Customer Retention Strategies For All Business Types

Customer Retention Strategies For All Business Types It’s often been reported that it takes many more resources to acquire a new customer than it does to retain one â€"  as many as five times the amount of resources! That being said, most companies still choose to invest in exploring new target markets and finding new customers. This takes an extensive amount of research which eats up time, money and effort. What if even a small portion of those resources were instead devoted to customer retention? Customer retention is a highly important, yet often overlooked business aspect. Switching the focus to keeping customers rather than seeking new ones has proven to be a successful strategy for many companies. In fact, even a mere 5 percent increase in customer retention rates can drive profits by 25 percent. If your business has high customer turnover rates, you should look into fostering brand loyalty among your current consumers. They’ll be more likely to buy other products and services from you in addition to recommending your brand to others. So, how can you keep a customer for life? The best way to retain customers is to build your company’s culture around exceptional customer service. This includes working to resolve problems quickly, fostering genuine relationships with the customers and developing an overall consumer-oriented business model. That way it’s not seen as a forced endeavor to make the brand look better, but rather it’s something that’s built into the company’s DNA. There are many successful companies, as well as several startups, who are excelling at the game of customer retention. Nextiva recently published an article that covers 30 perfect examples of how these companies retain customers for life (we have also detailed some of the most important ones in the infographic below). For example, Patagonia helps create a community of like-minded people by launching programs designed to encourage their customers to recycle and reuse their clothing. Since their customer base is incredibly earth-conscious, they can build a bond over a shared concern for eco-friendliness. It’s important to make sure that customers feel heard and valued. Capital One did just that when they noticed a customer posted online about being unable to sign in to Capital One’s online portal due to spilled orange juice. The company sent the user a completely new keyboard with a handwritten note. Not only did their actions create a customer for life, but they inspired the consumer to share his positive experience with the brand. His heartening post went viral (meaning thousands of people saw or reacted to it) which could inspire others to bank at Capital One. Another great example is how Buffer has built its culture around providing exemplary customer service. They call their customer service agents “Happiness Representatives” and always make resolving customers’ issues a top priority. The risked their title coming across as cheesy or patronizing in order to convey their dedication to customer service. Of course, they had to legitimize the term “Happiness Representatives” through action or it would not have worked. Massive corporations can easily push sales and brand loyalty through grandeur actions and media coverage. But how can underdog small businesses with fewer assets compete? Startups can make these positive relations at a local level by becoming involved in the community or by creating a specialized community on social media. Finding niche markets are a great way for newer brands to make lasting connections with a specific audience. Expressing brand values through social media campaigns and other promotions can motivate consumers to stay loyal despite the enticement of larger businesses. There are so many ways that companies can go above and beyond the call of duty for their customers. Expending additional resources to increase brand loyalty and, therefore, customer retention will actually be cheaper than finding new customers. Thus increasing your profit margin. Nextiva has researched the six main ways to keep customers for life: create a community, provide excellent customer service, make the customer feel valued, associate your brand with a positive experience, keep customers interested and show them you want their business. The infographic below covers several creative ways that top companies have earned loyal customers â€"  and how your business can too! About the author:  Gaetano DiNardi is the Director of Demand Generation at Nextiva with a proven track record of success working with B2B SaaS brands like Sales Hacker, Outreach.io, and Pipedrive. Gaetano leverages a unique hybrid of expertise in both SEO Content Strategy to win business results. Outside of marketing, Gaetano is an accomplished music producer and songwriter.  

