Should I run an ad in the newspaper for a new employee?

That depends, what type of position you are trying to fill? If the position is for an employee that will not have to be internet savvy, then the answer is yes. If you’re looking for a person that will be using the internet for communication in their position you should advertise the position online.

Looking for new employees is just like looking for new customers. Get into the mindset of prospect employees and post positions where they are most likely to look. For an online service like Careerbuilder.com or Monster.com you should plan on spending between $300 & $500. These two employment websites give you a better opportunity to provide a detailed description and overview for your positions. If you decide to post in a newspaper ad, you’ll be looking at less dollars but less space to talk about your position. If you place your ad online plan on putting an email address so people can email you. If you go with an ad in the newspaper be ready to answer the phone, because the people will be calling you.

Whichever way you go, be as descriptive as possible with your position and be ready to communicate with people about your available position right away. Don’t delay in getting back to people, the best ones go fast! Make it happen!

© 2008 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Always get the door.

I don’t know about you but I’m the type of person who holds the door open for people, takes the extra second to let people in the elevator, and helps people with store their bags on airplanes. If this doesn’t sound like you, try putting yourself in check and becoming more “neighborly” with people. If not for any other reason, you should do it because the next door you hold open may be for the person you are attempting to do business with.

Recently, I was walking into large office building about 8 floors high, and stopped to hold the door for the person behind me. They were struggling to carry an armload of files, so I stood patiently holding the door open for what felt like an eternity (but probably no more than 30 seconds), because they looked like they were having a rough time and I was running early for my meeting. As they walked through the door I offered them a hand, but they replied they could manage and continued on their way.

Once, I reached my meeting there was a brief conference the clients I was aiming to work with requested I meet their CEO. As he entered the room, he looked vaguely familiar and I recognized him as the gentleman I held the door open for early that day. Case in point? Always get the door! Make it happen!

© 2008 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

I feel like I’ve known you my whole life…

Ever had someone say that to you? I have, and the last time it happened I was on a two hour flight with someone I didn’t know. I felt like talking and the person seemed interesting enough. The more I talked to them the more interesting I found them…so I just kept asking questions. Questions about where they were from, what they did for work, family, hobbies, relationships, home, vacations and a few other topics.

I found myself digging a little deeper on each topic and asking “interested type” questions. Mostly because I was interested, it was almost like I was writing a book about that person and the more I asked the more they unfolded and the more interested I became. When we got off the plane I said “I enjoyed talking to you and getting to know you, have a great week” and they said “It seems like I’ve known you my whole life.”

When I told my ride about that conversation they said; why do you think they felt that way and I said I know why. Because I have known them their whole life and the reason is….we only talked about them and their life, nothing about me. I was asking them questions and talking to them about things that they were totally comfortable with, things that they knew everything about, things they knew all the answers too. I focused on them and talking about them, not me.

What’s the point of the story? If you want people to feel comfortable with you, start out talking about them, not yourself. If they ask you about you later on that’s fine but don’t lead with you. People do business with people they feel comfortable with, people that they feel like they know. Make it happen!

© 2008 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Do you need to train people on how to answer the phone?

Yes and put it in writing. You want to create a phone presentation on exactly how you want your phones answered, your customers spoken to and how to end a phone call. Sounds simple right? Then do it. It shouldn’t matter if it’s your spouse or an employee at your company answering the phone; write down exactly how you would like it done.

Here’s an example for you: (phone rings and person answers) “eMarketing 4 Business….” Was this sufficient? No it wasn’t because it doesn’t give a name or ask how you can help someone. People are calling you because they want information about buying your products or services, customer assistance, or they want to speak to another employee. Knowing this, the best way to answer the phone would be to let the caller know who they are speaking to and recognizing they may need assistance. How about: “eMarketing 4 Business, this is Randy, How can I help you today?”

Answering this way takes little effort and makes people feel at ease when they call in. To get consistent behavior and results you must have a consistent service plan in your company, so write down how you want it done. That takes all the guesswork out of it and now you have a standard in which you can hold people accountable for. Try putting things in writing more and you will surprise yourself with the results you’ll get. Make it happen!

© 2008 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

How fast should I return phone calls and emails?

As soon as you can. By getting in the habit of returning your phone calls and emails as soon as practical, you will get more things done and less things will fall in the cracks. For sure there are times when you need to do some research, think about things before you do it or commit to it but in general you want to respond sooner rather than later. I know people who like to wait several hours or a day before returning emails.

Keep in mind you are setting an expectation with the people you communicate with that it is okay to wait half a day or a full day before responding to any communication from YOU. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Be careful what message you are sending to people with the way you return calls and emails.

When in doubt, always respond as soon as possible.

© 2009 eMarketing 4 Business LLC

Should I accept credit cards at my business?

It’s always a good idea to provide prospective and existing customers with as many ways to pay you as possible. Accepting credit cards is a good way to accomplish this. There are many instances where it would be more convenient for a customer to pay you by credit card rather than sending a check, meaning you get paid faster. Before you run off and start accepting credit cards you’ll need to make sure you have a couple percent of your revenue to pay for this convenience.

Credit card companies usually charge between 2 – 4 percent of the total amount charged on the card as a service fee to process the transaction and deposit the money into your account. It is not unusual to also have a per-transaction fee as well. In addition many processing companies have minimum fees if your calculated fees do not exceed a certain amount each month. There may also be equipment rental costs if you need a machine to swipe credit cards at your business location. Be sure all of fees and charges are laid out in writing before you sign on the dotted line with a credit card processing company.

Lastly, since people can dispute and potentially decline credit card charges, it is a good idea to make sure your credit card terms and conditions are clear and are available to your customers. Giving customers several ways to pay is a good idea for most businesses but that’s the great thing about having your own business…You get to decide!


© 2008 eMarketing 4 Business LLC