Dealing with the Negatives
It’s the ideal scenario. You have the idea, you research it thoroughly, you sort out the finances, you get things up and running, and then you quit the corporate world to be the type of mom you’ve always wanted to be, and who just happens to run a successful business from home. People like what you have to offer, you build a reputation and make sure you keep your brand out there by doing all the right marketing. You’re doing it all. You’ve solved the modern dilemma. You have time for the family. You can see the children off to school, be there when they get home, go to parent meetings, soccer matches and school plays, and at the same time you are still use your intellect, and the skills and experience you have, to make a significant financial contribution. Now that the children see you all the time, you think that sometime in the future it may even be possible to pack them off to their grandparents for a week or two, whilst just you and Mr Right take that long dreamt of Med cruise or trip to Hawaii, and without you both having to feel guilty about not spending all your holiday entitlement with your little darlings. You’re happy, you’re family are happy, and then it happens. You open up the website, or the e-mail from a friend that points you in the right direction, and there it is, the first bad review of your business.
Negative Reviews
The first time is crushing. You thought everyone liked what you did, but it appears you were deluding yourself. You’re no stage diva, so naturally you get over the disappointment quickly. You go into professional mode. If it’s a valid complaint you sort out the problem, you explain and apologise if necessary, and perhaps you even do something to sweeten the deal, such as offer a discount or future incentive, if you think it’s appropriate and prudent. The second time it happens isn’t such a shock, but you’re good at what you do and you take pride in your work, so you’re never dismissive of a client isn’t happy, and you know better than to blame a supplier or courier for letting you down, or glitch in the software. The client doesn’t care about such things. They’re dealing with you, and you chose the supplier, the courier and the software, so it’s still down to you. Complaints are hopefully few, and you gain experience in how to handle them, but regardless of what you do there will always be one or two who are not satisfied with the outcome, and a few who tell you one thing in person but then use the internet to bitch about your business, particularly if they can do so anonymously. It happens. It happens to all businesses, but knowing that doesn’t stop business people from fretting that there are negative postings out there in cyberspace for all to read.
Research Vs Research
Should you be worried? Well interestingly, the impact of such negative reviews has become a subject for investigation in recent years. In April 2011 it was reported that a Lightspeed Research Study showed between one and three bad online reviews was sufficient to deter 67% of shoppers from buying a product or service. If you are not actually manufacturing a product, then that statistic isn’t quite as frightening as it initially seems, because it appears that whilst 64% of people look at product reviews, only 38% look at reviews of the firms selling the product. In addition the paper does not define what the customer determines as being a negative review. However, the study does demonstrates how influential the internet has become, with 64% in the survey trusting the views of other customers, and 58% trusting the views of professional reviewers.
As in all walks of life, there is other evidence that would seem to undermine the Lightspeed findings. More recent research reported by Reevoo has suggested that negative reviews can actually have a positive impact on business. It found that 68% of customers trusted reviews more if they found both positive and negative postings present, and that of those who actively sought out negative reviews a higher proportion than average actually went on to purchase the goods or services they were interested in. The paper also reported that 30% of customers suspected censorship or fraudulent postings if they saw no negative reviews at all.
Savvy Customers
On the face of things, the Reevoo research would appear to contract the earlier survey by Lightspeed in it’s conclusions about the impact of negative reviews. However, as well as being a business mom, you are also a consumer of goods and services, and so you know that the findings are not necessarily incompatible. It should be remembered that customers are savvy, and also increasingly sophisticated in how they analyse the market. It may well be that they differentiate between what they identify as minor gripes and substantive complaints; that they roughly calculate the balance of reviews, with three negative out of five indicating poor performance, but with three out of five hundred being excellent. The distribution of such reviews may also be significant. A recent rash of poor comments may be indicative of a deteriorating service, whereas a patch of complaints sometime ago may signal that the business had a problem which they have now resolved. A random distribution of negative postings over a long period of time may simply be what the customer would expect to see with any business. Your customers may want a perfect experience every time, but they are intelligent enough to know that nothing earthly is ever perfect. Therefore, what they expect is that a business will strive to make their experience in dealing with them as near perfect as possible, knowing that sometimes we can all fall a little short of the mark.
Sources: lightspeedesearch.co, Reevoo.co, Econsultancy.com
Article written by: Izzy Woods wiki-bee.com
Photo by Agnes Pelton
Before you begin to start marketing and selling your products you should look at your business model as a whole.
I want you to take a good look at your market.
Now, take a good look at your market potential.
Can you capture 25% of the market share of your target market?
There are thousands and thousands of organizations, coaches, service providers, info products, representatives, multi level marketers, bloggers, experts in their own field, gurus, etc… Your Money Mojo is hidden in your uniqueness not your sameness.
Are people crystal clear on what you do?
It is imperative that you position yourself first place in your target markets mind. You do that by putting systems in place. Your clients must go through a seamless process that flows.
