Written By Sumer » Business Communication

Essential Advice for Entrepreneurs: The Virgin Way

Michelle Salater — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:40:11 +0000

What an honor it has been to participate in Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011 with so many amazing thought leaders and conscious entrepreneurs. As you know, my South African partner Naomi Estment and I have been hosting the Billions without Borders Global Telesummit, which is running in conjunction with GEW 2011, and the response has been unbelievable. (psssst…if you haven’t registered, do so right now!)

Being part of this celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship, and dreaming big has made me rethink my business goals and personal dreams and that I need to play a BIGGER game. My mission in life is the ignite and heal the business community, and through Billions without Borders I’m hoping to do just that.

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Tracey Webster, CEO of Virgin Unite Africa and the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, on “Essential Advice for Entrepreneurs: How to Attract Investment, Opportunity and Partnership.”

Sign up here: www.billionswithoutborders.com

The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship has been so supportive of Billions without Borders and personally, Sir Richard Branson has been an inspiration to my own business growth. Below is a video he shot a few years ago, showing his support for Global Entrepreneurship Week.

But the video does more than support the initiative…he talks about how entrepreneurs can change the world, “pulling together previously unlikely partnerships,” and work together to change the world.

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How Does Your Audience Absorb Information?

Michelle Salater — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 12:30:43 +0000

The way your audience processes online content is an essential tidbit of information that will help you create a site that encourages visitors to take your desired action. Some people absorb information more thoroughly with visuals, while others find interaction, words, or audio more powerful and memorable. Since we all process information in unique ways, it’s a good idea to cover all of your bases when building a connection between your brand image and your target audience.

Below are 5 different channels to establish a connection between your targeted website visitor and your brand (mix and match as you see fit):

1. Audio: Some people find a connection to a brand through soft background music that stimulates the senses and creates an experience for the site visitor. For example, a spa website that utilizes Zen-inducing rhythms on its website might take certain visitors through an experience that encourages them to call for a spa treatment. Creating a sense of immediate relaxation using soft music can spark an emotion that inspires visitors to quickly take your desired action.

Audio isn’t for all business websites. It’s important to thoroughly understand your brand image and your audience before adding audio to your website.

2. Video: I personally love websites that utilize video—especially on an About Us page. I usually feel a stronger connection to a brand when I can visualize their staff speaking and interacting. Video also makes it easy for multitaskers to absorb information about the company while writing or performing another task.

3. Web Copy: Some people absorb the most information through the good-old written word. Writing effective web copy that speaks to your audience is one of the best ways to illustrate your brand image and invoke an emotional connection between your brand and your target market.

In addition to projecting your brand message, website copy also works to determine your website ranking. Optimized web copy that effectively utilizes keywords throughout will be much more likely to rank higher in search engines and increase your chances of being found online.

4. Images: Similar to audio, images have the ability to invoke a particular emotion within site visitors and take them through a memorable experience. Someone who can visualize what your company stands for might be more willing to purchase from you than if you just utilized web copy alone on your website.

Images also have a role in website ranking since they can be optimized using Alt tags (keywords associated with your image).

5. Social Media Icons: Some of your website visitors might prefer to interact with your brand or absorb information about your company in real time. Cater to these individuals by providing them with various ways to connect with your brand on social media. I suggest placing social media icons in an obvious location on each of your website pages.

How do you absorb information?

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The Complaint Heard Around the World: An Online PR Nightmare

Michelle Salater — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:30:53 +0000

As a small business owner, it’s your responsibility to address customer complaints and ensure that customers receive superior customer service—at least that’s what you have to do if you want to be successful.

With the emergence of social media, many businesses have faced complaints that have been exposed to the public. Nearly a century ago, if consumers had an issue with a business, they would contact that company’s complaint or customer service department via phone. Today, not only can consumers contact a customer service department via phone to complain, but they can also express those complaints to their entire online network of friends, acquaintances, and friends of friends. No longer are complaints only powered by word of mouth to a few nearby friends and family members. Now, these complaints remain alive online and have the potential to become viral and even global.

I would think that consumers are also more likely to find the courage to post a complaint on social networking sites than they are to pick up the phone and speak directly to someone. Not to mention, no one ever wants to sit on hold while elevator music plays for 30 minutes before speaking to someone. Social media is instantaneous and effective for consumers to express their complaints.

