How Do You Handle Angry Customers on Social Media?

Upset or angry customers are a fact of life when you run a business.  No matter what you sell or what industry you are part of, things happen and people have bad days.  What's different now is that customers can express their feelings instantly to the widest possible audience through social media when they are angry with your brand.  Having a great response strategy will help you neutralize the negativity and possibly convert that angry customer in to a real fan.

Have a Plan - Take Pro-Active Steps
As always, planning is everything.  It is important that you have a plan and strategy in place BEFORE a customer takes to the internet or blogosphere.  Create a commenting policy for your blog and have it posted so that you'll have something to fall back on if you have to remove any comments.  All of your team members should be familiar with that policy as well as the procedure for dealing with angry customers or who they should call.

Listen for the Complaints
You cannot possibly respond to conversations that you don't see or know about.  Monitor your social media outlets, your blog, and Google Alerts (it's free!).  Depending on what your business is, you may want to monitor review sites such as Yelp too.  If there is a specific forum that your customers are fond of using, add that to your daily check list.  Your customers are talking whether or not you're listening.  Catching negative comments before they build momentum makes them much easier to deal with.  If you don't have the time to do this level of monitoring, you can assign it to your Virtual Administrative Assistant.

Evaluate
You will have to determine which negative remarks are worth a response.  Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and just move on.  Here are some situations to avoid:

• Complaints that are on very small blogs or forums.  Your response may actually bring more attention to something that would have faded away.
• Blatant attacks that are clearly rude or outrageous.  These are posts that anyone who reads it will see that the poster has a personal problem.
• Interacting with a known crackpot who is only looking to pick a fight.  If the same person complains repeatedly, no matter what you do, don't continue to engage that person online.

On the flip side, do not simply delete every negative comment that you see.  That just causes your community to question your credibility.  Keep your platform as a place for open dialouge as much as possible.  But DO delete comments that are offensive or threatening.

Engage Quickly
Immediately say sorry, whether or not it is your fault.  Offer an apology for their unsatisfactory experience and try to take the conversation off line as soon as possible.  The longer you wait to respond, the angrier the customer gets and the more likely that others will pile on with more negative buzz.  An example response is:

"Hi (customer name).  Thanks for getting in touch and sorry to hear about (issue or experience).  If you send along your email to help@xyz.com, we'll work with you to find a way to help with that problem."

Offer to make it right when you respond.  We all make mistakes, but customers remember how we fix them even more.

Speak Like a Person
Don't use a canned response to every online complaint.  Nothing makes people angrier than feeling like they are being treated like a number and not a real person.  Show empathy, communicate in a friendly tone, use their name, and use your name.  Often simply including a name or picture difuses the situation because the customer has a much harder time being rude to an individual as opposed to a nameless, faceless entity.

Never Get In To a Fight
Anytime you win an argument online, you've actually lost.  All customers remember is that you were combative to another customer who might have had a valid complaint.  They don't want to do business with someone they feel will not take their issues seriously.  Respond to the initial complaint, but don't get involved in a contentious back and forth.  Some things to remember when responding:

• Don't get emotional.
• It's a real person, just like you, on the other side of the complaint.
• The complaint may actually be doing you a favor by pointing out something that needs to be improved in your business.  How many customers felt the same way and just left without saying anything?

Respond On the Same Platform
If the complaint or negative comment came on Twitter, respond on Twitter.  Don't use email to respond to a facebook comment.  Noone will see the response if you post it somewhere else.  When you respond online and in public, you earn positive word of mouth.

Instant access to customers and information can be a double edged sword for businesses.  But with a little pre-planning and a solid strategy, you may be able to turn those angry customers in to loyal fans.

How do I become a Gmail Ninja?

Gmail is a fast growing platform for both business and personal emails.  Google has put together this great list of tips to help you become a Gmail Ninja!

Become a Gmail Ninja

If you don't have the time or inclination to set up these systems, assign the set up to your virtual administrative assistant.  Administrative Business Consulting is always working to get you back to the fun part of your business by helping you delegate the administrative tasks that eat up your day.  Contact us today!

Cutting the Cord and Going Mobile

Some businesses like Yahoo! and Hewlett Packard are pulling back from the mobile worker model.  But for many small businesses and soloprenuers, the mobile office has some great benefits.  It can provide a cost savings by lowering overhead spent on office space; it can increase productivity by giving workers more freedom; and it can offer new promotional opportunities by allowing you to be face to face with clients.  If you're either new to the idea or want to jump in with both feet, you'll need to have a few items lined up to be successful.

Equipment
The first items of business for your mobile office are a laptop or tablet and a smartphone.  Tablets are lighter and offer a multitude of nifty apps to help you be more productive on the road.  But if your job or business requires a lot of typing or document preparations, you'll probably lean more towards a laptop.  The new Microsoft Surface may be a good option for people wanting a little of both.  What's most important is that the platform is reliable, designed for traveling, and has easily replacable parts like powercords.

A way to connect to the internet that is not dependent on WiFi is another necessity for being a truly mobile office worker.  That can be achieved in a number of ways. 

• You can purchase a pre-paid wireless card such as the Verizon Jetpack.  This allows the user the have a weekly or monthly charge with no annual contract.
• If you will be using alot of data, you might opt for a high-speed mobile access card with a data plan like MiFi from AT&T.
• Many tablets are sold with 3G or 4G capability built in, you'll simply have to purchase a usage plan to access that feature.