Do you have systems set up?
I used to work behind some of the top internet marketers business models, one thing they all had in common is systems. The systems supported them in cultivating proactive relationships and that supported them in leveraging opportunities.
Here is a sample case study of a current client that I am currently supporting with her Mojo.
Here is an example of questions I asked her prior to creating her Mojo. This particular client was interested in working with women celebrities and public figures.
Let me put my coaching hat on:
Okay Jane Doe let’s get started…
1. What are the top three things your clients want most?
A: To have better communication with their family, to make more money, to give back to the community.
2. What are their top three fears?
A: Getting a divorce, having poor health, not leaving an inheritance for their children.
3. What are three solutions you currently provide for this problem?
A: Lifestyle coaching to help with her relationship with her husband and family, access to resources to support her in project management, creating a business and life plan.
Answering these initial questions was an important step before finalizing her Money Mojo, and the answers also helped Jane Doe recognize various opportunities she might have missed. To complete my evaluation, I asked additional questions:
- What method of access do you want to give your clients face to face, email, phone, video, or snail mail?
- Would you be interested in partnering with talent agencies and publicist to provide services to enhance their clients brand image?
- Have you considered targeting the organizations and associations many of these public figures are members of, such as the NBA Wives Association, The Professional Sports Wives Association, or WEEN?
- Have you considered connecting with women in the entertainment industry who would like to start their own businesses or philanthropic venture?
- Since many affluent women travel, have you looked into partnering with travel agencies, and perhaps offering coaching services along with a retreat during All Star games when most wives are home alone?
Based on her answers, it was time to design Jane Doe’s Mojo. Her initial responses revealed the three main concerns of her target audience: (1) Image and Brand; (2) Health and Wellness; and (3) Family legacy. Using these concerns as the root for Jane Doe’s solutions, here is a sample product funnel we developed together:
Level 1:
- A book and audio CD package Price: $20-$100.
- A private membership community featuring weekly or bi-monthly teleseminars, guest speakers and resources. Price: $297-$497 a month.
Level 2:
- An VIP seminar, featuring guest experts specializing in finance, health and relationships, led and facilitated by Jane Doe. Price: $1000-$3000.
- A quarterly bootcamp–offered either live as a vacation-style retreat (preferred for this target audience). Price: $3000-$9000.
Level 3
- A group coaching program comprising three modules: finances, health and relationships. The end result is a personalized life/business plan for each client. Price: $300-$500 a month.
- Individual coaching. Price: $500-$900 a month for 90 days or 6 months.
Keep in mind, any of the events featured at the different levels can also be recorded and offered later as info products.
How can you begin to work your Money Mojo? We all have it, we just need a little support in packaging and assembling it. For the month of August ONLY. Here is what I decided to do and my coaches are screaming at me right now for doing this, but I will take the heat if you step up to the plate.
Are hungry enough to go after what you want, tired enough of doing the same routine, pushed far enough in the corner to do something about the elephant on your plate?
Trust me it is not as bad as it seems. The elephant on your table may reflect a business you want to start, a book you want to write, a relationship you want to turn into a marriage, a new position you have been contemplating, credit that you need restored, or a relationship that needs mending.
The elephant on your table can represent a lot of things that you have ignored and brushed off, just to watch it grow bigger and bigger. The elephant is not going to go away. It is going to be there when you wake up and when you go to sleep. When you try to drink or smoke it away or when you try to cry and sleep it off.
If it’s your book, put together a writing schedule and stick to it. Invest in a hotel for a few nights and just work on your manuscript. That’s what I will be doing next weekend. If it’s mending a relationship, set some time aside to have that difficult conversation you have been avoiding. The most important thing to do when you have an elephant on your plate is to address the elephant and pursue the elephant. Some people have more than one elephant. You know it’s there and you know it’s not going to go away, you may even know what you need to do.
Here are some tips to help you to start chipping the elephant head first.
Here’s a simple five-step process for you to try:
- Name your “elephants.”
- Select one and break it down into bite-size pieces.
- Write these steps down in the order in which they need to be completed.
- Assign start and completion dates for each item on your task list.
- Enter these dates into your calendar so you remember when it’s time to do them.
As you focus on one bite at a time, you’ll be amazed at how this easy this process can get. You can now be free and along your way with an important project or task you’ve been avoiding.
If you need help with coming up with an elephant eating plan, contact me at lucinda@lucindacross.com
When it comes to being an entrepreneur, you can expect to run across a wide array of customers. It takes a lot to knowing them, identifying them, understanding them, and then working with them. During my time as an entrepreneur I have run across 5 main types of clients which have distinct personalities and approaches.
Champion
These are the ones who have skin in the game they have had their ups and downs in business and clearly can identify their needs vs. wants; they also pay well, are easy to deal with, and will often send random gifts of appreciation. They are usually mentally free and understand their position in the marketplace and have made an impact in their industry as an expert and trendsetter.
