And The Survey Says…

survey-for-businessHow do you respond when asked to fill out a survey?

Do you feel and respond differently to a survey emailed to you?

Do you feel and respond in another way to a survey sent online which offers some type of gift if you fill it out and submit it?

Do you feel most comfortable and responsive when you speak with a person either over the phone or in person to a few questions?

Place your responses right in the comments section for this article.

THINK – – –

Would any of your answers change if you know the owner of the company and they asked you to respond as a favor to obtain feedback?

How does a business – a business owner – anyone providing a product or service – find out answers to become a better business when most people will not answer a few questions or give their feedback unless they have a real gripe or concern about something?

For many years grocery stores have welcomed sample tables in their locations where a company may set up a product table, offer free samples to taste or try out and obtain instant feedback. This is an excellent way for the lotions and potions business owners to obtain instant feedback and word of mouth sales. In a similar way a food product or a new version of a well known brand changing some of the flavors or introducing a new flavor would be able to obtain quick feedback.

What would you suggest for a business in a service oriented field? How would they obtain quick and reliable responses to help them become a better business?

Here are three methods which work for many business owners in service based businesses –

  1. Upon engagement ask, give or send a form and request your client fill it out immediately about the initial engagement process. This does a few things. First you have established that you really do care about what they think about your business. Second is they are now creating a habit of filling out your brief questions and returning the responses to your office.
  2. Part way through the engagement with your client – follow step one except now you would be asking about more than the initial engagement process.
  3. Upon completing a certain period of time working with your client – ask them if they would be open to responding to a few questions about your business? The goal you would explain is to always be aware of how each client feels about their business and to keep your business fresh and in touch with their customers.

Try out one of these three methods or maybe all three and see how they work out for you in your business. Otherwise how will you know?

Need help with creating the right questions and/or how to implement the changes necessary once the surveys are all returned and reviewed? Contact Mitch Tublin here.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified coach, trainer and speaker based in Stamford, CT.

Three Ways To Connect With Your Buying Audience

connect-with-audienceIn the previous article, “What is Unique About Your Product or Service Based Business?”, the discussion was about – Why do you market, advertise, write copy, conduct your social media – like everyone else does?

The promise was made to offer more specific tips than the single one given in the article – “Here is one single tip for you to standout and let people know how great your product or service based business is – work with a business coach!”

In order to fulfill my promise and to provide useful information to business owners in the service provider category or product selling business here are three ways to connect with your buying audience.

CLASSIC WAY

Begin with this plan in mind, Who are you? What do you offer? Why should I care?

This may take a one to two minute video. You might write out a paragraph to answer each of these questions. It is the classic way to connect with your buying audience.

CONNECTING WAY

We all know we need to connect with our buying audience. What better way than to tell stories or share case studies. Select a few stories or case studies in order to broadly touch upon your buying audience without leaving anyone feeling left out. Utilize real people and actual events that took place. Yes, change the names, change the company names, yet allow the facts to portray the reason your service or your product is the one everyone needs right now.

CONSTRUCTIVE WAY

Give it away for free! You read it correctly. Give away a taste, a sample of what you have for free. For the service providers possibly you offer a free meeting or workshop. For the product seller possibly a contest or a give-away you create the rules. There is nothing like getting a taste of what is being provided for free to help a potential buyer decide to become a real buying client or customer.

Here is the best part of these three tips. They do not have to be exclusive! In fact when utilized together in a strategic way constructed by you and your coach they work magic!

Try each of these out for your business and let me know how you make out. Leave your comments and if you have a follow up question an answer will be provided right here for you in the comments area or a future article.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive and personal coach who resides in Stamford.

 

What Are Your Top Five Concerns in Your Business?

top5concernsThe articles are starting to come out in a variety of places. The top ten concerns for the small business owner in the coming year. It is not that the topic is not of interest. What is of interest is how obviously self-serving so many of these articles tend to be.

For example, one article had the title or similar to “The Top Ten Concerns For Small Business Owners” and their list was something like, Health Care, Taxes, Lending, Onshoring and a Skilled Worker Shortage on their list among other concerns.

My role is not to speak for you, however, in the small business circles where my time is spent, rarely if ever are these the topic of conversation. 

The top concerns seem to be fairly consistent: 

  • How do I save money?
  • How do I save time?
  • How do I obtain new customers?
  • How do I make more money?
  • How do I hire the right people?

Some of these may appear similar to the first list. However, from my perspective having heard both conversations, these two sets are nowhere close to each other!

You might say health care is definitely an important issue and people are definitely talking about it. Yes agreed people are talking about it. However, to the small business owner and the impact health care has on their specific business, does health care have an impact above the items listed by me above?

Many small business owners discuss their work situation and more and more utilize contracted workers or Form 1099 work forces. This method is a win-win. The Form 1099 worker is in control of their own financial reporting, taxes, health care and more. The small business owner is working with a person with specific expertise and other than payment for services rendered they are not responsible for health care or the other type of typical employment issues.

This is where you come in. What are your top, the really tippy top three concerns you have in your business today? List these in order in the comment area. Why?

The follow up to this article over the course of the next few weeks will be to address your concerns. The exact top concerns you have. Right here on this blog. Of course the top concerns listed above will be addressed as well.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive and personal coach who resides in Stamford, CT.

* Legal Notice: Nothing in this article should be considered legal advice, employment law advice, tax advice or any type of certified and legal advice in employment, health care coverage or taxes. You should consult a certified professional in these areas for advice on these matters. This article is the opinion of the author not legal advice in these or any other matters.

It’s been a busy couple weeks lining up speakers for the L2: Learn-Lead event in Stamford which will take place on October 10th. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/L2StamfordCTEvent and check out the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/L2Stamford. *Sponsorship opportunities available