It’s Customer Retention, Stupid! -Why Your Small Business Needs An After-Sales Service Strategy

Dont You find your customers coming back to you time & again? Its time to check your business strategies now.Read on to get some clues on what might be going wrong!!

Think Beyond The First Sale!

In the US, the term “After-sales service” is not nearly as commonly used as “Customer service”. The distinction often made is that “After-sales service” is a more specific area under customer service, dealing with warranties and repairs. Fair enough. But with many concluding that customer service in general has deteriorated compared to past generations, perhaps it’s time to look at what these ideas really mean from a small business perspective.

The customer service often extends to people who haven’t even bought into your product yet. While attracting and educating potential customers is absolutely essential, time and again it has been proven repeat business is essential for sustainable growth. You can attract a lot of new customers, but if you can’t hang onto them, your business is not going to last very long.

If you have a unique product or service that happens to address an important need, this is a bit less of an issue. But say you run a dental practice, a laundry shop, an auto-repair shop, or do freelance graphic design, or are otherwise in a business that usually gets at least some competition. As much as you’d like to point out what makes your core offer so different from everyone else, it’s unlikely anyone else would care as much until they actually see your work.

And suppose your customers are satisfied, but not particularly awed- what then? Do you hope they don’t care enough to look for anyone else the next time they need it? Of course not.

Give Your Customers a Reason To Come Back- Or At Least Something Good To Remember You By

Developing an after-sales strategy can’t be ignored because this is how your brand develops a following, and hopefully, repeat business. It helps to have a good product of course. You might have a good product- but it’s possible your customers wouldn’t know how good it actually is compared to competing offers- making it extremely important to give them something else to remember you by. Why? Because I would rather have 10 regular customers that keep coming back  over the course of a lifetime, than 100 new customers who’ll never do business with me again.

Your after-sales strategy should depend on the context of your business- these can be as varied as the types of business. Technical support and warranties as well as replacement policies are all standard tactics, which newbie business owners might overlook. You can also print up gift cards, or do something as simple as sending a heartfelt thank-you note for customer referrals. 

One strategy many small businesses use is asking customers to fill out a survey in exchange for redeemable coupons. These little things can make a huge difference.
Without a plan that goes beyond the first sale, you’re like a hot date who’s got nothing else going for them. Almost anyone can attract someone’s attention- winning them over on the other hand, is a totally different thing altogether.

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Run a Home-Based Business in US? – Find the Licenses and Permits You Need

Whether you’re starting a business from home or looking to move into a home office, it’s important not to overlook the fact that your business is still subject to license and permit laws.

Why? One of the main reasons any business owner is required to carry a license is so that revenue can be tracked for taxation purposes. Businesses that sell taxable goods or services also need a sales tax license or permit. Licenses and permits are also used to protect the public and are required in federally regulated industries (aviation, firearms, alcohol businesses, etc.).

Other industry licenses signify specific expertise. For example, if you run an in-home hair styling business, you’ll need the same professional license that you’d need if you had a main street salon.

Regulations vary based on industry and location, so it can be intimidating to know where to start.

Use the “Permit Me” Tool to Find Your License and Permit Requirements

To help business owners navigate the process, SBA.gov offers a useful tool called “Permit Me.” Simply enter your zip code and business type to view a list of the licenses or permits you’ll need, together with information and links to the application process.

General Home Business License and Permit Guidelines

In addition to the Permit Me tool, it’s helpful to know more about the general guidelines that apply to home business licensing and permit requirements. While not all of these will apply to every business, some will.

1. General Business Licenses – Your city or county government website can help you get one of these. Basically it’s an annual license or permit that legally entitles you to operate a business in that locality.  Typically a small fee is associated with this paperwork.

2. Professional and Trade Licenses – State governments require certain businesses or industries to obtain professional/occupational licenses, such as a child care operation or real estate license. You can contact your state's business license office – or check the website – for a complete list of occupations that require licensing. 

3. Home Occupation Permit – Many city and county zoning and planning agencies require all home-based businesses to get a Home Occupation Permit. If a permit is not required in your city, the zoning office can tell you if your neighborhood is zoned for the home business activity you plan to conduct. If your area is not zoned for your type of business, you may need to file for a variance or conditional-use permit. This guide, Zoning Laws for Home-Based Businesses, has more information about zoning laws for home-based businesses. 

