Back in the days of a Leave It To Beaver business world, trust was an assumed part of the package. There might be an inevitable snake-oil salesman, but everyone believed a deal was sealed with a handshake. If only it was that simple today, right?

I have been in business a long time and worked with great clients and vendors but along the way, I have learned some hard lessons. And now, in an age where the internet keeps anonymity at an all-time high, it is even more important to verify the promises I hear before I take on a new business venture and have a healthy dose of skepticism when I hear promises that seem too good to be true.

As Ronald Reagan once said, “Trust, but verify.” Keep in mind that the sales lines you hear that sound good and feel good may not always mean that the company you’re talking to has your best interest in mind. How many of these sales gimmicks/ lines have you heard?

The Power Play

 “I heard [competitor name] is going out of business/having trouble.”

”Bigger is better.”

“We are the 1000 lb gorilla. We are the dominant one in this space. No one comes close to our reach, so choosing not to work with us is like asking to lose market share.”

Verify: Is this company too big to make your satisfaction a priority? Maybe not. I have seen them get demanding, tell you what deal you can run, when you can do business and how you’re going to do it. Make sure the plan they are offering makes sense for your business objective – not just theirs.     

 The New & Sexy Approach

“We are the hottest provider.”

“We are growing fast and adding new clients every day.”

“Our company is like the Porsche – everyone wants to drive it.”

“It’s time to abandon your old school marketing and get with the future – US.”

Verify: Don’t get seduced by hearsay and the “everybody-else-is-doing-it syndrome.” Look for the meat of the company, dig deep to find results relatable to your product or service – not just at the shiny exterior the sales rep shows you. New isn’t always better – ask for specific examples of success for businesses like yours, case studies and testimonials from clients you can talk to!

The Overly Casual

“No contract required, just run with it.”

“Just try it once to see if it works for you.”

Verify: Companies selling an impulsive or one-at-a-time use can seem promising on the outside, but there isn’t longevity in a totally incentive-based strategy. And, taking a haphazard approach to your business marketing is rarely a good idea. Have a strategy and a plan and stick with it.

The Vague Approach

“We’re business friendly.”

“We are a jack-of-all-trades and have success with many companies but it is proprietary information.”

“We’ll tell you what we’ll do once the contract is signed.”

Verify: Companies that tell you how great they are without providing specifics because their strategy is a “trade secret” may be hiding something. Demand to see case studies, and ask for names and contact information for referrals. Reach out to your networks in-person or on LinkedIn to learn more about others’ experiences with the company.

The Cheap Approach:

“We are cheaper than Company A.”

“If you make your decision right now, we’ll throw in X, Y, Z and promise this many leads in this many months.”

“You’d be lucky to work with us. We’re letting you in on the ground level at a discount.”

Verify: Often cheaper is cheaper because it is not better – you usually get exactly what you pay for.

It’s okay that they want your business, but be wary of a company that sees themselves as more valuable than you. Business partnerships are about sales, but also about relationships!

Have you heard any of these pick-up lines? What would you add to this list?

Text messaging works when it comes to connecting with customers – so do it right

My mobile phone is like an extension of my arm.  As a business owner, my phone is always with me and when I’m not in the office I use it to check email, text my office staff and call customers and vendors.  Sometimes I can’t remember how I got business done without it.

Can you think of any other item that we are connected to like our cell phone?

I can’t.

Which is part of the reason I think marketing through SMS (short message service) texting is one of the biggest, untapped opportunities for businesses to grow their customer base and create powerful loyalty programs.

• 94% of text offers are opened upon receipt – and 26% of adults who saw a text ad responded at least once.
• The CTIA estimates that a mindboggling 2.12 trillion text messages are sent every year.
• 8.6 million (or 8%) of U.S. households currently acquire coupons via text messages and /or email.

Text messaging isn’t just for teenagers – everyone is doing it, including your customers.

The mobile phone is a mainstay in households and therefore a great way to reach consumers. If you’re ready to launch an SMS text campaign – or if you want to give your current campaign more ammunition – here are 11 ideas to prepare a successful text campaign.

