Six Sigma Blogs

With the Holiday Season being full of shopping, house cleaning, attending parties, hosting parties, family needs and more, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. While everyone seems to love the festivities, I’m sure most of us are glad they are over and we can finally breath.

Actually, I think most people feel overwhelmed a good majority of the time, regardless of the time of year. There is so much commanding our attention that it can be extremely difficult to stay focused and get things done.

It’s been said that over 3,000 advertising messages are brought to our attention a day. With all of these messages comes the skill of tuning things out around us, which we have perfected.

We communicate faster than ever. Our inboxes are constantly at full capacity. Our cell phones constantly chirping breaking our focus. You may have said “The check is in the mail,” but not in today’s world! It barely means a thing now. In fact, newer generations might not even know what that means.

Because this this lightening fast lifestyle, you indefinitely have customers, patients or clients who want things done instantly. Not tomorrow or the next day, but this minute. This type of service is expected in this life and it’s also expected that we can provide it.

It’s no wonder we feel like we can’t keep up! We can’t!

Luckily, our clients seem to be in the same boat and can’t get their work load completed on time either. When our clients initially call us, it’s because they are looking for a quick fix to their problems. They want a solution to their marketing woes so they can focus on what’s really important to them, which is whatever is what they do best and that’s not necessarily marketing. They want to be able to pass on the work and have someone else take charge and get it done. Our customers want their marketing strategy to be stress-free, cost effective and easy. They don’t want any worry, hassles or excuses.

This is something all clients want, even yours. Provide an EASY solution to your clients hurdles. Show your clients how you can save them money, worry, time, stress, blood, sweat and tears with whatever it is you specialize in. We make our clients’ lives EASIER with our Ready2Go Client Contact. We can also provide EXTREME EASE to their marketing with our one-on-one consulting.

Provide your clients, patients and customers with an EASY solution and show them how EASY you are to work with. You will be their business angel in disguise. This will make your life and their life EASIER and HAPPIER.

Kathy Jiamboi has 14+ years expertise in Relationship and Direct Response Marketing and is CEO of Creativedge Marketing and Ready2Go Client Contact, in Cleveland, Ohio. Ready2Go Client Contact, a done for you program allows her customers to smoothly and swiftly build client affinity. She provides FREE expert marketing tips to anyone looking to get more customers.

Besides a satisfied current customer, the next easiest person to sell your products and services to is a referral. Referrals can be an inexpensive source of new revenue. They come to you pre-qualified and pre-sold, will typically spend more money, and will refer others to you since they were referred.

So how do you get them? The best and easiest way to get a referral is to ask for them when the client is most receptive. Most often this time is when they are “basking in the glory” of their purchase. That sounds simple. Yet many businesses don’t take advantage of this untapped “word of mouth” resource.

The best way to gain referrals is to put a multi-step referral process into place within your business.

First, make a list of all of the ways you can communicate to everyone you are in contact with, ie: friends, family, clients, vendors, competitors, groups you are a member of, etc. Then, devise how you will connect with these groups and ask for referrals. If you can establish a few processes of getting referrals, you will receive far more than you are now. Think about how that might effect your business. Also, think about how much time and money you will save from not having to prospect and market to new clients.

Here are a few ideas to get referrals-

Give something for the referral. If you can’t give something away, offer a free service or offer to make a donation to a their favorite charity in their name.

Give your new referral services or products at discount on behalf of the person who referred them.

After your client has provided you with a specific number of referrals, offer them a special deal or discount.

Have your clients agree that if they are 100% satisfied at the end of their transaction that they will provide you with two referrals. But don’t forget to follow up on their promise!

Create a list of business and/or individuals you may want to do business with and see who among your circle can introduce you to them or better yet refer your services to them.

Ask your clients to pass out cards with their name on it to their friends and family highlighting your services. Each time a card is redeemed, your referrer receives a reward or discount towards their future business with you.

Send your client some type of thank you gift to their office. When others see what they have received, they will inquire, leading to referrals.

Offer a stepping-stone referral plan. The more referrals the client provides, the more rewards they receive. This works well because usually if a client refers once, they will refer again.

There’s a chance a lot of your business is already coming from “word of mouth.” With a referral plan implemented, this gives you the opportunity with a inexpensive, easy way to get new business and increase business and profits.