4. Sales Tax Permit - If you intend to sell taxable goods or services (online or offline), you may be required to collect state and local sales taxes from your customers. If you sell your products in a state that charges a sales tax or levies a gross receipts or excise tax on businesses, you may have to apply for a tax permit or otherwise register with your state revenue agency. 

5. Health and Safety Permits – Depending on your location and industry, you may need either a permit or an inspection from your local fire department, especially if your business requires the use of flammable materials or will likely involve the assembly of several people in one location, such as a child care business.

Air and water pollution by businesses is also monitored in some communities. You can check with your state environmental protection agency to see if these regulations are applicable. Health Department permits are typically issued by your county government, pending an inspection of the business premises, if you plan to sell food to the public or to other businesses. Additional permits may be required for food service or food preparation depending on your state. 

6. Sign Permits – Some cities and towns have sign ordinances in effect that restrict the type, size, or location of signs placed on your property. Check with local authorities.

7. Construction Permits – If you need to make structural changes to your property to accommodate your in-home business, environmental and building permits may be required for construction. It’s a good idea to check your local government’s building and planning department before undertaking any construction. 

8. Check with Your Home Owner’s Association (HOA) – While your local HOA won’t specify particular licenses or permits, if you do live in a planned residential neighborhood or complex, the HOA can restrict the type of business activities you conduct in your home. 

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Tips on How to Protect Your Business Online

Intellectual property is anything that you or your business creates that is the property of your business. Each of the super heroes in the smash hit movie, Avengers, are the intellectual property of Marvel Comics. This means you can’t use The Hulk to advertise your spring sale. When you or your company creates a piece of intellectual property whether it’s a slogan, a character, a recipe or logo you are well within your rights to make sure that property is protected. In this age of social media networking, keeping up with that protection can become a challenging and full-time job. The following are some insightful tips on how you can protect your intellectual property and what to do when someone steals it. 

·         Patent, Trademark, and/or Copyright First

You really can’t make a claim against someone who is using your intellectual property unless you first register that property. This will require filing an official trademark or copyright application for your property. A trademark protects your company information from being used by another company. Going back to the Avengers example, the next Batman movie can’t have Spiderman in it because those are two separately trademarked characters and can only be used with permission from the trademark owner. Copyriting typically applies to a work that you intend to publish like a story, article or photo. These can also be created by your business as a way of promotion but can’t be used by other companies unless you give them permission. A lawyer who is familiar with these types of laws can advise you as to which is the best application to file for protection.

·         IP Monitoring

If you are serious about protecting your intellectual property then you’re going to have to invest into some time into monitoring your brand to see if your property is being inappropriately used. This isn’t just about checking into Facebook once a day, but instead dedicating time to conduct comprehensive searches across all kinds of social networking sites and other web portals.

·         Decide If Your Have Been Infringed Upon

Suppose your company creates a brand icon like the Pillsbury Doughboy. After trademarking this icon, it becomes very popular and begins popping up as people’s profile picture or on their blogs. Is that real infringement? Is your business being damaged? Your reputation being tarnished? Only you can make that call but just because someone might be using your icon or other intellectual property in the vast outreaches of cyberspace doesn’t mean your business will suffer. On some level, you can’t realistically chase down every infringement. You have to pick your battles wisely.

·         Taking Action

When it has been determined that your intellectual property is indeed being misused then you can take appropriate legal action. The first would be a cease and desist order. This would be a legal letter sent from your company’s attorney informing the user that they need to stop using your intellectual property immediately. Once you’ve put them on notice and they still keep using the property, you can sue them for trademark or copyright infringement. Proving damages in court can be tricky and costly for you. Often, the cease and desist order will do the trick.

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7 Of The Best Small Business Learning Resources

Running a small business can be a daunting task for first timers. It takes more than just a handful of business cards and a company bank account to get your small business off the ground. In all honesty, it can be a daunting task even if you’ve been around the small business block a few times already. The best tool you have on your side to prepare yourself is knowledge. There are all kinds of free Internet-based resources out there to help you get started.

Great, but I have a business to run, you may argue. I understand – you don’t have time to surf half a dozen sites to find what you’re looking for. Often, you don’t even know what you’re looking for. In these situations, a process for gathering information quickly and efficiently is critical. So check out these free resources when you find yourself stuck or trying to learn more.

