One of the many reasons that get people interested in using direct marketing is its value as a means of acquiring new customers or clients. With the ever increasing costs of doing business it is critically important for the retail automotive dealership and management to be cost-effective in marketing.

That means that good control is exercised over the cost of getting a new customer. Many businesses grow their gross at the expense of their net. At least partially through uncontrolled new customer acquisition cost. With that approach, they can literally grow themselves right out of business.

I’ve found that the best way to develop methods that work consistently, predictably and cost-effectively in acquiring new customers is through direct mail marketing. When you develop a successful cost-effective direct mail program you’ve got an extremely valuable asset. You’ve got a system that you can use over and over again for a long time with predictable results. Unfortunately, most businesses don’t take the time or effort to do this.

“If you do not have a system for selling, you are at the mercy of the buyer’s system for buying (or not buying).” LAH Promotions 2007

Acquiring New Customers With Direct Mail

To use direct mail effectively to acquire new customers or clients you have to deal with demographics. Demographics are the statistical information about people that marketers use to select and target their prospective customers and clients.

Today computers have added a huge extra measure of sophistication to the collection and organization of demographic information. So that it is literally true that if you can describe it you can get it. This makes it critically important to know as much as possible about your present customers and your desirable customers. The more information you have about the commonalities in your customer base the more efficiently you can select prospects.

Here’s a partial list of demographic information you might compile about your potential customers; age, sex, marital status, home ownership, car ownership, major purchase behavior, credit card possession, income level, occupations, response to mail order offers, magazines subscribed to, cable TV subscription, etc…

By collecting and analyzing the data about your customers you might find, for example, that a significant majority of your best customers are between 30-35 years of age, male, married, own their own homes, have bought a new car within the last three years, have bought a VCR or television set in the last two years, have an American Express card, earn between $50,000-$80,000 a year, are engineers or middle managers, are known mail order purchasers, subscribe to Playboy and have cable television.

If you have that type of information you have the power to very efficiently select new groups of targeted prospects.

—————————————————-
Hal has been marketing for the automotive industry for 24 years. He has produced direct mail for 900+ retail automotive dealers from coast to coast. His promotions include single point and multi-dealer on-site and off-site sales. www.lahpromotions.com

In practice building (and getting clients) it seems to be
that most self-employed people just hope for the best. They
simply keep doing what they’ve been doing and don’t have a
strategy for creating the practice they’d be truly and
deeply happy with. This is a big mistake in my opinion.

I used to write down my goals each year, but it never
really worked for me. I just didn’t feel really excited
about my new goals. They didn’t seem to propel me in motion
and so I kind of viewed them as being useless. I never
really looked at them, probably because they seemed like
“shoulds” rather than “really-meaningful-wants.”

Then I came across the concept of creating 3-year visions
instead of just a list of goals for the upcoming year. This
visioning wasn’t just about business goals, but also
family, financial, spiritual, and relationship goals. It
became a “holistic” way of looking at what you wanted in
your life. All the pieces looked like they would work
together, but only because you were compelled to make it
all work together, which was the first time I’d done that
in such depth.

The coolest thing about visioning 3 years out came to me
after I started doing this regularly. I noticed that ONE
year goals were never too much of a stretch. They seemed
like timid goals, goals that didn’t really get me excited.
But having to create a vision of what 3 years down the line
would look like allowed me to REALLY think BIG.

Inhibitions dropped. My creative side started going and I
really took time to see, “Hey, what WOULD I want my life to
look like in 3 years, if I could have time to create it?”
SHAZAM! I felt like I’d hit the jackpot.

The 3-year vision was a way for me to create something to
strive for that REALLY spoke to me. Something that made my
heart beat a little faster after I read it, excited to get
going, and just a little bit scared of the thought of me
reaching it. Now THAT would propel me into motion the way a
yearly list of goals wouldn’t be able to do. (By the way,
my deep down secret is that I strive to reach these in 1 or
2 years, not 3, and that’s usually what happens.)

So, each year, around this time, I create a 3-year vision
of what I want my practice to look like. I write it in the
present tense, as if it were 3 years later, that same day.
For example, this past year I wrote mine on January 4, 2007
as if it was January 4, 2010, and I talked about all the
things that had happened since 2007. All the things I’d
accomplished in my business, with my finances, my
investments, my family, and myself over the “last 3 years,”
which obviously hadn’t actually happened yet.

Such a cool exercise and it really gets the blood flowing
when you read it back to yourself, now and over the year.

“When you can clearly see yourself being there, you can see
much more clearly how to get there. You can imagine the
path to your dreams, and then start to actually walk it.
Play an active role in your own future. Imagine with
passion and detail how you’d most like it to be.”
—Ralph Marston, http://greatday.com

You see, I’ve figured out that it’s not just about goals.
Yes, goals are important, but the way I look at it, it’s
about focusing on what you REALLY want for your life, not
the “shoulds.” It’s also about putting into effect the Law
of Attraction in a big way. When you know what you want for
your life, when you can imagine it with passion and feel
what it feels like to have it, it’s almost guaranteed to
come to you.

So, this weekend, I’ll be taking a couple of hours to work
on my own 3-year vision. I wouldn’t dream of not doing it.
My success depends on it and it does for you too.

