MyRadius Marketing, Motivation and More...

Customer Service Phrases to Avoid

2013-11-10T23:19:00.000-05:00

We've all heard them and they drive us crazy! Here are five catch phrases sure to send your customers shopping at your competitors. Can your team avoid saying these this holiday season?

1. Calm Down

There may not be a more infuriating phrase in customer service than this one. If a customer has reached a boiling point and is ranting away, the best thing to say is nothing. Let the customer finish. Once he or she has gotten everything out, they will begin to feel better and may be more receptive to a solution.

Better: "I apologize."

2. Did You See Any?

If a customer asks for a particular item you carry, chances are he/she already looked for it and didn't see it. This could mean it's out of stock or possibly still in the stock room. Even if they haven't looked for it yet, the best customer service would be to either take them to the product or go get it for them.

Better: "Yes, we stock that. I'll go see if we have any."

3. It's Over There

We've all heard this bad customer service phrase used by the busy or indifferent sales person. Sometimes they may point in the general direction. Not lifting their head to acknowledge the shopper makes it worse.

Better: "Follow me, I'll show you right where it is."

4. I Can't Do That

This is another negative customer service phrase that should be banned. Either empower the employees or train them to take issues to a supervisor or store management.

Better: "What I can do is ___."

5. That's Not My Department

It may be true, but it is also something a customer doesn't want to hear. Businesses should train their staff to be familiar with all areas of the store operations and know who to contact for help in various departments.

Better: "I'll be happy to get you to the person who knows more about that department."

Do you have a favourite phrase that drives you crazy when you hear it?

Your's for the best in service,

Barb Bruce

www.myradius.ca

The Power of Positive Change

2012-06-10T21:32:00.000-04:00

work/life balance in P.E.C.

Stepping Outside of Yourself - The Sequel

In November of 2010 I wrote a blog about Change and how everyone deals with it differently. Click HERE to read it.
Back then I was knee deep in change. With an 18 year career that had come to an end, I had two choices. I could feel sorry for myself that my predictable work grind had ended, or shake things up and take a "what's next" approach. Guess which I did? Now, almost two years later, change was the best life lesson I've experienced.

So "Thank You" to my friend who in 2010 asked if I was "stepping outside of myself" as I veered off my normal path in life, taking a little less conservative approach to my day to day ritual and made me realize that stepping outside myself was a great way for me to approach change. I started to look for opportunity, stopped being predictable, and thought more about what I hadn't experienced, what I wanted to do and how I would do it differently.
This was my list from 2010. I stand by it two years later, and it has paid off!

1. Work/Life Balance - We so often get it wrong! Find the best balance to suit your lifestyle. Many type A’s like myself have tried to squeeze 150% into 100% and the result is often 75% or less productivity. I believe that everyone has their own work/life balance, and until you shake it up a bit, you won’t be able to know what balance is best for you! I’m still working to get mine right!

2. Try Something New - Two years in and I've conquered this goal! Remember that idea that you said absolutely no to? Why not revisit it. I’m not saying you should do something that you don’t believe in, but why not open your mind to a new experience.

3. Compassion - In business we often don’t have enough of it. It doesn’t fit into deadlines well, can interfere with profitability and takes extra time that we often just don’t have. On the flip side, compassion connects you to others on a deeper more personal level than sticking with the same practiced routine! When it comes to relationship building, even in business compassion is a wonderful trait to have. I continue to work hard at this.

4. Fun - You need it to survive, inside and outside a work environment. I didn’t have or share enough of it. Add some fun in your life but also in the lives of others. If you are in a work environment and fun does not exist on some level then productivity levels may decrease. For those who believe fun = lower productivity, please refer to point #2 and open your mind.

5. Decisions without Regret - In work and in life we make decisions all day long. What will you eat for breakfast? What shoes will you wear? How will you respond to an irate customer? What staffing changes will you plan? Is it time to leave your job? Is it time to try something new? The great thing about decisions is they are yours to make! Bottom line – be ok with your decisions, good or bad, learn and grow from them.

So two years have come and gone, and I have stepped out of my "normal" and experienced a new proactive approach to work and life. Now I'm back doing what I love! Monday morning meetings, Tuesday night calls, Wednesday night out of town travels, a daily landslide of emails, seminar hosting, promotional planning, best practices, strategic development, spreadsheets, stats analysis and yes even the dreaded budgeting is back - and I couldn't be happier!!!!!

Change - make it great!
Barb Bruce - MyRadius Consulting Services
service@myradius.ca

Engage Your Audience through Public Speaking

2012-02-20T21:56:00.001-05:00

Verbal communication. We all do it each and every day from the time we are old enough to speak. But is public speaking a skill worth practising?

Will social media become so powerful that the need for face to face interaction will become a distant means of communication?

I have two school aged children. Both are on Facebook and they both Tweet. My youngest son writes a blog. They both text. They both play on gaming systems. They have computers and are network savvy. But can they speak to our next door neighbours, carry on enlightening conversations with their friends' parents and tell a great story when given the chance? YES THEY CAN!

Why? Because I believe that while keeping current with today’s communication technology and trends is vital, being able to verbally communicate on a human personal level supersedes all! Unless you are destined for a one man job in which you will have little or no communication with other human beings, the skill of being able to verbally communicate your message to others will continue to be relevant so long as human interaction is alive and well.

Do you think you will never need to speak in public? Here is a list of times when you’ll be glad you have practised this skill:

Your first (or 20^th) date
Your first (or 20^th) job interview
Speaking at your brother's wedding
Presenting your grade 11 verbal marketing assignment
Talking at your best friend's funeral
Accepting an award
Participating in business meetings

In the next month I will be a judge at the local community and district student public speaking competitions sponsored by the Lions Club. I can’t wait to listen to students from Grade 3 through 12 stand up in the front of the room and speak on topics that are of interest to them. They are all winners for simply gathering the courage to stand up and speak; something that many adults would not even consider doing as a last resort. I will praise them all, listen with intent and tell them to keep speaking, keep practising and continue to find and speak about their passions in life!

Here are 3 easy tips to improve your speaking skills:

1. Speak Loud, Clear and Slow so listeners can hear and understand you.

2. Speak with Passion, using expression to emphasize parts that mean the most to you.

3. Engage your audience. Stay Enthusiastic and Know Your Topic! Make them want to hear more from you.

Start speaking, it’s contagious!

Barb Bruce – MyRadius Consulting Services

Looking for tips on how to improve your verbal communication and public speaking skills? Contact your local Chamber of Commerce for a list of groups in your area that focus on public speaking.

Time Management for a Busy Week

2012-01-23T10:00:00.002-05:00

Is it Monday morning, 11 a.m. and you are already wondering how the heck you are going to fit everything into your crazy busy week? It's not just work related tasks, if your list is like mine it includes work, home, family, friends, kids, hockey, basketball, more hockey, gym and of course the secondary issues like EATING and SLEEPING!

Too often our demanding lifestyles result in too little time to accomplish all we demand of ourselves. So, what happens when you run out of week and how do you fix it? I asked my teenaged son this question and here was his wordy response. "Move on… don’t worry….do it next week… " Oh the life of a teenager!

Taking into account that we understand the possible outcome by following a teenager’s advice, when you run out of week there are two things to consider:

1. How do I fix my immediate situation?

2. How do I prevent this from happening over and over again every week?

Here are some helpful tips to use when you find that you regularly “Run Out of Week”

Daily Time Management – Rather than waiting until mid afternoon to find that your day has derailed, break your day into hourly checkpoints to monitor your work flow.

Prioritize – STOP. MAKE A LIST. What are the absolute critical duties that must be done today that absolutely cannot wait until tomorrow.