According to an article on WebProNews, “When consumers were asked which method they used most frequently to communicate, 37 percent said SMS followed by Facebook and the phone at 28 percent. Respondents feel that email is now less important than social media, but only 20 percent said they could live without it entirely.”

What does this mean for you? Well, let’s do the math. If you get one customer who had a bad experience and uses Facebook as his or her main source of communication to chat with friends, and he or she mentions this experience on Facebook, now all of this person’s friends, connections, and friends of friends will see this complaint. And now these friends have the ability to chime in by commenting, sharing it with their friends, or even sharing it on a whole new social networking site, with just the click of a button. Now, you don’t have one angry customer on your hands, you’ve got a few. And by a few it could range anywhere from three to thousands!

When a complaint is placed on social media, you no longer just have to make one person happy by addressing their complaint, now your company has to work even harder (speaking to more individuals as oppose to just you) to counteract a negative experience.

This post isn’t meant to scare you, it’s merely meant to expose you to reality and inform you of what could happen to your brand if you’re not active on social media, speaking to your customers, and addressing their needs.

Don’t forget to visit our blog tomorrow for Part II of this post, which focuses on tips you can use to handle and prevent negative online PR.

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Customer Retention Strategy: Are Your Customers Suffering From a Broken Heart?

Michelle Salater — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:30:03 +0000

According to John Coe, author of The Fundamentals of Business to Business Sales and Marketing, “68% of long-term customers stop buying because they just don’t feel ‘loved.’” What this finding tells me is that over half of all businesses don’t appreciate their customers enough—or at least don’t show it enough. How sad is it to think that your customers might be feeling unloved?

Of course, customers are going to leave a business that doesn’t appreciate them and seek love from businesses that will give them the appreciation they need and deserve. B2C relationships are just like any other relationship in the world. The fundamentals to a healthy relationship begin with reciprocal appreciation. If one party of the relationship doesn’t show appreciation toward the other, an imbalance causes the underappreciated individual to search elsewhere for balance.

This is exactly what customers do when they feel unloved by a business.

Here are 4 ways you can show your customers that you love and appreciate them—today:

1. Remember special moments: How warm and fuzzy do you feel when you receive a Happy Birthday email or gift certificate from a business you’ve been loyal to for so long? You feel appreciated, right?

When customers spend their hard-earned money on a business, they want to feel a sense of gratitude. Sending a warm birthday wish to remind customers of your appreciation for their business is a great way to stay in front of them and show them that you are thankful for their business. It also shows that you care enough about special moments in their lives that you would remember to send them a note.

I have been going to a particular salon and spa for years now, and every year, I receive a birthday card from them with a certificate for a free manicure. I look forward to it every year and continue to use them for additional services. I feel appreciated for my purchases, which encourages me to continue buying from them.

2. Give gifts: Offer a free gift to loyal customers for no reason at all, or start a rewards program that gives clients credit for purchases. Not only does this encourage them to purchase more from your company, but it also shows that you want to provide them with extra value for their purchases with your business.

Whether you’re offering a 50% discount on products or complimentary services, a free gift is always welcomed and appreciated.

3. Go the extra mile: Surprise your customers with complimentary services. For example, if you own a luxury salon and spa, offer a complimentary 10-minute head massage to clients who are receiving hair services. Let them know that the service is complimentary. This shows that you want them to receive the most value for their visit.

4. Listen to them: Listen to and address customers’ needs. When you take the time to listen to what your customers want—whether in person, with a suggestion box, through email, or on social media sites—there is no reason for them to go to your competition. They know that your business will cater to their needs.

For example, if you own a salon and spa with a Facebook company page, ask your customers how they would prefer to schedule appointments. If respondents mention they would love to schedule appointments online, then address these needs and enable them to schedule online. This not only shows that you are interested in what they want, but that you are also willing to accommodate their needs.

When has a business showed gratitude to you?

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Is Your Business Message Lost in Translation?

Michelle Salater — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:30:43 +0000

According to an article on PRWeek online, Burson-Marsteller conducted a study that found that “the message a company aims to portray is getting lost in translation to 48% of the mainstream media.” And this disconnect increased between companies and bloggers.

