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Suggest You - 23 Easy Ways For Pet-Care Professionals to Pull in Top Clients
What new sales techniques are coming out of the science of behavioral economics? Mostly better explanations and applications of old techniques. Though the science it is relatively new, many of its findings have been known intuitively by good salesmen and marketers for ages. Maybe now, however, it is time to apply this knowledge more systematically in the real world of business. There are dozens of principles that have been identified by the scientific research. Each of them can be used to develop or refine sales techniques. Three of them are explained below.The Science Behind The Sales TechniquesConfirmation bias is the scientific name for the tendency we have to act economically in a way that confirms our current beliefs. A great example is found in a study of Mercedes Benz buyers. When buying the same model, it was found that current owners, who presumably already believe in the value of a Mercedes, paid $7,000 more, on average, than new Mercedes customers.You can imagine the value of this knowledge to companies that sell high-priced items more than once to a customer. You can use this principle in other ways too. Suppose you are selling homes. Asking the buyer what style of home he thinks is best, and letting him make his arguments might also make him much more interested in a home if you show him "his" style.Decision paralysis is the phenomenon of having too many choices to fell comfortable making a decision. In one study, customers had four samples of jam available.. Then for several hours, customers were offered twenty jams to choose from. You might think that with more option
15. Ask for (and use) testimonials.
What’s better – me telling you how wonderful I am with your cat or your neighbor raving about the outstanding care and loving service I provided to her cat? I thought so. Your clients should all be raving fans – you planned it that way, right? So anytime they send you a note or email or make a phone call singing your praises, ask them if you can use their testimonial in your marketing materials. Also make sure you can use their first and last name and some identifying material (like city, or company). If you haven’t gotten many unsolicited pieces of praise, don’t worry, simply make a call or send an email requesting testimonials to a few of your favorite clients.
16. Always carry business cards.
And make sure your business card is a fabulous representation of you. Make sure the logo is clear and enticing, your name and contact information are easy to find and your website address is obvious. Don’t overlook the valuable real estate on the back of the card either. You’ll want to have a call to action there too. Now, whenever you’re having a great conversation with someone whose pet-care problems you can solve, you’ll have a great little “leave behind” when they ask “Hey, do you have a card?” For more info on business card etiquette, check out my marketing section in the Home Study System...
17. Chat with the person next to you.
Have you ever had to stand in line? At the grocery store, the Social Security office or the post office? Me too. These are great opportunities to make a new friend. During your chat, why not ask some of those great questions you’ve thought up? At the very least you’ll pass time in a pleasant fashion, and at best you’ll meet a potential new client. Never miss the opportunity to find out how you can serve your neighbor’s better.
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Reprint Rights Marketing - Use the Telephone and Sell MoreIn the early days of my Internet marketing career, I heard US based marketing expert, Frank Garron, say three simple words that have helped me make hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra sales.Use The Telephone!It is so simple that most Internet marketers completely miss it.FACT: It is worth noting that the more expensive your package, the easier it will be to sell it if you give prospects the option to call and speak to you on the phone.Some folks just need the emotional reassurance that comes when they know there is an actual person behind your website.There is just something about dealing with a real, live, human being that removes the barriers to making the sale.Reprint Rights and the Telephone 5 Things to Keep in Mind1. You don't need to have all the answers. Nine times out of ten, simply telling people: "It is a 250 page action guide. We send it to you by express post in a sturdy 3 Ring Binder and I am sure that you will be as happy to own it as I am to offer it for sale..." ...is more than enough to make the sale.2. If You Are Selling High-Ticket Packages...Tell people on your website that you are willing to call them 'at your expense' anywhere in the world and patiently answer their questions about your products.If you don't want to take the calls yourself, hire someone to do it for you.I assure you that you will sell way more this way then by just following the crowd like everyone else.3. The Perfe
Knowing who you can serve best saves you time and money. When you’ve clearly defined the customer who is going to be the perfect fit for you and your service, you’ll stop marketing to everyone, wearing down your shoes and your smiles by going everywhere, talking to anyone and advertising everyplace. You’ll be able to focus on a specific brand of client and build your brand and reputation as you go.
