What Are YOU Doing to Keep Your Customers?

Written by Angela Wu


Not too long ago I ran a survey on my site asking visitors what their main complaints were about shopping for or finding information online.

An overwhelming number of people said: customer service.

It appears that many online businesses are not doing a particularly good job of replying to inquiries in a timely manner.

Questions aboutrepparttar product, customer requests for help, constructive suggestions ... they all go unanswered. I'm not implying that every single email requires a response - but legitimate inquiries certainly deserve one. They give yourepparttar 117819 opportunity to display your product's benefits and convert a visitor into a customer.

Making sales is always great ... but building long-term relationships with your customers is even better. Happy customers are much more likely refer others to you. It's free advertising at it's best! Wouldn't you be more inclined to purchase something recommended to you by someone you trust?

Customer service takes practice and experience. Here are a few tips to get you started ...

• Learn how to use your email software effectively. Use filters, signatures, stationery, and address books to automatically file and answer some of your email. This in itself can save you a significant amount of time, and it helps you to prioritize. Try to provide your customers withrepparttar 117820 fast, helpful service they expect.

The Long Way Home

Written by Gary Layton


Anyone who has embarked onrepparttar long journey involved in building any type of business can relate horror stories concerningrepparttar 117818 difficulties and problems they faced. Then they can tell you about allrepparttar 117819 money they spent,repparttar 117820 time it took andrepparttar 117821 small return they experienced asrepparttar 117822 end result.

Let's face it, doing something like that is a real job fraught with all sorts of pitfalls and hazards.

Does it have to be that way? No it does not. There are some basic rules and procedures a person needs to know about if they are to make a success of any type business. Now here is a real problem. Where can a person find these rules and procedures, gain a clear understanding of them and how to apply them to best effect?

There are hundreds of online business and marketing gurus onrepparttar 117823 web. Just take their word for it they are there. How do you know? Well, they tell you so and try to get you to sign-up with some rinky-dink program of their invention which will make you rich if only you will follow their advice and use their system. Don't be fooled my friend. The serious and ethical business building services onrepparttar 117824 web do not work that way. A serious business helper invites you to describe your idea, product or service and then offers a consultation on a way or ways to go in building your business and market your products or services. They do this for free and also assure you, in writing if necessary, thatrepparttar 117825 information you are passing to them belongs to you and will advise you onrepparttar 117826 steps to take to protect that information.

Before we go any further along this very long road, let's stop a minute, take a deep breath and think about some ofrepparttar 117827 things you need to build or improve your online business. First you had better come up with some hard cash or other dependable source of money to pay for those services you will need just to get started. What are these things? Wellrepparttar 117828 list below identifies some of them,repparttar 117829 ones we should call essential online business tools.

1. A modern, fast computer with a large hard drive capacity and sufficient memory to dorepparttar 117830 job.

2. A fast and reliable Internet connection and a reliable ISP. For efficiency you should have a dedicated telephone line for your Internet connection.

3. A printer and probably a FAX. A scanner would not hurt.

4. Sufficient knowledge and skill to operate your computer and onrepparttar 117831 Internet.

OK, you have these things. Now what? Well,repparttar 117832 next step is knowing what you may wish to accomplish. Build your dream. Motivate yourself to move ahead. We all want more money, all of us for whatever reason we may have. A new house. A new Car. Travel and vacations. The kid's education. Whatever your dream, solidify it in your mind and visualize it to extreme clarity. Know what you want. I cannot overstressrepparttar 117833 importance of this.

Now you know what it is what you want. How do you get it and makerepparttar 117834 dream come true? Well my friend you plan, organize, work hard and consistently, that is what you do. There are many ways for you to do this. You can attempt to do it on your own. Develop your own products or services, set up a plan and market it torepparttar 117835 world. Wait a minute how do I do that you ask? First of all be sure you know what you are doing. Online marketing is like everything else in life. There are correct ways to do it and wrong ways to do it. Doing it correctly gives yourepparttar 117836 best chance to achieve a measure of success with your efforts.

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