A comfortable bag is a must for the mobile office worker.  And if you will be traveling by air, it also needs to be TSA friendly.  Amazon offers a wide range of options to fit most telecommunters' needs.  Headphones will also be a necessity to help you get the most out of mobile teleconferencing a videoconferencing.

Software
The next crucial part of the mobile office puzzle is the right software for the job.  There are many cloudbased options available that make the wireless office an attainable reality.

• File Storage - Instead of carrying around multiple USB drives, make use of the cloud storage available from services like Dropbox, Microsoft SkyDrive, or Google Drive.  These services will let you access and share your documents from where ever you are and keep your documents backed up separately from your hardware.
• Video Capabilities - You will often need to meet with clients or co-workers face-to-face, even if you're not in town.  There are a variety of video/tele-conferencing services that allow users to do that including Google Hangouts, Skype, and GoToMeeting.
• Accounting & Billing - Expenses and billings will still need to be tracked while you're mobile.  Freshbooks.com and Quick Books on-line will give you the capabilities you need to run your business from anywhere.  Add a credit card payment accepter to your smartphone, and your one-person show is good to go.

Depending on your business model, you might also need to add on-line faxing services to your arsenal.  If you will be splitting your time between a home office and a mobile one, take a look at the services of GoToMyPC.com.  This is a subscription service that allows you to access your desktop computer from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.  You'll have access to all your files and desktop items from anywhere you are.

Mobile officing may not be for everyone.  You need to be self-motivated enough to keep to a schedule even when there is no one looking over your shoulder.  But if you're a solo-prenuer, you probably fit that bill already.  Working in this manner can also make it hard for you to "escape the office" when you want to wind down.  Because you're always at the office, you are running the risk of overworking yourself because you never truly leave the office.  Setting up a schedule of off time and limits on when you will and will not be available can help to curb this tendency to be continually plugged in.

Technology is opening doors to increased productivity and freedom for both workers and employers.  With a few pieces of hardware and software, you too can join the mobile workforce and cut the cord.
 

A Virtual Administrative Assistant Can be Your Productivity Partner

Small business owners often find themselves mired in administrative tasks the take them away from their true function as CEO of their company.  You might be spinning your wheels doing day-to-day tasks that need to be done, but don't generate any revenue for your business.  Hiring a good Virtual Administrative Assistant, like Administrative Business Consulting, can help move you from overwhelmed employee to super-productive CEO.

First you will need to determine what your core functions are.  What are the activities that

are billable, actually bring in revenue, or set your business up for growth in the future?  Those are the things you should be concentrating on, and you should be delegating the rest.

Many productivity management techniques recommend a "brain dump" activity. This is meant to be a time where you simply capture all of the items in your head and on your to-do list, either hand-written or typed. Those items can become task lists, calendar appointments, or project folders.  A Virtual Administrative Assistant can help by organizing all of the information you've captured in to their appropriate locations.  Simply email your notes to the VAA, and she does the rest.

Blogs and social media are activities necessary to build your business, but the minutia of putting them together may not be a productive use of your time.  As the CEO, you should focus on the content of those posts.  Your VAA can then be assigned to handle the formatting, editing, tagging, SEO optimization, and final posting.  This same idea can be used for presentations and email campaigns.

Other activities that may be eating up your billable time and that are tasks that can be outsourced include:

• Travel and event planning
• Research for articles or marketing
• Setting calendar appointments for meetings and sales calls
• Anything that can be automated

Part of being a productive CEO is to identify your strengths and delegate the rest.  Fire yourself from jobs someone else can do and promote yourself to jobs only you can do.

 

Getting the Most Out of Business Cards

Being a small business owner and a member of many networking and community groups, I find myself the recipient of many business cards.  These are full of information for connecting with potential customers and vendors.  Handling those cards (and my own business cards) can help grow my marketing reach and my client roster.

First let's talk about how to use your own business cards to increase your networking effectiveness.  You should keep a handy stash of your cards everywhere; in your purse or wallet, in your car, on your desk, and anywhere you might run in to other people.  Invest in a nice holder for your cards so that they stay wrinkle and crease free.  I bought a nice little metal holder for $3 from my local Target store, but you can find leather holders or even ones that have engraving on them.  The key point is to get something that you will actually carry around with you.

Make sure that your cards are clear and present a clear and professional image.  Have easy to read contact information.  I've included a QR code on my cards that allows smart phone users to simply scan all of my contact information using their camera.  I used a free on-line QR code generator, but there are also apps available that will do the same thing.  If you have team members working for you, get them their own business cards.  They will act as another arm of your marketing plan.

Be generous when it comes to handing out your cards, hand them out at least two at a time.  Don't get cards that are so expensive that you are loathe to give them away.  You should feel comfortable posting them on bulletin boards, using them to introduce yourself at social functions, and using them as scrap paper to give people notes on.  Another good idea is to include a business card with all of your correspondence, even when you're paying bills.

Then there are all of those business cards you collect from others along the way.  Sometimes they may feel overwhelming, and you just push them aside.  How many of you have a stack of rubber banded business cards that has been sitting in your desk for months?  Don't let those opportunities pass you by!

