Tip #480: 8 Tips For Generating Repeat Business

      

While many marketing and sales initiatives are designed to increase profitability by bringing in new business, repeat customers can actually be just as important in maintaining a company's revenue stream. But with so many options out there for customers to choose from, how can you ensure that your existing clients will keep coming back for more?

Tip #1: Get Personal - Treating each client as a unique individual is the key to good customer service. When you or your customer service team speaks to a client, be sure to address them by name throughout the conversation. It may seem polite to call someone Ma'am or Sir, but it can actually be a turnoff to clients who want to feel as though you are truly interested in serving their individual needs.

Tip #2: Make GREAT Customer Service A Priority -A bad customer service experience can not only affect how a client feels about your business, but it can impact how that client talks to others about your business. With social media becoming an ever-more popular way for customers to vent, one client's dissatisfaction could mean widespread negative publicity for your company. Make exceptional customer service a priority.

Click here to read a recent Forbes article on the golden rule of customer service.

Tip #3: Communicate Missed Deadlines - Sometimes circumstances arise that will cause you to miss a deadline, such as a promised delivery date. In these cases, it is always best to let the client know as soon as possible. While an apology can go a long way, consider also offering a discount on the current service or on a future service. Be sure to follow through on any new promises you make.

Tip #4: Incorporate Up-Selling And/Or Cross-Selling - Use client requests for products or services as an opportunity to discuss other related products and services your company offers. This is not only a great way to increase sales, but it also shows clients that you have experience and knowledge in other areas that could meet their needs.

Tip #5: Follow Up After An Initial Order Is Placed - When orders are placed, be sure to capture contact information, including name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Then follow-up immediately with an e-mail or a phone call to thank the client for the business. 

Tip #6: Ensure Customer Support Information Is Readily Available - There is nothing more frustrating for a client than not being able to talk to a live person when they have a question. Make your contact information readily available and easily accessible. Display a customer service contact number prominently on your Website. Include this phone number in follow-up e-mails and on invoices. Be sure that these phone numbers connect to knowledgeable representatives who can provide prompt quality client support.

Tip #7: Reduce The Perceived Risk - Clients want to rest assured that they will receive a high-quality product or service at the best possible price. By offering a guarantee, you will lower the perceived risks and gain your clients' trust. This ultimately increases the chances for return business.

Tip #8: Assess Your Company's Performance - Be sure to offer customer surveys to assess the level of your clients' satisfaction. If survey results shed light on an issue, take the proper steps to resolve the problem quickly.

Executive Summary: A happy client is more likely to become a repeat customer. With this in mind, it's important to make good customer service a top priority. Remember, if you are not making your clients happy, your competition will be waiting in the wings to do a better job.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #479: 7 Tips For Striking A Balance Between Work And Home Life

      

Do you find it difficult to balance the demands of your career with your responsibilities at home? If so, you are not alone. Many people are putting in extra hours at work to stay ahead in their careers. But this can mean fewer hours to devote to your home life. So how can you achieve a balance between work and home life? Following just a few simple steps can help.

The 7 Tips For Striking A Balance Between Your Work And Home Life Are:

Tip #1: Prioritize - Making a to-do list each day is a great way to set your priorities. Start by listing your tasks in order of importance. Include work tasks as well as other aspects of your life. This will help you sort out what needs your immediate attention from what can wait.    
Tip #2: Don't Procrastinate - Once you've made your list, set realistic goals and deadlines for completing the tasks at hand - then get to work. Procrastinating from completing the things that need to get done can cause a work pileup. By staying focused on your goals, you will find yourself quickly plugging through your list - freeing up time for your personal life.

Tip #3: Don't Waste The Time You Have - Are you wasting time on activities that add little value to your day? For example, bad habits such as reviewing social media sites and checking personal e-mails can eat up valuable time. Take stock. If an activity does not enhance your career or personal life, minimize the time you spend on it.  

Tip #4: Learn To Delegate - Between your responsibilities at work and your chores at home, do you sometimes feel like you are doing everything? Delegating work in your home life can be extremely effective in time management. For example, try giving age-appropriate chores to your children. This teaches valuable skills and helps them gain more confidence in their accomplishments. It can mean more time for you to spend with them - so everyone wins.

Tip #5: Just Say "No." - Do you find yourself saying yes to others who request your time when what you really want to say is no? We all have the need to please. But you are not doing yourself or others any favors by taking on more than you have time for. Pick and choose what you agree to take on. And don't be afraid to say, "No."

Tip #6: Incorporate "Cell-Phone-Free" Time - The use of technology has enabled us to be "on call" during off-work hours. But it has also blurred the lines between work and home life. It is important to allow time in your personal life that does not include checking work e-mails or taking work-related calls. Whether it's a date night with your spouse or a movie with the kids, be sure to add "cell-phone-free" time to your schedule.   