Delegation – Some days you just can’t do it all. Find the key people in your life you know you can lean on when the day gets crazy and use them. (Don’t forget to appreciate their extra efforts as they have their own agenda too)

Exercise/Diet – At some point you are going to have to make a choice whether to grab a burger and keep going or grab a healthy alternative and keep going. Pick the healthy choice and you will feel more motivated and less tired.

Be Prepared – I pack a “just in case bag”. Mine includes a change of clothes, an extra pair of shoes, water, snacks, one protein bar (only one because if I'm really hungry or I would eat them all) and a few other odds and ends. If I work late it makes the transition to my next stop easier.

How do you prevent this from ever happening again? You Don’t. You can only organize and prepare as best as possible for what the work week throws at you. By following basic time management practices, prioritizing your duties and delegating when necessary “running out of week” shouldn’t turn into a weekly occurrence!

Wishing you a wonderful work week! Barb Bruce - MyRadius Consulting.

Customer Service - Do You Have the Right People?

2012-01-02T07:45:00.010-05:00

A new year is a great time to wipe your customer service slate clean of old habits and create a must follow list of new habits for you and your employees. But do your employees have the skills to achieve customer service excellence and are they willing to change their bad habits?

Customer service excellence starts and ends with a focus on people. It’s time to stop saying you provide great service and start showing the great service you provide! Not every employee has the spirit or select skills to deliver great customer service and to fit into a customer-focused culture. Identifying each individual employee’s challenges early in the year will help to improve their service levels which will impact your businesses overall measure of service.

Here is an easy exercise to help assess if your current staff have what it takes to achieve greatness in customer service. Use the check lists to assess each of your front line staff. Assess how many traits they exhibit from each list.

LIST 1

A daily optimistic work ethic

A general kindness toward people
A high energy level

Patience and tolerance

The ability to work with diverse personalities

A willingness to accommodate others

An eye for detail

LIST 2

An argumentative personality

Easily frustrated

Dominating
Adverse to change

Driven by routine

Non-adaptable

A pessimist

If you determine that the employee has more checks from List 1 than they do from List 2, they are a good candidate for achieving great customer service. If they have more checks from List 2 than from List 1, it’s time to assess if they are helping or hurting your overall customer service level. If they have very few checks on either list, it’s time to assess if they are trainable to become a List 1 employee.

Sometimes as a small business owner or manager you need to make hard choices. Do you have the wrong person(s) on the front line greeting, assisting and selling to your customers? Are they truly the best choice as an ambassador for your business? Still not sure if your employee has what it takes? Never underestimate your customers’ body language and communication as they interact with your staff. It is one of the best assessment tools you have!

Don't forget the importance of a great work culture. Build a culture that your employees enjoy working in, and in turn, employees who have a service focused spirit will help your business to flourish. Let 2012 be the year that you and your staff "KNOCK THE SOCKS OFF" your customers!

Barb Bruce - Myradius Consulting Services

"Start the year with your right foot forward. Host a customer service training seminar for your front line staff"

Contact Barb for more information service@myradius.ca

Build Culture and Engage Employees

2011-10-24T23:45:00.009-04:00

Do you want to create a culture of engaged employees? Start by building an engaging culture. Empower staff and include them in your vision. Build a culture that employees can embrace and believe in. But more importantly, don’t just put it on paper, pour it in the workforce. Employers are beginning to realize that engaging their workforce by offering more than money and benefits will motivate employees to buy-in to their plan and work for the success of the business.

A while ago I asked a friend how they liked working at their place of business. "It's a job, it pays the bills" was the response. On the bright side, he didn't say it was a horrible place to work, but there wasn't much endorsement going on for the culture of the company.

You don’t have to be a large corporation to build a culture for your business. From 5 to 5000, regardless of the number of employees, building a company culture involves identifying the values and practices of your business, and sharing and moving the entire workforce toward those values.

It’s been published that businesses with an adaptive culture that is aligned to their business goals routinely outperform their competitors. Some studies report the difference at 200% or more. Just as each business is unique, their culture should also be unique, reflecting on the overall goals and creating a plan to promote the goals.

A CEO for a company I once worked for spent a considerable amount of time identifying and driving a new culture by spreading the word to hundreds of employees about the culture he was creating. Talking about the values he said “These are not simply words generated by an outside consultant, to which we pay lip service. They are values that guide our operations throughout the group every day……" He believed in creating a better work environment which would in turn result in better products and better returns.

Cultures are driven by leaders, and different leaders believe in different values. In large corporations it can be a difficult transition when leadership changes, and with it, values often change with new leaders focusing on new priorities. In small business, building a solid culture can be a work in progress, as leaders come and go, or move on to bigger roles.

What is important to you when it comes to your business? What do your customers think of when asked about your business? Are the answers aligned?

Is SERVICE a priority?

Do you sell a product in which TRUST is a factor?

Do you encourage your employees to have FUN?

Reviewing your company culture is a good idea. Creating a solid culture is a great idea!

So the next time someone asks one of your employees how they like working at your place of business, the optimum answer for any business owner big or small is to hear their staff say,

“I love it, It’s a great place to work!”

Barb Bruce service@myradius.ca

www.myradius.ca

Service with a Smile!

2011-10-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

Service with a Smile! It’s an old saying but still very relevant! Once a week we are up and out of the house for my son's early morning hockey practice at the rink. My younger son is forced into the early a.m. ride. He views it as a total waste of time, except on that one morning he gets to have a “drive thru” breakfast at a local fast food joint. While the restaurant is always fast and the food order is seldom wrong, there is one piece missing – Service with a Smile. As a consumer I started wondering:

Do they dislike their job that much?
Is their employer bad to work for?
Are they always unhappy?
Did I do something to make them not like me as a customer?
Should I go elsewhere next time?

It’s the last statement that makes every small business owner quiver in their shoes! The last thing they want is returning customers to disappear. Service with a smile is not asking much from your employees. In fact if employees start each transaction with a smile, their day may role along a little easier! There are hundreds of ideas out there when it comes to customer service. Here is my list of musts when dealing with customers:

1. Smile – Be glad that a customer is doing business with you and your employer.

2. Care About Your Job – Whether you are selling Fast Food or Ferrari’s, and regardless of your title, take pride in the job you do because EVERY job well done will add to the success of your business or the business you work for.

3. Be Attentive – Treat each customer as if they were your only one! This is a little harder if your job is to serve hundreds of customers an hour, however this may be one of the most important SERVICE musts! Customers need to know that you care that they are shopping at your store and that you are grateful for their business.

4. Ask your Customers for Feedback – How was everything today? Is there anything we could have done better/different to improve your experience at our business? This is another way of showing you care.

5. ALWAYS THANK YOUR CUSTOMERS – with every verbal or written word, whether in person, in writing or on the telephone, whether they buy from you or don't, ensure that the smile and warmth they were greeted with at the beginning of the visit is followed with warm thanks, when they leave.

Often businesses get wrapped up with the process of consumer transactions and forget the details. Customer service takes discipline and attention to detail. Service with a Smile! Why not review the old idea with your staff today!

Is it time for a 101 refresher course in Customer Service?
Call me today for more information on our "Knock Their Socks Off" training program for your staff.

Barb Bruce
705-927-5953

service@myradius.ca
www.myradius.ca

Customer Service Training

2011-09-20T23:30:00.018-04:00

Join us at our upcoming seminars this November in Peterborough, Ontario.
RSVP - limited seats available.