1. Do you know your customers? Think about which customers are using their cell phones the most. Those are the customers you should target first. Then, plan to send messages at the times they’re most likely to need your products or services.
2. Get strategic with the timing of your texts and don’t overdo it.  The best day and time will differ from business to business and offer to offer.  Given that 94% of text offers are opened upon receipt, seize that opportunity.  Make your offer time-sensitive, but give customers enough time to plan and redeem.  Also, send out text offers sparingly. That not only prevents your customers from labeling you a pest, but it also makes the offer truly special.
3. Do you know how many redemptions you can handle at once?  If there is a cap on the number of redemptions you can afford, let the customers know that only the first 100 (or whatever your cap is) get to redeem. This also adds a sense of urgency that, hopefully, will get your customers to act quickly.
4. Do it the legal way. If you do not have a customer’s permission to send them text messages and offers, don’t do it.  This is one rule you can’t break. But, there are vendors you can work with (ahem, like Valpak) who know how to help you build a database of engaged consumers and give you best practices.
5. Make it easy for new customers to opt-in. Add sign-up forms to your website and link to it in your emails. Also include a sign-up place by your register or on tent cards in your business location.
6. To grow your database, do something big! Take the example from the 2008 Presidential elections. Then-candidate Obama announced that he would reveal his running mate to text subscribers first – and gained 2.9 million new registrations to receive the text.  Granted, you may not be announcing the Vice President via text, but think about announcing the timing of a short “Everything for $2” sale or the winner of a sweepstakes via text to gain interest and subscribers.
7. Are you ready to give your VIP customers a discount around-the-clock? If so, let your loyal customers know they can have 10% off their next purchase once they opt-in to get text offers and get the special promo code.
8. Be sure your employees are prepped. We recommend keeping a notecard by the register with instructions on how to redeem text offers. We have found that for most businesses, the easiest way to track redemptions is by hand or a promo code on your electronic register. So, keep a checklist by the register.
9. Keep customers involved with your business by poll.  Use Facebook or Twitter, to ask which products and services they’d most like to get via text.
10. Support your text marketing efforts in other marketing channels such as your Twitter or Facebook page.  You should also promote that you can sign up for text offers in print ads or via a pre-printed message on receipts.

So, there you have it. But despite all of this, if you’re like most businesses, you’re still trying to figure out how to use text offers.  What other questions do you have? Do you feel ready to send offers via text?

Some people say it’s the future of business and that if you’re not involved then you’re already behind. Others counter with a traditionalist view, saying that online marketing is a phase and you should stick with what is tried and true. No matter which camp you fall in, educating yourself about what online marketing really is and how it is being used is well worth your time.

Online marketing no longer just refers to annoying pop-up ads. Instead, there are creative and personal opportunities for you to consider for your business. Not convinced? I’ve found examples of these online marketing tools being used to drive leads and sales offline.

1. QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) – One example of effective QR code usage is the YMCA. At many branches, the YMCA has QR codes available. When scanned, it takes the user to download a free app with info on their fitness schedule, programs, etc. These codes can be scanned on smartphones, and they are pretty easy to get started with. You can make them, often for free, online and use them on your other marketing collateral like direct mail, print ads and even in-store signage.  When someone scans the code, they are taken to the link/destination of your choice.

2 & 3. Twitter & Online Review Sites– The Crème Brulee Cart uses Twitter to tell customers where it will be and when. Through Twitter, this offline shop has amassed 12,000 followers, 224 Yelp reviews and 4.5 star rating on Yelp.

4.  Blogging – GM was one of the first companies to blog and to this day, still has one of the most successful blogs.  Search engines love new and fresh “content” so that’s why so many companies are blogging.  The more content you can have on your site, the more edge you have with search engines. Not to mention, you can keep your customers informed and engaged via regular blog posts that are helpful and useful to their lives.

The one thing these campaigns have in common is that the companies are using a mix of traditional and online marketing tactics to drive sales.  The marriage of online and traditional is a strong and lasting one. What other ways have you seen businesses use digital marketing to drive sales? Any favorite examples? If so, tell me about it in the comments.

Over the last few years, digital marketing has been in the spotlight and the headlines.  And I can understand that – it’s cool, and flashy and different.  New is exciting.  We like new.  But new doesn’t necessarily mean better.

Don’t get me wrong, we like digital marketing as much as the next guy.  In fact we have a full slate of digital marketing products for our clients.  But we also know, direct mail works.  Plain and simple.

