Honest Abe, A Cherry Tree, and Running a Successful Business

Quick: Name two of the most popular historic U.S. presidents. The first names that come to mind for most people are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. These two presidents are well known for their leadership during tumultuous times in American history. But they're also known for their place in American folklore. Specifically, they have both gained reputations for being exceptionally honest.

George Washington and the cherry tree

According to the popular story, young George Washington was playing with his new hatchet when he killed his father's favorite cherry tree. When his father confronted the household about who had hurt the tree, young George quickly confessed, telling his father that he could not tell a lie. His father forgave him, reinforcing the importance of his son's honesty. George Washington carried this lesson about the importance of telling the truth with him the rest of his life.

Honest Abe

Before Abraham Lincoln became involved in politics, he was involved in a number of businesses. He bought a small store, was a lawyer, and served in Congress. In each of these positions, he became known as 'Honest Abe.' Stories abound about young Abe returning a few cents of change or tracking down customers to complete their orders if their requests were mis-measured. He carried this reputation as a reputable businessman with him to the White House.

What these two men can teach us today

Many people couldn't tell you the date the American Civil War ended, when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, or when George Washington died. Despite these gaps of knowledge, most people would be able to tell you that these men were known for their honesty. Why is that? Because people value honesty in their leaders. They want to be able to trust the people they elect.

This also applies to their business leaders. When customers are looking for companies they want to work with or buy products from, they need to be able to trust that the company will provide them with the quality service they're expecting. They want to trust that the advertising they see is accurate and that if they have any kind of problem, they'll be able to get the situation addressed by a quality customer service team.

How you can show your honesty to potential customers

Since we all know customers are looking for honest businesses, it's important to display this characteristic in all our dealings with customers, especially online. Social media and websites make customer service and customer opinions very public, for all potential customers to see. This makes honesty and quality customer service even more critical.

As a business leader, it's important to monitor the web for discussions about your company to see what people are saying. If customers have legitimate complaints about the quality of service they received, make sure you do everything you can to make it right. This may include issuing refunds, providing coupons, and addressing other concerns.

Similarly, when you come across positive reviews, it's a good idea to send notes of appreciation or coupons to encourage repeat business and as a sign of thanks. Above all, you should strive to be above reproach when it comes to honesty.

People like knowing they can trust their leaders, whether presidents or business owners. Stories abound in the collective consciousness about the honesty of some presidents in particular. When you (and your company) gain the same reputation for honesty, you can also live in the public consciousness as someone worth following; and that's how customers are gained.

Social Media: American Idol for Small Businesses?

For thirteen years, American Idol has entertained the country by bringing would-be singers to the center stage and giving them a fair shot at becoming the superstars they believe they can be. Countless people have auditioned before a panel of very strict judges. Out of the masses, one singer rises to the top to win each season. It's from this show that popular stars such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood have found their way to fame.

For most of these stars, American Idol really changed the game. Without the nationwide audience and opportunity to get in front of the camera, many would have struggled to find their "big break."

Most businesses can relate to this mentality. In the past, small businesses struggled to get their brands and names known within their community. The idea of finding a nationwide platform remained a pipe dream for the vast majority of companies. But just as American Idol has provided a new avenue for struggling singers, social media has changed the landscape for small businesses, too.

Social Media: A "Star" is Born

Social media offers small businesses the exposure they need to break out and become "stars" in their own right. With the rise of ecommerce, many companies can now do business with people thousands of miles away. Through Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, Google+, and the rest of the common social media channels available to them, these businesses are getting their message out and building relationships with potential customers across the globe.

Learning the Ropes

Unfortunately, not every company that sets out on their journey is going to make it to the top. The singers who audition for American Idol cannot just walk up to the judges and tell them, "Hi, I'm a fantastic singer. All my friends say so. You need to give me a ticket to the next round." Similarly, small businesses cannot just sign up for social media and expect customers to come pouring in to use their services. In both cases, people must sell their talents. The singers must prove to the judges that they have the skills needed to compete on the nationwide scale, and businesses must prove the same to their potential customers.

