The July Coffee Break
June 30th, 2009 | Author:
THE HUMAN TOUCH…
In a world of impersonal and industrialized business, the personal connection with your customers is what brings lasting loyalty and sustained relationships.
People want good customer service; someone who knows their name, cares about their world and knows what makes them tick. In this fast-paced, highly industrialized society, we gained many things—but in the process, we lost the most important element: that personal touch which causes people to feel connected and known. If your company successfully restores good customer service and the human touch, you will be in business for a long time.
People are bombarded with flashy options, cut throat deals, and a myriad of colorful, quality products to choose from: but the fact is, America is more lonely than ever. The personal touch is what drives people to becoming your loyal customer.
You need to “ping” your customer base at least three times a month in the form of an email, a face-to-face meeting and a handwritten card. You cannot allow your face and company to be a faceless, distant name on a roster of vendors. It is crucial to your success to be a person.
As your customers long for the human touch, be ready to fill that need with cards, phone calls, lunch appointments and personalized gifts. A calendar, a pen, or some other small gift with your name on it will remind your customer base of your care and concern for them and their business.
As you reach out to your customers not only will your customers feel more connected—so will you. It’s important to your happiness, too. It helps keep everything in perspective: you aren’t just dealing with invoices and faceless names, but with real people. The tornado of business stress lessens as we step back and realize what really matters in life: connecting with people with that special human touch. It makes life more beautiful and less lonely.
While you can be very creative with your “human touch” (like sending flowers, hosting a customer picnic or sending coffee grounds, along with courtesy cups and condiments, to your customer’s office), cards and personalized items are a good first connection point. Notice there is a button above that says, “Ad Specialities.” Click it to view our huge selection of cards and personalized items that you can order quickly online.
The June Coffee Break
WHAT MAKES YOU EXCITED?
Here we are again, enjoying another coffee break together. It’s summer, a time where the world explodes with new possibilities. As we sip our coffee, let’s talk about the importance of excitement in the business world.
What makes you excited? Happy customers? Success? Delivering to your customer the very best product? Knowing that you are making a difference in your community?
To be a successful leader in business, being excited about your goals and company is critical. It’s important to reflect on what makes you excited, why you are in business and what is motivating you to continue. You cannot be successful unless you love your work.
Get an honest assessment from trusted co-workers and friends about your level of excitement for your work. Are you stagnating? Are you in a rut? If you are in a rut, chances are very good your employees are also in a rut. Your business is waiting to come alive under excited leadership. Don’t be afraid to step out, flesh out your ideas and pursue your goals with excited purpose.
Your employees and customers feel it when you are enthusiastic and motivated about life and business. John C. Maxwell, known as America’s expert on leadership, says that, “When a leader reaches out in passion, he is usually met with an answering passion.” If you want people to follow you, you need to lead in enthusiasm and excitement.
When excitement and initiative join, you are on the fast track to success. Theodore Roosevelt, one of the greatest leaders in the United States, said, “There is nothing brilliant or outstanding in my record, except perhaps this one thing: I do the things that I believe ought to be done… And when I make up my mind to do a thing, I act.” It’s important to lead with initiative and surround your business with enthusiastic, committed people. Excitement is contagious.
One quick way to gauge your enthusiasm level is to look at your correspondence. Are your emails cold and stiff? Bring fresh life into your business communication. Each correspondence is an opportunity to radiate warmth and optimism, giving you the image of someone who deeply cares and is trustworthy.
It’s always a pleasure sharing a cup of coffee with you. Let’s make this summer the best ever for your company, energizing it with fresh innovation and radiating new enthusiasm.
Click on the link below to hear what makes some of the Rosewood team excited!
The May Coffee Break
How Do I Prepare for a Commercial Photo Shoot?
IT’S MORE THAN JUST SNAPPING A FEW PICTURES AT RANDOM. Capturing quality images to promote your product is a trained art. With over thirty years of combined professional photography experience at Rosewood, we love our work. It’s exciting to share our photography passion with you.
Today we are setting out two more steamy cups of coffee and inviting Sean LaFianza and Liz Landis, our professional photographers, to discuss how to make your commercial photo-shoot go smoothly and capture your product at its best.
