“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”   Those are the words of Warren Buffet.   I think most people would agree he knows a little about business. 

If you ask someone what they look for when they compare a product or service they’d probably say value.  Especially in the current economy.  Value however means different things to different people.   Why?  Because its a matter of perception. 

So what exactly is the value of a product?   To some it is the bottom line.  The Price.  They want or need something now but have limited funds.  To them, at that point in time, the price is the value they are looking for.  To others it may be:

1) Quality 2) Friendliness to the environment 3) Usefulness 4) Free shipping 5) Free samples 6) Prompt delivery 7) Instructional video 8) Convenience

What is the value of a service?   It may be:

1) Satisfaction guarantee  2) Friendly staff  3) Hours of operation 4) Testimonials or referrals 5) Ability to meet deadlines 6) Personalized service or 7) Going above and beyond

As you can see, value can mean a many number of things depending on how you look at it.   If you have a website, just because your prices may be a little higher than the competition doesn’t mean you aren’t valuable to the customer.  Savvy customers know that price isn’t everything and cheaper isn’t always better.  Let them assess your product or service.  Once they see your cost may be a little more but you offer the most value to them, they’ll be on board.

Imagine you are shopping online and you see something you think you want to buy,  but you just aren’t sure.  You look at the picture, read the description but you are still undecided.  Wouldn’t it be helpful if you could see a demonstration or hear an explanation?  Or maybe you are looking to hire someone to provide a service for you.  Wouldn’t it be favorable to see who they are and hear how they can help you? 

 Research says yes.   A video on a website helps people decide and can help increase sales.   It attracts more visitors and influences buying.  It provides an easy way for people to share information about a product or service with others.   A video pre sells.  How? 

A video with an inviting introduction that is friendly and a bit entertaining will entice people to watch.  Video brings a product or service to life!  Images are great but video adds a new dimension.  Video lets the viewer see and hear the features but more importantly the benefits of a product or service.  What does it really look like?  How does it work?  How will this make my life better or easier?   If I hire this company who would I be working with and how can they help me?  Video answers these questions and more without having to read a lot of  text.   It saves time.  Who doesn’t like that!  Video can convey excitement and passion.

So, try a video.  It requires a little thought and time but it is an inexpensive marketing tool that could make a big difference in sales.

If making money successfully on line were quick and easy everyone would be doing it. It isn’t quick and it isn’t necessarily easy. Succeeding online can take a lot of time, money and effort. Let’s face it. Thats why many people are not doing it.

 Here are some important qualities that could help you be successful with an online business. 

1. Commitment -  You have to be a self starter. No one will be looking over your shoulder telling you to get to work.

2. Organization, disipline and focus. Stay on task.

3. Willingness to spend some money to get the tools, education to get started.

4. Knowledge- Research then use that knowledge and take action.

5. Patience-  Most success doesn’t come immediately. It may take awhile. You have to keep trying, testing, adjusting, monitoring, and continue learning.  Things change and advance quickly on the Internet. Keep up to date.

6. Never get passive. Be persistent, stay motivated and be pro active and your business will start to prosper.

So, remember the 4 P’s. Persistence, Patience, Pro-active =Prosper

So,  you have a website that you want redesigned or you have a new business and are looking for a web design company to design your first website.  How do you go about chosing a company? 

There are many things to consider and questions to ask.

1. Check out websites they have designed and see if they appeal to you .  Move around the sites and see if they are easy to navigate. 2.  Do you want to work with someone local or are you ok with communicating on the phone and over the internet?  3. Is the company accessible and do they respond to your requests in a timely manner?  4. Will they listen to your creative ideas but help guide you in the right direction based on what you want to accomplish?  5.  Can they help you with internet marketing, search engine optimization and hosting?  Having a company that can do it all is a plus.  6. Ask them about their fees, billing, deposit,  and how sure are they that they can  work within your budget.  7. Do you enjoy talking with them, and do they ask questions to determine your needs?  8. How busy are they and if you have a deadline how confident is the company that they can meet the deadline?

These are some things to consider when chosing a web designer or developer.  Do some research, ask questions and pick someone who will listen, do the work you want and design a website that reflects you and your business.

We have been working on a website – www.makeyourbusinesscard.com and would like to get any comments on the functionality of the website.

This website is for designing your own business cards.  You can change the font, the font size and the color.  There are several other options to play around with.  You can even upload your own photo or image to use as a background.

Please visit the site and let us know how you like it, and what features that you would like to see on this site.

We all make calls to customer service when we have concerns or questions about a product, service or our accounts.  You may have noticed you are sometimes asked to participate in a brief survey at the end of the call.  The survey asks questions about your experience during the call.  This is becoming more and more common because business’s realize customer feedback is vital.

Everyone knows you can’t please all the people all the time.  No matter what you do there are some customers who you will never please for one reason or another.  However, staying in the dark about customer’s impressions of your company or service can be very detrimental.

Many people who are not happy with your business won’t just “volunteer” their feedback.  They would rather mumble a few harsh words under their breath, find another company to do business with and tell everyone they know why they would not recommend you and there goes potential customers.  You have to solicit customer feedback!

Soliciting feedback either by surveys, comments on your website or blog, in your newsletter or by e-mail is a practice that should not be ignored.  Requesting feedback lets customers know you care about what they think, how they feel, and that you consider them a valuable resource.  When you do get feedback in an e-mail especially, it is important to try and address them within 24-48 hours.

The practice of responding to feedback can be a bit time consuming if you are getting a lot of response.  It is however a part of your business that deserves your attention.  If you are clueless about what customers are unhappy or frustrated with, how can you attempt to fix it and keep those customers away from the competition?  

In this instance, what you don’t know certainly can hurt you.

Resolution: A decision to do something.  A new year is the time to start fresh.  We all make resolutions in our personal lives and sometimes we keep them, sometimes we don’t.

But what about your business?  Have you thought about what you are going to do to make 2010 a more profitable and enjoyable year?  Now is a good time to think about it and make a list of resolutions for your business.  Instead of just a list you can put them on a vision board.  Keep the board where you can see it and be reminded regularly of your “decision to do something”.

What are some resolutions that are reasonable and doable?  1) Try to attract new customers by exploring new marketing strategies and/ or increasing your current strategy. 2) Work on keeping current customers by “communicating.”  Build relationships by putting out  a newsletter, respond to emails in a timely manner, get customer feedback with surveys and offer incentives, discounts and coupons.  Keep fresh content on your website to give them a reason to come back, buy, or call you to take advantage of your services.  3) Network more.  Join discussion groups and you will establish yourself as an expert.  If you aren’t already, try utilizing Facebook and Twitter  to make some new contacts.   Start a blog.  That can help with search engine rankings and help inform current customers.  4) Try and stand out from the competition.  Think about your target market and understand who your products and services can help.  Attract their attention, offer something your competition doesn’t , and then advertise it!  5) Focus on what’s working and change what is not.  6) Lastly, resolve to work hard but remember to take time out and have a little fun.

Doing all the above and other things you might think of, just might help increase sales and this should be every businesses #1 resolution.  Remember to keep your New Year’s Resolutions and refine your business in 2010.  Happy New Year!