Address Business Issues

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

"It's a problem." You tossed
around the bed, half asleep.

Collect the, necessary, tools
needed to address the business
issue that's costing you sleep.
Most likely, it's stealing profits
as well. It's a waste of business
sources, your energy, and other
human resources to allow a business
issue to drag-on.

A business issue, problem, is
employees disregarding rules,
stepping across boundaries,
obsolete equipment, and/or suppliers.

Employees who do what they please are
bad examples to others. If they
continue, people will follow. Conflict,
confusion, flows from disrespectful
employees to everyone around them. The
negative energy fills the air.

Naturally, employees doing their jobs
become the objects of sarcasm. They,
eventually, produce less, and are
unhappy.

Sit the parties down, talk to them,
individually, and then together. Make
it clear that rule breaking will not
be tolerated. Lend or move people to
different departments, areas, permanently.
If negative behavior continues, dismissal
follows.

The business issue of antiquated equipment
can be difficult. It takes a toll on
employees, and profits. Address the issue,
move on with running a successful business.
The longer you put-off addressing the issue,
the more costly it becomes.

What employee wants to war-and-tug with
machinery, just to get a job done?
He/she will call in sick, often.

Perhaps, you have an in-house maintenance
team. It, still, takes time to get the
equipment running. Again, wasted human
resources, and possible profits.

A business issue with a supplier should
be addressed immediately. If materials
are less at supplier B, that particular
dealer is the one to work with. It isn't
personal, but a business decision. It
doesn't matter what the issue is with a
supplier, direct your attention to it.

Address business issues, and make your
life, business life, easier.

Customer Service That Brings Repeat Business

Be fair, attentive, and customers will
return.

Customer service is assisting, providing a
service, giving help and/or support. How
you, your employee(s), handle customers
determine whether or not they return.

"What will bring a customer back?" You
asked.

The first factor is attentiveness. If a
customer complains, for example, about
being on a certain floor, of a hotel,
direct your focus to the problem.

"I don't like staying on the third floor,
uneven numbers are bad luck.," Mr. Tate
said.

"It's nothing wrong with the room, and I'm
not sure there's another room available."
The clerk taps information into the computer
system.

After that, the customer, most likely, asked
for a manager, or packed immediately.

The clerk didn't, politely, address Mr. Tate's
concerns. He didn't want to stay on certain
floors, no matter how nice the room was.

His/her response should have been the
following.

"I understand, Mr. Tate. Would you like
to visit the bar, or get something to eat?
I'll have your luggage moved to a different
room."

"Sure."

"I'll notify you when the room is ready."

Mr. Tate is happy, will tell his friends,
and some of them will want to visit the
hotel.

Word-of-mouth is free advertising,
additional benefit.

The second factor in getting repeat
business is solving the problem
quickly.

Address Mr. Tate's issue promptly.
If you encounter difficulty finding
another room, go to Mr. Tate, and
keep him updated.

Chat with him for a few minutes,
and depart.

It shows that his fears, he, is
being taken care of. The hotel,
you, care.

The moment his room is ready,
advise him. Give him a
complimentary gift.

The last factor is get to know
customers.

"I'm busy, and don't have hours
to get to know customers." You
complained.

You don't have to spend hours talking
with them. Converse during the times
you see, speak, to them.

"Good morning, Mr. Tate. You sleep
well?"

Exchange pleasantries. Sometimes,
people will talk, ask questions.

The important key is you, your
staff, left a, friendly, door of
communication open.

Not Enough Time

Be fair, attentive, and customers will
return.

"I scheduled to do several jobs on Monday,
but wasn't able to." You said. "Now, I'm
running behind."

In my opinion, it's best to be organized,
have everything mapped out. You know what
is to be done on Day One to the end of your
week.

However, life, circumstances, don't, always,
allow us to stick to the plan. There, simply,
is not enough time.

"How do I make more time?" You sighed.

Don't get frustrated, disappointed, with
yourself.

You make more time by re-evaluating your
schedule.

It doesn't matter if for a business, or
a cluttered life. You must prioritize.

I'd like to write, for example, a book
per day. Update my web log once a day,
work on writing projects that interest
me, and instrust students.