YOUR CLIENT ATTRACTION ASSIGNMENT:

Your turn. Sometime this week, create a 3-year vision dated
January 4, 2011. Your 3-year vision must be one that will
literally PULL you into your future, will scare you just a
little bit, and make your heart beat a little faster than
normal whenever you read this.

Make your 3-year vision very specific, realistic, and a big
STRETCH (that’s what’s going to move you forward quicker
than you would if you didn’t have it). If you’re right
brained, use bullet points for categories such as business,
finances, personal, family, spiritual, fun, health, etc. If
you’re left-brained, then write freely, and remember to
keep it all grounded in the specific, with lots of
MEASURABLES and TANGIBLES thrown in there so you can keep
track of your progress over the next 3 years (that’s what I
do).

Be sure to write in the present tense as if it were 3 years
from now… If it doesn’t scare you just a little bit or
get your mind racing, then it’s probably not enough of a
stretch. By the way, I just looked back to last year’s
3-year vision and I was SHOCKED to see how many of the
goals in my 3-year vision I’d already achieved in just a
little over a year. This stuff really works!!

—————————————————-
Once you’ve done your 3-year vision and are ready to get
marketing in a big way for 2008, invest in your success by
getting yourself the Client Attraction Home Study
System™. It’s all step-by-step, not a big mishmash of
things. So, you do step one of the system, and when you’re
done with that, you move on to step two, and so on.   You
can get it at http://www.TheClientAttractionSystem.com .

Have you ever wondered why some businesses may set up shop
in areas that might not be very conducive to business and
do quite well, while others are placed at major
thoroughfares where walk by and drive by traffic are all
but guaranteed, yet within six months they fold and the
place goes up for lease or sale? The truth of the matter is
that success is not always determined by your location –
although it does play a vital role – but more often than
not it is dictated by customer loyalty.

Here are four reasons customer loyalty is vital to your
business:

1. First and foremost is the fact that a loyal customer is
a repeat customer. This person will know about your
business practices, about what to expect from your goods or
service, the advantages and the disadvantages, and she or
he will do business with you in such a way that it is a
mutually satisfying transaction.

2. As you establish a relationship with your customer, you
are also establishing a relationship with the customer’s
family. Thus, it is not uncommon to have the wife bring in
the dry cleaning for the family and turns her mother,
mother in law, aunt, and best girlfriend on to your
business. As the husband is sent one day to pick up the dry
cleaning he becomes familiar with the business, and he will
tell his brother, business associates, and others who are
looking for a dry cleaner. Thus, you are suddenly becoming
a commodity which is being shared with others.

3. While family referrals are great, business referrals are
even better. If you are a dry cleaner, you will want the
dress maker down the street to recommend your services to
its customers. Similarly, if there is bridal shop with
which you may have some professional ties, then these
business referrals are simply priceless! Customer loyalties
– when you have other business owners or clerks shopping at
your store or utilizing your service – are quite often the
gateway to a great number of new walk in customers.

4. Yet the fourth and perhaps most important reasons why
customer loyalty is vital to your business rests in the
fact that many major purchases are not made during the
initial contact. For example, if you are a furniture store,
you might have someone come in looking for a computer desk.
While these may be expensive – depending on the materials –
by and large these items are small fish. Yet if the
consumer is satisfied with the product, the delivery, the
setup and also the price, the odds are good that she or he
will be back when it is time to furnish the nursery, buy
that new wall unit, or acquire that bedroom set that was
saved up for!

—————————————————-
Copyright © 2007 Vadim Kirienko owns the Home Business
Resource Directory where you can find everything you  need
to start, run and grow a home based business. For further
information, go to
=> http://www.NewAutomaticBuilder.com/pips.html

I am a specialist in  “Client Attraction” because I find that this form of marketing is the least expensive and most powerful way to grow a thriving business.

I have been doing what I do for many years and sadly, I
have seen way too many business professionals struggle to
bring in more clients and to build thriving businesses.

I see good people leaving their chosen professions every
day because they are unaware of ways to get a steady stream
of good clients.   It is all so unnecessary.  If only they
had taken the time to learn marketing strategies that
actually work.

Unfortunately, they wind up spinning their wheels and going
nowhere because they are doing everything under the sun
they think they should do to go after clients instead of
concentrating their efforts where they belong: on getting
clients to come to them.

Let’s look at how client attraction works. Instead of
becoming a nuisance by pushing yourself on people who may
or may not be in the market for your services at the time
you’re sending your marketing message, client attraction
allows you to  “pull” potential customers towards you in an
incredibly powerful way.

With this type of marketing, you are not trying to “sell”
yourself, your product, or your services to anyone.
Instead, your aim is to become so incredibly “attractive”
that your prospect is drawn to you as a teenaged boy is
drawn to a cheerleader.  Master the strategies of client
attraction marketing and you can virtually become a “client
magnet.”