Customer Service Training Seminar - "Knock Their Socks Off Service"

Time Management - "How to make the most out of what little time you have"
QR CODES - "Learn, Scan, Create"
Hosted by Barb Bruce, myradius.ca

Contact us today at service@myradius.ca for a list of upcoming seminar dates or to book a custom seminar for your group or business.

Creating a Facebook Page for your Small Business

2011-08-15T10:29:00.004-04:00

After spending some time the past few weeks chatting with small business owners who have not yet taken the Facebook leap, or have taken the leap and are still waiting to land, I made the following observations.

Small business owners are extremely busy people
Small business owners embrace new ideas
Small business owners are savvy about their market and clientele
Small business owners want to use Facebook but aren’t sure how to approach it
Small business owners who have had a family member or friend help them get started on Facebook have had little training about how to manage it themselves.
Small business owners are willing to learn, but can’t invest a fortune doing so.

So, for all you small business owners who want to, need to, and have been asked to by their customers, DO IT! Take the leap! Start your own Facebook business page! Here is some advice and encouragement to help you get started.

Don’t make Facebook more difficult than it needs to be. Starting a Facebook page is quite easy, and doesn't take a big time commitment.
Start slowly, step by step, setting a little time aside, (try 20 minutes a day) and you will be on your way to engaging your audience through Facebook.
Explore each part of the page, and all of the tabs. Use the Help feature to learn more about parts of the page that you are unfamiliar with.
Google your questions. You'll be surprised how many people have the same questions as you do when getting started on Facebook.

In order to have a Facebook Page you must have a Facebook Account. If you don’t want to create a Facebook account, you can create a business account which will allow you to handle the administration of your page.

If you already have a personal Facebook account you should use it to create your page. Facebook does not link your personal information to your Facebook page, so you don't have to worry about people being able to see your personal information or association with the page. Creating multiple personal Facebook accounts (business or personal) is a violation of Facebook policy, so use your existing personal account.
Once you have a Facebook account, you are ready to create you fan page.
Remember, once you have 25 fans you can name your page! (Give it a username that will help to promote your page and can be used in your marketing communications). There are some restrictions when naming your page however, so proceed with caution.

There are many resources on the Internet with advice for creating your own Facebook Page. I like this information from Squidoo.com which has an excellent step by step page on How to Create a Facebook Page. I recommend you take a look before you start, and use their sections as stepping stones to learn more.

In no time at all, you’ll be on your way to embracing your fans with great information all about your small business!

Wishing you a great week!

Barb Bruce – myradius.ca

I invite you to become a fan of my Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/myradius

A Human Approach to Customer Service

2011-07-25T20:30:00.001-04:00

This week the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, in Peterborough Ontario was awarded with an "A grade" for demonstrating that it meets a high standard of service excellence to its members. What a great accomplishment for all of the chamber staff. Congratulations you should be very proud!

In an age where technology has integrated with customer service, there is still a glimmer of hope by an aging population of consumers, that company employees from the CEO to the CSR are attentive and appreciative of their business. With the popularity of one stop shopping and online ordering, service excellence has sometimes taken a back seat to convenience.

It's no wonder that in this age of technology companies struggle with the human approach to building relationships with their customers. Cost savings, efficiencies and optimization implemented to improve the bottom line often resulted in technology replacing labour. The introduction of voice answering services, centralized service centres and automated menus left customers feeling unappreciated, unwanted and most of all unheard.

Is it necessary for service to take a back seat to technology? One solution is to improve the Human Approach to customer service. It goes like this:

Treat customers how you would like to be treated. Show customers you respect them. Engage in open dialog when appropriate. Thank customers for their business.

Treat customers how you would like to be treated:

This is a common sense approach to business. Customers expect that employees can help them with their questions. I asked my son’s fourteen year old friend who stocks shelves at a chain store if he is approached with questions by customers. “All the time”, he replied. I asked how he deals with it and he said, “If I know the answer I help them, and if I don’t I ask them to hold on until I go and find the answer”. (common sense service at it’s finest).

Show customers you respect them:

Customers visiting or approaching your place of business should be treated similar to how guests would be treated in your home. Welcome them. Show them around. Ask if they need anything. Chat about happenings. It’s the human approach.

Engage in open dialog when appropriate:

When did we become afraid of small talk? It’s possible that the new generation of “texties” may be unfamiliar with this element of communication? It’s okay to chat with customers about non-business topics when appropriate. Weather, local events, similar interests are all safe topics. All business all the time makes customers feel detached regardless of the type of communication.

Thank customers for their business:

This easy and appropriate gesture is often forgotten. “Thanks for bringing your business to us”; “Thanks for visiting our store today”; “Thanks for calling”; “Thanks for ordering from us”; “Thanks for thinking of us”; “Thanks for referring us to your friend”; “Thanks for liking us”; “Thanks for following us”; “Thank you for your business”; If a customer takes the time to interact with your business take the time to thank them for doing so.

Why not use the Peterborough Chamber’s excellent effort as a reminder to re-visit your businesses approach to service excellence? Maybe there’s some room for more of the human approach to customer service in your organization!

Wishing you an excellent week,
Barb Bruce – myradius.ca

Barb is the author of “Knock their Socks off Customer Service” - An uplifting, motivating and empowering training program for front line customer service employees.

20 Things To Do This Summer

2011-07-07T23:37:00.002-04:00

Recently I entertained my fourteen year old son and two of his best friends during a “beginning of summer–ending of hockey season” trip to the trailer in Prince Edward County on West Lake, near The Sandbanks Provincial Park. This beautiful area is rich with summer activity and was a great starting point to kick off the best time is a teenager’s life – SUMMER! So as a tribute to Riley, Elijah and M.J. here is a list of 20 things we as adults, can add to our “TO DO” list this summer, that we likely did as teenagers:

Hang with your friends
Build a giant campfire and eat 15 marshmallows (preferably in a fire pit)
Shop at your local thrift store,who knows what you might find
Eat pizza 4 days in a row
Boycott socks
Bike race (wear a helmet!)
Run down a sand hill or have a race at the beach
Listen to some inappropriate music
If in Campbellford, eat one dozen cream filled donuts, followed by chocolate and a trip to Empire Cheese.
Wear sunscreen, without being threatened by your mother
Do something daring (but not dangerous)
Eat candy without feeling guilty, (try pixy stix shooters!)
Catch a fish, clean it, eat it, all before lunch
Eat an entire basket of shelling peas
Pick or buy strawberries and eat them all before you get home
Play your music so loud that you can feel it in your throat (caution may cause hearing loss)
If visiting Picton Ontario, eat a "dog of the day" at Buddha Dog
Have a water gun fight
Stay up until 2 a.m.
Sleep in until 2 p.m.

Enjoy every day because before we know it, summer will be over!
Barb Bruce - myradius.ca

Finding Your Passion

2011-06-20T11:25:00.002-04:00

I volunteered in a Gr. 5 class last week helping with a test on probability. One of the questions was “Do you think you will ever compete in the Olympics?”

The answer choices were “Absolutely, Likely, Possibly, Unlikely or Impossible.

The boy I was helping answered “Impossible”. I had to ask why he chose that answer. “I’m not good at anything,” was his reply.
I told him THAT was impossible and asked what he had a passion for? “A passion,” he questioned? “Yes, what do you love to do?” He told me he loved to draw and write stories and he keeps a journal. He said, “If they ever make drawing an Olympic sport it’s possible I might compete!” And with that, he changed his answer! At the end of the day, he showed me his journal and his passion for drawing and stories. I hope he becomes a famous writer/illustrator!

Expert is a term I rarely use, but this week I had a most engaging conversation with a true Expert in the field of circulation newspaper management. He reminded me how passionate I am about the newspaper industry and specifically the circulation department which has weathered many challenges in an ever-changing and adapting business environment.