Here are 4 easy steps to getting the most out of a business card that you get:

1. Put it in context - Make notes on the back of the card about the event and details of your conversation.  Also note any follow-up or action items that you promised during the encounter.
2. Store it in a set place during the event - Put the cards collected either in your wallet, purse, or notebook pocket so that you can easily access it later.  Keep these cards separate from your own cards to avoid having to rifle through a stack to hand your's out.
3. Review the card after the event - 24 to 48 hours after the exchange, review the card for context and any action items that need to be completed.  Loading the cards in to your address book is key at this juncture.  You can then either send a follow-up email or even a handwritten note.  Entering the cards and sending notes is a great assignment for your Virtual Administrative Assistant service such as Administrative Business Consulting.
4. Connect to your new contact - Find the new business or person on LinkedIn, facebook, or any other social media platform that they are active on.  Connect to them and ask them to connect to you.  This will grown your marketing reach even further.

Now for the elephant in the room--REFERRALS.  When you hand out your cards, don't be afraid to ask for them.  It can be as simple as saying, "I'd really appreciate it if you would pass my information along to anyone you think might benefit from my services."  This gets the other person thinking about what you do and who they know.  And offer them the same.  Let them know that you will keep their card handy and that you will let others know about their business.  You're more likely to get referrals from someone who feels like you'll give them out.

Now dig that stack of cards out and start connecting!

Ideas for a Dynamic Fall Planning Conference

I'm loathe to admit it, but we're heading in to the fourth quarter of the year.  Now is the time to look back on what your goals were at the beginning of the year and how far you've come towards meeting those goals.  It is also a prime time to start planning for the future and setting yourself and your team up for success in the future.  A good way to do this is to get your team together and hold a fall planning conference.

Getting away from the office and setting the strategy as a team is a powerful tool in helping your business get to the next level.  Planning two half-day sessions with a dinner in between can build your team's relationships and help everyone to get on board with where you want to go.  A sample agenda could be:

• 12:00 PM     Lunch
• 1:00 PM       Recap of the Year
• Struggles
• Successes
• 3:00 PM       Team Building Exercise
• 5:00 PM       Dinner
• Team Recognition/Awards
• 8:00 AM      Breakfast
• 9:00 AM      Goals for Coming Year
• 10:00 AM    Action Plans & Assignments
• 12:00 PM    Close

A fall planning conference away from the office gets your team away from distractions, rewards them for their hard work over the past year, and gets their creative juices flowing.  Some ideas for a location are a local hotel, a restaurant with private rooms, or even someone's house.  The most important thing is to eliminate the interruptions so your team can really be productive.

Including a team building exercise adds some fun and laughs to your meeting.  If you're not familiar with facilitating these exercises, businessballs.com has some great free ideas.  Other ideas, if you're not comfortable with these activities, you could also:

• Assign a top-selling leadership book to be read ahead of time and have everyone discuss their take-aways
• Hire an outside speaker to motivate or train your team
• Any activity that will build report among your people

A dinner where you recognize the accomplishments of your team from the past year is a fun way to recognize the work they've put in for your business.  Try to keep track throughout the year of good work and bring it up during the dinner.  It's even fun to have individual awards such as top sales person, best attitude, etc.  Certificates are easy to format and print from most word processing programs, or you can have small trophies or plaques made at a local vendor.  You'll be surprised at how proud your team members will be to display these items on their desks after the meeting.

The most critical portion of the meeting is the goal setting and action planning phase.  As the leader, you should spend time before this meeting seriously thinking about where you want to be in the next year and how you'll get there.  Present your ideas first, but then ask for your team's feedback.  They might have even loftier goals than you've thought of.  Let them take responsibility for the different action plans that you develop.  Once they have ownership, it's much easier to hold them accountable throughout the year.  Take good notes during this section and compile them to be handed out to the team later.

This whole idea may seem a little overwhelming if you've never done it before.  It takes planning, scheduling, and time to gather materials.  The idea of all that extra work could put you off of the idea entirely.  But you don't have to do it alone.  You can hire Administrative Business Consulting to make all the arrangements and deliver the materials.  They can also research vendors and activities for the meeting.  You would simply give guidance on budget, preferred location, and activities and Administrative Business Consulting can do all the rest.  Compiling the notes and sending out the follow ups can be assigned to Administrative Business Consulting as well.

Once you implement this as a regular feature of your year, you'll find that your team looks forward to it.  A fall planning conference can become the highlight of your year and can get you off to a great start come January.

Making the Most Out of Working From Home

In today's technologically advanced world, more and more people are taking the opportunity to work from home.  It could be a telecommuting situation or actually running a home-based business.  While working this way removes stresses, it can also add them to your daily work life.  Here are some simple tips for making the most of your home/work arrangement.

Having a routine is an essential first step in establishing your home office environment.  When I first began working from a home office, I really struggled with this.  I was getting up at different times, randomly tackling tasks, and basically finding myself stressed at the end of the day with not a lot to show for it and maybe not even showered.  Getting up at the same time every day, eating breakfast, exercising, and getting dressed for work set me up to be more productive and successful in my home office.  You should pick a routine that works for you and stick to it.

Set up a space in your home dedicated to your work.  This could be a separate office in a spare room, a section of your own room, or even the garage for that matter.  It is wherever you feel comfortable and productive.  Make sure you have adequate lighting, a fairly quiet environment, and access to the equipment you need.  Define this area as your work space, and make that clear to your family or housemates.

