holiday-planning

PLANNING TIPS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2019

by BlogCommunications

holiday-planningWith the 4th of July closing with a bang, it is hard to wrap your mind around the fact that it is time to begin planning for the fall and winter holiday seasons as you end 2019. Whether you offer B2B or B2C services, planning is essential for growth.

As a B2B, identify your target companies in your given verticals. Know their business cycles. For example, if you want to work with government entities, know that they are already starting to think of their budgets for 2020. If you wait until October to establish a relationship, chances are you have missed the budgeting window for the next year.

Although July may be prime vacation time, it can also be a time to reflect on the first half of the year and target potential prospects for the remainder of 2019. Perhaps there are networking events to attend and with potential businesses follow-up. Add people you meet to your newsletter list to regularly touch base with them. Set the reoccurring events in your calendar and regularly attend to establish a business presence.

For B2C, the holiday season is one of the largest spending holidays for consumers. Consumers are shopping online more than ever. Give them a reason to come into your store. Look how Kohl’s has established a relationship with Amazon returns. They are betting when people come into the store with an online purchase return, they will also purchase from Kohl’s.

With shopping days such as, Back to School Sales, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and all the other special sale days, it’s important to have a plan in place. The Edmiston Group has already planned a B2C sale for one of our clients for their August/September ads. It’s hard to think about Back to School in early July.

There are some important steps and planning that are required to have a successful holiday season.

  • Set clear, obtainable goals. It gives both you and your employees something to work toward. Have different rewards for reaching company goals. Keep everyone focused on the prize while working together to achieve the goal. Determine and communicate to your staff the different reward values for achieving larger and smaller goals. This will help keep everyone motivated and excited about the holiday season. Be certain to deliver the promised rewards. A pizza party or some Starbucks gift cards can go a long way. Always remember to thank your employees for a job well done.
  • Financially planning for the holidays is important to being successful. Most businesses or companies have inventory in stock, especially if you are a storefront or goods-based company. Perhaps establishing a line of credit will allow you to have extra available finances that are important to be able to purchase holiday inventory. Moving into the holiday cash strapped can leave a company short on funds to purchase the number of goods needed to get through the upcoming holiday.
  • Plan out any special events for each holiday. Will your office or business have a party for each holiday? If so, what is your budget for the party, where and when will it be held? How will you notify your customers about the special event? Do you offer customer reward programs and VIP events such as early bird sales or special discounts for family and friends?
  • Make sure your team is educated. Holidays are often a time of stress for consumers. Enable your customers to enjoy a pleasurable shopping experience with you by delivering a strong customer service experience. Keep your employees educated on your company’s goods and services, along with any specials or sales you plan on having. This type of communication enables them to deliver a strong customer experience to frenzied customers.

In summary… B2C make sure you have a plan in place for the delivery and sale of the newest, most popular products on the market. Financially prepare for purchase of needed inventory. Educate your employees on new products and upcoming sales. Communicate upcoming events to your customers.

B2B know your client verticals and their sales cycles. Target your message and identify pain points to become a problem solver. Be consistent in your marketing efforts – via shared articles, newsletters and social media.

You will find that with proper planning and execution, your business will yield the results this upcoming fall and into the holiday season.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

scaling-your-business

SCALING YOUR BUSINESS

by BlogCommunications

scaling-your-businessAre you ready to scale your business but don’t know how to bring on the right team? Don’t base decisions on where you are – base them on what you want to become. One of the first things to determine is what type of company do you want to become.

Most of us can remember a time where our parents questioned our friends as we grew up. While it was an annoyance, it taught us the important lesson of making sure that we surround ourselves with the right people. By selecting a strong group of friends, you create a circle of people that are there to support you, cheer your big accomplishments and help to pull you up when you fall. That same mindset of surrounding yourself with the “right” people is extremely important as a business owner.

Trusted business partnerships can be an important part of small business growth. Recruiting might not always be the answer. Often it can be better to outsource tasks and functions to ensure the best outcomes. Also, realize when you need to delegate responsibility. Perhaps you can outsource particular functions to a fractional CFO, Marketing Director or HR professional. You can build a virtual management team that can offer focused services and strategy for company growth.

