You’ve seen them – QR Codes. They are those funny looking data-matrix squares found on marketing materials, business cards, movie posters, t-shirts, etc.  QR Codes have been around since 1997 and have resurfaced as a new found marketing tool.  In fact, my latest Brookstone catalog last month was covered in QR Codes!

 Why QR Codes Matter

• A Nielsen report  indicates Smartphones account for 31% of US mobile phone owners as of December 2010.
• EMarketer predicts Smartphone ownership will reach 43% of the US mobile population by 2015
• Morgan Stanley Research estimates sales of Smartphones will exceed those of PCs in 2012

In a recent blog article written by Ryan Goff titled Breaking: QR Code Stats Revealed, a survey conducted by MGH revealed why users would use a QR Code and that by using QR Codes, it makes your marketing to stand out from the rest:

What are QR Codes

The QR (Quick Response) Code is a low-cost, efficient technology that can be used by small business owners to market their products and/or services or create brand awareness.  There are many ways to use these Codes on your website, social media sites, marketing collateral, business cards (see mine) or even use for your Facebook or Twitter ID (not sure I like this one).  To access the QR Code, simply download a barcode reader on your SmartPhone and scan away.  My QR Code directs you to one of my YouTube videos about customer loyalty.  

Creating QR Codes

Creating a QR code is simple.  I found QRinkle which enables you to create a trackable QR Code at its optimal size of 1” to 1.25”.   Based on my research, a png or jpg file will work on most websites. However, when doing larger-scale printing, you will typically need a high-resolution image that doesn’t lose quality when resized.  According to Qrinkle, by using Google Analytics on your website or mobile website, you can specify campaign information to allow you to track each generated code within your Analytics.  Good stuff.

Question:  What ways have you used QR Codes for your small business marketing?

 What is a Microsoft Tag

A Microsoft Tag is a newer technology developed by Microsoft in 2009. It looks different than a QR Code and is customizable.  To use this service, you must register for a Microsoft account.  One plus is that the Microsoft Tags allow a much smaller size than QR Codes.  The Microsoft Tags service features built-in analytics, but more importantly, you can change the content behind the Tags through your Microsoft account.  Start an account and create your own MS Tag.  How do you decide which one to use:  QR Codes versus Microsoft Tags?  Which one would you use and why?  My advice is keep it simple.  If QR Codes are good enough for Brookstone, they are good enough for me.  Most importantly, begin to use QR Codes or Microsoft Tags to provide a richer engagement with your potential customers.  Get crazy with QR Codes!

Groupon offers subscribers a deal-of-the-day where a local business features services or products at heavily reduced discounts anywhere from 50-90% off. The catch is that the business sets a minimum number of purchases before the deal is “on” for everyone. With over 10 million subscribers at last count, Groupon is a powerful marketing tool sought out by both the biggest and smallest of business owners. From what I hear from local businesses, there is a waiting list to feature your business.

That hasn’t been a problem for most businesses, and in fact, some have been overwhelmed with the response rate. Groupon launched its first national deal this past Thursday with GAP to offer $50 worth of apparel and accessories for $25 and about 450,000 Groupons were sold.

Sounds incredible right? But what about the local small business that creates these deals. If they are barely surviving and think that a Groupon campaign is the answer, they may be sadly mistaken. Here are some things to considering using these types of services:

• Cap the number of deals you are willing to sell. Decide first how much in discounts your business can afford to accept based on your margins.
• Prepare your store. Decide who will be in charge of handling these coupon customers when they have questions about the program. Make sure that your front liners gladly accept the discounts.
• Prepare your staff. Let them know you are participating in this type of marketing and that you have their buy-in. This is the time to make your best first impression with these customers.
• Have a Retention Plan in place. What good is it if you have this rush of business but you aren’t retaining these customers? Many of them are simply looking for the deal of the day and never plan to return. Encourage them to join your mailing lists, social media sites, text messaging campaigns, etc., and give them a compelling reason to return – one being your outstanding customer experience.

We’ve just begun to see more and more group buying websites pop up due to Groupon’s popularity. Sites like Buywithme.com and Livingsocial.com are other examples. Make sure that your customer loyalty programs capture these customers so that you can grow your repeat business. Otherwise, you could be missing out on the full benefit of increased customer traffic.

 

Norma, The Loyalty Lady,is an innovative Customer Experience Strategist, Business Coach, Blogger and Speaker. She works with small service businesses to help them build an unprecedented customer experience that will drive customer loyalty and retention. Contact her at Norma@CaptivatedCustomers.com or by phone at (480) 694-6940.

Over and over, I see business owners them spend most of their marketing dollars attracting new customers.  All the marketing in the world won’t grow your business if your customer experience is poor. Creating an extraordinary customer experience to maximize the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns should be our focus.

