by Myra Stacey | Aug 11, 2019 | Entrepreneurship, Services
The marketing funnel is incomplete without leads. In fact, leads are the main focus of the sales strategy. Without having access to properly qualified leads, the whole strategy and marketing funnel tumbles.
You can’t rely on chance or fortune to bring business. You have to strategize your game plan and create a roadmap that takes you across. Planning out the activities of the sales funnel and fostering leads is the only way to gain reliable consumers that add value to your business.
However, gaining and nurturing leads is not necessarily an easy task. It requires continuous attention and time. It can also be challenging based on the industry and consumer segment you’re targeting.
In order to make the process more efficient and worthwhile of your efforts, you need to make a strategy and then stick to it.
Below we’ve shed light on some practices for following up with leads. Adding them to your plant may help in gaining more valuable customers at the end.
Make a Follow Up Schedule
Consistency and timely follow ups are necessary to retain and nurture leads further. Don’t leave it up to chance to gain a customer. Many salespeople don’t spend enough time setting up a schedule determining when to contact which potential lead.
At the end of the day, the goal is to maintain an appropriate follow up. Whether they are ready to make a deal or they want more time to make up their mind, you still need to catch up with them to let you know you’re interested.
The schedule depends on whether the lead is active or passive. Map out the frequency of the communications based on how interested a lead is.
Use Different Forms of Contact
Besides email, there are many ways you can reach out to leads. Using different ways is important because various clients respond at different rates and prefer different forms of communication.
You can use email, phone, snail mail, text messages, social media, etc. The goal is to reach the lead promptly and get their response to queries as soon as possible.
The following statistics might be of help:
- Only 20% of the emails are opened
- 98% of text messages are opened and read
- 29% of tweets are read
- 12% of Facebook posts are read
In addition to that, contact leads at the right time. According to an MIT study, the best day to call or email somebody is on a Thursday, between 3 and 4pm. The worst day for calling is a Tuesday and Monday for emailing.
Contacting at the right time will increase the likelihood of you getting a response from the lead.
Make an Email Template
The best way to cut time and be more efficient when following up with leads is to use pre-made email templates. Instead of wasting a lot of time on having to write up an email from scratch each time of contact can be time-consuming.
Having a template makes it easy to just insert relevant information and click send. This is especially important for routine emails or repetitive emails that can be sent to all leads with minimal customization and personalization.
For instance, you can have templates for initial introductions, meeting confirmations, post-meeting follow ups, document requests, etc. They can be edited to adjust names, dates, times, and documents.
Invest in a Good CRM System
A customer relationship management system is key for the sales team. If it is used properly and regularly, it can make the job easier and much more efficient. It will automate processes, allowing you to track lead actively and save time.
Reputable CRMs offer lead management system where you can track actual contact attempts along with details such as the lead’s contact information and the details of the contact.It will also allow the sales team to use call down lists and then schedule the next batches accordingly.
Agree on Next Steps
Lastly, agree on what needs to be accomplished. If the lead shows absolutely no interest and wants you to stop contacting them, do it. By being persistent with this type of lead can actually damage a good contact for the future.
With leads that are interested, set up a schedule such as a meeting date or next email/call. Also, ask for their permission for following up after a certain time period. This way, you can build respect and a good rapport between the lead and the company.
Lead nurturing is essential to keep an influx of valuable customers. If you have questions about improving your follow up strategy, you can contact Print and Web Designer at 919-891-0545 or email us at info@printandwebdesigner.com
by Myra Stacey | Aug 9, 2019 | Entrepreneurship
The term networking is definitely not new to the business world. Most professionals will tell how networking and creating connections with important people is a skill everyone in the industry needs to have. They push so hard for it because they know the importance it contains.
However, when it comes to networking, most people see people in business suits walking around an event and trying to chat up as many people as they can. The reality is that just exchanging business cards and shaking hands don’t make an opportunity fall into your lap.
That way, the contact is easily forgotten.
In order to make the most of the people you spend time meeting, you have to master networking skills. Here we’ve presented some of the best practices for networking effectively.
Be a Listener
The first and most important networking practice is to be a listener. Even though it is crucial, not many people are.
By being present in the moment and actually paying attention to what the other has to say, you will realize how much people are willing to divulge. Most people hold back because they assume you’re not interested.