When your business starts to scale up growth, it is hard, and things can begin to creak. Weaknesses can be exposed, and you can’t always fix them quickly once the journey is started. You could be held back by your IT system, processes, cash flow, team or all of the above.

Do you know the difference between management and leadership? While managers plan, organize and coordinate, leaders have a vision; they persuade, inspire and motivate others. Think now about how you can build your leadership capacity to grow your company.

Create the right culture and an environment where people want to be and want to excel – then get out of the way and let them get on with it. All team members must be properly engaged, valued, motivated, recognized and rewarded. Everyone must pull in the same direction.

Small business is a fast-paced environment. With the onslaught of social media and other changes in technology, it’s a never-ending quest to stay abreast of new trends. Hiring the wrong person or a non-team player may take your already overwhelming workload and increase it, causing more pain than relief.

  • References. It is amazing how many companies ask for references and never even look into them. References are an important part of finding out who the person is that you are looking to hire. It’s also important to check out the person’s social media platforms. Find out who they are outside of the workplace. This will help to determine if they are right for your company’s culture.
  • Proper interview. As you interview your prospective employees, take the time to find out who they are. Questions like: What are you passionate about? What is your greatest accomplishment? How do you handle conflict or challenge? Why should I hire you over someone else?
  • Trust your gut. While the prospective employee may seem “nice”, what does your gut tell you? As a business owner, you have followed your gut on many occasions and it has led you to this point in your business career, so don’t stop listening to it now.
  • Multiple rounds of interviews. Be sure to have more than one interview with the person. Include other people in the interviews such as other employees, partners, or mentors. This will help you to get a better perspective on the person being interviewed. Remember that your employees are the ones who will be working with the recruit every day and valuing their opinion can help to make a more cohesive workplace.

While being a business owner is a rewarding experience, surrounding yourself with the right people, can help you take your business to new heights. Take the time to properly vet consultants and prospective employees. Building a strong team and leading with a vision to inspire your team can help make your business a success.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Content-Marketing

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

by BlogCommunications

Content-MarketingWe create original articles for a number of our clients to help them keep their name in front of potential referral sources, current customers and potential customers. Working in tandem with business development staff, we have helped businesses systematically grow their email lists in given market segments.

Content marketing with a targeted message can help you stand out, but are you solving a problem or pushing your own agenda?

Are you asking the right questions to identify the problem and offer a solution? If you are not listening to your customer, then how can you identify what they need? Here are some things to think about.

Are you original? There is certainly a place for stock photography, but customers want to know the person behind the business. When we share staff birthday photos or photos of the owner’s children – it puts human elements into the business. Many of our construction clients share job photos that depict their work. Show what you do and be proud of your work. Share reviews others leave. There is nothing better than a third-party telling others how great of a job you’ve done.

What Do You Know? Sharing knowledge helps to set you apart as an expert. Sure you may share tips that others could use, but how often will people go to the extent of replicating your process when you’ve already figured it out. The exposure of this process and your expertise will help grow your business.

Who Are Your Customers? Know who your ideal customer is. I challenge you to write down your top 3 customers and then list why they are your best customer. Once you know your ideal customer ask them what keeps them up at night. Offer a solution to their nighttime worries and don’t be afraid to give away some of your secret sauce. Some of the most successful business consultancies in the world give their entire process away in book form or an e-book.

Is your Content Meaningful and Engaging? By allowing your potential clients and referral sources to know you as a person and your company’s brand, it makes you reachable. Keep your audience engaged, curious and wanting to learn more.

How Are Your Providing Value? Content strategy is important in providing value to the consumer. Are you communicating in a clear and concise manner without utilizing terminology that your audience may not understand? Does your message offer insight into what, why and how? Does it represent your brand message?

