Ask the Right Questions

Customer surveys are only as valuable as the questions asked. Too many times, a business will be looking for quantifiable answers from survey questions and will ask leading A/B/C, or T/F questions to get to the presumed answers. The problem with this approach is that customers are forced to answer what the administrator of the survey wants them to answer, and not how they might answer if asked candidly.

That’s not to say that leading questions should never be asked, but the most revealing types of answers come from open-ended questions.

Instead of asking…

“How satisfied were you with your last visit to ABC Business? A – Very Satisfied, B – It was okay, C – Not at all”

Try asking…

“What did you like (or not like) about your last visit to ABC Business?”

…and allow the customer to tell you in their own words, instead of picking a canned answer. While this creates a bit of a nightmare in reviewing survey results, it will be extremely eye-opening to hear exactly what customers have to say.

Evaluate Responses

If you choose to ask open-ended questions, take the time to read through the results. It is almost a guarantee that the results will reveal something you may not have thought of. You will find some responses that are unique and you will find some that seem to follow a theme or pattern.

When a trend is identified, this is where the majority of the focus should be. When multiple customers feel the same way about an issue, it is worth your attention.

Substantiate the Responses

When evaluating surveys, it is also important to note that they are only the opinions. If you want to confirm these opinions, you must look to for the trends mentioned above. You can also corroborate opinions with actual data surrounding customer behavior, and sales. It is not uncommon for a customer to complain about a problem, only for the data to reveal that it might not actually be a problem at all.

The last thing you want is to start making changes to your business based on survey results, only to find those changes have negatively impacted your business. The point here is that customer surveys are important, but you must take the time to verify the claims with hard data.

Conclusion

A customer survey is not worth much on unless you take action on the feedback received. At the end of the day, your customers will appreciate that you listened to them by implementing changes to address their concerns and better serve their needs.

1. Personalize Your Email

When sending a cold email, it’s important to remember that the recipient is likely receiving many other emails. Therefore, it’s essential to make your email stand out. Customizing your email is a method to achieve this. Begin by addressing the recipient by their name instead of using a generic greeting. This shows that you have taken the time to research and understand who you are addressing.

In addition, mention something specific about the potential client that you admire or respect, such as their work, a recent accomplishment, or an article they wrote. This not only shows that you have done your research but also demonstrates that you are genuinely interested in working with them. 

2. Create an engaging subject line

Crafting a simple subject line is vital for an effective cold email campaign, but it doesn’t stop there. To truly engage recipients, subject lines must hold an air of intrigue and captivation. Showcasing the value of your offer rather than just telling it outright, entices readers to explore further, uncovering the treasures of your email’s content. This approach ignites curiosity, making them eager to learn more about what you have to offer.

3. Keep Your Email Short and Concise

People’s attention spans are shorter than ever, so it’s important to keep your email short and to the point. In general, aim to limit your email to no more than three paragraphs. Start with a brief introduction about who you are and why you are reaching out. Follow this with a few sentences about what you offer and how it could benefit the recipient. Finally, end your email with a call to action, such as asking to schedule a call or meeting to discuss further.

4. Highlight the Benefits of Working With You

It’s essential to focus on the benefits the potential client will receive by working with you. Rather than just listing your services, explain how they can solve the client’s specific problems or meet their needs. For example, if you are offering website design services, explain how your designs can improve the client’s user experience and increase their conversion rates.

5. Make It Easy to Contact You

It’s crucial to make it easy for the recipient to contact you. Include your contact information at the end of the email, such as your phone number and email address. You could also include a link to your website or social media profiles if applicable. Additionally, if you have any relevant work samples, consider including them as attachments to the email.

6. Follow Up

Sending a single cold email is unlikely to result in a response from the potential client. Therefore, it’s essential to follow up with the recipient after a few days. A gentle reminder can increase the chances of getting a response. However, avoid being too pushy or aggressive, as this could have the opposite effect.

7. Proofread Your Email

Before sending your email, be sure to check it for any spelling or grammar errors. Spelling and grammar errors can make your email appear unprofessional, and they may decrease the likelihood of receiving a response. It’s also important to double-check the recipient’s name and any other details you mention in the email. 

Sending a cold email to a potential client can be a powerful way to establish new business relationships. By personalizing your email, keeping it short, highlighting the benefits of working with you, making it easy to contact you, following up, and proofreading your email, you can increase your chances of getting a response. Remember, email marketing is a numbers game, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t receive a response from every potential client. Keep refining your approach, and eventually, you will find success. 

Choose a Calculated Response Instead of Just Reacting

Stress is common in the workplace, no matter what industry you are in. That means you need to know how to handle it whenever stress comes your way. Unfortunately, many business owners simply react to problems coming down the pipe, instead of choosing a solid response. The difference between the two concepts is that a reaction is instinctive and inherently without thought – which is almost certain to lead to a mistake. A response is chosen. Resist the urge to react. Respond to problems instead.