I also visited the basketball hoops in downtown Peterborough, where I played 21, one on one, and shot hoops with three young men for almost two hours. Although they were half my age (yes that would make them 17, and don’t question it...) I managed to sink a few three pointers that would impress – my passion for shooting a basketball could have kept me there for hours!

Identifying passions and keeping them active are key factors in a fulfilling work and personal life.

Here are five questions to help you identify your passion:

1) What puts a smile on your face? Happiness and passion are connected. They require each other to work in sync. Identify what makes you smile? Can it become your passion?

2) What comes easy to you? Just like my young Gr. 5 friend, your passion should come easy to you. On most days, is there something you look forward to doing?

3) What do you like to have conversations about? Your passion will often turn into a great conversation that you don’t want to end. I wrote my Circulation Expert friend a short novel discussing my passion for the industry!

4) What would you regret not trying? Sometimes there are just some things that you need to experience to find out for yourself whether it’s the right thing for you or the wrong thing for you. Experience helps define your passions.

5) What could you do for hours on end and not get bored? Is it reading or drawing? Maybe it’s a sport like running, basketball or hockey? Is it your job or certain parts of your job?

I will leave you with a few passionate quotes for the week:

“Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.”

“A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.”

“If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.”

Can you identify one thing that you are passionate about? Add it in to your weekly mix and see if it brings extra energy into your week!

Wishing you a week filled with unbridled enthusiasm, Barb Bruce

www.myradius.ca 705-927-5953 service@myradius.ca

The Three Month Rule

2011-05-24T10:21:00.003-04:00

Have you ever worked at a company where management changes frequently? How many times after the first week of change have you heard, “Let’s see how long this one lasts”, or “It took me two days to figure out he(she) won’t work out”.

Have your job duties recently changed - again? Did it make you think, “Can’t I just keep doing it the way I always did?” or “What is this really going to accomplish?”

Are you learning a new software program? Do you ever hear yourself saying, “The old way was much easier” or “One week in and I still don’t understand this.”

These types of questions and many more are perfect for the application of The Three Month Rule!

What is it? Simple. In order to give anything a chance, you need to give it at least three months. I use this in my business routine quite often. I use it all the time in life. The three month rule can be applied to many different platforms:

Employee trial period (see it they are the right fit for the company)
Employer trial period (see if the company is the right fit for you)
New job description
New service process
New sales territory
Process changes
New computer program
New seating arrangement
Relationships
Diet
Fitness
Lifestyle
Schooling
Friendships
Use of Social Media

If you applied The Three Month Rule to the above list rather than buying out after a few weeks, what’s the worst that could happen? The Three Month Rule does have a few guidelines.

You must start with a positive approach and patience.
You must keep an open mind throughout the three months.
You must adapt to change along the way.
You must try what you don’t like more than once and continue throughout the three months.
You must be willing to extend past the three month rule or seek assistance if you are still unsure of the outcome.

A good friend recently had to deal with the passing of her father. He had lived a wonderful long and fulfilled life with only a short illness at the very end. Weeks following his passing were difficult for my friend as would be expected. A conversation recently at the local rink (everything revolves around the rink in my home) found my friend in great spirits, sleeping well and enjoying the memories. When I asked her how long it had been since her father had passed away she said it had been three months. I told her about my three month rule. She told me about another rule her husband uses. It’s called the $5000 rule. The projects you really want to do generally cost $5000! (Was $3000 for many years but recently he increased the cap to catch up with the cost of living!)

We all apply our own rules in business and in life. The moral behind the three month rule is give everything (and everyone) a fair assessment period before jumping to a conclusion that may result in a different outcome than had you incorporated some time into the mix.

Wishing you three full months of tremendous summer fun!

Barb Bruce – 705-927-5953 service@myradius.ca

Summer Promotions for Small Businesses

2011-05-15T23:55:00.001-04:00

Do you remember the day last winter, when you decided it was time for the snow and cold to disappear? My day of declaration was early February, while I was scraping the ice off my windshield, in the dark at 5 pm, as the wind was whipping snow down my collar. It was then that I repeated my annual statement to myself. It went something like this:

“Enough of the cold, I can’t take it another day. Bring on the sun and the heat. I promise not to complain about it, not even on the hottest day of summer.” The joy of summer! Beautiful sunshine, extra long daytime, hot weather, outdoor enjoyment and a great excuse for a summertime promotion for your business! What promotions do you have planned for your business this summer?

Summer promotions allow you to step away from the day to day and add some fun to go along with the weather. Promotions are also a great method to attract new business. A summer audience can include a new mix of customers, as many shoppers may be vacationing in your community, making a day trip, just passing by, or in town for a special summer event. Here are some promotional ideas to make SUMMER SUPER for your business:

SUMMER SPECIAL OF THE WEEK – Why not feature a new product every week during the summer? Something that is sure to attract potential customers to come inside. Promote your weekly special on Facebook and Twitter. Maybe it’s a featured item at a discounted price. What about a doorprize draw for an instore coupon? Or a deep discount on a specific product or service? To ensure success, keep it simple, change it up weekly and promote, promote, promote.

SIDEWALK SALE – Great excuse to go outdoors. But do more that just drag out a table and display a few items. Make it SUMMER SPECTACULAR!! Promote freebies for the kiddies and draws and giveaways for the adults. Shoppers equate sidewalk sales to shopping for bargains. Don’t disappoint! Get creative! This is a time to impress and build your word of mouth advertising and repeat business down the road.

EMPLOYEE GIVEBACK – Summer is a great time to reward your hard working crew. If you have a small employee base or department, here are some ideas sure to add some smiles.

Markdown Monday – Add an extra 10% markdown on staff purchases every Monday for the summer.

Timbit Tuesday – Yes, very Canadian, but timbits are hard to resist.

Walking Wednesday – Send your front line (or as they call themselves “stuck inside”) staff for an out of office errand and cover for them while they are gone.

Themed Thursday – Make every Thursday a THEME day at your business. Allow staff to plan this idea now and launch it the first Thursday of summer. This will help your staff stay motivated, engaged and involved.

4:30 Friday – Everyone likes to cut out a little early on Friday. How about having a draw every Friday choosing an employee that can leave ½ hour early (with pay).

FESTIVALS/PARKS/OFFSITE EVENTS/TRADESHOWS - Can your business participate in special events in your community that are outside and away from your permanent location? This attracts a new source of traffic in a new venue and customers that may have never considered visiting your business at its permanent location. You’ll be surprised how many people ask, “Where are you located?” (And you thought everyone knew this). Have lots of handouts available directing them to your permanent location.

Spring is here, summer is near. And on that 30 degrees celcius day with a humidex of 38, remember my mid winter chant, and enjoy the heat!

Wishing you hours of sunshine!

Barb Bruce – service@myradius.ca 705-927-5953

Need some summer promotional ideas? Contact me, I’d be happy to chat with you!

(p.s. my new website will be launching within the week – keep watching for details)

Stop Multitasking

2011-05-02T15:19:00.003-04:00

I remember specifically the first time I heard the word "multitasking". It was during my first job as a manager. My publisher told me that I was not very skilled at multitasking, a new word he had learned while at a conference. He then asked me if I knew what multitasking meant. “Multitasking is doing many functions at the same time with ease” he told me. “You need to work on your multitasking skills.”
What did he know?
I was a great multitasker (now that I knew what it meant)! I could do many different functions all at the same time. I dealt with non stop office traffic from contractors, customers and staff while planning promotions and completing reports. I was offended that he would suggest I was not good at multitasking. I’d show him. I’d become the best multitasker around!
Fast forward twenty years, and multitasking has taken on a new meaning. It means “not enough time to do each item, so do all items at once.” We all fall victim to multitasking in our personal and professional lives. Multitasking has been described as a good way to do many things badly at the same time.