There are a number of low-cost strategies involved in
client attraction, but to me, it all starts with knowing
your craft.  This means embarking on a journey that
includes:

* getting the best training you possibly can (both
preliminary and advanced) from the best school or
organization you can find and afford

* becoming licensed or earning credentials if your
profession offers those choices

* taking continuing education courses in your chosen field

* joining and becoming active in your professional
association, both on a local and national level

* taking on a position of leadership in your professional
association

* being coached and/or mentored by someone who has achieved
the level of success you are seeking

* reading everything you can get your hands on that
pertains to your field

* listening to tapes and CDs about your field any chance
you can

* attending conferences, conventions, and trade shows that
will likely attract others from your profession

* going to hear speakers who are the voices of experience
in your profession

* creating high visibility for yourself within your
profession

* monitoring and becoming involved in your profession’s
e-mail discussion groups

* forming relationships with your peers.

These are all opportunities to learn and to grow both
personally and professionally.

Why, you might wonder, in an article about marketing, am I
devoting so much ink to learning and honing your craft?
Because when you know what you’re doing, you become
attractive to those in your target market.

When you don’t know what you’re doing, all the marketing in
the world won’t help you land and keep enough customers to
stay in business.  Remember, you are on a journey and each
of you is marking different mileposts along the way.  Like
all journeys, it takes time to reach your destination.

Keep your goals in sight.  Do not stop learning.  Be
patient with the process. Celebrate your accomplishments
and understand that whether you are a neophyte or a
seasoned veteran, you need to get the word out about your
services.

How do you do that without spending a fortune?  It’s really
very simple:

*  Stop trying to be all things to all people and you will
attract more clients.

*  Become a specialist and not a generalist and you will
attract more clients.

*  Target a distinct market segment and you will attract
more clients.

*  Become clear on who your ideal client is and you will
attract more clients.

*  Team up with others to create strong alliances and you
will attract more clients.

*  Follow up in a timely manner and you will attract more
clients.

*  Refer to others and you will attract more clients.

*  See and be seen and you will attract more clients.

*  Establish yourself as an expert and you will attract
more clients.

*  Put powerful systems in place and you will attract more
clients.

*  Stop giving your services away and you will attract more
clients.

*  Believe in yourself and you will attract more clients.

Bottom Line: When it comes to marketing, shift your
thinking from “attack” to “attract” and you will “Attract
Clients Galore.” ™

—————————————————-
Leni Chauvin, The Client Attraction Coach, helps ordinary
people build extraordinary businesses. If you want to
attract more clients, make more money, and achieve more
success, you’ll find TONS of f.r.e.e resources to help you
at http://www.AttractClientsGalore.com

It must be one my personal business nightmares, if you can
imagine having just flown to New York to meet a new client
and the airline has lost all your clothes! So what can one
learn from such events about delivering great customer
service experiences?

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”

To give you the background, I’d just been to California and
had arranged to meet the COO of a potential great new
client in New York on my way back home to England. I’d
visited them a few weeks before and I’d felt as though I’d
wandered onto the set of ” The Devil Wears Prada” (or should
that be “Ugly Betty“?). So not wanting to be left too far
behind the “New York Chic look” of my hosts, I’d gone out
and purchased the very best of shirts & ties that London
has to offer (OK anyone from Milan is allowed a note of
scepticism at this point) combined with my new Italian suit
& cuff links, I knew I’d look the part ;-)

My plane was several hours late into New York due to
“unexpected delays” – I was little nervous as I’d arranged
to go out to dinner that evening. Still with my Platinum
Frequent Flyer card my suitcase had qualified for a special
“Priority Handling” label so I was looking forward to
getting my suitcase quickly and rushing off ahead of the
pack to the taxi rank. Sadly, after all of the luggage had
disappeared off the carousel there was no sign of my case,
so I made my way to the airline’s baggage handling office.
I was joined by another passenger who had experienced a
similar fate. The Airline staff assured me that my suitcase
had landed and recommended I went back to check the
carousel again. This experience was repeated another 3
times.

From my interactions with the airline staff, I managed to
get the impression that losing one’s baggage was not a
completely unusual experience. My heart sank as I looked at
the back wall of the hall which was filled floor to ceiling
with damaged suitcases in glass cases awaiting collection
from their owners.

After an hour and a half of going back & forth from the
luggage carousel to the airline desk, the airline staff
finally conceded that perhaps my bag was lost after all and
I was given a claim form to fill in. I was given an 0800
number to contact and a tracking reference number and that
was it. I had a sense of disappointment and unfinished
business but I had to move on and let other passengers
register their lost baggage too.

“There’s no such thing as a free breakfast”

I headed off to my hotel (minus any luggage) and checked
in. The receptionist noted down my comment that my luggage
had been lost and hopefully it might arrive in the next 24
hours. The receptionist realised I was a Gold member of
their hotel loyalty system, so she kindly gave me vouchers
for free breakfasts for my stay in Manhattan. Sadly, by
this time it was too late for the dinner out I’d planned,
so I went off to bed to dream the night away with visions
of lost clothes, deodorants and shavers! I guess I wasn’t
too worried that I could replace my lost items in the
morning, after all America is the land of retail plenty.
And as I was staying just off 5th Avenue, which is lined
with clothes stores, it wasn’t going to be too difficult to
get replacements in the morning.