Staying organized can be one of the biggest challenges of working from home.  When I left a traditional office to the home office, I went from being extremely organized to letting things go a little bit.  My papers were beginning to just be in piles all over and I was losing focus on what I wanted to accomplish each day.  Setting up my calendar on Google so that I only had to enter appointments in one location (phone or PC) was a huge help.  Now my phone and my computer say the same thing.  Using a task list program, such as Outlook, keeps me focused on what the priority actions are for the day and the week.  I also bought a label maker to get my file folders neat and organized.  A disorganized work area can add to your stress and make it difficult for you to be productive.

Clearly defining your work hours to yourself as well as to your clients, family, and friends is helpful in creating a good home working environment.  I often find myself continually looking at my email well in to the night instead of spending that time winding down.  This is frustrating to those around you and makes you feel more pressure.  On the flip side, don't let distractions available at home deter you from accomplishing your work tasks.  Be clear with your clients that you will be available during specific times, and stick to it.  Scheduling yourself breaks during the day, such as lunch, is part of defining your work hours.

Working at home can sometimes feel like being alone in the world.  If most of your interaction during the day is electronic, you can start to feel isolated and less satisfied with the home office situation.  I belong to both Toastmasters and Business Network International.  These two memberships serve a dual purpose: they each get me out of my home office once a week to interact with other people and they give me an opportunity to network with other professionals.

Lastly, double check your homeowners insurance coverages when setting up your home office.  If you will have clients or coworkers come to your home for business purposes, you might need to add some specialty riders depending on your policy.  The time to do this is now and not after someone slips on your front walk.

Working at home is a privilege that many of us have been lucky enough to have.  If you set yourself up for success by thinking ahead and doing some planning, you will love it as much as I have.

A Business Plan is Essential for Future Success

When embarking on any new venture, it is essential to have a well crafted plan to be successful.  It's no different when you're starting a new business or working on revitalizing an existing one.  This living document generally projects 3 to 5 years ahead and outlines the route your business will take to reach your goals.  There are generally nine areas that need to be covered in your plan in order to have a clear picture of where you want to be in the future.

Executive Summary - This provides a snapshot of your business as a whole including your company profile and goals.  The Executive Summary will be your first impression for investors and company participants, so spend some time really thinking about where your business is, where you want to take it, and why your idea will be successful.  Some good information to include is:

• Mission statement
• Company information
• Growth highlights
• Products and services
• Financial information
• Information on target market
• Summary of future plans

Company Description - Here is where you give more detailed information on what you do, what differentiates your business for others, and the markets your business aims to serve.  Make sure and describe the marketplace needs that you are trying to satisfy and how your products or services are going to meet those needs.  Also highlight any competitive advantages that your business has such as location, expert personnel, or value of offerings.

Market Analysis - Knowing who your customers are is vitally important when starting a business.  This is the section where you highlight your research about your industry, market, and competitors.  It should emphasize your knowledge and research about who you are going to target and how your business will deliver more successfully than your competitors.

Organization & Management - This section should include your company's organizational structure, ownership information, profiles of your management team, and qualifications of your board of directors (if applicable).  A simple but effective way to lay out your structure is to use an organizational chart with narrative information.  Ownership information should be as detailed as possible, even if you are a one-person operation.

Service or Product Line -  You need to tell the story of what you sell and how it benefits your customer in this section of your plan.  You should talk about how your product or service is going to meet a specific customer's needs, any advantages your offering has over your competitor's, and what stage of development your offering is in.

Marketing & Sales - Here is where you lay out how you plan to gain customers and how you plan to sell your products and services to those customers.  The overall marketing plan should include:

• Strategies for - market penetration, growth, channels of distribution, and communication

The overall sales plan should include:

• A sales force strategy and planned sales activities

Funding Request - If your company is seeking investment or bank funding, this section should be included in your plan.  Include specific requests for funding and the plan for how that money is to be distributed in your business.  Having a debt repayment plan in the funding request will help assure potential investors that you have a long-term plan for success.

Financial Projections - This section should be developed after you've analyzed your market and set clear objectives for your business.  Historical (if available) and prospective financial data will need to be included in this section.  If you are a start-up, take a look at information for similar businesses as a base for your projections.  Think critically about what your overhead and selling price will be.

Appendix - An appendix is optional, but it is a good place to include backing material to support the statements and projections for your future plans.  Possible things to include are:

• Resumes
• Credit histories
• Product pictures
• Letters of reference
• Details of market studies
• Licenses, permits, and patents
• Copies of leases
• Contracts
• List of business consultants

A successful business plan is not a static document that gets written once then is never consulted again.  Your business plan should be reviewed and updated no less than once a year.  It will serve as a check-up on where you are compared to where you wanted to be.

If you've never written a business plan before, there are many templates available in programs such as Word or on-line.  For more information on how to make your plan stand out, check out the website of the Small Business Administration.

What Can a Virtual Administrative Assistant Do for Your Business?

