Email communication is one of the most preferred methods for the customer and is cost effective for the business owner.  A customer’s email address is vital to the success of your business. With that said, many customers are hesitant to hand over their email address because of cluttered inboxes and misuse by online marketers.To overcome this challenge, we must answer, “How do I ask for an email address?” To answer this question properly, we must first share “How NOT to ask for an email address?”

Business Owner:  “Can I have your email address?”

Customer: “No”

Business Owner:  awkward silence

People are very protective of their email addresses. When you ask this question, it results in a “yes” or “no” answer from the customer. If the person has no idea as to who you are or why you need it, there is a strong chance that the answer will be “no” and you may never get a chance to ask again. Take a look at this more effective approach:

Salesperson:  “I would love to send you a tip sheet for home care OR a confirmation of an appointment OR you fill in the incentive that works for your business. What is the best email address for me to send this to?”

Customer:  Absolutely.  Send it to my email address at …

Why does this approach work? Here are the three components that will win every time:

1. The request portrays confidence and is matter of fact.
2. The request provides a compelling reason/expectation.
3. The request positions email communication as a part of YOUR business process.

Now that you know this simple, yet effective approach, it is important to teach every member of your team to practice this approach when communicating with a current customer or a prospect. Don’t forget the importance of asking on all print pieces, website, and in social media. In conclusion, once you have your customer’s trust and email address, be respectful and don’t join the businesses that have given it a bad reputation.

Get your marketing strategy in shape so that the holidays can be “the most wonderful time of the year” for your business! Think: goodwill, good cheer, good feelings. Here are some helpful marketing tips for the coming months:

Send a company holiday card:  Let your clients and associates know that you value them and create excellent top-of-mind awareness for your company by sending professional, high-quality holiday cards in a timely manner. Include a handwritten note and, most importantly, a business card. A good rule of thumb is to send your cards by December 15, so if you haven’t already, head to the post office!

Use social media:  Share heartwarming pictures, hold an “ugly sweater” contest in the office and have your followers vote, or highlight customers who are doing something great for the community. People are focused on warm relationships during the chilly winter months, so utilize social media to connect with your customers on a personal level.

Get involved with charity: If you aren’t already, volunteer for a good cause with your team.  Cast a positive light on your company by tastefully promoting your efforts via social media. While the point of philanthropy is certainly not financial gain, it is beneficial to your image and a good way to enhance team bonding.

Lastly, if your phone isn’t ringing as often during the holidays, don’t panic! People may not need what you offer in the midst of the holiday hullabaloo, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Proactively market during the holidays, keep your eyes fixed on the New Year, and remember to enjoy the season with your team, your friends, and your family!

Many companies believe price is all that matters. The times have changed and this is no longer true. Whether you sell roofs or countertops or siding, you should educate your customer as to the merits of good, better, and take it to the best when it comes to making a sale. Here’s how it works when it comes to the siding industry:

“I don’t care about anything but the price.” – If money is THE deciding factor, the “good” choice is vinyl siding. Vinyl is an economical choice that has a poor reputation because of shoddy installations by contractors that just didn’t know better or didn’t care.  Well-executed installation makes this a good choice for the money-conscious customer.

“I want the beauty of wood without the hassle!” If the customer is attracted to the look of wood siding but doesn’t want the upkeep–the “better” choice is Fiber Cement Siding.  Fiber cement allows the homeowner the cosmetic appeal of wood siding with easy maintenance.

“What’s the best investment?”— Best is based on the value and the return on investment over time. Every day we meet customers who have researched products and are looking to “invest” in the best.  These customers trust you to help them make an informed decision toward excellence.

Knowing whether your customer desires good, better, or best allows you to give them the right product at a mutually beneficial price. Some customers will always prefer the least expensive product, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t want the “best” of technology too.

It doesn’t matter whether your customer is focused on the price, the look, or long-term benefits— encourage your customer to say “yes” to the BEST with the benefits of rain screen technology. This amazing and effective furring master prevents wood rot and preserves all types of siding. Use your expertise to make them customers for life!

Does your business have an online personality?  In other words, if you took your company name off of all of your Internet marketing materials, including your website, your Facebook, and any client email correspondence, would your existing customers still be able to recognize you?  Do your emarketing channels relate and refer to one another, or do they appear to operate separately, as though they don’t all belong to the same company?

These questions might seem fussy, but you have to take inventory of your business’s online image if you want to generate long-term growth and customer retention. Just like we as people tend to gravitate toward other people who are familiar, consistent, and warm, we subconsciously gravitate toward businesses with those same qualities.  This kind of image has to be carefully cultivated and maintained. It’s called branding, and it is a vital part of every company’s marketing strategy.

Successful online branding has 3 essential components:

• A website that is streamlined, aesthetically pleasing, optimized for mobile viewing, and professionally designed.
• A social media presence that is not only active, but interactive too.
• Periodic email correspondence, whether by way of an e-newsletter or occasional e-blasts.

