Tag Archives: customers

Sometimes, Flattery Works

One technique that does sometimes work when trying to attract and appeal to customers and prospects is to use a little flattery. I’m not talking about overwhelming or over-the-top flattery here, but there is language and an approach you can use that can inject a little flattery into your sales and promotional approach… Flattery is not terribly complicated and you have probably responded to flattery in marketing and sales without even realizing it. Marketing that takes the “You are a discerning shopper with high standards and you know what is best for your family” is taking the flattery approach. What … Continue reading →

How Easily Can Your Customers Reach and Find You?

Are you making it hard for your customers to get to you? In this day and age of technological advances, people expect instant access. While this may not actually be a good thing and we definitely need to set some boundaries and limits around how much we work (this can be hard enough with a home-based business!), we also need to compete in a business world where customers will go to the companies who can be the most accessible and meet their needs in the quickest, most complete way. Can your customers get to you when they need to? This … Continue reading →

One of the Best Things About a Home Business–Meeting Interesting People

I have met people due to my home-based business that I am convinced I would NOT have met otherwise. This isn’t to say that there haven’t been plenty of interesting, great, and inspiring people that I have met in other venues (including working the more traditional job), but I think the flexibility, creativity, and autonomy of a home-based business lets us intersect and interact with interesting individuals we wouldn’t otherwise come in contact with. Often, in a more traditional job, your “sphere of influence” or the people you meet at work might be confined to a specific sector of your … Continue reading →

What if a Customer or Client Wants References?

Did you think that “references” were just for more traditional jobs? If it has not happened already, the day will likely come when a potential client or customer will want to check up on some references before deciding to purchase your products or services. So, what do you do and how do you handle it when someone wants to check up on your business’ references? It is best to anticipate that prospective clients will want references and collect them as you go along. You can ask happy and satisfied customers or clients if they would be willing to provide a … Continue reading →

What Does “Chemistry” Have to Do With Business?

You have most likely heard the term “chemistry” as it applies to romance and human relationships—where finding the right chemistry can be a make or break reality. But chemistry has a place in the business world too—whether you are interacting with customers, vendors, colleagues, or clients—having the right chemistry can make a big difference. Chemistry really comes down to issues of trust and values. When you choose vendors or colleagues or even clients, you may think that you just get what you get, BUT, you can look for individuals and companies where you feel a good connection. Finding someone with … Continue reading →

Finding Energizing Customers

I have talked a bit here in the Home Business Blog about challenging customers and how focused we have to be to work with those tough and challenging people. But, it occurred to me that as challenging as some people can be—there are those customers and clients who are absolute gems. Just being around them and interacting with them can be inspiring and energizing! So, for some balance and pleasantry in your home businesses, it is a very good thing to find and keep those energizing customers. Energizing customers are really just neat people. Having customers and clients who actually … Continue reading →

Finding Your Target Audience

You’ve likely heard the term “target audience” as it relates to marketing and public relations. But, have you given much thought to exactly who or what your target audience is? Do you know who wants and needs to purchase your products or services? Here is some information on how you can explore and evaluate your target audience: It can be incredibly productive for you to take the time to figure out who your target audience or target market is. Otherwise, you may do hit and miss marketing or broadcast marketing hoping to reach potential customers. By defining who you market … Continue reading →

Why Email is the Best Customer Service

Most people have worked a retail job at some point in their lives. Ask anyone what the worst part about a retail job is and they will likely say dealing with the customers. In a “regular” business with a brick and mortar storefront, most of your customer service will be done through face to face interaction or by telephone. And if the customer is driving you completely crazy? Not so good. I don’t think I would have been able to survive in any form of sales if it were not for email. If a customer has gone insane or is … Continue reading →

Working with Challenging Customers and Clients

Ah, that all our customers could be sweet, compliant and pay on time! Unfortunately, that’s just not the way business goes (nor life, in fact) and any person who spends any time in business soon realizes that customer service involves dealing with some very challenging and difficult customers and clients. Here are some brief suggestions to add to your customer service “tool box” and help you cope with customers and clients who may be more on the challenging side. Dealing with difficult people involves a heaping helping of psychology. If possible, try to set your own personal reaction aside and … Continue reading →

Do You Know What Your Customers Want?

As home business owners, we may get so caught up in daily operations and staying afloat that we forget to think of our “market”–we might not be training ourselves to think about what our clients and customers actually want. One of the bonuses of working on our own and with a small business is the closeness we have to our customers and the flexibility we have to make changes and adjustment to provide products and services exactly how and when our customers need them. But first, we have to know our customers and what they actually want. For some of … Continue reading →