Is your business utilizing a referral program right now? If it’s bringing you success, we’d love to hear about it.

Kathy Jiamboi has 14+ years expertise in Relationship and Direct Response Marketing and is President of Creativedge Marketing and Ready2Go Client Contact, in Cleveland, Ohio. Ready2Go Client Contact, a done for you program, allows her clients to simply and swiftly boost client affinity. She provides FREE expert marketing tips to anyone looking to gain more clients.

Help Your Plumbing Business Grow

Beginning a plumbing business is just like beginning any small business. Nonetheless, there are definite state, local and expert directives, documentations and authorizations that are requisite in the plumbing business.

A plumbing venture can be managed solely by adopting effective strategies. Furthermore, one can also employ several plumbers and maintain staff and become successful in this specific business with the strategies. The plumbing venture can be run by self-determining or by a group of franchise or an association of plumbers who have a vital role in marketing and selling.

It is true that plumbing business is a profitable venture which brings in profit and cash flow. However, there are some rewarding tips that can be followed while launching a successful plumbing business.

Promote Prudently- Try to understand where your clientele, which means your target audience. Learn about where they are coming from and what they want.

Cooperate With Your Clientele- There is no harm in greeting and asking your clients, how they come to know about your services and are they enjoying your services. This manner, you would apprehend your unique selling proposition

Include Information in the Ads- Unnecessary information might create confusion among the customers and also is not what everyone looks for. Center only on your fine quality points. Keep it concise and all-inclusive.

Be Exclusive- Make a distinguished feature of your trade from your opponent. When a person is seeking for plumber service, they are less concerned in knowing who your agent is.

Business Cards Lead To Promotion - Use your business cards liberally .The more business cards you have hovering around your society, the additional work they draw.

Make A List Of Your Clientele. Make a potential list of your client’s e-mail IDs and phone numbers. Think about sending a newsletter at certain interval as it works great for keeping them updated with the services you provide.

Make Timely Payments. Make the payments to your clients or corporate friends timely. The best possible way is to highlight them as payable within 7 days.

Maintain A Pithy And Good Documentation. Assemble the record receipts cautiously and add the price of every payment made against each material or item used on a work. If you miss out a few details then do not bother much, it would be of no impairment to your venture. These minuscule details, is what avoids mess and future bankruptcy.

Pep Up Your Team Activities. Make certain that you provide reliable and good prospects for employees by building an effective team. If you include encouraging activities in work place, then employees get motivated to act upon better.

Take Assistance Of Hi-End Techniques. The technology can be very helpful in growing your business enterprise. There is a novel launch in the world of technology each day. You must be equipped with such technology, so as to promote and expand your business.

How to Excel In One’s Newly Established Business Model.

Every time a person thinks of beginning a new business, there are several hinders in his path. Improper planning is one of those obstacles. Complex and tough software does not solve the problem either. Plumbing has various aspects are these aspects form the very basis of the business plans. These are the fool-proof and tested methods that help in making a business successful. A proper planning is of utmost requirement by any company. Every dimension of a business needs planning. Plumbing business is no different and gets an easy road in accomplishing the goals. Planning also helps in decisions that are profitable to the company in every sense.

Designing the whole plumbing plan can be a very tedious task and it requires much effort. It can actually be considered to be the most essential stage in the launch of a plumbing trade. It can be really expensive if the company seeks outer help in designing the plans. For this reason, there are several websites that offer their services at a much cheaper cost. Also websites are easy to use and are fast as well. Team building, time management, marketing and customer services are extremely vital for a company to work properly. It proves to be beneficial if a regular check is maintained for all these activities. This allows the company to assess the performance of the workers and tells them what exactly needs to be worked on.

A plumbing business plan is actually advantageous in many senses. It definitely helps you develop your business but it also assists you in other areas as well. It helps you to make your mind when your company actually starts working. It organizes all the concepts for you. It simplifies all the work and tells you where the problem is. The most important advantage of planning is that is makes you focus on your ultimate goal and take you closer to it.

The Pros of Preparing a Plumbing Business Plan

The Business Plan of plumbing business is essentially meant for the regulated and planned development of your business:

It mentally prepares the people and makes them realize about when the trade will be commercially practicable.

Brush up your concepts and search a layout.