Not only is content important, but the importance of regularly touching an audience with valuable information keeps you and your business top of mind. By housing your blogs on your website, it also prevents your website from becoming a static site and when done correctly is beneficial for SEO.

Regular content, relevant information offering solutions to what keeps your BEST customer up at night is key to an effective content marketing program. Need help developing a strategy, give us a call 724-612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Business-Continuity-Plan

BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING – PREPARING FOR THE UNEXPECTED

by BlogCommunications
Business-Continuity-Plan
Benefits of Business Continuity Planning

Are you preparing for the future? Is a Business Continuity Plan a part of your company’s growth? If your business had a disaster, could you be up and running within hours, days, weeks, months, or never recover?

A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is a proactive plan to avoid and mitigate risks associated with a disruption of operations. It details steps to be taken before, during and after an event to maintain the financial viability of an organization. Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a reactive plan for responding after an event. This plan should provide guidelines for emergency responses, extended back-up operations, and post-disaster recovery.

There are many components to a BCP to be considered and here are some key pieces to the plan.

Personnel is your company’s greatest asset and one of the first things to consider. If disaster has struck – has there been loss of life? Has a key member of your management staff had a crisis? Did you have an active shooter situation at your place of business? How are the staff coming together following a crisis? Do they have the proper training to know what to do in the event of a disaster? As a leader having a plan is critical. Your staff looks to you for guidance on what happens next. They can remain calm and execute a plan if a plan exists and they are properly trained.

Communication – how will staff, vendors and the company as a whole communicate if all phone lines are down? What is your plan if you have no email access? Do you have a phone chain or text message chain established?

Technology – is your information in the cloud or is there a secondary data center outside of your building? How will staff access email and critical information to keep your company running? This includes A/R and A/P, proposals, proprietary information, etc. Who can access what information?

Facilities – have you made arrangements for housing of key personnel and employees if necessary? Taking care of your employees and their families will help them remain calm, committed to business recovery and ultimately create loyalty to you as the business owner. If your building was destroyed – do you have a backup location in mind or will staff be able to work remotely?

Have you set up electronic payment systems to continue to send and receive payments? Will you need to resort to manual operations? If so – what might that look like?

Different than a BCP, a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) is a documented process or set of procedures to recover and protect a business IT infrastructure and other operations necessary to run your business in the event of a disaster. Such a plan, ordinarily documented in written form, specifies procedures an organization is to follow in the event of a disaster.

The City of Baltimore has made national news recently regarding their vulnerability in regard to a cyber-attack, but businesses and government should also consider other types of risk such as fires and flooding that could affect their day to day operations.

As we have recently seen of the floods and hurricanes in various parts of the country, in Western Pennsylvania we think we are safe from disaster. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Every day there are new stories of flooding, burst pipes, fires, landslides, hacking, tech outages, downtime, and data loss – even at the best of companies. Are you prepared to do business if today you walked into work and there had been an electrical surge that fried all your computers?

No matter what the cause of the disaster, the organizations that manage them most effectively, and with the least amount of collateral damage, are those with a strategic Business Continuity Plan and a comprehensive, easy-to-follow, and regularly tested Disaster Recovery Plan.

No one wants to think gloom and doom, but I hope these questions will offer food for thought as you look to put together a program for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery testing. Execution of a best thought out plan will ensure your business can remain “Open for Business” should disaster strike.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Text-Messaging-for-Small-Business

TEXT MESSAGING TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

by BlogCommunications

Text-Messaging-for-Small-BusinessIf you’re good at what you do, you will have no problem keeping customers happy and coming back to use your services time and time again. But it’s getting the word out there to obtain those customers in the first place that can be challenging.

One less familiar way that businesses are driving engagement is through text messages. Promotional text messages cost pennies to send, and depending on the platform you use you may not be charged for any messages you receive in return. That makes it possible to have two-way text conversations at a low cost, making it easy to engage customers.

Text Messaging referred to as (SMS) or Short Message Service is often overlooked when promoting your business. Millennials prefer text marketing. They don’t mind receiving marketing messages on their phones.

