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Handwritten Notes can make a difference.

May 10, 2012 By joyce Leave a Comment

What makes you, as a customer, feel more special — an email thanking you for your business or a handwritten note. Even though we, subconsciously know that most of the handwritten thank you business notes are sent out in bulk, psychologically they create an emotional response that an email just can’t do. I believe that sending handwritten notes, as either prelude or follow-up to a presentation, helps us establish that our business gives clients the service and attention they deserve.

I read a blog article recently that gives some great proof that this actually works. You might want to read it, too, at

Handwritten notes

Filed Under: Marketing & Sales, My Two Cents, The World Around Us

Customers and Spiders

May 6, 2012 By joyce Leave a Comment

Those of you who know me know that I’m somewhat of a workaholic. Not at housework! Heaven forbid! But at growing my business.

Yesterday was no different.

I was sitting at my computer, going down the list of “to-dos” that I create for each day, when husband Ron walked up behind me. He does this a lot. Sometime looking over my shoulder. Othertimes to tell me something or to ask where something is.

But this time, he put his hands on my shoulders and said, “Do you know I like you?”

“I like you, too,” I replied as I continued to type.

“No, I REALLY do like you,” he said. ”And I love you too.”

At that, I stopped the typing, turned around, and gave him my full attention. We had a good conversation and then both of us went on about our business, feeling good about ourselves, each other, and our marriage.

I was a naive 18 year old when that marriage began almost 52 years ago. I’ve learned a lot along the way and much was learned from him. One of the most beautiful lessons that Ron has given me is to be appreciative and grateful for the smallest of things — even spiders

Now, I’m not afraid of spiders. Yeh, I guess I am if they’re shiny and black with a red spot on their belly or if they’re reclusive and hiding in a dark corner in a storage unit.

But everyday spiders. No, I’m not afraid of them. But, just like cockroaches, I had always been taught to squash one when I saw it and hopefully I didn’t see either of them very often.

But Ron showed me a different way to treat the spiders (not the cockroaches which I haven’t seen even one of since moving out west). One day, when a small spider with long legs was struggling to get out of my kitchen sink and I was reaching for the faucet to drown him, Ron walked up behind me and said, “Don’t do that. They catch flies.”

He, then, reached for a newspaper, delicately allowed the spider to climb from the sink onto the paper which Ron then took outside and shook the spider off onto the ground. The spider scampered away.

To me, these spiders were a nuisance. To him, they were wonderful and individual beings.

This is also the BEST Lesson you’ll ever get about treating your customers.

Don’t just accumulate customers as a group of numbers to add to each time you make a sale.

Think of them as more than just “customers.” When you forget that your customer list is made up of REAL people, you start treating them like objects.

Do you really KNOW your customers? Do they know you LIKE them?

Probably not.

Now imagine for a minute…

What would your customers think if you took the time to contact every one of them, not as a customer on a list, but as a REAL PERSON? What if you opened your heart to these PERSONS, shared stories, and let them know about stuff that you know that’s really cool and helpful but perhaps they don’t know about?

And, what if you asked them to share ideas and stories with you?

After a while…

What would you call them?

I call them FRIENDS.

Most of us treat FRIENDS much better than we treat customers.

But I’ve discovered that when I take the time to treat those customers as friends, soon, a few of them think of me as a friend.

And, you know what else I’ve discovered.

Friends listen when you have something to say.

Friends influence other people.

Friends buy from friends.

Friends feel connected!

Isn’t that what “building relationships with your customers” is all about?

Ron and I have survived as a couple for 52 years in September because we’ve learned from each other and respected each other’s thoughts and opinions. But much more important is that we’re connected because we are FRIENDS.

The same is true of our customers.

Filed Under: Marketing & Sales, My Two Cents, Up Close and Personal

Are you using Email Marketing to Grow Your Business?

April 15, 2012 By joyce Leave a Comment

Are you using email to grow your business?

It not, why not?

It is one of the fastest ways to get information out to your customers. Remind them of an approaching holiday. Tell them about a new product. Send them some information that applies just to them at just that moment.

Emails can be effective because, if written well, they can get your message across quickly, straightforward, and allow you to make a personal connection with your customers.

Just be careful that your emails don’t make the customer feel like they are always being sold to. Do that too much and your emails will be deleted without being opened.

You may be thinking, everyone sends those emails blasts. No one will actually read what I have to say.

Think again.

It’s all in the way you write them. Like most of you, I get hundreds of emails daily. Each morning, I go through the list and delete everything I don’t want to bother opening. Some of those that I really get tired of receiving daily go into my spam folder. Others are just deleted.

Creating a personal touch with your emails can make the difference between your customer hitting delete or opening them.