2. Go where they go.
Because you know the inner workings of your perfect clients (hint: they are going to be a LOT like you) you’ll be able to take yourself to the places they congregate. I’m not saying you should be a predator (or a stalker) but I’m saying, you’re naturally going to find the clients you want to work with if you go where they go (whether it’s the Whole Foods® down the street or the doggy gymnastic center that opened up down the block.
3. Find others like them and ask for referrals.
Okay, you’re clear on who your perfect client is. You head to places they would go and you’re meeting folks like them. While you’re busy making friends be sure to ask if they know anyone who could benefit from your service. This is a great opportunity to use your benefit statement – and not a sales pitch.
4. Use your email signature line to do the work for you.
NEVER send an email that doesn’t give a great commercial for you and your business. It should be professional, have all the contact information anyone would need to find you again, and an enticing offer that encourages the recipient to take action. I’ve got ideas and samples about what kind of ‘enticements’ you can add to your emails signatures in my Home Study System – available in the fall of 2006.
5. Give more than is expected (contracted/promised).
No matter what you say you’ll do, people remember what you REALLY did. So, if you tell someone you’ll follow up by next Monday, you darn well better follow up by then. Better yet, why not shoot an email this afternoon and send them some information that is useful while not at all related to what you do. Maybe you’ve met a great prospect and you had a discussion about his daughter’s little league team needing new uniforms. When you get back to your office you remember that you’ve got a contact that sponsors local teams and they own an embroidery company. Call your potential sponsor, tell him about the team and then send an email to the prospect with the contact info for the potential sponsor. Oh, and be sure your email signature line has all your company contact information!
6. Say no to anyone that you can’t serve best.
Yep, I’m a rebel. I’ve learned that I’m just not everyone’s cup of tea. That means that it’s okay to realize that not everyone is my cup of tea either. I’ve got a specific style of working and systems and rules that just don’t please everyone. The ways that I work with people and pets are highly evolved and specific to my strengths. So when I find that I’m not able to make some folks happy, I take it as a sign that I’m not their best fit and I make a referral to a company that is likely to be a better service provider for them. Ultimately I work for raving fans only – if I don’t think I’m going to be able to make them rave, I say no.
7. Ask great questions.
This one is so basic that it’s easy to see why it’s overlooked. No one I know really wants to feel sales-y – so they miss the big openings to ask good questions that can often times lead to a sale. Questions get folks talking about themselves and educating you about their specific experiences with pets, pet-care providers and other related topics. You should never leave the house without some good open-ended questions. Want to see some good ones? There’s a list of great ones in the Home Study System…set to be released in fall 2006.
8. Educate them.
Since you’ve been asking questions and getting honest answers, you can use that data to provide great information to your target audience. Be their human “search engine” for all things related to your area of expertise. Be the resource that they go to first for information, whether it’s how to introduce a new kitty to the household or what to do to be prepared for an emergency. You can educate them one-on-one, in group settings like seminars or networking groups, or by writing articles and providing email assistance.
9. Write articles they’ll read.
This is a top-notch way to become the expert. Stick to your niche and start writing. You can write a tip sheet like the one you’re reading now in less than a couple of hour’s time. You can write articles for your local paper, for the publications your target audience is most likely to read and for the web. The bottom line is start writing. If you’re worried about your grammar and syntax, why not hire a college student who’s majoring in English or Journalism to edit your final product?
10. Speak to their groups.
This is just another way of educating your target clients. Whenever you meet new people who would be great clients find out what groups they belong to. Then find out if they have outside speakers come in (most have a programming committee that is DYING to find someone to come in to their meetings) and provide an entertaining presentation. Contact the programming chair and offer to speak to their group about your specialty. Make sure you’ve got a way to collect contact information and plenty of business cards. Want more info in using public speaking to get more great clients? Make sure you check out the speaking section of the new Home Study System.