Find a Way to be Self-Motivated

If you want to develop your emotional intelligence, you will want to find a way to become self-motivated. When your motivation and energy come from within, you will become naturally resilient to outside factors. Whatever happens, you can always to yourself to keep your engine going.

Put Conscious Effort Towards Being Positive

Being able to stay positive in the face of adversity is a well-known trait that indicates emotional intelligence, but what is not as well-known is that positivity is a skill. Keeping your eye on the horizon isn’t an instinct – it is a habit, one that can be developed through practice. Often it is a matter of putting yourself in a positive headspace. Some people do it by listening to a song that gets their engines roaring, others through calm meditation that allows them to reset their emotions. Find the methods that work for you and practice using them when times are tough.

Be More Assertive

While there are times when being passive is the right course of action, your default mode should be to assert your needs and wants to your employees. Learning to do so is a matter of practice. Do not worry if you overstep your bounds occasionally. Everyone has different boundaries – it is up to you to recognize your mistakes and to adjust your behavior until you can be assertive while remaining respectful.

Get Used to Critique and Feedback

Critique and feedback are unavoidable aspects of work and self-improvement. If you cannot take constructive criticism and direction, you will not only have trouble becoming a better leader, you will have trouble staying in business. When someone gives you advice on how you can improve your work or productivity, focus on the advice. Try not to take it personally, and if you do, learn to keep those feelings to yourself and process them at a later date.

Learn to Actively Listen

Emotionally intelligent individuals know how to properly engage in conversation with their employees. They are not merely waiting to speak – they want to listen to what the other side has to say and to respond with a well-considered answer. The emotionally intelligent do not just listen to words, they pay attention to body language and other non-verbal indicators of tone and meaning. The more information they glean, the better their response will be.

Be More Aware of Yourself

If you want to develop your emotional intelligence, you will need to be self-aware. You cannot manage what you do not know or understand. Pay attention to what you are feeling, as well as why you are experiencing those emotions. The more you do that, the more you will be able to present your points in the way you intend, minimizing misunderstanding, and increasing efficiency.

While these are far from the only ways you can develop your emotional intelligence, they can get you off to a good start. Do not fret if you find it difficult to develop the skill. Everyone can develop it, some more easily than others. What is important is you do not give up.

However, when you’re in the midst of the day-to-day hustle and bustle of running your firm, it can be hard to step back and recognize when you need to grow your business. And before you know it, years have passed, and your company has still stayed at its original size and level of success – or maybe not even grown beyond its initial launch phase.

But how do you know when it’s time to move from being a small business upstart to a more established organization that can better survive both economic downturns and upticks? Here are eight telltale signs that your firm is ready to take the next step and grow into the future.

1. You Have a Vision for Your Expansion

Before you take the plunge and start expanding your company, you need to have a clear vision for how you want your business to develop – and how it will look once you’ve grown your company. This way, you’ll know exactly what you’re working toward and can make decisions accordingly, rather than just making moves on blind instinct.

Plus, with a clear vision for growth, it’s easier to evaluate new opportunities that may come along – and determine whether or not they’re worth your time and money.

2. Demand for Your Products and Services is Outpacing Supply

Are you being constantly bombarded with more requests from your customers than you can handle? If sales are increasing month-over-month, and you’re having a hard time keeping up with the orders, it’s a clear indicator that there is demand for what you’re offering, and it may be time to start thinking about growth.

Think about whether you can meet increased demand by bringing on more staff or whether you need to open up another location.

3. You’re Financially Prepared

This one’s pretty much a no-brainer – you have to be prepared financially to take on new projects and grow your business. Obviously, you should have a good grasp on your finances before you launch into expansion mode, and you can always pay attention to your cash flow and expenditures in order to prevent any potential budget problems ­­- but even if you’re on top of your financials, there’s always the risk that unforeseen expenses might arise.

To avoid these potential stumbling blocks, make sure you have enough cash on hand to cover your potential losses, as well as investments in the businesses needed to make the expansion happen.

4. You’ve Built a Great Team

There’s no point in looking towards the future of your business if you’re not confident in your staff and their ability to get the job done and help you expand. A team can make or break any business, so it’s vital to know that your employees are all on the same page, invested in the company’s future, skilled enough, and motivated to succeed.

Also, consider whether your existing team can handle the pressure that comes with expansion or if it’s time to bring on some new blood.

5. You Have a Plan B

Taking risks is part of the game, especially if you want your company to become more profitable and reach its full potential. Of course, with every risky move you make, there’s also the chance that you’re going to fail, which is why it’s so important to have a contingency plan in place before you start taking risks. That way, you can fall back on a plan B should something go wrong – and if things do go wrong, having a backup plan makes it a lot easier to pick yourself up and move forward.

