The 3-Minute Decision  (Part 3)

We now know the customer has just three minutes to decide whom he will trust … and it’s all done unconsciously.

So how do you decide what image you need to reflect to your prospect?

There are five criteria to look at when deciding which image is appropriate for you to get the best results:

1. Who is my prospect/client?

2. Who do I need to be so I reflect the product I am selling?

3. What is the character I am playing to get this prospect/client to relate to me?

4. How will I build rapport with this prospect?

5. What research do I need to do before visiting this prospect so I may reflect all of the above?

Once you have answered these questions you can go ahead and decide how to dress to fit the image you will portray.

By dressing for success you have taken the first step towards becoming a success.

Style comes from within. We all have a natural way that we want the world to see. This is great if your natural style fits with your market … you may love piecing, tattoos and quirky clothing – and just know it suits you! – but is it congruent with your purpose?

It’s important to always remember that it’s all about the prospect … you must forget about your visions, your interests, what you want … in other words, forget about everything except your customer. What your customer wants is what matters and that may be significantly different from what you think they want.

When dealing with executive teams the dress must be suits for both men and women. Ensure these are clean and pressed. Women should not wear skirts that are too short and men should ensure hems are stitched.

Shoes are also important … they should always be clean, polished and the heels intact.

All colours should be conservative and not ostentatious. So guys, that orange suit may be the latest Versace, but it’s not appropriate!

If you are selling products and dealing with farmers, factories etc then you should be appropriately dressed for this environment. Men could wear slacks or neat jeans with a clean, pressed shirt and sports jacket. You will look comfortable but also approachable.

Women should wear slacks with a crisp shirt and either a knit and or jacket. Shoes should be block heel as you need to be able to walk around without looking awkward or you will quickly lose credibility.

But if you know you prospect will be dressed in a suit, dress the same!

And remember – in many workplaces, for safety reasons shoes must be closed or even steel-capped … check beforehand and dress appropriately!

In all circumstances hair must be tidy and well-cut.

For women, makeup must be natural. If you wear lipstick – and you should as it gives you a more polished and professional look – make sure you take it with you when you go out and reapply it every few hours. Half-eaten-off lipstick is not attractive.

Your presence is what will set you apart from your competition and will be long remembered after you leave the sales presentation.

Dress appropriately when attending functions with your customers. Evening functions for women do not mean choosing the lowest cut and shortest dress you can find in your wardrobe … or for men, jeans and T-shirt.

When you are out and about with clients you are still representing your company and products. Who you are, and your image, must be maintained!

Your behaviour must always reflect how you would like to be seen.

Many people find it difficult to go shopping to find clothes that are appropriate for them, where to shop and how to choose clothing that reflects the image that they would like to have.

This is when you could get assistance from an image consultant who will help you to build a wardrobe that reflects the image that will influence the people you meet.

Next week: How To Communicate With Your Prospect

Word Of Mouse Bites Both Ways!

It’s been a marketing truism since Roman times ( remember those scrawled recommendations found on the walls of Pompeii? )… word of mouth pays!

It doesn’t matter how many ads you read, hear or watch, when your best mate says he loves XYZ product, there’s a great chance you’re going to try it, too.

This, of course, is the basis for all social marketing, (see previous stories), especially those which successfully entice real people to endorse your product. This has been dubbed  “word of mouse” (not original, but a great phrase!).

However something that is often overlooked is that gossip can also be extremely negative to your business.

If a friend tells you that she got food poisoning after eating at the ABC Cafe, then there’s an extremely good chance that you’re not going to risk eating there. In the old days (ie pre-Facebook) the owners of the cafe would probably never know why their sales started slipping.

These days, there’s a good chance the alleged food poisoning victim will write about her tribulations online with hundreds – if not thousands – of readers viewing it. There’s even special websites which publish nothing but consumer complaints e.g. www.notgoodenough.org. Others, like the American phenomenon Yelp, publish both positive and negative reviews.

Eventually the business owner will probably find this, too … so what is the next step?

1. The answer is NOT to ignore it in the hope it will go away. Complaints that took less than a minute to post online could still be turning up in search engine results years later.