Tips to working with them
- Keep open communication and stay in contact!
- Results are all they want. Keep with the facts. You don’t need to convince them of the value you bring, either they need what you have or they don’t.
- They are very clear on what their next level is so when approaching a champion makes sure you understand their business model and their motivation. Champions want to stay champions so if you can assist them in marking their territory you will be retained for a large fee, as long as you produce.
Heavy Weight
These are the type of clients who may have a downfall somewhere or the fear of a downfall happening. They need to be held accountable. These clients need specific things done in a specific set of time, or they are looking for a product that can do it for them. This particular client is all about growth and mentally stability. Heavy weights are very busy and don’t have much time for amateurs so please show up confident and you must be able to articulate the what, why and how you plan to support them with your product or service.
Tips to working with them
- Be very detail oriented.
- Their time is everything so make your communication via email and phone structured and have an outline on what you want to discuss
- If you are pushing a product make sure you explain to them the warranty, guarantee and the benefits
- If you are pushing a service make sure you simplify the process, they don’t have time for long, out drawn processes or to dos.
- Suggestions are key. Give them suggestions on ways that they can work smarter, shorter and faster.
- They love random cards and gifts. Remembering their birthday or anniversary will mean getting a long term contract.
Light Weight
These clients value your relationship and are extremely excited but worried about working with you. To be honest they also expect discounts and freebies. They are scattered in doing to many things and still trying to find their signature style. You must be clear with them on the position you will play when it comes to supporting them. They can easily try to make you do things that are not in the contract and may tend to abuse your time if you allow it.
Tips on working with them
- Offer a discount that is comfortable with you, this way you are not feeling resentful.
- Make sure they understand the amount of work that you are doing.
- Be clear on how much time you are devoting to them and don’t go beyond the time limit. This will help them appreciate your time.
- Ask for payment from the beginning, this will avoid being placed in an awkward position.
- They are easy to befriend you so make sure you seperate personal conversations with professional conversation. Monitor the flow of the conversation and keep business conversation about business and personal conversations about personal stuff. This will help to remind them that you are still a professional.
Feather Weight
These are your business owners who are very attentive and careful. They take everything seriously and have dealt with some people who may have misled them. They must be dealt with very carefully and require a lot of hand holding and explaining.
Tips on working with them
- In this situation you must be professional but also personal. You can lose them if you are too business like and you can lose them if you are too friendly. Find a medium.
- Don’t tell them what to do, make suggestions. They are mentally and emotionally sensitive so they can smell a phony from a mile away.
- Keep reaching out to them, they may not buy what you have to offer on the first go round, so you need to continue to market to them over and over and over again, but it will be worth it once they sign on.
- Deal with these clients like you would a champion. They want to feel special.
- Present yourself as the trusted advisor and continue to show off your business “know how”. They will often ask for advice, ask you to do stuff and you can invoice them for it, as long as you let them know that anything outside the scope of work agreement will be billed.
Golden Gloves
These clients in my experience and observation will try to avoid paying. They may blame you for things not working out in their favor, they may call you every day for you to explain yourself or why this is working or not working, these clients want you to do everything for them for a ridiculously low price. These clients are in basic training and will come out fighting if they sense you are not people pleasing them. If you are not in the friendship business then keep I mind you are not in this to make friends you are in this to make a difference and to make money. Don’t get stressed out by irate, non-paying clients who do not want to recognize your value.
How to deal with them
- Be crystal clear on whether you can support them or not. Make sure you ask them what their expectations are. This will help you identify whether this is a client that wants the moon and the stars.
- Invoice their calls. This will likely limit the amount conversations with no substance and they will spend more time focusing on their business.
- These clients expect you to answer your phone every time they call so make sure you are clear on your client business hours and advise them to make an appt with you. Try using www.tungle.me for online scheduling.
- Give them a contract and a plan of action.
- If you really want them to pay, present yourself in a professional “Bill Gates” manner. You must walk like you mean business, talk like you mean business and send professional business email correspondence.
Please share any client horror/success stories and tips on how to deal with them? We love comments so please share!
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Brands that are successful have a well defined position in the marketplace. Brands following the hype are just winging it on “a hope and a prayer” that their customer will “get the concept.”
Would you rather base your brand on sound principles and a firm foundation or hype of trying and buying, hoping something will work?
Here are some great Brand Re-Position examples: Gucci, Apple, Tropicana okay how about Ali Brown, Toni Robbins, Les Brown, and Walmart, okay how about Oprah excuse me, the OWN Network?
There is this buzz word called Brand going around and I think people are sitting at the edge of their seats, pinching pennies to try to make sure that their Brand is in order. Every coach and meme is talking about what TO DO; let’s look at what NOT TO DO.
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