As a company with over 40 years of experience in the direct mail industry, we’ve seen it all.  But this just might be the year that puts direct mail back in the spotlight.

“The Formula for Success: Preference and Trust”, a study I read about in The Huffington Post’s “Direct Mail Preferred Over Email: Survey Says” found:

Respondents prefer direct mail over email about brands or products in almost every category, including financial services (36 percent to 8 percent), insurance (36 percent to 9 percent) and travel (21 percent to 13 percent).

The article suggests that “the proliferation of email may be one reason why email is becoming less effective: 65 percent of those surveyed ‘strongly agree’ that they get too much email, and 75 percent say they get a lot of emails they never open.”

This marketer for Sony makes a good point as he compares the two, “I am a firm believer in direct mail, because it is not evasive.  I get so much e-mail every hour that it is overwhelming, but when I get my mail, I look at it.”

I tend to agree.  This also echoes what our customers have been saying for years, and still say today.

So, as a business owner, this means one thing: direct mail is still effective, if not more so, than ever.

Go ahead and check out the new, cool thing in marketing, Test and measure for a great fit for your advertising goals.  But don’t forget the tried and true …especially these days when every marketing dollar needs to deliver a return on investment.

Tell me what you think.  Are you overwhelmed by email?

In 2012, direct mail will be just as powerful as ever 

Shiny-new-object syndrome is running rampant throughout the business world. Across all industries, we are seeing unfettered excitement to try the newest marketing technology and jump on the advertising bandwagon of the moment.

Don’t get us wrong, we love technology developments like QR codes and ecommerce and apps as much as the next person, but as we look forward to 2012, we are reminded that so much of what we do in business now is the same as it ever was.  Now it is just augmented by the new products and services that are available.

2012 for us is not just about using the next “newfangled whizbang” marketing tactic that presents itself, but about finding the intersection between the traditional and digital worlds of marketing in ways that work for our business, and for our customers’ businesses.

People still check their mail and look for offers to be delivered to their mailboxes (Don’t you?). And now, thanks to technology, we business owners have even more ways to connect with prospects and customers  through email, social media, online marketing, mobile advertising, etc..

The most promising intersection this year is the partnership between online marketing tactics and the consistently strong performance of direct mail. As a company that built its foundation on direct mail marketing, we keep an eye on available research projecting the performance of direct mail as a marketing strategy.

The expected trajectory of direct mail marketing in 2012 is nothing short of exciting!

As you can see, direct mail advertising spending was up in 2011 and is expected to continue to grow in 2012.

Click on the graph to see a full-size version

In a 2010 Winterberry Group survey, direct mail was rated a highly effective media for customer acquisition and retention, more than search, social and email.

Click on the graph to see a full-size version

Ultimately, the purpose of direct mail has shifted as the marketing industry has developed. In the past, direct mail served simply as a vehicle for direct orders, but now it plays a key role in driving sales both online and in-store. In 2012, complemented by the technology of the evolving digital marketing world, direct mail can serve as a powerful lead generation tool for your business.

It’s always wise to keep a solid marketing base with media that you know works, and test new forms of marketing to see how it can complement your base.  Build a diversified campaign based on your marketing goals.  It’s how I run my business and how we encourage our clients to run their campaigns.

How have you planned to use direct and digital marketing in 2012? Are you leaning more heavily on the tried-and-true strategies, running with the online options or combining the two?

Enjoy.

7.5 Things to Think About in the New Year
Gitomer.com
The sales guru and best-selling author, Jeffrey Gitomer, thinks this is the year that “service will trump price” and asks, “How is your service?”

Make 2012 The Best Year Yet
Fast Company
Packed full of links and ideas on how to make your business – and you – the best it can be.

7 Steps to Incredible Personal Productivity
Inc.com
One tip is to “delay gratification” – like listening to music while you work – until you reach a milestone or finish projects.

A Five Step Guide to Reinventing Your Business
Entrepreneur
Sometimes a big change is necessary for growth, so find the area of your business to reinvent.  “Entrepreneurs have more ideas than they have time for, the absolute first stage is deciding to cut off all those other ideas and focus on one.”

