I am often asked, “how do you retain loyal clients?” While this seems a simple question, it isn’t!
The immediate, traditional responses that comes to mind include showcasing your expertise, and provide quality products, and superior customer service. However, an often overlooked factor impacting customer loyalty is the “value-add”.
What is value-add?
Value-add is often difficult to define because it’s how customers perceive themselves in direct correlation to your contributions. In other words, it is determined by THEIR needs and perceptions, and how much they “value” your relationship and utilize the resources you bring to the relationship.
The Intangibles
These resources are not necessarily your basic or core services; but the intangibles that are difficult and often impossible to measure — the individual “hidden jewels” you offer. Examples of these contributions include:
* your impact on saving time or money
* how the relationship contributes prestige and increased sphere of influence
* understanding “the big picture”, and offering insightful contributions
* ability to create customized solutions to cater to varying needs of different customers
* improved quality control and systems implementation
* input in developing new and advanced products/services
* access to network of service providers and noncompeting business owners
Loyalty Assessment
It is very important that clients recognize and acknowledge the intangible assets you bring to the relationship. When they complete this process and have assessed a high value, they transition into advocates. Eventually, these clients become stakeholders that recommend your services to friends and other business owners. When this occurs, you have developed a loyal client — one that should stay with you for a long time.
It is often difficult to recognize your intangible value-adds. Have you thought about and identified those you bring to a business relationship? If so, please share a few with our readers.
Ethical behavior, as defined by in the Free Dictionary is “action taken in accordance with principles of conduct that are considered correct, and conforming to accepted standards of social or professional behavior”.
Today, I received a request for quote from a potential client. She wrote:
“I need someone to pass a typing test that can type at least 65 wpm with 90% accuracy.”
Because I was confused, I contacted the individual for clarification and asked if she wanted us to take the test, using her name, and represent ourselves as her. The person responded “YES“. After getting pass my amazement that an individual would request such services, I responded…
My Reply
“We consider completing a test using another person’s name and on their behalf to be totally unethical and something we would NOT do under any circumstances.” Needless to say, I have not heard back from this individual.
A New Trend?
Is this the beginning of a new trend? Do prospects believe virtual assistants will do anything for a dollar? Has the industry’s brand been degraded to the point where some are “comfortable” in asking for these types of services?
I’m amazed! To ask a company (especially a company you are unfamiliar with) to pass themselves off as the individual taking a test (which I assume is for employment or school) is beyond my imagination. If a person will ask a professional to perform such an unethical act, can you trust the requester to act ethically in other dealings?
What do you think?
I’m not naive by any means, but this is truly a “first” for me, and I am perplexed that someone would visit The 24 Hour Secretary (and potentially other VA sites) and feel comfortable enough to ask for a quote for what I perceive to be an unethical act. I don’t believe (at least hope) that our site portrays an image that encourages this type of request.
Has anyone else received a similar inquiry? Is this a fluke or a new trend? Please share your thoughts and experiences.
A popular, proven strategy that builds brand identity, increases recognition as an expert amongst peers, and helps label you as an influential source in your target market is article writing. However, if you are unsure of the topics that would resonate with your potential customers, or are unaware of resources to help develop an article marketing campaign, I have identified 5 proven strategies that can aid in creating an article writing funnel that can consistently generate topics of interest specifically for your target audience.
1. Surveys: Hidden Source of Story Ideas
3 or 5 question surveys can garner a wealth of information useful in developing new products and services, marketing opportunities, good will and feedback from current and prospective customers. Responses can be used to develop story ideas, providing relevant subject-matter information that can be used in article, service and product creation.
2. Blog Hopping
Develop ideas from other sites’ content. Frequently visit your favorite or the most popular blogs and see what people are talking about. Is it controversial? Can you offer a different perspective? Can you create an article around the topic? Once you develop your article, link back to the originating site. Don’t forget to leave a comment on the site’s blog and let the owner know you stopped by and have expanded the conversation on the topic. You will drive more traffic to your site and increase readership.
3. Analyze Your Blog
Review your own blog and determine which postings receive the most views and reader comments/feedback. Develop a short series on the topic(s) to entice return visits. Use your social media outlets/networks to promote the series and increase blog signups. By giving readers want they want, you will develop loyal readership and capture those all important email addresses.
4. Article Directory Goldmine
Running out of ideas? Visit article directories and read articles written specifically for your target audience. Develop a new “take” on the article’s theme or select an important point, and write about it from your perspective. Article directories are excellent sources for staying abreast of popular topics and you can use them as a starting point to express your opinion and share insights with your ideal audience.
5. Web 2.0: Social Media Opens Doors
Social media venues such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, etc., offer unfettered access to topics, opinions and experts on literally any conceivable topic. Search these sites for resources and various comments that stimulate your creative writing processes. Create a swipe file of ideas, so you will an ongoing repository of new potential subject matter.
It may take a few months of article writing to really benefit from these tactics, and you may be too busy to implement all of them at once. However, the more options you choose, the greater opportunity to increased visibility and nurture brand creation. As more readers visit your site or interact via social media connections, the greater your opportunity to increase traffic, leads and profits.
Relationship marketing is the process of attracting, maintaining, and enhancing relationships with key people. It is the establishment and coordination of lines of communication between two or more parties.
Recently, I had another opportunity to take charge and solidify relationships. Read more
You know, ever so often I visit a very useful web site, Copyscape, to check if anyone has copied language from my web site. Most times, I’m lucky and find no perpetrators. Recently, however, I’ve identified three sites that have blatantly copied verbiage from my homepage and two other sections of the site.
Now of course, there are but so many ways to describe virtual assisting, but an individual should at least place her personal “brand” on the web site; and thereby, of course, not encountering the rage of the originating author who is determined to protect her work product.
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another author, or excerpts, ideas, or passages therefrom, and passing the material off as one’s own creation. (University of Colorado Library)
Copyscape recommends the individual act quickly to have the language removed. (See suggestions below):
1. Look for contact details on the offending site and send a polite message asking for the material to be removed. If there are no contact details available, try emailing webmaster@ the domain.
2. Use a Whois service to find out the website owner’s name and telephone number and contact them directly. Enter the domain name in the search box and the contact information should appear towards the bottom of the page.
3. Contact the web hosting company used by the site and inform them of their customer’s abuse. This information is also available through a Whois search.
4. Send a formal ‘Cease and Desist’ letter notifying the offending party that they must remove the stolen content from their site. Some sample letters are available on the web.
5. File a notice of Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) infringement with search engines such as Google and others to have the offending site removed from their search results.
6. If you need proof of infringement, you can use the Internet Archive to show that the content appeared on your site at an earlier date than it appeared on the offending site.
I have completed Step 1 and given the perpetrators five (5) days to act. I will revisit the offending sites to ascertain their response. I’ve also asked each to respond to my email. If action isn’t taken within the allocated time, I shall proceed through the process to have the content removed.
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