Author: Ownership

How To Easily Conduct Online Business Meetings Without Spending A Fortune

In today’s working world, not every member of your business can make it back to the boardroom for meetings. Many businesses have employees who travel constantly or work primarily from home. To keep everyone on the same page, it’s important to use methods that allow the entire team to communicate with each other at the same time. Web-based meeting solutions can offer you and your company the perfect communication solution through the option of online business meetings. Online meetings pave the way for employees or clients worldwide to attend your meeting, receive pertinent information and have the opportunity to participate. Conduct your next online business meeting easily, increase attendance and engage your team without spending a fortune by incorporating some of these components:

Plan & Promote. A well-planned meeting is engaging from the start and delivers vital information to your team easily and inexpensively. Effective web-based meeting solutions provide you with tools to help you plan and promote your online meeting for maximum effectiveness and attendance.

Provide Easy Access & Interaction. The more options your team members and clients have for accessing your meeting, the greater the attendance will be. With the appropriate meeting solution, clients and employees can connect with you and attend your meeting from their computer, smart phone or mobile device.

Be Concise & Reach Everyone. There’s nothing worse than a boring meeting that drags on forever and ever. Take advantage of the tools available in your web-based meeting software to help you present information in a clear, concise way that reaches attendees who are visual, audio and interactive learners by nature. These tools help everyone get the most out of the meeting and they increase the information retention rate.

Follow-Up. Use your web-based meeting solution software to follow up with meeting attendees in the conference room. This space can help you respond to questions, post the next meeting schedule and agenda, and provide with a space for sharing sales or business results following your last meeting. Follow-through is an important part of meeting with your team or clients because it helps to keep your agenda fresh in everyone’s mind.

Online meetings must be interesting, interactive and engaging to keep your conference members involved in the meeting and excited about the information you’re conveying. By using web-based meeting solutions for your online business meetings, you can create a company atmosphere that leaves everyone feeling that they’re a valued, contributing member, while conveying the information that will help move your business closer to its goals. This win-win situation is an effective business-builder that you’ll want to use on a regular basis.

How To Handle A Job Application Rejection

There is nothing worse than receiving a phone call or an email to inform you that your application for a position has been declined and that you have not moved to the next stage of the recruitment process.

Reviewing, considering and then putting in a job application can be time-consuming and can create emotions of excitement and hope in regards to getting that role, which could be your dream role and company.

No matter what stage of the process, be it the first communication from the hiring manager/recruiter via email to inform you that you have not been successful, right through to the final stages of the process and informed by a call, how you deal with the rejection can be as important as having a strong resume and cover letter.

What people can forget, normally, your application is tracked each step of the way, each and every communication that you have; phone, email or in a face to face interview is recorded in your candidate file in the recruitment software. Leaving a lasting and professional impression each step of the process is critical.

With any rejection, emotions, understandably can bubble to the surface – for some, a quick hit of the reply button on email could have long-lasting impacts on any future applications with the company.

  • If you receive a rejection email, don’t reply immediately. File it and come back to it once you have had time to think.
  • Only reply to an email rejection once you feel in a more positive frame of mind and know that any reply you put forward will be a one that is professional.
  • Remember: a recruiter/hiring managers time is just as important as yours. They could have spent two to three weeks working through the process including reviewing and informing you about your application.
  • As emails are often recorded in recruitment software, you could consider sending a “thank you” email for taking the time to consider your application and wish them well with the search and filling the role.
  • With an email rejection, you could consider asking “is there anything I could do, or gain experience in/with that could improve my chances of gaining employment with the company in the future?”

Remember!

Your emails interactions could be logged against your candidate file. When you apply for future roles in the company, even if its much further down the track and with a different department, your communications could be viewed. Keeping it professional and engaging will certainly be a positive for you.

Many recruiters and hiring managers have seen time and time again, applicants react through emotions, stress or because they are unemployed with a quick email that can include highly inappropriate language of even physical harm threats.

No matter what your situation, or circumstances, take a moment, don’t immediately reply. Communicating in such an unprofessional way will simple close off any future opportunities with that business.

