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Your EnterQuest Bulletin - Issue 286
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| Thought for the week: "There are two types of company, those that work to try to charge more and those that work to charge less. We will be the second." Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com |
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In this week's issue:
Why testimonials attract more customers
By Jonathan Jay
Testimonials from satisfied customers are among the most powerful tools in your marketing portfolio. When you use them properly they can dramatically increase the number of new customers.
Why? They show potential customers proof from an unbiased source that your product or service really does do what you claim it does. Testimonials remove the risk of buying from customers' minds.
So how do you get testimonials from satisfied customers? You only have to ask for them. However, there's a knack to it - knowing what to ask and when to ask.
The best time to ask is when a person has just bought your product or service and is feeling good about it. If you leave it for a week, they might have lost the euphoric feeling they had after experiencing your service. If they say immediately after buying your product or service, "That is the best I have experienced," you should say, "That is such a compliment – could I put that on my website?"
You must get that testimonial immediately – ideally in writing. But remember, it's quite hard for people to go home, sit in front of their computer and type it up and send it to you or e-mail it to you, so you've got to overcome that inertia. Ask them in an e-mail if you can quote them as a testimonial.
Write: "Hi, You said our product 'was the best you'd ever experienced and that it's already saved you thousands of pounds'. Is it okay if I quote you on my website? Just whip me back an e-mail if it's a yes from you."
They might reply and say: "Yeah, go ahead! Put that on the website."
Fantastic – there's your testimonial. You've actually done the hard work for them. That overcomes them thinking, "Oh, what shall I write? How much shall I write?"
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Jonathan Jay is the founder of SuccessTrack - Success Strategies for Business Owners, and author of The Marketing Secrets of a Multi-Millionaire Entrepreneur. Go to www.freemarketingbook.org for your free copy. |
Each week we provide you with summaries of some popular or emerging business ideas in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
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Text-based taxi finding services. Texxi is a service that enables users to book a seat in a shared taxi with people all travelling in the same direction. It has different modes such as school runs, rush hour and shopping.
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Affordable eco-shoes. Green fashion has become slightly more affordable with a new line of footwear on sale from Payless ShoeSource. The shoes will be made from organic cotton, linen and recycled materials but will cost less than $30.
Regularly improving your vocabulary is not just about learning a new word and its meaning. It will improve your general knowledge and make you feel and act smarter in all sorts of personal and business situations.
Do you know the meaning of the word 'assiduous'?
a) unreasonable
b) of uncertain origin
c) paying close attention
d) deliberately misleading
Answer at the end of the Bulletin.
The following topical business issues have been recently reported in the media. Did your radar pick them up?
1) The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has reported that British manufacturing firms think which of the following is at the lowest level since 1980?
a) factory gate prices
b) optimism
c) investor confidence
d) prospects for growth
2) The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has pledged to help small businesses through the economic slowdown by setting a target to pay firms' invoices within which time frame?
a) 6 days
b) 10 days
c) 15 days
d) 25 days
3) The Government has also announced a £350 million fund of cash, earmarked to help small businesses in which of the following areas?
a) health and safety
b) tax issues
c) debt management
d) business training
Answers at the end of the Bulletin.
Tips and tricks for the frugal freelancer
Sparkplugging is a resource for freelance professionals, home business owners, parents with a business, and any other micro enterprise looking for money-saving ideas and techniques.
Free remote connectivity software
@TheOffice is a shareware programme that allows you to access your office resources via any type of Internet connection. It's great for small business owners who need to access important information from home or remotely.
Free magazines for selected industry sectors
Thanks to an agreement between UK Contractor and Tradepub, a wide range of magazines and technical documents are available for free download. Topics include business technology, telecoms, finance and strategy; titles cover everything from project planning to management in the food industry, energy and healthcare.
Training for social entrepreneurs
The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) offers a wide variety of training, mentoring, "show-how" visits to successful schemes, and advice for social entrepreneurs. SSE centres are located in Aston, Nottingham, Fife, Liverpool, London and Ireland.
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For more useful resources, tips and practical how-to articles you can request a free copy of EnterQuest's sister publication, BETTER business magazine. |
To receive a free copy of BETTER business magazine simply send us your name and address to enterquest@cobwebinfo.com, putting 'EQ magazine offer' in the subject box.
Win one of 33 uni-ball Jetstream high-tech pens
EnterQuest has teamed up with JetStream, the hi-tech pen people, to give away 33 superb uni-ball pens.
Jetstream boasts smooth, dependable qualities which uni-ball believes will prove popular with busy executives who need to write as much as possible in a short amount of time. It's ideal for signatures, too - the script will not blur and is guaranteed to stay bold.
The pen also features an ergonomically-designed rubber grip which supports the fingers and absorbs the pressure of a tight grip, making the pen ideal throughout long meetings or conferences.
Uni-ball has 33 Jetstream pens to give away, with three first-prize winners receiving an exclusive accessory set including a briefcase or handbag, plus stylish files to ensure their work life is as orderly and precise as their handwriting! Just answer the following question:
Q. Which Government department has set a time-frame of ten days in which to pay small firms?
E-mail your answer, together with your name, address and daytime telephone number, using 'uni-ball competition' as the e-mail subject line, to enterquest@cobwebinfo.com.
All entries must be received by 31 October. EnterQuest and uni-ball will use the information you provide for their own marketing purposes only and your details will never be shared with any third parties (except to arrange delivery of the prize). Competition rules are available on request.
This book uses aspects of a personal development programme to help people develop confidence, presence and make an impression on people. Check out:
Just one word answer
The answer is c).
Assiduous means paying close attention.
The assiduous business owner was able to spot a niche in the market after studying market trends. |
How's your business radar? The answers
1) The answer is b) – Optimism among UK manufacturers is at its lowest ebb since July 1980, according to the CBI. It says declining demand, coupled with a sharp fall in output, has led to the sharpest fall in optimism for 28 years.
2) The answer is b) – The Government has announced a package of support for small and medium sized businesses which includes a commitment for local authorities and public sector organisations to pay firms within ten days.
3) The answer is d) – Skills Secretary John Denham announced that the Government is committing £350 million to help small businesses train their staff. The money will go toward delivering funding for training in business leadership and management and the Government claims the funding will increase to £1 billion by 2010. |
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Good luck
The EnterQuest Team
This information is meant as a starting point only. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that the information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate. |