Common Challenges for College Grads

Common Challenges for College Grads Hi Ms. Career Girl Readers!  The following article by Carol Montrose is right on.  If youre having a really tough job search, this article will help you face some realities in order to put yourself on a new course.  If youre still in college, this article is super relevant- I hope college sophomores and juniors are taking notes!  Im going to follow up with responses to the 5 challenges listed with remedies related to via social media.  Stay tuned! -Nicole By, Carol Montrose Making the move from life as a college grad to your professional job can sometimes present a challenge. If you are a brand new graduate just kicking off your career, you would be wise to consider the bumpy road ahead. Although not all students have difficulty making this transition, few find entry into the professional realm to be effortless. The following list details a few obstacles you may experience along the way if you haven’t planned ahead. 1. You have no work experience. Many employers prefer to consider candidates with some job experience in their field of expertise. Despite the fact that you have just devoted four strenuous years and probably several thousand dollars to specializing in the field through obtaining a degree, employment experience in your field is what makes you more competitive. Remedy this situation by touching base with career counselors or favorite professors at your alma mater. They may have ideas for good companies or internships to start you out in the professional realm. Additionally, contacting people who already have professional careers in your trade is a good way of seeing how other people got where you want to be. 2. Employers are not hiring in your area. In this economy if you start out in a small town with few opportunities or even a large city, which is over saturated with qualified applicants, you may run into issues finding a job. In this instance, you need to be flexible. Consider switching locations. Somebody, somewhere IS hiring, and a change of scenery might be just the thing to motivate you. 3. You don’t interview well. You may know your job inside out, but from the moment you walk through the door you are being sized up. As intimidating as this may seem, the most successful candidates are those that do well in the interview. Your resume is only half the battle, the other half is your interpersonal skills. Know what you want without being picky. Having a plan and goals shows your potential employer that you are confident and ready for a career in your field. Practicing patience and flexibility is also a good idea since you may have to start at the bottom working odd hours or weekends. If it gives you experience in what you want to be doing, you can be confident that you are moving in the right direction. 4. You’re not sure what you want to do. This problem is common to many graduates. Although you’ve gotten your degree, it’s hard to immediately make a commitment to one type of work before you really have a handle on what your day-to-day will look like. In order to try things out without the strain of being hired and quitting every few months, try job shadowing working professionals in a few different fields of interest. This will give you a chance to see what your day will look like, what you’d like to work towards, and it will also give you a professional contact in the field if you make a solid connection. 5. You get called in for the interview, but you never seem to snag the call back. If you get turned down over and over again, it might be time to consider different ways of marketing your skills. Get creative with your abilities. Instead of wasting space on your resume or time in your interview highlighting basic skills like your experience using the Microsoft Office Suite, your elite personal qualities (e.g. ability to work individually, motivation, or people person etc), or your ability to think on your feet (so ho-hum), try to hone in on specific situations in your interview in which you used your degree, experience, or training in a professional situation.   Employers want to make sure you can do the job and that you will fit in to their company. Don’t make them strain to imagine you as their employee, try to paint a detailed picture of your progress and success in the past. Have you dealt with any of these challenges?  What did you do?  What advice do you have for others who are struggling? Carol Montrose writes for Go College where you can find helpful information on college search engines and foreign language scholarships.

Why looking after your money means looking after your mental health

Why looking after your money means looking after your mental health While short term loans can cover emergency expenses, it is not healthy for your financial or your mental health to continuously use them to make up for your monthly bills. Financial health and mental health have a greater impact on each other than you might think. As one takes a downward turn, so does the other and the same can be said for any positive changes that might happen to either of them. That means that in order to preserve your mental health, you need to start thinking a bit more about your spending habits and find out where you might be going wrong. Spending increases and mental health declines In an interesting survey performed by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, 93% of people taking part said that their spending increases when their mental health is suffering. More exploration in to this statistic found that spending was often used as a means of comfort for people suffering from depression or anxiety and individuals that had difficulty controlling compulsions during manic episodes would often spend money frivolously during such episodes. These people during moments of mental disrepair would either spend money on food and alcohol or they would find themselves occupying their time with retail therapy â€" staying up late to shop online. Because this type of spending is emotionally or psychologically driven, it’s often very difficult to kerb and while the instinct might be to focus on the bad spending habits, mental health support should be at the forefront of your plan to regain your financial health. These factors that are influencing your spending need to be addressed to ensure that your solution isn’t simply short-term. Debt leads to poor mental health and break-down in relationships An unsettling finding that appears in a fair few pieces of research is that people who commit suicide are eight times more likely to be in debt. Similarly, debt is also a common theme amongst individuals with addictions to smoking, alcohol and drugs. Often the reason why debt leads to depression and anxiety is because people have it persistently playing on their minds. It’s practically impossible to go a full day without spending money, so when you find every daily activity plagued with worries over how much they are spending and how much deeper they are digging themselves into debt. This is makes it very difficult to enjoy the things in life that typically bring us happiness. Another interesting finding that has come from psychological studies is that short term unhappiness can lead to a life-long mental health issue if it is not addressed. Being anxious and being unhappy can become something of a habit and if you let yourself stay in debt to long, the unhappiness and worry that you feel can actually change the balance of chemicals in your brain, leading to a long-term mental illness. To prevent lasting poor mental health, seek financial help when you find yourself in debt. While you might not be able to get out of debt right away, you can at least put together a plan to get out of debt and make progress can help you feel more proactive and less nervous about spending a bit of money here and there.