11. Solve their problems.
Because you’ve been listening when you were asking questions, you’re now really aware of the specific concerns and problems your potential clients have when it comes to their pet care. Set yourself up to be their problem solver. More than providing dog-walking, you provide midday relief for aging dogs who don’t have as much control of their bladder, and you provide guilt-free work days for the owners. See what I mean?
12. Get out of the house.
Hey, we’ve all done it…convinced ourselves that we can get new business strictly by tweaking our website, or submitting articles on line. Or doing anything but getting out there in the public eye – and I dare say there’s a hundred and one hucksters who will try to convince you of just that. But aside from needing to go out to conduct your pet-care visits, you need to get out of your chair and about your town to meet and greet potential clients and their friends. This means being presentable, having business cards and a smile.
13. Spend half your work hours marketing.
My coach and mentor Fabienne Fredrickson is the Client Attraction expert and she taught me that there are only two activities an entrepreneur should be doing every business day. The first is whatever it is you do to earn your money (in your case, pet-sitting) the other is marketing. And she goes so far as to mandate you spend 50% of your work hours on each of these tasks. I’d have to agree. If you want a clear and concise way to make that happen, I recommend you get with Fabienne and work through her Client Attraction System. It’s done wonders for me.
14. Create a system that works for you.
Systems make the life of an entrepreneur a happy one. Putting your marketing activities on auto-pilot set you on course to keep the clients coming. For instance plug all your networking events into your calendar for the year, same with your talks, your writing deadlines and your client interactions. Make it a habit to stick to the calendar and plan for those deadlines ahead of time. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish each day.
15. Ask for (and use) testimonials.
What’s better – me telling you how wonderful I am with your cat or your neighbor raving about the outstanding care and loving service I provided to her cat? I thought so. Your clients should all be raving fans – you planned it that way, right? So anytime they send you a note or email or make a phone call singing your praises, ask them if you can use their testimonial in your marketing materials. Also make sure you can use their first and last name and some identifying material (like city, or company). If you haven’t gotten many unsolicited pieces of praise, don’t worry, simply make a call or send an email requesting testimonials to a few of your favorite clients.
16. Always carry business cards.
And make sure your business card is a fabulous representation of you. Make sure the logo is clear and enticing, your name and contact information are easy to find and your website address is obvious. Don’t overlook the valuable real estate on the back of the card either. You’ll want to have a call to action there too. Now, whenever you’re having a great conversation with someone whose pet-care problems you can solve, you’ll have a great little “leave behind” when they ask “Hey, do you have a card?” For more info on business card etiquette, check out my marketing section in the Home Study System...
17. Chat with the person next to you.
Have you ever had to stand in line? At the grocery store, the Social Security office or the post office? Me too. These are great opportunities to make a new friend. During your chat, why not ask some of those great questions you’ve thought up? At the very least you’ll pass time in a pleasant fashion, and at best you’ll meet a potential new client. Never miss the opportunity to find out how you can serve your neighbor’s better.
18. Ga
The aim of Public Relations is to maximize support and minimize opposition for your enterprise among the various stakeholders and general public. A PR campaign consists of two distinct elements -- strategy and execution, i.e. what to do and how to do it.The role of a Public Relations Counselor is to suggest strategy, i.e. advocate ???what to do???. A Public Relations Counselor would typically be involved in defining the PR policy of your enterprise, analyzing problems and opportunities, identifying the stakeholders or publics you need to reach, recommending the key messages for each public, and allocating responsibilities to the team.Given the criticality of this position, here are some qualities you need to look for in your Public Relations Counselor:Good JudgmentGood judgment is the single most important quality of a good PR counselor. She needs to correctly interpret the strength and longevity of public opinion, and must know what to react to, and when and how to react. This calls for superior judgment.Research and analytical capabilitiesA responsible public relations program is based on the understanding of its publics. This comes through patient research, quantitative and qualitative measurement and insightful analysis. Without these qualities, a public relations counselor cannot hope to succeed.Thinking on her feetPR counselors are invariably called on to deal with crisis situations when hostile publics demand swift and sensitive action. Imagination, quick reactions, and sensitivity to the public’s view will help your PR counselor deal effectively and effi
