- E-mail marketing is relatively easy to create
- The fundamentals of e-mail marketing are relevance, strategy and testing
- Most recipients accept and even welcome targeted, opt-in e-mails
- A survey from Jupiter Research says “60% of business decision makers prefer e-mail and the internet over other mediums for receiving marketing messages”
- E-mail is cost-efficient for nurturing your existing leads
- E-mails are personalized
- Using an e-mail service comes with built-in tracking features with statistics on bounce rates, delivery and open rates, click-through analytics and more
- Using e-mail is a quick and cost-effective way to test market your messages and offers
- Sending an e-mail message before delivering direct mail pieces helps boost awareness
- A great way to follow up on direct mail deliveries
Archive for Business Practices – Page 6
Keep in mind that your website is often the first impression people will have of you and your business or service. This is what potential clients will look at to get a sense of what they can expect when doing business with you.
While it’s true you can set up your own website using one of these free templates, keep in mind that everyone has access to those templates. Hundreds of other people could be using that same template. Your brand is what sets you apart from all the other businesses. By using a template you are erasing your brand recognition. This is not a good thing to do. Especially when today’s businesses need all the help they can get to stand out and survive.
It is far more important to have a unique brand image (including your logo on your website) than to save a few dollars. And unless you are a competent graphic designer, go to an expert. This is the only way to get a strong brand image that you can be proud of.
If you’re a small business with a limited cash flow, it’s almost never a good idea to give credit to a customer. Even if you know them. Sure, you can take credit cards, but to extend credit… not so much. I’ve been in business almost 28 years and you’d think after being burned many times, I would have learned. Not all people are truthful.
That is why I always get a 50% deposit with the balance due COD. Well almost always.
Beware of the following excuses:
- I left my check book at home. Is it okay if I take the job now and mail you a check?
- I really need to have this (ad, brochure, website) now for a trade show, conference, big job.
- I have lots of business and if you can give me a few days to pay you I’ll be giving you lots of work.
- I work for a big company and they never pay COD. (That’s because they pay 60, 90, 120 days or never pay at all. In fact they’ll soon be bankrupt.)
If you feel the least bit iffy, check your potential customer’s credit. Or else you might end of up with three boxes of printing and two bad checks. Who me?
If you have a Google AdWords account and receive the following email, watch out:
“Google AdWords News Bulletin
Dear advertiser!
We are once again monitoring quarterly account activation and deleting the accounts of users who have been inactive for more than four months and have no funds in their accounts
This measure is due to the fact that there have recently been more frequent cases of Google AdWords accounts being hacked and funds added from stolen credit cards
We hereby notify you that your account has been inactive for more than four months and is liable to be deleted according to our activation programme. In order to activate your account, you just have to log in using your registration data.”
There was more to this missive but this is enough to warn you.
My Google AdWords account is in perfect order yet I constantly receive these emails. Whoever is sending them is obviously out to get some information from me to use for purposes not in my best interest.
So if you do receive this notice, or any other similar notice from a bank or savings institution, do not click on the link. You may regret it.
These are scary times. I went to make a deposit in my neighborhood bank, the same bank I’ve been going to for over 40 years, since I was a kid. And there was a long line. Well, relatively long. Okay, 5 people. What were these people doing? Closing their accounts.
Not everyone was closing their accounts, but about half, so said the teller. My money is insured and safe, he smiled. But still, when you do all your bill payments online and count on your bank to always be there, it’s a bit disconcerting to realize there’s a good chance your bank will be gone or bought out by the end of the year.
With big name stores closing all over the place, how do you keep your small business solvent? Simply by getting your name out there. Well, maybe not simply. But it doesn’t hurt to have a web presence. Make your business a destination people will want to go to. When you offer a product or service of value at a reasonable price with friendly, efficient service, you may just weather the recession storm.
Keep a positive attitude and smile to your customers. It couldn’t hurt.
There was never any question that I would be bringing my Chihuahua puppy to work with me sixteen years ago. When I got her I knew there was no way I would ever leave her at home alone every day. It just wasn’t going to happen. Lucky for me I am self employed. Although Tasha is gone now I am planning on acquiring a new little Chihuahua to supervise me.
Studies show that co-workers tend to get along better and some even work longer hours when there are pets at the office. There’s no need to rush home and walk your dog when he/she is right there with you.
You also have a great excuse to exercise by walking your dog on your breaks and lunch hour.
A recent survey showed that nearly one in five companies allow pets at work. Those surveyed believed that having pets at the office reduces stress and causes happiness. That’s a win-win situation.
It’s best if your pet is people friendly. My little girl tended to be a bit overprotective. She liked to chase people as they were leaving. I guess she wanted to make sure they paid their bill and then left her along to nap. So make sure if you do bring your pet to work that they don’t bite your customers. That is never a good business practice and may lead to an unwanted lawsuit.
Follow Us
Click Image for Professional Logos Starting at $75
