When it’s good, it can be really good.

The most rewarding customer interaction I’ve had was a week ago. I’ve been reaching out to new Simplifythis users personally (either by phone or through sincere e-mails). Usually I don’t receive a response, but one customer was thoughtful enough to give feedback.

The Simplifythis user told me about a usability issue he had with the software, specifically regarding dates on invoices. I told our developer, Sanjay. Within a couple minutes I was able to get back to the user and tell him we were going to be releasing a new version in the coming weeks, with that issue fixed.

And when it’s bad…

I just had a funny experience where I was the customer for an SAP training center. After months of calling and e-mailing with no response, I found I was mysteriously placed in an online training class. No credit card, no name, no information shared. How could this be?

I figured they’d catch their error and someone would finally get in touch with me. They did, and it wasn’t pretty:

…Our coordinator tried reaching you hell out of times on Mon and Tues and finally gave up as it just goes to your voice massage…

My eyes immediately went to the “hell.” I’m more thickheaded than most, so I didn’t take it personally and sent an e-mail with an explanation of what had happened. I wonder if he/she was frustrated, as this sentence alone has improper grammar and a spelling mistake. If the company had poised itself as a training facility with a certain candor to its messages, I wouldn’t have been so surprised.

The lesson I learned is that your reaction determines where a conversation or transaction is headed. Because I’ve been on both sides of the customer service “counter,” I kept my cool.  Unfortunately, this customer service rep didn’t.

 What’s your favorite customer-centric story with a positive outcome (i.e. you helped the customer successfully, or learned something from the experience)? Let us know!

$150.

That’s about how much my little sister collected in two hours from the neighborhood for her school band’s fundraiser. But this isn’t anything new. School fundraisers are about as American as apple pie…the very apple pies that schools sell at their fundraisers! In my band nerd days I sold such questionable items as:

• Engraved pens
• Cookie jars that doubled as piggy banks
• Wrapping paper
• Lollipops.

But my sister’s band sold something completely different. To find out what it was, tune in next time to our 41-part series on “1,438 Ways to Sell.”

(Just kidding)

My sister’s band sold: nothing. They went door-to-door with a manilla envelope asking for money to support the band that would march at a football game the neighbors may never even see. They didn’t provide a service, a good, or anything else business class says is necessary for a transaction to occur. And yet, a group of four high schoolers earned almost $75 an hour (in a recession!).

How? They made the neighbors feel good. Who wouldn’t feel nice giving five bucks to a sweet, adorable band nerd? Most of our businesses offer services and goods - a lot more than nothing. And it could be even more if we made our customers feel good.

So, how do you make your customers feel good?

We’re about to roll out a new level of retention efforts - specifically for our free trial customers. That means we’re letting people know we are here:

• For support, questions, comments, concerns, training, tips, conversations and anything to make your stay with Simplifythis a pleasant experience
  (so you can come back for more…)
• To learn from you so we can make Simplifythis better for future generations

If you are extending a free trial with your business, you might as well do a good job of welcoming your customers. Anyone can satisfy the first bullet’s requirements with a few helpful e-mails and a blog post. It’s the business-practice equivalent of, say, having a Web site. That’s the base-line that any growing smbiz should meet.

Institutionalizing the second bullet point is tough but if done, can show you where you need to focus to meet your customers’ expectations. If I sign-up for a free trial of a computer program I’ve never used, I expect to have my hand held at the beginning and (depending on the program) I expect to be able to let go after some time. Two basic requirements that the business many opportunities to help their customers.

Know what your customer will expect. Then use that knowledge to make something awesome (a la Bobby McFerrin, who took the expectations of his “customers” and…well, see for yourself).

How do you do it? I was racking my brain trying to think of the perfect, targeted, most helpful and least annoying method…but then I though, “Why don’t I have the readers do my work for me?”

Well, I should ask this question in context.

We offer a free, 30-day trial for our Easy-Bill and Easy-Book products. This is standard procedure for many smbiz. Without big-name brand recognition, we want to try it before we buy it and a free trial is a great way to strut your stuff. But what happens after those 30 days? What happens during those 30 days?

A quick walk around the Internet reveals a 1 percent trial-to-purchase conversion rate - the arbitrary industry average for software. Unless the product is outrageously priced, 1 percent can be disheartening.