6. Say no to anyone that you can’t serve best.
Yep, I’m a rebel. I’ve learned that I’m just not everyone’s cup of tea. That means that it’s okay to realize that not everyone is my cup of tea either. I’ve got a specific style of working and systems and rules that just don’t please everyone. The ways that I work with people and pets are highly evolved and specific to my strengths. So when I find that I’m not able to make some folks happy, I take it as a sign that I’m not their best fit and I make a referral to a company that is likely to be a better service provider for them. Ultimately I work for raving fans only – if I don’t think I’m going to be able to make them rave, I say no.
7. Ask great questions.
This one is so basic that it’s easy to see why it’s overlooked. No one I know really wants to feel sales-y – so they miss the big openings to ask good questions that can often times lead to a sale. Questions get folks talking about themselves and educating you about their specific experiences with pets, pet-care providers and other related topics. You should never leave the house without some good open-ended questions. Want to see some good ones? There’s a list of great ones in the Home Study System…set to be released in fall 2006.
8. Educate them.
Since you’ve been asking questions and getting honest answers, you can use that data to provide great information to your target audience. Be their human “search engine” for all things related to your area of expertise. Be the resource that they go to first for information, whether it’s how to introduce a new kitty to the household or what to do to be prepared for an emergency. You can educate them one-on-one, in group settings like seminars or networking groups, or by writing articles and providing email assistance.
9. Write articles they’ll read.
This is a top-notch way to become the expert. Stick to your niche and start writing. You can write a tip sheet like the one you’re reading now in less than a couple of hour’s time. You can write articles for your local paper, for the publications your target audience is most likely to read and for the web. The bottom line is start writing. If you’re worried about your grammar and syntax, why not hire a college student who’s majoring in English or Journalism to edit your final product?
10. Speak to their groups.
This is just another way of educating your target clients. Whenever you meet new people who would be great clients find out what groups they belong to. Then find out if they have outside speakers come in (most have a programming committee that is DYING to find someone to come in to their meetings) and provide an entertaining presentation. Contact the programming chair and offer to speak to their group about your specialty. Make sure you’ve got a way to collect contact information and plenty of business cards. Want more info in using public speaking to get more great clients? Make sure you check out the speaking section of the new Home Study System.
11. Solve their problems.
Because you’ve been listening when you were asking questions, you’re now really aware of the specific concerns and problems your potential clients have when it comes to their pet care. Set yourself up to be their problem solver. More than providing dog-walking, you provide midday relief for aging dogs who don’t have as much control of their bladder, and you provide guilt-free work days for the owners. See what I mean?
12. Get out of the house.
Hey, we’ve all done it…convinced ourselves that we can get new business strictly by tweaking our website, or submitting articles on line. Or doing anything but getting out there in the public eye – and I dare say there’s a hundred and one hucksters who will try to convince you of just that. But aside from needing to go out to conduct your pet-care visits, you need to get out of your chair and about your town to meet and greet potential clients and their friends. This means being presentable, having business cards and a smile.
13. Spend half your work hours marketing.
My coach and mentor Fabienne Fredrickson is the Client Attraction expert and she taught me that there are only two activities an entrepreneur should be doing every business day. The first is whatever it is you do to earn your money (in your case, pet-sitting) the other is marketing. And she goes so far as to mandate you spend 50% of your work hours on each of these tasks. I’d have to agree. If you want a clear and concise way to make that happen, I recommend you get with Fabienne and work through her Client Attraction System. It’s done wonders for me.
14. Create a system that works for you.
Systems make the life of an entrepreneur a happy one. Putting your marketing activities on auto-pilot set you on course to keep the clients coming. For instance plug all your networking events into your calendar for the year, same with your talks, your writing deadlines and your client interactions. Make it a habit to stick to the calendar and plan for those deadlines ahead of time. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish each day.
