Tip of the Week: Why does it pay to “Help a Reporter”?

      Why Does It Pay to “Help A Reporter”?

 

 

 

You know the cardinal rule about being a business owner…..promote your business whenever you can – by marketing, by word of mouth, by mentoring and sharing, by telling your family, friends and, whenever possible and where appropriate, such as connections you make through your personal life like the local stores you do business with, the doctor’s office, the dentist’s, a party you go to, a luncheon, anywhere…

As well, when you are marketing on-line, the social networks are a great place to market your business by posting articles, blogs, ebooks, newsletters, videos, etc.

Recently, a VA friend of mine, Cristina Favreau, http://www.cristinafavreau.com/ posted a comment on the network we both belong to, the Canadian Virtual Assistant Connection http://www.cvac.ca/.

She mentioned getting publicity by checking into Help a Reporter.  Reporters write newsworthy content about all manner of subjects and part of their job is to interview experts and those who have a connection to the subject matter.  Help a Reporter is run by Peter Shankman who posts dozens of opportunities for us all to offer our input to these reporters for their articles and stories.  His site is at:  http://www.helpareporter.com/.

This site is where you Register to “Be a Source” of information for Reporters and Freelance Writers.  After you have registered, you will be subscribed to his 3 daily emails – morning, afternoon and evening that lists all the opportunities that have been posted by the reporters and freelancers on almost every subject you can imagine.  It lists the subject, the writer, their contact information and what they need for their research as well as a timeline on when they need it.

I signed up some months ago.  Although I don’t check every email, I scan some through the week to see if there is anything I can contribute and quite often there is.  Just after I first registered, I found one particular article I was able to apply for.  I emailed the freelance writer with a brief description of what I could provide and she emailed me back immediately with some questions.  I emailed back my information and about a month later, I found she had quoted me in her article in a prominent magazine as well as including my Business Name and web address.  (I long since set up Google Alerts on my name and my Company Name to be emailed to me on a regular basis to monitor feedback from the net).  And up popped the link to that Article.  Note:  the reporter/freelance writer rarely notifies you of what article you are appearing in and when.

By contributing content to an enquiring reporter/freelance writer (which took a total of about 1 hour of my time), I got free publicity!  That is a win/win situation.

I would appreciate any feedback from you about how you acquired some free publicity.

 

Diane Coville

ALTERNATIVE OFFICE ASSISTANCE

www.alternativeofficeassistance.com

Tip of the Week: Reputation Management

What is Reputation Management?

When conducting an on-line business or even if your business is a “store front” operation, eg. Restaurant, Retail Store, etc. you need to keep informed of what customers are saying about you… There is one way to find out and that is revisiting customers and asking for feedback. However, there is another important element that you need to know. What are they saying about you on-line? If you have an on-line business it is important but there is lots of communication over the internet about other business as well. Whether the feedback is good or not, it spreads quickly by word of mouth but on-line it can spread at the speed of light!

Example of Bad Reputation Management
There was a Company (the name is unimportant at the moment) producing bicycle locks that was growing at an incredible rate because their product was new, innovative and very efficient. They were leading in the industry. However, one customer had an issue with the product and decided to speak their mind on the internet. The Company was not monitoring feedback on the internet at that time. They did notice that their sales were suddenly dropping significantly. When they discovered that their unsatisfied customer had posted enough on the Internet that many people took notice and word of mouth spread at an incredible rate, it was almost too late to repair the damage to their reputation.

How to Deal with Issues
I had an issue with Skype which I use for a lot of my client communication. I had prepaid for a 1 year unlimited long distance plan to the US and Canada. Three months into the plan, they wouldn’t put through my calls, saying that I had to pay for them. I went to the Skype website but nowhere could I find any way to communicate with them except by posting a customer service trouble ticket. Two days passed and I heard no reply, not even a notification that they had received the trouble ticket. I went on Twitter and searched Skype and I “followed” them. Then I posted a few comments about their terrible customer service. I received many “Direct Messages” back from other upset customers. And then I heard from Skype directly on Twitter asking me to clarify my issue. Within less than 24 hours my account was corrected to reflect my prepaid plan. Who knows how much longer it would have taken for them to contact me to deal with my issue?

The Company that sold bicycle locks were not monitoring their reputation but Skype obviously was.