Once your company is utilizing all three of these components (and we sincerely hope you already are!), the next step is to focus on making them work together seamlessly. Develop an established process for branding your company “personality” that integrates the same colors, fonts, logos, and general uniform standards that every employee must follow when communicating via any of the three channels. This set of standards is also known as a style guide.

Devising a brand concept and creating a style guide for a company is a time consuming process, but it is worth it and necessary in the long run for building a business based on professionalism and consistency that people will want to come back to time and time again.  If this all seems overwhelming, consider hiring a professional marketing agency to do the legwork. You will be glad you did!

This past weekend, the team here at R2R ran, jumped, climbed, swam, and belly-crawled in the mud under barbed wire for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. We had a blast at the Warrior Dash!

Do you feel like your company meetings are a waste of time? If so, they probably are. If you aren’t already, consider holding weekly status meetings with your entire team.  A team status meeting is all about the unifying “big picture” of the company. Bring everyone together, have a decisive agenda, and keep your team motivated, updated, and in the know. Led the right way, a status meeting serves as an invaluable driving force of productivity and success.

Tips for an effective weekly status meeting:

• Have a template.  Establish a basic set of guidelines for your agenda and follow its talking points every week. For example:
  •  A “weekly thought” (much like this one here) that will encourage your team to work to the best of their abilities
  • Team accomplishments
  • General company news and announcements (birthdays, leave, administrative issues)
  • Big picture items and projects that are on the horizon.
  • Pressing current projects and production.
  • Open the floor for general questions, comments, and concerns.
• Prepare for next week’s status meeting this week. Once you have a template established, it is easy to take notes as business is happening and fill in the blanks. Come Monday (if you so choose to hold your meeting on Monday), you will have no problem leading a productive and pertinent meeting.
• Respect your team’s time.  I think we have all experienced the feeling of sitting in a long, tedious meeting that is going nowhere, all the while thinking about the things we could be getting done instead. Keep your status meetings as concise and purposeful as possible, so that they are of benefit to everyone involved.

When you put thought and planning into your weekly status meetings, your team will appreciate it. The hour long meeting is sure to save your company hours of lost productivity and confusion.

Do us a favor and have a safe & relaxing day!

Does your business have an online personality?  In other words, if you took your company name off of all of your Internet marketing materials, including your website, your Facebook, and any client email correspondence, would your existing customers still be able to recognize you?  Do your emarketing channels relate and refer to one another, or do they appear to operate separately, as though they don’t all belong to the same company?

These questions might seem fussy, but you have to take inventory of your business’s online image if you want to generate long-term growth and customer retention. Just like we as people tend to gravitate toward other people who are familiar, consistent, and warm, we subconsciously gravitate toward businesses with those same qualities.  This kind of image has to be carefully cultivated and maintained. It’s called branding, and it is a vital part of every company’s marketing strategy.

Successful online branding has 3 essential components:

• A website that is streamlined, aesthetically pleasing, optimized for mobile viewing, and professionally designed.
• A social media presence that is not only active, but interactive too.
• Periodic email correspondence, whether by way of an e-newsletter or occasional e-blasts.

Once your company is utilizing all three of these components (and we sincerely hope you already are!), the next step is to focus on making them work together seamlessly. Develop an established process for branding your company “personality” that integrates the same colors, fonts, logos, and general uniform standards that every employee must follow when communicating via any of the three channels. This set of standards is also known as a style guide.

Devising a brand concept and creating a style guide for a company is a time consuming process, but it is worth it and necessary in the long run for building a business based on professionalism and consistency that people will want to come back to time and time again.  If this all seems overwhelming, consider hiring a professional marketing agency to do the legwork. You will be glad you did!

There’s a reason they call these the lazy days of summer. It’s hot, the Olympics are over (whew! Just watching those athletes on  T.V. made you tired!), the kids are getting ready to go back to school, and football is in your near future. With all of the distractions around you, don’t let your business suffer.  Treat yourself to a cup of coffee and get your marketing arsenal geared up for Fall! Call R2R Associates today and let us help you create a vision for your marketing strategy.

Remember those strict rules in school against taking an unauthorized peek across your desk at another student’s test or quiz?  If you were stumped, it was especially tempting to steal a look at the brainiac kid’s paper and copy his answer.  Whether you or not you succumbed to the temptation back then (don’t worry, we won’t tell your parents!), it’s time to forget all the rules you learned and CHEAT…at least when it comes to brainstorming about your business.

If you are hard pressed in this sluggish economy for fresh ideas that will help keep your phone ringing, don’t be afraid to take cues from the braniac in your industry.  It is incredibly helpful to figure out what successful companies are doing right, and there’s no harm in copying them, albeit with your own personal twist.  Perhaps you see that your competitor is offering a new, more efficient product line, or is running an exciting and interactive social media contest that seems to be generating a ton of interest in their services. Figure out how you can implement similar additions to your cutting-edge marketing arsenal and go for it! Make it your own!

There is no reason for you to feel like drawing on the great ideas of other companies is a bad thing.  Repurpose those ideas in a way that makes your business shine. The company you are emulating probably got their great idea from someone else too.  And after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

image credit: www.freedigitalphotos.com