Neither are good or bad or right or wrong.  I am sharing this with the intent of providing perspective.  To be fair, when face to face with a “situation,” it might well require taking action and providing answers.  Perhaps some combination of the two?

Depending on what situation or problem you are facing, my suggestion is to give thought first to the original question.  Should you react or should you respond?  What I find interesting about the difference between the two is that “react” seems to infer movement or action without indication of thought or care.  Combine it with “respond,” and you bring into the mix answers, thinking, pledging.  These traits are stronger trust builders.  Those traits speak to people more with an “I’ve got your back” sentiment.  These traits also lean largely towards resolution.  So, if your “situation” requires resolution, perhaps responding is a better decision.

  See also:

• Who is worse at returning calls?  Customers or contractors?  - Read this and you decide!
• One of the best questions from Shark Tank
• Five awesome, free, helpful tools that can make your life easier!
• Do you wish more people would visit your website?
  
• What does it mean when a business is Trust Verified?
  

There are some wonderful tools available online that can make pieces of your life easier, that is, as long as you are aware they are available.  I have been using these five freebies for a while and just love them!  My hats are off to the producers and providers of these tools, along with a great big THANKS!  I am hoping by sharing them, that, you, too, will find ways they can make your life easier, as well!

123APPS – Discovering this tool was an unexpected genuine gem!    This website has tons to offer and is functionally sound and reliable!    You can hardly ask for a whole lot more!  I, personally, have used their Audio Tools and have been very satisfied.  I have recorded, for example, Google Docs Presentations using their Voice Recorder just by talking to the speakers on my laptop.  No headphones needed.  A great way to be able to record.

A final thank you shout out to the five producers and providers of these five, friendly, phenomenal, free wonders!  They are well thought-out, functional, have the user in mind from start to finish and seem to stay on top of the most current technologies to keep them as good as they can be!  Hopefully, you will be able to find ways some or each of these tools can help you. 

  See also:

• Who is worse at returning calls?  Customers or contractors?  - Read this and you decide!
• One of the best questions from Shark Tank
• Do you wish more people would visit your website?
  
• What does it mean when a business is Trust Verified?
  

During the past 15 years I have literally had thousands of conversations with both consumers and contractors who have shared more than an earful of legitimate frustrations and complaints.  Ironically, one frustration seems to ring true with both sets of people.  It is that all too common (and #1) complaint that “no one is returning my call!”

The reality is that there are any numbers of reasons why they may not be returning your calls.  I have learned long ago that things are not always the way they seem.  Is it simply neglect or maybe put another way, an “exercise of poor judgment?”  The bigger reality is that there really is no excuse good enough to skip out on this piece of customer servicing.  Few reasons will make sense to a customer!  However, things do happen that prevent someone from calling back within a reasonable amount of time.  But, when they do, the right thing for a company to do is to call the customer as soon as they are able, apologize, explain the delay, and address the reason the customer had originally called.  Wouldn’t you be forgiving as a customer, if you were treated that way?  The answer, for the most part, is probably or just straight out YES. 

So, companies take heed to this reminder.  A simple return phone call can provide your customer with precisely the right kind of service experience they deserve and can also provide you with miles and miles of return, yourself.  After all, one of the primary things customers are looking for is an overall positive experience.  That’s great news for anyone in business because it translates to infinite opportunities to try to please.  Companies that miss the boat on treating every caller as a potential customer is missing much more than a boat.  Even for those customers whose jobs or projects may not be a fit, as a contractor, you stand so much to still win by treating them well.  It is no secret that you are much more likely to launch your possibilities with others they know than by squelching any hopes by missing this ever so important “customer touch point.”

Contractors…. How often does this happen with you?

Contractors scratch their heads, as well, over the fact that customers won’t return their phone calls, either!  As I stated in the beginning, I have had literally thousands of conversations with contractors and consumers who both feel frustrated about this same problem.  Contractors wonder, too, why customers won’t return their calls or emails.

Try putting yourself in a contractor’s shoes for a moment.  Their company receives a call from a customer inquiring about their services.  They ask for a quote on a home project.  The company sends out a knowledgeable salesperson who completes the quote, on time, professionally, and as requested.  The visit seems to have gone positively and felt very friendly.  A helpful exchange of information between the homeowner and the salesperson transpired.  When the salesperson left, he realized the couple would need to process and discuss the information they had just learned.

The salesperson also completely understands a customers’ need to get other bids and ponder over the information collected.  When he calls back to follow up, the homeowner won’t return the call.  When he turns to email as a second alternative, they won’t respond that way, either.  Perplexed himself, the contractor often doesn’t know if he should try again or if the homeowner decided not to hire him.  

