If you're looking to cultivate any sort of business endeavour - online or otherwise - the most important thing that I have found is the role of SERVICE in what you're doing.
Service is NOT an arbitrary word used to describe whether you respond to customer support emails - it lies at the CORE of what determines whether a business venture will become successful or not.
Putting this into perspective, if you consider what a "business" actually "does" - we've witnessed a stark shift from a "production" to a "service" based model over the past 15 years.
Fuelled by the connectivity of the Internet & developments in engineering techniques, the way to "be productive" in the modern world (particularly the West) is to provision new products and tools. How they get made should be a secondary concern (very little profit in it).
The key - as opposed to historic production - is that it's no longer the case that having "production capacity" is a major deal... almost everybody has access to that.
What people don't have is a MARKET into which to offer their products. This market (depending on which type of company you end up cultivating) will then determine the PRICE of the product and whether it's something they'll consider using.
The point is that if you're looking to "get into" business, the absolutely most important thing you NEED to consider is what type of SERVICE you will be able to provide as a professional. This service - applied using either your own products/tools, or someone else's - is the real secret behind why some companies "always" seem to grow, whilst the majority struggle.
This tutorial aims to explain how it works, and what to do if you're looking to get involved in the world of enterprise.
Service Makes The World Go Round (Literally)
Most people get involved with "business" because they have an idea they wish to pursue.
Perhaps they wanted to create their own clothing line, have some sort of "lifestyle" business (winery/farm etc) or get involved with a particular field (cosmetics / modelling) - the hallmark of "failed" businesses typically starts with someone's wistful desire to "work for themselves".
This is a lie. People don't care that you started a "business" and all the stories you read about a 12-year-old CEO who's onto his fifth company are only there because the publication wanted some fresh hype to keep its readers coming back.
The simple reality is that the MAJORITY of people are only moved by necessity. How "necessary" they deem a product to be to their life is how much value they'll attribute to it (and thus a price).
The way to ensure that YOUR products are bought is to create a necessity for its usage. Don't even think about "selling" it - [most] people aren't stupid; they'll attribute a price to any product they deem as essential to their life. No one ever quibbled over the cost of life-saving heart-surgery... and the same principle exists in every other business. People pay you in direct proportion to how much you actually "give a damn" about what you're doing.
The most important thing is to realize is that "service" sits at the CORE of what makes people interested in a company.
It's not their "products" or even their "staff" - it's what they DO on a daily basis which drives RESULTS. This "activity" is what the market recognizes - and is ultimately attracted to.
Think about it.
Apple don't "manufacture" their products. They design them and come up with all the components etc. Their service is design.
Tesla do "manufacture" their products because no-one else can do it as well as them.
Amazon are really a digital logistics company - no one is able to store and send out as many parcels as effectively as them.
If you want to get into "business", come up with a RESULT that you can provide to a market.
10,000+ Twitter followers in the first 60 days
150+ YouTube subscribers in the next 90 days
Conversational Italian in 14 days GUARANTEED
Branding Lessons From Ferrari + Lamborghini
CUSTOM SHIRTS get you laid; CUSTOM SUITS get you paid
If you're looking to "start" a business, the absolute BEST thing you can do is look at what people are ALREADY looking to buy (just browse the "best sellers" section of any marketplace).
This gives you a direct indication of *exactly* what they have a budget for (what they're willing to PAY for). This allows you to provide this RESULT as a service (IE in your own way) - giving you the ability to start attracting clients by virtue of how effective you are at providing said results.
The BIGGEST issue I've seen is leading with a product, or even "solution". I hear it all the time - "what problem does your business solve"... hardly anyone buying a product actually thinks they have a "problem". Rather, they are looking for a particular SERVICE that can be provided to them to improve their life in some specific way. Or - as Gary Halbert said - "your marketing should make their pupils dilate".
Think about it like this - which would you rather do business with: "The World's LARGEST Social Media Agency" or "The ONLY Agency To GUARANTEE 10,000+ FOLLOWERS In The NEXT 30 DAYS Or Your Money Back ". Whilst the former works for established businesses, the latter works for ANY business - especially new ones.
Notice how you're not actually selling anything about the "process" of how you achieve the results? This comes afterwards; you need to stipulate EXACTLY what the buyer is going to get for their time/money, which in the case of "social media" is followers. For SEO, it's #1 Google ranks and for "programming", it's to create a "RECURRING SAAS BUSINESS".
Obviously, the way in which those various results are cultivated is vital. But the irony is no-one cares about how you do it... as long as it's legit.