According to this same article, there is a 76% gap between a company’s accurate brand message and the way bloggers perceive this message. In other words, 76% of brand messages are not being perceived accurately by bloggers.

The study also found that companies that had a transparent message were much more likely to be perceived accurately.

Are you surprised by these findings? I’m not, and here’s why:

We see many companies that lack a strong and coherent message. Not only do these companies project a different and inaccurate brand message across their various marketing materials, but they also are trying to be everything to everyone—something that is both dangerous and absolutely impossible.

When your massage is too broad, there’s no doubt the media—and in turn, the public—will misconstrue it; you’re basically enabling them to use their imagination to fill in the gaps, which is highly dangerous for your brand.

If you want bloggers and other media professionals to have an accurate perception of your company, then you must be consistent with your message across all of your marketing materials, and be honest and transparent about what your brand stands for, whom it serves, and what you provide.

For example, if you own a travel company that specializes in luxury private tours through the Mediterranean via sailboat, you don’t want to get a bunch of individuals coming to you who are interested in taking a Carnival cruise to Alaska. Not only is it a waste of your time to deal with these individuals, but it also means that the high-end clientele might also view you as a company that offers lower-rate travel packages for large groups.

The more specific and honest you are about your clientele and the services / products you provide, the more targeted business you’ll bring in, and the higher your conversions will be.

However, the ability to project an accurate and specific message can be tricky. This is why it’s essential to understand the finite details of your brand story and have a very specific target audience in mind. When you’re not clear on these elements or when you assume that you can be everything to everyone, a disconnect forms that could have negative effects on your company. And once the media perceives your brand in a certain way and broadcast it to the public, the way the public views your company is out of your hands.

Always avoid this situation. The media has a huge impact on the public and has a large say in how the public views your company. When you’re putting your message in the hands of the media, always make sure you are as honest and detail-oriented about your company as possible.

Is your business message getting lost in translation? We’d love to hear why you think that is in our comments section.

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How Well Do You Communicate with Your Copywriter?

Melody Brooks — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:30:14 +0000

Guest Post by Melody Brooks

In addition to trust, the most critical factor in creating a successful client / copywriter relationship is the same as in creating any other relationship . . .

Good communication.

You and your copywriter need to clarify your expectations of each other, preferably in writing. Each of you needs to understand the other’s expectations. Your writer also needs to know the audience and purpose of what he or she will be writing. You can’t just say, “I need a squeeze page and four blog posts by next Tuesday.”

You need to clearly express . . .

Who the target audience is. The more information, the better.
What the articles and blogs need to say—topics covered, length, and formal or informal style.
Where the blogs and articles will appear. The writer can visit those sites to get a feel for the style and tone of the writing.
When you need the writing completed. Allow for editing time.
Why the articles and blogs are being written and what the calls to action need to be.
How the writing will be used, such as adding articles to a directory, compiling an ebook, or guest blogging.

Your copywriter needs to ensure you’re aware of his or her guidelines and best practices for . . .

Writing the copy. How does he or she plan to write those articles and blogs and create effective calls to action?
Managing deadlines. If you’re both communicating, there should be no issues here. When you have a big project, setting internal deadlines is crucial so no one is scrambling at the last minute.
Editing. Some copywriters have their own editors, and some do not.
Gathering background information. How much research will you provide, and how much will your copywriter need to do?
Revising copy. If the copy doesn’t speak to the audience or isn’t well done, you need to know how the copywriter will make it right. However, there should also be a guideline for what happens if you accidentally misinform the writer or provide inaccurate research.
Requesting payment. Are you paying your copywriter by the project, by the hour, or some other arrangement? When does the writer invoice, and how long do you have to pay after invoicing?

Many of these points can and should be put in the master contract you have with your copywriter, as they’ll be constant, but others will vary by project. Always put as much in writing as you can, even if it’s just an email. Written communication helps projects run more smoothly.

As you work with your copywriter, you’ll get to know each other and how you work best. For example, my copy is significantly better if I have at least two days—as opposed to a rush job—because I write the first draft, let it sit overnight, and then go back and polish. So rush projects are kept to a minimum.