Perhaps, there are people who can write
a perfet, need no editing, book, but I'm
not among them. I can write two or three
pages a day, more realistic for me.

My web log is revised in a timely fashion.
It's pointless, waste of energy, to worry
about it. The energy can be used for taking
care of tasks under my control.

I arrange students, who need my help, to fit
my schedule. If I can't work with someone
today then tomorrow.

Work projects, writing projects, are fitted
to my schedule. I'm relaxed, and work faster.

The same should hold true for you. Pick the
most important projects, tasks, to do, first.
Each one is given, only, a portion of your time.
Otherwise, you're loaded down working on jobs
that could have waited. At the end of the day,
you're stressed out, because you, still, have back-
logged work.

Practice pacing yourself. If necessary, jot
down what's urgent. Tape the paper near your
work-station.

If, only, you had decided to use this
practice sooner, your profit margin would
be larger.

Especially, the day the Browns called
about their order. The folder was mis-
filed. You had to call them back. You
found the folder on top of the filing
cabinet. Your stress level elevated that
day, needlessly. Hopefully, the Browns
become repeat customers.

Make a schedule to never have to use
the title words: Not Enough Time. Allow
time between tasks, projects, for the
unseen.

Also, if you stick to the schedule,
don't worry about what didn't get done.
Do your best.

It promotes happier, less stressful,
lives.

Schedule what you will do tomorrow, and
not be stressed, because you know what
to do next. Or, never again, spend too
much time on Product A, Task D, or Service
G.

Successful Internet Business Must Do

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

An Internet business requires
certain factors to be successful.
I'm referring to any product, or
service sold via the Internet.

Your advertising must take them
into consideration when promoting
products and/or services.

"Take what into consideration?"

The first factor is your target
market. Do some research. Who
will you direct your product or
service to. Exchange ideas in
forums. There's no harm in trying
chat rooms, related to your
business. Or, just to get
general information. Of course,
writing articles for e-zines
will give you exposure.

You want to know, exactly, who your
target market is. Senior citizens?
The eighteen to twenty-five age
group? Male? Female?

Next, explore ways of increasing
sales. Link to, for example,
another web site(s).

Once traffic, people, start
visiting your web site, the
sales presentation should
inspire them to buy.

Finally, build an e-list.

"How do I?" You stopped reading,
answered the telephone.

An e-list equals e-mail addresses.
Collect them to stay in contact
with customers. Send them new
offers, keep them aware of sales,
offer discounts, etc.

Online businesses must target
their market, increase sales,
bring in traffic, and build an
e-list to be successful.

What Am I?

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

Alexander Bain was the first to
design me, about a century ago. I'm
user friendly.

My photo sensor can focus on a small
piece of paper. The drum rotates,
helps me read what's on paper.

Do you know me?

Maybe, you don't.

Paper is sent through me.

When what I send reaches its
destination, there's another
rotating drum.

Any kind of information can
be sent through me.

I require a modem.

You know, now, what I am?

Answer:
I'm a fax machine.

How To Write An Ad

Be fair, attentive, and customers will
return.

Writing is communication. You know more
about your business, the direction it
should go then anyone. You, first, exposed
your wares to the world. The product(s) or
service(s) formed in your mind. Who else
could know the background information better?
No one explains the product or service
clearer than you.

"I'm not a writer." You complained to a
friend.

Let's look at that point.

Don't get technical as you spell-out your
offers. No one wants to know about your
struggle to find the right packaging. Or,
it will be boring, costly, to mention how
your grandmother helped finance Product B.

Simply, state the benefits, features, as if
you are talking to a friend. Be concise.
Use short and long sentences. Don't clatter.

Remember, advertising is, can be, costly.
The more you describe, the higher the bill.

Also, people are busy, stressed, and prefer
not to read paragraphs. Make your point, and
stop.

The head-line of an ad should be three to
five words long. Its job is to catch the
individual's eye, because the ad offered a
desired benefit. The ad you're presenting
must be interesting, and spark a desire,
need, in us.

It is best that your product or service reach
the right people. If your ad, for example, is
for senior citizens, and it is placed in a
college paper then your ad failed to reach its
target market.

