101 Tips To Improve Your Business – Tips 26 to 30 (customer communication testimonial, advertising discounts, honesty, be upfront)

101 Tips continued:

26. The market is not a perfect communication place. Just because you make an offer to one group of customers in one month does not mean that they will remain in the same place 4 months down the track. – figure this one out yourself. Like I said in the start of these tips, I found this info in an office clean-up – now, I don’t know who wrote this stuff, but I am really confused on this tip as I think it is badly worded.

27. Every time someone tells you they are impressed with your organisation, write down a testimonial. Don’t ask them to send it to you because 80% of people will forget. Write it down and send it back to them & ask for their approval to use it. – It’s as simple as that! If you have a website, the best testimonials are from people who allow you to submit their head-shot photo with name, suburb and testimonial. Research shows theses are the most believable testimonials followed by a testimonial with name and suburb (no photo) followed by testimonial with initials and suburb.

28. Never pay full rates for advertising without asking for a discount – doesn’t hurt to ask.

29. Be honest – Oh this is a NO-Brainer. Your life should be an open book, another thing, make sure all the stuff you write and say about your business is consistent. “Under promise and over deliver”, all that sort of stuff. I know 1 fellow who is a real estate agent who is just full of it and he’s always trying to impress with the big numbers and everything. Stick to the facts and stick to a simple story!

30. Be upfront – this is another NO-Brainer. Like I said before Under Promise and Over Deliver. So if there are limitations to your service, best to say so in the beginning. Just tell it as it is. Likewise be upfront about what you can do, this is good marketing!