2. Take a deep breath, gather your facts and then register as member on the website so you can make a reply.

3. You may well be angry but don’t let this show when you post. If you can’t hold back, don’t post anything! It’s better to wait a few days until you are calmer.

4. Don’t insult or threaten the dissatisfied customer. Don’t let your emotions run away … and definitely don’t call them names! Stick to the facts.

5. Try to be gracious. Apologize for what the customer didn’t like and offer to make it right. Offer a refund. Invite them to contact you privately. In other words, deal with it in the same way as you would handle a face-to-face complaint in your shop if there were a hundred other customers standing there watching you.

6. If you think the comments are unfair or malicious (eg posted by a competitor), try contacting the website owner directly and ask that the comments be removed.  However, still ensure that you have posted something conciliatory so that in the meantime readers will leave with a more positive view of your business.

Case Story: How Not to Handle An Online Complaint

The Essential Generation For Your Business

Here’s a common tale from employers that I guarantee you’ve all heard … Gen Y are just impossible in the workplace. If you don’t keep them busy they’re either texting someone or on Facebook! And once you’ve got them trained, they up and leave!!

Gen Y, of course, disputes this … they’re simply AWESOME! The best-educated, innovative and creative generation of workers yet. And work wouldn’t be so boring if those burned-out old baby boomers would just get out of the way and stop holding back their careers …

So what’s the truth?

David O’Connor – director of The Connection Coach and himself a Gen Y – says the key to engaging with Gen Y employees is to “get it right from the start”.

David has more than nine years experience teaching, leading and motivating Gen Y and knows how to get the best results.

As a youth worker, he mentored teenagers and young adults and at one stage was co-ordinating a team of 28 staff and 800 volunteers while organising large-scale events such as youth festivals and conferences.

Working with this many young people would sound like hell for most employers but David has thrived and achieved prodigious results.

“Employers have to get it right from the start. If you do, you will save a lot of heartaches later on,” he says.

“Put in the effort when it comes to recruitment. Look for young people with a great attitude not necessarily just with a piece of paper. Look for the ones who have been in leadership roles at school and uni, who have done volunteer work and have good ‘soft’ skills not just good ‘hard’ skills.

“And don’t undervalue those who volunteer or are involved in some sort of charitable work, who have a strong sense of purpose. Look for something that makes them different from their peers.”

But what about the horror stories?

David says Gen Ys expect more from work than just a pay packet.

“They grew up in a world of opportunity and they don’t fear joblessness,” he says.

“They want to be part of something that makes a difference, that has a compelling vision and a compelling purpose.

“They expect business leaders to be passionate about their business. If they’re not, you can forget about engaging Gen Y.

“This passion can be about social justice or delivering a standard but it can’t be just to make the boss or the business rich.

“If you can engage them, you will get a lot out of them!”

David believes that if Gen Ys have a weakness it is in their communication skills.

“These kids grew up on Instant Messenger and email, not in face-to-face communication so these skills can be poor,” he says.

“Patience is a huge thing for managers. There’s no point in just yelling at them and getting frustrated.”

David says mentoring is the key.

“Turn the lack of communication into a mentoring opportunity. Turning challenges into opportunities is critical for Gen Y, ” he says.

So how do you stop them running off to another job?

David admits this is difficult as Gen Y is a very mobile generation however “engagement” with the business is important.

“Managers should build a relationship with their Gen Y employees. Just giving them a uniform or a desk won’t work.

“Managers must be approachable, take a genuine interest in their staff and build an affirmative culture in the workplace.

“Gen Ys love to be part of something that is making a difference. They must get a sense of purpose out of their work or they feel they are just going through the motions.”

NB. Gen Ys (also known as “Millennials”) are usually taken as being born from about 1977 to 2001. The oldest, therefore, are already in their 30s and are raising their own little Gen Zs.

• David O’Connor helps business leaders better engage with their Gen Y staff through leadership coaching. Find out more at TheConnectionCoach.com.au and follow him on Facebook and Twitter @davidgoconnor.

Online Marketing … Feeling Confused?

You’ve decided that marketing online will be useful for your business … now which type should you choose?

