M4bmarketing commented on the following stories on BizSugar
The Importance of Having a Customer Database
"Hi Martin, The main tips are decide what your needs are, the features you want, cost. For example if you only need a simple ptogram to record information then don't go for one with email programs, shoping cart etc. I use Act which suits our business, but others include salesforce.com which I believe is launching a small business version etc. "Are Your Potential Customers Just Flirting With You?
"Shawn, it can be a challenge and I think that it does become easier to pick the signs as you become more experienced. But it is not infallible because we are dealing with people and therefore emotions. Their attitudes and behavior can change due to circumstances. Agree that actions speak louder than words. One thing I think helps is actually being alert and I have found that just jotting down notes help or if you have web stats looking at the pathways can tell you a lot. "Search engine marketing for small business
"Hi Shawn, Search Engine Guide is one site that I regularly read and have found really useful information. A small business can get top rankings (we are for our main keywords) for our other website and the thing I learnt is do your homework upfront, don't touch your URL once you have it right, meta description and title tags are important. It takes time but it can be done. Also stop playing with your website once it is ranking well, which we did in the early and got banished to page 10 if i remember correctly."When Excellent Customer Service Can Be a Waste of Time
"Shawn, My old training at J&J still holds true today and it was a good reminder. Look at constantly innovating and improving your products or services, making sure the improvements are in line with customer expectations etc. Otherwise you will never be ahead of your competition and meeting the needs and desires of your customers. Sometimes it might be a good idea to ignore all the hype."Don't spread yourself thin in small business new media
"I agree with Cindy that is is a good post. I think more people will be talking and writing about not spreading yourself too thin. It is better to concentrate initially on 1 or 2 areas and make sure it is paying off for your business, than being involved superficially on many sites."Subscribe
“Adam: Adding to the list: Inleed in Sweden! ;)...”
“Lisa: Thanks for your nice words! It is available on my podcast host for...”
“Love the title Martin, where is it available?...”
“Yes, it's quite the new term Martin. But it's been around for a while....”
“Automation is a broad topic but I like ConvertKit for emails and SocialBee...”
Who are Your Most Valuable Customers?
"You are right Shawn it isn't about the largest transaction. This article is from a model I have which is based on weighting in importance of each factor and the rating out of 5 for each. What this this shows is the most valuable customers, where they are strong and factors that may need to be improved. The model also can be applied to new business opportunities. The model is pretty easy to use. If you need more info, let me know. Susan"