Sometimes, we throw these brochure type websites up and say, “well, at least I’m online.” But is that enough? Would you open the doors of your business without a plan behind it?

Your website needs a communication strategy, just like your business does, and that begins with hearing your visitors and understanding what they need to hear from you.

So, how do you get started?

#1 Start with the pain.

What’s the big problem that creates a desire for your product or service? What’s the issue that makes them want and need what you have — if they only knew about it?

You can use your website to demonstrate that you understand their pain. When people feel like you hear and understand them, they’re ready to hear you.

Now, once you understand the pain points, explain your solution and add this marketing copy to your website, then you need to know that it connects with your audience. Which leads to the next tip.

#2 You need feedback.

Find out how visitors respond to your website; it’ll help you build a better ‘digital home.’  Feedback is good. Sometimes you just need a fresh set of eyes and access to an honest opinion.

So ask that friend that always speaks his mind to look at your website. But to make the most of the review, write down 3 or so questions that you want him to answer. And then listen as he moves through the site and answers the questions. I ask things like

1. what is the site about?
2. who is the website for?

But the biggest feedback is in seeing how they navigate through your pages.

You can also pay for the feedback. User Testing says that it’s “the fastest, cheapest way to find out why people leave your website.” I have to agree with that. What you get for the money is a “video of a visitor speaking their thoughts as they use your site” and a written summary.

The reviews were honest, direct and got on my nerves a little (I said they were very honest). But they helped me get my site together.

That’s the thing about feedback. You many not like what you hear, but it just may be what you need.  It’s communication.  It’s give and take.  It’s priceless, but that’s not all you need.

#3 You need analytics. 

Google Analytics is a free tool that shows the pages your visitors like, key words they search, regions they come from and more. When you know the pages that they frequent the most, you can create more of that type of content.

Yes, there’s a learning curve with the set up, but the information is worth it.  Basically,

1. you set up your Google Analytics account — usually attached to your gmail account (email).
2. Then you copy the code and paste it in the correct place on your website.
3. Wait a few days and then start looking at the statistics inside your Google Analytics account.

Once the code is on your site, you never have to add it again. You can now see how many people visit your website each day and where they go.  You can set it yourself or your web designer can set it up for you.

The goal of feedback is to hear your audience and respond by giving them more of what they want.

Website communication is painful when it doesn’t say what you want it to say and when it doesn’t connect with your audience. But this will get you started and if I can help you with your webcopy, then let me know.  Click here to find out more. 

I hate that word — failure. It makes me feel uncomfortable. But the truth is poor communation causes people and companies to fail daily.

Failure means it doesn’t function properly or that it stopped working altogether. When hearts fail — we die. When businesses fail to function properly — they die.

The heart of a business is the people that run it and the people they serve. When people fail to communicate — things fall apart.

That’s failure.

How we communicate directly impacts our ability to succeed and fail with others. If marketing is the problem — that’s a communication issue. If management is the problem — that’s also a communication issue.

Thankfully, there is a simple shift that you can make that’ll begin to improve your company dynamics or at least your personal relationships.

Blame belongs to the leader.

As a leader, you still hold your team accountable, but you’re looking to praise the wins and correct the failures — not to say I told you so.

You’re looking to be heard and understood — not to rant and rave. You’re looking for your words to have impact on your team — not to blow off steam. And that starts with one decision.

Stop the blame game. 

Blaming others for what you fail to communicate clearly is a waste of time.

When communicating with others your goal is to say it and make it stick. You want to deliever it in a way that makes it hard for them to mess up. That’s why you put the time in to get clear about you want and how you want to say it.

So that when you hold them accountable, it causes growth, not unneccessary conflict (some conflict is necessary).

Your goal is never to baby your team. It’s to encourage them, to clarify your expectations of them, and then to push them. Afterall you guys are trying to create something fresh and effective, and teams have to be pushed.

To do it right, it takes effective communication which takes effort, but it pays for itself with a responsive team.

Effective communication is about relationships. The better you communicate, the better your business. 

Some of the small businesses that I frequent have started using call centers. We call in, like usual, but their telephone number re-routes to the call center operaters.

It may be better than missing a phone call, but here’s the problem.

Small businesses are intimate…

…and so is their client communication.

You know the people, making it very easy to pick up on the fact that you’re talking to a stranger—someone who doesn’t “get it,”—like a typical call center operator.

But sometimes you need the extra help. So how do you make the most of it?

3 steps to a better call center experience…

…for you and your clients.

The goal is to protect your company’s communication style. In order to do that, you have to help the call center operator sound more human — more like your small business.

#1 Get clear about what you want them to say.  

A call center can never replace you, but they can sound less stuffy.

First write down what you or your receptionists normally say when answering the phone. It’s not enough to have it in your head, get this down on paper. This is your regular script.

Now, get a a copy of the call center’s typical script.  You want to know what they usually say when they answer the phone.

Read both scripts and create a better one.  Give an introduction that sounds more like your company. Make it short and sweet, because extra, unnecessary, superfulous, extraneous words are painful — see what I mean?

Instead of

“You have reached Jane’s Boutique. This is Michael Smith speaking. How may I help you?”

The call center operators should say,

“Jane’s Boutique, may I help you.”

It’s a simple example of less in more. Plus, it’ll keep the operator from sounding like they’re reading a speech off the screen.

#2 Be transparent. 

Clients understand that you need a break.

Just let your regulars know that your operators answer the phone during lunch hours and special occasions. But you’ll return their messages as soon as you get back in.

Keep this in mind: the call center can keep you as connected as you want. They can forward calls directly to your company voice mail or directly to your cell. They can also take the name, number and message and email the contact information. This way you can call right back immediately.

Your goal is to make sure the call center doesn’t run your people away before leaving their information.

That’s why you have to test and tweek their communication style to ensure that it works for your business.

#3 Test it before you make it a permanent part of your business. 

You need to understand your customer’s experience.

Once you write the script and submit it to the call center, have your co-workers and trusted collegues to call in. You call too, so that you get first hand experience of how the operator communicates. After talking with everyone who called in for you and understanding their experience, it’s time to make a decision.

If the call center operators repeatedly don’t feel right and sound right for your business, you’ll have to tweek their script, change companies and/or build a local team.

That’s what testing is for — to let you see what works.

Whatever you do, protect your customer’s experience at all cost.

Misunderstanding the difference between your sales, technical and customer care teams can cost you clients, time and a peaceful enviroment.  These are 3 different types of people with 3 different communication styles. To make the most of your team you have to understand what’s important to them and how they naturally communicate.

Even if you’re a one man or one woman show, you need to get this because it matters to your client.

Wearing your technical hat when your client needs customer care can be a problem. So is acting like a marketer who’s aggressively upselling when the client needs technical support.

Communication has to be natural, engaging and respectful. The receiver needs to feel like you care and understand.

And while it flows both ways someone needs to always choose to be the bigger person — that’s the one who

• listens a little closer,
• cares a little more and
• tries a little harder.

From a leadership perspective it’s the business owner and manager’s responsibility to promote effective communication and to lead by example.

From a customer perspective, every person on the team has to give a little more than the client does.

Effective communication works best when it flows from the top down, but that doesn’t always happen.

From a ground floor perspective, every employee can improve his communication skills inspite of the managment team.

Now about those teams…

#1 Technical Team 

Generally speaking, the technical team solves what they believe is the core problem and they seldom consider it to be communication. Their bottomline is getting the technical work done right.

For the best interest of your client and business, there needs to be a buffer between these people and the public. And they still need some type of communication training.  In a small business setting you never know when a team member may have to step up and take care of your customers — because of an emergency. So make sure your technical team at least has some basic communication skills.

How does your technical team communicate with your clients? 

#2 Sales Team

Naturally, the sales team has a crystal clear assignment to close and make money.  They are the obvious bread winners on the team and they know it. They’re engaging communicators who can get to the point quick.

They can be impatient when dealing with their team.  The salesperson wants to hear the bottomline in 30 seconds or less so that they can get to the work that “pays the bills.”

This group feels like they are great communicators and others should learn from them. But you have to watch out for the “bait and drop” syndrome. This is where clients receive great attention  until they pay.  After the money is on the table, the salesman is done and ready to move on to the next prospect. But the client isn’t. Teach them to communicate care and concern for the client after the sale.

How does your sales team communicate with your new clients? 

#3 Customer Care Team 

Customer service is about a happy and satisfied client. They are your relationship builders and play key roles in client retention. They have the most enduring relationship with the people that pay your bills — the customer.

Their communication style is different from the marketing team. They listen and translate the customer’s concern to the right team member. It’s their job to care the most. They understand that communication and the client is everything.

How does your customer care team communicate with your clients?

Since effective communication improves relationships, developing this skill can help develop a better person and team. Pay attention to the people you have around you and place them in the best roles. Here’s a few do(s) and don’t(s) to help you out.

Don’t Do That…

Don’t take your natural salesmen and stick them in the technical department. Put them on the floor and teach them to communicate sincerity and concern after the sale is finalized.

Don’t take your technical people and try to turn them into customer care. Without serious retraining they will crash and burn. Instead,

1. protect their space,
2. let them solve your technical problems and
3. train them to communicate technical terms in layman speak using metaphors and analogies that matter to your clients.

Don’t take your customer care team and force them into a hard core sales environment. They can sell, but will generally do better in a soft sale situation. Let them take care of your clients and you’ll have your clients longer.

When you put people in the right roles and train them well, you communicate that you’re serious about your business and your team.

Now, Teach Them…

Teach them to be serious about your clients, because every team impacts your bottomline and can make or break your business.

Teach them to respect each other because it takes all kinds to meet a need.

Teach them to constantly improve their own communication skills — internally and externally, because it improves the team, the business and the customer experience.

Effective communication starts within.

If you’re looking for a way to build and communicate with your email list, then consider Instant Customer.

I have used other products for email capture and email marketing including COMF5, MailChimp and iContact. But with Instant Customer’s recent upgrades, I prefer them to all the others —

1. the interface,
2. the training videos on how to use the software,
3. the fairly responsive customer service (that’s a big plus), and especially
4. the built in campaigns (I’ll explain that one in a minute).

The hardest part with building an email list…

…is getting started. I think Instant Customer makes this process easier than most by including campaigns and the copy.

This is what I mean.

If you go out to an event like a mixer at the local Chamber of Commerce, then you’re going to meet people. And that’s good for business.

But what next? 

You need a way to automatically connect with these people afterwards, instead of just filing their business card away and forgetting to follow up quickly. InstantCustomer can help with that.

Let’s walk all the way through this scenario so that you can see how this tool can help you market yourself at networking events (as well as on your website).

It goes something like this.

#1

You meet someone interesting, so you guys exchange business cards. But instead of sticking it into your wallet (like others do) you scan it into your Instant Customer account using their telephone app (it’s a seperate one time purchase, but it’s cheap — $2.99).

#2

After you add them to your campaign list, then an email (or text message—depending on how you set it up in the first place) automatically goes out to them saying, “it was a pleasure to meet you and I’m looking forward to.…

#3

Then in a few days you follow-up one more time by email with a relevant link to your website and an invite to an upcoming webinar, live event, etc. (Be sure that your emails include contact information).

That’s a campaign— 

a preplanned way to automatically connect with a specific group of people (or person).

Your campaign can be as long or as short as you want it to be. It just needs to be relevant to your audience and contain content that is valuable to them—or they’ll delete or ignore you.

You can write all the content for yourself. Or you could use one of the templates within Instant Customer. You have immediate access to various templates based on your subscription level. The text for your emails, text messages, voice mails, etc are already there, so that you can tweak it to your liking. Plus it’s easy to upgrade or down grade your account when you need to.

And if you’re particular—like me—then you can create a campaign from scratch. The point is you have options and I like that.

I get quite a few questions…

around the web about website design as well as solutions and advice for the marketing and sales process. This is just a quick highlight of how this tool can help with your marketing.

You can find out more on their website but there’s nothing like a test drive. You can start with a free or $1 trial for 3 weeks to see if you like it.

__

Disclosures

This post contains affiliate links. 

On this website I sometimes refer, review and mention resources that I use and/or trust, and because of that I am an affiliate with some of them.

I can only vouch for my experience with each, but I’m sharing the information because I spend a lot of time researching, purchasing and then changing tools until I find the right one for me and/or my clients.

Maybe this resource page can save you some time.

And you know what they say about time…

I’m hearing about this alot in movies, television shows and in all sorts of business settings – the idea that communication is key.

It’s showing up through phrases like…

“we’re just not communicating”

or

“I need you to listen to me”

or

“if we can get over this communication issue, then we could get somewhere”

These phrases are buzzing in the air. The language of communication seems to be everywhere, but what are you doing with what you say you know about the subject?

Maybe this word gets attention because we live in the digital age and we have access to all types of communication mediums, whatever the reason, communication is becoming the word.

In reality our communication skills can ruin our lives and our families. And with the push of a button we can market our foolishness to the world. Which brings me to holiday communication and how you choose to talk to your family.

Let’s pause a minute.

1. Think about who you’re talking to you.
2. Think about what you want to say.
3. Think about how they matter to you and then make a decision to deliver it in love.

Below are 3 quick tips for your holiday communication.

#1 Don’t hold family feuds over social media.

That’s right, no family arguments over Facebook, no family debates over Twitter. That’s communication foolishness — it’s bad for business and detrimental to the family.

It’s just wrong.

#2 Learn how to listen more.

Getting angry first and listening second is a bad idea. Anger has never been a long-term, effective communication model. Whether it’s passive aggression or direct rage, unchecked anger is destroying something on some level. Choose another way to communicate.

Consider this, even if the people you’re dealing with fail to develop their listening skills, you learn how to pay attention to what people are really telling you. If you can learn to hear the core story and respond to that, it can change relationships or at least your perspective.

#3 What you practice at home will benefit you in business.

Sometimes we save our best for work, but where does that leave the family?

Practice being a better communicator at home, at family reunions and with those people that you feel are the most difficult in the family. When you “practice what you preach” on and off the clock,
• you add depth to your ability,
• you gain respect from people you didn’t realize were watching you and
• you gain skill — even the most challenging people can’t fold you.

After all, it’s how we deal with tough situations that make us stand out.

Effective communication really is the word. Choose to make it a habit and not just small talk.

In face-to-face communication, we say body language matters as much as conversation. In fact, we believe that it matters more.

But what about in your business?

What does your company image and design say about who you are?

And if you don’t like what it says, how can you change it?

Anita Campbell, Founder of SmallBizTrends.com and co-author of Visual Marketing: 99 Proven Ways for Small Businesses to Market with Images and Design gave a Quick Tips Interview (30 minutes or less) on visual communication.

In it she shares:

• the #1 visual marketing mistake that she made in the early days of building her business, and
• the marketing action that you need to take in order to move your business forward now.

As Anita says the difference between success and failure is execution

So have a listen and when the interview is over, choose one simple change and then take action.

And Remember…
We say ‘you can’t judge a book by it’s cover’ because there is more to every company, person or idea, than just the outside image. But in reality we judge what we see first. And if we like it, then we dig deeper.

Visual communication is about reinforcing your core message, and drawing people in to hear more.

You can listen to the interview here:
Enjoy!

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

And if you need more ideas for updating your image, then check out Visual Marketing (visualmarktingbook.com). It’s one of those books that you can read in one or two settings (I finished it in a weekend) or you can skip around to the stories that you need—like a reference.

The purpose is to inspire and expose you to ideas that work
…on any budget. You could implement some of the tips in a few minutes or hours. For others you may need a team to make it happen.

What I appreciate the most is the variety of proven marketing solutions in one place, because I want to be inspired with ideas that work.

Whatever you do, have fun with it, be strategic and then take action.

There’re only a few weeks left in this year and I have a question for you.

What can you change right now that would make a difference in your business or quality of life?

For me, I was never comfortable with my website. It didn’t feel quite right. And because I wasn’t happy with what it was “saying,” I missed opportunities to bring people over.

