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////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Business People Weekly //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// (c)TFB Publishing Vol I Issue 18 May 03, 1999 In This Issue: 1) Business Tips: Go the Extra Step 2) Classifieds: 3) Feature Article: "Are Customers Driving in or Driving by?" By Gary Christensen ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Business People Weekly is a FREE publication by TFB Publishing and is sent only to those who have requested it, or someone else subscribed you. You are subscribed as []. If you feel this is incorrect or you feel that someone else has subscribed you and you want to be removed from our subscriber's list, please send us an email with "REMOVE" in the subject line. You will be immediately removed. Or you can click on this link. mailto:bpwr@bizjunction.com?Subject=REMOVE ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// NOTICE Our subscriber list is not made available to other companies. We value our subscribers and respect their privacy. Thank You and Have a GREAT day! /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Pass along a copy of Business People Weekly to a friend or colleague whom you think it might interest. If this was sent to you and you would like to subscribe then mailto:bpw@bizjunction.com?Subject=Subscribe-NL or visit our web site http://www.bizjunction.com //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Welcome to the many new subscribers. We are glad to have you with us. Please be sure to download your free copy of the E-Book "Super Tips On Internet Marketing". You may download at http://www.bizjunction.com/BOOK1.EXE It is our sincere hope you stay with us for a long time to come. As always, we welcome feedback, good or bad, so that we may make this newsletter better for you. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Archives of past issues are posted on line at http://bizjunction.com/bpwlist.htm *************************************** I found the "SuperTips" Book had been off line for a while. It's back up now, so again, be sure to download your copy. ************************************* Hi Folks, Have you ever had one of those days that absolutely nothing goes right? Well, I'm having one today - big time. I had a article written today - twice and would you believe - I deleted it both times thinking I saved it and hadn't. I guess the 3rd time is the charm? I sure hope so. That's why Business People Weekly is so late in being sent out this week. NOTE: The below is not an ad for Panda Anti Virus Software, however, if you want to download a copy of the shareware for trial, visit http://www.bizjunction.com/panda.htm -------------------------------------------------------- Go The Extra Step by: Thomas Bihl Some time back I received an inquiry from a person who had tried, unsuccessfully, to download the Panda Shareware from my Web Site, http://www.bizjunction.com He was having trouble with the connection speed, being cut off, etc. So, this person contacted me requesting information as to how or where he could obtain the software on CD. I advised him I would check get back with him. Now,let me interject here, I'm a re-seller of the Panda Software, otherwise, why would I have the software available for download, right? O.K. so it's established that this is one of the affiliate programs I have in hopes of earning a few dollars. The only software available for me to sell is through download. OK - So now I email and also call the company to determine if it's possible for me to sell a packaged product with the CD to to the customer who had inquired so that I could earn the commission. I was advised that due to agreements with distributors they could not sell the packaged products through the Internet re-sellers. During this exchange I did find where the package could be purchased Here I had a customer that was ready to purchase and I couldn't sell the product as he wanted it. If it was downloaded from my site, not a problem, I would get credit for the registration of the product. Now what should I do? Do I go back to the potential customer and advise that I can't supply a CD and try to convince him to download, offering whatever assistance I can provide? Do I just advise that the CD isn't available? Or, do I just forget it and not answer the question. NO! None of the above are options! The answer is - I fired off an email to the customer advising that I could not sell the software and where he would be able to purchase it. Which I presume he did. This was the only ethical and logical thing to do. After this, I thought no more about it. The point to all this is, take care of your potential customers. Treat your customer as you would want to be treated as a customer. Remember, there is no more important visitor to your website or subscriber to your newsletter than a customer. If possible, go that extra step to help someone find the solution to their question even if it means you'll not get paid for it. I can assure you, you will be paid in the long run in goodwill. Like I said, after I sent the email I never thought any more about this request. Several days later I received a virtual greeting card. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised to find it was a "Thank You" from the customer who had inquired about the CD. The card did brighten my day and I was pleased to know my efforts were appreciated. Point two - let folks know that you appreciate their help. What effort does it take to say thank you? All too often we are quick to complain about something yet lax to say thanks or compliment someone. Take every opportunity to provide assistance and spread goodwill on the Internet. It certainly will not hurt your business. ============================================ Classified Ads TRIPLE YOUR MONEY BACK if this product doesn't do what it's name says. 