In the good old days, a town’s small businesses (the barbershop, the general store, the soda fountain) served as the hub of a community. Employees and customers were typically on a first name basis, and any sales conversations began with inquiries about family and life events.
Even if you still live in a small town where that sort of community exists, it’s possible that you make your living online, dealing with customers you’ll never meet face-to-face. Although it takes some extra effort through the web, you can create real relationships that make clients feel special and encourage loyalty, repeat business, and word-of-mouth marketing.…
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By now, the predictions for 2010 have faded into the background and, for many, so have those business and personal New Years resolutions and top 10 lists.
The small business world is collectively holding their breathe in anticipation for what could possibly happen with the health care reform bill. Till that time comes to pass, it is all about communications.
Today’s small businesses are adept at using online tools such as email newsletters and surveys to help develop strong relationships with their customers. While these tools can enable two-way communications, face-to-face interactions can be an effective way to build and instill trust in these relationships. It’s that sense of community and interaction that in-person events provide when communicating directly with customers.