I asked my teenaged son and his friend for their definition of multitasking. “When you are texting girls, while watching TV, while listening to music and chatting on Facebook all at the same time.” Not exactly the example I was hoping for.

When was the last time you juggled report writing, while answering a text from your child, while you replied to an email, as you scarfed down a snack, all while participating on a conference call? One day last year, I multitasked like crazy so I could catch the hockey bus for my son's out of town hockey game. On the bus, half way to the game I realized that I was wearing two different shoes! Studies show that when we multitask our mind is divided among the different tasks therefore our attention given to each task is decreased. This is how my math brain processes that statement:
1 mind divided by 1 task = 100% focus
1 mind divided by 5 tasks = 20% focus equalized, or a mix equal to 100%

My message of the week? Tips to STOP MULTITASKING
PREPARE – Take the first 15 minutes of your day and figure out everything you must fit in to the day both personally and professionally.
LIST – Lists are visual. They allow you to make choices. They help you to process your tasks by priority and keep you from spending time on “time wasters”.
FOCUS – One thing at a time, and give it 100% attention. A conversation with your coworker or child? FOCUS. Staff meeting? FOCUS. Coffee with Friends? FOCUS. Cooking Supper? FOCUS. (I had to add this one, because multitasking through supper prep for me = burnt).
TRACK - Catch yourself multitasking. What put you there? Could it have been avoided? Did you just fall into the multitasking mindset out of habit? What item set off your need to multitask? Can it wait?
GO SLOW - Do you feel yourself in motion overload? Take a minute, tune out, and slow down your process. You will be able to better assess situations, answer questions, and engage in conversation if you first slow down your thought process.

If you want to be productive it's best not to multi-task at all, says Dave Crenshaw, a productivity coach and author of The Myth of Multitasking. "When people attempt to multitask, what they are really doing is switching rapidly back and forth between tasks, what I call 'switch tasking'. These switches cause people to lose time, and be incredibly less productive."

So, this week rather than worrying about how to multitask well why not focus on not multitasking at all and increase your effort on each individual job at hand?
This blog was written without exposure to multitasking…….. (well almost... still practicing).

Wishing you a week of 100% minded tasks.
Barb Bruce
Is it time for some non multitasking training for your staff? Contact me today at service@myradius.ca or 705-927-5953.

Retention or Acquisition

2011-04-20T11:37:00.016-04:00

Retention or Acquisition? Is one more important than the other?

One of the most fundamental issues to any company is whether to place more focus, time and investment on customer acquisition or customer retention. While both are important to making your business a success, businesses often focus on acquiring new customers, and lose focus on
retaining the ones they already have. In the print media industry for example, retention and acquisition were two of the main KPI’s that were tracked on an ongoing basis. Early on, we learned the golden rule that for every customer you lose, it takes two new customers to grow your base and it’s easier to find one new customer, than
to lose a current customer, and have to find two new ones to get ahead. Makes sense in any business. Plus, when retention is high, and churn is low, it’s a sign that you are in sync with your customers' needs and wants.
When you’ve mastered this, then acquisition can be measured as true growth.

Yes, acquisition equals new revenue, however if you are simply replacing revenue lost from not retaining your current customer base, then eventually this short term solution will result in increased expenses and flat revenue growth. So, in my pursuit for companies with killer (meaning great) service, here are a few suggestions on how to improve customer retention:

1. Relationship building – Big or Small, it’s a must. The customer is keeping you in business so you better build more than an A/R list with them. Big business should take their lead from small businesses in this category. Small businesses can be great at building lasting relationships with their current customer base!

2. Monitor your call centre - Are your customers calls answered by a call center? If so, MONITOR IT REGULARLY. Call in frequently and ensure they are treating your customers the way you would treat them. Address issues on a regular basis.

3. Set up a customer culture for your business. Maybe it’s a few key words that should be top of mind with every employee when dealing with customers. Service, Smile, Satisfaction = Sales for example.

4. Keep your website current and relevant. Often customers will visit your website to search for an answer to their question before calling or visiting you. Do you have a FAQ section? Is it updated regularly with actual FAQ’s?

Customer service can make or break you when it comes to retention. Don’t let something this easy stand in the way of profit! Remember, happy customers tell others about their great experiences, dissatisfied customers will leave.

Wishing you Acquisitions on top of Retention!
Barb Bruce service@myradius.ca

Business Ethics

2011-04-17T22:19:00.006-04:00

Social relationships in business. Everyone has a different view of social limits in the workplace, and a different level that they hold themselves (and sometimes others) ethically responsible. While building a social culture is ever so important in a productive work environment, it should never overtake the priority of "job at hand".
My rule of thumb is to never judge how someone else views or acts in a given situation, especially if it differs from how I would have acted (or reacted). In a place of business, you often don’t know the road co-workers have travelled down to arrive at their decision. That being said, here are a few of suggestions for keeping your social business relationships clean and ethical.

1. Keep your Friends for Facebook and your Coworkers for Corporate. None of my friends
on my personal Facebook account are or were co-workers (with the exception of one former boss and his wife that I consider my friends and one former direct report who became my friend after we stopped working together). I don’t want the people I work with to know what I did on the weekend, who I hang out with, or how I regularly burn dinner (something my close friends torture me about). I’ll save selected stories to share in the office. Personally if I spend 40+ hours a week in person with my co-workers, I don’t need to spend more time with them in my personal social media world.

2. Don’t Mix Business and Pleasure. Workplace relationships can not only be socially uncomfortable for co-workers, but can often break corporate policy. Do you really want to find out that your boss has hooked up with a co-worker, or that two of your subordinates are sharing more than staples? Many workplaces have a corporate policy covering workplace relationships which sometimes backfires, adding to the allure.

3. Work on building Professional Friendships. Is the office gang going out every Friday nite? Ask yourself this question. If I join in will it negatively impact the way I engage with this group as co-workers on Monday, or negatively impact they way I do business? If you answer yes, then limit your social involvement. I recently heard a real estate salesperson say that early in her career she would watch as a group of realtors would take their coffee break together, then go have lunch together, then take their afternoon break together, day after day. After a few weeks, one of the realtors said to her, “I don’t get it, I’m not selling anything.” Her comment back was. “Try eating lunch with someone other than your co-workers because I can guarantee you’re never going to sell any of them a house!” Find someone that you might actually sell a house to and have lunch with them instead!” Great advice!

4. Stay Away From the Water Cooler. (Or at least don’t visit it every day). Do you really want to be the employee that everyone visits to find out the work gossip? The problem with the water cooler is many additions make their way onto the story that leaves this social water hub, sparking rumors, office politics, and bad feelings. My advice? Drink pop!

5. Keep Your 2 Cents in Your Pocket. While it's tempting to jump into the social debate of the day, try to avoid becoming part of the party. Many topics that find their way into office conversations have so many different ethical viewpoints that throwing your 2 cents worth in will only make you..well…2 cents poorer.

Bottom line? Abide by your own business social ethics code and those imposed by your employer. After all, they are paying you to do your job so follow their rules. Make sure you can live with your business ethics choices. Your business ethics do not necessarily have to pattern your personal ethics. The two can be separate, as should your business life and your personal life. But then again, that’s just my point of view.