This is why some companies "always" seem to win - their "service" is based around the provision of particular RESULTS. They ignore (outsource) everything else.
If Starting A Business, It "Pays" To Focus On Service
In conclusion, if you're looking at "starting" a business - the key is to forget yourself and focus entirely on the underlying results you can provide to the client.
If you don't have the skills to provide said results, you need to get to work building them up (which can be done on the job).
Think about every transaction from the perspective of what you can add to the engagement. Don't be afraid to "give away the family silver" (in terms of "secrets") - 99% won't compete with you, and the one guy who will rip you off will jump onto the next fad he finds.
The key thing you need to do from an enterprise perspective is to identify the various "services" which you're either able - or capable of - providing for anyone with the right budget.
If you're looking to cultivate any sort of business endeavour - online or otherwise - the most important thing that I have found is the role of SERVICE in what you're doing.
Service is NOT an arbitrary word used to describe whether you respond to customer support emails - it lies at the CORE of what determines whether a business venture will become successful or not.
Putting this into perspective, if you consider what a "business" actually "does" - we've witnessed a stark shift from a "production" to a "service" based model over the past 15 years.
Fuelled by the connectivity of the Internet & developments in engineering techniques, the way to "be productive" in the modern world (particularly the West) is to provision new products and tools. How they get made should be a secondary concern (very little profit in it).
The key - as opposed to historic production - is that it's no longer the case that having "production capacity" is a major deal... almost everybody has access to that.
What people don't have is a MARKET into which to offer their products. This market (depending on which type of company you end up cultivating) will then determine the PRICE of the product and whether it's something they'll consider using.
The point is that if you're looking to "get into" business, the absolutely most important thing you NEED to consider is what type of SERVICE you will be able to provide as a professional. This service - applied using either your own products/tools, or someone else's - is the real secret behind why some companies "always" seem to grow, whilst the majority struggle.
This tutorial aims to explain how it works, and what to do if you're looking to get involved in the world of enterprise.
Service Makes The World Go Round (Literally)
Most people get involved with "business" because they have an idea they wish to pursue.
Perhaps they wanted to create their own clothing line, have some sort of "lifestyle" business (winery/farm etc) or get involved with a particular field (cosmetics / modelling) - the hallmark of "failed" businesses typically starts with someone's wistful desire to "work for themselves".
This is a lie. People don't care that you started a "business" and all the stories you read about a 12-year-old CEO who's onto his fifth company are only there because the publication wanted some fresh hype to keep its readers coming back.
The simple reality is that the MAJORITY of people are only moved by necessity. How "necessary" they deem a product to be to their life is how much value they'll attribute to it (and thus a price).
The way to ensure that YOUR products are bought is to create a necessity for its usage. Don't even think about "selling" it - [most] people aren't stupid; they'll attribute a price to any product they deem as essential to their life. No one ever quibbled over the cost of life-saving heart-surgery... and the same principle exists in every other business. People pay you in direct proportion to how much you actually "give a damn" about what you're doing.
The most important thing is to realize is that "service" sits at the CORE of what makes people interested in a company.
It's not their "products" or even their "staff" - it's what they DO on a daily basis which drives RESULTS. This "activity" is what the market recognizes - and is ultimately attracted to.
Think about it.
Apple don't "manufacture" their products. They design them and come up with all the components etc. Their service is design.
Tesla do "manufacture" their products because no-one else can do it as well as them.
Amazon are really a digital logistics company - no one is able to store and send out as many parcels as effectively as them.
If you want to get into "business", come up with a RESULT that you can provide to a market.
10,000+ Twitter followers in the first 60 days
150+ YouTube subscribers in the next 90 days
Conversational Italian in 14 days GUARANTEED
Branding Lessons From Ferrari + Lamborghini
CUSTOM SHIRTS get you laid; CUSTOM SUITS get you paid
If you're looking to "start" a business, the absolute BEST thing you can do is look at what people are ALREADY looking to buy (just browse the "best sellers" section of any marketplace).
This gives you a direct indication of *exactly* what they have a budget for (what they're willing to PAY for). This allows you to provide this RESULT as a service (IE in your own way) - giving you the ability to start attracting clients by virtue of how effective you are at providing said results.
The BIGGEST issue I've seen is leading with a product, or even "solution". I hear it all the time - "what problem does your business solve"... hardly anyone buying a product actually thinks they have a "problem". Rather, they are looking for a particular SERVICE that can be provided to them to improve their life in some specific way. Or - as Gary Halbert said - "your marketing should make their pupils dilate".
