Twitter have created a helpful video to give you a few tips on how to improve your Twitter profile.
There are tips on profile pics and the new header photos that Twitter introduced earlier this year. As well as doing these on your desktop PC you can also make these changes on the go via your mobile phone.
BTW if you want to embed YouTube video’s in your blog, just click the Embed button under the video, select your player size & copy/paste the iframe code into your post.
It’s a common situation. You are finally in front of that ideal potential new business prospect, you’ve researched their business & competitors as per my previous post& you are keen to start firing questions. After all you want to impress them with your knowledge, years of experience & show them how keen you are to work with them! At the first opportunity or slight pause you are off.
Unfortunately you have confused questioning with listening as the most powerful communication tool.
BTW I’m not taking about just hearing or even worse just waiting for a gap to speak but hard, focussed listening. If done correctly it can;
If you achieve these 3 in your meetings then you are well on the way to exploring potentials where you can add some value & hopefully win some business.
The question is, how do you become a good listener? There are lots of descriptors about the right type of listening & the attributes you should display but I found this pretty good checklist to run through whilst in reception;
And yes it spells LISTEN!
Often we can find ourselves starting to form opinions & judgements as we walk in the door or after the first introductions. I’ve found a good tip is to use the simple act of opening my note book or more recently launching Word on my tablet as a prompt to clear my mind ready to begin listening.
We know ourselves how good it feels when someone else understands what we are saying. We finish the meeting with a real sense of purpose & knowing we can now get on with some positive actions – all because someone took the time to really listen!
Today with millions of brand conversations happening every day, I would estimate 8 out of every 10 purchases have been influenced by a trusted recommendation, whether from family, friends or a respected person.
Are you helping your brand advocates refer you business? Here are 5 tips on becoming their best friend;
1. Know your customers
Somewhat of a recurring theme of mine but once you have an acute understanding of your customers you can offer relevant advice that solves their problems
2. Legal, decent, honest & truthful
The Advertising Standards Authority mantra is a good one to chant at every customer touch point.
Those brands that consistently deliver customers expectations & as such are seen as reliable, will gain trust. In hard economic times, trust will support your business through recommendations.
3. Predict what your customers need
The vast majority of customer decision-making is subconscious. If you have & continue to work on that deep knowledge of your customer’s personalities, motives & needs you will soon be able to offer solutions before your customers really know they needed them!
4. Listen & ask questions
Find out what your customers thought of your service. Respond to queries & answer problems quickly with the Advertising Standards Authorities mantra in your ears.
Happy customers are advocates who will come back & bring their friends with them!
5. Core customers are king
This was a theme from an earlier post but I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to keep this group well informed. Reward their loyalty, remembering to be consistent & you should in turn be rewarded with positive comments & referrals.
Every time you are about to ‘market’ your business, be that at a networking event, an email, a Tweet, a sales pitch, a post or call, remember to act like the friend you would want to have. Your advocates will buy your services AND help to sell your business for you just because you understood & treated them well.