1. Corporate website - there’s no debate. Whatever you do online, you MUST have a website for your business. Debating in the 21st Century whether or not you need a website is like debating whether or not you need a telephone. The scale and scope of your website will differ depending on the type of business you are running but the bottom line is, you MUST have some sort of presence on the Internet. This presence is more than just an online advertisement, it’s your Corporate identity in cyberspace. It’s the anchor point for all your other online activities. Once you’ve drawn people to your website via whatever online streams you enter, it must be easy to navigate and have sufficient information to entice the reader to close a sale. This is your online shopfront.

2. Social utilities such as Facebook and micro-blogs such as Twitter are much more personal. This is why they’re called “social marketing”!They provide valuable SEO opportunities to draw readers to your main corporate website. They also provide an excellent way for you – as the business owner – to interact personally with your customers. As explained in a previous article, they are more likely to succeed if you speak with an authentic voice. Your role is that of a friendly salesman, ready to chat about anything but with all your business information at your fingertips, too.

3. Blogs are another online social utility which started initially as a way for friends and families to swap information and for individuals to keep online diaries. Used in a corporate way, however, blogs provide an opportunity to post longer articles about particular subjects - or particular goods and services – and then interact publicly with your readers and refer them back to your website. Again, your role is as a friendly salesman, but this time demonstrating your in-depth expertise. A real advantage of blogs is that search engines spider blog posts so your posted information will appear in web searches. This is particularly true of blogs on Blogspot or Blogger (no real surprise, they’re owned by Google!) Technorati is a specialist search engine website that keeps a close eye on the “blogosphere”. To check out some successful small business blogs visit Technorati’s blog directory and follow the links.

4. Forums. Electronic bulletin boards, usually built around a single topic or hobby, date back to the earliest days of the Internet. As the web developed, these message boards became more sophisticated in design and developed into user-friendly forums with hundreds of pages. However their basic aim has remained the same.  A group of people, usually with the same interests, gather together at a point in cyberspace to ask questions, post photos and generally chat about their hobbyhorse. Sometimes these chats can be in real time (using chatroom software) but usually they work by someone opening a topic and then others responding to the thread across time.

In Options 1-3 above, the business owner has some control of the message. Forums work differently. Although levels of access can be controlled, usually once a member registers he/she can do whatever they like unless you ban their IP or limit their privileges.

So can this work for your business? Definitely yes, but in a much more limited way than other online options. For example, a computer repairer could host a forum where people ask and answer software-related questions. All the time they are on the forum, the readers have the computer repairer’s name in front of them and the business owner has the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise by solving problems. Likewise, forums work well for other specialists such as car restorers, antique dealers … in fact, anywhere where there is a speciality topic that readers (ie potential customers) want to explore. There are also many forums dedicated to subjects such as shares and property, some with dubious investment “tips” that are obviously designed to manipulate the market. Forums can also be manipulated by people seeking SEO opportunities however search engines are aware of this, and links from these forums are usually downgraded.

* * * *

It’s important to remember that digital marketing is simply one weapon in your marketing arsenal. It supports and reflects your business story, brand, service, conveys your point of difference and creates a call to action.

Federal Budget – What’s In It For Small Business?

The 2010 Federal Budget may not have excited the pundits but there’s a few points which small and medium businesses owners should note.
Most are a direct response to the Henry Review of the Australian taxation system.

1 . Superannuation: Super Guarantee contributions will increase by 0.25% in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and then by 0.5% per year until the Super Guarantee reaches 12% by 2019-20.

2. Reduction in company taxation: The company tax rate will be reduced from 30% to 29% for the 2013-14 income year and to 28% from 2014-15. Eligible small businesses will benefit from the reduction to 28% from the 2012-13 year.

3. Assets write-offs: Small businesses can now immediately write-off assets valued at under $5000 (up from $1000 – although the Henry Review had recommended this be lifted to $10,000). Other assets, with the exception of buildings, can be written off in a single depreciation pool at a rate of 30%, eliminating the need for small businesses to do complex tax classifications of different types of assets.

4. New business name register: The Federal Government will spend $125.2 million over the next eight years to create a single national online register for business names and ABNs, replacing the current State-based registration system.

