re more likely to be foremost in their mind. The more you get to know them, the more you’ll be able to offer assistance by knowing their needs.

ž      5. Write a note. Adding the personal touch of a thank you note to show customers your appreciation for their business is priceless. For the best impact, send it immediately after the event.

ž      6. Tailor your approach. Your customers vary in work load, style of communication and desire to share information, so your approach should be just as diverse. If your customer doesn’t appreciate your just stopping in, then call in advance to set up a time or invite him or her out for coffee.

ž      But your approach needs to be genuine and within your comfort zone or it may backfire on you. If you aren’t comfortable with face-to-face interactions, you may want to start by picking up the phone.

ž      7. Be prompt with inquiries. It shows your commitment to a high level of service and establishes confidence in you and your company. Also, if an issue arises, take action and make it your priority to resolve it immediately. Sometimes errors and how we resolve them provide an exceptional opportunity to show our commitment to the customer–take a bad situation and make it a positive.

ž      8. Listen, listen, listen. Your customer may provide cues that might be your gateway to providing a personal touch. If they indicate that their child is heading off to their first year of college, or they are taking a long awaited vacation, jot these things down on a calendar so you can ask how things went when you do a follow-up call. Or they might state that it was their birthday last week. Put that on your calendar so the following year you can send a birthday greeting.

ž      Building any type of a relationship takes time, whether it’s a personal or business relationship. It’s an essential part of your business to help maintain and grow your customer base. As part of your daily to-do list, make a point to touch one customer every day. You may be surprised at the impact.

Other customer retention strategies include:

ž      Blogs

ž      CRM Systems

ž      Loyalty Programs

ž      Personal Touches

ž      Premiums and Gifts

ž      Questionnaires and Surveys

ž      Regular Reviews

ž      Social Media

Kristine Pharr is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Apex in McKinney.  Customer retention and satisfaction is very important to Kristine. www.kristinepharr.com.

1. Know your camera and what it can and can’t do (read the manual and practice =)) With a point and shoot you need to anticipate your child’s action because of  its  slower shutter speed. With a SLR you have more freedom to shoot continuously quickly.
2. Keep your camera out and available- if it’s in its bag in your purse you will miss  candid shots of your kids, keep it on the mantel or on the kitchen counter so you can grab it quickly when they are doing something cute =)
3. Capture your kids doing what they love- while outside take photos inconspicuously as they play in the sand or blow bubbles, inside- peek around the corner while they are engrossed in building lego swords or bouncing on their horse.
4. Look at the results you are getting- too much flash- go into your menu and dial down the flash power to make the photos more natural looking, kids blinking or red eye- try to take the shot again- don’t assume the shot was good- check it!!
5. Keep the kids clothing and the background simple- it will draw your eye to the subject rather than to all the other possible distracting elements- mantels, bookshelves, picture frames-Look at your subject and be aware of your background.
6. Get down to the child’s eye level and take the photo or even better get on the floor and shoot up at them; it creates  a much more engaging photo.
7. Use natural light when possible- disable your flash and have them play near a large window and shoot away.
8. Know how to use your self-timer. You want to be in some photos with your family. (even if you think you don’t) Make it a fun tradition or game to set up the camera and be super serious or funny all together.
9. Shoot, shoot, shoot- the more photos you take the better you will get at taking them and it also  increases the likelihood of  getting a “great shot” =)

jace.jpg

Tips by Karis Johnston- mom of 3.5, lover of photography =)

www.karisjohnstonphotography.com

Jodi Whisenhunt with Aim for Perfection Editing, thought this would be a great link to share with you all.

http://www.christianhomebusinessconnection.com/blog/praying-specifically

Once again, I will use Mary Kay Ash as one of the most wonderful and successful examples for our lives professionally. After reading a couple of her books, I took away some wonderful daily tips we could apply to our own business and home life.

For this week, we will start with what Mary Kay used as her leading principle in her business and her life, The Golden Rule.

The Golden rule if you are not familiar with it can be credited to the Word of God in Mathew 7:12, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (NIV).

Even in the most difficult of business situations and of course at home, I challenge you to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. For instance, if a business transaction is taking place but does not seem to be flowing as smooth as expected, before reacting, ask yourself, what would I want them to do in this situation?

Nine out of ten times, if you practiced the Golden Rule, you would not get as frustrated at the situation and even apologized for any inconvenience the issue may have caused between the two. Business practices are not the same as when I was a young girl. Businesses hardly take the customer in consideration when their experience is not as positive as possible. In fact, many places of business even make the customer feel as if they are not welcome if they are complaining about a valid moment of disappointment.

Leave a fond memory of your business with each and every one of your clients by treating them how you would want to be treated.

Copyright © 2010 Teresa G. Lusk

John 3:17-22 (New American Standard Bible)
But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.19We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

God has an expectation of us and that is to love with action, not just our hopes or good hearted intentions for someone. He literally expects us to labor and toil for the good of someone else. His Word also mentions that He wants us to love in truth. Let’s explore what His Word directs for us today. I have inserted brackets to give you the original meaning in the Greek for some of the words used in the passage. It will bring grater light and understanding as you read this.

18 Little children, let us not love with word [meaning something said, communication] or with tongue [flapping your gums] but in deed [toil and labor] and truth [truth is Jesus as stated in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth and the life.]

In fact, His Word assures us that we know we belong to Him when put forth physical action and work toward His kindgdom. I believe this includes serving at our church, serving people whom we would not love if God wasn’t looking and people who simply need a glimpse of who Jesus is. In addition, the Bible tells us that our heart condemns us [hearts in this passage means thoughts, feelings, mind] but that blessing others by labor and toil we are assured and have evidence that we belong to Him when in doubt.

19We will know [be sure and understand] by this that we are of the truth [the truth is Jesus], and will assure [inward certainty, evidence, belief, trust,] our heart before Him 20in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart.

What an awesome passage in v.19 that it reminds us that God is greater than our heart, our mind, our thoughts, and our feelings. So when we are feeling sad, down, lonely, while doing God’s work and wondering what the purpose of it it, here is your friendly reminder!

21 Beloved, if our heart [again our thoughts, feelings, and mind] does not condemn us [condemn means note against, find fault with and blame], we have confidence [assurance, boldness, free and open confidence] before God.

There is a link between doing things, working in action toward others for the glory of God and confidence we gain in ourselves. First, there is a supernatural link between the two. He says that if we love in toil and labor for the benefit of others, we are assured by this that we are His children which bring confidence. Secondly, when we focus on others we forget about ourselves, our worries, needs and desires. However His grace, love, and mercy do not end there. The Lord, turns around and blesses us which also increases our confidence. See the next verse.

22 and whatever we ask [ask meaning beg, call for, crave, desire, or require] we receive from Him because we keep [keep meaning hold fast to, prevent from escaping, guard] His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

It is clear, we can walk with our head up high when we are assured we are His children. Our minds, thoughts, and feelings can condemn us but only for a moment as we are reminded that if we act on loving-kindness in toil and action toward others, we are His and can be reminded of our place in the Kingdom of God.

Teresa G. Lusk
Speaker, Author, Teacher
www.teresalusk.com

Copyright © 2010 Teresa G. Lusk