Here are some tips to build and maintain the relationship with your customers

Keep it short and sweet. Most people don’t have time to read long emails, so they skim for the “gist” of it, and often miss what your message is really saying. Keep your messages short and simple and they will get the message quickly.
This is why emails can oftentimes be much more effective than those html newsletters that we send via Constant Contact, Aweber, etc. They serve their place and can be effective if used for what they are intended but they shouldn’t a good old-fashioned, well-written email.
Email often. If the only time you email your customers is when you have a product or service to sell, they’ll feel like they are simply customers and they don’t have that personal relationship with you.
Write in the first person, with personal stories or anecdotes will help build trust with your readers, and they will then read those messages that are actually selling or promoting something.
Ask what your readers want and need. Then, DO IT. Don’t create an email survey unless you actually need it and plan to use the results. There is nothing worse than feeling like you’ve taken time out of your day to complete a survey and the suggestions aren’t acknowledged.

And one more thing – always remember to never spam your subscribers. Only send emails when you have something to say. This may sound like it conflicts with the tip to email often. But it doesn’t. You can email often but make sure those emails have value to the customers you’re sending them to.

Email marketing can be very effective but like any business-building tool, you need to have a plan and a goal you hope to accomplish when you send out each one.

Filed Under: Copywriting, Internet Business, Marketing & Sales, My Two Cents

More about Branding “YOU”

April 10, 2012 By joyce Leave a Comment

In my last post about Branding, I talked about the secret of Branding that most people forget — You are your Brand. Be Yourself.

Another example of someone who did exactly that through the years is Mike Wallace. His personality was his brand. Questioning. Sometimes abrasive. But getting the story in an entertaining way that made people want to know what Mike Wallace would ask next. Morley Safer, a co-worker on “60 Minutes”, said that Mike was the same way when not in front of the camera, sometimes abrasive, always asking co-workers questions. Mike Wallace was a unique individual, that those of us who watched “60 Minutes” through the years, remember well. By being himself, he created his own unique brand.

How about you? Have you ever taken a minute to think about how much you’ve grown up over the course of your life and what kind of Brand you create for yourself, and for your business, with your personality?

If you haven’t, take some time today and surprise yourself.

Sometimes we may feel like we’ve grown older while making no real changes in our lives. But if we think about it, we realize that probably is not true.

Haven’t you grown from a dependent small child who needed to be held and comforted to an adult who can stand on your own? From a child whose personality was pliable to an adult who was molded by experiences, chance encounters with people who influenced you, what you’ve read, what you’ve learned, and what you decided for yourself.

Think about it another way. As a child when someone asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” what was your usual answer? A teacher? A railroad engineer? A pilot? Or even I don’t know.

Think about what you would say if someone asked you that same question today.

Now ask yourself, what’s stopping me?

Filed Under: Daily Surprises, The World Around Us, Up Close and Personal

The Secret You Need to Know about Branding Your Business.

April 7, 2012 By joyce 2 Comments

I have never been an out-going, party-loving person. I’m basically an introvert who enjoys working alone and wants to do what is ethical and right regardless of the consequences. You may think that is not a good personality for building a business or creating a brand for your business.

But my mother told me something many, many years ago whenever I hit a bump in life where I had to make a choice between what is ethical and right and what would make me popular. She said, “To your self, be true. Just be yourself and you’ll always be able to live with yourself.”

I’ve found that to be true. It was demonstrated one day when, as an adult, I overheard someone say, “Joyce doesn’t talk very much. But when she does, we listen.”

I’ve carried my mom’s motto forward as an entrepreneur creating a series of businesses during the past 30+ years and always found it to be true.

There are hundreds of books out there on branding your business and creating an image for the business. And most of them miss the one thing that I’ve learned through the years.

I AM MY BUSINESS. YOU ARE YOUR BUSINESS.

So how does this relate to branding?

A good example is Apple. The company has a new CEO, Tim Cook, but he did not create the brand as we know it. Steve Jobs did that, not with a design by committee branding team that made the decision that we want the public to think of our company as this or that.

Steve Jobs created the company, and the image of that company, through the force of his personality.

In other words, Steve Jobs was the brand for Apple. Everything that we think about Apple today is a direct result of who Steve Jobs was. He was innovative. Driven. Aspirational. These adjectives apply equally to Jobs and the company we know as Apple.

Now he, and a design team, could have decided that they wanted Apple to be known as “warm and cuddly.”

But he didn’t because he knew that isn’t who he was. He was a good enough marketeer that he could have convinced the world that Apple was warm and cuddly — for awhile. But it would have been phony branding and the real personality of Steve Jobs would have come out occasionally and conflicted with the “cuddly” brand. As a result, he would have lost trust.