Although there are clear exceptions, most contractors encounter this scenario often and do not want to become a pest to customers.  They only want to put closure to the process that was started, and certainly do hope to win your business.  Most contractors acknowledge they will win some and lose some, but it’s fair to let them know either way, so they can feel good about moving forward or moving on.  Perhaps the homeowner has not decided which company they will choose?  Or, maybe they have decided not to go with that company?  Even so, why not call him back?  It is very surprising how many consumers play the same game with the contractors that they complain about themselves.  

It is important to keep in mind that contractors and companies are simply doing their jobs. They are also people, like you and me.  Another reminder worth mentioning is that it costs the company money and time to come to your home and provide you with the information you have asked for.  When they call you to follow up, what they want to know is whether or not they will be able to do business with you, or if there is any other information you may still need.  That’s all.  A simple return call could save much time and agony on both ends.  It’s equally frustrating for the contractor who hopes to win your business, works hard to provide you with information that will help you make a comfortable decision, and then does not receive the respect of a return phone call.  On the flip side, it might help the contractor to understand a little perspective as to why this may be happening to them.

 A fair number of homeowners have told me they feel bad having to tell someone they chose another company; they don’t want to hurt their feelings, so ignoring them seemed easier.  Easier for who?  As a consumer, if you ever find yourself in that scenario in the future, I hope you will remember that the contractor who came to your home would much rather be told you chose another company than to be told nothing at all.  They can take it, trust me!  So homeowners, heed this message, too.  Whether you choose to hire, not to hire, postpone your project, or change your mind, all together, try and think of the contractor in terms of a professional and a person.  Treat them the same way you would want them to treat you. 

Want to share your good, bad, or indifferent story about this topic?  We want to hear from you.  Select stories may be posted anonymously on our website.  We value your stories and thank you, in advance, for taking time to share them with us.  I hope you will also take a moment and subscribe to this blog.  Receive updates when new blog posts are published.  Feel free to comment and share your thoughts below, as well.  Looking forward to staying connected with you.

  See also:

• One of the best questions from Shark Tank
  
• What does it mean when a business is Trust Verified?
  

Any time you can get five or more wealthy, successful people in one room together, if you’re listening, there is bound to be something of great value to be learned.  I watch a lot of Shark Tank and wish that more independent business owners would do the same.  It is some of the best free education a business owner can soak up.  In particular, one of the questions that gets asked often is, “Is there anything proprietary about your business?”  Here's why this question is the focus of the rest of this article.

“Is there anything proprietary about your business” sounds like a great question if you are talking things over with a potential investor.  The investor wants to know how unique, special and uncopiable your business is to determine if you are invest-worthy.  There are more reasons than this, though, to ask yourself this question.  In my business, I work with many small service-oriented businesses; electricians, plumbers, handymen, painters, landscapers, etc.  There is nothing proprietary about many of these businesses.  I'm not trying to be blunt, just truthful.  They all compete with many, many other businesses a lot like themselves.  So, if there is nothing proprietary about these businesses, what should they be doing to draw in the merit worthiness of investors or for that matter, customers?

To put things in perspective, let’s use electrical companies as an example.  According to records from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, there are 5495 electrical companies listed in Minnesota at the time this blog post was written.  A lot of competition there.  Imagine if one or even a few of them had something proprietary, something only they provided, something of value no one else could give anyone but them?  Imagine the sales pitches those companies could give!  When I consult with businesses, I am practically jumping up and down over this one.  I think that every one of the 5495 electrical businesses, and your business, and everyone’s business falls into the same category!  All of you have only got your best legs to stand on!

Your best legs fall back onto your company’s reputation, something you always have.  Something you are always (hopefully!) building.  Your reputation is the only thing you’ll always have to get you through to the next “investor!”  After I am finished jumping up and down, I try hard to reinforce to all businesses that their reputation is the best, the strongest, the most effective, and the biggest money-making tool they have.  If your business has nothing proprietary about it and neither do your competitors, the only trump card you can play and win with is your reputation.  It is the only thing that is solely YOU, uniquely YOU, and tells all about YOU.  For all intents and purposes, your reputation is the only proprietary thing about YOU.  In fact, so true and so important, it's worth reading again!  For all intents and purposes, your reputation is the only proprietary thing about YOU.