Rolling With the Punches

One of the factors that made American Idol so popular was the extremely harsh criticism that Simon Cowell famously dished out to nearly every competitor. Many people noted that while his words might even be described as cruel, they were rarely untrue. He said what many people thought but were too kind to say. It was the responsibility of each competitor, especially those who received his critique but remained on the show, to take what he said and learn from it before they sang again.

Many small businesses have quickly discovered that in social media few people feel much inhibition in making their opinions known. And some of those critiques would even make Simon Cowell blush. Learning how to respond to such criticism is an important skill to master. A key part of that response is deciding what feedback to take to heart and then making the changes needed to better serve customers.

Social media has given small businesses across the country the opportunity to reach clients in an unprecedented way. No longer are they confined to their local market, with distant hopes of one day striking it big. Just as American Idol has provided singers with a new way to showcase their talents, social media has done the same for companies looking to grow their customer base. Understanding how to take advantage of this opportunity and learn from it can make all the difference.

Don't Overlook SMS: Why Your Marketing Strategies Should Incorporate Text Messaging

Mobile text messaging, also known as SMS (for short message service), may just represent the next frontier in mobile marketing. Why? More than 4 billion people worldwide -- and 75 percent of Americans -- regularly send and receive text messages. With the recent announcement that social media giant Facebook is acquiring WhatsApp -- an SMS platform that allows users to send free text messages on smart phones of all kinds -- texting's popularity isn't likely to decrease anytime soon.

Here's why you should take advantage of this growing market and add SMS to your marketing strategies.

The Power of the Personal

In Internet years, text messaging is a virtual grandfather; after all, the technology has been around for more than 20 years. In fact, it's been around so long that a (mind-blowing) two-thirds of the Earth's population has access to it. Perhaps due to the well-established nature of SMS, many companies have bypassed it as a marketing strategy, probably in their rush to drive customers to the mobile-optimized versions of their websites.

However, as any marketing guru will tell you, customers respond best when a campaign engages them personally. That's where text message marketing comes in. Stats from Techipedia reveal that:

• 98 percent of all sent text messages are opened


• 83 percent of text messages are opened within three minutes


• SMS marketing campaigns boast response rates of up to 45 percent, as compared to email campaigns, which average a 6 percent response rate

Given these high response rates, using SMS seems like a no-brainer. Just send out a few well-worded messages to leads, and watch the sales grow -- right? Of course, there's a catch.

In order to be successful, text message marketing requires thoughtful implementation.

Effective Implementation of Text Message Marketing

Consider how annoying you (probably) find telemarketing calls, spammy-sounding emails, and all of that other marketing stuff you're constantly bombarded with but didn't sign up for. Same goes for SMS; no one wants to receive random or irrelevant text messages all the time. Add in the fact that some mobile users have to pay for each text message they receive, and the importance of only sending texts to those who've opted in becomes crystal clear. It's all about relevance.

Speaking of relevance, one of the most effective uses of text message marketing is keeping in contact with your existing customers. They've already tried your product or service and decided they like you. SMS offers a cost-effective way to keep in touch. Whether you're announcing a special event, sending a coupon code, or implementing a loyalty program, the judicious use of text messages keeps your company in your customers' consciousness.

SMS can also enhance your customers' experience. Text messages containing reminders, schedules, notices of last-minute availability, and even customer satisfaction surveys provide value to your customers while saving them time and hassles.

Appropriate Uses of SMS Marketing

Here are a few ways to incorporate text messaging into your marketing plan in a way that customers will appreciate.

Promotions and Sales: Send promo codes, coupons, and special event notices. Consider geo-fencing to send offers to opted-in customers when they come near your place of business.

Receipts: Sending receipts makes it easy for customers to keep track of spending.

Surveys: Customers can fill out surveys about their experience, providing you with valuable feedback.