6. Your Client Base Has Expanded Drastically

Another sign that your business is ready for the next step is if it has attracted interest from people who previously weren’t interested in what you have to offer. If you find clients in new industries or different locations, this is a sure sign that your company’s reputation has spread and reached an audience outside your initial target market.

7. Your Industry is Ready for Growth

Even if you’re prepared to take your company to the next level, it isn’t necessarily a good idea to do so if the industry you’re in is in decline or there’s just not much growth potential in your current market yet. Staying small is good for business, especially if you find that the space you’re in is saturated with competitors or just isn’t growing at all.

Yes, there are always ways to move up in the marketplace as long as you’re willing to look for them – but it’s a lot easier to expand when the economy and the industry around you is on an upswing.

8. Competition is Biting at Your Heels

Besides taking a look at your industry and how it’s currently performing, you should also take a look at your competition and see how they’re doing. If you see that your competitors are starting to pick up steam and aggressively trying to get a leg up on one another, it may be time to start planning your growth strategy before they catch up with you.

However, it doesn’t mean that you should start obsessively checking out what your competitors are doing; instead, keep an eye on the market and see how new entrants affect the industry by looking at market data reports or reading industry-related news. This way, you’ll know whether or not it’s time to expand ­­- but whatever you do, don’t rush into it.

The Bottom Line

When you’re starting out with your business, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of creating something new, but it’s crucial to keep an eye on the future and consider how your business will develop with time. No matter how well you’ve succeeded thus far, there are always new heights to reach and new goals to achieve.

No doubt, growing a business is tough. It takes dedication and strategy to be successful. But it’s not impossible! With knowledge and the right steps, you can make your small company into a thriving enterprise.

Social Mention

Social Mention is a top tool for brand managers wanting to monitor their company’s reputation online. This handy interface lets you search for keywords specific to your business and offers you sentiment analysis on the mentions it finds. Discover details on everything from retweets regarding your keyword to associated terms you may not have thought to search for. Social Mention’s advanced search interface lets you hunt for keyword mentions from specific locations and times as well as in specific languages and in specific formats (images, videos, audio, etc.).

Mention

Not to be confused with Social Mention, Mention lets you not only search for mentions of your business but also hunt for influencers who might be able to spread the word of your company. Mention connects with multiple platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Buffer. Manage your online reputation from one central interface and instantly react to mentions of your company, both good and bad. With advanced analytics and team task management, you’ll be thrilled at how easy it is to monitor your company’s reputation online.

Reply

Offered by Buffer, Reply lets you monitor your Twitter account for brand mentions, hashtags, and direct messages. Whether a customer @ mentions you in a poor customer service tweet, talks about you and includes the #fail hashtag, or sends your customer support team a direct message for help, you can use Reply to instantly interact and improve the situation.

Google Alerts

Not to be overlooked, Google Alerts is a must-use tool for reputation-conscious business owners. Set up alerts for mentions of your business and customize how often you receive your notifications. Google Alerts is also a handy tool for lead generation; create alerts regarding keywords relevant to your business’ offerings and be among the first to respond to potential customers.

Managing your company’s reputation online doesn’t have to mean hiring an expensive data intelligence company to scour the Internet for signs of trouble. With terrific tools like those listed above, you can easily manage your company’s online presence from your smartphone or laptop. How many of these resources will you be integrating into your brand management strategy?

1) Stop attending to distractions immediately

No, you don’t need to answer that email right away or update your Facebook page with the latest cat GIF you found. Keep a notepad in your pocket or add a voice dictation to your smartphone; those distractions will wait. Focus on your task at hand before starting a new task.

2) Learn the power of delegation.

Why have employees if you’re not going to delegate tasks to them? The more challenges you give your employees, the stronger they’ll become. When you trust staff members to complete tasks on your behalf, it shows them you trust their abilities. Delegation not only helps you be more productive, it builds stronger team members at the same time.

3) Develop a defined email management plan

Don’t check your email throughout the day. Set specific time periods where you allow yourself to read and respond to emails. You can significantly boost your productivity by not attending to emails first thing in the morning. Force yourself to work for at least one hour before even looking at your email inbox.

4) Track your productivity and reward yourself for your efforts

End each day with a special treat when you have managed to cross off items on your to-do list. Reinforcing good behavior doesn’t just work for pets and children. When you reward yourself for a particularly productive day, it encourages you to repeat your performance for the rest of the week.

5) Learn to create weekly task lists

Spend time on a Saturday or Sunday reviewing tasks you want to accomplish in the week ahead. This one simple habit can help you feel supercharged when Monday rolls around. Instead of dreading the upcoming week, you can feel invigorated by all the business-building goals you hope to achieve.