Think about it like this - which would you rather do business with: "The World's LARGEST Social Media Agency" or "The ONLY Agency To GUARANTEE 10,000+ FOLLOWERS In The NEXT 30 DAYS Or Your Money Back ". Whilst the former works for established businesses, the latter works for ANY business - especially new ones.
Notice how you're not actually selling anything about the "process" of how you achieve the results? This comes afterwards; you need to stipulate EXACTLY what the buyer is going to get for their time/money, which in the case of "social media" is followers. For SEO, it's #1 Google ranks and for "programming", it's to create a "RECURRING SAAS BUSINESS".
Obviously, the way in which those various results are cultivated is vital. But the irony is no-one cares about how you do it... as long as it's legit.
This is why some companies "always" seem to win - their "service" is based around the provision of particular RESULTS. They ignore (outsource) everything else.
If Starting A Business, It "Pays" To Focus On Service
In conclusion, if you're looking at "starting" a business - the key is to forget yourself and focus entirely on the underlying results you can provide to the client.
If you don't have the skills to provide said results, you need to get to work building them up (which can be done on the job).
Think about every transaction from the perspective of what you can add to the engagement. Don't be afraid to "give away the family silver" (in terms of "secrets") - 99% won't compete with you, and the one guy who will rip you off will jump onto the next fad he finds.
The key thing you need to do from an enterprise perspective is to identify the various "services" which you're either able - or capable of - providing for anyone with the right budget.
By Richard Peck
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
6 Easy Ways To Improve The Credibility Of Your Website
Website credibility is a key factor that no small business owner can realistically afford to ignore as it affects sales and customer engagement.
Without a reliable, credible website your ability to:
Maximise your sales.
Effectively interact with your customers.
Communicate your value to prospective customers,
becomes difficult and limited.
Think about your own experiences shopping online. What are some of the key reasons you have abandoned an online shopping cart?
The website payment gateway wasn't secure.
Postage or shipping charges where not disclosed till near the end of the transaction and were too expensive.
No physical address that you could easily find on the website.
Customer service phone numbers and email addresses where difficult to find.
The website 'returns policy' was non existent or difficult to find.
The above are just a few reasons why web visitors might abandon a shopping cart. If a prospective customer doesn't think that they are dealing with a professional, trustworthy, service provider, the chances are they won't complete the online transaction.
Here are some easy to implement changes that can help improve the credibility of your website.
How to boost your website credibility
1. Easy to access customer service
Make sure it's easy for people to get in touch with you via your website. Remember customers like to have customer support options. For example:
Phone support
Email support
Live web chat
Making it easy for customers to get in touch with you means they can quickly ask a question about your product or service. This makes it more likely that they will make a purchase as it helps them to feel more secure knowing they can easily get in touch, if they have a problem.
2. Include your contact details
Put your contact details on your website. Sounds simple right? You would be surprised how many websites don't! At a minimum you should include your phone, email, and a physical address even if it is a PO Box. Often when we can't find contact information on a website we immediately wonder whether they are hiding something or why are they withholding this information.
Links to social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram are also helpful in building credibility as they show that the business is trading and promoting itself on several platforms.
3. Reviews and customer testimonials
Google reviews, Facebook reviews and customer testimonials all help to create an increased level of social proof. This helps build credibility for your brand and your website. If you haven't added these social icons to your website I suggest you do.
4. Logos and security badges
Are you an accredited service provider? Do you have a CPA qualification or perhaps another well recognised qualification? If so, make sure you add these logos to your website. Including logos of well known institutes or industry bodies can help boost the credibility of your website.
If you run a product based business and sell online, security badges can be very useful too. If customers know that their online transactions are going to be secure they are more likely to provide their credit card details.
5. Articles and press
Don't underestimate the power of print media. Articles, editorials or mentions in the press are another great way to build your brand and create online credibility. Add these articles or add a link to them on your website. If there are some great images used in the article, share these on your website too, which again helps to build the profile of your business.
6. About Us page
An informative "About Us" page listing credentials and experience is also a great way to boost credibility. After the "Home page" the "About us" page on a website is one of the most visited pages. Therefore, if yours could do with an update, go for it.
Take Action - most are easy to implement
Most of all, many of the suggestions above are easy to implement so take a moment to review your website and evaluate if there are any opportunities to improve it.