Loyalty Programs: Make it easy for customers to join your loyalty program via text, and get information you need to develop detailed customer profiles that help your marketing strategies.

No matter what you're using SMS for, the key lies in creating an opt-in program and focusing on content that provides value to customers. Text messaging shouldn't be used to generate leads; instead, it should provide relevant information to interested customers.

Being the Apple of the Industry

When it comes to technology, few companies have enjoyed the branding success of Apple. In certain circles, they've cast themselves as the industry standard. Customers across the country line up for days to be the first to buy their latest products, even if their latest phone has only minor improvements over the previous one. Apple's products are so coveted that many people even overlook the company requiring them to buy special parts or the lack of synchronization with other technologies inherent in some Apple products, just for the opportunity to be part of the Apple community.

The power of the Apple symbol and reputation is something many companies can only hope to one day taste. What makes the power even more incredible is that among the technologically inclined, there is still a debate if Apple products are actually superior to other brands.

So how in the world did Apple manage to control the conversation about technology so completely that users of their devices feel so superior? Perhaps even more importantly, what can you learn from Apple's experience and apply to your own business?

Apple and Innovation

Apple is nearly synonymous with innovation. The company prides itself on being the first to develop a wide range of products. For products that are already in existence, they look for ways to make theirs superior. Being a follower is not in the vocabulary of an Apple designer. Steve Jobs and his business partners were experts at getting people excited. Even if an idea had already been used by other companies, they had a way of making investors and customers feel as though they were getting something new and exciting, and people jumped at the chance.

As a business leader, you should aspire to this same spirit of innovation. Rather than looking and seeing what has made your competitors successful, try instead to see where your competitors still fall short, and capitalize on those differences. Take these weaknesses and use them to drive the industry forward, with your company at the helm.

Apple and Price

There's no denying that Apple products tend to cost more than comparable products from other companies, yet that has not hindered the company's progress. While customers like feeling as though they're getting a good deal, they're more concerned about getting quality and service. An estimated 70 percent of customers would be willing to pay up to 13 percent more if it meant having a more positive customer experience. Apple has fine-tuned the customer experience. Just walk into one of the stores, and watch how carefully the associates acknowledge you, get to know your name, and find out what you're looking for.

The products themselves also define style and elegance. While people might debate whether Apple is the actual industry leader, few would deny that their products do perform well and continue to amaze people with what technology is capable of doing. When companies successfully combine innovation, customer service, and solid products, sometimes a bump in price can actually work in their favor. The higher prices Apple charges only add to the perception that their products are superiorly made.

Whether people love or hate Apple and its products, they cannot deny the influence the company has had on the technology industry. For many, the company represents the pinnacle of branding and controlling an industry conversation. Although only a few companies can so completely dominate their respective industries, all businesses can learn from Apple's business model. Apple offers lessons for even the most seasoned of business professionals looking to improve customer reach. If you're not sure how to go about implementing these ideas, we can help you hone your message and control your brand conversation.

Improve Customer Loyalty

It's far more cost-effective to retain existing customers than it is to attract new ones. Here are a few tips to increase customer retention rates by improving your customer loyalty:

• Mail personalized thank you cards showing your appreciation for recent purchases or interest in your products and services.


• Create a customer loyalty program that offers special promotions and incentives for return customers, such as birthday discounts, a reward punch card, free shipping, monthly discounts, or free upgrades.


• Give customers a great experience with your brand. Offer a quality product and stand behind it.


• Encourage open communication with customers by requesting feedback and suggestions. Offer options such as e-mail, online surveys, a toll-free number, and discussion forums.


• Humanize your brand and create a personal connection with your customers by interacting in social media. Encourage customers to respond to your blog posts, attend trade shows, provide open houses, offer hands-on training sessions, and more.


• Treat your customers like insiders. Include them in decisions, ask for feedback, and assure them their opinions are valued.


• Consistently under-promise and over-deliver to ensure customer satisfaction.