Tip #7: Plan Time For Yourself - Don't forget to make time just for you. Allow yourself to do the things you truly love, even if that means simply relaxing with a good book or catching up on your favorite TV show.  Making "me" time can go a long way to help recharge your battery.

Take this quiz to see if you are achieving a good work/life balance.

Executive Summary: In today's fast-paced world, we are forced to do more with less time. The demands of work and home can often feel like a tug of war for our time. But by taking the proper steps, you can achieve balance. Remember to focus on high-priority tasks first. Avoid distractions that can get in the way of meeting your deadlines. Resist taking on more than you can chew. And make sure to fit in family time and "me" time. Finding ways to reduce the stress is ultimately the key to a happier you. 

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #478: 4 Steps To Help You Better Manage Your Team

      

Whether or not you own your own business or are a senior level executive or a team member at your organization, we listed below four steps to help you become a better leader. 

Step 1: Develop A Vision Of Where You Want To Go.

It's imperative for you to decide where you want to go and what you want your team to accomplish. Invest in some time to think seriously about this, and actually write down a few key items that will help you focus on your vision. If you need help, we suggest the book Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. The secret of how to set goals and outcomes can be found on pages 16-18.

Click here to read a short snippet from Think and Grow Rich viaAmazon.com.

Step 2: Implementing Your Vision For Your Team?

After you figure out where you are going and what you want to do, you need to look at whether your organization has the resources to support your objective(s).  Sure, it is easy to engage a vision if the resources are there, but what happens if they are unavailable?  You may need to modify the timelines on order to meet your goals, or you may need to get creative about how to get the resources now or in the future. 

Step 3: Getting New Resources?

After securing your resources, it is critical for you to tell everyone involved with your vision what your expectations are.  This could be other departments, divisions and, yes, even vendors.  What else makes sense to do?  Create a chart for people to see who is responsible for what components of your vision.  This is easily done via an organizational chart.

Step 4: Be Focused On Your Organizational Skills.

Research has shown that you cannot be an effective leader or manager unless you are reasonably well organized. If you are not, you might get the results you are looking for but not in the most efficient way.  By this, we mean that you might waste too much material, exceed budgets set for your task at hand or spend excessive dollars on overtime.  Whatever the case may be for you and your business, it pays huge benefits when you are organized.

Executive Summary: To manage effectively, you need to get in sync with your goals, resources and organizational skills right from the start.  It also means putting a little trust in people to do the right things independently and allowing them the ability to grow beyond their current skills.  Do this and you will be on the right track.  

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #477: 10 Tips For Connecting With Your Employees

      

Once you've hired and trained an employee, it's important to take an active role in that individual's progress. To retain quality employees, you must have a plan in place to monitor employees' concerns and reward accomplishments. Additionally, many employees find this type of engagement an incentive to do quality work. If an employee's opinion is valued by management, he or she is more likely to:

• Arrive at work on time.
• Avoid sloppy or inconsistent work.
• Call out only when necessary.
• Take pride in his or her work.
• Work more effectively with a team.

Engage Employees In Your Workplace Using These 10 Tips

Tip #1: Value Accomplishments - Employee recognition is one of your most valuable tools. Research continually shows that social media sites like Facebook are emotionally rewarding because people enjoy recognition for what they have said or done. This isn't a strictly virtual concept. Reward and recognize hard work with perks such as employee of the month parking, free lunch or something as simple as a thank-you email or a verbal recognition.

Tip #2: Show Active Concern For Employees' Wellbeing -Recognize that employees have lives and problems outside of work. You can show that you care and ease outside issues and stressors in employees' lives to earn their loyalty. Consider the following:

• Create a team for a charity event.
• Hire an accountant during tax season to offer advice to employees.
• Maintain an open door policy and encourage employees to communicate when they are experiencing difficulties outside of work.

Tip #3: Provide Proper Tools - Nothing is more frustrating than having the wrong tools or equipment to complete specific goals. Ask your employees what they need to complete their jobs more efficiently. You might be surprised at how much faulty equipment (or lack of proper resources) can disappoint an employee.

Tip #4: Create A Strong Corporate Culture - Many people see businesses as faceless and imposing entities. Creating and implementing corporate culture and values strengthens the morale of your team as well as your brand. Companies such as Starbucks promote corporate social responsibility, encouraging employees to recycle and exercise. This generates loyalty from employees and a positive public opinion of your business. Additionally, it positively impacts employees' physical and mental health as well as the environment.

