Avoiding Barriers to Business Success
The best marketing removes barriers. Are you focusing on doing the same thing for your business and networking practices?
We’re big believers in reaching a wider audience through sharing and engaging in a variety of places around the web, as well as discovering quality content posted by others. To show you what we mean, here’s some great content about removing the barriers that could be hurting your business.
1. Don’t Spam Your Legit Contacts
We’ve been talking lately about CASL’s impact on your marketing. Around the office, we’ve had a lot more to say about request for opt-in emails from companies who really don’t need to be sending them to us. The fact is, opt-in requests from companies that already have a business relationship with you are not only unnecessary, they could qualify as plain old spam.
You aren’t going to build trust by sending out a generic request to op-in. You’re more likely to lose subscribers/contacts as exasperated readers see their inbox fill up with unnecessary consent requests.
Read Randy’s post “Don’t Spam Your Legit Contacts” on Google+.
ADDITION
2. Are Discounts Melting Away Your Profits?
While discounting your services can certainly get people in the door, the question arrises about it being enough to keep them there? Recently, Starbucks changed their gold card program and it got Randy thinking about the way discounting products can change consumer perception of a product’s value negatively.
This post made its debut on our blog, but also generated some important attention on LinkedIn Pulse. Check out what some of our commenters shared:
… to a degree agree, due to the nature of the businesses that responded. However; for my own business 25 years & going strong, I have never ever discounted my services or products. Why? Because I strongly feel as though on merit of quality alone I am not discountable. What I offer is already such a great deal and bargain. I have noticed others in my industry do and have, and can with certainty inform you all that those who did are no longer around. Maybe they just cut to low or could not keep loyal customers not sure but shall stay on the path I am on, holding firm to the notion I am worth every dime... – Suzette Trimmer
You cut your price to develop a point of advantage. I do the same to keep up with you. We both erode our profit margins, thus have less money for our staff & innovation. We corrode any distinction and loyalty customer perceive about our products & services. It’s a vicious circle. – Marian Chrvala
Read the full article on LinkedIn Pulse.
3. Delegate your time away from your business
A great reminder to entrepreneurs that time off is important for your well-being and success. When there’s a lot to be done, it can be hard to remember the value of taking time to relax. Not taking a vacation and pushing yourself too hard can build stress and have you at the breaking point. Don’t just assume you’ll take a vacation sometime in the future, time passes much too quickly.
Be proactive about your vacation time.
Remember to schedule time away from the business for yourself. Look at your previous business cycles and find a quieter time where you can get away. Schedule your planned vacation into your calendar.
Even a short trip away is invigorating.
You don’t have to leave for three weeks to have a restful, relaxing break from the office. Even a few days will refresh your mind and body, and it can help you break out of unhelpful patterns of thinking to get away.
Remember to follow through.
Planning a vacation and canceling at the last minute is disappointing, stressful and expensive. Show that you value your personal time and that you trust your colleagues by following through with your planned time off.
Check out more business vacation tips on the Payroll by Credit Card blog.
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