Wishing you lots of cold Pop and Pennies in your Pocket!
Barb Bruce 705-927-5953 or service@myradius.ca

Take Time to Play

2011-04-06T00:12:00.003-04:00

Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo?
Five of my college girlfriends did, just before graduation many years ago. Unfortunately, they didn’t think their timing through very well, as we were modeling in a college fashion show the following weekend. A summer clothing line, bathing suits, with their tattoos exposed to the world (and to their parents!). I remember laughing so hard watching them walking down the runway toward their mom, dad and grandparents. My room-mates father was a minister and quite conservative. She however, not so much! The expressions were priceless!

Ah to play! That’s the entire premise of most children under the age of 10. Recess – Play. After School – Play. Before Bed – Play. It’s just built in to their routine. So why do we lose that sense
of play as our lives progress? Why so often do we stop fitting “Play” in. Recent studies have shown that adding play time into your schedule pays off with big benefits for your health, your mood and most importantly adds balance to a lopsided work/play teeter totter. Play doesn't have to be physical. Play can be as simple as a mental release from your work regime.
So, this exercise is easy. Take some time this month and…..play! That’s the entire inspiring, uplifting, message……

Play!

The only thing you need to do is allow yourself to participate. Try it, what’s the worst that could happen?
For those of you that still think their plate is too full to find time to play, here are some simple ideas for starters.

1. Remember what you used to love to do? Start doing it again. I loved to play basketball, so last year I started shooting hoops at an outdoor court twice a week for 15 minutes. (That’s all the time I had to play). I had forgotten how much I loved it!
2. Be free for one hour. Socialize, Cook, Blast your tunes (my favorite). Meet a friend (or 5) for coffee. Allow yourself one hour of nothing but social fun, free from thoughts of work, worries, or agendas.
3. Walk (or run) outside and look around in every direction. Studies show an unlimited number of benefits from physical exercise. Maybe it’s just a walk to the corner store. Nothing makes me feel better than an outdoor walk on a blue sky day. When you look up, it can make your list of possibilities feel endless.
4. Laugh! Laughing is definitely a mental and physical form of play, and it’s quick and spontaneous. I’m not witty but I have a couple of friends that are experts! Laugh whenever you can with whomever you can! Wit does wonders.
5. Smile. I suppose if you go around laughing all the time people may think you’ve lost it. Smiling on the other hand is contagious. Give yourself 3 reasons to pause from your work and smile every day. Actually come up with 3 positive thoughts and stick them away for when you need them. I have come up with at least 3 great reasons to smile. (nope, not sharing)

I’ve thought about getting a tattoo now and again but my analytical brain always pushes aside my creative thinking. I don’t know if I’ll ever be brave enough to get one. I’m afraid my idea of what I would want it to say would keep changing! Hey - maybe if I get a QR code tattoo, I can keep changing the redirectible message! (next blog). My college girlfriends are visiting this weekend. I’ll have to ask them about their tattoo decision and how they feel about it 20 years later.

For this week however my tattoo would read: Each day’s a gift - take time to Play!

Check in next week and I will tell you if it’s changed!

Wishing you extra play time this spring!
Barb Bruce service@myradius.ca

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! (and Jill a dull girl)
wikipedia link

Knock the Socks Off Your Customers

2011-03-26T11:49:00.002-04:00

Are you looking for a proven method to kill your repeat business?
Provide a consistent level of mediocre customer service.
Looking for a second way?
Provide an inconsistent level of customer service, referred to by the customer as “hit and miss” service.

Is Customer Service the top priority of your business? If not, I recommend
you move it to the top of the priority list NOW before it’s too late! I’m not asking if you are aware of its importance or if your staff are courteous. I mean TOP OF LIST, TOP OF MIND, OF EVERY MINUTE, OF EVERY DAY, IN EVERY VENUE.

(Yes I think I just shouted that – sorry).
Here’s the deal. You can market your business in every known way, Online, Social Media, Radio, Print, Direct Mail, Hyperlocal, Blogs, Tweets, Blue Gorilla Holding a Sign, and you may increase traffic. But if you don’t impress them once they arrive you may never see them again, and your ROI will be DOA.

Why not aim for “Knock Their Socks off Service”?

What is Knock Their Socks Off Service?

My son broke his wrist. He was so excited about the cast coming off that he renamed the evening before “Cast Come Off Eve”. At 8 a.m. Friday morning we arrived at the cast clinic on the 3rd floor of the hospital. It was in darkness. A woman popped around from the back as asked if she could help. A few minutes later she confirmed my hunch, we’d arrived on the wrong day. The appointment was the day before and we had missed it. We also did not bring our appointment slip with all of the pertinent info to the cast removal. The technologist tried her best to find the info in the computer. She also made numerous phone calls to track down the Doctor with no luck. She was on call in the clinic for the day, and said if the information came through she would be happy to have him “cast free” for the weekend. We left the clinic. Matt was disappointed but we talked about how nice the technologist was, and how she had done her best to help us.

We were just about to cross the street to the parking lot when in the distance we heard someone yelling “Matthew…..Matthew…..” We turned to see the technologist running toward us, file in hand. “I’ve got it, I have your information, everything is here…if you’d like I can look after this right now” she said. My son was smiling ear to ear! 15 minutes later, Matthew was cast free and had a new best friend.

Matt went to school and told his whole class the story about the technologist and how she helped him. I told all my friends how well we were treated! Later, his friends’ parents asked me about his adventure after they were told the story from their children. Repeat customers? Ha, only if we break something! Word of mouth PR for the cast clinic inside the hospital and the great job they do? Absolutely.

Word of mouth can be both beneficial or damaging.
You tell your friend you are thinking about trying a new restaurant in town.

They tell you they've been there and the service was slow and they weren't that friendly.

You change your mind and don’t go.

Another friend tells you they're thinking about trying the new restaurant in town.

You tell then you heard bad things about their service.

That friend changes their mind and doesn’t go.

And the chain grows, and the word spreads.

People are fast to spread the word about what they don’t like, but will not spread the word about mediocrity. You need to Knock Their Socks Off for them to spread the word about a great experience!

Proceed with Caution: There is a fine line between "Knock Their Socks Off Service" and "Scare Their Pants Off Service". Find the right balance with each individual customer. The customer needs to feel comfortable and satisfied with the amount of service that you have provided to them, so when they leave, purchase or not, they will be sure to return again.

Want to help improve customer service levels in your organization? It can't be accomplished without encouragement, empowerment, and training! Not every business owner is a social butterfly, but that does not negate them, from recognizing its importance to business. If you have the wrong personality to present positive customer service training to your staff, then have someone else communicate the message for you, but stand behind the message at all times.

Remember - Without Customers you are OUT OF BUSINESS!

Wishing you many customers leaving without socks!
Barb Bruce - service@myradius.ca
705-927-5953

What is a QR code?

2011-03-21T02:09:00.003-04:00

This seems to be a growing question. A QR code looks like this.

This is my information QR code. It holds all my contact info. Go ahead – scan it! Not sure how? Keep reading.

When I first discovered QR codes I didn’t really know what they were until I saw an image of one, but even then I didn’t have much of an idea about what they did. I knew if I scanned someone else’s code with my Blackberry I could contact them through BBM but what else were they used for?

QR stands for Quick Response. It is a two dimensional barcode read by a cell phone. They originate from Japan, created in the mid 90’s. They are used to take a piece of information from a transitory media and allow you to open it with your cell phone. Once opened, it gives you details about that business, allowing the user to save the information with one touch into their contacts, or a link to the businesses website, or text about next weeks specials, company promotions, tee-off times, restaurant menu, special of the week, or even a money saving coupon! You may have noticed QR codes in magazine ads, in a newspaper, on a web page, or even on a business card!