A good client / copywriter relationship can be a gold mine for you. Nurture it. You’ll be surprised how a good writer can make your life easier and your business more lucrative.

Melody Brooks is Sumér’s head copywriter and can be reached at melody@writtenbysumer.com.

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The Power of Utilizing Real-Time Contact Points

Michelle Salater — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:30:45 +0000

The opportunities to experience real-time interaction with customers are much more frequent than you may think. Telephone and in-person interactions used to be the only form of real-time conversations with customers, but as we rapidly progress in the world of Web 2.0, our opportunities for instant customer conversations occur much more often. The progression of Web 2.0 has also illustrated to the business world that consumers want to interact with brands differently than in the past.

When these opportunities for interaction are missed or improperly utilized, the competition that properly approaches these situations develops an instant advantage over your company. Real-time interaction with consumers is an invaluable chance to learn about your audience’s interests, needs, and desires. It’s also the ultimate form of customer service since real-time conversations are instantaneous, and problems and questions are resolved / acknowledged instantly. And, real-time interactions enable you to take customers through an enjoyable, step-by-step experience with your company—an experience that can have a dramatic effect on how customers perceive your brand.

When you begin to take an active role managing your socialization processes with customers, you’ll be able to quickly discover what your customers are looking for, and be able to solve their problems at a faster and more efficient rate. This social management will then enable you to shape your company into a brand that is much more compatible with your consumers.

Below are a few of the best real-time contact points your company should take advantage of in order to enhance customer experience and interactions, and how you should utilize these contact points:

Email: Customers can receive numerous benefits from receiving company emails—and, in turn, so can you. Whether your emails contain coupons, giveaways, tips, or how-tos, each email you send to consumers should provide them with something of value and should not be used merely as a hard-selling platform. Once customers receive this instant message in their inbox, they can immediately take the action you proposed in your email—whether that action is to make a discounted purchase on your website, enter a giveaway, or contact you for more information on a tip you provided them.

Online Social Networks: Web 2.0 is nearly synonymous with online social networking, and includes some of the most popular websites to communicate on such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, blog platforms, and social bookmarking sites.

When your target audience is on these social sites, having real-time conversations with friends and family, it’s your golden opportunity to begin listening to what your audience is interested in talking and hearing about. And in case you are unaware, your audience is not interested in talking and hearing about your company and how your products are perfect for them.

Managing your social relationships is an essential component to seeing quantifiable success on these platforms. Once you understand why your prospects spend their time on social networks, you can tactfully approach and engage them in meaningful conversation.

If you loved this post, please feel free to share it with your followers on Twitter.

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Where Do Your Website Visitors’ Eyes Go to First?

Michelle Salater — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:41:35 +0000

Have you ever wondered where website visitors first look when they visit your site? In a recent study performed by Eyetrack III, researchers discovered that . . .

1. Website visitors will often explore the upper left portion of the page before moving from left to right across the page and then eventually making their way down the page.

What does this mean for your website?

If your website viewer’s attention is drawn to the left first, you might want to consider placing your logo or other brand image detail in this portion of your website. If you place something aesthetically pleasing in this area, you might have a better chance of keeping a website visitor more engaged in your site and encourage them to continue exploring the site.

2. “Smaller type encourages focused viewing behavior (that is, reading the words), while larger type promotes lighter scanning.”

What does this mean for your website?

Think about your target audience before deciding on a font face and size. If your target audience is constantly on the go and can barely find time to access a computer, you might want to consider using larger font so that your readers can scan quickly for essential information. And bolding certain keywords and phrases with larger font also helps facilitate reading speed.

If your target audience spends a great deal of their day researching online and searching for valuable information, you might want to consider using smaller font so that they remain on your page longer and can take in all of the information you have to offer.

But, no matter what type of font or font size you use, always make sure to eliminate any unnecessary phrases and words from your web copy. This ensures that every word your visitors read is written with purpose and that they’re not wasting their time by reading every word.

3. Navigation features located at the top of a web page receive more attention than if they are located somewhere else on the page.

What does this mean for your website?

Navigation is one of the biggest reasons why website visitors get frustrated and leave a website. With proper, easy-to-use navigation, you reduce your chances of having website visitors leave due to frustration. Make your navigation bar as obvious and user-friendly as possible to ensure that website visitors can find what they’re looking for quickly and easily.

