Category Archives: Business to Business Marketing Strategies

Tips for improving your business to business marketing strategies and campaigns.  Learn how to find a market niche, and why having a niche is so important.  There are also posts about finding your ideal client (and why you need that too).  Trying to market to everyone only leaves you “spraying and praying” without actually hitting anything.

These pages also cover common business to business marketing mistakes (made by companies both large and small). If you’ve made one of these, you’ll learn how you can fix the errors you’ve made (and avoid future gaffes).

Need more clients? Or better clients? Check out the posts on lead generation, how to set and negotiate higher fees, and what red flags to look for when prospecting for new work.

Finally, there are posts on creating your brand and your company’s “story.” What you are selling isn’t necessarily what you think.  The way you present your products and services can make a big difference in your results.

How to Tell If Your Service is Broken

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Biloxi Bridge Close-Up

Image by laffy4k via Flickr

Warning, rant ahead!

A weeks ago, I asked “When Will It Come?” I’d ordered a hard drive (for backup). Then I waited. And waited. And waited. After three weeks, I contacted the company. They said they’d look into it.

Then they said the card was declined.

What?!

I called Amex. No decline. Not even any record of the request.

Contacted the company again. I was told that they’d contacted me (nope). Then, while I was on the line, they cancelled my order! (Probably because the price was now considerably higher). More back and forth. I told them I wanted it reinstated, a discount, an apology…

What did I get? A $15 gift certificate.

Sorry, not good enough.

I’m never buying from Buy.com again. Ever.

I finally bought a bigger drive from Amazon instead. I ordered it on a Saturday, and it arrived on Tuesday. Now, that’s service!

Things go wrong. It’s a fact of life and business. But if something does go wrong, don’t keep it to yourself, or try to hide the problem.  And if the customer complains (legitimately), be respectful.  Even better, help them.  Fix whatever is broken.  If you promise to get back to them, do it.  Make them feel better about you, your company, your service, and the whole experience.

Got any stories of horrible service?  Or, even better, a bad experience that got turned around?  I’d love to read them.

Hair, Glue, and Customer Service

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AAAARRRGGGHHH

Image by Evil Erin via Flickr

While browsing through the online TV schedule Sunday, my TV froze. Then it went black and turned off. I rebooted the box.

Nothing.

I did it again. Nothing. So, I called the cable company. They tried to reboot it.

Nothing (it got stuck halfway through).

After about 40 minutes of this, the rep decided I needed a tech visit. OK. But the first available visit was for March 7 (?!?). No worries, he said. Just call early Monday morning and ask for same-day service. Give them your confirmation number and you’ll be all set.

Monday arrives, and I call. The new rep says no appointments, wait until next Monday. But… but… Sorry, nothing she can do. But?!? BUT!!?!! What the??!! Grrr.

So, I’m getting more and more annoyed. But, I decide not to blow my stack. I ask if there’s a “level 2” person (like in tech). No. There’s nothing she can do. How about a supervisor? She grudgingly transfers me. I talk to the supervisor. He checks around, then calls me back. Nothing that day, but I can have an appointment Tuesday afternoon). Hooray!

Now, why did that have to be so hard? And does anyone know how I can glue back the clump of hair I tore out?

When Will It Come?

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Brown Paper Packages

Seth Godin pointed out today that using a date certain can be very powerful.  Promise something by next Thursday at 10 AM, rather than sometime next week.  This struck me because about two weeks ago I ordered a new backup drive.  Last time I ordered from the same company, my package arrived in two days (without express shipping). This time, I’ve waited two weeks. No exact date given, no updates either.

The excellent service I got the first time led me to expect the same this time.

Imagine if I’d gotten it (I’d be singing their praises).  Instead, I’m wondering where the heck my hard drive is.

Maybe I should start a pool – when will Jodi get her drive?  What’s your best guess?

Who Else Wants More Clients?

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Personal finance

Image by alancleaver_2000 via Flickr

I wrote a post last week about How to Turn Problems Into Cash.  I thought this week we’d try to take some problems you’re facing and figure out how to turn them into more clients and more money.  As a friend of mine likes to say, ‘Money good.”

So, what problems are you having?

Finding clients?

Getting clients who appreciate your skills (and rates)?

Lots of looking, not enough buying?

Getting the client to understand why something is a bad idea?

Speaking the same language (you’re talking click through rates, they’re giving you blank looks).

Share them here in the comments (your problem might help someone else, or theirs help you). Or, email me, if you prefer privacy).  I’ll answer them all.

The Connection Between Clients and Old Shoes

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Shoes

Image via Wikipedia

It is a truism of business that it costs more to find new customers than it does to keep old ones.

So, why do so many companies treat their existing customers so badly?  The phone company and the cable company offer all sorts of incentives for new customers to sign up (lower prices, extra channels, bundled services).

Old customers?  They’re old shoes, scuffed up, with the heels worn down.  Not bright and shiny like the new customers.  No goodies or discounts for them.

I just cut ties with an insurance company.  I’ve been with them for 19 years.  They didn’t even ask why.  Nor did they try to win me back. All they did (two months later) was send a note acknowledging the cancellation.

Why not do something remarkable?

What if the cable company occasionally offered a freebie to its current customers.  Like a surprise 25% discount on the anniversary of the day you signed up. Or a greeting card on your birthday.

It would build trust and loyalty.  And, it would be remarkable.  Customers would talk about it. They’d tell their friends. I mean, have you ever heard of the telephone company being nice?

We can do better

Large corporations, like the phone company or the cable company are often slow, bureaucratic, and sometimes a bit arrogant.

Since we’re agile and nimble and all that cool small business stuff, we can do better than that.  Keep in contact with your clients.  Email them or send them random surprises (the good kind) just because.  If they leave you, ask why.  . See what happens.