When the idea of hiring a virtual administrative assistant comes up, the most common question that occurs is "what would I have a VA do for me?".  The answer will be different for each individual client, but here's a list of possibilities to get your creative juices flowing:

Administrative Support
Email organization                                                 Travel arrangements
Voice mail response                                              Coordinate conference calls
Coordinate appointments                                      Contact updates & tracking
Calendar management                                          Business card scanning
Data entry                                                                Excel spreadsheet building
PowerPoint creation                                              Report generation
Email & mail campaigns                                       Thank you & greeting cards
Website content updates                                       Blog posts
Internet research                                                     Supply ordering
Management of team meetings                            Communication management
Mail merges

Meeting & Event Planning Support
Create & send email or regular mail - announcements, invitations, thank you letters
Set up logistics - meeting rooms, AV needs, meals, overnight rooms, vendors
Manage guest lists
Receive & track responses via phone, fax, or email
Track attendees
Follow-up with non-responders
Create meeting agendas & support materials
Collate & ship materials
Research & order giveaways

Marketing & Sales Support
Social media management                                    Mailing label creation
Email newsletter sending                                       Sales packet mailing
Compile mailing lists                                               Distribute & track surveys
Follow-up calls

This list is in no way exhaustive, but you can see that a Virtual Administrative Assistant can be a valuable right-hand person in the operation of your business.  For more information about how to hire a Virtual Administrative Assistant and how the arrangement works, check out the web site of Administrative Business Consulting.

Using Technology to Stay Competitive

As a small business owner in today's fast paced world, it is vital that you understand and utilize advanced technologies that are available to you and fit with your business.  Technology, used correctly, can help increase your business efficiency and even expand your operations.

Accounting
Gone are the days where a one-man shop had to keep financial records in a hand-written ledger book.  There are a myriad of options in accounting software and services that can help you see your profits and losses at a glance as well as set-up and track a budget.  Even if you use a CPA or bookkeeper, it is nice to have all your records in one place to give those professionals at tax time.  Some of the great options available are:

• Freshbooks - On-line and easy to use (my personal favorite)
• Quickbooks - Both on-line and hard copy available
• Outright.com - On-line service

Calendar & Email Management

Most business owners are reliant on functional calendaring and email solutions.  The advent of cloud-computing technology has made it possible to access your calendar and email from either your laptop, smartphone, or tablet equally well.  These new services also allow you to delegate your calendar and email management to your virtual administrative assistant like Administrative Business Consulting.  Here are the most popular options:

• Outlook.com
• Gmail and Google Calendar

File Sharing Platforms

Many teams are not located in the same building, let alone the same state, anymore, but you may not have the need (or capacity) for a stand alone network solution.  You may be working with clients and contractors, like your virtual administrative assistant, spread over large geographical areas and in different time zones.  This requires you to have a good, central place to share files and work collaboratively.  Cloud-computing has made these services easy to access and use across your different devices.  Some options include:

• Microsoft Office Skydrive
• Google Docs
• Dropbox

Technology is an integral part of every successful business.  There are solutions available for not only the large corporations but also for the small operations like yours and mine.  Most of these services are either free (to a certain point) or will allow you to run a free trial to see if it is a good fit for your business.  Embracing possibilities and new ways to be productive will help you secure your success in a rapidly changing business environment.

Creating Outlook Email Templates

Has this happened to you recently?  You're typing an email and you get the feeling that you've done this exact thing before.  When you look back at your sent items, you realize that you have typed this email message before.  Actually you've typed it about 10 times in the last week.  Outlook has a quick and easy way for users to create email templates that allow you to speed through those standard emails.

The first step is to write out your standard email.  It could be information that you send to potential new customers, the thank you message you send to colleagues after a meeting, or the appointment reminder that you send before meeting with a client.  If it is something that you send frequently with only minor changes for personalization, then it is a great candidate for an email template.  Open a message pane in Outlook and type out your email with a subject:

Next, instead of hitting the "Send" button, click on "File".  Choose "Save As", then "Outlook Template" from the "Save as type" drop down menu:

Now you're ready to start using your new Outlook email template.  Next time you need to send out this standard email, choose "New Items" from the ribbon at the top of Outlook.  From that drop down menu, you will opt for the "More items" and "Choose form".  Change the "Look in" field to "User templates in file system" and you will see the email template you created.  Double click the name of the template, and your email pops up ready for editing and sending.

If you don't want to spend your time setting all of your standard email templates up, you can outsource this task to a service such as Administrative Business Consulting.  Hiring a virtual administrative assistant can help get your Outlook organized and get you back to the core of your business.

Setting Your Business Apart in the "Thank You Economy"

Gary Vaynerchuk's 2011 book "The Thank You Economy" showed business owners that the rise of the Internet and rapid fire social media has given customers their voices back.  Their opinions, positive or negative, are communicated immediately and vastly on places like facebook and Yelp.  This new paradigm requires that businesses project authenticity, originality, creativity, honesty, and good intent in order to created loyal customers.  Loyal customers refer more business by word of mouth, spend more money with you, forgive mistakes, and offer real suggestions for improvement.  An easy way to start building that relationship is by expressing appreciation to those customers with thank you notes.

Saying "thank you for your business" sounds obvious, but think about this: when is the last time you received a thank you card from someone you do business with?  Or really any communication that wasn't about your bill being due?  The simple strategy of sending a hand-written thank you note will make a huge impact with your customers and lets them know how much you really value their business.  While this seems like a no-brainer for new business, don't forget about your existing customers.  Those long-term buyers need to be given the VIP treatment as well because we all know it is cheaper to keep customers than it is to try and bring in new ones.