It simplifies the business principles to the person himself and also conveys them to his partner or staff.

It envisages the potential of the business and makes sure that the goals of the company are fulfilled in every condition without any difficulty.

An effective strategy is designed for your business along with its marketing plans.

Makes you focus on your ultimate goal and targets.

There is actually more than just one way to be associated with plumbing profession. You can be a supplier of the plumbing equipments, a business entrepreneur or a vender for tools and gadgets. To start a business, it should always be cleared that you have all the necessary license and registrations done.

Know-How of Starting a Plumbing Business

If a person wants to step into his own business, this activity can be proved to be very much rewarding for him especially in today’s world of Globalization. Most people set up their own business in a field wherein they have polished their skills throughout their lives. Those people, who are highly skilled in plumbing, take on establishing their own business in plumbing only. Before actually entering the plumbing business, it is very important for him to get a proper plumbing coaching.

If you have a past experience in plumbing and are contemplating to begin your own plumbing business, you can take into account some of the tips mentioned below:

Approvals: Getting all the approvals is one of them. Any good businessman knows about the rules and laws about his profession. Hence before picking up any work, make sure to get the necessary license and registrations done.

Know How To Expand Your Business. If you are a plumber yourself, you may be thinking about advertising yourself as a service provider. In such a situation, everything from billing to execution of work would be in your hand. If you have elevated goals you might want to mull over employing additional plumbers also and regarding them as employees.

Constructing A Reliable Customer Service - Building up new customers and keeping good relations with them can be a very challenging task and if a person does not have proper knowledge about dealing with different kinds of people, he cannot succeed in this area. Also it is necessary to know about the needs of the customers to whom the person is dealing with.

Management of Time: Time management is very essential in any kind of business you take up. Setting up a business like plumbing requires time, efforts and patience.

Reaching The Markets -Plumbers usually publicize themselves through the word of mouth as in the starting of the business, publicity is not given much importance due to low budget. If a plumber gives good service to one of his customer then that particular customer will spread a word about his good work among his circle and like this the plumber would get his publicity

Team Building - If you have successfully put up a team of plumbers, under your supervision, team building comes next. It is important to explain and coach your workers as a team, so as to inculcate the feeling of team building. This will lead to better results and efficient work from the team as a whole.

Publicity Of Plumbing Business -Normally, the records of telephone directory are most important to expand business for housing repairs and fixing. Marketing through the World Wide Web, principally search marketing, is gaining prominence for service provided by plumbers. It’s must to know how to make sure the customers locate your company’s name when they look out for plumber services.

You already own the greatest reading acceleration device that has ever been developed. It is simply your hand. People have spent thousands of dollars attempting to increase their reading speed. But no inventions or machines can do what your hand and your pacing finger can do for you to improve your reading speed — once you?ve been trained in our 4 special techniques.

What do your eyes do while you are “trying” to read? If you’re like most people, your eyes are jerking around, looking, searching, and bouncing here and there. Then they will fixate for a second or two and maybe move on again causing your brain to wonder what you’re doing. Sound familiar? Untrained readers go through this often.

Untrained readers experience this al lot. By learning speed reading, which includes the speed-pacing movement, you’ll learn how to control and then accelerate your coordination related to reading. A pacing technique, from the Evelyn Wood collection, is taught in Speed Reading in Only One Hour - and it’s going to increase your reading speed 50% in less than 10 minutes.

Aim for the best results for the type of reading material you read, but creating the best person environments: arrange your study area: textbooks, research material, and even a hi-lighter. Remove or unplug: magazines, unless study material, stereo, radio- just turn them off. If you wise, you’ll have an ipod with studio music without works, nature sounds or the like. Pachelbel Canon in D minor is one of the best. Get privacy, no brothers, sisters, friends, etc. And also remove you mate, spouse, lovers - they can easily distract you. Food can break your focus and reading patterns. Alcohol and drugs - don’t even go there, being stoned and studying is a sure fire failure. Cigarettes fog your thinking. Nicotine is a drug. Marijuana, cocaine, speed - don’t got there because your foggy brain is useless during an exam. Set your voice mail. Set the mood with relaxing baroque music, get your reading and studying materials together - and get ready for a study experience.

The stage is now set for you to have a successful reading experience; use the tools provided and enjoy your new found advantage to reading, retaining, and learning.