Spring Cleaning
Easy on the Mind
Manners or Marketing
Working with Your Designer
MCCM Version 5.0 is here!
Special Offer
Word to the Wise
Good Advice/ Last Month's Winner
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Spring Cleaning
You can't keep doing the same things if your customer's world has changed. If it is time to review what has changed for your customers determine what your customer needs, how to let them know about it, and how to deliver:
~ If you could, what questions would you like to ask you customers directly?
~ How have changes in the economy changed the lives, problems, and buying habits of your customers? How can you help?
~ What kind of changes do you need to make in order to help your customer? Are they long term or short term changes? Are they permanent or temporary?
~ What is the urgency for your customer? How quickly should you communicate your changes to them?
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Easy on the Mind
BEFORE
Your reader will notice elements that stand out...but when everything shouts, nothing stands out! There is a strong temptation to highlight everything you want your customer to notice. This results in an amateurish look and a message that is lost on your reader. It's better to simplify your message and highlight only one or two things your customer really needs to know.
AFTER
Your reader will notice elements that stand out...but when everything shouts, nothing stands out!
There is a strong temptation to highlight everything you want your customer to notice. This results in an amateurish look and a message that is lost on your reader.
It's better to simplify your message and highlight only one or two things your customer really needs to know.
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Manners or Marketing?
Estimates vary but the percentage is high: How much of our communication is body language? Most of it. Here are some ways to stay in touch with your body language on challenging sales days.
~ Take your pulse before your meeting: What is your state of mind and emotion?
~ Be aware of your own body and of the other person. You're not in this alone.
~ Be honest - don't try to cover up. People prefer honest mistakes to cover-up.
~ Be generous. Think of the other person. Working to make them comfortable will take your mind off your own worries.
~ Focus only on a mutual goal for the duration of your meeting. Save distracting thoughts for later.
~ Smile.
On the phone:
~ Have paper and pencil at the ready. Taking notes can help you focus on the conversation.
~ Picture the person on the other end of the phone if you know them. You're talking to a real human being - not a phone. Visualize the person's face.
~ Body language equals tone of voice. If you're angry or tired it will come through in your voice. Good posture, deep breaths, or walking around can help.
~ Without visual cues that the other person is ready to speak, it's important to listen carefully for clues and provide plenty of opportunity for them to jump right in.
~ Smile - it will come through even on the phone.
THIS MONTH'S
SPECIAL OFFER 20% OFF Postcard Design GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT!
A wise man will make
more opportunities
than he finds.
We all know how much more work it takes to make something look easy. Digital technologies are new and foreign to many people, and it's common to think it all happens with the push of a button. In reality even small changes can take hours.
When working with your graphic or web designer you can keep your costs down by keeping them happy and following their lead:
~Don't assume something is easy just because it seems like a small detail - ask your designer how much time he or she needs to make the change.
~Give the type of feedback or approvals asked for: If it’s a first draft your designer probably just wants your gut reaction and not a detailed edit of their work – ask. A final review means final - be sure before you give the green light.
~Proof your job carefully - every small change can mean repeating multiple steps unnecessarily – get it right the first time. Your designer has to decide whether to charge you for this time, or go unpaid - it's a difficult choice.
S P O T L I G H T
MCCM Version 5.0 is here!
New features:
3 Menu Levels (menus, submenus and 3rd tier menus)
3rd tier menu collapse
Friendly URL's: Search engine friendly urls help with better tracking of individual pages.
The cost to upgrade your site depends on your current version and customizations. Call for your price.