In this high-speed, electronic world, there is something special about a hand-written note.  It makes your customer (or vendor, employee, excellent sales person, etc.) feel like they matter to you and your business.  Keep short notes on customers you've interacted with or vendors you've recently met with.  Then you can go back once a week and write out those notes to be mailed.  You can also email that information to a virtual administrative assistant service such as Administrative Business Consulting to have the cards written and mailed.  Services such as ABC will provide cards, hand writing, and mailing for a per card fee.

Once you have thank you cards down pat, consider personal birthday or other seasonal cards for your top clients.  Try to touch customers at least once a quarter with a message that is not just a mechanism for selling products or services.  You will set yourself apart from your competition and your customers will think about your business in a whole new way.

Tips for Public Speaking

When asked what their biggest fear is, a majority will say that they are more scared of public speaking than they are of dying.  That means that at a funeral, they'd rather be in the coffin than delivering the eulogy.  I used to be in that same boat, but after four years as a member of the Untwisted Tongues Toastmasters club, I've learned to embrace the opportunity to speak in public.

Most people would define public speaking fairly narrowly as giving a presentation or speech in front of colleagues or other large group of people.  But public speaking comes in to play whenever we have an interaction with another person.  It includes situations like answering a question during a weekly staff meeting, talking to a potential client about your business, or meeting a new person during a social gathering.  Toastmasters International has compiled a list of helpful tips to control nervousness and give more effective presentations.

Know Your Material
Having an in depth grasp of your material adds to your confidence level when speaking.  This will help you get back on track if you lose your place during the speech and will add a level of authority with your audience.  A comfort with the material will also allow you to use a conversational tone while interjecting personal stories and humor.

Practice. Practice. Practice.
Rehearse your speech out loud, using any visual aids and equipment that will be part of the presentation.  Practice with a timer and revise as necessary to fit in to your time allotted. 

Visualize Yourself Giving the Speech
While you are practicing the mechanics of your speech, visualize yourself delivering it in a successful way.  Imagine yourself using a clear, confident voice and the audience responding in a positive manner.  This will put your thoughts in a comforting place and will boost your confidence.

Know the Audience
Make sure you know who will be making up your audience.  Depending on your topic, you may need to alter your message or technical information to fit the people in attendance.  Knowing who you'll be speaking to will also go a long way towards building your confidence.

Know the Room
If you are speaking in an unfamiliar place, give yourself time to look at the room and its set-up.  Try to arrive early so that you know where you will be standing in relation to the audience and how your visual aids will be seen.  Also test any equipment you will be using during the rehearsal time.

Realize That People Want you to Succeed
Like I previously said, most people are afraid to speak in public and therefore understand all too well how nervous you are.  They want you to succeed at giving a great presentation.  The audience knows how you feel and are already on your side.

Don't Apologize During the Presentation
Most of the mistakes and stumbles that you perceive as glaring during the presentation usually are not even noticed by the audience.  If you make a mistake during the speech, just move on without mentioning it.  Often they audience won't even notice that anything was wrong unless you draw attention to it.

Use Your Visual Aids Effectively
Make sure the visual aids are not taking away from your spoken message.  Slides should be concise and easy to follow.  If you need help creating an effective presentation, you can hire a service such as Administrative Business Consulting to build the show.  Remenber, don't turn your back to the audience and read from the slides or flip chart.

Tips for Planning a Successful Meeting

In business life, we are often called upon to put together a meeting.  It could be a department level one day event or even a multi-day event that requires hotel rooms and dining options.  If you've never been in charge of planning and executing an event, don't panic!  There are some simple steps to follow that will help you come out looking like a star.

Ask Questions
The very worst thing you can do when planning a meeting is assume that you know what is expected.  You will need to ask questions, lots of questions, in order to put on a successful event.  Some basics that need to be established are:

• Budget of event
• Date(s) and time(s) of event
• Preferred location and second choice
• Theme of meeting or event
• Number of attendees and guests
• Meals that will be provided
• Any special entertainment or decorating needs
• AV needs for presenters
• Materials needed for participants
• Meeting room set-up
• Hotel rooms needed

This will give you an excellent starting point for planning, but do not stop asking questions.  The event will continue to evolve as planning goes on, so always be clarifying the details.

Set Up Agenda and Get RSVPs
One of the most difficult things to manage when putting on an event is keeping track of attendees.  It is best to get the agenda set up and sent out to the proposed attendees as soon as possible.  You should plan on having to send this out at least twice, and possibly more, in order to get the most accurate head counts for meals, seating, and hoteling.  It is also very effective to get it out in more than one way.  Send it via email, snail mail, and even by phone in order to reach the most people.

Track Budget and Attendees
Once you have the basics figured out and have made contact with your location, then you will need to start tracking the budget and attendees.  Administrative Business Consulting has put together a great budget and rooming list template that automatically calculates your meeting budget.



Double Check Everything Before the Event
The final tip is to always double check your plans at least a week before the meeting and once more a day or two before.  This will help you get a handle on what items are still unsettled and need to be finalized.  Make sure you know who your site contact will be and meet with that person before the meeting begins.  And last but not least, take a deep breath and enjoy yourself.

Color Coding Outlook Messages for Greater Organization

When sorting through a crowded Outlook Inbox, it is sometimes hard to tease out important emails that need action or response.  Color coding emails based on the sender's name or certain words can make this a little bit easier for users.  This technique can be used for Outlook versions 2003, 2007, 2010, and 2013.

