COVID-19 has upended a number of industries and jobs. Among the professions that have been hardest hit are sales and business development, which have traditionally relied on face-to-face interactions to build networks and relationships. People who ply those trades have had to pivot to remote selling with mixed success. Continue reading “Tips for Remote Selling During and After COVID-19”
It’s fair to say that few, if any, companies—or their communication staff—were prepared to respond quickly and appropriately to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As millions of employees suddenly found themselves working remotely from their homes and millions of customers found themselves suddenly shut off from the companies and brands they typically engaged with, communication professionals began grappling with important questions, including the following: Continue reading “Communication Lessons From COVID That Will Last Long Past the Pandemic”
With millions of people out of work and countless businesses shutting their doors temporarily, or even permanently, many businesses are wondering whether they should maintain their marketing communication activities.Continue reading “This is Not the Time for Blatant Sales Pitches, But Don’t Lose Touch!”
One of our clients in the health care space has been focusing her communication efforts with health care organizations on reminding them to maintain their focus on the brand promise. This may not seem like the time to do that. We agree with her, though, that it is.
“How are you doing?”by Justin Grensing, Esq., MBA
In many B2B relationships, the amounts of money changing hands can be significant. For small businesses engaged primarily in the B2B realm, a single B2B client could make up a huge percentage of the small business’s total revenue. Moreover, the products and services offered to B2B customers can be fairly complex and take time to deliver in full. All of this makes the invoicing process a valuable tool for small-business owners serving B2B customers. A well-designed invoicing system can help smooth cash flows and provide revenue even before the ultimate completion of a final deliverable. Continue reading “Payment Milestones: A Positive Cash-Flow Approach for Long-Term B2B Projects”
It’s important for any business to know whether or not their customers are satisfied with the service the company is providing – the same applies for products, but we’ll focus on services here. Many companies ask customers for feedback to gauge their experience, and this can take many forms, including surveys and post-purchase emails among others. This feedback could be asking for a simple thumbs up, thumbs down or sliding scale review of the overall service, or it could ask more specific questions, focusing on different aspects of the service: timeliness, quality, likelihood to repeat business, likelihood to recommend to others, etc. Continue reading “Are You Telling Your Customers About the Great Services They Receive From You?”
We often hear about the importance of networking and it’s tough to challenge that notion. Networking is a great way to make new connections that can lead to job offers or other professional connections. For small business owners and entrepreneurs, networking is especially important, because simply generating awareness of your organization can be difficult without meeting people in person and building personal connections. Continue reading “Networking for Introverts: Practicing the “Loose Touch””
by Justin Grensing, Esq., MBA
It’s hard to overstate the value of relationships in business. And, while it’s true for companies of any size, this can be especially crucial for success among small and midsized businesses (SMBs) as well as in the B2B world generally. “As an entrepreneur, you have countless relationships you need to manage on a daily basis,” writes Jennifer Spencer in an article for Entrepreneur. “There are your employees. There are the vendors who provide needed support services to help you run your business. And, of course, there are also your customers.”
Marketing is key to not only getting the word out about your products and services but also for convincing potential consumers that your offerings provide the best quality, best value, are the trendiest, etc. Influencers can be a huge benefit in this respect. Influencers are individuals or organizations that have the ability to influence the beliefs, attitudes and actions of others. An influencer might be a popular professional athlete who touts the efficacy of a particular shoe, supplement or clothing brand. Or it could be a celebrity who shows up on the red carpet wearing a particular fashion brand—one that carries your label.
These are examples of large-scale influencers. Small businesses typically don’t have access to such individuals unless by pure good fortune. But in an article for Forbes, Dinah Wisenberg Brin writes that some businesses have found success using “micro-influencers” to achieve similar effects, albeit on a smaller scale. Continue reading “Leveraging Big Benefits From Micro-Influencers”