Did you know that I have spent 20+ years in sales and service in a variety of industries including education, real estate, and cosmetic? I have even sold Girl Scout Cookies and loved it, so I know sales and service are in my DNA. I have my dad to thank, a former hardware salesman, because he helped me understand how to treat customers and build strong relationships with them.

About 9 months ago, I began my research on customer experience strategies reading hundreds of articles, various blogs, and multiple books and talking to customer experience experts.  I combined my research, best practices, and my expertise in outlining strategies that small business owners could employ to develop an outstanding customer experience.  Watch my video about today’s customer experience:

I looked at all areas of a business that affect its ability to develop that extraordinary customer experience. There was a need for a customer experience plan, a customer-centric culture, customer loyalty tactics, and an employee staffing and development strategy.  I identified 6 customer experience strategies which I call the Customer S.M.A.R.T.S. System™.  Based on this System, I created the Program called Turn Your Customer Experience into Cash with the Customer S.M.A.R.T.S. System™. The Program includes a 5-Hour CD Set and Program Guide that walks a business through the process from start to finish.

After feedback and improvements to the Program, I am re-launching my Program and wanted you to know about it. I am providing small business owners several ways to engage with the Program. Some business owners will want one-on-one consulting.  Some will want to participate in a 7-week teleclass series so that they can walk through each strategy, get feedback from me and their peers, and stay accountable.  And some will simply want the Program so that they can do it themselves. So I provide all three options.

If you are interested in developing an outstanding customer experience, visit my website at TurnServiceIntoCash.com.  As a special offer to my readers, I want to offer a $50 discount off the Program through September 1, 2010.  Simply use “BLG50” for the coupon code to receive my “thank you” discount.  Go to TurnServiceIntoCash.com now and claim your Program.  You can also reach me at (480) 694-6940 or email Norma if you have any questions.  Log into Twitter and Facebook to share this blog with your friends by clicking on the links below!

1)      Customer Service

2)      Culture and Core Values

3)      Employee Training and Development

There were several surprises for me in reading this book.  My perception of Zappos.com was that they started the business with a customer-service focus, a customer-centric culture, and the best employee training from the get-go.  But I was wrong.  It evolved as they evolved.

For example, one thing that surprised me is that even though they began the company in 1999, it wasn’t until 2003 when they decided to make customer service the focus of the company.  It came about as a result of needing to cut expenses to survive. During that time, they decided to cut their marketing expenses and refocus their efforts on trying to get existing customers to purchase again and more frequently, which resulted in developing a better customer experience.

Another surprise about Zappos.com is that their focus on their culture and core values wasn’t fully established until 2005. The focus began when they moved their call center to Las Vegas.  It’s through this move that they realized that their culture was their number one priority, even more than customer service.  They believed if they got their culture right, building their brand around customer service would happen naturally.

The last but not least surprise is that most of Zappos.com’s efforts on customer service and the customer experience actually happen after they’ve made the sale.  Surprise upgrades to overnight shipping, quick fulfillment due to a 24/7 warehouse operations, and call center employees who focus on the personal connection instead of call handle times are examples of how their service goes beyond the sale. Their goal is to create more and more positive emotional associations with their brand through every interaction with the customer.

Get this book.  Whether you are a mom & pop business or a mega business, you will learn how you too can create a company that is fueled by the customer experience for both your internal and external customers.

Norma, The Loyalty Lady,is an innovative Customer Experience Strategist, Business Coach, Blogger and Speaker. She works with small service businesses to help them build an unprecedented customer experience that will drive customer loyalty and retention. Contact her at Norma@CaptivatedCustomers.com or by phone at (480) 694-6940.

This name makes sense because I help small business owners improve customer retention by improving customer engagement.  As The Loyalty Lady, I do that by uncovering opportunities in your business to provide more value to customers and help you build customer relationships resulting in customer retention.

Customer Loyalty is complicated. But to simplify it, I’ve developed a simple equation that describes the components of Customer Loyalty. The equation goes like this:

Magic + Relationships + Value = Customer Loyalty

Magic is about creating an unanticipated, extraordinary experience that customers won’t forget. It brings to mind the experience my son just had in purchasing his Iphone at the Apple Store. First, Apple allowed people to pre-purchase the Phones so that when the pre-purchasers arrived to pick up their phones from the store, they had priority treatment with their own line. Apple also provided those who waited in line food, a drink and an umbrella to shield them from the Arizona Sun in June. It’s those special touches that help develop that loyalty.

Relationships drive customer loyalty as well. When people feel connected to you and your business, loyalty is right behind. People no longer want to be treated like sheople. Customers want to be noticed, appreciated and valued. Building these relationships takes time and are built with each experience a customer has with your business. Look for opportunities to strengthen the relationships with your customers from the first time they do business with you and beyond.

Do you provide Value through your products and services? In an MSN poll, customers were asked “what is your number one customer service expectation?” The top answer was product knowledge (over friendliness and readily available staff). Customers today won’t put up with businesses that don’t support their needs and wants. Given that, we want to be sure that our front liners have the product knowledge they need to provide value to their customers.