• Surprise your customers with something they don't expect, such as a coupon for "$10 off your next $10 purchase" just because.


• Remember the golden rule. Think about the type of treatment you would like to receive as a customer.

Building a Strong Foundation

If you sit down with nearly any preschooler, they can probably tell you the story of the three little pigs. According to the story, there once were three pigs. Each set out to build themselves a home. The first built his home out of straw. He was done very quickly because of the material he chose. The second little pig chose to build his home out of sticks. Building with sticks might have taken the pig a little longer than using straw, but he was still done rather quickly. The third pig, however, built his home out of bricks and mortar. This house took the longest time to build, and the pig was forced to keep working, even when the other pigs were already relaxing and enjoying themselves.

Not long after the three pigs had finished their homes, the big bad wolf came looking for something to eat. He was able to quickly blow over the houses made of sticks and straw, but no matter how hard he tried, he was not able to blow over the house of bricks.

Building a strong foundation

The third little pig didn't take the easy way out. He saw the other two pigs finishing faster than him and having the time to laugh and play, but when the chips were down, his house was the only one to stand up. The strong foundation made all the difference.

In life, as in business, it's tempting to take the easy way out; to use the easier material that takes significantly less time. The problem comes when we discover just how quickly a weak foundation can fail us. Those who are looking to grow their businesses must keep this idea in mind.

Growing a business the smart way

There are a variety of 'tricks' companies can use to try to grow their businesses quickly. So-called 'black hat SEO,' which refers to techniques such as artificial keyword stuffing and using link farms to grow backlinks, may help companies achieve their objective rather quickly. They may rise quickly in the Google search engine ranks and see the number of visitors to their site rise as well. But Google has been cracking down on sites that use artificial SEO. Some companies have found their sites severely penalized, which has deeply hurt their businesses.

In marketing, companies may be tempted to blast every known platform all at once, without taking the time to develop a company message and brand. In these cases, the effects of the campaign typically fall short. A group that tries to go nationwide with a campaign too quickly might find that the effort exhausts their resources, placing the entire company in jeopardy. Starting local and growing as a reputation spreads is the way to achieve success.

Growing a business correctly means taking the time to grow organically. It means working to develop a quality website that is naturally optimized through a quality blog and well-written content. Marketing campaigns and customer reach goals should be built on a firm foundation that leaves room to grow. We can help customers develop marketing plans to appropriately meet new customers.

There's no easy way to be successful. It requires perseverance and hard work. Like the little pigs discovered, however, there's also no replacement for doing things right the first time. Instead of looking for shortcuts, invest time in learning about techniques to maximize investments and tools for saving time. We can help. Building a solid business foundation means your company will have something to grow on, rather than a flimsy foundation that can blow over. And that's irreplaceable.

All Brochures are NOT Created Equal

When it comes to marketing your business, professionally printed brochures are a great way to build credibility, while also telling your story. Here are a few tips to help you create successful, sales-building brochures:

• Focus on your audience and their needs. List benefits your customers will receive by choosing your product.


• Design an appealing cover that motivates readers to look inside. Include product benefits, a thought-provoking statement, industry tips, and other items your customers will find valuable.


• Keep it brief. Since brochures have limited space, provide a brief summary of your information, along with links for interested readers to go online and learn more.


• Provide clear headlines that make it easy to find information, along with high-quality imagery that supplements your messaging.


• Consider a creatively shaped or unusually sized brochure to grab attention.


• Include information that encourages the ready to keep your brochure. This may include how-to information, tips and tricks, sales calendars, and more.


• Consider providing a Q&A section to answer questions you think your readers may have when learning about your products or services.


• If your brochure is lengthy (8 pages or more), consider creating a table of contents to pique reader interest and make information easier to find.


• Include a call to action, so readers know how to respond. An 800 number, reply card, website landing page, or email address are all good examples to try.

If you need help creating an effective brochure, give us a call today. We have many samples and creative design ideas your customers will be sure to love.