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By Gary Christensen In my travels, I've often seen small roadside businesses and have wondered what it's like inside their stores. I've stopped and some and taken a look, and others I've seen did not inspire me to stop at all. As I have thought about some of those small businesses, I've tried to figure out why I drove into some of them and passed others by. Those small businesses are, in many ways, very comparable to locations on the Web, and the reasons why people stop at some and don't stop at others could be the same. Here are a few reasons why some customers drive in and why other customers drive on by: 1) Attractive or Inviting. If the outside of a business is bright and attractive; If they have large windows and I can see someone inside; If the business looks appealing to my eye, I will seriously consider driving in and taking a look. How about your ads; your flyers or the front page of your website: Is it appealing to the eyes? Is it inviting to readers? If your website (or your ads or flyers) are not attractive and inviting, people won't read them and you won't get orders. Simple as that. 2) Meet the need. As I've looked at store fronts & read the signs in the windows of roadside businesses, I look for stores that ultimately will meet a need that I have. If I am looking for a business that will have ice cold drinks, I will probably drive by furniture & clothing stores and I will look for a grocery store; a market or a convenience store. THOSE are the kinds of stores that will meet my current need! Are your ads; flyers and websites meeting the needs of those who stop by and take time to read what you have to offer? Be as general and as non-specific as possible, to try to meet the needs of most of those who view your flyers or visit your website. 3) As I approach a business, besides looking to have a need met; and besides looking for an inviting store front, I am looking for an un-crowded parking lot! Now, most websites don't have parking lots, but, most businesses SHOULD make things as easy as they can for anyone who drives in! If your ad is "busy" or crowded; if your flyers are confusing; if your website loads slowly, because of too many colors or graphics; if figuring out how to order is too difficult; if the use of credit cards are the only accepted way to order,.. then any one or all of these can turn a customer off and they'll pass you by! 4) Focus. Each of your ads should offer ONE thing for sale. Ads that are filled with 3 or 4 or more offers can be confusing, and people will drive on by without ordering! If the front page of your site is filled with lots of "stuff" it could turn people off and they might keep on surfing! Each flyer should focus on presenting ONE product or service. Any Business that tries to be "everything to everyone" will lose a lot of customers because of the multitude of offerings. Try to focus on ONE main offer. Get people to first respond to one offer. You can follow-up with other offers on down the road! First you need to get a bite and as every fisher-person knows, you can't load the hook with worms and eggs and lures. You need to focus. One kind of bait, that's all, to snag the prospect. Once they've stopped to read your front page, you can lead them onto other pages, with other offers. To Focus, is the key! 5) Offer something free. That will draw customers in, better than ants to sugar! You can't always get people to buy something on their first visit. You can't give away your entire stock, but, if at all possible, offer something free to everyone who responds or stops by for a visit. The word FREE is the most attractive and attention-getting word in our language. Some will say it's the most over-used word in our language, and they would also be right! It's used a LOT, because it works! I just picked up our morning paper and when I got to page 3, I saw that Children get in FREE to a local festival; On page 4 there is an ad for a Free CPR class; Page 5 announces a Free plant to be given to the first 100 people through the doors at the local "Country Barn and Garden" and on and on it goes. There is a tire store offering the 4th tire free, to all who buy a full set; a furniture store offers a free bed frame to all who buy a new bed; a Pizza shop offers free bread sticks to all who order a Pizza; another offers a liter of Soda to all who order; A carpet store offers free installation and there's a Spa whose headline reads "$500. of Free Accessories." There's also Free mower cleanings at Fisher Implement; Free gift wrapping at the Happy Cooker and a Free Bride's Registry at Rice's Pharmacy! And that's just in the first section of today's paper! Your Business; Your website; Your ads or flyers MUST be appealing to the eye; The needs of all visitors MUST be met; People like to have it easy; Simple ordering; no hassle; with easy in and easy out! You MUST Focus (on just ONE kind of bait) to snag those customers, and if nothing else, offer something free to all who respond! Simple as that! (Above article written by Gary Christensen, a Freelance Writer and Self-Published Author of 8 Books and over 100 Original Reports, like this one. Gary's newest Report, "How to use the word FREE in every Ad you Write" is FREE for the asking from, mailto:Gach98@aol.com. See a Text List of 600+ Free Subscription E-zines now located at: http://www.site-city.com/members/e-zine-master/ Gary's "Writers Connection Newsletter" is free if you,.. (mailto:writers98@aol.com ) Gary's articles are at: http://www.webmasters-pub.com/articles/gary_c/ Write: Gary Christensen, PO Box 2411, Corvallis, OR 97339-2411) /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Business People Weekly, TFB Publishing accepts no responsibility for the content or legality of any customer's advertisement shown in any emailing. It is the advertisers responsibility to check and abide by Local, State, Federal and/or International law pertaining to the product, services, and/or business opportunities they advertise
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