Remember with the right knowledge and a can-do attitude, you can make the changes needed to help grow your business. If you are not sure what to do or need some help consider seeking assistance from a qualified marketing consultant.
Website credibility is a key factor that no small business owner can realistically afford to ignore as it affects sales and customer engagement.
Without a reliable, credible website your ability to:
Maximise your sales.
Effectively interact with your customers.
Communicate your value to prospective customers,
becomes difficult and limited.
Think about your own experiences shopping online. What are some of the key reasons you have abandoned an online shopping cart?
The website payment gateway wasn't secure.
Postage or shipping charges where not disclosed till near the end of the transaction and were too expensive.
No physical address that you could easily find on the website.
Customer service phone numbers and email addresses where difficult to find.
The website 'returns policy' was non existent or difficult to find.
The above are just a few reasons why web visitors might abandon a shopping cart. If a prospective customer doesn't think that they are dealing with a professional, trustworthy, service provider, the chances are they won't complete the online transaction.
Here are some easy to implement changes that can help improve the credibility of your website.
How to boost your website credibility
1. Easy to access customer service
Make sure it's easy for people to get in touch with you via your website. Remember customers like to have customer support options. For example:
Phone support
Email support
Live web chat
Making it easy for customers to get in touch with you means they can quickly ask a question about your product or service. This makes it more likely that they will make a purchase as it helps them to feel more secure knowing they can easily get in touch, if they have a problem.
2. Include your contact details
Put your contact details on your website. Sounds simple right? You would be surprised how many websites don't! At a minimum you should include your phone, email, and a physical address even if it is a PO Box. Often when we can't find contact information on a website we immediately wonder whether they are hiding something or why are they withholding this information.
Links to social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram are also helpful in building credibility as they show that the business is trading and promoting itself on several platforms.
3. Reviews and customer testimonials
Google reviews, Facebook reviews and customer testimonials all help to create an increased level of social proof. This helps build credibility for your brand and your website. If you haven't added these social icons to your website I suggest you do.
4. Logos and security badges
Are you an accredited service provider? Do you have a CPA qualification or perhaps another well recognised qualification? If so, make sure you add these logos to your website. Including logos of well known institutes or industry bodies can help boost the credibility of your website.
If you run a product based business and sell online, security badges can be very useful too. If customers know that their online transactions are going to be secure they are more likely to provide their credit card details.
5. Articles and press
Don't underestimate the power of print media. Articles, editorials or mentions in the press are another great way to build your brand and create online credibility. Add these articles or add a link to them on your website. If there are some great images used in the article, share these on your website too, which again helps to build the profile of your business.
6. About Us page
An informative "About Us" page listing credentials and experience is also a great way to boost credibility. After the "Home page" the "About us" page on a website is one of the most visited pages. Therefore, if yours could do with an update, go for it.
Take Action - most are easy to implement
Most of all, many of the suggestions above are easy to implement so take a moment to review your website and evaluate if there are any opportunities to improve it.
Remember with the right knowledge and a can-do attitude, you can make the changes needed to help grow your business. If you are not sure what to do or need some help consider seeking assistance from a qualified marketing consultant.
By Effie Cinanni
Without a reliable, credible website your ability to:
Maximise your sales.
Effectively interact with your customers.
Communicate your value to prospective customers,
becomes difficult and limited.
Think about your own experiences shopping online. What are some of the key reasons you have abandoned an online shopping cart?
The website payment gateway wasn't secure.
Postage or shipping charges where not disclosed till near the end of the transaction and were too expensive.
No physical address that you could easily find on the website.
Customer service phone numbers and email addresses where difficult to find.
The website 'returns policy' was non existent or difficult to find.
The above are just a few reasons why web visitors might abandon a shopping cart. If a prospective customer doesn't think that they are dealing with a professional, trustworthy, service provider, the chances are they won't complete the online transaction.
Here are some easy to implement changes that can help improve the credibility of your website.
How to boost your website credibility
1. Easy to access customer service
Make sure it's easy for people to get in touch with you via your website. Remember customers like to have customer support options. For example:
Phone support
Email support
Live web chat
Making it easy for customers to get in touch with you means they can quickly ask a question about your product or service. This makes it more likely that they will make a purchase as it helps them to feel more secure knowing they can easily get in touch, if they have a problem.
2. Include your contact details
Put your contact details on your website. Sounds simple right? You would be surprised how many websites don't! At a minimum you should include your phone, email, and a physical address even if it is a PO Box. Often when we can't find contact information on a website we immediately wonder whether they are hiding something or why are they withholding this information.