Customer retention and loyalty are the keys to your sustained growth. As your Loyalty Lady, I want to share with you innovative ways to drive loyalty and sales. Turn up the magic, build relationships and provide value to your customers and watch what happens. Wishing you all the success you can handle,

The Loyalty Lady

Norma Huibregtse

Norma is an innovative Customer Experience Strategist, Business Coach, Blogger and Speaker. Her goal is to inspire business owners to captivate their customers and turn them into raving fans so that their businesses can experience increased profits and more fun. Contact Norma at (480) 694-6940, by email at norma@captivatedcustomers.com or visit the website at CaptivatedCustomers.com

As a former cosmetics consultant, I would make it part of the sales process to communicate with my new customers that I not only valued the initial sale, but I let them know that I wanted them to be customers for life.  It made a huge difference in building that customer relationship.

Just think about it for a minute.  Let’s say you went to a coffee shop and the counter person said to you as you were purchasing your coffee: “Thank you for coming in. We want you as a customer for life as long as you’ll have us.”

To boost customer relationships and customer retention in your business, tell your new customers that you want create a lifelong relationship.  You’ll be glad you did!  And when you do, tell us all about it by leaving a comment below.

Norma is an innovative Customer Experience Strategist, Business Coach, Blogger and Speaker. Her goal is to inspire business owners to captivate their customers and turn them into raving fans so that their businesses can experience increased profits. Contact Norma at (480) 694-6940 or visit the website http://captivatedcustomers.com.

Couch Tomato Café, a family style restaurant, used text messaging to send out a special 7-day offer just for text subscribers. They tracked the response for this campaign and estimated that they received 70 extra orders which increased sales by $1,050.

Viking Cooking School began a text message marketing program to keep in contact with students, instructors and staff. They use this service to help keep classes filled. One recent text message to students allowed them to fill open class spots. The cost to them was less than $15 dollars and resulted in an additional $632 in revenue.

UAS Properties develops and renovates affordable housing. They use text messaging to manage and collect rent for about 800 units. UAS sends text messages to alert each household that is behind in rent payments and includes a number to call for the subscriber to make an automatic payment. Read the full story for these three examples on Eztexting.com.

As exciting as text message marketing sounds, we need to respect the subscribers who opt into the service. Here are some of the pitfalls facing business owners in using this mobile marketing tool.

1. Sending too many messages to customers causing them to opt out. I was working with a restaurant client who wanted to send a text 4 days out of the week to their list. Big mistake. Too much noise and subscribers will opt out left and right. Let your customers know how often they will receive messages from you and stick to it.

2. Using text message for general announcements. The messages should be a novelty. Your customers want to know that they are a select group and that they will receive special offers that others won’t. Use Facebook and email for general announcements and keep your text message campaign to drive business.

3. Not getting opt-in approval to text message your customers. Just as with email marketing, anti-spam rules require us to get subscriber opt-in. The last thing you want to do is take your database of customer cell phone numbers and blast out a message. Instead, send them an email, post a signup widget on your website, or provide this information at your place of business and invite them to join your text message service. As important as an opt-in, make sure that you have an opt-out message with each text you send. It lets customers know that if they don’t find the service valuable, it is easy to opt-out. Don’t worry. There are more customers on the horizon.

Mobile marketing can help even the smallest business owner communicate more effectively, drive sales, and develop customer loyalty and retention. Don’t wait to get started because the early adopters will win over their competition. Contact me today at (480) 694-6940 if you are interested in customizing a text message campaign for your business.

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Promoters are your fans and advocates who love doing business with you.  They purchase the most, they buy more, and they provide the bulk of your referrals.  Your Passivists can take you or leave you.  If a better offer comes along, they are the first to shop elsewhere.  Your Punishers are your customers who are your repeat complainers who like to tell others about the poor experience they had with you.

Our job is to take a look at our customer base and identify each of these customer segments.  Make a list of your Promoters and ask yourself how you are engaging this group.  They want to be in your VIP Club, they want special offers, they want to be part of a customer focus group.  Engage them differently and watch what happens.  They will be even more excited and motivated to tell others just like themselves that they should do business with you too.

There could be several reasons why your Passivists are not loyal.  Make a list of these customers, the ones who do business with you sporadically.  Find out why they haven’t been purchasing from you as they did before.  Determine which of their needs aren’t being met and fix what you can.

The third segment is your Punishers.  We’ve all had them.  They complain frequently and they return products often.  Get in front of these customers and have a conversation about their needs.  Often, you can convert these dissatisfied customers straight to Promoters if you can resolve their issues. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to let them go.  But take the high road.  If you know of someone else in your industry that would be a better fit, be willing to arrange an introduction.

Customer engagement includes knowing your customer segments. Your goal should be to identify these segments and follow this plan:  keep your Promoters engaged, fine ways to move your Passivists to Promoters, and move your Punishers to Promoters or move them out.