In the morning, fortified by my free breakfast, though
looking a little rough, unshaven (or should I say with
designer stubble) and with crumpled clothes, I headed off
to the shops and quickly purchased everything I needed. I
guess as they were happy to process my credit card without
phone verification I can’t have looked too bad. So at this
point, it was an opportunity for me to think through the
series of events as an interesting example of managing “the
customer experience”. My airline goes to the trouble of
writing hand written thank you notes each time I fly with
them, and yet when it loses all my belongings – all they
give me is a piece of paper and that’s it.

“It’s great that it’s free – but is it useful?”

The hotel gave me a nice free breakfast but I would have
preferred a shaver & some deodorant! If I think about a
number of the budget hotel chains in the UK where they are
happy to give you free shaver, foam, combs, deodorant etc.
if you’ve forgotten them, there’s much their my American
hotel & airline could learn from them.

A great technique for managing these unfortunate
experiences was pioneered by Jan Carlson (former CEO of SAS
Scandinavian Airlines) who coined the expression “moments
of truth”. A “moment of truth” occurred whenever an
employee interacted with a customer; Carlson said that
these moments left an impression – good bad or exceptional.

Carlson applied 4 guiding principles for managing these
“moments of truth” positively:

• Everyone needs to know and feel they are needed

• Everyone wants to be treated as an individual

• Giving someone the freedom to take responsibility
releases resources that would otherwise remain concealed

• An individual without information can not take
responsibility whereas an individual given responsibility
can not help but take responsibility

The technique is fairly straightforward to implement. I
guess a start is to get your service operations team
together and ask them to map out the service experience
from the customer perspective. Whenever you come across a
“moment of truth”, you can then work out with your team
just how best you can handle that sticky situation. I like
to use the high-tech toolset of 2 sets of Post-It notes in
different colours for such work – available from all good
stationers ;-) Use one pack of Post-Its to map out the
service experience from a customer perspective, and then
use the other pack to define the main alternative events
that can occur at each “moment of truth” and the best
options for your own staff in how to deal with these. [For
a more extensive and sophisticated approach try the "moment
mapping" technique described in "Building Great Customer
Experiences" by Colin Shaw & John Ivens]. I guess an even
simpler approach is the Nordstrom approach; their employees
are given the freedom to decide for themselves and have the
single rule “do whatever you think is right for the
customer”.

“Don’t let disappointing service lose you your most
valuable customers”

And the end to this tale. Well my suitcase was located
during the morning and arrived over at my hotel. I was able
to locate my special shirt, tie & cuff links. [On a fashion
point here – I'm convinced English mens' shirts are more
stylish than American shirts]. It made my day when the
client’s PA complimented me on my cufflinks (OK – it’s a
small pleasure but still a delight).

On the business front though, one of the key lessons is
that a poor service experience is one of the key drivers
for customers switching suppliers. The disappointing
experience causes customers to shop around other suppliers
and they may well find a better value option losing you a
very valuable customer. Best to make sure that your
“moments of truth” are well managed.

As for me, I’m now minded to try out Silverjet Airways the
new low-cost all business class airline – they offer
fantastic service (flat beds, 30 minute check-in and even
fly Carbon neutral) with much lower prices.

I’ll update you on the experience hopefully after my next
trip to New York :-)

—————————————————-
For over 25 years, John Corr has with the senior executives
of service businesses who are uncomfortable with their
current level of revenues, margins and customer service
including companies such as: AOL, AXA, Barclays, Capital One, EDS and Nationwide.
John has helped them them focus on their customers,
profitability and long-term growth. Learn more at
http://www.closequarter.co.uk

In the English language, we make an interesting semantic
distinction between the words “customer” and “client.” This
distinction does not seem to appear in all languages;
several use the same term to mean both.

Sometimes we use these expressions interchangeably in
English, but more often than not, we intend them to mean
something different. Below are some composite definitions
from various dictionaries:

* Customer: A person who purchases goods or services from
another; a buyer or patron.

* Client: The party for whom professional services are
rendered; anyone under the patronage of, or receiving the
benefits and services of, another person.

Notice how the term “client” implies much more of a caring,
fiduciary role for the benefit provider? It strongly
suggests the presence of a relationship — one that will
endure over time to enable the benefit provider to continue
providing benefits. The term “customer,” on the other hand,
suggests that a relationship, if any, forms only when a
purchase is made — and that the relationship might
dissipate soon after.

Whatever you call the people to whom you offer products or
services — whether they are members of the public or
people within your own company — consider the subtle but
important value of using the term “client” when thinking of
them. People will sense that difference and respond
positively to your concern for their well being. It will be
a relief for them to feel that you’re looking out for their
welfare, and not trying to push them into taking any action
unless it is clearly in their best interests.

Are You Your Clients’ or Customers’ Biggest Fan?

While you are thinking about your clients and customers,
ask yourself the following:

1) Are you their greatest fan and supporter? Along the
lines of encouragement, do you take every occasion to
acknowledge and congratulate their successes, as modest or
significant as they might be? Since they have honored you
by requesting your aid, and you have been privileged to
provide assistance, you can help them celebrate the results!

2) Do you aim to ensure their downstream success? Are you
consciously considering the success of not just your
clients, but also your clients’ clients, and even your
clients’ clients’ clients?

In conclusion, by striving to produce an ongoing series of
benefits and satisfaction, you will be providing products,
services, or other offerings that not only fill your
coffers, but also provide significant and lasting returns
to your clients and customers.