A Brighter Future — Maybe
Wall Street Journal
A glimmer of hope from the Wall Street Journal, this article indicates growth for us small business owners this year.  (I know we see are seeing growth in direct mail and online advertising, which is always a good sign that business is picking up.)

Be a Kick Butt Entrepreneur
CNN Money
Valuable lessons from inspiring, everyday entrepreneurs.  A severely wounded Iraqi wounded veteran urges you to, “Have a vision. Follow your passion. The money will come.”

Small Business Resolutions
Mashable
Pick the social media channel that your customers use most, and figure out how to interact with them there.

Restaurants Social Media Strategies for 2012
Nation’s Restaurant News
How top restaurant brands are applying last year’s lessons learned in social media to their strategy this year.

New Year resolutions that will increase your bottom line in 2012
Examiner.com
I like the first suggestion here to “get creative and incorporate gratitude in your marketing campaign and watch your sales soar.”

The Overwhelmed Small Business Owner’s Guide to Simplicity
Small Biz Trends
If your resolutions include de-cluttering or focus, this guide will serve you well.

Take a Networking Leap of Faith in 2012
Start Up Nation
The key to growth may be making new contacts, so make a plan to start networking.

Crucial Keys to Business Success in 2012
Inc.com
The key to success this year should start with a comprehensive SWOT analysis, or an assessment of your business’ strengths, weaknesses, market opportunities and market threats.

Small Business Resolutions For 2012 New Year Focus On Growing Sales
Gaebler.com
A new perspective on traditional resolutions.

Challenges and resolutions for small businesses in 2012
The Globe and Mail
Get inspired by resolutions from other small business around the country like Kevin Martin, president, Martins Family Fruit Farm Ltd., who rates his optimism for 2012 a “9 out of 10”.

Have you read any articles that should be on this list? Please share!

It happens to the best of us. As a small business owner trying to do it all, by the end of the year, we run out of steam.

But, the New Year here already. How will you find the energy and motivation required to take on 2012?

While there is something to be said for the traditional advice to “exercise more” and “clean your desk”, I wanted to offer some specific ideas to help you get your work mojo back.

1. Be “ruthlessly selective” says motivational expert Tony Schwartz.  “You likely already have too much to do, too much information to absorb, and too many choices to make. If so, your challenge is learning to say no far more often — ‘no’ to more projects, more meetings, more emails, more tweets, more Facebook updates, more purchases, more friends….” Start saying no to something.
2. Make it a goal to meet one new person in town every week, whether it’s online or face-to-face.
3. Revisit old ideas. Do you have a place where you keep old ideas like this Harvard Business Review article suggests? What about old photos that may jog your memory?  Simply looking at old things with a fresh eye may spark some creative thinking.
4. Set deadlines and try to beat them. Nothing brings out energy like competition with yourself.
5. Laugh.  Every day.
6. An excellent idea from an Australian software company: They set aside one day a month for employees to work on any problem they want, so long as it’s not part of their regular job. Stretching your imagination is a good exercise for your mind.
7. Read.  Read about people, ideas, and about businesses like yours that are successful.
8. Thank at least one customer every day for their business.
9. Unplug.  Plan and actually take a vacation with no access to the Internet.
10. Try something new in the morning – a new flavor of coffee, tea, smoothie, soda, etc to keep things interesting.
11. Make time to stop.  Every day. Find a few minutes between meetings, driving, checking email, Tweeting and eating to just stop, think and breathe to give your brain a moment to catch up.
12. Remind yourself what it is about your business that you love and why you do this work.

Sometimes the little things can make a big difference. How many of these ideas will you try? Do you have more ideas to add to the list?

Without customers, none of us would be in business.  Without customers, there is no growth.