Some firms are pretty tactful. I signed up for a free trial at an e-mail marketing site and I received a non-automated phone call the next day (talk about one-on-one customer service)! Other smbiz send regular e-mail updates with “What other people are saying about our product” and “How to…” tips. The key seems to be beginning a conversation as a first step. But how much is too much?

For example, I signed up to receive some e-mail information about classes at the University of Phoenix. This company has certainly ramped up its advertising and moved closer to the front of our minds in general. I received the information, but for some reason, they call me at least three times a day. I haven’t answered my phone since the first time, just to see how long they’ll keep up their customer retention strategy

So how do you keep your customers from leaving after that trial period? E-mails? Surveys? Demos? Phone-calls? Those deceiving letters in the mail that looks like someone handwrote the address in beautiful cursive, but it’s really junk mail? Let us know!

Simplifythis has two online products:

1. Easy-Bill. Simple, easy-to-use and professional online invoicing for your smbiz
2. Easy-Book. User-friendly scheduling and booking app for your customers

These two tools are perfect for smbiz such as spas, body shops and independent contractors (don’t worry, this blog post isn’t just a shameless plug…I’ll make my point soon). As chief marketer, it’s obvious I need to reach out to ST’s potential customers. Social media is supposed to help businesses connect with their customers but there are thousands of these smbiz! If I want to reach a large audience, looks like I’ll have to send an e-mail to as many smbiz as I can. So here’s my to-do list:

• Build a massive, random list of potential smbiz
• Draft a concise e-mail that describes ST’s products
• Hire an e-mail marketing firm to make it look snazzy
• Click “send” and hope for the best

What do you think? After discussing, ST’s founder thought this strategy had a low ROI potential and a huge potential for wasting time.

Many firms and people get gung-ho about the to-do list without thinking about aligning actions with strategy. Each bullet point in the list above is easy to complete. Why, any brain-dead moron could do it (i.e. yours truly)! But taking a step back and thinking critically - that’s the hard part. Trial and error is useful but spending more time thinking can save time, money and a few trials. In our case, implementing - and tracking results of - an e-mail marketing campaign can be expensive and time-consuming.

So ST has a different to-do list. Rather than targeting a bunch of end users impersonally via mass e-mail, we compiled a small list of web designers whom we will approach for partnerships. As an ST partner, web designers include our products in their portfolio of services at no cost. In short, ST partners have more services to offer to their clients (and receive commission when they sell our products) and we get a multiplier effect since their clients can also become our clients.

Lesson? Get excited about strategy before getting excited about the easy stuff. And now for the plug

Do you know of any Web site designers who would be interested in becoming an ST partner? If so, let them know (http://tinyurl.com/STpartner)!

“Okay, have to write a blog post…about what? Thinking…thinking…all right. It’s been about 30 seconds. I guess I’ll check my Google Reader and see what else is going through the Blogvine. Opening new tab…logging in to Gmail because I’m not yet in the habit of going to Google Reader independently. Oh look! New e-mails! There’s a Facebook event invitation…a spam message requesting $2,500 from a friend’s e-mail account that has obviously been hacked…and unsolicited information from the Libertarian Party of Texas(??). As long as I’m thinking about politics, I better read the latest Newser headlines (even though I checked nearly 15 minutes ago…and 15 minutes before that). A story about the Taliban…a German ‘Borat’…25 Car Tunes for the whole family…Hillary Clinton’s diplomatic strategy…”

I won’t continue because I’m sure you’re familiar with Online Aggressive Tangent Syndrome (O.A.T.S.). One moment I’m motivated and excited to write a useful blog entry for our readers, and suddenly I’m staring at Hillary Clinton’s face. Not only am I at the wrong destination, but I’ve already forgotten the path I took to get there. Many social media marketers suffer from O.A.T.S. - our plates are full and we regularly tread the dangerous line between working intelligently and simply being “plugged in” to the Internet.

However, O.A.T.S. can be a pleasant surprise once in a while. This morning I was baffled by Seth Godin’s illustrative example of how I stink at math. I misunderstood the question (I guess I stink at English, too) and immediately wanted an answer, causing me to have an O.A.T.S. relapse. Seth posted links to user explanations regarding his mpg usage problem, and after clicking the Charlie link, I was well on my way towards Hillary Clinton’s face.

