May 1, 2013 by 1 Comment

7 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Attending Trade Shows

By Rieva Lesonsky

exhibit2 1024x673 7 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Attending Trade ShowsBusiness owners go to trade shows for a variety of reasons. Maybe you’re looking for new products to sell, on the hunt for potential partners, looking at generating sales leads or just want to network with others in your industry. How can you make sure you get the most out of the event? Follow these 7 steps:

  1. Figure out what you want to achieve. Your goals could include finding new vendors, spotting trends in your industry, meeting potential partners for your business and more. Determining your goals will drive the rest of your actions.
  1. Select the right show. Start searching for shows that will help you meet the kinds of people you’re looking for. TSNN, Trade Show Finder and Events in America are good places to search. You can sort events based on date, industry, location and other factors. If you’re totally new to trade shows, also contact your industry’s trade association to see if they host a show or recommend any particular events.
  1. Exhibit1 7 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Attending Trade ShowsGet the details. Find out who is attending, how many exhibitors will be there, what types of people are coming and more. The organizers or website should be able to give you this information.
  1. Be prepared. You’ll need plenty of business cards (yes, people still use them!) to pass out, along with any other information you might want to exchange. If you expect to order products, be sure you have your business license, tax identification number and resale certificate information. Also be prepared to take notes, whether that’s on a tablet, smartphone or with pen and paper.
  1. Get a good start. Avoid waiting in long lines at the show by registering online before the event and checking out the directory information, which should include contact information for exhibitors and a map of the event. Plan ahead what you want to see and do.
  1. Mingle as much as you can. In addition to talking to exhibitors, be sure to take advantage of speakers, workshops, lunches and other opportunities to learn and meet others in your industry. Exchange contact information with everyone—you never know who you may want to get in touch with post-show.
  1. Follow up. When you get back home, immediately organize your contact information and touch base with people within two weeks (before they forget about you). Following up promptly is key to successfully maximizing your new contacts.

To capitalize on the introductions you make at trade shows, get started on LinkedIn.  Follow the guidance of Infusionsoft’s e-book on LinkedIn.

Filed Under: Sales and Marketing Trends Tagged With: , , , ,
April 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment

How to Find the Perfect Business Partner

By Rieva Lesonsky

Being your own boss can be a lonely endeavor. Sharing the stress, workload and financial risks with a business partner or co-founder soundsBertNErnie How to Find the Perfect Business Partner a whole lot better than doing it all on your own, don’t you think? But are you asking for a new set of problems by bringing on a partner? Don’t automatically think your best friend would fit the bill. In fact, according to a recent Harvard study, having too much in common with a business partner can negatively impact the success of a business.

Here are some things to consider when choosing your perfect business partner:

  1. Family ties. Can you work with a family member and still maintain a good relationship? When the business day is done, they are still your family. Psychologist Dr. Sharon Lewis-Bultsma, Psy.D, believes it’s all about communication. Says Lewis-Bultsma, “People often anticipate how others will act or react to situations, making assumptions that may or may not be true, and respond accordingly. This happens frequently with family businesses because the individuals have previous relationships.”  Consider if you can be honest with a family member and still maintain a good relationship.
  2. The missing link. Where do you need the help? Make a list of potential partners and the skills and experience they could bring to your business. Do they want to get involved in a business? Lists the positive and negative reasons about going into business with each person.
  3. Spend the time. Make it a point to not only meet with the prospective partner, but also spend some quality work time with them. Run some ideas by them and get their input. How do they handle decision-making? You don’t want a “Yes man.” You want someone who will add to the business, not just follow your lead.
  4. Ask around. If you’re not very familiar with the potential partner, contact some of their past business associates and friends. This is a big investment, and a bigger risk, so make sure you get an honest assessment.
  5. Compatibility. It’s important you and your partner or co-founder share a similar vision and goal for the business. Are you interested in running a lifestyle business, or growing a bigger enterprise? Do you have similar work styles? Are you both in it for the long run?
  6. The contract. Always, always put a partnership agreement in writing. What happens if one partner wants to leave, retire or sell his or her share of the company? In case of a major disagreement, what is the process for arbitration? What are the responsibilities of each partner? Make an appointment with an attorney or a business expert at SCORE to get help in drafting the agreement.

Put in place a strong marketing strategy by following the steps in the “Infusionsoft Guide to Sales and Marketing.”

 

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April 4, 2013 by 1 Comment

Hire Great Employees: How to Conduct a Job Interview

By Rieva Lesonsky

Do you dread conducting job interviews? You’re not alone. Many small business owners hate interviewing and as a result, they rush through the process and do a haphazard job, at best. Big mistake. Since many job candidates look good on paper, but not so good in real life, a thorough interview is key to choosing the right person for the job. In the final part of our 4-part series on the business solution of making your small business better by hiring the best employees, we cover the interview process.

