Ruby

APRIL 11, 2017

Stay in Touch Most shoppers are looking for quick solutions these days, and a brand’s responsiveness can make or break a sale. Know What Success Looks Like The end goal of multichannel marketing is increasing sales—but it’s best to set unique goals for each channel. The post Top 3 tips for small business multichannel marketing.

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Ruby

MARCH 8, 2022

In this article, we’ll look at the impact that positive word of mouth can have on your business, as well as tips to help you generate more leads through customer referrals. Why customer referrals are big wins for small businesses Social proof, peer insights, unsolicited advice—call it what you want: people trust the opinions of others.

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Small Business Retail Purchasing Sales 52

Ruby

OCTOBER 10, 2023

Has anyone ever mentioned how important you and your fellow small businesses are to your community? Small businesses not only lend local flavor to the towns and cities they operate in, but they’re also the economic backbone of countless neighborhoods! Provide free consultations to fellow small businesses.

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Ruby

AUGUST 20, 2020

Leads are indeed crucial for business success (especially small business success), but the concept is often abstract and poorly understood. Thinking in terms of “leads, leads, leads” removes the human element and turns sales and marketing into numbers games rather than actual drivers of value. What is a lead?

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Success

DECEMBER 6, 2021

This approach—profiling a high achiever with the cover story—is still a core component of the magazine today, as is the content centered on entrepreneurship and running a small business or solopreneurial hustle. When I found out SUCCESS was for sale, I jumped at the chance,” Sanford says.

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Success

DECEMBER 11, 2022

Thousands of small businesses were left reeling during the pandemic—either closing permanently or temporarily—and minority-owned small businesses bore the brunt of the impact. Plus, with each purchase made, YaYa & Co. Plus, purchasing bar soap is a great step toward minimizing your use of single-use plastics.

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Purchasing Small Business Food Supplies 105

Success

JULY 27, 2022

I recommend Grasshopper or eVoice to help your small business stay mobile and on the go. Also, you can begin with free web services like ZOHO CRM [for managing your sales, marketing, customer support and inventory in a single system] and upgrade after your business has earned the cash to pay for new purchases.”.

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Success

MAY 20, 2022

An online survey conducted by Forrester Consulting in 2019 found that 49% of respondents saw revenue boosted by partnerships and 77% of respondents saw “partnership development as central to their 2019 sales and marketing strategy.” . Proof it works: Close to meeting sales goals in the program’s first year.

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Ruby

OCTOBER 13, 2021

In recent years, sales teams across the business spectrum have shifted toward a needs-based approach. And more importantly, does your business need it? Most conventional sales methodologies are entirely transactional. Effective at bringing in a certain amount of business? #WOCinTech Chat licensed under CC BY 2.0

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Small Business Customer Service Sales Purchasing 52

Ruby

DECEMBER 28, 2020

Perhaps they’re dragging their feet about making a purchase decision due to an ill-informed belief about the value of your business. Our unique approach to customer service translates into happier customers, improved brand loyalty, and—ultimately—better business. And it’s in your—and their—best interest to change their mind.

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Work Life

JANUARY 11, 2025

Spending money to make money never sat well with me, especially when there was no direct relationship between the purchase and the ROI. (I For example, lets say a small business owner is struggling to build their clientele. The more overt (and easier-to-avoid) version is the urgent sales pitch.

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Success

MARCH 9, 2023

His wardrobe choice depended on what sales or product launch goal the team had accomplished. Now, a customer shopping for groceries could input the bill into Quicken, and a business owner could pick up the purchase and instantly add the expenditure into their record-keeping system via a mobile version of QuickBooks.

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Ruby

NOVEMBER 29, 2022

No matter where they are in their sales journey, they want an exceptional experience… … before … during … and after they make a purchase. Adding live chat to your small business website is one way to ensure your online visitors receive the same level of service, no matter where they are in their customer journey.

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Customer Service Sales Purchasing Small Business 52

Ruby

SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

Your sales team has already had several exchanges with her. This is one of the most common customer acquisition challenges business owners run into—closing a sale that looks like it should be a sure thing. Be careful not to mistake a lead’s enthusiasm or friendly personality for readiness to make a purchase. Not so fast.

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Ask a Manager

NOVEMBER 22, 2021

I am the owner of a very small company, around 15 people total. We do the vast majority of our sales through a popular online marketplace, but also have a company webstore where customers can order our products. Because we are so small, we cannot accommodate order cancellations, and we rarely offer refunds.

Customer Service 67

Customer Service Problem-Solving Small Business Retail 67

Success

MARCH 20, 2022

Small business owners should stop spending on websites and start investing in web solutions. Purchase memories, not mementos. Purchase items of multiple serving sizes for about the same price as cooking comparable meals on your own. Ask yourself, What problem am I trying to solve? Who has the problem? Know your numbers.

Food 105

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Ruby

JANUARY 13, 2021

We’ve talked to thousands of small business owners and entrepreneurs who use live chat and gotten to the best practices. Visitors want instant answers to questions that would lead to a sale or online purchase. Add Chat To Your Shopping Cart Abandoned shopping carts haunt every online business.

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Software Sales Purchasing Small Business 52

Ruby

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

Like our last two leads, Amy and Bryan , Casey has shown some interest in your business, but they’re much higher up in the sales funnel. In the first part of this series , we defined a lead as a person or organization who might one day purchase a product or service from your business. So, does Casey even count as a lead?

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Sales Purchasing Small Business Prioritization 52

Ruby

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

All year, small business owners have exemplified this trait. Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic and the various turmoil 2020 has wrought, small business owners have found new ways to continue serving their customers and clients. If you do business online, live chat is essential. 2020 has been a hell of a year.

