On December 8, 2015, I participated in a panel discussion at
Constant Contact
Solutions Provider Appreciation Event. I was honored to sit on a panel with Michael Katz, Blue Penguin, Jeannine O'Neil, Social Branding, Kim Dixon Insights-llc and Suzan Czajkowski, The Comm Coach, to talk about "Where do your clients come from and what do you do to get more of them?"with other independent marketing consultants from around the Northeast.
Community is clearly important. Most of the panelist are involved in local chambers, networking groups and presenting at local business events and community colleges. New work is geneally from client referrals. The takeaway from the discussion is to know your funnel and where opportunities are coming from. Nurture relationships. It is not all about sales; provide value, meaning, seek to delight your community. It truly about business karma.
What's clear about Constant Contact
solutions providers is that we are committed to working with small business and nonprofit organization and we are passionate about our clients success. What is inspirational about this group is their entrepreneurial energy their drive to ensure their client success. We believe customers come first, always. We help 'make it happen' for small businesses and nonprofits, we are seriously awesome people who understand our client's pain points, put ourselves in their shoes and add real value and meaing to their businesses. Our core values, knowledge, skills and the arsenal of engagement tools are ou differentiator from other marketing companies. Equally committed to the success of small business is Constant Contact
and it shows in everything they do and say. With well over 600,000 customers they are a major player in the email and social media marketing space. Their Next Generation Editor is set to launch first quarter 2016 which will transform the way business and nonprofits engage with their audience. Its exciting to be a part of something that is making a difference in the lives of so many small businesses around the country. As we know small business is the cornerstone and the pillars of our community.
What are the pillars of small business success? Who better to answer than one of the founding father's of Constant Contact, Alex Stern, a kind, humble, brilliant innovator who had a big idea for small business. That idea is now a major corporation.
Ten Pillars of Success
1. Set you guard rails. It's important to know what you do well and do it; shy away from being all things.
2. Test and invest. Take the time to test your hypothesis and invest in what is going well.
3. Metrics, metrics, metrics. Measure three times cut once.
4. Know your channel for business. Who is your niche? Who is your core customer?
5. Delight your customers whenever you can. Under promise over deliver.
6. Humanize your voice. People want to engage with a person who understand their needs and can deliver results.
7. Look big, act big you will become big. Talk the talk and walk the walk.
8. Position yourself and your business as a thought leader. You are an expert make sure your customers know it.
9. Ask for feedback, make sure you allow your customers to give you comments, suggestions and feedback to improve services and products.
10. Cradle to grave. Keep your clients, foster and grow along with them. Be a life long life line.
Some good advice from a company that started in an attic in Brookline Massachusetts in the late 90's and is in the process of being purchased for over a billion dollars.