Some people say that Apple is a perfect example of successful branding that can never be replicated. But, that’s not true. What Jobs did with Apple is the most traditional branding model in the world. He didn’t sell anything or produce products that he didn’t believe in and couldn’t stand behind 100%. He didn’t need to worry about whether he was being true to the brand with what he or the company did because everything he did was genuine. He didn’t need a script when he talked about a new product or the company because what he said was true.

I think about what my mom told he frequently. What it means to be myself and how I am my business. I know what I am — introverted, shy, but honest and ethical even when making hard decisions. I know that I will make the decision about my business that is right for me because I know that my business is me. I am the brand for my business and my loyal customers have discovered this.

I could simply tell them everyone I meet and communicate with that this is who I am, tell them I do these things but I could also tell them that I am the embodiment of Sarah Palin or Hillary Clinton. But that doesn’t make it real.

One of the first things I learned as a fiction writer was “Show, don’t Tell!”

This applies equally to creating a brand for your business. You have to live who you are, not just talk about it. I feel that this is the most important thing to keep in mind about branding. Substance is what matters. A person, an organization, a business should be the image they hope to project.

The only branding tip you really need to know is “Live the Brand.” And that should be easy because you are the brand. You are your business.

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship, Up Close and Personal

Do You Use Pinterest and Should You?

March 31, 2012 By joyce 1 Comment

We’re hearing a lot about the new social media sharing site — Pinterest. But a new survey of 4,851 U.S. online shopping consumers, conducted earlier this month by online shopping site PriceGrabber.com, found that just 10 percent of respondents had Pinterest accounts. About 58 percent did not have a Pinterest account, while another 32 percent didn’t know what the service was.

Pinterest allows users to create virtual bulletin boards of items and products. The site has quickly gained popularity, but most consumers who don’t already use Pinterest aren’t interested in it, according to the survey. Eighty-nine percent of those surveyed who do not have a Pinterest account said they don’t plan to sign up for one.

When those who use the site were asked what type of items they pin, 70 percent said they share recipes or other cooking-related photos, while 65 percent said home decorating inspiration and 53 percent said craft ideas. Forty-one percent of users said they pin images of clothing, while 34 share entertaining tips and 33 percent pin gardening ideas.

The survey also found that most account holders login a few times a week, and have created two to five pinboards. Only ten percent of respondents said they login numerous times a day.

But there is good news for those of you who are gift retailers. Twenty-one percent said they have purchased a product after seeing it on Pinterest. According to a separate infographic released last month by Monetate, Pinterest is already driving more traffic to retailers’ websites than Google+.

So if you are a retailer, it is something you might want to consider adding to your marketing mix. As with any social media, however, there are pros and cons. Copyright issues can be a problem and how you set up your account can make the difference between success and failure at using Pinterest as a marketing tool.

There are many websites, ebooks, and webinars that have jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon, proclaiming that they can tell you what you need to know. But most of those that I have visited fail to tell you what you REALLY need to know. As a result, I’ve combined what I have learned into an ebook that outlines the problems with Pinterest and details how to use it effectively as a business-building tool. If you’re in business, you don’t have the time to waste on another social media site that isn’t of benefit to you.

You can find information on this ebook at: http://www.giftretailersconnection.com/ebook-pinterest.html

Filed Under: Gift Baskets, Internet Business, Marketing & Sales, Social Media

Do you forget the most important thing?

March 25, 2012 By joyce Leave a Comment

One of my favorite bloggers is copyblogger. In one of his recent posts, he wrote something that all of us who sell things, whether it be services or products, should think about.

“You need to tell your reader exactly what to do, how to do it, and that you want her to do it right now.

Make it specific

The late copywriting master Gary Halbert liked to include seemingly insane levels of detail in his calls to action.

His copy would end with something like, “Call (specific 800 number). You’ll talk with a woman named Robin in a blue sweater who will ask you, Would you like the large size or the jumbo?. Tell her you want the jumbo. She’ll ask you for your mailing address where you can receive packages, and you’ll give it to her.” He goes on and on like that for quite some time.

For the beginning copywriter, it feels like a strange, awkward technique that’s going to “look weird.” But for the reader, in the context of taking action that might cost some money, time or inconvenience, this level of detail creates a solid, comfortable understanding of what to do next and what to expect.

If you want your reader to take action, use highly specific language with clear, concrete details. Don’t leave any question about what you want to see happen. And don’t be afraid to be a little “too obvious.”

He said a lot more in that post, too. You should read it if you write copy for your website, articles, or anything else. You’ll find it at

http://www.copyblogger.com/copywriting-tip/

Filed Under: Blogging, Copywriting, Marketing & Sales

Did you find your Pot of Gold?

March 17, 2012 By joyce 1 Comment

Like the wee leprechauns of Irish lore, we, as small business owners, seem to be constantly searching for that “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow.