There are a number of applications where SMS can be used in business.

  • Discount Coupons
  • Order Confirmation
  • Appointment Confirmation
  • Last Minute Cancellations
  • Targeted Sales
  • Surveys
  • Alerts and Notifications

Similar to an email list, you’ll only want to text customers who have signed up to receive communications from you. Pittsburgh North Chamber of Commerce utilizes a text message program to send reminders of Business After Hours events, networking opportunities and other announcements. With effort and a small investment, you can grow your text messaging program to generate many repeat customers.

Target your ideal customers.

It’s incredibly difficult to try to reach every potential customer out there, especially if you’re a small business. It’s much more effective and realistic to take a look at who your target customers are and focus on marketing directly to them. If this works with your business strategy and marketing plan, you can instantly reach thousands of contacts and engage with them, promote your services, or make announcements.

In today’s noisy world, text messages go directly to the customer on a device you know they use every single day, so you know they will see your message. Because… people very seldom leave home without their mobile phone.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Editorial Calendar

TIME BLOCKING TIPS FOR PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY

by BlogCommunications

Time-Blocking

Time Blocking is a technique used to focus on a project. I’m guilty of not using this technique efficiently. It’s all too easy to keep your email browser open and immediately respond to the most recent inquiry or touch from a client. But all that back and forth leads to wasted time.

A colleague recently challenged me to keep track and time everything I do in the course of a week to see how my time is spent. By diligently working in this fashion – it has helped me to focus on the task at hand because in my mind I knew that I would need to record what I was doing. I actually put in an entry for nonproductive social media scrolling and personal calls I took during my workweek.

We all have our “To Do” lists and in a recent Tony Robbins podcast, I learned it’s not enough to have the 10 “To Do’s” to move from day to day but we need to pick the top 3 or 4 things that must be done that day and block the time on your calendar to do that given task. No phone calls, no interruptions, no email checks and no social media surfing – just focus at the task at hand.

ARE YOU THE MASTER OF YOUR DAILY SCHEDULE?

Most people let their calendar completely dictate their time. If it’s on the calendar, then it happens. You allow other people to take time from your calendar for calls to schedule appointments and to attend events. But, are you allowing YOURSELF to schedule work time on your calendar to complete projects that adhere to deadlines? By blocking off work time, you remain in control of your calendar and minimize the need to work late nights and weekends to complete projects on time. The end result is a better work life balance.

Large projects require focus and scheduling. It forces you to recognize your priorities and commit to action. This type of blocking helps to minimize procrastination. If you still can’t complete the action for the priority you set on your calendar, then perhaps it isn’t a priority and should be reevaluated.

Do you have Open Loops in your day? These are things that pop up and need to get done, but don’t have a concrete next step. They may float around in your head, pop up in the middle of the night, but they don’t have a priority. Get Things Done works by capturing and defining the next step somewhere that is not your head, ready to act on at a later moment. This is helpful, but doesn’t answer the final open loop about any task: when will I do this? Time blocking helps to prioritize and schedule those open loops with actionable next steps.

IMPROVE YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Time Blocking trains you to be better at estimating how long things take.

When you reach the end of a task before the block is up or reach the end of a block and still have stuff to do, you know you guessed wrong. Rearrange time later in the week to finish the task. Then, review why you estimated wrong. Was the project more complex, were you distracted? By fully understanding the time it takes to complete a task, you will accurately be able to bid future projects.

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK

Don’t schedule time blocks back to back. Your brain and body need time to adjust to completing a task. I recently purchased a stand up desk and at times during the day shift from sitting to standing. It gives me a different focus.

Things happen throughout the day that can affect your schedule. Don’t sweat it, but be sure you’re the one who remains in control of your calendar and time.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

business-processes-and-operations

SHOW ME THE MONEY!

by BlogCommunications

business-processes-and-operationsNow that you’ve started your business are you ready to take your small business to the next level? As a small business owner, you wear a lot of hats. Things such as scheduling employees, managing finances, creating marketing campaign – you name it! It’s hard work, but setting up processes can make a big difference. It allows others to step in and execute a particular task as you grow.