5. HP agreements & GST: Small businesses that account for GST on a cash basis will be allowed to claim input tax credits upfront in relation to hire purchase agreements.

Understanding Your Web Statistics

1. Make sure you have web statistics available!

The two most common types currently available are “Webalizer” or similar systems which are provided by your web host and “Google Analytics” which are provided free (after a bit of geekiness that your web builder can do for you!) by Google. Beware of free add-on counters that are shown at the base of the front page of your website. These not only cheapen the look of your site but may also provide some security issues. After your web stats have been running for a while, it’s time to get drill down into what it all means (remember, a few days isn’t enough to establish real trends …)

2. The two most important parameters to consider at first are the “number of visitors” and the “number of page views”.

The “number of visitors” shows you how many people have actually come to your website and requested a webpage. This visitor can move around inside your website visiting several pages, but will only be counted as one visitor.

The “page views” parameter shows how many pages have been requested. This measures the “stickiness” of your site, i.e., if you have 5 “number of visitors” but 50 “page views”, it means that on average each reader has viewed 10 pages! Likewise, if you have 5 visitors and only 5 page views, each reader has visited just one page (maybe accidentally) and then clicked away …

3. The number of “hits” is not important!

You often see people claiming that their website has received 100,000 hits a day. What does this mean? Well, what it doesn’t mean is that they have received 100,000 visitors or had 100,000 pages viewed. “Hits” represent the number of pieces of separate information downloaded by a user after they have requested a page. Each part of the webpage counts as a hit. So, if one person views a webpage that includes 50 images, this single visit will be registered as 51 hits (50 for the image components and one for the actual page itself.) Measuring “hits” is virtually meaningless so beware anyone who hypes this in their sales spiel!

4. Where are my readers coming from?

You should be interested to find out where your website visitors are coming from. Your web stats can show you which pages are the most popular “entry pages”, i.e. where visitors first land when they visit your website. For example, a recipe website may find that most of their visitors are landing first on the “spaghetti bolognaise” page after searching for this term in Google. The “apricot chicken” page, in comparison, is rarely an entry page … so this may be a clue to include more Italian recipes! Your stats will also include a list of the most common “exit pages” (the last page your users visited prior to leaving your site).

The list of “referrers” is also very important and many useful insights can be drawn from this information. “Referrers” are the other website URLs that lead a user to your site. The majority should be pages from within your own site (as people move around inside your site following links) however, if you ignore these you will see the external URLs that are most useful in enticing visitors to your pages. These external referrers are usually search engines (like Google) or other websites that have posted a link to your site.

Another important entry in your referrer list is labelled “direct request”. This shows the number of times somebody accessed your website by either directly typing your URL into the address bar of their browser or by following a bookmark. This can be a measure of the success of your marketing in other arenas, e.g. print advertising that includes your URL, and this can also indicate the usefulness of your website by suggesting the popularity of return visits.

5. What “keywords” are people using to find your pages through search engines?

This is extremely important as it is another gauge how best to optimise your website to attract your ideal visitor. Using the recipe website mentioned before as an example, it is no use if all the visitors landing on your spaghetti bolognaise page have arrived after Googling “spaghetti westerns”. If this is the case, it’s time to talk to your webmaster about better optimising this page!

These are some of the most important information that can be deduced from your web stats, but there are many. many others insights that can also be drawn. For example, where in the world are your visitors coming from? What type of web browser are they using (i.e. if your website looks great in IE6 but 25% of your visitors are using Firefox, it may be time to check out what it looks like in this other browser). What time of the day are visitors dropping by (at lunchtime, after work etc etc)?

Jobs Assist Program May Be Able To Help Your Business!

JTB Consulting is proud to announce that we are now approved suppliers for the Queensland Government’s Jobs Assist program.

The Jobs Assist program is designed to provide support for businesses to make preparations during the hard economic times to take advantage of future growth opportunities.

If your business has 10 or more full-time employees (or equivalent) and fit within the Locality or Industry Sector selection criteria, you may be eligible for this assistance.