4. “When people look at blurbs under headlines on news homepages, they often only look at the left one-third of the blurb. In other words, most people just look at the first couple of words—and only read on if they are engaged by those words.”

What does this mean for your website?

All headlines and subheadlines on your web pages should be captivating in the first few words if you want to ensure your readers continue down the page.

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Exciting New Website and Blog Launches

Package Your Business Expertise and Produce Greater Results

Michelle Salater — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:30:59 +0000

Dedicated to the development and operation of strategically driven training programs for corporate organizations and expertise-based businesses, Learning Path Inc., is taking huge strides in helping businesses hone in on their expertise and produce more quantifiable results.

We were delighted to interview Stephanie Ackley Crowe, founder and Chief Learning Officer of Learning Path Inc., on how Learning Path’s electronic learning programs can leverage business success.

Below is the interview:

1. Explain in a few sentences exactly what e-learning is.

E-learning stands for Electronic Learning. In general, this can be any learning that is electronically enabled. This ranges from webinars done over the Internet, to computer-based learning done on a personal computer from a physical CD, to online learning—which is essentially computer-based learning done over the Internet.

2. Why is it important for a company’s success?

In today’s market, all your clients want more of you—more interaction, more access to your expertise, more value, and more results for their money. E-learning allows you to give lots of interaction, high-value material, and access to and experience with your unique expertise, but in a leveraged way. Instead of one-on-one exchanges, you can convert the high interaction value of a one-on-one experience into a product, which can be shared with a virtually unlimited number of clients.

3. Can you give us some examples of e-learning products that you build and the purpose behind these products?

We have built a web workshop series for coaches, so they can reach a large audience without having to assemble their clients all in one place. We have built online, interactive self-assessment modules that help clients self-select into the right program offerings. We have built process-driven e-learning modules—similar to a self-study type of program—that teach the proprietary methodology of consultants or coaches. We have built interactive case study simulations that teach soft skills and complex thinking.

All of these products have multimedia, narration, exercises, and some have quizzes, music, and even YouTube videos. What all these have in common is the need to reach a large audience, the desire to provide highly valuable and effective transfer of knowledge, and the ability to leverage technology to make it happen.

4. Is e-learning right for every company?

E-learning fits best for companies with unique knowledge, capabilities, or processes that their clients are eager to have. One of my favorite games to play is to take the challenge of someone asking, “but what would I build an e-learning about?” I was recently discussing this with a colleague who runs a sales and marketing company, who didn’t see the value in e-learning for his company. Knowing a little about his business, I identified the unique thing they know that others do not—how to outsource sales—pretty interesting stuff, actually. He was delighted, and a little disappointed he hadn’t thought of it!

5. In your article, “How Do YOU Learn?”, you talk about different learning styles. How do you decide which one of these learning styles is the most effective when you’re building an e-module for a client?

The best learning style to focus on in a given e-learning module is a combination of the audience and the subject. Learning style tends to be similar across job roles, so the first questions to ask are, what is the learning style of people in a specific profession, and what is (or are) the profession(s) of the audience? Demographics can also imply learning styles, such as more mature generations being more likely to read, and younger generations being more likely to be hands-on.

Then, you must consider the subject matter. For example, identifying safety hazards requires using your eyes, so you want the learning to be visual. If you are teaching a process that needs to be implemented, you would need a lot of hands-on exercises. The caveat is this: you actually want to include as many learning styles as you can, without overwhelming the learner. If you cover them all, then you have appealed to every style of learner, and provided value in the learning experience. Therefore, learners are more likely to retain what they have learned.

6. How effective is it for clients to find their exact learning style? Can discovering their unique learning style help in other areas of their life, aside from work?

It’s interesting you ask that question. I use my clients’ learning styles to teach them balance in their instructional methods, since their learners’ styles will not always match their own. But knowing your learning style can also help you discover why certain subjects—or teachers—have frustrated you in the past. Some children do not pursue subjects they are innately talented in, because the teacher had a style mismatch with them. What a tragedy! If you can select learning solutions that match your style, you will learn faster, retain more, and get more out of it. So if you are paying for any kind of coaching or learning for your business, make sure you are getting the most out of your investment, and ask them to teach you the way you learn best!