Finance Your Growth

Establishing a strong relationship with a business banker will help to strategize and prepare your business for growth. Be it a line of credit, merchant processing, or other management issues, it’s important that you stay on top of your finances. For the Edmiston Group, we have our banking relationships. We also keep track of our P & L by the use QuickBooks online. Our bookkeeper enters information into the system and on a quarterly basis our accountant reviews. Our sales tax is paid electronically and by outsourcing this area of my business, I have peace of mind in knowing these experts will keep me on a solid financial footing.

Electronic Invoicing Go Green

Consumers, especially millennials, wholeheartedly support sustainable businesses who go green to combat climate change. What can you do to save on resources? We use electronic means to create and send invoices. Not only does it save time, but money on postage as well.

Streamline Business Operations

How organized are you? Do you have an office filled with loose papers and random documents? When working on projects for multiple clients such as we do, we try and block times in our schedule and turn off email and other distractions.

There are a number of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software tools available. Utilizing a CRM not only allows you to see your sales pipeline but also is a way for you to track past history with a customer. A CRM will allow you to build a healthy relationship with your customers will keep them coming back for more. Analyze purchase history, sale trends, and create loyalty rewards programs. The history will allow you to target market your message to a given audience.

Human Resources Services

You may not have enough money to hire a full HR team. There are a number of consultants that will help you with talent acquisition, review your policy manual and keep you in compliance. As your company grows this is one area you don’t want to neglect.

Project Management Tools – No More Missed Deadlines

Team projects have a number of deadlines and benchmarks. The Edmiston Group uses Asana, but there are many other types of software tools such as: Wrike, Smartsheet, Clarizen, Workzone, Mavenlink, Jira to name a few. They all come with different features and price points. The key is to determine which one will best fit your needs.

Time Tracking Services

If you own a small business, you most likely pay some of your employees hourly. Time tracking services like TSheets, Timeclock Plus, Harvest, When I Work, lets you track time on projects so you hit deadlines on time, as well as determine if your team is working efficiently.

Hire Good Employees

Your employees are who stand between your business and the customer. No one wants bad customer service. Train employees on how to deliver exceptional customer service that your business will be recognized for. Think of the last place you received exceptional customer service. As you open or grow your business, take time to hire the right candidate that will fit your company’s culture and help drive your mission.

Hiring right begins with a comprehensive job description that clearly articulates the duties and responsibilities of the position. Then use the description to post on job search sites that will yield the most qualified candidates.

Grow Your Revenue

These small steps can help to enhance profits in your small business. There are numerous tools, technology, and software to choose from to help grow your business. So… what’s the hold-up?

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

happy-employees-to-higher-profits

HAPPY EMPLOYEES EQUAL HIGHER PROFITS

by BlogCommunications

happy-employees-to-higher-profitsThere is a direct correlation between happy employees and happy customers. Employers are starting to recognize that keeping their employees happy and fulfilled at work means getting a little creative.

Employee Happiness versus Profit

Life happens to everyone and like it or not, employees can’t always leave their personal life at the door. The well-being and happiness of employees can affect their productivity, and therefore their overall enthusiasm regarding their work. What training have you done to help employees through difficult times? Does your company culture reflect that value? We have a relationship with a firm that offers this service.

Engaged employees view work as more than just a paycheck and benefits. They are the employees who will go the extra mile without being asked but also ensures their work is done well. Did you know that according to a study done by the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick that companies with happy employees outperform the competition by 20%? Why do you think the Pittsburgh Business Times hosts an annual “Best Places to Work” Award each year? The winners of these companies have figured it out and the top talent want to work for them.

Company culture plays a pivotal role in creating compassion in the workplace. Employees – particularly the millennials, want to feel a part of something more. They also want to be involved with making a difference.