15. Ask for (and use) testimonials.
What’s better – me telling you how wonderful I am with your cat or your neighbor raving about the outstanding care and loving service I provided to her cat? I thought so. Your clients should all be raving fans – you planned it that way, right? So anytime they send you a note or email or make a phone call singing your praises, ask them if you can use their testimonial in your marketing materials. Also make sure you can use their first and last name and some identifying material (like city, or company). If you haven’t gotten many unsolicited pieces of praise, don’t worry, simply make a call or send an email requesting testimonials to a few of your favorite clients.
16. Always carry business cards.
And make sure your business card is a fabulous representation of you. Make sure the logo is clear and enticing, your name and contact information are easy to find and your website address is obvious. Don’t overlook the valuable real estate on the back of the card either. You’ll want to have a call to action there too. Now, whenever you’re having a great conversation with someone whose pet-care problems you can solve, you’ll have a great little “leave behind” when they ask “Hey, do you have a card?” For more info on business card etiquette, check out my marketing section in the Home Study System...
17. Chat with the person next to you.
Have you ever had to stand in line? At the grocery store, the Social Security office or the post office? Me too. These are great opportunities to make a new friend. During your chat, why not ask some of those great questions you’ve thought up? At the very least you’ll pass time in a pleasant fashion, and at best you’ll meet a potential new client. Never miss the opportunity to find out how you can serve your neighbor’s better.
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You’re at your computer typing away and working on your business as usual; just a typical day living the life as a young entrepreneur. You glare into the computer screen and see yourself. You think about how young you are and how well things are going for you. Maybe it’s been a year or two since you started your business. Maybe you took a break from college to focus your time on your company. You’ve been having a blast working on you company and everything seems to be looking good.But as you sit back and see yourself in the large flat-panel Dell screen, you can’t help but think about all of the sacrifices you’ve had to make to get you where you are today. You can’t help but think that you’re life as an entrepreneur is sucking everything out of you.You haven’t hung out with you friends in weeks, you catch yourself only talking about business when someone tries to spark a conversation with you, and you are beginning to feel so trapped with all of the work and clients that you have to provide for. The pressure is building up and no matter how successful that you’re becoming, you still feel that you’re at a crossroads between happiness in your life and success with your business.Over the past few months you’ve made more money than most of your friends’ parents have made in a year. You’re on top of the world when it comes to your business and your baby is only growing and bringing in more and more clients than ever before.Holy shit! You’re 21 years-old and you’re really doing it! You’re really making things happen with your business; it’s finally all coming together. You’re blowing up. But hold
8. Educate them.
Since you’ve been asking questions and getting honest answers, you can use that data to provide great information to your target audience. Be their human “search engine” for all things related to your area of expertise. Be the resource that they go to first for information, whether it’s how to introduce a new kitty to the household or what to do to be prepared for an emergency. You can educate them one-on-one, in group settings like seminars or networking groups, or by writing articles and providing email assistance.
9. Write articles they’ll read.
This is a top-notch way to become the expert. Stick to your niche and start writing. You can write a tip sheet like the one you’re reading now in less than a couple of hour’s time. You can write articles for your local paper, for the publications your target audience is most likely to read and for the web. The bottom line is start writing. If you’re worried about your grammar and syntax, why not hire a college student who’s majoring in English or Journalism to edit your final product?
10. Speak to their groups.
This is just another way of educating your target clients. Whenever you meet new people who would be great clients find out what groups they belong to. Then find out if they have outside speakers come in (most have a programming committee that is DYING to find someone to come in to their meetings) and provide an entertaining presentation. Contact the programming chair and offer to speak to their group about your specialty. Make sure you’ve got a way to collect contact information and plenty of business cards. Want more info in using public speaking to get more great clients? Make sure you check out the speaking section of the new Home Study System.