It’s up to us as business owners to do everything we can to nurture the relationships with our customers so we can reap the benefits. Here are six ways to keep customers  - and thereby, grow – this year:

1. Be bold and be honest with yourself.  When looking at your marketing, is it the medium or the message? Test direct mail, mobile marketing, online offers, Deals and more.  If you have offers that aren’t getting a strong response anymore, strengthen and/or change the offer. Test everything, and do more of what’s working best for you.
2. Stay in front of them.  If you “go black” on your customers by not advertising or reaching out to them in some way, you’re letting them forget about you and opening the door for the competition to step in. Frequency and repetition work in advertising.
3. Consistently thank customers for their business.  Send emails, make a phone call and say it face-to-face.  For decades, businesses that thrive are usually the ones that make it a point to simply thank the customer without making another sales pitch.
4. Recognize what the competition is doing right and what they are doing wrong when it comes to customer service. Then capitalize on it.
5. Start listening. Ask your customers what they like about doing business with you, and what you could do to improve.  There is no better way to learn how to evolve – and thereby grow a relationship- than to ask the people who pay you for your products and services what they think about how you are doing, and then act.
6. Use Twitter or Facebook to connect with your customers.  Ask customers to “Like” and “Follow” you.  Ask questions and get input online.

What are you going to do this year to grow the relationships you have with your customers? What are you plans to grow your business in 2012?  How can your Valpak team help?

It happens.

You work hard to make sure every customer has a great experience but every once in a while, a customer is upset.  And inevitably they post it online with a bad review.

Usually the review is pretty one-sided with important details left out.  It’s embarrassing, right? And it just ticks you off.  Sometimes it reminds me of the way it felt as a kid on the playground when someone said something mean, you got emotional and you wanted to dish it right back or get defensive.

Even now, as an adult and business owner, it’s hard not to  get offended or upset when someone writes a negative or untrue review about your business online, right?  Getting defensive is sometimes still the first reaction, and it’s hard to be nice in return.

But when it comes to responding to online negative reviews, “being nice” is the only way to go.

Just like we eventually learned how to handle that playground skirmish, everything we need to know about handling online reviews we learned in grade school.

1.  Be nice.  Fight off the desire to  put that person down.  Even if they were a terrible customer or never paid you for your service/product, don’t air the dirty laundry for all to see. Remember, this review will stay online forever – and future customers may see it. Their decision to do business with you may hinge on how you respond so keep it professional and friendly. 

2.  Always say “thank you.” Despite the tone of the review, always thank the customer for trying your product/service.   It shows your professionalism. 

3.  Pay attention.  Create Google Alerts so you are notified right away when your business name is mentioned online. You should respond to all posts, good and bad. Always, always respond.

4.  Don’t ignore the problem.  You want to respond before the damage is done, so respond as soon as you get the alert about the review.  Never ignore the reviews. If online reviews about your business already exist, and you haven’t responded, it’s not too late.  It’s better to respond at some point, than never at all.

5.  Draw a picture. If someone gives false information, use a picture to show how they are wrong. For example, if someone complains that your restaurant is dirty and it’s not, then include a photo of your sanitation score with your response, or use your smart phone to shoot a quick video walking through your establishment.

6.  Be honest.  Never pay for positive reviews.  You don’t want to risk being exposed, and “bribing” customers for good reviews never puts you in a good light. However, encourage customers that DO admit to enjoying your product/service, to share their feedback by writing an online review.

7.  Say “I’m sorry.”  If the customer is complaining, apologize for their experience.  

8.  If you can’t be nice, take it offline.  Always leave an email address for the customer to get in touch with you, so you can take the conversation “offline.”  You can discuss details the situation privately.

9.  Don’t egg them on. Avoid getting into a debate online for all to see.  Remember, these reviews stay online forever and you don’t want the back-and-forth debate to be public forever.  Just respond one time, and follow up with an email or direct message if the situation calls for it.  Keep in mind that sometimes people are looking for a fight.  Don’t give it to them.  People who see the exchange later will recognize your professionalism.

10.  Be accessible.  Leave your real name and title in the review, and an actual email address where the customer can get it in touch with you. It’s best that response come from you or a trusted person in the business that is skilled in working with the public.

11.  Do your homework.  If you haven’t already, go online right now and look at reviews for your business.  Look at places like Yelp.com, CitySearch.com, Kudzu.com, your Google Place page; if you’re in the hospitality industry don’t forget to check TripAdvisor.com.

In general, embrace the reviews.  It can be a tough pill to swallow, but by responding quickly and genuinely, you can control any collateral damage. These days, consumers expect to see some negative reviews, but the way you respond will show future customers that you are paying attention and care about their needs. And THAT will weigh heavily in their decision to patronize your business.

Lastly, as a business owner, we can learn from the negative remarks, too, and make changes for the better.

What would you add to this list? How do you handle negative reviews?