Do You Have Customers or Clients?
Yes, there is a difference. A "client" is someone who expects you to "take care" of him or her over an extended period of time. Someone who offers professional services typically has clients rather than customers. On the other hand, a person who uses your products or services on a limited basis is considered a "customer." A store typically has customers as opposed to clients.
Knowing whether you serve customers or clients is crucial to determining not only your marketing efforts, but how you operate your business. After all, although your goal always is to provide the best products or services to all people – whether client or customer – your approach to handling the two types of people should be different. Well-known business coach Jay Abraham, does a great job of addressing this issue in his book, "Getting Everything You Can Out Of All You’ve Got."
To discuss, contact me, Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Small-Business Numbers Aren't So Small...
Small-Business Numbers Aren't So Small...
The Small Business Administration recently reported some interesting statistics. Did you know that small firms:
* Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms
* Employ half of all private sector employees
* Pay more than 45 percent of the total U.S. private payroll
* Have generated 60 to 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the last decade
* Are 53 percent home-based and 3 percent franchises
To discuss, contact me, Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.
The Small Business Administration recently reported some interesting statistics. Did you know that small firms:
* Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms
* Employ half of all private sector employees
* Pay more than 45 percent of the total U.S. private payroll
* Have generated 60 to 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the last decade
* Are 53 percent home-based and 3 percent franchises
To discuss, contact me, Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Image Versus Identity
Image vs. Identity
Some people use the terms image and identity interchangeably, but they are two distinct concepts. Your company's identity represents the core values of your company while your image reinforces, or should reinforce, your identity.
First, it's important to know your company's identity. Let me use a car dealership as an example. I once knew of a successful car dealership that was the epitome of luxury in all respects. When you would bring your car in for service, there was low lighting, comfortable chairs and plush carpeting. Their image reinforced their identity - luxury. Now, compare that to another luxury car dealership in which the service department has linoleum floors and plastic chairs. What is their image? Does it correspond to the dealership's identity?
Keep in mind that your identity should be reinforced by those "weapons" I referred to in a previous article. For instance, a car dealership that wants to be perceived as a luxury car dealership should promote the business in high-society magazines and not on cable television in the middle of the night.
What is your company's identity? Make sure you know the answer - and make sure your image corresponds to it. To discuss further contact me, tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.
Some people use the terms image and identity interchangeably, but they are two distinct concepts. Your company's identity represents the core values of your company while your image reinforces, or should reinforce, your identity.
First, it's important to know your company's identity. Let me use a car dealership as an example. I once knew of a successful car dealership that was the epitome of luxury in all respects. When you would bring your car in for service, there was low lighting, comfortable chairs and plush carpeting. Their image reinforced their identity - luxury. Now, compare that to another luxury car dealership in which the service department has linoleum floors and plastic chairs. What is their image? Does it correspond to the dealership's identity?
Keep in mind that your identity should be reinforced by those "weapons" I referred to in a previous article. For instance, a car dealership that wants to be perceived as a luxury car dealership should promote the business in high-society magazines and not on cable television in the middle of the night.
What is your company's identity? Make sure you know the answer - and make sure your image corresponds to it. To discuss further contact me, tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Guerilla Marketing: Are You Armed - and Effective?
Guerilla Marketing: Are You Armed - and Effective?
I am a proponent of Guerrilla Marketing, a concept Jay Conrad Levinson introduced to the world in 1984 with his book, Guerrilla Marketing. If you haven't read his book, I highly recommend you do because it contains many time-tested, cost-effective marketing strategies that still apply today, more than 20 years after it was first published.
In this entry, I want to focus on one important Guerrilla Marketing lesson - weapons. A weapon represents each way you promote your business, such as business cards, logos, signs, advertising, etc. I think weapon is an appropriate term because it shows the power of marketing. When used correctly, your company could stand to win big. When not used correctly or not used at all, your company could lose out.
Of course, weapons can't just fire at random.
There has to be strategy and in Guerrilla Marketing, your marketing strategy is outlined in what's called a marketing calendar. A marketing calendar outlines which weapons you use and when. Over time, your marketing calendar will show the interaction and synergy between the weapons. You'll be able to rank them in order of their effectiveness and determine when each one should be used and in what combination.
I've merely scratched the surface on this concept, but I hope I have at least made you think about a few points. Take a moment and think about what weapons your company is using as well as what weapons you are not using.
This is a good time to revisit - or start a marketing calendar for this year. For more information on Guerrilla Marketing, please contact me, Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.
I am a proponent of Guerrilla Marketing, a concept Jay Conrad Levinson introduced to the world in 1984 with his book, Guerrilla Marketing. If you haven't read his book, I highly recommend you do because it contains many time-tested, cost-effective marketing strategies that still apply today, more than 20 years after it was first published.
In this entry, I want to focus on one important Guerrilla Marketing lesson - weapons. A weapon represents each way you promote your business, such as business cards, logos, signs, advertising, etc. I think weapon is an appropriate term because it shows the power of marketing. When used correctly, your company could stand to win big. When not used correctly or not used at all, your company could lose out.
Of course, weapons can't just fire at random.
There has to be strategy and in Guerrilla Marketing, your marketing strategy is outlined in what's called a marketing calendar. A marketing calendar outlines which weapons you use and when. Over time, your marketing calendar will show the interaction and synergy between the weapons. You'll be able to rank them in order of their effectiveness and determine when each one should be used and in what combination.
I've merely scratched the surface on this concept, but I hope I have at least made you think about a few points. Take a moment and think about what weapons your company is using as well as what weapons you are not using.
This is a good time to revisit - or start a marketing calendar for this year. For more information on Guerrilla Marketing, please contact me, Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.
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