Follow these tips to make your next interview go smoothly:

  • Be prepared.

    Review the person’s job application, resume and any other relevant information shortly before the interview. Create a list of core questions and have them in front of you. These questions should cover key areas such as experience, skills and background. While your conversation will undoubtedly spark new questions, be sure that you ask each person the same core questions so that you can compare candidates more directly.

  • focusing Hire Great Employees: How to Conduct a Job InterviewBe focused.

    Set aside enough time for the interview. Don’t allow interruptions or take calls. Don’t try to multitask or let your attention be diverted by email or your cell phone. Watching candidates’ body language is as important as listening to their answers, so you need to focus. Have pen and paper so you’re ready to jot down notes as you go along.

  • Be legal.

    Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines restrict employers from asking interview questions that might be construed as discriminatory. You can’t ask candidates about things like their age, health status or marital status. Visit the Department of Labor website for more guidance, and check with your state’s Department of Labor to see if there are state-specific guidelines.

  • Be open-ended.

    Don’t just ask a lot of questions that the candidate can answer with “Yes” or “No.” Open-ended questions, such as “Tell me about a challenge you faced managing people in your last job,” give the candidate space to provide details, which will give you more information about his or her personality and character as well. This CareerBuilder list of 14 questions to ask job candidates contains lots of good open-ended questions.

  • Be a listener.

    Encourage the candidate Listening 225x300 Hire Great Employees: How to Conduct a Job Interviewto ask questions, too. The types of questions someone asks will give you a good idea of the type of worker he or she would be. Does the person show knowledge about your company and ask what your biggest challenge is or other questions that indicate initiative and readiness to hit the ground running? Or does the person just ask about things like benefits and time off.

If you’ve missed part 1, part 2 or part 3 of the hiring process series, we hope you’ll check it out for tips on how to hire the best employees for your small business. For ways to solidify a great social media strategy, download Infusionsoft’s e-book.

 

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March 26, 2013 by 2 Comments

Does Your Business Need a Customer Service Tune-up?

By Rieva Lesonsky

Biebs Does Your Business Need a Customer Service Tune up?Just like your car needs regular tune-ups to keep it running smoothly, your small business’s relationship marketing techniques and customer service isn’t something you can “set and forget.” These days, customers are pickier than ever, and they have dozens of ways to spread the (bad) news if they’re not happy with your service—from Yelp reviews to an outraged tweet. What can you do to make sure your customer service engine is purring like a Ferrari’s?

  • Staff stuff: Employees make all the difference when customers are choosing between your small business and a big corporation. Be honest: Are your employees up to par? Are they friendly and helpful at all times (no matter what the situation)? Are they up-to-date on the latest industry trends so they can give customers informed advice about what you sell? If your employees fall short, provide the training they need—or consider replacing them.
  • Tech tools: Your business needs to be up to snuff with technology for your employees to do their jobs. Do you and your team have the tools you need—whether that’s an updated invoicing system so you can quickly access customer records, mobile payment tools like Square so you can take a carts 1024x630 Does Your Business Need a Customer Service Tune up?customer’s payment on the spot, or tablet computers to show customers your ideas for their new home renovation? You don’t have to jump on every tech trend, but consider which ones will help you provide better customer service and pay off for your business.
  • First look: What impression does your business give new customers? Is your location clean, updated and welcoming? If your employees visit customers at their homes or offices, are their service or delivery vehicles well maintained? Do their uniforms convey your brand? If your business looks dingy or outdated, customers aren’t going to choose you over the competition.
  • Personable policies: Make sure your employees are empowered to make their own decisions about making customers happy. Give them boundaries within which they can decide on their own whether to, say, give an unhappy customer a refund or discount or offer them a free product or service. There’s nothing customers hate more than hearing “I have to check with my manager” or “That’s not our policy.” Today, customers expect the rules to be bent for them—so enable your team to do so.
  • Follow their feedback: To maintain your customer service at its best, regularly get feedback from customers, whether by providing physical comment cards at the point of purchase, with the bill or in the invoice. You can also conduct informal polls about service on your social media accounts such as Facebook. Or get more in-depth by using a tool like SurveyMonkey, which lets you create free online surveys. Finally, use Google Alerts to monitor what’s said online about your business and spot unhappy customers before their complaints go viral.

For a different, authentic way to gain new customers, check out “A Case for Case Studies” to prove your company’s reliability and success to prospects.

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