Phone Rejections

Normally, phone based rejections are completed when you have undertaken a face to face interview. Usually, you would have built a connection/rapport with the person your dealing with, but it’s important to handle rejection professionally.

Unlike an email rejection where you can take time to consider any reply via email, over the phone you will need to think on your feet.

  • Once again, thank the individual for their time and thank them for giving you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and experiences.
  • Feedback: Ask for feedback, what did you do well, what did you not do so well, what could you have done differently and what can you can do professionally that would help you in future applications for such roles.
  • Be forward: Ask them if they could consider you the position in the future, should the role become vacant again (if you want to work for the company). Let them know that you are interested in the role in the future and working with the business.
  • Always have a rejection plan in place: this will ensure that if you do receive such a call, you can quickly deal with it head on.
  • Follow up: Think about sending a thank you email. Let them know you appreciate their time and consideration and hopefully in the future you will get to work with the company.

There are other things to consider and that you can do to handle rejections. These will be based on the role, company and where you are in the process.

The most important thing, which is hard, don’t let your emotions take over. Doing so could lead you to react in a way that is not professional.

Dealing with a job application rejection in the right way, could help you further down the line. This is very important when applying through a recruitment agency that recruit for a wide range of roles and companies.

A momentary lapse of emotions and professionalism could cost you, not one company, but many.

Surprising Ways That Commercial Signage Can Work For You

Like most modern business owners, you’re probably sinking the majority of your marketing funds into online advertising. Without a doubt, consumers are definitely spending more of their time surfing the web and they are regularly turning to online platforms when searching for businesses or services and products that they need. Surprisingly, however, commercial signage remains among the most effective and the most cost-effective marketing tools that growing companies can use. Following are several ways in which these tactile, tangible resources can work for you.

Make Sure That Your Marketing Messages Aren’t Being Ignored

Consumers are exposed to a massive amount of advertising on a daily basis. No matter where they look, companies are trying to reach out to them. From the minute they get up in the morning until the time that they go to sleep, people are exposed to:

– Banner ads on their cellphones

– Billboards that they pass while driving down the street

– Email marketing messages

– Advertising in text messages

– Store signage

– Print ads in magazines and newspapers

– Logos and other branding images on nearly everything they see

Every ad is structured with the intent of capturing as much attention as possible and leaving an indelible imprint on both the conscious and subconscious mind. The massive amount of modern advertising can be overwhelming to see the least. In some instances, it is nothing short of mentally oppressive. Due to this fact, people have a number of automatic ways of shutting these messages out. This is essential for maintaining some clarity of thought and for engaging in active and purposeful decision-making. They can also consciously choose to tune these messages out, especially when these are sent by specific mediums.

Due to this fact, many readers are unlikely to open a lot of their email marketing messages. Some may have these automatically forwarded to their spam folders. Mass mailings that are sent to residential customers are commonly referred to as junk mail and as such, they are usually deposited directly in the trash. Text messages may or may not be opened and most print ads are often ignored. For many companies, funds that are spent on these types of marketing are basically wasted money. Commercial signage, however, continues to be a highly effective way to capture attention and keep it.

Spend Less And Yet Get More

Not surprisingly, commercial signage often provides the absolute best value in terms of marketing funds spent and benefits received. The costs of quality, retractable banners or attractive windows sign are relatively nominal in comparison to the costs of running a comprehensive pay-per-click campaign. More people are likely to see this signage and more people are likely to act upon it. Best of all, unlike an online marketing campaign that will probably be very limited in its duration, signage can be used again and again and within a very diverse range of applications. Thus, you will spend less and get a lot more, particularly if you opt to invest in signage that is very high in quality, durable and built to last.

Improving Your Sales Meeting Conversion Tips for Business

Here are some tips on the topic, “How to successfully turn your sales or lead meetings into more new business.”

• Have a good preparation for the meeting including having a standard question base to do a great needs analysis on the client, this will sell you well as demonstrate you are organised and are asking all the right questions. This should be done so well, the lead will know you know what you are doing.

• Use soft statements, listen by giving them ample opportunity to be heard, address their concerns as well and use all opportunities to introduce to them the ways you can add value to them.

