Networking 2Written by Chuck and Sue DeFiore
Another way to network is by using an 800 number and establishing a network of experts to refer your clients/customers to. An 800 number provides a way for your customers to reach you. You can answer information needs, resolve problems and obtain information from your customers. You will of course need to publicize your 800 number in your promotional materials, and advertisements. The best way to get most out of your 800 number is to have a definitive plan on how you will employ it. Will you have prospects call to find out more about your products/services? Will you provide information when they call and then follow-up with printed materials, or will you direct them to a source?After you have decided what you want 800 number to do, put yourself in your customer's place, and be sure you are meeting all their needs. Ask yourself, if you knew nothing about what you were selling, would information your 800 number is providing give you all that you need to make an informed decision. An 800 number allows you to network on a broad level to areas and customers you might not have reached with just a long distance number. Many individuals will not make a long distance call, but will call an 800 number. If your business allows, have a network of experts to refer your customers to, or if you are selling products, additional sources for your products.
| | Organizational Techniques - Tickler and Chron FileWritten by Chuck and Sue DeFiore
One of biggest problems we encounter in our consulting with businesses, and our students, is time management and organizational techniques. This article will concentrate on some good organizational strategies. Two of best organizational techniques I have found over years are Tickler File and Chron File. This article will concentrate on how to use them everyday in your business.A Tickler file is used extensively in legal arena. A Tickler file is a file in which you put items that you need to take care of by a certain date. For example, an accordion file is used in legal office, accordion file has dates from 1-31 with monthly folders (January-December). If a court case is to go to trial on June 13th with depositions to take place through May, case would be put in accordion file in April, so that letters could be sent out in April to those who need to be deposed in May. The letter for a particular individual would be placed in appropriate day for May that person was to come in, or even day before with a note to call and remind this individual they have an appointment. Anyway you get idea. The tickler file allows you to put notes, files or letters in them as a reminder (tickle your memory) for you to do something. The tickler file is also a great way to get all papers off your desk. When I am done at end of day, I place my to do list (with items to be done), in my tickler file. My tickler file is a legal size accordion file, which is numbered 1-31. I have made up my own monthly files. Yes, you can purchase manila files with months already on them, however, they are expensive, an expense I don't think is necessary. My tickler file is in drawer of my desk. When I am finished at end of day, all of items I am still working on are placed in my tickler file for next day. So tickler file can serve a two-fold purpose, clearing off your desk at end of day, along with acting as reminder and keeping track of what needs to be done in upcoming days and months for you. For those of you running your own Lease Purchasing business it also allows you to tickle a reminder to yourself to run your ads on a consistent basis, utilize your marketing strategies, Real Estate meetings, speeches, and articles to write, along with other items you need to do.
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