So, what are some things you should know about as you prepare for a commercial photo-shoot?
Sean and Liz both say at the same time, “The more information we have, the better we can do as photographers.” Communication with the photographer is crucial. Tell them what your goals are with the images, what you are visualizing the images to look like, what you want to do with the images, what customer-base you are trying to reach with the image—the more background knowledge the photographer has, the better they can meet your needs.
Sean lists some questions that are key to organizing a smooth shoot, “How many locations? How many products? How will these images be used? Will there be any portraiture? If there is any portraiture, we will discuss clothing—like no plaids or white socks!”
“The more you put into the photo-shoot, the more you get out of it.” Liz begins, “Bring your own props. You have a better feel for what you are trying to communicate than we do. Real props are a big plus. If you are shooting a horse stall, bring your horse to model in it. If we are shooting playhouses, bring children models. It is more appealing.”
Sean offers this tip, “A clean, organized area saves time for the photographer. (Liz pipes up, “Make sure you have extension cords and electric outlets handy!”) If the products can be brought to our studio, we have all our equipment on hand. It’s good to shoot in a ‘controlled’ environment.”
As they talk, you can tell Sean and Liz are artists with lenses and lights. They are excited about working with you on your photography projects.
Thank you for joining us for another coffee break. We hope your commercial photo-shoot exceeds your expectations. We look forward to meeting again next month for another cup of coffee and more helpful discussions.
The April Coffee Break
What is Marketing, Anyway?
WHEN WE USE THE TERM MARKETING we’re not just talking about creating a brochure, business card, or producing a website. It includes all of that—but much more. Advertising is only a small part of the puzzle in the “marketing world.”
It is taken from the phrase “going to market.” When you go to a market to sell your goods, you make sure you appear professional and helpful. You have friendly service, a nice sign, and an excellent location. You pay attention to every detail and look for ways to create an atmosphere encourage the customer to buy your goods.
Marketing brings all the pieces together.
Simply, marketing is everything you to do put your product or service into the hands of possible customer—no matter how big or how small.
Elizabeth Mong is the head of our marketing program. She is joining us for coffee, sharing with us why marketing is so crucial today.
As we sip our coffee, Elizabeth answers the question, “Why is marketing so important in today’s tough economic times?”
Her answer comes with enthusiasm: “No one is escaping the effects of our weakened economy. Your customers are shopping differently than they did a few years ago. They research more, pay more attention to value, and compare more prices.
“Your business must stand a foot taller than your competition: your marketing strategy—your brochures, business cards, website, signs, billboards, worker’s uniforms and even your business building—must shout to your customer base, ‘We’re a trustworthy, permanent business with products and services valuable to you.’”
We ask Elizabeth, as we pass around the biscotti, “What is the most important thing we can do in marketing right now?”
Elizabeth smiles and answers, “You need to show people you care through your marketing approach. Identify how the economy is hurting your customers. Find creative ways to help them in these tough times. They will sense your care. If your products and services meet their expectation of value-quality at a reasonable price, they will develop loyalties to your company.
“This is a time to pay attention to your customers and to let them know you care with good business practices. It is also a time to generate a new customer list, and you do it the same way: good, effective marketing of your business.”
Thank you, Elizabeth. We can’t wait to “go to market” with all of our new ideas and fresh vision for our company.
Please join us again in May for another fresh brewed cup of marketing ideas and business strategies to enhance your knowledge and infuse your imagination to go even further…
The March Coffee Break
At Rosewood, we are committed to your success.
We would love to pour you a cup of coffee, sit down and talk about the
cutting-edge marketing world and evolving technology that is driving us
to serve you better. We know that the more informed you are, the more
your business will prosper.
Our new monthly newsletter is our answer to that desire. It’s called The Rosewood Coffee Break, and its committed to enhance your knowledge and infuse your imagination to go even further.
Every month it will be delivered to you—fresh with innovative ideas,
company news, and the low-down on photography, web-design, and marketing strategies.
Everything in the newsletter is geared to help you become more educated
and informed about how to make our resources work for you.
We look forward to our coffee breaks with you—giving you the
information that will help your business advance even further.
The Rosewood Group