• Rather than give convoluted price options or tables, give them a bottom line fixed quote or price and clearly state, what are their inclusions.

• Have different available options, try to sell your biggest package first, if that is not taken, reduce the sale to lesser packages.

• Get the simple things right, remind them of their appointment, send an agenda, directions where you are, welcome them with a clean professional office, present yourself well, offer drink or coffee, have testimonials in your waiting area.

• Be able to answer common objections – such as, “I want to think about it”. Respond to them by saying, “can I ask some more questions?, Is that the price you expected? Is this what you need as your solution?” Try to uncover more of their genuine reasons for hesitating.

• A good sales meeting should establish a relationship, identify needs, offer the right solutions, close with an offering which fulfils an underlying motivation which is either an inspiration to the client (such as you too can look this good with our product) or remove their fear (such as with our solution you never have to worry about something again).

• Be able to defend yourself against competitor offerings. Say what is good and unique about you such as your quality, additional service, guarantees, testimonials, bonuses.

• Offer bonuses like they do in the ads. It really works. Often you may think something is normal service offered but saying our price includes for example “within 24hr email response”, “free e-book on solving your something problem” or whatever you can offer, there must be something in your business that is an easy giveaway that samples your brilliance. It can be the slight difference on a tight quote that wins you a deal.

• If you do convert your close, a great idea is to follow through on using your needs analysis – start solving those problems they wanted sorted, stick to the price quote you agreed on, send a welcome email which covers your value, quote and solutions you are giving which can overcome buyer remorse (when a client goes home after a conversion and then rings to cancel it all).

Employee Cyber Security Training Tips

You can tell your employees not to use their cell phones at work, but they are likely using them when you are not looking anyhow. You can instruct them that they should not download anything from an entrusted third party, and yet they are going to see a name they recognize and just go ahead and click anyhow. So what do you do?

Many companies will add a cybersecurity policy into their employee handbook and never speak of it again. That is a huge mistake! Not only should you hold a thorough training on this subject with your employees, but also you should have them attend this training at least twice a year!

Data security training needs to shock the employee enough to realize that human error is one of the leading causes of data breaches. Throw facts and statistics at them. Let them know they play a huge role in the safety of the company and how a large portion of data breaches are completely preventable and have stemmed from user error.

Verizon’s annual Data Breach Investigations Report of 2015 showed that 30% of staff-related e-mail breaches were due to sensitive information being sent to incorrect recipients.

While many prevention tips may seem like common sense to us by now, we tend to get lazy and take shortcuts. Find a way to get your employees to break their bad habits!

  • Educate employees on the types of cyber threats out there so they know the warning signs and how each threat attacks.
  • Never share passwords (even internally) and do not buy one of those internet password notebooks to write in and manage your login information!
  • Never plug in a USB without knowing its origin and expected contents.
  • Lock your computer when you step away from your desk for even a moment.
  • Be cautious what is in view on the monitor before screen sharing in webinars or when anyone else is around.
  • Never share emails that are not related to the work that you are doing as they may contain malicious attachments.
  • Training needs to include the warning signs of a breached system. Why? Once a system is breached, it is critical to remove the threat rapidly to prevent data loss or a follow-up virus or worm.

The crucial take away points are to implement cyber training with ALL employees (C-suite included) right away, and to repeat the training at least twice a year; refreshing the agenda with new cyber threats, statistics and details which have come to light since the previous training.

Regular Account Reviews – Part One

A regular account review is a good way to keep in touch with regular customers and let them know you are interested in their well-being. If you do any repeat business at all, it’s a great way to find new business of which you might not have been aware. Some of your competition just might be trying to take a little business away from you. If you aren’t keeping in touch, you won’t know it’s happened.

For this, any good CRM (contact relationship manager) software will do the job. Every time you call someone, set a new call for when you should call the next time. Make notes about personal information that you may find out as you talk, as well as any business that you know you need to review.

Three months is a good time to call back if you really have no particular reason to call except to follow-up, but if there is a company event, personal event such as a birthday, make the day you schedule your call a few days earlier.

