CreativeXchange Marketing celebrates its one year anniversary

CreativeXchange Marketing is celebrating its first anniversary. It was a very successful year and I have many people to be thankful for that success.

My husband, Eric, is the first person I must thank for his incredible support in my endeavors. Starting a business last fall with our newborn son, Ethan was a huge undertaking and Eric was there for me.

Additionally, I thank all my many clients who put their trust in my abilities, friends, power partners and those who taught me how to be a better business person. I have enjoyed building these lasting relationships by following my core values, which are reputation and enthusiasm.

I am committed to having an outstanding reputation by delivering exceptional customer service, knowledge and honesty to all those I have business dealings with. I have enthusiasm for the work I do for my clients and my business. This enthusiasm is a result of the successes I am able to achieve and share with others.

One other major contributor to having a great first year is having a well-developed marketing plan that was implemented. A successful business must have a marketing plan with the goals, strategies and tactics that will help grow business. Constantly re-evaluating and tracking each and every marketing initiative to make sure you are getting the best ROI for the time and resources spent on those tactics.

Looking ahead to the future is very exciting. As I continue to grow my business, I look forward to educating more small business owners on the importance of the marketing planning process and relieving their stress in trying to figure out the sometimes overwhelming marketing process.

Thanks for a great first year in business!

Earning Good Word of Mouth Advertising

In each issue of Marketing for Success we discuss the importance of earning good word of mouth advertising by delivering exceptional customer service. Each month we look at one new area customer service can be improved.

This month phone etiquette is the topic. The telephone is one of the tools we use in business. However, most of us don’t think of the telephone as a tool, consequently we misuse it. The telephone is a tool to connect us with our customers. Sometimes we get in a hurry and do not use it to our best advantage.

Here are some general telephone etiquette rules you can follow that will help you stand out.

Answer the phone within 2-3 rings.
Greet the caller with your company name, department and your first name.
Speak directly into the mouthpiece.
Speak slowly and clearly—do not chew gum or eat food while on the phone.
If others around you are on the phone, be quiet—keep background noises to a minimum.
Never try to talk to someone who is on the phone with someone else.
Always push the hold button before placing the handset down.
If you are normally a loud talker, lower you voice.
Always ask permission to place someone on speaker phone.
Change your voice mail to reflect absences.
Smile on the phone—it affects your tone of voice.
Ask permission to place a caller on hold and wait for their answer.
Never let a caller stay on hold for more than 30-45 seconds without checking back with them.
When taking a customer off hold, identify yourself again and thank your customer for holding.
When transferring calls, let the customer know why you need to transfer them and ask if it is OK.
Tell your customer who you are transferring them to, the department, position and extension.
Listen for the customer’s name and use it at least once during the call.
Use positive language, not negative.
If your company takes written messages, fill out message forms completely. Get correct spelling, repeat phone number and other necessary information back to the customer, such as an account number. Include any important background information the customer told you so that they do not have to repeat themselves over and over. Deliver message slips promptly.
Close calls properly. Thank them for calling, ask if there is anything else you can help them with today.

This is just a sampling of phone etiquette tips. Next month we will discuss voice mail etiquette.

For more information on customer service training, contact CreativeXchange Marketing at 303.981.1541.

Why businesses need a marketing plan

Many people ask, “Why do I need a marketing plan? I have it all in my head, I know what to do.”

While this may be true in some cases, consider these reasons why investing in a well-written marketing plan is critical for success in growing your business.

A Marketing Plan:

Tracks Costs / Measures Value:
A marketing plan provides a step-by-step guide to what you are spending money on and when. It enables you to budget marketing expenses – helping you keep control of your expenditures and track your ROI.

Helps with Focus:
A marketing plan is a road map that keeps you focused. Referencing it regularly will allow you to check on the status of each tacticand help meet timelines. Your marketing plan also gives the company something to rally behind.

Captures Thinking on Paper:
The finance department isn't allowed to run a company by keeping numbers in their heads. It should be no different with marketing. Your written marketing plan lays out your road map. If people leave, if new people arrive, if memories falter, if you get overwhelmed with too many options the information in the written marketing plan stays intact.

Reflects the Big Picture:
In the daily routine of business, it's hard to turn your attention to the big picture, especially those tasks that aren't directly related to the daily operations. Writing your marketing plan helps determine your current business status and provides a road map for business growth.

Becomes a Document to Build On:
Creating your very first marketing plan is a time and resource consuming endeavor, but well worth the effort. Once the plan is complete, you just need to make minor adjustments and tweaks to it; you won't have to re-create it from scratch again. It will serve as a template and benchmark for you to work from as you define your objectives and strategies for next year. It becomes a living document for measuring sales success, customer retention, product development, and sales initiatives.

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Table of contents:

CreativeXchange Marketing celebrates its one year anniversary

Earning Good Word of Mouth Advertising

Why businesses need a marketing plan

A Marketing Plan: