From “Simply Customer” to “Repeat Customer”

There are two choices you make every now and then - either you like something of you don’t. You tend to retain what you like while discarding what you don’t like. It’s same with products, but more prominently practiced because of innumerable options available in market competing for the same position and segment by different brands.

You pick up a soft drink, energy drink or similar kind when you are a kid or teenage- either you like it or you simply don’t. If you like it, you like its color, flavor, smell, you associate it with some nice memory, you link it with some vague memory of an advertisement which you saw long back, you associate that wonderful experience of having that chilled soft drink and that cozy or adventurous environment, and you become a lifelong brand ambassador of that product. Now onwards you will pick up that same drink brand every time in future, given a choice. May be silent or talkative brand ambassador but a lifelong repeat customer for sure.  

Now your job as a company or manufacturer or promoter is to help your customer choose products offered by you.  How will you do that? We will see some strategies regarding that in the following upcoming post called “Help your customer choose what you want them to choose”.

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How to choose Best Name for your Business

Words are loaded with emotions; also, same word holds different meaning for different region, community, age group, audience, ethnic groups, etc.  There is much competition in the industry as well and most of the first few names which come into your mind for your business or company are already occupied, web domains are already registered, you will find hundreds of similar names already in use. Company name also attracts legal attention, copyright and similar issues. So, one has to be very careful while choosing a name for their company.

Name signifies a lot about a lot many things, like the nature of business, geographic presence, direction of business, attitude of company etc.

Choose a name which is distinctly unique, may be a combination of few words or derived from them, but be careful to choose words from mainstream industry, so that it makes some sense to a layman or your target customers

Create a name which is global in its appeal even if you start local, because you might have to go global if future.

You can also choose a name which is derived from the very core of historical and cultural treasure of the region where you have launched your business, signifying its root.

Come up with a name with which people can relate themselves.

Choose a name which is easy to remember and has potential for word of mouth publicity.

Choose a name which is positive is its appeal.

Understand the legality of your business, choose your business name and content which is unique and does not attract legal notice. You can consult a lawyer or accounts consultants for further legal and procedural guidance.

Learn 25 Rules of success for business and online startups in the following article

http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/03/25-rules-of-success-for-business-and.html

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How to motivate your sales team

There is no predefined highest achievable target when it comes to sales and it varies from product to product and service to service, so there is always some scope of improvement, but one can always push the target further and chase it, which should be further backed by rewards and incentive through company policy to motivate the sales team, Chasing an apparently difficult target gives a thrill and help keep the team and employees positively charged. Motivation can surely help. One can try short term training program or organizing a workshop by influential and motivating mentor in said field.

To know what’s common between successful business leaders see the following article http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/what-is-common-between-successful.html

advantages-of-niche-marketing.html

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Why and how of customer service

Why customer service?

It helps you retain customers

Returning loyal customers

You get word of mouth publicity

If your product is same as your competitors, you should have something sort of service edge which will keep customers busy talking about

How to service?

Customized services

Deliver wow

Launching regular new products will keep customers busy and coming back

Learn what are the top problems faced by new business owners in providing customer service in the following post -http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/top-5-problems-faced-by-new-business.html

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How to minimise obstacles between customer and product online

Give crisp and precise information regarding product or services

Provide customised information to repeat customer

Eliminate the membership and signup process for payment

Reduce the number of clicks from landing page to payment once and reduce it again

Using behavioral tracking software for optimised user experience

Create engaging audiovisual user interface

Induce surprise elements in the website to keep them stick to website till the payment is done

Learn about the top 5 problems faced by new startups in providing customer service here - http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/top-5-problems-faced-by-new-business.html

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Some tricks of the tech-trade for service delivery business-

You need to have strong data base (single largest qualification criteria) of all the existing and future prospective clients, (let it grow)


You need to track your transactions using behavioral tracking software/ systems, 


Understanding nature of customers in terms of frequency, choice of product, etc.. and offer similar promotional products and services 


Technology will help provide tailored service experience to individual customers.


It will help you make loyal customers by exceeding there expectations, every time they come back to you


Word of mouth Publicity

Learn about the top 5 problems faced by new startups in providing customer service here - http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/top-5-problems-faced-by-new-business.html

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Tricks of public relation - Workshop & Seminars

Attend every seminar and workshop in the city for first few years

Find out frequent faces of your industry attending seminars & workshop

Find out more about those influential personalities

Go ahead and introduce yourself - no matter how brief is the conversation

Do not forget to exchange business cards

Do write a customised mail to each of them within a week

Appreciate what they said or delivered in the presentation, or just thank them for their time

Do not let them forget you - keep posting mails appreciating their latest venture - also join them on Linkedin

Keep in touch

Your target is to be a recognized face in the crowd of thousands standing with the people you appreciated in your business startup days.

View top 10 suggestions for new startups and entrepreneurs, in the following post - http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/10-suggestions-for-new-start-ups-and.html

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Never miss a Business Opportunity again

Never say No to any opportunity - if it aligns with your company vision

Never say No to any opportunity - no matter how challenging is the work

You should be either able to accomplish the work or should be able to convince the client to modify the nature and scope of work itself, - Just don't give up

Learn to operate in adverse financial situations- know where to cut the cost without compromising the quality of work- learn to bootstrap, learn to scale down when needed

Prove one now secure one for future - win the trust of client by accomplishing given project well and don't hesitate to ask for another project in advance from client

There are ways and means to accomplish the job - for each part of work where you lack expertise; there are people to help you out in those areas.

Be always ready with several versions of Business Plan, for different prospective clients

You should have a scalable, flexible and realistic business plan  

Learn best ways to make a realistic business Plan, here http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/how-to-keep-business-proposal-and.html

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One page Business Philosophy

You should be able to summaries each component of your business for clarity, simplicity and understanding, though you can keep the details of business components for further reference.

One page Vision and Goal to guide the company

One page Target to drive the company

One page ever ready Business Plan to expand the client base

One page of Company Policy to guide the employee

One page Company Culture for uniformity

Know “why your Business needs to have a Vision” in the following post - http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/why-you-need-to-have-vision-for-your.html

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Business on the go - Ever ready entrepreneur

Always be dressed and presentable in business hours and beyond - 

  *You are the image of your company

  * Well dressed look increases your confidence level
 - Let the people enjoy your company and presentable personality 

Always keep your plug and play USB storage device with you-

                                You never know when is the next presentation

·                            You don't want to lose that precious new client  

·                             Keep Your Company information / proposal ready in different format

·                            Keep your company profile presentation updated

Keep your business relevant numbers and information at your fingertips

Keep one page profile/ project summary with you 

Learn tricks of “one page” business success strategies in the following post - http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/one-page-business-philosophy.html

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3 basic Thumbrule of hospitality and service industry

It all depends on front-end staff - they are the face of industry

It’s about 40% ambiance and 60% service and of course affordability cannot be ignored

Education and training makes a difference - you must be wondering why a 2 star hotel staff won't behave like a five star staff while both are human capital 

Learn about the top 5 problems faced by new startups in providing customer service here - http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/top-5-problems-faced-by-new-business.html

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6 must know Thumbrules of customer service for every business

You should know as much as possible about your every customer - Beforehand

Respect your prospective customer - Even if its 5 year kid

You can't satisfy every customer - But you have to deal with it somehow

Single point assurance - Customer is not supposed to run from one desk to other, it’s your job

You need to make sure the problem of customer has been solved - Before customer asking twice

Either job is done or apology for delay - No need to justify the delay

Learn about the top 5 problems faced by new startups in providing customer service here - http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/top-5-problems-faced-by-new-business.html

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Brighter side of partnership

Your partners validate your dream

They keep you rooted when you deviate to far from subject

They can help keep you rational when things go wrong

You feel lonely at times walking alone – having company is mostly fun 

You should know what precautions needed to be taken while forming partnership with close friends to avoid any future business complexity as discussed in the following post - http://fromthediaryofmentor.blogspot.in/2012/02/what-precautions-needed-to-form.html

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