11. Solve their problems.
Because you’ve been listening when you were asking questions, you’re now really aware of the specific concerns and problems your potential clients have when it comes to their pet care. Set yourself up to be their problem solver. More than providing dog-walking, you provide midday relief for aging dogs who don’t have as much control of their bladder, and you provide guilt-free work days for the owners. See what I mean?
12. Get out of the house.
Hey, we’ve all done it…convinced ourselves that we can get new business strictly by tweaking our website, or submitting articles on line. Or doing anything but getting out there in the public eye – and I dare say there’s a hundred and one hucksters who will try to convince you of just that. But aside from needing to go out to conduct your pet-care visits, you need to get out of your chair and about your town to meet and greet potential clients and their friends. This means being presentable, having business cards and a smile.
13. Spend half your work hours marketing.
My coach and mentor Fabienne Fredrickson is the Client Attraction expert and she taught me that there are only two activities an entrepreneur should be doing every business day. The first is whatever it is you do to earn your money (in your case, pet-sitting) the other is marketing. And she goes so far as to mandate you spend 50% of your work hours on each of these tasks. I’d have to agree. If you want a clear and concise way to make that happen, I recommend you get with Fabienne and work through her Client Attraction System. It’s done wonders for me.
14. Create a system that works for you.
Systems make the life of an entrepreneur a happy one. Putting your marketing activities on auto-pilot set you on course to keep the clients coming. For instance plug all your networking events into your calendar for the year, same with your talks, your writing deadlines and your client interactions. Make it a habit to stick to the calendar and plan for those deadlines ahead of time. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish each day.
15. Ask for (and use) testimonials.
What’s better – me telling you how wonderful I am with your cat or your neighbor raving about the outstanding care and loving service I provided to her cat? I thought so. Your clients should all be raving fans – you planned it that way, right? So anytime they send you a note or email or make a phone call singing your praises, ask them if you can use their testimonial in your marketing materials. Also make sure you can use their first and last name and some identifying material (like city, or company). If you haven’t gotten many unsolicited pieces of praise, don’t worry, simply make a call or send an email requesting testimonials to a few of your favorite clients.
16. Always carry business cards.
And make sure your business card is a fabulous representation of you. Make sure the logo is clear and enticing, your name and contact information are easy to find and your website address is obvious. Don’t overlook the valuable real estate on the back of the card either. You’ll want to have a call to action there too. Now, whenever you’re having a great conversation with someone whose pet-care problems you can solve, you’ll have a great little “leave behind” when they ask “Hey, do you have a card?” For more info on business card etiquette, check out my marketing section in the Home Study System...
17. Chat with the person next to you.
Have you ever had to stand in line? At the grocery store, the Social Security office or the post office? Me too. These are great opportunities to make a new friend. During your chat, why not ask some of those great questions you’ve thought up? At the very least you’ll pass time in a pleasant fashion, and at best you’ll meet a potential new client. Never miss the opportunity to find out how you can serve your neighbor’s better.
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The Proof is in the PuddingWoe is me but I like to shop at Wal-Mart. Where else in the Valley is the customer the boss. Everything possible is done to make shopping a customer friendly and pleasant experience. Their "Ten-Foot Attitude" means that associates greet each person they see. Their "Satisfaction Guaranteed" refund and exchange policy allows customers like myself to be fully confident of its merchandise and quality. Heck, what's to complain about?Let me illustrate with just one vignette. The other day, I went to their camera section and wanted 14 photos scanned onto a disk. The price was 19 cents per photo and $2.78 for the disc for a total of $5.44. Now if you take those same photos to any specialty camera and photography store in the Valley, I suspect you might pay $5.00 per photo and $ 10.00 for the disk.....or a total of $80.00....so I saved $74.56! Oh yes, on the way in, I picked up a spatula for my grill for 99 cents and some low-priced butterscotch pudding. I like pudding and I also like one-stop shopping. On the way out, I stopped at the manager's office to compliment the great service I received at the camera department. All in all, a pleasant and thrifty experience.....one in which I was not savaged by a store manager or clerk who believes the customer is Darth Vader.Yet despite this illustrative tale, cities around the country are still trying to prevent Wal-Mart from opening new stores on the grounds these stores would "threaten" other businesses (where customers are treated as if they were the enemy) and replace higher paying jobs with lower paying ones. In reality, such cit