Tip #5: Consider Values of Employees - What do your employees value? Some employees value perks like schedule flexibility over higher compensation. Others crave the structure of weekly progress meetings. Find out what your employees value most and make some adjustments to meet their needs.

Tip #6: Outline Job Tasks And Descriptions - Work environments become challenging for employees when their duties are not specifically outlined. When multiple employees feel responsible for the same aspects of a project, your team can experience conflict and their productivity goes down due to redundancy. To prevent this, provide each employee with specific job descriptions and tasks. Leadership breeds loyalty.

Tip #7: Maintain And Promote Effective Communication -Stress that you are accessible. When you demonstrate an ability to listen effectively, your team will be more likely to listen to each other, too.

Tip #8: Communication Requires Response- Effective communication doesn't flow one way only. A specific plan for communication such as an open door policy or a weekly forum allows you to identify and address employee concerns as they arise.

Tip #9: Professional Development - Your management team is essential to communication and productivity. Do not forget to invest in their efforts. An effective management team has the necessary business tools available, including classes, books and leadership seminars.

Tip #10: Understand That It Is A Process - Effective employee engagement isn't immediate. Your consistency is required. Schedule reminders and set aside specific meeting times to remain actively engaged with your employees.

Executive Summary: Effective employee engagement leads to reduced stress, increased productivity and greater employee retention. Additionally, connecting with your employees encourages team-based loyalty and a sense of personal vested interest in your company's product, brand and values. You can actively engage employees by providing avenues for communication, creating a strong corporate identity and by addressing their personal and professional goals.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #476: 4 Tips For Announcing An Employee's Resignation

      

While employee turnover rates vary by industry, most companies lose multiple employees each year. When employees resign, it's up to the HR department at your company to handle resignations with tact, respecting both the business and the former employee.

Tip #1: Put A Process In Place -

To deal with a resignation effectively, create an internal process for handling it. This plan should include a procedure and time period for filling the vacated position. Announcing a newly available position is an excellent way to put a positive spin on an otherwise negative event that could adversely affect employee morale.

Tip #2: Provide A Policy For Every Employee - As with every aspect of management, resignation procedures work better for everyone when employees understand the process and your expectations. You should create and implement a policy for resignations. Include this policy in your company's employee manual or internal electronic materials. This policy should tell employees:

• Acceptable forms of resignation (most companies require an official resignation letter in writing).
• The minimum amount of time expected for an amicable separation.
• How an exit interview will be conducted.
• Whether departing employees should be expected to acquire and train a replacement.
• Who to notify of a resignation.

Most employees prefer to leave on good terms. Resignation can be an awkward process without the appropriate information. Having a policy in place will make employees more comfortable with amicable separation.   

Tip #3: Announcing Someone's Resignation - You can tackle the subject of a resignation announcement as part of the exit interview process. Before the exit interview, inform the exiting employee that he or she should think about such an announcement. If an employee is leaving for personal reasons (such as moving to another state for a spouse's job or staying home to focus on raising children), be sure to get written permission from the employee before including these details in a resignation announcement; however, it is best to keep a resignation simple and right to the point. 

Tip #4: Ultimately, You Need To Respect The Departing Employee - When an employee leaves, you must treat him or her with respect, even if the departure occurs with animosity from the employee. Never provide personal information about the employee's departure unless the employee has approved the resignation announcement in writing. Lastly, you may wish to address more sensitive and specific concerns to those employees directly impacted by the departure.

Executive Summary: Employee departures are part of corporate life. By creating and executing a process for resignations, you can minimize the negative impact of a resigning employee. Handle everything professionally and with tact regardless of the circumstances of the resignation and focus on supporting your employees.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #475: 7 Tips For Instituting Social Media Guidelines (For Your Business)

      

The use of social media in the workplace is a controversial topic among leaders at most companies. It's often the practice to not have an official policy - but if you are taking that approach, there is a good chance you are heading to a PR disaster.

Instead of ignoring the fact that most professionals use social media regularly, consider talking about it and guiding employees' use of social media at the workplace.

7 Tips For Guiding Social Media Use At Your Company.

Tip #1: Consider Your Industry - You should tailor your social media policy to your industry. If you work at a tech start-up, moderate social media use may be helpful and encouraged. If you work in an investment office where customers' secure information is at risk, it makes sense to ban social media sites and personal e-mail use.

Tip #2: Think About Your Workforce - Consider the experiences and expectations of those you employ. Those born in the 1980s came of age with Internet technology. If you have thirtysomethings (and twentysomethings) in your office, they were likely taught that computers were a necessary part of communication in the business world.

Social media reinforces this connection, and they're going to want to use it. Plus, the aging baby boomer generation's trends suggest that seniors are using the Internet and social media, particularly on tablets.