When you show them you’re genuinely interested, they will be willing to share what they know. You’ll surprise yourself by learning some things that you didn’t know before. Again listen genuinely to your interest and appreciation.
Don’t be Scared to Introduce Yourself
Referrals and introductions led by others do work. However, it all comes down to you taking control of the situation and making the first step on your own. You just have to gather the courage you have and make the first move.
When doing so, tell your story. Like you, others are there to get to know each other. By telling your story, you have a chance to stand out in a crowd that is mainly focusing on making transactions and not connections.
Focus on Quality over Quantity
Making a few really good connections is much better than making a hundred bad ones. An extensive professional network looks good on paper, but how many will be willing to help you?
The chances of them providing you with what you need are quite slim.
To avoid being a business card collector, focus on making friends. This way, they will feel more compelled to help you when you need it. The same goes for you. And if they aren’t able to help you, it won’t matter. They will remain your friend.
Be Authentic
By making friends, it certainly doesn’t mean becoming a social climber who makes superficial friendships. Be genuine and authentic. This will add much more value to your network.
Be yourself. Ask open-ended questions that show you are interested in what they have to say. Let them talk and commentate to show you’re listening.
When you talk, avoid the hard sell as it can put people off. Instead, share your passions and something that is meaningful to you. This way the conversation will be easier to navigate than trying to make small talk.
Follow Up
Forgetting people you’ve met once is very easy, especially in big corporate events. If you’ve made a connection, remember to exchange contact information and then follow up.
This is important, especially if you’ve made a commitment such as sharing an article, a website link, event details, etc. If there are not commitments to keep up with, just checking in is also good networking practice.
In the end, treating people with interest, shedding superficial behavior, and being genuine in your networking practices is key to making long-term connections.
For further advice and questions, you can reach out to info@printandwebdesigner.com.
by Myra Stacey | Jun 25, 2019 | Entrepreneurship
When a new season rolls around, it brings with it a few changes. For certain businesses, the arrival of summer means an influx of new and old customers. For instance, travel agencies, summer camps, water parks, etc., get frantically busy.
For other organizations, the end of spring brings in a summer slowdown. People leave for vacations or simply take it slower compared to other busier months. This means that they don’t start on new projects or hold company meetings.
Consequently, the summer slowdown can be unsettling for an otherwise busy entrepreneur. However, just a change of perspective can turn around the glum picture of summer. In fact, you can take it as a great opportunity to take care of some loose ends.
You’ll be surprised to think of things that you might not during the frenzy of a busy work month. Here are some ways you can make the best of the summer slump and work on your business.
Organize your Contacts
When you’re working non-stop for a couple of seasons, small details such as organizing contacts can be forgotten. Well, a slower season can be the remedy to fix the situation. You can take this time to update your client and network lists.
This can include going through your list and rethinking who is important business-wise. If you haven’t caught up with your older clients, you can take the time to catch up with them. You can also take the time to talk to new clients.
Get your Marketing Done
It might seem unnecessary to market your business when you don’t particularly get a ton of business. However, a summer slowdown can be an excellent opportunity to go into overdrive and market your business.
You can start by doing market research and learning more insights about your target market. This will allow you to come up with new offerings and tweak old ones. You can also study the latest trends and customer buying habits to come up with new approaches to use in the coming seasons.
You can make your commercials, come up with brand activations, align campaigns, etc. so you can eventually get more business coming in.
Schedule Social Media
During the summer, you’re not going to be posting as much or actively as you do when a campaign is live. You can instead use this time to take inventory of what social media channels you’re using and how they are benefitting you.
Have a look at which platform your audience spends more time on and come up with strategies to maximize your reach. Also, you can preplan all the digital campaigns and schedule what posts need to go up and when.
Create a content plan, write blogs, edit infographics, write catchy slogans, etc. and decide what will go live when. This way, you won’t have to rush and come up short. You’ll only have to make minor last-minute changes.
Plan Ahead
Whether you’re running a multinational conglomerate or a small localized startup, a yearly plan is necessary to keep you afloat. When the fiscal year closes in June, take the time to plan ahead for the good times and bad.
Evaluate past performances and involve your employees to come up with plans for improvement.
What else can you do?
Here are a few other things you can do during the summer slowdown to make the most of the season and remain productive:
- Staffing. This is the best time to hire someone and teach them how things work before the business rush comes in.