Conditional Formatting
Color coding your incoming messages can be done using the Conditional Formatting dialog menu.  That menu is accessed through the Inbox by:

• View -->  View Settings  -->  Conditional Formatting

Once in the dialog frame, press the "Add" button and give the rule a name.  Now you're in the filter dialog frame and you can start building your conditional formatting rule.

For this blog, we'll use the example that you want to color code any messages that come to you from your immediate supervisor.  So click on the "From" button and search for the appropriate email address for that scenario.  Click "OK" and you will be taken back to the Conditional Formatting dialog box where you can choose the color you want applied.

Highlight your new rule, and click on the "Font" button, then choose your color (or even font) that will be applied to all emails that come from that address.  Now this rule will be applied immediately to all messages which correspond to your settings.  This technique can be used to separate out messages with specific phrases, of a particular size, or with a special category applied.

Things to Remember
While this is an extremely easy and helpful hack for Outlook organization, there are a few things to remember when setting up your conditional formatting rules.

- Conditional Formatting rules can be sorted by using the "Move Up" and "Move Down" buttons.  The higher listed rules take precedence over the lower ones.

- When using a name to apply the rules, it must exactly match the name as displayed in the "From" field of the message.  Double check who's messages you are trying to highlight.

- If the rule doesn't do exactly what you're looking for, delete it and try again.  Make note of what your current rule is doing so that you don't duplicate what's not working.  These things are not permanent and don't be scared to try things out.

- Be careful with the application of colors to your Inbox.  If you use it too liberally, you will lose the organizing effect.  You will have a nice rainbow effect though.

- Only "touch" your emails once.  Either delete it, take action on it, or file it.  That way you are not reading the same emails multiple times and clogging up your Inbox.

Hiring an Administrative Consultant

You've taken the leap and decided to hire an administrative consultant to help take that work load off your plate.  But chances are that you're not clear about what you want done and how to find the right organization to delegate those chores to.  Here are some good things to think about when looking for that perfect fit.

Simple administrative tasks are the easiest to delegate and quality or timeliness of work is the key measure of success.  These tasks tend to revolve around documents or files and can include things like:

• Typing, document formatting and proof-reading
• Producing presentations, newsletters and fliers
• Web research, data gathering and to-do lists
• Maintaining tracking spreadsheets

Small and medium sized businesses often outsource tasks requiring special skills that they either don't have the expertise or time to do themselves.  It might be something that is done only once a year or something that is very time consuming.  Examples could include:

• Planning a large meeting or event
• Creating a facebook page or blog
• Updating a web site

The administrative professional you hire will offer a variety of skill sets that can be used to accomplish these tasks and more.  Now you will need to find the right fit between that professional and your business.  Here are a few tips for finding that resource:

• Check the web site of your potential administrative professional - The web site of an administrative consultant represents her business.  Is it organized and well-designed?  Does it feel welcoming and professional?  Was there helpful information and resources available on the site?  This can be a good clue as to what sort of service you will receive from the consultant.
• Look in to the experience of the administrative consultant - You will want to seek out a consultant who is committed to serving your needs and expectations.  Check to see how long she has been in business or how her background lends itself to what you are looking for.  Testimonials are a good way to gauge the abilities of the administrative professional, but if she is new to the business a solid resume can give you the same information.  Referrals from  others you know is also an excellent source.
• Have an in-person consultation to establish personality fit - Most administrative consultants will offer potential clients a free initial consultation.  She will meet with you to go over what your specific needs are and the services she offers which can handle those tasks.  During that consultation, ask questions and listen to her questions to make sure that you are on the same page.  If it doesn't feel like a good fit, be up front and accept the same from the consultant.
• Be aware of pricing - Administrative consultants generally charge anywhere from $35 to $100 per hour or on a monthly retainer based on a certain number of hours per month.  This may seem like a large range, but remember that you are hiring a right-hand person to represent your business and take on those vital administrative tasks to keep you going.  Think about your own business: you know you aren't the cheapest and you wouldn't want to be.  You want to deliver quality and that expertise comes at a price.  An experienced, professional, discreet administrative professional will allow you to focus more on your core business and save you money in the long run.

A good example of an administrative consultant web site and service is Administrative Business Consulting.  Explore the web site and see what things you like and what things would fit well with your business.  There are a lot of things to consider when making this fundamental change in your business.  But the benefits can certainly outweigh the cost and consideration when you find just that right fit.

Play to Your Strengths and Delegate the Rest

Many professional and personal development plans focus mainly on building acumen in areas where we either are deficient or are not truly interested in.  That strategy can often lead to spinning wheels and not really improving your performance. Consider the professional athlete.  Michael Phelps does not try to win gold medals in every sport at the Summer Olympics.  He concentrates his time and energy towards the area where he has natural ability and the greatest chance of being successful. It may seem counter intuitive, but you often may get better results by playing to your strengths and delegating the rest.

Everyone has a natural aptitude in some area.  It could be math, writing, artistic endeavors, or any number of things that come up in the work place and during leisure time.  Often we don't know where our true passions and talents lie.  A major clue is to watch for signs of excitement when you are engaged in an activity.  If calling customers or interacting with your employees makes you feel energized and fulfilled, that is a great sign that people skills are something you are naturally good at.  Start making a list of things that are easy for you, things that make time fly for you, things that make you smile, and things that are interesting for you.  This is a great starting point for finding your strengths.

