While many online marketers struggle to build a successful
business, mine grows almost effortlessly. I'm going to share
with you today the "rare" tools that I use to make that happen.
Briefly, my seldom-used tools are: actually caring about your
customers; a lot of actual customer contact; and giving them
tremendous value. Please allow me to provide examples of how
to actually implement each. I'll use examples from my own
business so that you can see how EASY they are to implement.
Rarely-Used Tool Number One - Actually caring about your
customers:
I've witnessed scams where retirees invested thousands of
dollars in programs where they were told that all they
needed to do was plug in traffic. Then they were offered
this plug-in traffic for a few thousand dollars more. In
every case, that untargeted traffic failed to produce many...
if any... sales.
Having a HUGE list, I've often been phoned and asked to promote
a program with a mailing or two to my list. I've been told
that I just needed to plug into the system, allow them to "mine"
my list, and they would build me a nice residual income. Ideal
prospects from my list would identify themselves, they'd be
signed up under me, and I could just sit back and collect the
passive income.
I've seen this scenario in action before, so I do KNOW
that this would generate a nice passive income stream for me.
However, I also know that many of those recruited would not
fare nearly as well. So, I've turned down all such offers.
Actually caring about your customers also often means telling
customers NOT to buy some hot new product.
During many product launches, my customers have emailed me
and asked if I felt that a given product was right for them.
They often asked me at the same time if I had an affiliate url
(if I had not actively promoted it to them). As often as not,
I've advised them not to buy the product. If one of your
customers hasn't even finished going through the last major
product that they purchased, perhaps you should advise them
the same.
Rarely-Used Tool Number Two - Lots of actual customer contact:
First of all, realize that people buy from those that
they know, like, and trust. Part of that puzzle is allowing
them to feel that they know you. Online, one of the
most effective tools for facilitating this is actually
allowing them to speak to you, or at least hear your voice.
I accomplish this by "investing" 90 minutes of my time
each week in a free networking and brainstorming call.
The calls are actually very little work because other
experts gladly join these calls and contribute freely.
Most Saturdays, between 11:00am and 12:30pm CST, I host
these free networking and brainstorming calls. These calls are
designed to allow my subscribers, clients, and contacts
to connect, and also to help everyone involved improve their
online marketing.
Some weeks we do reviews of 2-3 websites. Other weeks
we have open Q&A. Other weeks I have "featured" guests,
or I do a semi-lecture.
When we do website reviews, I email everyone slated to
be on the call with a list of the sites, so that they can
look at the sites before the call. Then everyone is free to
offer their constructive feedback during the call.
One recent call was an all-open-discussion call. Topics
covered included: methods and tools for combating or
preventing email spam; the pros and cons of using private
label articles, and ways to use them effectively; search
engine optimization issues; and third-party credit card
processors.
As you might imagine, it was a very constructive call. All
of these free networking and brainstorming calls have been
very well-received. They all build customer relations,
and they all allow existing and future client to connect
with me (and each other) on a deeper level.
By the way, you can register for these call, get call-in
details, and get instructions on how to submit your site for
a free review at:
http://williecrawford.com/free-brainstorming-calls.html
Another "almost effortless" customer contact tool involves
sending many clients birthday or holiday cards. This
shows them that you think of them as more than just a
source of sales. We enter many customers, whose
birth dates we have, into a database. Then we get an
automated reminder a few days before, but the system
can be set to automatically send them a card.
I use a system called "Send Out Cards" for this. This
system allows me to send the same card to a batch of
customers, or send a unique card to select customers.
For those that get the "same" card, the card is still
personalized with the customers' information. The
system allows you to indicated where personal data, such
as names, children's names, etc., should be inserted. The
system can be completely automated (like an autoresponder)
if you choose.
I send these fully-personalized cards, semi-automatically,
for about $1 each (including first-class postage).
By the way, these are real, printed, full-color greeting
cards, that you send right from your computer desktop. You
can check out the system that I use for this at:
http://SendOutCards.com/willie
Rarely-Used Tool Number Three - Deliver tremendous value:
My mentors often use the phrase "under-promise and
over-deliver." This is just the opposite of what you
see most hypey marketers doing today.
However, this is fairly easy to do. In fact, all of
the things I mentioned above are a part of that formula.
This can be accomplished by giving customers numerous
unannounced gifts with an order. It can also be in the
form of making sure that every product you sell is
worth many times what you charge for it.
Yes, value is in the eyes of the beholder. However, you
can and should examine every product that you're
considering offering to your customers very carefully. If,
when examining a product, you feel that you would not be
absolutely thrilled if you personally had purchased it from
someone else, then you should not offer that product to your
customers.
Go back and study each of the tools and techniques outlined
above. They are very powerful, and really do require very
little effort. Used correctly, they will endear you to
your customers, and allow your business to grow at a
mind-boggling pace. Look for similar things that you
can start doing in your business today.
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