- Training. Whether it’s for the entire team or new hires, you can fit in training sessions that you weren’t able to before.
- Upgrade physical surroundings. Whether you’re a brick and mortar company or have an office where you run your online startup, you can freshen up your physical surrounding during summer without inconveniencing employees when they are the busiest.
There are many ways you can make the summer slowdown work for you. Print and Web Designer can help you with your quest to use the season to its best and utilize the time to work on your business. Drop us a message at info@printandwebdesigner.com and let us make your summer slowdown more productive.
by Myra Stacey | May 16, 2019 | Entrepreneurship
Oh, the wonderful world of entrepreneurship. You can be an expert in your field, but a novice in what it actually takes to run a successful business. Being good at what you do is just half of what it takes to become a good entrepreneur.
While being an expert in your field is a bare minimum, you should also be able to lead by an example. An entrepreneur should know how to manage the company’s resources, lead humans within the organization, and get the most out of his/her team.
Knowing how every little bit of advice can work wonders for entrepreneurs, here we mention some tips that you should know. Go through these strategies and implement them within your business to get the best results possible:
Always Maintain Cash Reserves
Running out of cash within the bank is the single biggest reason of failure for small businesses. It is easy for entrepreneurs to be overwhelmed by the investment opportunities surrounding them and make unnecessary investments in different opportunities.
However, to be successful at what you’re doing, you need to take hard decisions. Good entrepreneurs should make sure that they understand the dynamics at play and maintain a feasible bank balance at all times. Liquidity problems can spring up at any time. To avoid such a scenario, you need to have enough cash reserves within your back.
Look After Your Stars
Regardless of how good you think you are, you cannot do everything by yourself. You need to delegate the work you have and trust the people around you. When you get accustomed to delegating job roles, you need to see who your stars are. By stars, we mean employees who you can trust and who always have your back during the hour of need.
Once you identify these stars, it is up to you to ensure that these stars stick with you. You cannot possibly let these stars go away from you. All of the best entrepreneurs we know never let their star performers go.
Listen to Customers
Let the customers tell you what they believe is right for them. Do not force your own views you’re your customers and tell them what is best for them. Instead, when you are starting off, give the customers exactly what they need.
Good entrepreneurs should listen to all customers and deliver consistently to meet the expectations these customers have from them.
Treat Your Business as a Separate Entity
Many entrepreneurs commit the deadly sin of treating their business as a profitable extension of their current finances. This is a bad idea. Your business should be treated as a separate entity and all of the accounts should be kept separate from your personal expenses. You need to make sure that the finances are maintained separately and that you don’t keep drawing funds from your business for your own personal expenses.
Know What You Don’t Know
Humility is one of the biggest virtues entrepreneurs can ever have. Entrepreneurs should have a basic idea of what he/she does not know. Only when they realize what they do not know, will they be able to delegate tasks properly. Don’t put yourself under the delusion that you know everything around you.
As an entrepreneur, you need to make sure that you complement your technical expertise with managerial skills as well. The tips mentioned in this article will guide you in your quest here.
by Myra Stacey | May 2, 2019 | Entrepreneurship
As a busy entrepreneur, you’re most likely swamped with more tasks than you can handle. But while trying to make time for yourself may seem impossible, it is just as essential as ticking off all the items on your to-do list.
If you’re struggling to find some me-time, here are four ways to fit some self-care into your schedule without feeling guilty about it!
1. Plan, Plan, Plan!
While being able to take spontaneous vacations and time off whenever you want sounds amazing in theory, it is not practical when you have a list of responsibilities following you around. So in order to feel 100% guilt-free about taking some time off for yourself, plan it into your schedule.
Whether you’re accounting for the hour you’ll be at the gym in the mornings or the afternoon you’re leaving work early to attend a family member’s birthday – knowing when and how long you will be taking a break can relieve a lot of stress from your mind.
You’ll know how to schedule and prioritize your tasks around that free time so you can maximize getting things done before your break. And this way, you’ll have the motivation of something to look forward to while working!
2. Delegate Tasks
Delegating tasks is a win-win situation for you and your team. Not only will you free up some much needed time by letting your team members handle some of the burdens, you’ll also be training them to take on more tasks and giving them valuable learning opportunities.
