Not All Customers Are Equal — Which Are Yours?

Filed Under Marketing, Successful Blog | 10 Comments

Not All Customers Are Equal

When we talk about clients or customers, we often mention them as if customer means “one who buys.” But not all customers are equal. Look at the depth and breadth of consumer offerings. Take in the business services and products. You’ll soon realize that customers come in more than one kind.

You can fly Southwest. British Airways, or take a private jet. You can buy M&Ms in all sorts of special packages and colors. You can turn almost anything into a refrigerator magnet now. But if you go to “In and Out” in California, you’ll only get a burger.

Traditional business models outline three:

Top of the Line Buyers
Elegant, elite, one-of-a-kind, cutting edge. Stand in line, pay higher price, doesn’t mind a few complications or an occasional bug. These are the folks who stand in line for the first iPhone. Folks in this group go on vacations to places that other folks never see. Sell one for $$$$$/each
Service and Fit
Value beats price. Relationships matter. Service is remembered. They look for their values as well as their size. Google is making this group larger as it makes it easier to find what we want in a world wide inventory. Sell more for $$$/each
Volume Shoppers
Go for the discount. No frills. Don’t spend on what we don’t need. Lowest price. Generic is the same thing. They’ll give up service for speed and low price. Sell boxes and boxes for $/each.

When you decide on your product or service, think about which customer you serve. If you’ve already got an offer out there, should you be looking more closely at the customers you are reaching?

Not all customers are equal — which are yours?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Models and Masterminds starts the week of June 16.

Tags: customers, Models and Masterminds, Strategy

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Traffic, Readers, Colleagues — Are They Customers?

Filed Under Business Life, Strategy, Successful Blog | 47 Comments

Reaching Customers in the Offline World

As I put together the SOBCon materials for Models and Masterminds course, I’m thinking about the folks we call visitors and whether they’re really customers.

When I first started my writing blog, I had one reader, a friend who likes to read. Then I joined a “click traffic group” and as long as I clicked other blogs I got a related number of pageviews. Those clickers became the first visitors to my blog. I’m fairly sure few actually read anything.

At day 21, a comment appeared. Shortly after that a few folks started coming back. I had regular readers. Then I had 10 subscribers. I even knew who some of them were. When page views reached 1000/day and comments were plenty and regular, I put up some ads. I thought I’d make some holiday money.

I was confused.

I hadn’t really been looking at who was visiting my blog.

Traffic, Readers, Colleagues — Are They Customers?

When you look at the people who visit your blog, what do they do and how long do they stay?

Traffic - If they come in swarms following a link or bookmark and leave in a few seconds flat, it’s traffic. If someone stumbles a page and thousands come only to go away, isn’t that the same as people visiting a store because they were downtown to watch a parade? Traffic is noise unless convert it to readers or customers.
Readers - If each visitor reads 1.5 pages or more, you’re building a community of readers. If an audience is your goal, you’ll well on your way. If selling is what you’re about, you’ll need to convert readers into customers. Readers ignore ad that sit in the sidebar. To sell to readers, talk about what they want. Be helpful in solving their problems with products and services that naturally draw from the content you discuss.
Colleagues - Being helpful and solving problems can convert readers into customers. But look closely at your audience. Are they potential customers? If you run a “trade” blog — one that discusses the ideas, trends, and people in your industry — your discussions might be with an audience of colleagues not potential customers. Colleagues are unlikely to buy your products and services, at least not long enough for your business to thrive.

We can build a thriving blog that knocks everyone’s socks off, but it can be an investment of love and time that has no customers.

In a world where mostly bloggers read blogs, it’s a good habit to watch our audience. Unless we’re selling specifically to bloggers, our businesses will grow faster if we connect to customers outside the blogosphere.

How would you help a new blogging business connect to customers in the offline world?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Models and Masterminds begins with offline connections to customers.