Thankfully, Charlie was smart. After providing his viewers with what we wanted (a solution and explanation to Seth Godin’s math problem), he provided us with what we needed - a cure!

For social media marketers, entrepreneurs and anyone who is susceptible to O.A.T.S., Charlie is working on Monotask - a self-imposed online equivalent of parental channel controls on TV. I can’t wait to try out the beta. You can sign up for an e-mail reminder that lets you know when Monotask launches or you can follow @charliepark on Twitter. Are you aware of any similar, positively restrictive Internet/work management applications? If so, let us know.

It’s ironic - had I not been clicking through the Internet and away from my work, I never would have stumbled on this potential cure. But until the beta is available, we’ll all have to rely on our willpower to stay focused.

Disclaimer: This post in no way endorses Hillary Clinton, social media marketing or the Internet.

Has anyone heard of “Twitter?”

Gotcha! That’s not even a real question anymore…it’s a sandwich, right (i.e. McTwitter)?

The more important concept for this blog and its readers is Twitter as it applies to business. We’re launching our social media marketing strategy and, as mentioned in one of our earlier posts, you’re coming along for the ride. What’s the first step for smbiz in our position? Learn how to use Twitter appropriately for your business.

As a recent college graduate, I’m slowly learning to shift from barely using Twitter socially, to tweeting as a marketing tool. Some companies (@DellOutlet) have a new revenue source by offering discounts exclusively to its followers on Twitter. Others (@bananarchy_atx) drop promotional hints leading up to a special event, to create suspense and build an interested audience.

But it’s not only about revenue. Many smbiz build successful relationships with customers through constructive dialogue, two-way feedback and honest communication (see: Twitter case studies). Learn how to engage your customer in an appropriate manner. It could take some time but don’t let yourself get twitterpated. Take risks that work for your company and let your customers help turn your Twitter failures into successes!

Again, learn how to use Twitter correctly. Good news: it’s not too late. Twitter101 is a short, business-friendly course on how to make that blue bird tweet for you.

By the way, I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Abhinav (uh-bee-nuv) and I’m the new chief marketer for Simplifythis. I’m still not sold on this “Internet” thing so if you have any tips/useful tools, as well as comments/concerns/lawsuits, let me know!

It may surprise you but our Easy-Bill and Easy-Book products aren’t the only low-cost services available to small businesses

Inc. magazine has a useful online slideshow featuring 10 Free (or Cheap) Tools for Start-ups. Of course, you have your basics like GoogleDocs and Skype, but there’s more, inlcuding:

• -A free CRM application
• -Portable programs that run directly from your flash drive
• -And some cool tools designed specifically for smbiz whose employees are not consolidated in one region (i.e. Simplifythis!)

(By the way, if you’re unfamiliar with Inc. magazine, check it out - it’s like the Forbes of entrepreneurship)

Do you know of any other low-cost tools for smbiz? A tool with which you are familiar could be an entirely new one for us and our customers. If so, let us know!

When I wrote about creating a personal ad in place of a bio this is exactly what I was getting at - being the one-and-only you helps you stand out in a sea of competitors.  Then I ran across  (via @jer979) Andy’s post over at GasPedal  titled Tell Me Your Story. 

Andy’s post reinforced that it is our personal stories that make us stand out and help our contacts remember us.   I think it’s also refreshing to take the time to reflect on why we do what we do - what is it that makes us passionate?

Here is my challenge for you: write an interesting personal story about why you do what you do and how it makes you different.  Here are a couple of steps to help get you started (using my own example):

1. Brainstorm (aka - free form write on a blank sheet or white board) what’s interesting about you?  Don’t question what you’re writing just capture everything that pops into your head.