# 1. Wikipedia

I know the age-old argument that Wikipedia isn’t a credible source. But let’s face it – you’re not writing a doctoral dissertation here. You just need information quickly. Instead of reaching for a search engine, sometimes the best way to get a grip on an issue is to learn about the concept as a whole. For example:

• If you’re struggling with some accounting issues, specfically how to tell whether or not your finances are getting better, you can start with a high-level overview of accounting concepts on Wikipedia first.
• Once you learn some key terms like balance sheets, income statements, and other critical accounting concepts, it’s much easier and more efficient to look up more information via Google or other search engine.

# 2. Entreprenuer.com

A community that is full of wonderful tools for small business owners can be found at Entrepreneur.com. They have a huge repository of quality training and educational pieces to get you up and running fast. While you can subscribe to the paid magazine, many of the articles on their site are absolutely free.

# 3. SBA.gov

The Small Business Administration (SBA) also has a treasure trove of content you can use to educate yourself. Even better, for free you can meet with advisors and counselors who can provide you a vast list of resources in terms of both content and people who can help.

# 4. Score.org

While not an online resource, Score provides free small business counseling – they’ll come to you and their counselors are all vetted, experienced personnel who offer their advice free of charge. If you want a long-term mentor who can coach you as you go and guide you to the right resources, Score is an excellent resource.

# 5. BusinessKnowHow.com

A little known resource, Business Know How is chock full of information regarding marketing and finance for your new small business. They too have a blog with additional articles and resources regarding troubleshooting and Dos and Don’ts. Their goal is to help small business owners understand how to be as effective as they can with their marketing strategies.

# 6. Google

This search engine of choice is listed last for a reason. It’s not to say you should use Google last, but consider that once you know the concepts around your problem better, you are more likely to find the right information more effeciently using Google or other search engines. The key here is to understand your problem; the terms and vernacular are critical to finding the right resources.

# 7. YouTube

Also in the same vein as Google, YouTube can be a powerful resource for educational videos. Instead of reading through a topic, now you can watch or listen to someone showing you how to solve a problem. But, like Google, you should approach this resource with a solid understanding of the issues you’re dealing with so you can skip the basics and get right to the heart of your problem.

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What If Someone is Claiming Tax Credits In Your Name?

Unfortunately, there are quite a lot of people in the world who try to use identity fraud to get what belongs to someone else. One of the ways that identity thieves can try to get their hands on what belongs to you is by filing a tax return using your Social Security number. If you are eligible for certain credits that result in a refund, a fraudster can file a return - and possibly get your money. Additionally, the situation might result in a failure to file fee, thanks to difficulties getting the information submitted.

When you go to file your own tax return, you might be notified that a return with your Social Security number has already been filed. This can be a disconcerting and difficult situation. The silver lining, though, is that the IRS is well aware of the problem, and has an entire division that deals with these types of fraud situations.

File a Form 14039

If you discover that a return has already been filed with your Social Security number, you need to fill out a Form 14039. This form is meant to alert the IRS to the possibility of fraud. However, the IRS won't just take your word for it. You will need to prove who you are. In order to verify your identity, you'll need to share documentation. You might be asked for copies of:

• Your driver's license
• Passport
• State-issued ID card
• Other documentation proving your identity

You will have to send the documentation in on your own dime, however. You can send copies (not originals) via fax to 1-978-247-9965, or mail them to Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 9039, Andover, MA 01810-0939.

If you can prove the situation, and this is something that happens regularly so you should be able to, you will be back on track with your tax filing, and you will likely receive your refund.

Other Steps to Take

Once you have things moving at the IRS, it's time to take other steps. The fact that your Social Security number is out there indicates the possibility that someone is using your number to open lines of credit. If your identity is stolen for these purposes, you could see a reduction in your credit score, you could even find that someone else is using your good name to make purchases on credit - that they aren't paying for.

You need to call each of the three credit bureaus and check your report for signs of identity fraud. You can place a credit freeze on your reports so that fraudsters can't open new accounts in your name. You should also consider reporting identity theft to the local law enforcement authorities so that you have a record of your efforts to track down the fraudster.

The unfortunate truth is that it's very hard to catch someone who perpetrates identity fraud. It can happen, but it's doesn't happen very often. If you have been the victim, you best bet is to clear things up as quickly as possible so that you are protected, and so that you get the money you are owed.