How does the cell phone read the code?
Your cell phone needs a QR code reader to scan the code. Most Blackberry’s already have this option built into their instant messenger (go to BBM and under options, click “Scan a Group Barcode” and you’re good to go.) For iPhones and other phones, you can find a free app for a QR code reader like this one from Kaywa. It takes just minutes for someone with an iPhone or Android phone to find and install the reader.

How do you generate a code?

QR Badge

Generating codes are for the most part, free. You can generate a QR code using a site like Kaywa.com. If you want to get custom, or creative or transfer it on to print material etc. then it may cost a bit. This is my QR code badge. It costs $20.00 for the badge and an electronic copy of the code, set up with all of my info. Cheap investment for me, and saves me making my own badge. Handy for wearing at a trade show where everyone carries a cell phone don't you think? Your can order your own right here

How can you use QR codes for your small business marketing?
For the coolness effect alone shouldn’t you have a QR code at your front counter for all to scan? How about on your business card? Wouldn’t you like all of your contact information and website saved instantaneously into a customer's cell phone?

What about a QR code badge to wear at your next trade show, for instant access to your info, saving consumers the trouble of carrying around all the phamplets.

What about a QR code on your trade show booth table, linking to a coupon that your audience can scan for a savings on their next order or purchase?

What about for a promotion at your golf course. Doesn’t everyone have a cell phone there?

Or at a restaurant? (scan here and save on your next lunch!)

What about sales reps who are meeting with clients? No fiddling around exchanging info while your client keys it in his phone. With one scan, your information is saved in your clients phone! Easy! Or better yet, a link to your online order site! I’m just scratching the surface!

Yes, QR codes are new, but they are so easy and so accessible and can be a great marketing tool for your company for little or no cost. Why not give QR codes a try? Need help? Want a Badge? Sure, just ask!

Wishing you the best Today and Everyday

Barb Bruce

705-927-5953 service@myradius.ca

Getting Social and Staying Social are Two Different Things

2011-03-17T11:01:00.000-04:00

I’m a realist - a positive thinking realist. Social Media is here to stay. I like the opportunities Social Media has created for businesses to become more social, engage an online audience and market their business. Here’s my issue. Social Media has grown so big, so fast that it’s sometimes hard to keep up! From the largest of corporations to the smallest entrepreneur, everyone is climbing (or has climbed) on the bandwagon, and those that haven't are being told NOW is the time.

So let’s look as fictional small business owner Joe Smith. Joe sells and repairs bicycles in the town of “Anytown” population 18,500 in Canada. Joe loves bikes. New, used, accessories, rentals, repairs, his store does it all. He also belongs to three bike clubs, the chamber in his town, and the BIA. Joe recently went to a great seminar on how to use Facebook and Twitter for business.

Knowing that many of his customers and potential customers use social networking, Joe decided to do it. After all, it was working well for the Bakery down the street! Although Joe knew lots about bikes, he knew very little about computers and didn’t love the marketing aspect of business. Sitting on a computer was not where he wanted to be. With the help of the seminar, Joe created a Facebook Page and Twitter account for his business. Joe was told that he or his employees know the business the best, so they should post! Knowing his employees were busy selling and repairing, and his office staff were already pushed to the limit, Joe put on the social media hat. What would he say? Did people really want to hear that? Thanks to the seminar Joe managed to make it through the first few weeks with posts about his business. When he couldn’t think of anything creative or was too busy he would say he was “going for lunch”

The next task was engaging an audience. Who would he engage? Where would he find them? How would he know if they were listening to him? This was starting to take more than a “few minutes each day”. In the busy world of small business management some days didn’t have “a few minutes” in them for something that was so new, and offered no initial measurable ROI. A few months passed, and Joe’s Tweets and Facebook posts became less frequent. He had uploaded some pictures from his “spring bike event”, but the day to day social media engagement had ended weeks ago. Joe's audience was no longer engaged. His bike shop extended their summer hours but he forgot to post it. Joe's website underwent a makeover but he forgot to tell anyone. The bike shop would have to try social media another time, when Joe had more time. For now he places a considerable sized ad in next Friday’s newspaper. The ad rep will create his print ad for him with some input from Joe. Someone at the newspaper will place it on one of the pages for him, and at least some of the community will look at it on that day. Yes Joe paid for space but his fee also covered the creative marketing along with it.

In my opinion, this is when social media goes from being new and exciting and exhilerating to time consuming, hard work, repetitious, and possibly boring. Realistically within one year’s time of Getting Social, many small businesses are not Staying Social because some "expert" out there told them what a bad idea outsourcing is for social media! I’m not talking about some computer tech that knows the in’s and out’s of Google, and how to use every social media platform going, I’m talking about a marketing manager that works on behalf of your company, and helps you to perform your social media campaign to ensure consistency, relevancy, audience engagement, growth and longevity.
When will Social Media be considered a traditional form of advertising like print, or radio? After all, in the end it's about getting your message to your audience. Does the small business owner still need to be involved? Of course! They need to know their audience, whether online or in person, that’s a given.

What would have happened if Joe had said, “This isn’t working. I need some help to keep it going”. For a price similar to his traditional advertising, he could have had daily engagement with a growing audience of followers AND the ability to personally post his great pictures, mingle with his followers, make comments, and still concentrate on the parts of the business he loves, his bikes! Ok traditional media people, don’t go crazy, I’m not suggesting businesses should stop their traditional advertising. Bottom line is DO WHAT WORKS!
What’s better?

Try Social Media and let it fizzle out because you couldn't keep up or because you handed it off to an employee as part of their new “job description” (listed under other duties as required)?

If you recognize it’s becoming a struggle, contract a marketer that can help you come up with a plan to keep you social and work for the best interest of your business?

To me it just seems – REALISTIC!
Wishing You the Best Today and Everyday,
Barb Bruce
705-927-5953
service@myradius.ca

Hyperlocal Marketing

2011-03-09T10:14:00.004-05:00

There are about 400 businesses within a 2 km radius of my home. 400 businesses! I couldn’t believe that there were so many located in my radius. How many had I frequented? How many was I not aware of? What was the oldest business? How many were new this year? 400 businesses - can you imagine? I don’t even live in a major urban centre! I wondered what percentage were marketing their message to me. After all, I am their neighbour! I decided to pay close attention to my mail, my email, brochures, and use my Facebook page and my Twitter account to see how many businesses reached out to me, or how many I could find through social media.

I was happy to see
great use of local marketing from some. A local pizza joint less than 1 km away reminded me of their Tuesday deal via flyer. A clothing store sent me an admail piece (will shop there this weekend). Of course there are exceptions. The maternity shop down the street isn’t going to benefit by targeting by proximity, unless she knows that there are an abundance of pregnant women in the area. But as for the restaurant, hair salons, the bowling alley, and even the fitness centres they are all local businesses that have an opportunity to market within their hyperlocal zone.

Now think about this - there are approximately 4600 households with an average 2.3 persons per dwelling, within a 2 km radius of these 400 businesses. That’s more than the population of many towns throughout Ontario. Canada Post Householder Counts provides household and business count info about your zone.

Is the concept of hyperlocal marketing difficult for small business owners or does the appeal of mass marketing still hold more value? Is social media still too new of an idea for small business outside urban centres? I hope not, because the general public has caught on to it just fine. I grew up in a small Ontario village, population under 2000, and keep in touch with many of my friends via Facebook who still reside there. To say social media is an urban marketing tool? I say nonsense! It's a hyperlocal tool to engage your community. Online advertising and social media marketing is really just a new form of “word of mouth” to an engaged audience. Not just a younger audience because stats show that one of the largest growing segments of Facebook users are age 55+*.