—————————————————-
Adele Sommers, Ph.D. is the creator of the award-winning
“Straight Talk on Boosting Business Performance” success
program. To learn more about her tools and resources and
sign up for other free tips like these, visit her site at
http://LearnShareProsper.com

It’s true that the buck stops with the leader of an organization, but when the buck stops because the customer stops walking in the door, it can be a little too late to start asking why they’re going to our competitors, not renewing contracts, or worse still not wanting to do business with us again.  But go on, be brave ASK your customers what they think – they will still respect you in the morning!

There is little doubt that the ability to prepare and deliver excellent customer service is one of the most important skill sets that is necessary to succeed in any business. Therefore in order to be a profitable and effective business we need a number of strategic plans in place to be well positioned for success – especially when financial success is part of the deal.

Yes, we need a marketing plan, a communications plan, a strategic plan, and a sometimes we even have a planning day to plan the future. Yet one plan that is often not prepared or even thought of is a Customer Service Plan. Your Interaction with your customer needs to be well prepared and thought through, strategic and personalized demonstrating you not only share a common vision with that of your client but are considering what rates high on their list of priorities.

It is no accident when it comes to the delivery of exceptional customer service – the pain comes from failing to prepare, anticipate or respond to the changing needs of the customer who are now more savvy and have greater expectations. Try answering the following 5 actionable strategies for delivering powerful levels of Customer Service in your business, and see the results in the responses you get from your customers.

The purpose of this interaction with my customer is to…
The 3-5 main points I will ensure my customer is aware of when we leave this meeting will be…
The most difficult questions I am likely to be asked after or during my discussion with my customer are…
After my interaction with my customer I would like them to feel…
I would like them to “action”…
I would like them to do…
I will measure the impact of effectiveness of my discussion by…

The decision to purchase from a financial service provider happen because something in the customer’s business has changed or a need has been identified. So here is the service provider’s opportunity to focus on that need and respond to it in a timely way. To have your clients say “We buy or want to do business with you because you use the skills you talk about and take action appropriately” is not only a great compliment to hear, but testimony to the fact that people want to work with people who share and demonstrate common values and ethics.

When your Customer Service extends beyond the delivery of the product and beyond the delivery of the everyday service to include respect and care, your customers will come back, refer you to others and build opportunities for further business. People often remember the emotion behind the situation and it is up to us to acknowledge and respect that emotion.

Your customer’s satisfaction is the true measurement of your service and the true litmus test on service is how you look after them. So it is perhaps immaterial how you see your service. What is important is how your customer perceives (rightly or wrongly) the level of your service. And clearly, you can’t argue with the perceptions or their truths unless you demonstrate alternative actions. The more you know about their experiences, their needs and the impact you are having on their outcomes the more equipped you will be to anticipate what their changing needs may be, how you can best on sell other products, handle difficult or challenging situations and perhaps most important of all, look after their bottom line.

The very nature of the financial services industry points to the impact of this bottom line – both for the customer and for you. The bottom line determines your profits, your losses, and your future. However the relationship between bottom line and customer relationship means more than the present financial situation. Data submitted from my recent Customer Service business survey indicate when a personal as well as professional connection exist between the supplier and the client s the willingness to do and continue to do business can be seen in the bottom line of both businesses.

A recent example of this comes from ANZ Customer Call Centers where ANZ have been voted best Service provider for 2004 and 2005. They have been able, under the leadership of Vicki Shields to dramatically improve customer satisfaction levels up by close to 30% in three years, improve staff satisfaction by over 20% and at the same time reduce costs.

Yes, it takes time to walk the floor, talk to people, find out what they want and what they need – but it takes more time to repair the damage to businesses or build opportunities because we have lost sight of what is really important to our customer – both internal and external.

You are in the business of business and your service goes beyond the delivery of the product. You become the brand and the image of the business. What you do to create that image is everything from your appearance and tonality of your voice to your values and emotional intelligence. This extends to our own internal customer service with the people that we work with daily.

These are the elements that keep your customers coming back and wanting you to continue to service them. Your engagement with your customer depends on your ability to stay fresh and interested in the other party and never become complacent in how you relate to them. In fact the longer you do business with people the more important to focus on anticipating what is coming next rather than what was.

One of the most effective ways to achieve excellent customer service is to keep the dialogue simple, the actions open, focus on people first and the responses in real time. It is no accident that customers do business with us, but it can cause us serious damage if they leave. Safety first – be prepared and stay prepared. Make the right choices that underpin your customer service – and make the right ones. But don’t think you have all the right answers.

But go on, be brave – ask your customers what they think – they will still respect you in the morning.

—————————————————-
Ricky Nowak CSP MAICD MCEOI, Certified Speaking
Professional | Corporate Trainer | Executive Coach, Director, Confident Communications, Ricky Nowak, The Communication Catalyst, builds top performing teams and individuals by delivering programs, innovative solutions and accelerated coaching techniques.
http://www.rickynowak.com  | +613 9500 9886 |
ricky@rickynowak.com
PO Box 2047 Wattletree Road East Malvern Victoria 3145

Copyright (c) 2007 Michael Soon Lee

Over one-third of all Americans today are minorities. The
numbers of people from diverse cultures are growing so
rapidly that the U.S. Census Bureau expects this group to
be nearly half of the population by 2038.  This is a huge
market for retailers and service providers all across the
country – if you know how to meet the unique needs of
customers and clients from other cultures.