How to Become a Great Public Speaker

How to Become a Great Public Speaker Whether you work in recruiting, sales, HR or anything else youve probably been told that public speaking is one key to success. Whats, that is the mere thought of  being a public speaker freaking you out? Youre not the only one! Having to go in front of an audience to deliver a speech is very stressful. Not only do you have countless pairs of eyes staring at you, but you also have to make sure youre delivering seamlessly, looking professional plus everything else. Stressing out before  a speech or presentation will probably harm the quality of your performance. Public speaking is nothing to be worried about and, when performed correctly, can result in a positive outcome for you or your business (or both!). Have a look at this infographic from LondonSpeakerBureau.com   dont miss out on the expert tips  at the bottom! Takeaways: Relevant speech is where what you want to say and what youre interested in overlap. Keep it simple, stupid: dont assume your audience are experts! Make sure your opening line will interest your audience. Use metaphors, adjectives, historical comparisons etc. Dont over practice! RELATED:  How Public Speaking Can Help Your Career

4 ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle at university - Debut

4 ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle at university - Debut This post was written by an external contributor. Anca Coman proves that it is possible to stay healthy whilst youre a student. University represents a real challenge for any student. Besides the general ‘what should I do with my life’ issues, it also impacts on the ability to keep a healthy lifestyle. Research shows that more and more students eat junk food and don’t exercise anymore. Sure, being away from home completely changes your life. Have you realised before how much time cooking takes? Or that you need to be really organised to have all the ingredients you need to cook your favourite dish? Students typically choose to rely on the easy options. Ordering junk food, having sugary drinks and spending most free time in the pub rather than going for a run. However, this easy path can in fact come with complications. Students are notorious for easily gaining weight during university, as they don’t take care of their lifestyle anymore. This can consequently have an impact later on in life, with severe health problems emerging. Keeping a healthy diet and exercising will positively contribute to a healthy lifestyle, no matter the age and occupation. Don’t look for excuses like ‘I have a full timetable today’, as it’ll be even more difficult to fit in diet and exercise when you work eight hours a day. Once you get used to a healthy routine, you’ll find out that it’s not that hard. Exercise without going to the gym Going to the gym is not for everyone. Perhaps you’re on a budget and can’t afford a membership, or maybe it’s too far away from home for a convenient visit, or even the thought of lifting weights and joining gym classes is intimidating. So, what’s left? Stop taking the bus or an Uber and just enjoy a nice walk. Either if it’s to the school or whilst hanging out with friends, choose to lose some calories by walking. Or alternatively, if the weather is sunny enough, use your bike or roller skates. If you feel you’re too wild for just a soft walk, challenge yourself and go for a run in the park. This will kill way more calories than a simple walk. There are plenty of online plans and apps for beginners that will guide you to running a 5K race. Or, if youre feeling brave, a marathon. Experiment with your cooking Remember what Joey from Friends used to eat? Pizza, meatball sandwiches, and chicken buckets from KFC. He was so in love with that food because it was delicious. But how can we make healthy food taste just as good? Try adding condiments or other flavours such as lemon, garlic or herbs. Spice up your food in a way that suits you dont be afraid to mix and match the ingredients. Add oregano or cajun to your grilled chicken, basil to tomato bruschetta, or fruits to your vegetable salads. But make sure that the ingredients you add keep the same healthy pattern your main ingredients do. For example, don’t go for full-fat mayonnaise when you make a Ceasar Salad. Alternatively, try a plain Greek yogurt combined with a pinch of olive oil and lemon. You obviously don’t have to say NO to desserts, just find substitutes for the unhealthy things. Instead of sugar, add honey. Instead of flour, add almond flour. However, when it comes to sweets, everything must be in moderation in order to not exceed your calories intake. Eat healthily when you go out Have you ever said no to hanging out just because you were afraid of binge eating and drinking? There’s still a way to enjoy a night out and keep a healthy lifestyle. Choose meals from the healthy section of the menu, like salads or chicken with vegetables. Instead of a pint of beer, stick to the water and add a slice of lime for a refreshing drink! If winter is coming, (as Jon Snow would say), a green tea or a black coffee is much healthier than a mocha or a hot chocolate. However, if you feel that you need a cheat day, don’t be afraid to have one. If a pizza is what you need, have it! Just make sure not to ruin your healthy progress with regular cheat days. Return to your normal meal and sports plan as soon as possible and leave your indulgence behind. Ensure you have lots of sleep and water! These are the most important factors in a healthy lifestyle. You must become consistent with your sleeping timetable â€" make sure you sleep around eight hours a day. In doing so, manage your time during the day to make sure you don’t spend your nights studying too late. No matter what, you need a good sleep for your mind, body and soul. Also, learn to drink water even when you’re not thirsty. Opt for a still rather than a sparkling water, as the latter may make you feel bloated. Have a bottle of water with you wherever you go. You can download a drinking app on your smartphone such as Daily Water and set it on a timer for every 15 minutes. That way you’ll be told when it’s time to take another sip of water. As you can see, it’s completely doable to stay healthy as a student. If you follow these top tips, you’ll feel more energised and refreshed, which could have a positive affect on your study habits. That first will be yours in no time! Download Debut  and  connect with us on  Facebook,  Twitter  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