2. Organize the words into three categories:

1. Why I’m passionate about my work
2. Fun stuff unrelated to work
3. Other

3. Answer the following:

1. Who am I?  Literally - who are you? What makes you qualified to do the work you do? My name is Angie and I have a degree in Business & Marketing and 10+ years of experience.  
2. What problem do I solve? If you don’t know (and many people don’t) ask your customers.  This is the difference between “I do marketing” and “I help small businesses grow through better communication with their customers and prospects.”
3. Why do I do what I do? (use the words from your brainstorm) “I think small businesses are critical to our success as a society, a country, and an economy; I’m passionate about helping them succeed.”
4. How I am different?  This is a combination of what your customers tell you and the story of your passion. Think about how you’ve arrived at where you are today and what applies to why you do what you do.
   

Put it together:

My name is Angie and I have a degree in Business & Marketing and 10+ years of experience.  I help small businesses grow through better communication with their customers and prospects.  I think small businesses are critical to our success as a society, a country, and an economy;  I’m passionate about helping them succeed. 

 

I started my career in a small, family run barcoding business.  I handled everything from our CRM implementation and sales lead reporting, to our manufacturer co-op programs and placing ads in trade journals and even the phone book.  After a year, I was questioning whether technology marketing was the right thing for me (those of you who think I’m a geek might be surprised at this!)  But as it turns out I think I was just getting bored.  When we opened up a position for a product manager on a new suite of Wireless LAN software tools - I raised my hand, got turned down twice, and finally convinced the family to let me have it.  I’ve been hooked on tech ever since getting my head around the possibilities it represents.  I was also hooked on small business - every little thing I did actually made an impact to the business and I had great insight into the big picture and knew how my actions would direct the future of the company. What I learned in my first career job was that in a small business we all have a ton on our plate and marketing has to be practical and realistic to be successful.  Having worked with companies large and small, my clients appreciate that I’m practical and programmatic, but I don’t settle for the status quo and I’m always looking for creative ways to make things better.

4. Add in some of the fun things about you outside of work:

• I am a Commissioner for the Seattle Center - Seattle’s 74-acre urban park providing amazing free and low cost public programming (including 22 cultural festivals) and home to Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle International Film Festival, the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Key Arena, Children’s Theatre and Museum and so much more.  I’m quite proud to be serving the Mayor and City Council as we shape the future of this awesome place.
  
• I’m learning Italian - I love the culture and the language is beautiful (not when I’m speaking it, but I’ll get there eventually).
  
• I love to garden in sunny weather and snowboard in soft, fluffy powder (to cushion my falls).
• Cooking and eating might be one of my favorite pastimes.
  
• I don’t have a microwave - our last one broke and when we took it out we liked the space so much we never replaced it!  
• We don’t have cable TV - I still manage to watch plenty of the ol’ Tube, but have fallen in love with public programming (we’re blessed with an amazing group here in the Northwest).

What do you think?  I love candid feedback so please don’t hold back!

This is a really important step in the development of your personal brand and worth spending the time and energy to get it to a point where you’re really happy.  While you may not be looking for a job, this applies if you’re looking for clients too!  Check out the May issue of Personal Branding Magazine to hear tips from some top online brands (that’s right - they’re people, not products!) like Anita Campbell @SmallBizTrends and Toby Bloomberg @TobyDiva.

If I get personal (aka include non-work related things) in my bio…is it a personal ad?  A bio needs to be professional and serious and convince any potential prospect why they want to work with you.  Or does it?  Have you looked at Linked-in lately?  Wow..what a boring sea of bios.  In a pool of 10 people who provide the same service, it’s tough to find one whose bio says anything different.  This applies to websites too; your business card, accessible by the world, should say something to differentiate you. 

In a market where getting new customers often  relies on how high up in the Search ranks you show, how do you stand out?  By saying the same thing as the 9 other companies like yours?  Or by putting some character into it?

I’m taking a stand and writing a personal ad in place of my bio because, while my work qualifications are important, it’s my personal experiences and  my story that speak to my character and the type of person I am. 

As a small business, we often weigh the comfort of being ourselves and the perception of being bigger.  For those of us small business folks who are interested in working with people like us, we should feel free to be interesting and not feel committed to the status quo just because it seems like that’s the professional thing to do.   As the web - and the marketplace in general - get flooded with “sameness” being interesting by  being yourself (the one and only you) becomes more and more important!

I think Toby Bloomberg over at Diva Marketing Blog, has a great bio.  It’s well balanced: flowing through professional accolades but sprinkled with personal experience and interests.

Always open to a conversation, tell me what you think!