So what are some of the tried and true ways to accomplish this task? Here are a few ideas:

  • Flexible work hours based on work getting done: adding some kind of flexibility allows employees to work at the pace and time that will aid in productivity. We know some people are more productive in the morning, while others are more energized midday. This might not be possible for all companies.
  • Employee Training providing an opportunity for additional learning either in person or online is a way for employees to expand their skills, do their jobs better and more efficiently, as well as help make a revenue impact on the business. Create a paradigm shift in your workplace by offering employees the opportunity to participate in certificate programs, day-long trainings, seminars, and bring in guest speakers to provide continued learning for your workers.
  • Popular Engagement Tools include but are not limited to – allowing pets in the office, (within reason), providing full or prorated gym memberships, and free food in the office.

The competition for top talent is fierce. Are you willing to shift to creative ways to engage employees? A company can stand out from their competition by utilizing their greatest asset: their employees. Are you willing to invest in your employees? It has been made clear that satisfied employees create satisfied customers, who then spend more money with your company and spread great word-of-mouth reviews. Money can’t necessarily buy you happiness, but happiness seems to be the link to monetary growth.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Scaling-Your-Business

TIPS FOR SCALING YOUR BUSINESS

by BlogCommunications

Scaling-Your-BusinessIt’s time to scale your business but you’re not sure how. As a business owner, you may be working 6-7 days a week, wearing numerous hats, and are like a hamster running on a spinning wheel. The key here is you’re too busy working IN your business to take the time and work ON your business. The first quarter of 2019 is nearly over. Are you on target? Here are some tips for taking your business to another level.

Ready Set Grow….

Intel – do you know your competition?

By understanding the competition’s strengths and weaknesses, you may be able to capitalize on their weak points. Or…at least you are prepared to go head to head with their strengths. Are you ready to offer a new product or product bundle? Can you create an added value service to leverage that strength? Why does a client come to you?

Pick Up The Pen

Handwritten notes and thank you notes take some time, but it’s one of the best ways to keep clients and get new referrals. Those notes become treasures for small business owners who may not otherwise receive much-deserved accolades and you’ll be top of mind next time they or a friend is in need of your product or service!

Develop 5 Star Customer Service

Think about service at the Ritz Carlton or an upscale restaurant. Your water glass isn’t half empty but what it’s being refilled. Train employees to value each client (even the difficult ones) as they choose where to spend their money. Let it be with you.

Build Referral Relationships

A professional service consultant that can partner with a complimenting business to refer businesses back and forth. The Edmiston Group has some strong referral partners and our businesses collaborate to help each other grow. If you have a brick and mortar business located next to other businesses, collaborate and promote as a city or neighborhood. The more ways that you can find to work and promote your businesses together, the more ways you will create a friendly and warm environment that your clients will love and increase your business exposure not only to your client list, but theirs as well.

Understand Your IDEAL Client

Are you using surveys to poll clients on what you’re doing right and things that can be changed? This will allow you to better meet their needs. Remember the reason you’re in business is to satisfy a client need. It’s about what they want and how your business can design a service to meet that need. If you master this concept, you truly identify your “ideal” client.

Pick Up The Phone

Set yourself apart from the pack. Do something unique – pick up the phone or have face to face contact to establish trust and maintain that strong relationship.

Is Your Website Tired

Simple changes such as logo placement, a call-to-action, using concise, keyword-rich content that is understood easily; and the addition of hyper-linked buttons to your product or service page placed above the “fold” or “scroll” line can make a big impact in user experience and bounce rates. If your site is 5 years or older – platforms have changed. It’s time for an update.

Plan Your Cash Flow and Go Broad for Financing

As your sales increase, it’s even more important to do this, since your inventory and payroll expenses will probably occur before your client’s money hits your bank account.