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Creativity Small Business Real Estate Customer Service 52

Ruby

APRIL 20, 2015

It’s critical for small business owners today to craft and implement an effective customer engagement strategy. They’re conducting their own research before they think of making a purchase decision. Customer engagement is a challenge for small business owners and large-scale company executives alike.

Purchasing 52

Purchasing Small Business Customer Service Technology 52

Ruby

OCTOBER 15, 2018

Save yourself time and precious energy with our suggested list of automation tools for small businesses! With the right tools, you can better target your leads, improve customer experience, and manage your sales process. Examples: Infusionsoft is a CRM specially tailored for small businesses. No problem.

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Supplies Small Business Software Networking 52

Ruby

AUGUST 16, 2021

You probably know that Costco offers great deals, but did you know that the stores will take pretty much any returns (with a few exceptions), even if a purchase was months or years ago, and you don’t have a receipt? It also offers plenty of concrete ways customers can extend the lives of their purchases. Notice a recurring theme here?

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Purchasing Problem-Solving Small Business 52

Ruby

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

These shifts in consumer trends allow brands to be more effective than ever in their advertising, sales, and communications. People are looking for experiences—not just purchases. Using hyper-personalization methods can increase consumer loyalty to a brand and how much a customer is willing to spend during a purchase.

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Purchasing Customer Service Advertising Influencing 52

Ruby

MAY 11, 2022

Someone referring a friend or family member or neighbor to your business results in an additional sale 80% of the time. A happy customer talking to her neighbors and friends about your business is more powerful than your email marketing, or social media, or the sticker on the outside of your work truck.

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Sales Customer Service Purchasing Retail 52

Ruby

APRIL 10, 2024

Silence signals that the business’ customer service representative either doesn’t care—or doesn’t know what they’re doing. Keep the conversation steered toward a goal (such as them deciding to make a purchase). When you’ve got a customer with their wallet out and ready to go, never grind the sale to a halt by being unprepared.

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Customer Service Small Business Onboarding Purchasing 52

Ruby

NOVEMBER 30, 2023

But despite the potential of the newly coined “silver economy,” businesses often neglect the needs and preferences of shoppers over 50. To reach the silver market, small business owners must ditch their preconceived notions, figure out what these folks value, and serve that up on a platter. The buyer’s journey never gets old.

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Ruby

APRIL 25, 2021

The pressure is on for organizations (like your business) and professionals (like yourself) to answer questions, offer information, and address customer concerns online in a quick, accurate, and personal manner. A chat service can close the gap between customers reaching out for information and making a sale. Chat fulfills these needs.

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Purchasing Automotive Customer Service Healthcare 52

Ruby

JANUARY 23, 2024

Apply that age-old thought experiment to your small businesses. If you launch a business to sell a product or service but no one knows about it, will anyone buy it? Probably not. Gather demographic information to better understand opportunities and limitations for gaining customers,” advises the Small Business Administration.

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Ruby

NOVEMBER 4, 2021

For them, every conversation is an opportunity to make a sale, delight a customer, or improve their community. But putting a price tag on small business conversations is a much more complicated science. Those eye-popping numbers underline just how essential positive word-of-mouth is for your business.

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Problem-Solving Small Business Customer Service Communication 52

Ruby

JULY 7, 2020

That’s doubly true for local businesses, which depend on recommendations, referrals, and word-of-mouth to stand out in their markets. Consider a few statistics about the power of reviews: Nearly 95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase. 73% of consumers trust a local business more after reading positive reviews.

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Small Business Manufacturing Purchasing 52

Ruby

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

If you say yes, that scammer may sell your information to telemarketers, or they might repurpose it for an unauthorized phone purchase. So if you pick up and hear an aggressive sales pitch or sudden request for personal information, it’s probably best to end that call. This is followed by a yes/no question like ‘can you hear me?’”

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Banking Purchasing Technology Communication 52

Ruby

MARCH 31, 2021

Each is at a different point in the sales funnel. As explained in her story , Amy is what we would call a sales-qualified lead. Amy is going to purchase from someone—the goal is to convince her to choose you to bake the cake. While you’re busy with other customers, your personal life, or—hey, how about sleeping?—a

Sales 52

Sales Healthcare Purchasing Consulting 52

Ruby

MARCH 25, 2021

The customer notices a buy-one, get-one sale on the product, but they have to sign up for a rewards program to get the BOGO price. In the background, technologies seamlessly updated their cart with the sale price, making it easier for the customer to complete a purchase. Essentially, multiple touchpoints talked to each other.

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Customer Service Purchasing Technology Sales 52

Attendance Bot

JULY 28, 2023

As well as increased storage capacity and advanced administrative controls for businesses. If you need more storage, Google also offers a storage upgrade program to purchase extra storage on a monthly basis. Customization: Salesforce is highly customizable and can be tailored to fit the specific needs of a business.

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Ruby

MARCH 23, 2022

That link tracks who makes a purchase, and you pay a small commission to the food blogger for bringing you new business. Payment terms: Businesses hire influencers upfront, and the parties typically agree to a lump sum. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before diving in: Do you like sales and marketing?

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Ruby

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

Did you know that online reviews influence purchase decisions for a whopping 93% of consumers ? Many business owners, particularly owners of small businesses, can’t justify the costs of hiring, onboarding, and training someone on-site to answer calls full-time. That figure has a direct impact on your bottom line.

Customer Service 52

Customer Service Advertising Onboarding Purchasing 52

Ruby

JANUARY 24, 2022

Small businesses can benefit from collaboration too— even with their competitors !) Keep branding consistent. Customers are always looking to get a similar quality of experience every time they engage with your business. Every business thrives on sales. You can also expect an increase in exposure.

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