12. Get out of the house.
Hey, we’ve all done it…convinced ourselves that we can get new business strictly by tweaking our website, or submitting articles on line. Or doing anything but getting out there in the public eye – and I dare say there’s a hundred and one hucksters who will try to convince you of just that. But aside from needing to go out to conduct your pet-care visits, you need to get out of your chair and about your town to meet and greet potential clients and their friends. This means being presentable, having business cards and a smile.
13. Spend half your work hours marketing.
My coach and mentor Fabienne Fredrickson is the Client Attraction expert and she taught me that there are only two activities an entrepreneur should be doing every business day. The first is whatever it is you do to earn your money (in your case, pet-sitting) the other is marketing. And she goes so far as to mandate you spend 50% of your work hours on each of these tasks. I’d have to agree. If you want a clear and concise way to make that happen, I recommend you get with Fabienne and work through her Client Attraction System. It’s done wonders for me.
14. Create a system that works for you.
Systems make the life of an entrepreneur a happy one. Putting your marketing activities on auto-pilot set you on course to keep the clients coming. For instance plug all your networking events into your calendar for the year, same with your talks, your writing deadlines and your client interactions. Make it a habit to stick to the calendar and plan for those deadlines ahead of time. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish each day.
15. Ask for (and use) testimonials.
What’s better – me telling you how wonderful I am with your cat or your neighbor raving about the outstanding care and loving service I provided to her cat? I thought so. Your clients should all be raving fans – you planned it that way, right? So anytime they send you a note or email or make a phone call singing your praises, ask them if you can use their testimonial in your marketing materials. Also make sure you can use their first and last name and some identifying material (like city, or company). If you haven’t gotten many unsolicited pieces of praise, don’t worry, simply make a call or send an email requesting testimonials to a few of your favorite clients.
16. Always carry business cards.
And make sure your business card is a fabulous representation of you. Make sure the logo is clear and enticing, your name and contact information are easy to find and your website address is obvious. Don’t overlook the valuable real estate on the back of the card either. You’ll want to have a call to action there too. Now, whenever you’re having a great conversation with someone whose pet-care problems you can solve, you’ll have a great little “leave behind” when they ask “Hey, do you have a card?” For more info on business card etiquette, check out my marketing section in the Home Study System...
17. Chat with the person next to you.
Have you ever had to stand in line? At the grocery store, the Social Security office or the post office? Me too. These are great opportunities to make a new friend. During your chat, why not ask some of those great questions you’ve thought up? At the very least you’ll pass time in a pleasant fashion, and at best you’ll meet a potential new client. Never miss the opportunity to find out how you can serve your neighbor’s better.
18. G
Definition: A shelf company is a company which has been created but has ceased trading. Its memorandum and articles can be bought 'off the shelf'. source: ANZ Bank Financial DictionaryBack in the 'good old days', it took quite a while to create (or incorporate) a company. Yet, people often needed a new company ASAP, so providers of company registration services would pre-create companies and have them 'sitting on the shelf', ready for sale when required.Someone wanting to create a company fast could buy one of these off-the-shelf companies (or shelf companies as they are more commonly termed) quickly and easily. All that was required for a buyer to purchase a shelf company was for the provider to transfer the shelf company's shares to the buyer, and arrange for the resignation of the directors of the original shelf company, who would be replaced by the new directors (the purchaser or their nominated agent/s). Sometimes, the shelf company name would also be changed by the buyer.With the advent of high-tech company registration services such as Cleardocs, it's no longer necessary to wait long time periods to create a new company, so the shelf company business has died down considerably. It also means that there is less administrative hassle and expense in the creation of a new company (compared to purchasing a shelf company) because you don't need to change directors, possibly change the name of the company, transfer shares and pay stamp duty on the shares tranfer.