How do I monitor my Companys’ reputation on-line?
There are several ways. You can Google your Company name as well as your personal name (if you are a small business with sole ownership). Set up a Google Alert.  Google will send you emails every day of the “search terms” or “keywords” that you have provided. As well, there is Google Reader. And there is Google Blog Search. What if your customer regularly blogs and has mentioned their issue in their blog? You can also do a search in Twitter to see if anyone is talking about you or your business. There are also sites where unhappy customers can post complaints whether they are valid or not. Sometimes they are false but the word gets out all the same.

Some of these sites include Epinions, ConsumerSearch, Ripoff Report, Consumer Review, Planet Feedback, Complaints Board and Start With Trust. All these companies have websites and can be posted on.

Whether your business is large or small, Reputation Management can make or break your company’s success.  It is imperative that you have a strategy in place:

           TRACK   >    REPORT     >   ENGAGE    >    EVALUATE

And don’t forget…while you are checking out the feedback on your Company, you can use the same methods to keep abreast of what is happening with your competitors and your industry!

Do you have a Reputation Management Plan of Action set up?

Diane L. Coville
ALTERNATIVE OFFICE ASSISTANCE

http://www.alternativeofficeassistance.com

Tip of the Week: Do you provide good Customer Service?

Do you provide good Customer Service?

Customer service has been around for a long time and the term has been over-used and neglected.  Customer Service has also been defined in different ways.

What does Customer Service mean to you as a consumer?

• “after sales” support?
• efficient communication between you and the seller?
• being valued as a customer?
• offered special deals and added value to your purchase?
• a seller who will “negotiate” a resolution when you have a problem?
• provide “self-service” such as an Internet site where you can get help?

A definition of  Customer Service is a series of procedures designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction or has met the customer’s expectations – before, during and after the sale.  Customer Service should be an integral part of a company’s value proposition.

Why is Customer Service so important?

I’m sure you have heard this before.  Obtaining new customers is much more labour intensive and expensive than keeping existing customers and the referrals you are likely to get from them.  There is a general consensus among consumers that the level of customer service today has decreased.  But some companies believe that providing a high level of customer service (or “customer love”) is the only way to grow your business in these times.

7 Rules for Good Customer Service

1.  Answer your phone (and email):

If you can’t answer it, have an answering service such as voicemail.  And very important is to answer all messages within a reasonable period of time (24 hours).  Responding to customers is paramount to displaying your respect of the customer’s needs and time.

2.  Don’t make promises you can’t keep:

If you are asked for a quote, a delivery date, a guarantee, a response or anything else, give some thought to what you are promising and deliver on time.  Making the effort to form a good customer relationship is the basis of a happy and satisfied customer experience.

3.  Listen to your customers:

In order to provide customer satisfaction, take the time to listen and understand your customers requests, how to fulfill their needs or solve their problems.

4.  Deal with complaints:

No-one likes to deal with them and there is the saying that “you can’t please everyone” but you can certainly make the effort to understand the issue, clarify the needs and negotiate a resolution that will address their concerns.

5.   Be helpful, even if there is no immediate benefit from making the effort:

Example – a friend had a broken necklace chain and went to a jewellry store/repair shop, where the owner looked at it but stated that it could not be repaired, but he had a similar chain laying there that he could give her as a replacement – free!  Was she ever impressed!  And she is now looking for a new watch.  Guess where she is going to go first….and how many people she will tell about the service she received – she told me!

6.  Train your staff (if you have employees)

Train them that Customer Service is a top priority to any customer they serve.  Make it clear as to what your idea of Customer Service entails and give them enough insight to be able to make the correct decisions to provide customer satisfaction in your absence.  If they are unable to resolve the issue at that time, encourage them to suggest that they will pass on the concern to the owner (you) and that you will get back to the customer at a specific time when you return.

7.  Take the extra step:

If a customer approaches you about something they specifically are looking for, don’t just point them in the direction – clarify their needs, offer products or suggestions to help them meet that need and ask them if they need more information or services or products which will be of benefit to them.  Offer them a coupon for a future purchase.  Invite them to contact you at a future time, if they need any more assistance.  It does not have to be a significant offering, but it will still be appreciated.

 

If you take the time to follow the above steps, you will become known for your excellent Customer Service.  Over time, it will bring repeat customers and referrals that will successfully grow your business!

 

If you can suggest more tips, please feel free to comment.

 

 

Diane L. Coville

ALTERNATIVE OFFICE ASSISTANCE

www.alternativeofficeassistance.com