Tags: customers, Models and Masterminds, offline connections, Strategy

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Get the Most Out of Your Network with a Mastermind Group

Filed Under Business Life, Strategy, Successful Blog | 16 Comments

When Wendy and I had a great conversation not long ago about mastermind groups. She’s been in groups for different purposes and of different configurations. So when I wanted someone to explain the concept is was Wendy I asked to do me the favor. She graciously said she would.

Get the Most Out of Your Network with a Mastermind Group

by Wendy Piersall

I have a close circle of friends here in Chicago that have known me for several years - whenever we get together they like to take credit for eMoms at Home, even though they have never worked for me. I actually totally agree with them - the reason is because this group of friends was my Mastermind Group when I was first started my business.

I wholeheartedly advocate being in Mastermind Groups, and I’ll go so far as to say that yes, eMoms at Home wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for the groups I have learned from along the way.

So What Exactly is a Mastermind Group?

Although Mastermind Groups can take a variety of forms, most function as basically a group that co-mentors each other. Participants will always get the most out of a mastermind group when they put a lot into the mastermind group. I currently participate in a weekly call with Dawud Miracle, Char Polanosky, Edward Mills, Gayla McCord, and Easton Ellsworth. We set up the group with the following ‘ground rules’:

Participating in the call is close to mandatory - though we’re flexible when ‘life happens’
We start on time and end on time - no exceptions
We take turns each week, and two people get 30 minutes every call
When it’s your ‘turn’, you get to bring a question to the group and we all brainstorm together to help each other come to a solution - any question is game
There are no stupid questions and there are no stupid answers
What is said to the group stays with the group - confidentiality is important when we are talking business strategy

We’ve been conducting our conference calls for about 9 months or so - I think the reason it has worked so well (and continues to work) is because:

We work hard to give each other really great input, basically giving each other free consulting
We keep a good structure in place to make the most of our time
We have really learned from each other - probably more from giving advice than from getting it

I think that last point is really key - we give a lot of ourselves in our calls. I’ve participated in very expensive paid mastermind groups that weren’t half as valuable as this group of friends. I really believe it was because everyone paid money and came to the group expecting to get something, rather than coming together to give to each other.

So, How do I Start a Mastermind Group?

Finding a committed group of individuals isn’t easy, but it’s not hard, either. A few tips:

Contact people that you want to learn from, but who still realistically also have something to learn from you
Lay down some sort of ground rules in your invitation so that people know what they are committing to
Let people know that participation is expected on a regular basis, and if they can’t commit to at least a 6-10 week initial time frame, they should probably pass
Meet at the same time every week/two weeks/month - either in person, or use a free conference call service like FreeConferenceCall.com
Have group members take turns leading the group to give everyone a chance to develop their leadership skills
Play with the idea of holding each other accountable to tasks or results if you really want to push each other to succeed

The blogosphere is a very close community, and filled with some of the most talented and brilliant people I have ever met. I’ve learned a ton from reading all of your blogs - and I’ve learned just as much when I’ve thrown my heart and soul into writing a post that teaches. Great Mastermind Groups work because we teach best what we most need to learn.
–
Wendy Piersall is the Chief eMom at eMoms at Home the business blog network for moms and dads who balance business and life at home beautifully.

Thanks, Wendy!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Tags: mastermind, Strategy, Wendy-Piersall

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121: Help! I’m Lost — My Business Is Out of Control

Filed Under 121 Conversation, Business Life, Successful Blog | 4 Comments

Wandering through the Woods

I just got done reading Dawud’s answer to my question . . . What advice would you give to a friend whose audience wasn’t his niche market group? He laid out a set of six factors that the person might consider to refocus again.

At the end of his article, Dawud left me (and you) with a question.

So Liz, what would you suggest my friend do if they looked around and found themselves lost with their business?

Being lost is not a fun thing. I get that way on a regular basis, so I ought to know.

Whether we’re walking through the woods by the river in my old hometown, or navigating the issues of a business that seems out of control, getting lost is a real situation that we can only deny for so long. Walking in circles doesn’t get us anywhere.

If your friend is stuck, the first I would do is introduce myself and ask him to sit down. Then we’d take a moment to breathe.