How to get a job without experience - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to get a job without experience In modern society its almost routine to acquire a job through education. Many people will train and study in college and university to gain the qualifications they desire. These qualifications can lead to full-time employment and a well-paid career, due to the qualifications they have under their belt. Theres an equal amount of people who start their careers early and work their way up the business ladder. Perseverance is the key to this situation. Blood, sweat and tears must be put into their performance and they must rise to every challenge that they are faced with. The In-between Situation A middle ground is definitely present here though. What if youve worked hard in higher education but the qualifications youve earned dont allow you to move straight into the occupation or business sector that you want to start a career in? Graduate jobs can be a tough cookie to crack. Working and studying hard, only to find out that youll need to start from the bottom of the rung (so to speak), can be a real blow to your confidence. This will require an enormous amount of grit and determination. How to Get a Graduate Job In order to increase your chances of obtaining a graduate job there are a number of steps that can be taken. It is vital that the interviewee has an intimate knowledge of the company. Using this knowledge will give the prospective candidate more insight into what the hiring organisation is seeking. Research the graduate position to discover the qualities they are seeking. This could vary from highly motivated individuals to interpersonal skills or analytical skills. Think of examples of when these skills have been demonstrated. These examples can come from during your studies, hobbies, sports or other personal experiences that fit the situation. Experience is the Key If youve got the qualifications but cant seem to get the role you desperately want then the answer will more than likely lie in your level of experience. Perhaps itd be a good idea to try for a lesser role in the industry you want to break into. If youre successful and manage to acquire a job in the type of business you want to work in you can easily move up in rank by proving yourself. Its tough and can sometimes take a while. Your superiors will most definitely pay much more attention to you though, if you prove that you deserve the higher role. Ask for more responsibilities, widen your goals and take on extra work to show them how well youd fit the job. Ask them if theres anything else you can do or any more tasks you can take on-board whilst working in your current role. By dedicating yourself to the role youll prove just how badly you want it, as well as showing them how well-earned those qualifications are. Youll gain the necessary experience that you need and can also benefit from the connections youll make early on in your initial role. Conclusion This is just one way that you can acquire a job without experience. Theres much more to learn and many skills to develop if you want to gain a career. Hopefully youll seek out more information and take in all of what has been presented to you here.

Writing an Experience Resume Instead of Functional

Writing an Experience Resume Instead of FunctionalWriting an experience resume instead of functional is a way to get your career moving in the right direction. Experience and skill assessments are important tools for determining which jobs you will qualify for. If you don't know how to do it, don't worry, I'm going to show you how to do it with ease.An important tool for working toward a promotion or a higher pay grade is an evaluation. It can include an employer's evaluation that identifies the most important aspects of your job performance. You can present it as a product evaluation, but it's more commonly known as an assessment. You can also present this assessment as a proposal, if you are applying for a promotion.Career evaluations are very important for your job-searching strategy. I don't mean to say that it's a requirement for every job you apply for. But, it's a great tool for determining if you have the skills and aptitude needed to fill a specific position. It's often not practical to send resumes out to several employers to request interviews and other types of interviews, so you may want to consider using this assessment tool to show a potential employer.Now, writing an experience resume instead of functional is easy. All you need to do is put together a single paragraph (the experience section) and include the relevant work experience information. Add a few bullets at the end for making sure it all looks complete. Then, break the experience section into functional sections. Each functional section is basically a proposal for what type of job you're applying for.The first functional career section will include key responsibilities and skill sets you would be required to possess to do the job. This may include training, customer service, training, etc. However, some companies want a more direct requirement of experience related to their products or services. In this case, they are requesting experience on your work in the particular business that yo u are applying for.The second functional career section will include the qualifications that are required to do the job. This may include salary requirements, education, training, references, etc. Again, you'll want to include bullet points to help you organize and present your resume. You can even use the tools at careers.com to gather up your experience related to the job. Then, you can further break it down into functional sections, which will help you present it in a much more detailed manner.Writing an experience resume instead of functional is a great way to get your career moving in the right direction. However, if you aren't sure how to do it, don't worry, I'm going to show you how to do it with ease.