December 13th, 2007
So often your customers are rushed and stressed this time of year as they finish their shopping, attend school holiday programs, do extra baking, wrap up year-end reports at work and often deal with stormy weather.
How can you make them smile and feel less stressed when they shop with you or visit your online store?
1. Smile of course. Often a smile will bring one in return.
2. Put smiley faces or cheery design on e-mail correspondence with them.
3. Tuck little cards, no larger than a business card, into their packages with an uplifting saying. This works for online shipping and items at a walk-in store.
4. Gift wrap packages for little or no extra charge.
5. Have a coffee or tea pot ready with a refreshing drink. (As long as this meets with health codes in your area.)
6. Have a bowl where customers can place their name or business card for a drawing…weekly or daily until Christmas…for some small item.
7. Feature a drawing on your blog, if you have one for your business, where you pull names for cheery comments left.
8. Play background music in your shop. It might be soft or lively, interspersed with Christmas music. Or, depending on your beliefs and those of your customers, you might play simply relaxing music.
9. Perhaps you’ll have music on your web site.
10. Provide a box of toys for children to play with while Mom shops.
11. Smile when answering the phone and use a cheery voice. The smile comes across as you talk, I’ve been told.
12. Wear clothes that make you feel cheery when you’re greeting customers…and when you’re conducting your online business.
13, Again….keep a SMILE on your face, in your voice…and in your fingers while tapping on your computer keyboard.
(c)Mary Emma Allen
Tags:home+based+business Home+business home+business+advice home+business+questions home+business+success+tips home + business + Christmas online+business thursday + thirteen
Share This
By Mary Emma Allen -- 6 comments
November 29th, 2007
Books to inspire, books to inform, books to help you work with people, books simply to enjoy…many of these you’ll find helpful as a home business owner, as well as simply a soujourner on our planet. Not all of these books will appeal to everyone. However, you may want to check some of these out and see if they will help you in life and your home business.
Author/motivational speaker, Charlie Jones says, (to paraphrase) that your life will be determined by the books you read and the people you meet.
*Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
*Cash Flow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki
*The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
*How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (This one never grows old)
*4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
*Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (I find myself going back to this old favorite whenever I’m discouraged)
*Personality Plus by Florence Littauer (One that really helped me understand people…in my family and business)
*Rudy’s Insights for Winning in Life by Rudy Ruettinger (an inspirational story of overcoming that’s also been made into a movie)
*Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips (insightful)
*The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
*Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz (Very good but not easy “one sitting” reading. It’s one of my husband’s favorites.)
*Life is Tremendous by Charlie Jones (If you’ve ever met Charlie and heard him speak, you’ll definitely want this for your library…and even if you haven’t)
*Your Choice…a book, whether fiction or non-fiction that you find yourself returning to, that is underlined, had pages turned and perks you up every time you pick it up. (Let us know what it is!)
BONUS BOOK - The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper, George Hauman and Doris Hauman (illustrators). (Everyone needs to read this one!! And reread it.)
You all have your favorites; some may be among the books above and they may be books I haven’t mentioned…or haven’t even heard of.
Why not share yours with us and let us know how they’ve inspired you.
More Related Posts:
Reading to Achieve in Your Home Business
Considering Home Business Books
Seasonal Promotion for Authors & Other Home Businesses
Tags:authors home+based+business Home+business home+business+books thursday + thirteen
Share This
By Mary Emma Allen -- 5 comments
November 22nd, 2007
Everyone from rockstars to politicians are using You Tube or other similar free video storage and distribution services for promotion.
There is potential here for promoting your home business as well.
Given that you know how to operate the basic equipment, here are a few tips on getting your message across.
- Introduce yourself and name your business
- Speak clearly and not too quickly
- Make it interesting to the viewer
- Choose a suitable background
- Know your topic and rehearse the steps
- Have pre prepared items close at hand
- Use closeups as well as zooming out and text as needed
- Keep facing the audience at all times
- Make sure others not involved are out of shot and sound range
- Offer value to the viewer & refrain from sales pitches
- If doing a series, don’t assume prior knowledge of other episodes
- Recap main steps or key points at the end
- Include your web address or contact details
Tags:home + business + ideas home business promotion thursday + thirteen you tube home business video
Share This
By Yvonne Russell -- 4 comments
October 25th, 2007
Two weeks ago we celebrated our first year blogiversary at Home Biz Notes.
As co-blogger here with Mary Emma, I’ve been exploring the archives. Here are my top Home Biz Notes picks from October to December, 2006. Most home business principles don’t change too much over time, so these posts contain some home business gold. Enjoy!
- Five Advantages Of A Home Business
- Five Disadvantages Of A Home Business
- Home Businesses - Good Part Time Ventures
- When To Go Fulltime With A Home Business
- Planning A Home Business Exit Strategy
- Home Businesses Benefit From the Internet
- Work At Home Moms Are Professionals
- Documenting Your Home Business
- Newsletters For Your Home Business Customers
- Branding Your Home Business
- Increased Internet Shopping - What Does It Mean To Home Businesses?
- Virtual Blog Tours - Successful For Promoting A Home Business
- Checking On Insurances For A Home Business
For more blast from the past home business articles, check the Archives by month in the far right sidebar.
As always we welcome your comments and suggestions for future topics, ideas, product and book reviews and interviews.
Tags:blast from the past home + business + ideas thursday + thirteen
Share This
By Yvonne Russell -- 2 comments
Recent Comments