MYTH #1: “PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES ONLY WANT TO WORK WITH
SOMEONE FROM THEIR OWN CULTURE.”

Nothing could be further from the truth unless there is a
language issue.  Most of the people who complain about
having trouble with multicultural customers are European
American salespeople.  They just need to understand how to
meet the wants and needs of people from other cultures.

In fact, many cultural groups would prefer to work with a
salesperson from outside their own culture.  Asians, for
example, are very private about their financial affairs and
many are afraid that if they work with an Asian salesperson
they might disclose their income, debts, and purchases, to
others in their community.

MYTH #2: “MULTICULTURAL PEOPLE HAVE SUPERSTITIONS AND
BELIEFS THAT ARE TOTALLY INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO AMERICANS.”

Remember that people in the United States have beliefs that
often baffle outsiders such as the fact that black cats,
walking under ladders, and the number thirteen are unlucky.
Most other cultures have their own beliefs that are just
different.

Many cultural beliefs happen to directly affect the
purchase of goods and services such as how items are
packaged, colors that goods are wrapped in and how items
are priced.  For instance, many Asians believe that the
number four is unlucky because when pronounced in Japanese
or Chinese it sounds very similar to those cultures’ word
for “death”.  Items packaged in groups of four can
symbolize bad luck for those people who believe in
numerology.  Notice, for instance, that if you buy a tea
set it is usually packaged with five cups, not four, for
this reason.

MYTH #3: “SOME PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S. ARE UNETHICAL
BECAUSE THEY INSIST ON RENEGOTIATING A PURCHASE CONTRACT
AFTER IT HAS BEEN SIGNED.”

While it’s true that people from other cultures often try
to renegotiate a contract to make a major purchase after it
has been signed it has nothing to do with ethics.  In some
countries it is understood that contracts only reflect the
agreement between the parties at the beginning of a
relationship which can change as they get to know each
other.  As a result, the parties are obligated to help each
other “adjust” the contract to their needs until it is
completed.

MYTH #4: “IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET PERSONAL FINANCIAL
INFORMATION FROM MULTICULTURAL PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY’RE SO
SECRETIVE.”

This is one of those myths that is actually true.  Many
people who are new to this country are extremely private
about their finances.  Remember that they are unfamiliar
with the banking and legal system in America and do not
know whom to trust.

In addition, merely asking a question as innocent as “How
much do you have for a down payment” on a large purchase
can actually endanger the lives of your clients.  Why is
that?  Many new immigrants do not believe in banks and keep
much of their money hidden as cash in their homes.

Have you ever heard of “home invasion robberies” where the
occupants are threatened until they reveal the whereabouts
of their valuables?  These kinds of crimes are commonly
committed against Asians or Hispanics, not because they
have nicer furniture or stereos than everyone else, but
because that’s where the money is often hidden.

The easiest way to find out how much a new immigrant client
has for a down payment is to give them a “menu” of choices.
Show them the required investment and resulting monthly
payments for ten percent down, twenty percent down, etc.
Usually, the loan that the client expresses the most
interest in is the one they have the down payment for.

MYTH #5: “PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE THIS COUNTRY ARE UNREASONABLE
WHEN IT COMES TO NEGOTIATING.”

Remember, there are two types of countries in the world –
negotiating and non-negotiating.  The United States is a
non-negotiating country where we generally pay the price
asked by vendors.  In most other countries around the
world, people haggle on everything from groceries to
clothing to homes.  To expect someone from one of these
places not to bargain is tantamount to asking them not to
breathe.

MYTH #6: “PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES ARE JUST TOO MUCH
TROUBLE TO BOTHER WITH.”

The author constantly hears this statement from retailers,
service providers and their salespeople throughout the
country.  Too bad for them because if you know how to meet
the special needs of multicultural customers they can be
just as loyal and enjoyable to work with as anyone else.
In addition, people from other cultures are very good about
referring their friends and family if you serve them with
sensitivity and patience.

An added bonus when working with people from outside the
United States is the opportunity to learn about other
cultures.  Just think of it.  You can take a
round-the-world trip without getting seasick or losing one
piece of luggage!

MYTH #7:  “PEOPLE SHOULD DO AS AMERICANS DO WHEN THEY’RE IN
THIS COUNTRY.”

Did you ever wonder why we are called the “Ugly Americans”
when we travel outside our borders?  We will fly to
Germany, France or China, and expect the people there to
accommodate us in terms of providing the food and other
amenities we are familiar with.  We commonly expect to be
served pizza in Asia and to speak English in France.

Just as it’s difficult for us Americans to leave our
200-year-old culture at the gate when we travel abroad it’s
even harder for those coming here with cultures that are
thousands of years old to do as we do here.  While they do
try to assimilate it is hard for them.

MYTH #8: “IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH TROUBLE TO CUSTOMIZE MY
PRODUCT OR SERVICE TO PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES.”

