Even in the age of automation, efficient customer relationship management (CRM) software solutions, mobile web, big data, smart wearables, and the Internet of Things, a human touch still remains relevant and crucial in customer service interactions. In fact, a Gartner study estimates that by 2017, one-third of all customer support communications will still need a…
For too many companies, marketing takes place in a bubble. The marketing plan is created and approved by management, the money is distributed and each department fights for its little piece of the pie. While this approach to marketing is common, it is rarely effective. Your customers do not live in a bubble, and neither…
Just because there’s a feature you can add to your website, doesn’t mean it’s something that’s going to appeal to customers. In fact, there are some website features that could be the reason for your lack of conversions and website traffic. Put yourself in the place of your potential customers and ask yourself, “Would I…
If you’ve been blogging for any length of time, you understand just how fun and exciting writing for an audience can be. Maybe you have a blog attached to your company website, or perhaps you just blog as a hobby. Either way, one of the most important things any blogger needs to do is work…
When most business owners think of advertising on the Internet, they think of reaching a regional or national audience. For businesses that rely on local customers, the idea of reaching out to customers miles away seems like a waste of time and money. There are millions of people around the world who use the Internet…
Every business needs to advertise to acquire clients, but marketing can be a costly business. The Holy Grail of every company, big or small, is to discover marketing tools that achieve a great deal with relatively little cost and this is where promotional items can be used to effectively market your business. What do promotional…
It is often said that there is no such thing as bad publicity, but that’s not true. While negative publicity still focuses attention on a company, it can destroy reputation and badly affect sales or production. Negative publicity is almost always unintentional; a company does something it thinks is good, and winds up getting a…
A large, quality mailing list is often one of the most valuable assets that any small business can have. It takes a lot of time and effort to build such a list, but the rewards make it very much worthwhile. There is no substitute for building an engaged audience for your email marketing campaign whereby…
Many business owners have a website dedicated to promoting their product or service, and allowing customers to purchase their product or service from a venue outside of physical points of sale. What many business owners fail to understand, however, is that their website can both attract leads and convert customers in their absence. Here is…
The homepage is the virtual doorway to your website. What you put here will determine whether or not your readers open the door and investigate what you have to offer. It’s the foundation of your website; it must be compelling. Today’s consumers have a lot of options. When people click on this page, you only…