Monthly Archives: April 2011

Growing Business Through Outsourcing – Video Minute with Attorney Candice Ackermann

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outsource
outsource

Entrepreneurs generally do too much of what they are not good at in order to keep their business running, and thus jeopardize their opportunity to grow revenues. One example is when sales is NOT your strong suit, yet you try over and over to be “head salesperson” and with lack of skills you waste valuable time do not bring in new clients.

Making good use of every business minute is critical as well. As business owners and those in sales, we cannot get our time back. When I was at Savor the Success’ Rock the World event in NYC, I met Candice Ackermann, an attorney who raves about using virtual assistants (VAs) to help her run her busy practice. It’s brief, but hear it in her own words on video.

What can YOU outsource? Be careful to find someone who is skilled in the specific projects and repetitive tasks you need done.

You can find a great virtual assistant through a referral or try one of these resources:

elance (you can post exactly what you are looking for)
IVAA (you can search by type)
Secretary in Israel (owned by Sarah Leah Gootnick, who I met at the Savor event)

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Send Your Employees to College for a Degree in Customer Service!

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college courses

In today’s economic environment, keeping customers happy and loyal is more important than ever before.  If you build a strong customer bond, it is easy to avoid pricing wars and cut-throat competitive measures.  The challenge is how do you build and maintain those strong customer ties?

The College of the Customer website, founded by Micah Solomon, shares advice on ways your business can be seen as more than just a commodity provider.  Solomon built a small business into a powerhouse and offers up tips in her new book, Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit.

I’ve been working with customers and building businesses for a good
long while.  Now, I’m pleased to share the notes I’ve taken along the
way.  Class is going to be a blast!  — Micah Solomon, Dean of the College.

Here are a few of the things he recommends.

Did you shine that doorkob?  Research shows that customers remember the first and last minutes of a service encounter more vividly — and for much longer — than all the rest.  So make sure the first and final elements of your customer interactions are particularly well engineered, because they are going to stick.

Set your clocks forward:  Modern customers expect speedier service than previous generations. In this age of Blackberrys and iPhones, of Amazon.com and Zappos, you may as well not deliver your product or service if you’re going to deliver it late.

Remember each returning customer.  Whatever your business and no matter the size,  make sure you get to know each customer personally.  Utilize customer/client tracking systems to help you remember important details such as birthdays, preferences and bits and pieces of family info.  There is nothing more successful than making your customer feel as though he or she is a VIP.

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Biz Burn Out? Tips for Dealing with Business-Related Stress

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managing difficult people

managing difficult people

Nearly everyone has it at some point — business burn out. Particularly in this tough economy. Small businesses are struggling to keep their doors open and it can take its toll.

If you are suffering from biz burn out and stress, here are a few tips to help you stay healthy, productive, and profitable:

1. Start your day right. Start your day doing something you enjoy. Eat a good breakfast. Take a walk. Enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee and read the newspaper. Whatever it is you enjoy, take time for yourself in the morning. If you start your day off like a crazy person, it will impact how you feel and act the rest of the day. So begin with a peaceful mindset.

2. Get a good night’s rest. Stress causes sleepless nights and when you don’t get enough sleep fatigue sets in. When you are tired, you lose your focus. It can impair your judgment and may cause you to make rash decisions.

3. Take breaks during your day. If you are like me, once your day starts, you are buried in your work and you rarely look up. Take a break? I hardly ever eat lunch, much less go out to lunch. But getting away from your work environment gives you a chance to clear your head and relax. By taking periodic breaks, and allowing yourself to decompress, you’ll come back fresher and be able to accomplish more.

4. Stay organized. Stress can lead to a lack of focus which creates a lack of organization which results in more stress. It is a vicious circle. You can help yourself manage your stress by disciplining yourself to stay organized.

5. Find outside enjoyment. Don’t allow your business to consume you. Carve time out of your schedule to participate in the activities you enjoy. Spend time with your friends and family. Join a dance club or a bowling league. Whatever is fun for you — do it. Don’t go home exhausted, grab a fast food meal and spend the rest of the evening on the coach with your laptop or smart phone nearby. Have some fun.

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