I believe there are two kinds of calls to be made. The first are tickler type calls. These calls need to be made somewhere around the time that you have the call scheduled, but it really doesn’t matter when. Most software provides an area called “Action Items” which is just a database of calls to be made linked to the company and person that need to be called.

The other kind is the call that must be made at a certain time or the sale will be lost. A tool like Microsoft Outlook or some other scheduler can schedule these kinds of calls. Outlook can be used to beep you 30 minutes in advance for example. Outlook can also be used to build a schedule that can be printed for your boss. If you are on the road and have to submit a travel schedule to your boss on a periodic basis, this is most useful.

Here are some reasons to call if you can’t think of any – Review the original reason your companies started doing business?

– What was the original experience they had either using your product?

– How did they perceive the first time process in delivering and setup?

– What were their experiences after they had the product for a while?

– How was the service, and response to questions?

Do a new analysis of the clients current needs. What direction are they heading and what’s next. Make notes. Write a new prescription. Determine how you can meet their needs in the future.

If you do this on a regular basis, you’ll also find referrals you don’t expect and new business coming from old clients that you didn’t expect.

Why Business Jets Beat Going Commercial

Commercial travel has come a long way. One upon a time it meant getting into a stagecoach and making a long and arduous trek across the country. Trains soon took over and today they are faster than ever before. Thanks to the Wright Brothers way back when, air travel ‘took flight’ and we have never looked back.

At any given time there are thousands of people on thousands of airplanes going to destinations all over the globe. Airports are plentiful, screening and security are in place and baggage claims are buzzing each and every day as people make their way to and from places for work and pleasure alike. Flying to your destination on a commercial airline is great; you get where you are going fast and can work en route. What is even better for the work traveller? Chartering a business jet of your very own.

Some companies already have their own jets and the executive can come and go as they please. For others, charter is the way to go and once they have chartered, they may never go back to commercial.

One great thing about chartering a business jet is the fact you can make your own schedule. You don’t have to arrive at the airport for an international flight hours before takeoff, you simply have more time to prepare for your flight and your trip. Security doesn’t take as long when there aren’t thousands of people to process and there can never be the worry of lost baggage. Take it on board yourself, and stow it accordingly.

But perhaps the best perk of going private is the fact you can choose a jet specifically for your needs. The latest gadgets, information and entertainment systems are on board and many allow you to design the cabin in any way that you wish. If you want to work en route, you can switch the seating to a more work friendly look. Just want to relax? You can do that too, in oversized comfortable chairs that offer more head, shoulder and leg room than you’d ever enjoy on a commercial flight.

Large, small, prop or not, business jets are a great way to get to your next important out of town meeting. You arrive well rested, without having wasted a lot of time at an airport and have had your schedule adhered to your way. What more could you ask from your transportation?

Ensure You Find the Best Ways to Promote Your Business

Customers everywhere are the same – they want to feel appreciated, they want to know that they are valued. That is why any clever business proprietor will make sure he or she gets the message across that their business is only as good as the support they receive from clients and customers.

Handing out custom promotional merchandise is one way of showing their appreciation to existing clients; it is also one of the best ways to attract new business. People are the same all over the world: give them something for free and they are likely to support you at some point in the future.

Business can be tough and one must always be aware that the competition will be trying their best to outshine everybody else. Therefore any business, whether you are small or a big corporation, must ensure they remain in the running. One way of doing this is to distribute promotional material that will remind the customer that you are still around.

One way of making sure your customers remember you and talk about you to their circle of friends and family is to give them something for free. There are few better ideas than custom promotional merchandise, something they will remember you by and introduce to their family, colleagues and friends.

It depends on what kind of product you’re promoting, but it is a good idea to remember that you do not necessarily have to distribute expensive items. The emphasis is on being effective. Give them something they will look at often, something with your logo and contact details very prominent on the merchandise you’re handing out.

The best way to go about this is to employ the services of a company that can show the way to market yourself by handing out promotional material. It is important too, to choose the correct company to assist you otherwise you may simply be wasting time, effort and money.