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How to Boost Corporate Volunteering with Facebook

With all the news swirling around Facebook’s messy IPO, it’s important to remember one thing: nothing has changed about the site...yet.  Despite shareholder lawsuits, NASDEQ fumbles and a stock price faceplant, Facebook is still a powerful tool that can be used to effect positive social change.  And when it comes to corporate volunteering, Facebook is a priceless way to stimulate employee engagement.  

Similar to Pinterest, Facebook offers a dynamic way to gather support while highlighting your company’s corporate social responsibility efforts.  Unlike Pinterest, however, Facebook provides the ability to make your content available strictly to those who join your fan page, which you can create exclusively for your corporate volunteer program.  Deciding ahead of time whether you want to use Facebook as a broad promotional vehicle or tailored outlet for your employees will help drive your privacy settings.   

Haven’t begun using Facebook to drive corporate volunteering?  Here are five ways to get started:

1. Display Purpose: Without a clear goal in mind, corporate volunteers won't understand why they should be using your program’s Facebook page. State your reason for this page in the “About” section and make it clear in the content as well. If you’re crafting the page to highlight your corporate volunteering efforts then stay focused on that topic. 
   
   
2. Tell Everyone: Most social media efforts that fail do so because the team forgot to inform their targeted users about the new feed, page or site.  If you want employees to join your efforts, highlight the Facebook page within your volunteer management software, in your newsletter or on any other marketing material that gets distributed internally. 
   
   
3. Be Active: There’s a reason your community joined the page - they want to learn more about your corporate volunteer program.  Remind them with content that encourages employees to dive in and get involved.  Fun tips on how to help out or stats on the importance of giving can go a long way, but remember to update the page daily or else it will lose its impact.  And it goes without saying -  respond quickly to users that interact on the page.
   
   
4. Show Off: I strongly believe that people are encouraged by others’ goodwill.  Your program’s Facebook page is a great way to get the inspiration flowing, with minimal work.  Post pictures at the next volunteer outing and you’ll get the ball rolling; other followers will “Like” the picture and send it to their Facebook communities, which will encourage still others to join your page and volunteering efforts.  Then lather, rinse, and repeat often.
   
   
5. Get Help: After you’ve built your page, it’s important to tap into the energy of your members. Sending out challenges to your page (“we need 100 volunteers for our next blood drive, can you help?”) can motivate your community to assist.  Point users to the right volunteer management tool so they can sign up without forcing you to coordinate and keep people involved; if users see that you’re close to your goal, you’ll be surprised at how much support comes from your online community.

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Working in Harmony: Best Methods for Handling an Office Bully

Bullying can have serious repercussions on not only an individual’s mental and physical state, but it also can be detrimental to your business. Did you know that 35% of the U.S workforce has reported being bullied while on the job? Today, we look to help correct this issue, and give you more insight on how you can address any issues with bullying in your small business.

Look for the Signs
Keeping your business running successfully is challenging, even at the best of times, but it’s important to recognize the signs for when an employee is being bullied by a fellow coworker or supervisor. Here are a few red flags that may be indication of an office bully.

• Constant yelling or name-calling behind one’s back
• Provides unrealistic deadlines and outrageous amounts of work that go beyond reasonable work-hours.
• Ignoring good deeds or not being supportive when a goal is reached
• Inadequate workspace (i.e. poor heat/cooling, cramped space, insufficient technology)

Provide a Written Policy
At the basic level, you must provide a policy addressing the consequences of bullying and what constitutes office bullying. This also includes providing adequate education and training against office bullying.

In addition to your written policy and training, you need to encourage your employees to report any signs of office bullying, no matter if it’s against them or another coworker. If bullying continues without any action, it can lead to serious issues such as, high blood pressure, depression, or low self-confidence.

Take Action
As the person in charge, it’s up to you to address the issue at hand. Confront the bullying employee and explain to them what you want changed. Know what you’re going to say ahead of time and stick to the facts. Don’t attack them personally, but the unacceptable behavior at hand. If there are repeated offenses after confrontation, then it’s time to let them go. For more on how to handle the termination of your employee, we suggest checking out SBA’s comprehensive guide.

Remember, to keep a business running successfully everyone must be working in harmony. Don’t let one bad apple ruin it for everyone else. Know the signs of bullying and have a plan of action in place.

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