Relationship Marketing | Build Your Online Business

I've often heard people say that “So-and-So did not motivate me” or that the presentation did not motivate them to take action.  These expressions would suggest that someone or something external is responsible for their motivation.  Nothing could be further from the truth!

Effective motivation comes from within!  You can be encouraged by others; you can be moved to take action; you may even become excited by a dynamic speaker or presentation, but in the long run these are only temporary.  How does this affect your online business? What motivated you to start your online business?  What motivates you to stay in business? You have to be your own motivator; you must be convinced that what you are doing harmonizes with your deep-seated reason for being in business and will fulfill your goals or your purpose for your business. (more…)

A customer is anyone for whom you provide a service or sell a product and the names or terms customers are referred to may differ depending on your market.  A customer may be called a client, a purchaser, a buyer, or even a student. A customer who has not yet made a purchase or exchange of service or product may be referred to as a prospect.  Regardless of the terminology unique to your business the bottom-line remains the same: your customer if the lifeline of your business.  The service that you as the business owner provides will have a direct impact on the success or failure of your online business and so it becomes critical to be sure that you always provide superior customer service. This is a part of building your personal brand.

In building your brand online your goal should be to be recognized as someone who goes over and beyond what is normally required to take care of their customers.  I happen to like the term ‘over-deliver.'  No one usually complains if you over-deliver.  This is the kind of reputation that will set you apart from the pack and make you stand out.  On the other hand using underhand tactics and not keeping your promises is the way to go to experience the death of your business.  Pete Blackshaw says it very well in the title of his book, Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000: Running a Business in Today's Consumer-Driven World. (more…)

As a solo entrepreneur who may also work away from home you have numerous demands on your time and different aspects of your life that demand constant attention.  In the past this seemed to be a challenge that affected women more than men, but in recent times there appears to be quite an equalizing.  One of the main reasons for this change is that due to the economy many men lost their jobs and have had to look at other means to create an income, including working from home.  I became aware of this significant shift while listening to introductions at networking events locally.

Part of being organized is making sure that you manage your time effectively and the following are time saving tips to help you throughout the day and hopefully lessen stress.

1. Do you have school-age children?  Do you also work away from home? Make lunches the night before. Instead of rushing around in the morning, trying to get everyone ready for school and work, make school lunches the night before and put them in the refrigerator.  Label them in bags and they are ready to go the next morning.

2. Lay your clothes out the evening before.   I find that this tip alone saves me at least 15 minutes or more and my choices are better. This is

3. Do errands on your lunch hour and make phone calls during break times and during your lunch hour.  This can save you a trip to the store after work and will help you stay organized. (more…)