Links to social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram are also helpful in building credibility as they show that the business is trading and promoting itself on several platforms.
3. Reviews and customer testimonials
Google reviews, Facebook reviews and customer testimonials all help to create an increased level of social proof. This helps build credibility for your brand and your website. If you haven't added these social icons to your website I suggest you do.
4. Logos and security badges
Are you an accredited service provider? Do you have a CPA qualification or perhaps another well recognised qualification? If so, make sure you add these logos to your website. Including logos of well known institutes or industry bodies can help boost the credibility of your website.
If you run a product based business and sell online, security badges can be very useful too. If customers know that their online transactions are going to be secure they are more likely to provide their credit card details.
5. Articles and press
Don't underestimate the power of print media. Articles, editorials or mentions in the press are another great way to build your brand and create online credibility. Add these articles or add a link to them on your website. If there are some great images used in the article, share these on your website too, which again helps to build the profile of your business.
6. About Us page
An informative "About Us" page listing credentials and experience is also a great way to boost credibility. After the "Home page" the "About us" page on a website is one of the most visited pages. Therefore, if yours could do with an update, go for it.
Take Action - most are easy to implement
Most of all, many of the suggestions above are easy to implement so take a moment to review your website and evaluate if there are any opportunities to improve it.
Remember with the right knowledge and a can-do attitude, you can make the changes needed to help grow your business. If you are not sure what to do or need some help consider seeking assistance from a qualified marketing consultant.
Website credibility is a key factor that no small business owner can realistically afford to ignore as it affects sales and customer engagement.
Without a reliable, credible website your ability to:
Maximise your sales.
Effectively interact with your customers.
Communicate your value to prospective customers,
becomes difficult and limited.
Think about your own experiences shopping online. What are some of the key reasons you have abandoned an online shopping cart?
The website payment gateway wasn't secure.
Postage or shipping charges where not disclosed till near the end of the transaction and were too expensive.
No physical address that you could easily find on the website.
Customer service phone numbers and email addresses where difficult to find.
The website 'returns policy' was non existent or difficult to find.
The above are just a few reasons why web visitors might abandon a shopping cart. If a prospective customer doesn't think that they are dealing with a professional, trustworthy, service provider, the chances are they won't complete the online transaction.
Here are some easy to implement changes that can help improve the credibility of your website.
How to boost your website credibility
1. Easy to access customer service
Make sure it's easy for people to get in touch with you via your website. Remember customers like to have customer support options. For example:
Phone support
Email support
Live web chat
Making it easy for customers to get in touch with you means they can quickly ask a question about your product or service. This makes it more likely that they will make a purchase as it helps them to feel more secure knowing they can easily get in touch, if they have a problem.
2. Include your contact details
Put your contact details on your website. Sounds simple right? You would be surprised how many websites don't! At a minimum you should include your phone, email, and a physical address even if it is a PO Box. Often when we can't find contact information on a website we immediately wonder whether they are hiding something or why are they withholding this information.
Links to social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram are also helpful in building credibility as they show that the business is trading and promoting itself on several platforms.
3. Reviews and customer testimonials
Google reviews, Facebook reviews and customer testimonials all help to create an increased level of social proof. This helps build credibility for your brand and your website. If you haven't added these social icons to your website I suggest you do.
4. Logos and security badges
Are you an accredited service provider? Do you have a CPA qualification or perhaps another well recognised qualification? If so, make sure you add these logos to your website. Including logos of well known institutes or industry bodies can help boost the credibility of your website.
If you run a product based business and sell online, security badges can be very useful too. If customers know that their online transactions are going to be secure they are more likely to provide their credit card details.
5. Articles and press
Don't underestimate the power of print media. Articles, editorials or mentions in the press are another great way to build your brand and create online credibility. Add these articles or add a link to them on your website. If there are some great images used in the article, share these on your website too, which again helps to build the profile of your business.
6. About Us page
An informative "About Us" page listing credentials and experience is also a great way to boost credibility. After the "Home page" the "About us" page on a website is one of the most visited pages. Therefore, if yours could do with an update, go for it.
Take Action - most are easy to implement
Most of all, many of the suggestions above are easy to implement so take a moment to review your website and evaluate if there are any opportunities to improve it.
Remember with the right knowledge and a can-do attitude, you can make the changes needed to help grow your business. If you are not sure what to do or need some help consider seeking assistance from a qualified marketing consultant.
By Effie Cinanni
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