We know as an entrepreneur you may be tempted to do everything yourself and see it through to the end but that kind of end-to-end commitment can start weighing down on you in the long run. Prioritize your tasks and if there are some things that can be delegated, don’t hesitate to go for it.
3. Incorporate Exercise into Your Day
Everyone knows how good exercise is for your mind and body, so we’re not here to rehash the benefits. We’re simply going to emphasize how exercise doesn’t need to come in the form of a large chunk of your time all in one go.
What you can do instead is incorporate bite-sized bits of physical activity throughout your day. This way, you won’t have the stress of committing to a longer period of time while still reaping the benefits of refreshing yourself through exercise.
There are a plethora of fitness apps that can give you customized workouts depending on how much time you have. Do some squats while brainstorming in your office or do a quick 5-minute circuit before starting your work for the day. A good burst of endorphins is the perfect pick-me-up to keep you on track and focused on the tasks ahead!
4. Dedicate Some Time to Stay Off-Screen
Let’s face it, if you’re using a screen, you’re going to be more than a little tempted to check your emails and messages. This can be dangerous as it’s bound to send you into a spiral that will lead to more stress and more work.
We’re not suggesting you unplug completely – but some scheduled downtime from the screen can be incredibly beneficial for your mental health.
The best time to do this is right before bed or right after you wake up. Allowing your brain time to wind down before the day ends/begins will give you a moment to pause, reflect, and relieve some stress.
If you are looking to have a task taken off your hands like print and web design, contact us to learn more about what our team can do for you.
by Myra Stacey | Apr 12, 2019 | Entrepreneurship, Inbound Marketing
What is Target Marketing?
Target marketing or niche marketing as it is sometimes referred to as caters to a particular segment of the market. This can be determined through a number of factors such as geographical location, age group, and gender to name an obvious few.
Despite misconceptions, target marketing does not mean only selling to one segment of the market; it simply means you are focusing your resources and time on marketing to a group of people who will be most likely to buy your product.
How to Decide a Target Market for Your Business
Deciding your target market can seem simple, but it can be deceptively difficult. Before diving into any research about purchasing behaviors and consumer psychology, you should at the very least, narrow down the basic demographics by looking at the following factors.
Gender
What gender do your consumers identify with? While gender behaviors are more fluid now than they were in the past, there are still some purchasing patterns that are similar in specific gender groups.
Age
Instead of categorizing your customers by age alone, look at this metric with a broader perspective of generations. Are you targeting Generation Z, Millenials, or Baby Boomers? The purchasing habits of generations have stark differences that can be important to take into consideration.
Purchasing Power
What’s the average income of the people you are targeting? It makes no sense to waste resources marketing to individuals who do not have the purchasing power to buy your product or service.
Geographical Location
Where do your customers live? Are they easily accessible to you? Getting an understanding of their surroundings and location will give you more information than you think.
Once you’ve got the basic framework for your subgroup of consumers, you can begin looking at psychographics and behavioral studies to get a deeper understanding of how your target market shops.
Target Marketing for Entrepreneurs: How Can it Help You?
Its Efficient Use of Resources
As an entrepreneur, you will likely not have the time or the money to waste on inefficient marketing strategies that drain you of your resources. By using target marketing, you will know exactly where to put your resources to good use.
It Will Give You Focus
Instead of trying to cater to everyone out there, you will find a focus, a niche. This is going to help you tailor all aspects of your marketing strategy to focus on that particular niche. Not only is this process faster, but it is also guaranteed to give you better results than generalized marketing – especially if you’re a new business.
You will Achieve Better Engagement
While engagement will take time, if you are focusing on a particular niche market, you will have higher chances of getting people to engage with your content and business. This is because the marketing content you put out will be tailored to their interests and will help them connect better with your business.
You will Find a Footing in the Industry
It can be difficult to find your place in the industry as an entrepreneur, especially if there are already bigger fish in the sea. But by using target marketing, you’ll be able to establish yourself quicker in a niche market and build a brand name for yourself that you can eventually carry forward as you expand.
While every business would ideally want to cater to all parts of society – that is rarely the case. By narrowing your focus and considering only the people who will most likely be interested in your product or service, you actually increase the chances of building and expanding your brand.
Feel free to contact us to help with your marketing strategy!