About Stephanie Ackley Crowe:

Stephanie Ackley Crowe is founder and Chief Learning Officer of Learning Path Inc., (www.learningpathonline.com), an Atlanta-based firm dedicated to the development and operation of high-quality, strategically driven training programs for corporate organizations and expertise-based businesses. Her forte is coaching and leading both corporate and private clients to convert their unique knowledge and expertise into profits.

Ms. Crowe has launched and led multiple corporate and organizational universities, nationwide

and global in scope. Her teams have won American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) Best and Training Top 100 recognition, as well as industry accolades. She has achieved $42 million in revenue through channel-training efforts in her first year, leading the learning function for a global technology firm. She also led a process change team whose efforts resulted in $59.1 million in returns for the company within two years. She has spearheaded groundbreaking training solutions in interactive and blended simulation for soft skills to the academic and corporate markets. Curricula she has designed and developed range from interactive blended learning team simulations to high-technology product e-learning to instructor-led process training.

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Social Media Marketing: Don’t Follow the Generic Formula

Michelle Salater — Mon, 24 May 2010 11:00:10 +0000

Evolution occurs in all areas of life, including technology. As shifting factors merge, we begin to see an evolution in communication patterns. In order to follow the growth and evolution of communication, Charles Darwin’s survival of the fittest theory must be factored in. In the simplest of terms, which of the following forms of communication is the fittest for today’s world: newspapers or social media? The answer is quite obvious.

Now that most of us have converted some—if not all—of our marketing strategies from print media to online platforms, we can delve deeper into the evolution of communication and discover key strategies for surviving in the social media marketing world.

Most companies and social media users only skim the surface of social media marketing. We know how to post a tweet, post on Facebook, write on our friends’ walls, and bookmark a post we love. But these activities are merely skimming the surface of social media. The average posts and tweets aren’t going to cut it; there needs to be a level of value and intelligence in your posts.

As more and more new forms of social media arise and older platforms continue to grow and change, it’s difficult to understand each and every one in its entirety—especially when you have a business to run.

For this reason, many businesses seem to be following one specific generic formula: post a video, post a picture, post company updates, and interact with others. That’s great and all, but what does that even mean?

There needs to be a deeper analysis of these elements in order for you to survive and stand out above your competition (who is most likely following the same generic formula).

What makes an engaging photo? What inspires consumers to watch your videos and take that extra step to contact you? And what’s the point in interacting with others, and how can you build a relationship from this interaction? The answer is simple. Use your brand message in all that you do as a way to connect to your target audience’s needs and desires. The implementation of broadcasting your brand message, on the other hand, is not as simple.

Below are two steps required to break free from the generic social media marketing formula, evolve with communication, and rise above the competition:

1. Don’t chase the crowd—stay on top of it: Imagine running in a race. Those with more endurance and strength are going to lead the pack. The stragglers are holding onto the end of the line with dear life, but will eventually get tired and fall. Anyone can stay at the top of the race—you just have to have the right strength and the endurance to continue to succeed.

Your strength in social media marketing: Knowledge. Understand how social media works and how social media users behave. Specifically, understand how your target audience behaves on social media sites, and engage your prospects with your unique brand message. When you stop learning about new social media sites and the capabilities that all social media sites have, you’ll move further and further back on the chain.

Your endurance in social media marketing: The right attitude and the ability to believe in the power of your brand message. Never stop.

2. Refine your brand message and tactfully embed it in all you do on social media: You have two options: continue to market your business on social media based on a generic formula, or break outside of the box and showcase your unique brand message. Option two is the way to go if you want to succeed in today’s world of communication.

If you’re not projecting an accurate brand message on social media platforms because you are unclear about what your brand message is, it’s nearly impossible to connect with your target audience and engage them. The key to engaging your target audience is understanding your brand message and incorporating this messaging into everything you do and say online.

Our conclusion: The people who are looking deeper into the capabilities of social media are the ones who are going to survive in the world of online communication and marketing. The ones who continue to skim the surface of these complex communication realms are the ones who will vanish along with the outdated forms of media.

Will you take the stand to survive?