If you aren’t already thinking of things this way, the best time to start is now.  To ensure you are doing all that you can towards building a rock solid reputation that wins, follow up with questions for yourself like:

• What should I be doing to gain more trust from potential customers
• What can I do to gain exposure to the level of trust my past customers have given me
• How can I nurture trust from potential customers who have indicated they are considering working with my company
• How can I ensure my employees or team members understand how they impact my company’s trust levels
• How can I turn my company’s trust into more money for my business
• Where and how can I measure actual impacts trust has on my business
• Can I detect areas where I am losing business as a result of customers' uncertainty about trusting my company
• Can I reverse areas where I am losing business as a result of customer uncertainty
• Can I tell how my company’s reputation is perceived by current customers who might need my services
  
  

My advice to you if you are a business owner is to consider answers to the above questions as ingredients that will spice up your profits and successes on a daily basis if you take them seriously enough.  If you’ve got nothing proprietary about your business, looking to the power of your reputation is the smartest card you have to play. 

When consumers have repairs to make, projects to get done, challenges to work through, they seek out the best problem solvers to help.  96% of consumers will conduct a due diligence process to find the right problem solvers.  Of those people, 97% will be swayed by how well they perceive a company can help them, how much that company will have their backs, and how well they have proven these things to others in the past.  Yup, that sums up your reputation!

Did you know there are hundreds of things you can be doing to help gain the trust of potential customers?  Some are tiny things that make a big difference.  Most are small things that collaborate and culminate into big time wins for your company.  You’re always invited to book a complimentary consultation time slot with me.  I won’t promise not to jump up and down, but I will promise to answer the questions you may have.  Click here anytime you want and schedule some free time to talk more about this.  Minimally, our goal should be to send you on your way with a new arsenal full of ideas and steps you can take to  ensure your company is not only earning the highest levels of trust from your potential customers, but that your company is earning higher profits and greater successes as a result of your trust.  Go ahead.  Book some time to chat.  I look forward to our conversation. 

Feel free to share this information with others in your universe that might benefit from this content.  Feel free to comment and share your thoughts below, as well.  Looking forward to staying connected with you.

  See also:

• Who is worse at returning calls?  Customers or contractors?  - Read this and you decide!
• What does it mean when a business is Trust Verified?
  

Help your customers begin to trust you by adding a link to Customer Reviews about your business to your email signature. This simple step can facilitate needed confidence from customers who are considering you, as well as some of your competitors. This simple step can increase YOUR chances of winning
by 70%!

Now, every time you send out an email, your readers will have one-click access to current Reviews about your business.  This simple link gives you a continuous ability to “bring it” to anyone receiving your emails.  Those that have the potential to become one of your customers will be glad you did.  I have many business clients that do this who have discovered they have earned the trust of more customers this way than they realized.  The reason?  Customers come to you in different stages of their buying journey.  You never know when you have someone in front of you that is close to the "ready to buy" stage.  The primary factor that will propel them into hiring you will be their trust and comfort levels in your quality and your company.  Putting such a simple link in front of them will call to action those who are serious and sincerely interested in finding out more about you.

The reason this works is basic.  Your company’s reputation is your company’s strongest asset.  It always will be!  Your company’s reputation has the strongest influence over your prospective customer's decision-making than anything else you have.  Customer Reviews are the easiest way to provide fast and honest information about your reputation to your inquiring customers.  The reality is when they trust you, they will take action towards you.  You have a 3-minute ability to transform many YES's in your direction.

Amazingly simple, this three-minute task can help facilitate a more enthusiastic, readier to buy customer before they ever contact you.  How awesome is it to receive calls from customers whose decision to hire your company is either already made, or close to it?

Bottom line, trust in you and your company will be the primary reason a customer chooses YOU.  Providing one-click access to Customer Reviews helps you give your potential customers what they need to get comfortable with their choice to hire you.  Validation of your quality is the primary factor that will propel them into purchasing with you.

I hope you will take your three minutes and add this simple link to your email signatures.  Recommend that anyone involved in sales in your organization do the same.  The overall results will delight you.

If your business doesn’t already incorporate a Customer Reviews service in your marketing, I encourage you to explore your options.  Contact SmartestMarketingStrategy.com to learn more about what options are available for you or to get answers to any questions you may have.  Not all Review Services allow you to link directly to their Reviews.  Being able to wherever you can provide a link can impact your sales leads, your close ratio, and your overall revenue.  Ask for a complimentary assessment of how your business compares to your competitors’ as far as information available about both of your reputations and what this means to your future opportunities.  Find out more by calling SmartestMarketingStrategy.com at 763-745-1188.

  See also:

• Who is worse at returning calls?  Customers or contractors?  - Read this and you decide!
• One of the best questions from Shark Tank
• Do you wish more people would visit your website?
  
• What does it mean when a business is Trust Verified?