Canada Post offers excellent direct marketing for small businesses.
Flyer delivery by FSA (postal code) is offered by newspapers with rates as low at 3 cents a piece.
Social media offers an already engaged audience waiting to hear your message.

Keep your marketing plan simple and targeted and don't be afraid to think inside the box. (or at least inside your neighbourhood)
Wishing you lots of local longevity!

footnote: I struggled with what to name this blog. Hyperlocal Marketing? Local Marketing? Niche Marketing? Zoned Marketing? Local Audience Marekting? Neighbourhood Marketing? Marketing by FSA? Your Neck of the Woods Marketing? In the end they all have a similar meaning and a similar reach. I don't like it when things appear more confusing than they really are!

Barb Bruce
For ideas on how to market your business locally, for advice on getting started with social media, or just to find out more info, feel free to call! 705-927-5953 or service@myradius.ca

* stats from istrategylabs

Time Management Tips

2011-03-07T10:23:00.002-05:00

Why do I compare many of my topics to dieting? Maybe it’s because I have spent a lot of time over the years on the subject. I have often joked with my friends that my diet plan usually starts on a Monday, but falls apart somewhere around Thursday night, (fries and gravy at the rink will do it to me every time) and then my plan of attack resumes again the following Monday. My dieting focus has been much better the past 16 weeks, thanks in part to a limited intake of fries and gravy due to a shorter than usual hockey season and a lot of self control and exercise. It’s also because I implemented a plan of attack. The first few weeks were difficult and took focus to stick with it until I got into a routine. Now the plan is in motion but still needs some review, adjustment and focus in order to reach my target.
Small business management follows a similar pattern. You set goals, you plan a course of action and you adjust the course along the way when necessary. One important key to successful implementation is
TIME MANAGEMENT.

Many small business owners find themselves stretched for time in an economy that has often pushed them into a “do more with less” mode, which when interpreted can mean “do more myself”. More than ever, now is the time to practise good time management habits so that everything that needs to be done to achieve the hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual goals gets done. Time Management tips are everywhere. When reviewing time management techniques with folks, I don’t think I ever “opened the door of darkness and let the light shine in” about the topic. Just like dieting, everyone knows when they need to focus on it. The key is being motivated to get with the program! Here are 5 time management tips to help you stay organized and make the best use of your time. I’m only listing 5 because your time is valuable and any more might be considered a “time waster”.

1. Prioritize by importance not by enjoyment. This is hard to follow! It’s human nature to do the things we like and leave the less appealing for later.

2. Log everything in one place that works the best for you. Just because everyone is keying all of their appointments into their smart phone doesn’t mean you have to. Does traditional “write it on the big calendar” work best for you? If so, then keep going with it!

3. Delegate. Think outside the traditional idea of delegating small tasks and look at each aspect of your business that involves your time. Why do small business owners feel they need to do it all themselves? Weigh the cost of delegating against the cost of doing it yourself. Get away from the mindset that “your time is free” and the delegation decision may be a no-brainer. (Just make sure you pick the right person to delegate to).

4. Don’t Procrastinate. Do you procrastinate? It’s easy to say stop procrastinating and hard to actually stop procrastinating! Don’t we all procrastinate sometimes? Find out why and stop the action before it goes on too long. If you have scheduled a project for a special time, try your best to stick with the plan. You’ll feel better once the scheduled event is out of the way. Use your “JUST DO IT” mindset to jump the procrastination hurdle!

5. Review. Schedule time to review your time. Look at the last entire month of activity and identify time wasters or tasks you could have delegated. They say hindsight is 20/20! Reviewing your progress and actions will help you prioritize your future activities. Review your time management program regularly to see if it is accomplishing what you need it to.

If you are a pro at time management, then share your own best practices with your staff. If it's not your greatest strength, don't be too hard on yourself. Like many routines, everyone falls off the time management truck sometimes. The trick is jumping back on and moving forward.

Wishing you the best that today can bring!

Barb

Need a time management refresher session for you, your staff or your business members? Contact me today for more details.
service@myradius.ca
705-927-5953

Social Media Marketing

2011-02-28T10:58:00.035-05:00

Social media - Anyone can create accounts, and promote their business. But can they continue with consistency? Businesses with some tech ability can create a Facebook page, and start a Twitter account. They can add a few followers and post some cool "tweets". But after a few weeks, when the novelty wears off, and time for tweeting has disappeared what happens to the followers or the community interaction?

Already Tweeting?

If you are reading this blog, chances are pretty good that you are already “tweeting” about your business and you likely can be found on Facebook. Good for you! Social media marketing for small business is such a growing and important aspect of marketing and PR. But with everything else small business managers and owners have on their plate, social media can become overwhelming to keep on top of. Finding time to tweet (other than at 2 a.m. when you finally have time to focus on it) or on the other end of the spectrum spending too much time tweeting and updating because it's a great escape from the other boring but important tasks that await is a reality for some busy businesses.

Need to Get Started?
Many small businesses want to use social media but just don't know where or how to start! Some have started but the task has fallen of the radar. Marketing through social media provides numerous advantages. One of the greatest advantages is that it targets and engages consumers that are interested in your business, and allows you to engage potential new customers by giving them some insight to what you are all about. It's the online version of word of mouth advertising!

While social media has its advantages, one of the most difficult issues is upkeep. Tweets, likes, posts, pictures, finding friends, following, followers….. It can become overwhelming, especially when you combine it with all of the regular day to day duties of running a business. Social media can fall apart.

Outsourcing your Social Media Management
A new trend in small business PR is outsourcing your social media to a social media manager. Small business owners immediately think "expense" but this may be a great solution. At a low cost compared to traditional advertising, small businesses gain the benefit of daily updates on social media sites, stay fresh and current online, grow their followers, and engage their community while promoting all of the key aspects of their business and website. Plus it's one less hat for the owner/manager to wear, while still having the control of content.

The idea of social media management is catching on. When it comes to promoting your business this outsourced option might be right for you.

For more information on Social Media Management for your company, contact me today.

Barb Bruce

705-927-5953

service@myradius.ca

Inspiring Quotes

2011-02-22T08:35:00.001-05:00

I like to think that I am an optimist. But last week, it happened. I had a less than optimistic week and a less than optimistic outlook. Despite my earlier blog, I fell into a February Funk. The high point of my week came at the very beginning watching my son’s hockey team pull off a big win in their final game of the season. That was on Sunday night, and that was the high point. But I was already off to a rough start prior to the game and probably set myself up for the fall.

So, here it was, now Friday afternoon. I had made it through the dismal week but had not managed to “pull myself together” like I usually could. It was at that point on Friday afternoon that I picked myself up, brushed myself off and did what many women (and some men) would do to reset their mindset; I went shoe shopping! Yes; just the mindless act of looking at the different shapes of the shoes and how they make your entire leg feel when you slip the shoe on your foot is enough to make a person feel better. It’s great retail therapy.

Brown leather knee boots, 4 inch leopard print heels, open toe red wedges, black patent pumps and yes, spring sandals…ahh…I felt better. Don’t you wish everyone’s down days could be resolved with a little shoe shopping?

As busy as life is, not everyone has the time to play Cinderella, so this week I have decided to include some inspirational quotes to help boost your optimism as you approach the last week of February hurdle. The thing I love about quotes is that they are open for personal interpretation. One small sentence can encourage you to think about things in a different light. Here are a few quotes I like.

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. Ralph Waldo Emerson

If everything’s under control, you’re going to slow. Mario Andretti

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure. Oprah Winfrey

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Helen Keller

Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours. Swedish Proverb

If all else fails, put a smile on your face and go shoe shopping.
Be inspired to have a great week!

Barb

Vince Lombardi