You know how it is, when your house is messy, you don’t want any guests.

Well, I’m saying it’s time to clean up. Time to hang some pictures on the wall and give people a place to sit down when they visit.

Quick Year End Suggestions

Do the strategy work. Get clear about your goals for the coming year and the kind of help you need to make it happen.

Get specific. What will you do in Janaury to move yourself forward? You could…

1. get referrals for a web designer and copywriter to add to your website team.
2. write a description of your ideal customer, so that you can attract her with your verbal and visual marketing.
3. decide to get started on that list right now, instead of in January. Why wait?

I see this all the time.
You do too. It’s the classic contradiction. The difference between what we say and what we do—in this case, what we show.

For example, you teach simplicity, but your website is complicated; or you’re a lonely love doctor and a flowerless, flower shop owner.
 

The point is your marketing image has to match your message.

“Your Image Needs To Match Your Message….It Builds Trust.”

If you say it, then you need to show it. When the verbal and visual message match, it builds trust. And that’s good for business.

I have a challenge for you

To get a better understanding of our visual message, Anita Campell is stopping by for a Quick Tips Interview.  She’s the Founder of SmallBizTrends.com and co-author of Visual Marketing: 99 Proven Ways for Small Businesses To Market With Images and Design.
Click here to check out her interview.
About that challenge: Make a visual upgrade to your marketing before the New Year!

Quick ideas:

• a more engaging headshot,
• a website font that people can read.

Just make it happen. Make it simple—for now. Make it relevant.  And hope to see you on Wednesday.

In my world everything begins with a simple message. Marketing is a message between you and your potential clients.

The way you talk to your management team is a message, a conversation between you and the people that help you do what you.  But listening is also a part of the message. It’s key to the conversation.

In fact,

in order for a conversation to take place, there must be an exchange, someone giving the message and another receiving it.

What is the message that you think your product is saying and what is your audience actually hearing? What is the question that your solution tries to answer and what is the problem that it actually solves? We know how we feel about our products, our programs, our lessons, but how do our clients’ feel?

I recently spoke to a Fortune 500 company…

about effective communication. It went extremely well, but I have to tell you, it’s much easier to just walk in the door and talk. I mean who wants to

1. worry about tracking the number of attendees and measuring their response to your message so that you can tweak it for the next group?
2. prepare the required materials in order to get quick and documented feedback from your audience?
3. address a small army of details that many people in business ignore (unfortunately)?

Well, I do because feedback is the other side of the conversation.

Communication requires a speaker and a listener.

And to be effective both parties must wear both hats at one point or another. Feedback is your chance to listen to your audience, to hear your clients.

Listening takes effort, but it pays for itself if you put it to use.

Below are a few ways to help you discover what your clients  think because these thoughts affect their willingness to pay attention to what you’re offering.

#1 JUST LISTEN—You may hear the TRUTH.

Sometimes people will give you unsolicited praise as well as unsolicited complaints. Weigh them. How many times are you getting the same message? You may need to pay attention to it and make an adjustment.

There may be an area in your business that you think is unnecessary but it actually draws your clients in. If you don’t listen to the feedback, you could miss an opportunity to improve.

#2 JUST ASK—You May Find A FEEDBACK FRIEND

Sometimes you need to ask for the feedback. You can do this face to face or offer an anonymous option. I use both. And I have had the best conversations by asking.  In fact, I’ve stumbled upon some feedback friends—people I can go to and get the truth no matter what.

Anonymous questionnaires are also good too. They give the shy and uber-kind person a way to tell their feelings without judgement. Again you’d be surprised what you can discover by asking.

#3 STUDY BEHAVIOR—See The The HARD FACTS First Hand

If you offer a product, then watch their spending habits. Did they buy it? Did they return it? Did they tell a friend? Did they come back? These answers are a part of the feedback process and can be used to improve your business.

If you’re speaker, then watch their body language. You may need to tweak as you go and give them a new reason to engage with you.

Feedback is an ongoing process and it’s good for business. Just be sure to use multiple avenues to gain a well rounded picture.