Choose a firm with a proven track record in marketing and producing custom promotional merchandise. Make sure they understand the concept of promoting business, make sure they have good experience and that their expertise can’t be doubted. A good firm will also be able to show you the kind of work they have done in the past, who their clients are and what clients and the public have to say about them. You also want to know that the firm you are dealing with have good turnaround time and that they are available to talk to you when you need them.

A good firm will ensure they lead you from the start in terms of offering advice about the best custom promotional merchandise, good designs, adjustments when needed and payment options as well as choices with regard to delivery. In short, the good company will reduce your stress and help you come up with first class promotional material for your business.

The whole idea behind handing out or sending custom promotional merchandise to clients is to ensure you make a lasting impression, to make sure the customers remember you by the specific merchandise they receive. Your company logo, a product they will always associate with you and your business is what is important. If, for instance, you market desk pads, it will not make any impression if you simply hand out any desk pad. No, the client must forever be reminded of your company, and only custom products will suffice, products which carry your logo and contact details.

When you receive your merchandise you will have to decide how to distribute it. Of course there are companies that will be able to advise you what the best ways are. Even better still: let the company that helped you with coming up with the correct custom promotional merchandise assist.

Nobody will dispute the importance of employing the services of a company to help customise one’s promotional merchandise. Make sure you choose an experienced company that will be able to lead you every step of the way – from ideas and designing to distribution.

How to Find the Best Advertising Space for Your Business

Advertising in the right place is just as important as what you have to say in your ads. You probably spend a lot of time finessing your marketing material to convey just the right message, but how much time have you spent analyzing where to broaden the reach of your marketing efforts?

Ask the Right Questions

To find the best space for your marketing message, think about where your customers are:

  • What do your customers do for a living?
  • What do your customers do for fun?
  • What TV shows do your customers watch?
  • What radio stations do your customers listen to?
  • Do your customers read news in a paper or online?
  • What websites do your customers frequently visit?
  • What kind of giveaway would your customer remember you by?

In selecting advertising space, it’s important to get your message to the places where your potential customers are likely to be. Ever blasted your marketing out to the world only to receive nothing in return? It’s equivalent to a fisherman randomly going out into the ocean and casting his net without a clue as to whether there are actual catches to be had. Make sure you know where your fish hang out before casting your net.

Think Beyond Normal

Sometimes this requires thinking outside the box.

Traditionally, marketing efforts focus on the same old marketing channels, such as TV, radio, and print. To keep up with modern marketing trends, you have to think beyond what’s worked in the past, and look for new ways to get your message broadcast to the most potential customers.

Hence the internet. It is safe to say that where traditional channels dominated for decades and decades, the age of the internet has taken over. Companies like Apple, Google, Olark, Twitter, and LinkedIn have literally made billions by either being the first to optimize or get in front of the internet craze. Startups have since made millions by approaching the masses online in a new way, like Imgur, who saw a need online, started an app, and proceeded to become a stable in millions of people lives.

All that to say, your target market is online and taking advantage of the internet every single day. Companies have proven that if you can get in front of your market online you can generate viral amounts of traffic for cheap or free. Take advantage of the new markets before they become the old markets.

In the same vein, find products that think outside the box, maybe tapping a new marketing space like screen cleaner stickers that are customized with your logo and info but sit on the backs of phones or tablets. These products are innovative and take up some primetime space.

The Simple Way To Market Any Business

You’ve no doubt heard about the K.I.S.S. principle – “Keep it simple, Stupid.” Or as I like to say… “keep it simple, silly.”

K.I.S.S. has been around the block a few times. In fact, it was a design principle noted by the US Navy in the 1960s.

The phrase was coined by aircraft engineer Kelly Johnson. It’s nice to note that Johnson was the lead engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works (creators of the Lockheed U-2 and SR-71 spy planes).

Though the acronym has been used mostly by the US military, namely the U.S. Navy and United States Air Force, civilians, businesses and lots of other groups use it too.

Heck, I bet you’ve used it a few times yourself.

We all tend to over complicate things, including myself.

But I prefer simple any day and twice on Sunday. When tackling any problem, my number one rule is to start with the simple basics first (is the power on? Is the lamp is plugged into the electrical outlet?)