Becoming a more productive business owner is easy if you are willing to make a concerted effort to improve your work output in small ways. Little tweaks in your daily routine can have a huge impact on your overall weekly productivity. How many of these productivity tips will you be trying this week?

1. Apologize

When a customer is unhappy, it’s usually because a customer service representative (or whoever is in charge of handling that customer’s problem) handled a situation wrong or made a mistake. But instead of apologizing for their mistakes, customer service representatives will often ignore the problem – or make an excuse. This is a huge mistake: when a customer is unhappy, an apology is a simple way to turn a potential customer into a repeat customer.

Apologize even if you don’t agree with their stance. Show empathy too.  For example: “I understand how inconvenient this is for you, and I want to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.” Sometimes that’s all a customer needs to hear to feel better about the situation. It’s an affirmation that you’re listening and that you care. Then, make sure customer service reps are trained to deal with such a situation so you don’t have a repeat performance.

2. Ask Questions and Listen to the Answers

Ask questions, be polite, and listen to the customer. Depending on the situation you can ask for their involvement in resolving this. For example: “I want to resolve this with you so that you’re happy. Can I get your permission to look at your order more closely?”

Why is this effective? The customer wants to be heard, and when you listen, it diffuses some of their anger. Plus, you’ll get a better idea of potential problems that need resolving. Your customer may have a legitimate complaint and knowing it exists gives you a chance to prevent future recurrences of the same issue. That can make your business better! So listen to what they’re saying.

3. Be Empathetic

To express empathy, think about how you would feel if the situation were reversed and what you would want someone to say to you. Compassion is key here. For example: “I am sorry that this has been a disappointing experience for you. I know it’s frustrating and I’d like to work with you to resolve it. You’ll be surprised at how far expressing empathy will take you. When you express empathy, it shows that your customer’s experience is important to you. It also makes the process of resolving the situation easier for everyone involved.

4. Just do it!

It is difficult to make a change on the spot, but if there is something you can do quickly to address the situation, then do it. For example: “I’ll try to fix this for you quickly. I apologize for any inconvenience you’ve experienced and will keep you updated.” If you can make things better fast, then the customer will be more pleased than if your company drags its feet on sorting things out.

Keep in mind that the customer is usually not angry at your company. They are angry with the person who dealt with them initially or something about the company that caused frustration. If you can resolve the issue quickly, you’ll regain their favor and they may even become a strong advocate for your brand.

5. Customer Service Is Everything to You and Your Business

Where do unhappy customers go? Almost always, the customer will move on to another store, or another product, or perhaps even another company altogether. Even worse, they may leave a negative review online or badmouth your company. Don’t let your ego cost you a customer or harm your business’s brand or reputation.

The Bottom Line

Businesses that deal with unhappy or angry customers quickly and empathically retain customers and build a reputation for offering top-notch customer service. That’s the kind of reputation you want! Customers are increasingly vocal on social media, and unhappy customers are more likely to share bad experiences than good ones. Don’t give them a reason to post something that portrays your company in a negative light.

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With over five years of experience aiding small to medium-sized entrepreneurs, show hosts Jim and Bridget Fitzpatrick conduct in-studio and online interviews with the most influential and successful business owners nationwide. Viewers can watch interviews with Tiffany Bova, Neil Patel, Ken Blanchard, Kathy Ireland, Jon Gordon, Melinda Emerson, and more as they share vital information regarding every aspect of running a successful business. 

Currently, viewers can access ASBN’s renowned content and interviews via ASBN.com, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, and Youtube. But starting on August 7, 2023, ASBN will launch in over 70 million broadcasting households for users with Roku, Firestick, AppleTV, and mobile Android [download] and IOS [download] devices.

“We are super excited to be featured in millions of households that will allow us to expand our network in reaching entrepreneurs who want to grow a business,” exclaimed Bridget Fitzpatrick, news anchor and co-founder of ASBN. “We’re thrilled about the opportunity to put viewers in touch with renowned industry experts and proven solutions in the convenience of their own homes.”

About ASBN 

Business owners and entrepreneurs depend on America’s Small Business Network to stay ahead of the competition and gain the necessary support to help them on their journey to success. ASBN’s extensive collection of engaging video interviews with business experts, thought leaders, and successful entrepreneurs, provides our audience with invaluable insights and practical advice covering various topics, including finance, marketing, technology, leadership, and more. Bridget and Jim Fitzpatrick are the passionate and dynamic duo behind the creation of ASBN. As seasoned entrepreneurs themselves, they understand firsthand the challenges and hurdles that small to medium-sized businesses face daily. ASBN’s mission is simple: to provide SMBs with the knowledge, insights, and resources they need to run their businesses better. To learn more about partnering with ASBN or to discuss advertising opportunities, please contact our dedicated team at sales@asbn.com.