We’re all in the people business. Regardless of what you sell, there’s a person behind ever dollar made. And it’s not just your customer. Employee engagement has a direct impact on customer experience. Not knowing what motivates your employees will make it nearly impossible to deliver on your brand promise of serving your customers. What is…
We’ve reached a tipping point. Brands are no longer competing solely on the quality of their products and services. Consumer sentiment is favoring brands who not only deliver the “goods”, but the service to match. When combined, these brands offer a contagious customer experience that these newly minted brand advocates – customers – can’t wait…
Let’s face it. We need repeat sales to make this thing called business work. Even our best efforts fall short if we fail to get customers to buy the right products, at the right price, at the right time, not just once, but over and over again. But many of us settle for becoming a one hit…
It’s official. Spring is on the horizon and warmer days are ahead. Time for daffodils and buttercups, yard sales and remodeling. Time to clean out the closets and de-clutter the work shed, pull up the weeds and plant the garden. It’s indeed time for new beginnings. And as a small business owner, what better way…
Now more than ever, customers are swimming in an endless pool of information. Just about every topic you can think of is searchable online and findable on Google. Yet when it comes to solving their specific problems, many customers feel left to drift at sea, clinging desperately to our websites, social platforms, or physical locations…
The truth is, as a business owner, regardless of the industry you’re in, you are first and foremost in the people business. It’s those people you encounter, be it in person or through social media, that you hope to win over and turn into lifelong clients. Business is very much people business and many of…
In my quest to find a picture for this blog post, I happened upon something else entirely, a fresh perspective. My original intent was to have a serious talk about the importance of online communities. For the small business owner who has been slow to adopt the idea of using social media as another way…
Starbucks. Â Finally. Â Crap, the parking lot is full! No..wait, there’s a spot. I almost missed it..I’ll just back in. After I park, I cut the engine and trip out of my car. I try not to run, but can’t help it – it’s already been one of those mornings and they have something I really…
About ten years ago, I was working at an affinity marketing firm. From time to time, management would get all associates together in a large banquet hall for the all-employee meeting. You’ve been to those…free coffee and poppy seed muffins. Well, these meetings were often used to tell us how good (or bad) the company was doing and plans…
I’m a talker. That’s a surprise to some, but not to most. But my daughter, a thriving kindergartener, puts me to shame. As soon as she opens the car door, it starts. Talking 100 words per minute, I know who did what to whom, who spilled milk in the lunchroom, who got into trouble – I know…
Being that buying a new box of  crayons on a weekly basis has become the new norm in my household, I’ve taken the time to ask myself a question. Are all crayons created equal? To the average crayon user, the answer would probably be yes – a crayon is a crayon, right? Well, not exactly. You…