Loren Baker says, “Maintaining an open line of communication with your clients is key to any successful business relationship, as your clients will be more satisfied if they know that you’re behind them every step of the way. This does not necessarily mean you’ll need to spend extra man-hours to keep those lines of communication open though, as there’s a lot of customer service requests that don’t need a human being to handle them. Putting automation to work in your business frees you and your employees up to continue to move your business forward, while still keeping a level of... [...]

Eric Siu says, “Many business owners focus on the acquisition stage of the sales funnel to the exclusion of retention. That’s because people often think of marketing as synonymous with acquisition – the act of attracting customers to your business. Keeping customers, or retention, should be equally if not more important than acquisition. According to Bain & Company, it costs seven times more to attract new customers than it does to keep them. Additionally, if you retain just 5 percent of your customers annually, you can generate up to 125 percent more profits. Retention strategies... [...]

R. L. Adams says, “In today’s highly competitive business environment, there’s a constant and never-ending struggle that every entrepreneur must face. Those who can adapt will survive and thrive, resulting in near-boundless financial success and market saturation. Those who cannot see the proverbial forest through the trees, suffer a slow and inevitable death. The struggle that exists today pits profits against the necessity for total customer satisfaction. The truth? Not everyone lives by the credo that the customer is always right. Not everyone is as concerned with customer satisfaction... [...]

Aja Frost says, “According to a 2016 study from HubSpot Research, “Buyers Speak Out: How Sales Needs to Evolve,” prospects want to work with salespeople who can offer advice and expertise beyond just a description of product features. Sixty-one percent of buyers say reps can provide a positive experience by providing relevant information. Roughly half of buyers appreciate when salespeople recommend multiple strategies beyond their business offering, and 45% want salespeople to be invested in their goals. In other words, prospects want to work with reps who understand their unique priorities,... [...]

Jeff Rajeck says, “While many marketing functions are now being assisted by algorithms, one area seems to be immune to automation – customer engagement centres. According to recent reports, contact centres currently employ millions of people globally and are set to grow by 10% annually until 2019 at least. This seems counterintuitive. First off, marketers are frequently asked to do ‘more with less’ and keep headcount growth to a minimum. Also, technology is emerging which could automate a large part of what these contact centres do. Online chat on websites and bot interfaces... [...]

Nikki Gilliland says, “According to recent research, the average length of time a consumer keeps a subscription service is just 125 days. With the majority focusing on acquisition instead of retention, this stat is hardly surprising. So, how can subscription box services improve retention in the long-term? Here are five ways, as well as a few examples of the techniques in practice. Offers for loyal customers Most subscription services entice new users with delivery deals or a lower price for the first three months, and while this remains an effective acquisition strategy, an absence of incentives... [...]

Maria Ross says, “Admit it. As a business owner, you know you secretly dream about prospective customers or clients reading your sales copy or seeing your Facebook ad and instantly shouting, “Yes! That’s exactly what I need! It’s like you’ve read my mind! Where do I buy?!” Related: The Best Ways to Do Market Research for Your Business Plan What’s the key to packaging up offerings or writing sales copy that instantly resonates with your target buyers? Trial and error is one way to go. As if marketing in general were not time-intensive enough for business owners... [...]

Ayaz Nanji says, “Most consumers say they prefer to receive brand communications from retailers via email, according torecent research from Bluecore. The report was based on data from a survey conducted in July 2016 of 1,174 consumers in the United States. All respondents have made an online purchase within the past three months. Some 68% of the consumers surveyed say they want to receive brand communications from retailers (sales offers, news, information about new products, etc.) via email; 6.9% prefer to receive communications while shopping in-store and 5.6% prefer text messages. Email... [...]

Dan Stenier says, “Everyone loves a deal. Realizing this, businesses have long used print-based discount offers such as coupons in newspapers to sell products. But, as consumers have increasingly obtained information online, businesses have seen an increase in consumers’ demand that these businesses shift all their marketing strategies to digital. While there are still customers who clip paper coupons before heading out to shop at a brick-and-mortar, many more prefer to save while purchasing online. This has driven a gradual shift in the way businesses reach customers. Here are a... [...]

Toby Nwazor says, “It is becoming increasingly difficult to retain loyal customers. This is partially due to the ever growing number of business entities that spring up like mushrooms every day. This makes it imperative for you as a business owner to retain and satisfy your customers at all costs. These five tips below will help you wow your customers, guarantee their loyalty, and keep them coming back for more. 1. Surprise them occasionally. Giving your customers occasional surprises goes a long way in ensuring that they remain loyal to you. You may decide to give them rewards occasionally... [...]