15. Ask for (and use) testimonials.
What’s better – me telling you how wonderful I am with your cat or your neighbor raving about the outstanding care and loving service I provided to her cat? I thought so. Your clients should all be raving fans – you planned it that way, right? So anytime they send you a note or email or make a phone call singing your praises, ask them if you can use their testimonial in your marketing materials. Also make sure you can use their first and last name and some identifying material (like city, or company). If you haven’t gotten many unsolicited pieces of praise, don’t worry, simply make a call or send an email requesting testimonials to a few of your favorite clients.
16. Always carry business cards.
And make sure your business card is a fabulous representation of you. Make sure the logo is clear and enticing, your name and contact information are easy to find and your website address is obvious. Don’t overlook the valuable real estate on the back of the card either. You’ll want to have a call to action there too. Now, whenever you’re having a great conversation with someone whose pet-care problems you can solve, you’ll have a great little “leave behind” when they ask “Hey, do you have a card?” For more info on business card etiquette, check out my marketing section in the Home Study System...
17. Chat with the person next to you.
Have you ever had to stand in line? At the grocery store, the Social Security office or the post office? Me too. These are great opportunities to make a new friend. During your chat, why not ask some of those great questions you’ve thought up? At the very least you’ll pass time in a pleasant fashion, and at best you’ll meet a potential new client. Never miss the opportunity to find out how you can serve your neighbor’s better.
18. Gain experience.
Look at each marketing endeavor as an opportunity to learn what you’re great at. When you feel awkward, or unsuccessful, use it as an opportunity to figure out what would make it work better. If you feel it’s completely a no-go, drop it and try something new. Each new bit of experience adds to your ability to market to your perfect customer as well as redefine who that customer is.
19. Create a list of folks you want to meet and go for it
This is your personal “celebrity hit parade.” Create a list of the movers and shakers in your community whom you would like to meet. These can include your mayor and other elected officials, the owner of the largest automobile franchise or the popular proprietor of the local eatery. Getting to know the movers and shakers in your realm adds to your level of recognition in your community. You’ll be the go-to person for the local celebrities and all your other potential clients will take notice. Make sure you maintain your grounded personality and keep all confidences and privacy considerations in check. But do recognize that someone’s got to be their pet’s caregiver – why not you?
20. Be prepared.
Obviously I was never a boy scout, but I always liked their motto. Being prepared means anticipating various scenarios – from a flood in a client’s basement to a dog slipping from his collar – and knowing what you’ll do when it happens. Spend time thinking through all the best and worst scenarios that can happen in this industry and then create your plans. Some may even prompt you to create an extra page in your client welcome packet (we’ve got a form asking who will be the caregiver if the client is incapacitated). Knowing that you’re prepared for most scenarios gives you an air of confidence and professionalism that you just can’t fake. Trust me, the best clients know.
21. Give back to the community.
We’re service oriented people; otherwise we would not be pet-care providers. It’s important to find ways to invest in your community and ensure it stays a great place to live and work. This keeps great clients in your service area and attracts great workers. Find one or two causes that are near and dear to you (whether it’s the after-school program, the garden society or an animal rescue group is inconsequential) and set goals for your participation each year. Feel free to submit press releases and write articles about your and your company’s support of these organizations.
22. Set business hours and stick to them.
Professionals respect professionals and setting business hours creates your legitimacy in the eyes of great clients. Obviously, you’ll have an emergency back up plan (see #20 be prepared), but you have every right to take days off and stick to them. Great clients keep to schedules and respect yours, as long as you do.
23. Stand out from the crowd.
Don’t be afraid to do things your way. Doing everything exactly the way everyone else in your industry does isn’t a step on the road to greatness. Simply asserting “my goal is to have the best customer service in pet-sitting” is NOT setting you apart. Find ways that you can be different. Sometimes it’s taking a stand that’s contrary to your colleagues, sometimes it’s adding an extra bonus or specializing in a specific niche. The difference is up to you, but as they say, Vive la difference!
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