Usually, the front line of financing sources are the banks and rightfully so. That is what they do best. There are some who use the SBA guarantee programs and others who don’t. Other options that start at the neighborhood level, are Community Development Corporations (CDCs) whose mission is to improve their own business districts and have funding to do that from tax abatements to grants. Municipalities have an economic development component helping businesses located within their jurisdictions. Kiva has crowdfunding options. Bridgeway Capital, a nonprofit organization that ignites economic growth across western PA, may also be an option for financing. Business owners need to explore as much as possible in their quest to get financing

Delegate and Let Go

Are you clutching every detail of your business with closed fists? As a business owner, we wear a lot of hats. Whether you have employees, subcontractors or family pitching in, learning how to delegate effectively can be the difference between reaching new heights and burning out. Because small business owners are working IN their business, they are accustomed to doing a variety of things themselves instead of enlisting the help of others. It can be challenging to identify the tasks you don’t need to do yourself and assign the work to someone else. Once you overcome the challenge, though, you will have more time to dedicate to what you do best — grow your business. My philosophy – if it’s not your specialty that is making you money – find someone who can do it for you.

Schedule Downtime

The reality of running your own business is that you can work 24/7 and there’s still more to do! When helping clients prepare an operating plan, I always recommend scheduling time away. Let colleagues and clients know you aren’t available and/or find a person who can cover for you while away. You’ll come back recharged and ready to go. Are you up for the challenge of business growth? Need some help, email or give us a call at 724-612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Difficult-Clients

IS IT TIME TO FIRE A DIFFICULT CLIENT?

by BlogCommunications

Difficult-Clients

Difficult clients cannot only rattle you in the moment but also cause long term stress and strain on your business. When a client is upset, you’re going to want to solve the problem, not only for your current situation but also to prevent any in the future. To do this, get feedback on potential solutions from the client. Together, you can work out a solution that fits both of you.

Have you ever had a client that caused your stomach to go in knots when the phone rang? Nothing ever seemed right and no matter how hard you tried, they were never satisfied. Some people just aren’t a fit. Long-term stress can cause you and your employees to experience a variety of symptoms that can all translate into business downfalls, such as:

  • Decreased morale
  • Decreased motivation
  • Reduced productivity
  • Strained relationships with clients and employees
  • Decreased business and financial performance

Working with clients isn’t always easy. To handle an unexpected client blow up, consider these tips:

Stay calm

You don’t want to respond to your angry client in an emotional way – this only escalates the situation. Instead, use a calm and understanding tone when you respond. Always stay neutral and keep a calm facial expression.
When responding to an online complaint– acknowledge the situation and apologize – then take the conversation offline.

Actively listen to what they’re saying

This means stopping and really hearing what they’re saying. Consider the validity of their complaints.

  • Make eye contact
  • Ask questions when you don’t understand something
  • Express positive body language. Open your posture while you’re either sitting or standing. Closed positions such as folded arms may communicate that you’re not interested in what they’re saying
  • Repeat back to the client your understanding of the problem

Show concern and sympathy for the situation

Certain phrases that help you do this include:

  • “I hear what you’re saying…”
  • “I see your point…”
  • Always ask questions

Ask key questions

Asking key questions to bring focus and discover important details that can help you solve the problem. Some questions to consider include:

  • “What could we have done differently?”
  • “What would you consider to be a reasonable solution?”
  • “How can we make it up to you?”

Apologize

This is an important step when dealing with an upset or difficult client. You want the client to leave feeling understood, feeling heard, and knowing the problem is going to get fixed. Apologizing can help retain the client.

Sometimes, no matter how you respond to a client, they still won’t calm down. Clients who are out of hand typically:

  • Won’t stop saying personal insults to you or your employees
  • Won’t stop yelling or screaming at you or your employees
  • Won’t listen to any logic you present
  • Make threats to you or your employees

In a situation where a client is demonstrating the behaviors outlined above, your first step should be to warn them in the nicest way possible. At this point, you must take control and defuse the situation or ask the client to leave your business. In the event you have a virtual business, you may decide that you just aren’t the best provider for them.

Learn to take difficult clients in stride

Difficult clients don’t have to bring you or your business down. With proper client management strategies, you can effectively de-escalate situations in no time. From there, you can strategize with your team ways to meet even the toughest client’s requests. If all else fails – perhaps they aren’t the right fit and will be happier with another provider.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.