"How do I find my target market?" You questioned.

Research is required to make sure your ad finds
its target market.

Get feed-back from forums about products or services.
You can get an idea of how well offers will be
received. Gain advice on rough spots. Sometimes,
it's advisable to discuss a version of your
business plan.

"Why just a version?" You stared at the last
sentence.

It's a safe-guard. A wise person unveils actual
plans at the right time. Some are more at ease
not talking about authentic business ideas.

There's an advantage with forums.

"Which is?" You asked.

When you introduce wares to forums, it is free
advertising, free ad.

Answer some questions before writing the ads.

How would it benefit a person to purchase your
product or service? Is your product or service
less in price than a similar product? Can
people get a deal on it? Or, order another
product, and shipping is free?

Some head-lines get attention. Buy One, Second
Free, Buy Now, Get Free Shredder, Free Trial,
It Works or Money Back, Buy Today, Free Shipping,
and Sale.

Practice with creating head-lines. After you
decide on which ads are useable, ask yourself,
would they grab your attention?

I chose the following head-line for my five
lesson fiction writing course. Learn Fiction
Writing--Five Lessons...

"Where's the benefit?" Someone asked.

The benefit is someone can learn to write
fiction in five lessons.

Sell your wares with ads that grab the
reader's attention. Those three to five
words are the head-line. The body makes
the point. Easy to understand words are
best to use.

List the benefits and/or features of
your product or service. Why should
anyone buy your product over Product C?
Why is your product/service different?
Better?

Most people look for what's in it for
me.

Most importantly, repeat business happens
when you have been fair with customers.

Profitable Businesses Run In Families

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

"How so?" You asked.

More than 90 percent of all businesses
in the United States are family-owned,
and almost 35 percent of all Fortune 500
companies are family-controlled, according
to a University of North Carolina study,
reported by the Epoch Times.

"What is a Fortune 500 company?" Someone
questioned.

The Fortune Magazine give points, ranks, to
500 of the largest corporations, in the
United States. Factors such as market
value, earnings, number of employees, assets,
and sales determine whether or not a company
makes the list.

Companies start out small, grew through
the years. After a few generations of
survival, they become huge.

Of course, there are those that failed.

In my opinion, after years of being in
business, you learn, grow. You have to
adapt to survive.

Savvy business decisions, adding products,
services, that complement each other,
repeat customers, all, help a business
become a fortune 500 company.

If you, your business, used rocks
instead of a calculator for counting,
for example, your business would be
a failure.

Re-investing funds, adding products/
services that complete your line,
customer satisfaction, all, help
toward building a fortune 500 company.

Reflect

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

"What do you mean reflect?" You
asked.

I'm referring to looking over
your business behavior. Think
about what you could have done
better, more, to make your business
more profitable.

This is a new year, time to implement
new ideas.

You, your business colleagues, decided
Product A, Service A, would be a good
addition, but you chose not to bring
it onboard.

However, after thinking about it,
you want to include the service or
product.

Ask yourself some questions.
Is it the right time? Would it
cost more than is in the budget
for new services, or products?
Will customers benefit? Has any
new data been uncovered on it?

Reflecting gives you, your business,
a second chance to profit from a
product or service first thought
too cutting edge.

Business Resolutions

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

"My business resolution is to make
more money." Someone said.

"What is a business resolution?"
You asked.

A business resolution is a goal you
set for yourself, something you
planned to do, determined to do.

Once you have picked a business
resolution, stick to it.

If your business resolution is
to make more money, how much
more? Five hundred? Five thousand?
Pick a realistic figure, one that
you, your company can obtain.

With business resolutions, or any
goal, they should be reachable.
A goal you have no way of achieving
will, only, frustrate you.

Write your business resolution(s)
in a place where you can see it.
It will be a reminder, inspiration.

Build toward it everyday. There
will be days when you just fall
short of your best efforts. It's
all right. Try harder the next day.

If, for some reason, you're not
successful with your business
resolution, don't give up.

Simply, re-evaluate. Correct
the behavior that stopped you
from reaching your business
resolution. Of course,
next year you will.