I’d let him know that I’m on his side and that no one stays lost for long. He’d get a few minutes to tell me about his journey.

Only a few minutes. . . . no point in spending time talking about what isn’t working, at least not while we’re still lost.

If it’s possible, I get your friend out of his usual work environment. The best would be to get outside where there is sky and trees. Figuring out how to unbundle and unburden chaos is so much easier when we’re not surrounded by human-made things. As a second choice any neutral ground will do.

Then I’d ask, “Who are you What do you love doing? Who loves what you love to do?” My guess is that he’d probably try to tell me why he’s not doing it. I’m kind of relentless at times like that — I wouldn’t let him talk about how he got lost.

You can’t get “unlost” until you know where you are and where you want to go.

Some folks take longer than other folks, but we’d talk until I understood what his answers to those three questions are. All along the conversation, I’d keep checking to make sure that I was hearing what he said.

When we agreed that we both had a clear picture of who he is, what he loves doing, and who loves what he does, then we’d return to the state of his business now.

With the first part decided, the second part becomes easier. Hold up the business to day to see how it’s not doing what we’ve just defined. Then carve the path to bring reality back in line with the definition.

That’s how I’d start to help your friend who is lost.

Many paths lead out of the woods. How would you help a business friend who is lost?

And Dawud, I’ll leave you with this question for next week.

What do you do when your business is going well and close friend’s is not?

If you’re reading this, I’d love to hear your answer too.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

One2One is a cross-blog conversation. Find the answer at dawud miracle on Monday. You can see the entire One-2-One Conversation series on the Successful Series page.

Tags: 12+1, Business Life, Dawud-Miracle, Liz-Strauss, one2one-conversation, Strategy, tactics

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25 Outstanding Links to Help You Write a Compelling Tagline

Filed Under Inside-Out Thinking, Links, Perfect Virtual Manager, Successful Blog | 14 Comments

An Internet of Taglines

Writing a tagline can seem an overwhelming task. How do you pack all of that promise into four or five simple words that will resonate with the folks you want to reach?

I discussed the strategy behind taglines yesterday.

3.2: Three Steps to a Killer Tagline that Customers Pass On

To fill out the information, I thought I might reseach what some other folks are saying. Here’s the best I found from around the blogosphere. They are 25 to add to the one I wrote yesterday.

Several Links and Information worth exploring: Channel 9 Tagline/Strapline Contest!

Tag Lines Can Make Or Break Your Advertising

A Good Tagline Is A Terrible Thing To Waste

Wag the Tagline - The Rhetoric of Brand Messaging

Tag, You’re It: Benefiting From a Memorable Tagline

The Phrase that Pays- Creating a Tagline You Can Take to the Bank

Tagline - your brand mantra

How a Great Tagline can Help your Business

Drew McLellan: Is a Tagline Part of the Brand?

Does this Tagline “Get it Done?”

That’s not a tagline!

Taglines - Why Your Brand Needs a Tagline

Got tagline? Arrrggghh!!

Tagline Basics

Are You Tagging? Create a Successful Tagline for Your Business

Zzzzzz…Oh, was that a Tagline?

Create a Winning Tagline: The Best Column You Can Get for a Box of Chocolate

Playing with some homeschool stereotypes

The Power of Taglines: Take My Tagline Test!

1% company ownership for a tagline

Software and Other Related Posts

YouTube Digger Tagline Poll

Tagline Randomizer for WordPress

RANDOM TAGLINE MANAGER

Job description of a movie tagline writer: Big Screen, a Few Small Words

How To: Hide Title and Tagline

Sometimes immersion is the best way to get to know how to do something.

I gathered these links as a resource. Everyone needs a different sort of support when it comes executing the vision of a business that customers will see. Find the ones that suit you and take the wisdom you need.

What words will you use to define your promise in a tagline?
Want to test a few? Write them in the comment box here.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
If you’d like Liz to help you find your strategy, click on the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Tags: Inside-Out Thinking, Liz-Strauss, Perfect Virtual Manager, Strategy, taglines

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Not All Customers Are Equal — Which Are Yours?