Still confused? Give Juli Robertson a ring on (07) 3374-1436 or mobile 0417-707-280

So you’ve decided your business needs a website …

Here are five of the most common mistakes that I have watched small businesses make when they start thinking about the web:

1. Failing to weigh up the true cost of a website.

The “I know nothing about computers”-type of business person … You would think this species would be rare nowadays but it’s surprising how many business owners and middle managers are not “tech savvy” – and almost wear it as a badge of honour. They rely on their younger employees – or their children! – to bring them up to speed.

These decisionmakers usually make one of two fatal errors:

• Spending too little: Would you rely on your young nephew “who’s good with computers” to do your accounts? Well then, don’t trust him to shape your web presence and then expect results
• Spending too much: This can happen if the project parameters are not clearly defined and your web designer is working on an hourly rate. Always sign a contract with your developer that spells out exactly how many hours are going to be spent on a project. Don’t let this become “open-ended”. Clearly define what both parties are responsible for (eg. who is supplying the words and photos? who is signing off on the design?) and watch out for hidden extras like “search engine optimisation” (see below)

2. Domain Name (or URL): What you are actually purchasing is a registration which can last from one year to more than five years. At the end of this time, your ownership will lapse unless you renew it before a deadline passes. Don’t be afraid to “shop around” as domain name costs vary widely, however be aware that cheaper resellers may not remind you when your domain comes due for renewal. Australian (com.au) domains cost more than American (.com) domains but for Australian businesses this investment is worthwhile. Australian consumers expect Australian businesses to be on a .com.au domain!

3. Development Costs. Set a reasonable budget, (see above), and stick to it. And make certain at the end of the project that you own the website and no copyrighted material remains vested in the developer. Make sure the package you have negotiated does not include extra charges for items which should be included as a matter of course, e.g. meta tags. Sometimes web developers will charge an arm and a leg for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Be wary! Shonky operators can charge a large sum to list your site on a link network which may actually devalue your website in the long term – both in the eyes of customers who stumble upon this “link farm” and Search Engines which will eventually identify it as a scam.

4. Hosting. You get what you pay for! The company that is offering the super-cheap $2/month deal probably has a superfast website but don’t let that fool you! Your $2 site won’t be put on this server. You will be sharing bandwidth with a few thousand other sites. Not only could this make your website unbearably slow but the “uptime” of the server could also be unreliable. Flaky servers that come and go off the Internet can give the impression that your business is flaky too!

5. Maintenance costs. This is the one item that most people forget. They budget for the monthly hosting fee but put nothing aside to keep the website up-to-date. The search engine “robots” that visit your website detect when content changes. Human visitors also notice this too! To draw visitors back to your site, provide interesting changing content. Changing content will help your website rank better in Search Engine results.

The Queensland Government is providing assistance and support to help businesses prepare themselves during the hard economic times to take advantage of future growth opportunities.

The Jobs Assist program has been implemented by The Department of Employment, Ecconomic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) and provides support to businesses with 10 or more FTEs that fit within the Locality or Industry Sector selection criteria.

The Program:

Stage 1: $3000 for the diagnostic and assessment of the business and to develop an action plan to assist the business to create strategies and activities to improve their business model.

Stage 2: Up to $5000 to help businesses implement the action plans developed in Stage 1.

Business Eligibility:

A business may be eligible for Jobs Assist where the business:

• Has 10 or more FTEs (full time equivalent employees), an established operating base in Queensland, an ABN and is registered for GST;
• Operates in one of the following industries: Aviation; Defence; ITC; Advanced manufacturing; Marine; Biotechnology; Therapeutic medicines and devices; Environmental and mining technologies and services; Processed foods; Creative industries; Tourism; Alternative and renewable fuels; Wine; Aquaculture; Fibre composites and Liquefied natural gas.

Locality Eligibility:

A business may be eligible for Jobs Assist regardless of their industry classification where the business:

• Has 10 or more FTEs, an established operating base in Queensland, an ABN and is registered for GST;
• Operates in one of the following localities: Cairns; Townsville; Bundaberg-Hervey Bay; Southern Wide Bay – Burnett; Caboolture- Sunshine Coast; and Ipswich – Logan City councils.

To find out more about the program contact JTB Consulting today.