Articles
Twenty-two do’s and don’ts that make a definite difference in business
by John GrahamIt must be easy to accumulate bad habits in business, there are so many
of them. Unfortunately, they can have a negative impact on us personally,
as well as on our companies.
How many times do we hear a message on someone’s voicemail? “I’m
unable to take your call but please leave a message. I’ll get back to you
as soon as I can.” Maybe it seems innocuous, but it’s a bad habit.
It sends callers the message that we will respond at our convenience, when we
get ready.
Whether we like it or not, such seemingly small issues can become the pieces
of a picture––what we care about, how we operate, and whether or
not we have a genuine concern for customers and business associates.
Here are twenty-two business do’s and don’t’s that influence
how we are perceived:
1. Don’t make sales calls from a cell phone. Here’s
why. First, it gives the impression that we’re on the run, in a hurry
and squeezing the call in. Second, cell phone sound quality is often poor.
Worse yet, there’s the distinct possibility of a dropped call. These
are not appropriate conditions to make sales calls.
2. Acknowledge emails promptly. It’s only proper
business etiquette to acknowledge an email as soon as possible after receiving
it. If you are delayed, send a simple explanation.
3. Don’t email information in bits and pieces. Organize
information before sending it by email. A series of emails, each with one
or two items of information, is difficult to piece together properly. No
one needs to spend time trying to figure out what’s going on in your
head or mine.
4. Don’t expect others to remind you when something is due. Employees
are the “owners and operators” of mini-businesses––themselves.
How well we manage ourselves determines our value to the overall enterprise.
5. Require meeting participants to put cell phones, PDAs, Blackberries
and other devices in the center of the table and in full view of everyone. If
meetings are valuable, distractions are harmful, disruptive and impolite.
If not, don’t hold the meeting.
6. Ask people if they want you to call them on a landline or cell. It’s
wise to let those who take your call make the decision, so you have the
best possible conditions when discussing business.
7. Don’t let what others are doing seduce your marketing.
Just because others do it doesn’t mean it’s effective. For
example, Chevrolet’s
“The car you can’t ignore” advertising campaign subtly
suggests an unintentional question, “Who says I can’t ignore
it?” Or, maybe Web 2.0 is where it’s at for some, but not necessarily
for every business.
8. Don’t make decisions based on anecdotal evidence. While
such “evidence” may help in pointing in a particular direction,
it should always be confirmed before being acted on. Otherwise, the results
can be costly.
9. Don’t confuse Googling with research. We have
come to believe that turning out piles of paper from a Google search is
research, when it’s just bits and pieces of unevaluated worthless “stuff.” As
such, it is the antithesis of research. If someone hands you the typical “Googled”
pile, hand it back.
10. Don’t chase the wrong prospects. Too many salespeople irrationally
race after even the most unqualified leads, always hoping a miracle will occur
and they will find a winner. Rarely, if ever, does this occur and time is wasted.
Qualify prospects against the profile of your best customers before going after
them.
11. Remember to fax. Stop thinking every email you send
will be opened, read, understood and acted upon. That’s not what
we do, so why should we expect anyone else to open, read and act on ours?
A fax message can receive more attention––it’s in your
face and it’s hard copy. Include possible action steps so the reader
can respond––by fax.
12. Use advertising, direct mail and PR to drive visitors to your
website. If you want your website to play a key role in your business,
devote substantial time and money to promoting it with ads, direct mail
and public relations activities, always indicating what they will find
of value. Do the same when writing letters and emails, which can include
a link to your company’s website.
13. Take a risk to attract attention. Taco Bell’s
“Steal a base, Steal a Taco” World Series promotion was daring
and incredibly successful. Boston Red Sox rookie Jacoby Ellsbury stole
the base, revving up the taco machine. Although the total estimated cost
nationally was only about $770,000, based on about one million takers,
the value of the incredible amount of publicity generated by the promotion
was the real steal.
14. Share your expertise. Any company’s greatest
asset is its accumulated knowledge and experience, and the way customers
measure competence. Don’t ignore it. Let them know what you know
and do everything possible to communicate this to customers and prospects.
15. Never start a conversation, sales pitch, email or letter with “we.” We
talk about the things we know best. Sometimes it’s sports or family
and always about what we do or sell. If we really valued our customers,
wouldn’t we start every conversation or letter talking about them?
16. Don’t brag about delivering quality customer service
unless you’re ready to give it the way customers want it. There’s
only one measure of “quality customer service” and that’s
the way individual customers define it. What one values, another may view
as irrelevant.
17. Never use a testimonial unless it is real in every way. Forget
about “T.K of Miami” or “A Nashville manufacturer.”
Anything less than a complete identification is not only useless but it’s
viewed as fictitious and reflects poorly on a business.
18. Free offers are terrific, but don’t hold customers hostage. Nothing
is worse than responding to a “free offer” for an article,
newsletter or other information, only to be denied access, until you answer
20 questions or, worse yet, talk to a “representative.” Deception
is destructive.
19. Do tell stories. How much have things changed? If
you wanted to talk with our nation’s President in 1825, the best
way was to walk down to the Potomac River about 6:00 a.m., where you would
find John Quincy Adams, complete with nightcap, taking a swim. Stories
can be memorable because they increase involvement stimulate the imagination.
20. Drop the jargon. Whether in speaking or writing, jargon
puts people off by making them feel like they’re outsiders. If you
think using jargon to show you can talk someone’s language, forget
it. Understanding another person’s issues is far more effective.
21. Avoid small talk. If building rapport is the issue,
then figure out what’s important to that particular person and talk
about it. It show’s you’re serious and don’t waste time.
22. Always ask the most important question: “What does the
customer need to accomplish?” Figuring out the answer is
the best way to make sure the solution is correct.
Twenty-two items is anything but exhaustive. You can certainly add your own to
the list. We are so busy doing that we often forget to look at or even notice
what we’re doing. Raising our level of awareness can make a positive difference.
John R. Graham is president of Graham Communications, a marketing services and sales consulting firm. He is the author of The New Magnet Marketing and Break the Rules Selling, writes for a variety of business publications, and speaks on business, marketing and sales issues. Contact him at 40 Oval Road, Quincy, MA 02170; 617-328-0069; jgraham@grahamcomm.com.