Actually, making your business attractive to people from
other cultures is quite easy.  First, start with your
brochures.  Print them in the major languages of the
customers who frequent your store or office.  Be sure to
get help with the translation because many concepts and
words in English do not convert easily to other languages.
Also be sure to print in the correct language.  For
example, while Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, may appear
similar to the untrained eye they are very different.

You may want to consider hiring someone who speaks the
language of your major group of multicultural customers or
clients.  However, if they find you sensitive and patient
with people who have language problems they will usually
find a friend or family member to interpret.  Excellent
customer service is a universal language as is friendliness
and a willingness to learn about other people’s culture.

MYTH #9: “WE SHOULD TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY, REGARDLESS OF
CULTURE.”

Yes, it’s true that we should treat every customer fairly
but this does not necessarily mean equally.  For instance,
if a buyer who is blind comes into your store or office
would you simply hand them a brochure to “read”?  This is
equal but is it fair?  Hardly.  Wouldn’t you try to treat
them equally?

Similarly, by taking into account the unique needs of every
customer or client aren’t we serving them better?  This
would be equally true for being culturally sensitive.

MYTH #10: “PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR CULTURE –
THEY JUST WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.”

This is probably the biggest myth when dealing with people
from other cultures.  They know they are different and
unless something about culture is mentioned early in your
relationship with a multicultural client it will always
stand as a barrier to building true rapport.

Once you take a sincere interest in your customers’
cultural background they are usually more than happy to
tell you about their language, food, and even beliefs.  Get
into the habit of asking every customer, “Where do your
ancestors come from?”  Notice, this can get the
conversation started with someone from Ireland just as
easily as Thailand.

If you want to be truly successful with people from other
cultures you must make this agreement with each and every
one of them.  “I will teach you about American customs and
practices as it relates to my business.  In exchange, I
want you to teach me about your cultural background.”  In
this way, you develop a mutually-beneficial relationship
which will hopefully last a lifetime.

—————————————————-
Michael Soon Lee, MBA, is a cultural expert and author of
several books on selling to multicultural customers. He was
a Producer for the ABC Television Network and a Marketing
Director for the State of California. His company,
EthnoConnectâ„¢, provides keynote speeches, training and
consulting on diversity and selling to the ethnic markets
in America. Mr. Lee can be reached at
http://www.EthnoConnect.com or by phone at: (800) 417-7325.

Your logo and marketing materials have many jobs, but one
of the things that they can do really well for you is to
introduce you to new clients and to help those potential
customers feel a connection with you and your business.
Alas, many small business owners overlook this valuable
role for their materials when designing them, and so any
connection often happens by accident alone.

Considering that the connections that most small businesses
are making with their logos marketing materials, and
websites are happening by accident, these businesses are
actually doing rather well. But what could their business
growth and sales cycle look like if they could improve the
way that they connect with their ideal clients?

The top 3 ways to ensure that your designs will appeal to
your target audience and begin to form this connection with
them are:

1. Design your materials with your customer’s preferences
in mind. The most common mistake that small business owners
make when designing their brand identities is to create the
design to reflect their own tastes. I met a financial
planning consultant at a networking event a few months
back, and she wanted to “pick my brain” about her thoughts
for a logo. She mentioned that she wanted her logo to be an
aqua-blue seahorse, because those were her favorite image
and color. But when I questioned her further about her
business, I found that she worked largely with male heads
of households on their families’ financial planning needs.
While an aqua seahorse might represent her preferences, I
suggested that it might not catch the eye and the
imagination of her projected client, and that she think
more about the types of images and color palettes that
would appeal men who were hiring her to manage their money.
I believe that I convinced her that this approach will
result in a better connection with her potential customer
base, and will help her to close more business with her
prospects.

This approach to establishing connections extends beyond
your company’s logo: picking appropriate layouts, fonts,
and photos for any marketing piece can make that piece
connect with your target audience much more quickly.
Something as simple as choosing stock photos that feature
people of the same ethnicity or gender as your target
audience can greatly increase your sales and decrease often
subtle, hidden resistance to your business image.

2. Test your materials with your target audience. This
means asking not just whoever’s hanging around, but with
real potential clients. I can’t tell you how many times I
have completed the first round of logo designs for a
client, just for them to come back and say, “My mom HATES
them!” I certainly sympathize with this impulse to check
your ideas with a respected friend or family member; I tend
to run my own designs by my mom, against my better
judgment. But if your mom-or whoever you’re running your
design focus group with-isn’t part of your target audience,
then it really doesn’t matter if she likes it or not. In
fact, if you’re trying to sell your products or services to
college-age men, for example, it’s probably a good thing if
your mom doesn’t like it!

So, where do you find potential clients to test your
materials on? Ask your past clients what they think about
your new designs, or poll friends in your target
demographic. I even had one client who would ask potential
customers that she stood in line with at the coffee place
and post office about their thoughts on her logo.

3. Make your materials magnetic. Don’t misunderstand: not
everyone should love, or even necessarily understand, your
logo and marketing materials. A small business’s logo
should make the prospect react emotionally to your company,
pulling the right people toward working with you and
pushing the wrong people away. Unless you’re a big company
selling a mass-market product, designing a logo that
everyone loves is not necessary, nor even in your best
interests.