Click here to learn more about social media usage demographics.

Tip #3: Advise Disclaimers - Many corporations employ high-profile social media users who post thoughts and opinions. Their Twitter profiles may even indicate who employs them. You might notice something else about these profiles, though - they say something like "Works for XYZ company; opinions expressed are solely my own." In this fashion, advise your employees to make a clear differentiation between official corporate statements and their own opinions.

Tip #4: Monitor Hashtags And Mentions Of Your Company -Policing social media or even banning access to social media at the office is a much-debated topic. You don't want your employees on Facebook all day, but on the other hand, research has proven that breaks in work and a change of tasks can actually increase productivity.

Instead of banning all use of social media, consider monitoring what is said about your company on social media sites. You can do this in multiple ways, such as:

• Set Google news alerts.
• Track your company's name as a hashtag on Twitter and Facebook.

Tip #5: Provide Guidelines Instead Of Rules - Employees respond much better to guidelines than rules. While you must be clear to be effective, you should also provide your employees with some "dos," such as:

• Use social media only during your breaks.
• Moderate use of social media is permitted.
• Do not access or post offensive photos or text from the office.   

Tip #6: Encourage The Use Of LinkedIn - Are you on LinkedIn? If not, you should be - it's a professional networking site, and a great way for employers and employees to connect without barging into each other's personal lives. LinkedIn is also a great resource for finding industry news and promoting the positive things that are happening at your company. Encourage your employees to use it and create a sense of corporate community and pride on the site to generate employee loyalty.

Tip# 7: Remind Employees Of Social Media Basics - Everyone knows, but at some point, everyone forgets: If you post it on the Internet, it stays on there forever. The information is always traceable and accessible. That said, ask employees to think about social media like a real life conversation. If you wouldn't say it, don't post it.

Executive Summary: When it comes to social media, your company should recognize that employees use it in and out of the office. Provide guidelines and ensure that you are open to discussing social media issues with employees. Facebook isn't something to minimize when the boss walks by - it's a break time relief and a powerful business tool.

For more information, visit our website!

Tip #474: 6 Time Management Tips

OK, you have internal and external client deadlines to meet, e-mails to address and phone calls to return.  Oh yeah, many meetings to attend as well.  The key is to find a way to get everything done without working 24/7.   

Before You Start Your Day, Plan Your Day.

Improving your time management skills is oftentimes up to you, as most people are not taught this in business.  That being said, we have listed below a number of tips to help you not only improve your time management skills but master them.

The 6 Tips To Help You Manage Your Day's Time.

Tip #1: Multitasking Is Killing Your Productivity (And Makes You Look Disinterested)  - Just because you can read a client's e-mail while talking on the phone with another client and then send an instant message to a colleague, doesn't mean you should. While multitasking may seem like a great time management technique, it can actually decrease your productivity.  By the way, people know when you are not engaged with their conversation; therefore, try to limit your tasks to one at a time. 

Tip #2: Map Out Your Action Items - To get your top priorities completed without delay, create a list. Break down large tasks into small, manageable action items. As you complete a task, check it off your list. You will be making progress in no time. 

Tip #3: Start With The Hardest Task(s) First - Many times finishing a project isn't the problem. The real issue is starting it. When faced with a daunting task, sometimes it's best to just jump in and get going. Devoting even an hour to a tough job will help make an impossible task seem less overwhelming. 

Tip #4: Don't Let Your Inbox Manage You - You are deluged with e-mails each day. People expect a predictable response, not necessarily an immediate one.  Responding to each email as it comes in interrupts other tasks and can slow productivity. Instead, set aside time each day at regular intervals to open and respond to e-mails. This "e-mail time" can be part of your to-do list.  

Tip #5: Find A Time That Works For You - Do you work best early in the morning? Or maybe the afternoon is the time of day where you kick into high gear. Each person has a time of day when they perform most efficiently. What is yours? Manage your schedule so that you are doing your most important work at the best time of day for you. 

Tip #6: Keep Meetings Short With A Defined Start Time And End Time - If you are the person coordinating a meeting at your office, let everyone know what time the meeting will start and end.  Additionally, send out the meeting's goals/objective before your meeting starts.  This is a great way to get everyone focused on an outcome with action items.      

Executive Summary: By following these 6 tips, you will be on your way to planning your time wisely. Once you can map out your day and get things focused as an "action item," you will find that your day is not only more productive but also has a lot less stress.  The key is to follow these simple steps for the next 30 days by developing a plan - a plan to tackle your most important tasks first but also carefully balancing the big picture when it comes to your "to do" list. 

For more information, visit our website!