And you’d be amazed at how effective the simple way of doing things can be. After all, you can always complicate the hell out of things later, if you like.

You’ll be pleased to learn “simple” also works in marketing your biz too! Truth be told, simple has taken me a long, long way in the marketing of my business.

Let me explain…

The Three Pillars Of Good Marketing

OK. Let’s break this down into, you know, simple terms. You can easily and simply market any product or service if you examine the 3 pillars of marketing.

But before I go into details, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. While, I’d love to think that I’m a marketing and advertising whizz, truth be told, I’m scratching the surface here.

What I have learned came from the true geniuses of the game. The guys who figured it out and have been in the marketing trenches for decades.

With that said, what you’re about to learn came from marketing top-gun Dan Kennedy. I recommend that you get your hands on any books, programs or live events he puts on. It’s nothing less than pure gold.

OK. On with the show. The pillars of good marketing are:

Message

Market

Media

Let’s talk briefly about each one.

Pillar 1. Message. This is the “what” you say to your prospects or clients. It’s the communication part of the equation of good marketing. If you get this wrong, then your efforts won’t necessarily fail but will suffer greatly in terms of results and sales.

Keep in mind, even if you have a great message and you shoot it to the wrong market, it’s going to land upon deaf ears. And you’re wasting marketing bullets… time, money and other resources.

Pillar 2. Market. The is the “who” you want to sell to. It’s the group of people most likely to be interested and willing buy your stuff. These are the prospects you are communicating with and who will receive your sales messages (sales letters, print ads, landing pages etc.)

So, your mission is to match your message to the correct market using the correct media.

As you know privacy is essentially dead these days. So, getting the names and addresses for nearly any target market is a fairly simple process.

Mailing lists comes in all shapes and sizes today. If you know what market you want to go after, you’re likely to find a list. It’s just a matter of contacting a list broker and describing who you’re looking for.

For example, If you are looking for people who are at least 7 feet tall, drive a BMW, live in South Carolina and subscribe to Psychology Today, you can get that list. It may not be a very large list, but nevertheless it still exists.

Pillar 3. Media. This the delivery system. It’s the vehicle that your message rides in. Think: magazines, newspapers, newsletters, social media such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and list goes on forever it seems.

The best way to select which media to use, starts with the market. Are you targeting folks over the age of 65? There’s a good chance they do not use social media as a primary medium.

Yes, they very well may have a Facebook account, but this is not their main means of communicating or staying in touch with others.

They do read the local paper and use their cell phone regularly. They probably listen to the radio and watch TV.

But the only way to truly know is to ask your clients and prospects.

How To Target Your Market

One popular way that business owners use to target their market is by geographic.

Using geographic marketing you choose your market based on a specific location, for example, businesses within a 10-mile radius. This is a very simple way to choose your targets but it’s like dropping flyers out of a plane and hoping one lands with the right person.

Yes, a bit of an exaggeration but with a few simple tweaks, you can make your geographic marketing more effective. And you can do this by using…

… Demographic targeting. Demographic targeting is selecting people by age, gender, how much money they have, whether they are conservative or liberal, or what religion they are, single or married and so on.

Next, you have psychographics. Psychographics deals customer behavior, attitudes, interests and lifestyles. It’s useful when segmenting your market. This can be very powerful (and effective). Plus, it allows you to customize your marketing messages based on whatever market segment you are going after.

Hey, you could combine all three. And many of the cloud based programs, such as Adobe Marketing Cloud, Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketing 360 and more do just that. You could also check some of the open source solutions.

Again, you don’t have to get all “techie” just be sure you have details such as their contact info, and carefully track how much they spend, what they buy and how often. Simple with Excel.

Of course, I could go way deep into this topic, but staying the “simple” approach, suffice to say keep good customer lists, learn what your prospects and clients want and become the “go-to” company that fills their needs.

So, the next time you start a new marketing campaign, consider the ideas presented here. If you are tired of dumping big bucks down the advertising toilet and you’d like more profitable results, then I encourage you to give me a shout. Do you have questions about this article or would like to see a subject covered? Again, just shoot me a line. I’m always happy to help.

Yours for higher response,

Emette E. Massey

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