If you’re creating a logo and marketing materials and you
want everyone that you meet to like them, then you’re in
for a very long design process. And your logo won’t be able
to perform one of its most important jobs: making sure that
you’re spending your time talking to the most qualified
clients. As a small-business owner, you probably run the
business, do the sales, and have a bunch of other tasks as
well. If people in your target audience like your logo and
marketing materials, but people outside of that demographic
don’t connect with them, then it’s less likely that the
people you don’t want to work with will become engaged in
the sales cycle with you. And it’s always better to sell to
interested and qualified prospects rather than people who
are just “kicking the tires” or getting competitive quotes.

Keeping your customer’s perspective in mind when designing
your materials makes those materials relevant to your
customers, creating a valuable tool for your business. A
client wants to feel understood and well-cared-for
throughout the sales cycle. If your designs truly take your
clients’ tastes into account, are tested and approved by
your ideal clients, and make people react in an emotionally
positive way to your company, then those designs will be
more than just a pretty pieces: they will help you to talk
to the right customers, to connect with them, and,
ultimately, to grow your business.

—————————————————-
Erin Ferree is a brand identity designer who creates big
visibility for small businesses. As the owner of elf
design, Erin is passionate about helping her clients stand
out in front of their competition and attract more clients.
Her “Define Your Difference Branding Workbook” will help
you define your brand so that you can connect with your
target audience.
http://www.elf-design.com/products-define.html

Yahooooo…

Starting Friday, July 6th 2007, Calgary (where I live)
turns into a complete country party town for 10 days.

The Calgary Stampede is an event that’s been running since
1886 – and lays claim to The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth.

We get probably half a million visitors in to Calgary
during the 10 day event (which is amazing since Calgary is
1 million people- we add 50% of our population in 10 days).

Get this, the total take home winnings from the Stampede
Rodeo is a whopping $1.6 Million – which is now the largest
prize winnings of any rodeo in the world, from my
understanding.

You’d certainly have to pay me well to sit on a bucking
bull! $1.6M would about do it ;o)

What would make people travel from all over the world to
see the Stampede?

***> HINT: The lessons of the Stampede can easily   be
adapted to your business.

1) An annual event like no other – there are rodeos all
over the world – but Calgary has a 1 million dollar rodeo
purse so this is NOT like all the others.  People look
forward to the Stampede for months to come. The best Rodeo
stars from across the world gladly come to Calgary to fight
for the main prize.

Make your special events special – and something worthwhile
coming to.

2) The customers “get into it” like no where else in the
world.  Imagine this… Thursday night before the party
begins on Friday you leave your office all dressed in suit
and tie (I remember it well – uhhgg).  Friday morning -
everyone from the corporate CEO’s right to the mail clerks
dress up in their western attire (hats, boots, belt
buckles, and jeans). And they stay that way for the whole
10 days.

WARNING: If you are in Calgary from out of town and
mistakenly wear a tie – it WILL be cut off by the nearest
person with a pair of scissors.

The customers dress the part and *gladly* become part of
the culture.

3) The Party racks up there with the best in the world -
many people save their money, and their livers, for the
party that happens.

The saying for the week is: “Drink triples, see double and
act single” –  and lots of people heed that advice.

The bar staff is dressed skimpy enough to make Hugh Heffner
smile with glee.

And people really do travel from across the world – JUST
for the party.

Make an event so exclusive that they are willing to *do
whatever it takes* to be there.

4) Tons of events, goodies, and freebies.  Every day during
the stampede you can walk down the street and catch
yourself some free breakfast – pancakes, sausage and eggs
(and if you catch the good private parties they are serving
vodka and orange juice by 7 am – told you it was a party).

Line ups around the block for the Stampede Breakfasts
(almost always complimentary).

Corporate Calgary’s way of giving back and saying thank you.

5) It is unique to have an entire city dress, act and drink
the part.  Tons of fun (drinking or non) for the whole
family. Great midway with tons of rides and things to do.
The people watching is nothing short of amazing in itself.

When everyone is part – it’s a very amazing experience for
everyone involved.

***> Lessons From The Stampede For Your Business <***

- Make your special events special - and something
worthwhile coming to.

- The customers dress the part and *gladly* become part of
the culture.

- Making an event so exclusive that they are willing to *do
whatever it takes* to be here.

- Giving back and saying thank you to all those that got
you there.

- When everyone is part (from CEO's to entry level clerks)
- it is a very amazing experience for everyone involved.

- Have fun and lighten things up a little and people will
notice.

NOTE:

I have finally convinced the Stampede head honchos to share
their coveted secrets of success at the Wild West Wealth
Summit being held for 2 days prior to the Stampede starting.

What better way to learn how to build your business than
from the masters themselves – bring your family and learn
million dollar secrets – entertain the spouse and kids –
and walk away with the techniques that will make 2007 your
best year yet).

Have a great week and happy Stamped'n!

----------------------------------------------------
Troy White, The Marketing Results Mentor and Expert
Copywriter helps clients achieve HUGE growth surges in
their business in very short periods of time. If you are
interested in how you can learn the secrets to becoming the
market leader and a very wealthy entrepreneur in your
industry – make sure you visit
http://www.WildWestWealth.com or sign up for the Free Cash
Flow Surge Newsletter at http://www.CashFlowSurges.com