But, no matter how hard we search, it frequently remains elusive. The best of us are constantly trying something new — adding a new niche, taking a chance on new products, or creating a website or facebook page. Sometimes we succeed. Other times we fail. And, unfortunately, for many of you, failure makes you stop trying to follow that rainbow. Makes you become stagnant, resting comfortably with the familiar surrounding us without realizing that too can lead to failure.

I’m not any different than the rest of you. I hate failure. However, I’ve discovered that it’s a natural part of life, unavoidable if you have any interest in living a full life and operating a successful business.

Failure is even a factor for success because it means that you are not sitting idle. You are doing something. Failures can provide direction for what you should be doing.

Consider the many successes that were preceeded by failure. Michael Jordan tells us that “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. I’ve failed over and over and over again. That is why I succeed.” Sony started making electric rice cookers and ended up as a major player in the technology field.

I think Thomas Edison said it best, “I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

If you embrace failure and learn from it as you continue following the rainbow, you can be on your way to finding that pot of gold. But if you let it knock you down and become a permanent guest in your life, you’ll never find it.

The next time you fail at something, pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and learn from it. Then DO SOMETHING to continue down that rainbow path.

Filed Under: The World Around Us, Up Close and Personal

Facebook Timeline for Business Pages – Are you ready?

March 6, 2012 By joyce 21 Comments

Now that you’ve created your business page on Facebook, they’re in the process of changing it. And the changes are big ones. Just like your personal page, your business page will automatically go to the Timeline format as of March 30th. You can still preview what it will look like and make any changes. You can even make the new format live now if you like.

But as of March 30th, you won’t have that choice. It will automatically be changed for you.

Confused about the changes? Or haven’t heard about them yet?

We’re here to help.

The biggest visual change is the addition of a Cover Photo…a big image that will stretch across the top of your page. So start now by creating a compelling Cover Photo that helps tell your story. It could be a picture of your products, a photo of people using your service, an interesting graphic or whatever makes sense for you. But there are restrictions.

Your cover photo cannot have:

Price or purchase information, such as “40% off” or “Buy it on our website”
Contact information, such as web address, email, mailing address or other information intended for your Page’s About section
A request to Like or Share your page.
Calls to action, such as “Get it now” or “Tell your friends”

The maximum size for a Cover Photo is 851 x 315 pixels. But remember that your profile photo will overlap your cover photo, so build around it.

Your custom tags are changing and moving on the page.

The custom Facebook tabs you created have been moved from the left column to a bigger, more prominent position and renamed Views and Apps. You’re limited to only four tabs showing, and the first one must be Photos. You can arrange the remaining tabs however you wish.

Make sure your profile picture still works.

On your current business page, your profile picture is cropped from your left sidebar image. The timeline gets rid of this sidebar image, although your profile picture carries over. Chances are your profile photo will still work but you may want to double-check how it looks as it will be much smaller if you created a larger sidebar photo for your page. And on the new business timeline page, your profile will sit on top of your cover photo.

Make sure that the profile photo works on its own, since it represents your brand on Facebook anywhere you post or comment. Your profile photo is 180 x 180 on your page, 32 x 32 on other parts of Facebook.

The layout of your wall is going to be different.

There will be two columns instead of one. And there are ways to make the more important posts stand out.

Highlight: By default, updates to your page appear on either the left or right of the timeline which divides the page. By rolling over any of your page’s posts (but not your fans’ posts) you can highlight the post and expand it to the full width of the page, making it more prominent.
Pin: As you roll over an update, you can also click on the edit icon and choose to pin the post, which will make it appear at the top of your timeline, increasing its visibility. Again, you can only do this to your page’s posts. You can only pin one item at a time and after seven days the post will return to its regular place in your timeline. (You can always re-pin it.)

You’re going to have to rethink your Facebook marketing strategies.

Since you can’t ask someone to like your page in the cover photo, what can you do?

It is against Facebook guidelines to operate a raffle but you are allowed to offer something to everyone who likes your page.

The new Timeline format creates problems as well as opportunities for us. Learn how to use it correctly and make it work to your benefit instead of against you.

Filed Under: Internet Business, Social Media

Don’t Let the Blind Lead You Blind! Alice Seba says it well.

February 7, 2012 By joyce 4 Comments

Alice Seba is someone that has been a leader in internet marketing for many years. She recently wrote this blog post that is right on target.

Don’t Let the Blind Lead You Blind!

I have been seeing a dangerous trend lately and with the big vastness of the Internet, I suppose it’s not at all surprising.

Whether you are writing a blog post, sharing a link or retweeting someone you respect, you have to do your homework. I am not sure what’s happened over the past year or so, but it seems everyone has forgotten the important adage of:

“You can’t believe everything you read.”

Read the rest of Alice’s post here.

Filed Under: Uncategorized