There are some other tools that can help you determine what your natural strengths are.  Multiple Intelligences has an on-line assessment tool that can help you find the areas where you have a natural tendency for excellence. A great book that helps focus your energies on strengths is Now Discover Your Strengths by Donald Clifton.  Several years ago, I used this book to hone my idea of where my talents were and where I could make the most use of them.  The lessons I learned after taking the assessments and reflecting on the results have enabled me to make a move to a new career and business.

We all know that your day is not only full of things you like to do.  There are still necessary things that have to be done in order for a business to run smoothly.  You can take advantage of services such as Administrative Business Consulting in order to remove those items from your day and keep you focused on your favorite things.  Outsourcing your administrative tasks can put more time in your day to focus on building those strengths in to an unstoppable force for good in your business.

No matter how hard you work on areas where you do not have a natural aptitude, you probably will never get beyond average in your performance.  However, by working on building your natural talents will allow you to reach higher and higher levels of achievement and success.  You will find your professional and personal life to be more rewarding and satisfying in the long run.

Tips for Better PowerPoint or Google Presentations

A successful presentation is often reliant upon having an effective visual aid, such as a PowerPoint or Google Presentations. If the slides are too wordy or uninteresting, you run the risk of losing the attention of your audience. Here are some simple tips to keep in mind while building your presentations.

Write your script before creating your presentation. This will help you keep track of your main points and figure out how best to show that in a visual way. As with any good speech; make sure there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. Laying it out as an outline can help you come up with the bullet points you will use on your slides. You want your audience to appreciate each slide and be anxiously awaiting the next one.

The screen should show only the point you're currently making. The audience will ready every slide as it is displayed, they will read ahead and not pay attention to you if the next three points are showing. Structure your presentation so that bullet points are revealed one at a time as you reach them. If you have charts or videos to emphasize a point, put them in a separate slide so they command full attention. Remember that your role as the presenter is to control the flow of information so the audience can feel the full impact of your points.

Remember that the presentation is not meant to be a stand-alone document, not every word you want to say has to be included on the slide. You will end up with large blocks of text that will be difficult for the audience to read and follow. Having your whole presentation script on the slide also tends to cause the speaker to turn his or her back to the audience and read, which is both rude and boring (the exact opposite of effective!). The slides should illustrate your presentation and reinforce your points. The paragraphs should be kept to the speaker's notes area that the audience does not see.

Presentation software has many options for adding visual flashes to your slides including things like fades, swipes, and flashing texts. Avoid the temptation to add these items in for the sake of themselves and instead concentrate on simple design basics to make impact.

• For the body and text use easily read fonts such as Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri.
• Only use decorative fonts (calligraphy, art nouveau, etc.) for slide headers.
• Put dark text on light background or light text on dark background.
• Align text either left or right.
• Avoid clutter on your slides.

There are many pre-formatted designs available in presentation software, and they can provide a good design starting point. You can also send your scrip to support service providers like Administrative Business Consulting and they can create an effective presentation for your information.

With these few easy tips, you can create a presentation that wows the audience and lands that sale.

Getting the Most Out of Your Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing has been the hot topic for small business owners and large corporations alike for the past few years. The rapid growth of facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and other platforms has opened the door to potential customers and lured many to the uncharted waters of using social media to build business. But how to make use of these opportunities can be the hardest question to answer. According to Sonia Simone of copyblogger.com, there are 7 essential elements to make your social media marketing for effective.

     1.  Get your website or blog set up - Your home page is where you control the user's experience and where your authority in your field comes through. Build a site full of high quality content that has a clean design and a professional appearance. This is where customers will go to get tips and more information about you and your business.

     

     2.  Establish a human face for your business - You need a human face to make your social media marketing plan work. While you want the content of your posts to be friendly and inviting, you do not need to share everything about the "real" you on your business accounts. Keep your updates to authentic subjects that relate back to your core mission as a business and be sure and consider your audience before hitting that final post button.

     3.  Combine efforts with other businesses that appeal to your customers - A big part of social media is getting people with like interests together to share ideas and thoughts. You can seek out established bloggers and posters to share your content with. Building on and promoting their content could help you cultivate important professional relationships and win new customers.

     4.  Pick a primary platform to use - Your customer base and product will drive this choice, and it may not be the one you personally enjoy using the most. If you are selling a service or product that has an easily visualized end result, Pinterest might be a fantastic choice for you. But if most of your customers are active on facebook, your initial efforts should center on that platform. Once you've masted one, then move on to others. Don't overwhelm yourself at the beginning.

     5.  Manage your time - Decide up front how much time you want to devote to social media, otherwise you may be seduced in to wasting your productivity constantly checking and rechecking your platforms. Remember element 1, your home page, and that this is where the majority of your time and effort should go. You can contract with support specialists like Administrative Business Consulting to manage your social media program. They will create a set number of monthly posts on a contract basis and take this task off your plate.

     6.  Put Content first and conversations second - While social media provides a way to have on-going conversations with customers and potential customers, but you can end up spending hours a day chatting with no real productivity. It is important to keep an ear on what customers are saying, but if it feels like goofing off it probably is. Spend the majority of your time on content with value.

     7.  Don't forget about your Search Engine Optimization - Social media marketing is a complement to search engine optimization, not a replacement for it.