It’s Time To Work On Those Problem-Solving Skills
As a creative in business, there is so much you need to balance on a daily basis. And sometimes, not everything goes according to plan. Just like in your own life, things happen in business which are totally out of your control, and it is up to you to try to solve those issues. Being able to problem-solve is a skill. It’s not a hard skill such as knowing how to paint or draw, but a soft skill which makes navigating life easier. Your ability to solve problems, while a definite skill, needs to become a habit. If you are ready for whatever comes your way, then empowerment will follow. Being confident in the face of a situation and being able to navigate a solution, while avoiding a meltdown, is an admirable and sometimes necessary trait. As a business owner, you cannot stop problems from occurring. Your clients, however, will not be so concerned with the fact that something went wrong but rather how you went about solving the issue. They are relying on your knowledge to guide them through regardless of your experience or background. This simple four-step process will cut through the clutter. It is too easy...
Read MoreHow To Maintain Quality Relationships With Your Customers
Customer service and quality relationships should be high on every creative entrepreneur’s priority list. As a manager, it is your job to be on top of every situation, anticipate your customer’s needs and be ready to act when they have an issue. But more than just reacting to a problem, you need to be able to preempt it, with solid solutions laid out before the event. Silence may not be golden If your customers are not over-communicative, don’t just assume they are 100% happy with the service on offer. Assuming that is the worst thing you do. Silence can make a little problem worse. Therefore, take every opportunity to follow up with your clients to ensure that they are happy with the service or product supplied. Seek your customer’s advice Balance your communication with respect for their time. Your customers don’t want to be bombarded with calls or emails every five minutes. Reaching out once to garner feedback about their order is recommended however, and it not only strengthens your relationship, but reminds them that you are there should they need anything else from you. Listen to your clients The feedback provided by your customers is particularly helpful, so do...
Read MoreHere’s Why A Deadline Is So Important
A common misconception among the general public is the thought that when you own your own business, you are “the boss” and free to set your business hours as you like and only work when it pleases you. The ability to control things such as your working hours is one of the chief incentives that tempt many creative types to go into business for themselves. When you are working for yourself, it’s true that you are no longer an employee that receives some sort of warning from a manager for showing up to work a few minutes late. But, you also don’t have as much freedom and flexibility as you might wish when it comes to setting your working hours. When you open your own business, it’s important to remember that even if you hire a staff to take care of sales and customer service, you will still have clients and customers who will have a set time for when they expect to receive your product or service. You will need to either produce the service yourself, or oversee operations to ensure that these products and services are produced and delivered before your customer’s due date. Creating and delivering...
Read MoreWhy Showing Your Ethics Helps Boost Sales
Consumer labels like “Fair Trade” and “Free Range” have become so mainstream, buyers are now on the lookout for information on the origins of an ever increasing range of products. In order to make purchasing decisions, consumers want to know how, where, and by whom a product was made. Making this information freely available, especially when companies have nothing to hide, is a new marketing trend. In the fashion industry, and many others, displaying ethical considerations and policies can increase sales. Formerly, clothing manufacturers thought making information about their creation processes available would diminish their competitive edge. Doing so could invite rivals to imitate profitable practices, or lead competitors to access particular supply chains. These days, in order to combat speculation about sweatshop production, or environmentally unsustainable manufacturing processes, some brands are letting trade secrets loose. Some in the industry believe in the future disclosing such information will become mandatory. Bruno Pieters, former art director for Hugo Boss, is one who understands how consumers gather information either from the addition or absence of thorough product labelling. He has pointed out that, “If a brand is proud about something, they’ll make sure we know about it; if they’re doing something...
Read MoreHow To Give Your Customers A Remarkable Brand Experience
“Your brand is what people say about you when you aren’t in the room.” – Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon.com Regardless of what products or services you sell or what industry you are in, whether or not you are a small business owner or you own a large international corporation, your “brand” is more than just the image you wish to display to the world through marketing and advertising. Your true brand is the opinion that others form about you and your business, based on their own experiences with you, and the experiences that others have with you. Therefore, it’s integral to the prosperity and survival of your business that your current and prospective customers have a good brand experience when they deal with you and your company. What is a brand experience? Brand experiences can occur in many ways, some are obvious, and some are not so obvious. In general, a brand experience is likely to occur when a current or prospective customer encounters you, your business, or the products and services that you offer. These encounters can take place in physical store fronts, online on your website, through contact with your brand’s advertising, or even reading...
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