3 Easy Ways to Boost Your Online Credibility

If you have a small local business, or one that is more global, it is typically a good idea to have a shop online that offers your services and products available for sale.  So many people today actually prefer to shop online, even if they have a local store just down the road.  Wondering how to make sure those who visit your website trust you?  Use these three tactics and watch your prospective customers turn into regular customers.

Demonstrate security

Despite the ever-growing prevalence of shopping on the Internet, there’s still a risk for scams.  It is

important that your online site demonstrates how secure you keep information and how trustworthy you are to entice shoppers to choose your store over online competitors.

To show your customers that your business is one that is trustworthy, you can show the measures you can to protect their personal information.  When you have a secure page, your customers will see a lock icon in the browser.  Customers will also see that your web page URL has a ‘S’ at the end.  There are a number of ways to secure your website.

List all prices clearly

Another step to increase trust among your customers is to clearly share your prices, the costs associated with shipping.  Customers are much more likely to make a purchase if the shipping prices are shared clearly on your website.  Other information that builds credibility includes the details of your shipping and policies related to refunds and exchanges.  People aren’t going to move forward with their purchases if you leave them with too many unknown details about your prices.

Feedback from your customers

Don’t you want to hear what people say about a business and it’s products and services before you make a purchase?  Prospective customers want to hear from people who have had experience with your business.  They want to know what people thought of their products and services, and hear if people were pleased with their purchase.  Share your feedback, reviews and testimonials clearly on your website to allow your current and prospective customers to see and read.  This will encourage purchases from those who stop by to visit your website and help them feel like they can trust you.  While some negative and malicious reviews are better left unshared, a few that may be less than idea are okay to share.  Just make sure you show how you fixed the issues with your customer to ensure their satisfaction.

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from building their credibility and reputation online.  Make sure to always have a website that shows your honesty and willingness to ensure your customers are satisfied.  These three tips are a great check list to use as you make sure your website is one that will make prospective customers trust and believe in your business.

Photo via: 365outsource.com

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Businesswomen: Master the Art of Negotiation

Women often debate about the best pieces of career advice women give one another.  Some say books can teach you to be a good leader.  Others argue that the majority of business books are actually written by men, and they simply don’t understand the challenges face in today’s business world.  Here we have compiled the most successful tips that businesswomen often struggle with, focusing on negotiating.  Here are five tips that can help women conquer their nerves, ease their jitters and master the art of negotiation:

Over-prepare.

Prior to enter any type of negotiation setting, get organized from an informational stance.  Jot down the reasons you’re negotiating for what it is that you want.  Once your rationale is clear, compile research that backs your argument.  For instance, if you’re hoping to hire help, assemble the criteria for bringing on an.  What’s the minimum number of people an assistant typically supports?  Does revenue have a minimum amount of revenue it must clear in order to validate hiring help?  Be prepared to express the ways an assistant would add value to the organization.

Stay steady.

Before your meeting, prepare your facts and your demeanor.  You can’t walk into a negotiation without your ducks in a row.  The result can be a complete nightmare.  Demonstrate your optimism and show that you believe a solution that satisfies all parties is reachable.  Boost your self-confidence by focusing on your strong points and abilities; dwell on your successes to help remind yourself of your value.  Role-play the negotiation prior to the real thing with a person your trust beforehand to help control your emotions.

Inquire strategically.

www.forbes.com

In a negotiation setting, questions that require open-ended answers are often times incredibly powerful.  Questions of this nature open up the dialogue and also can earn you additional time if you need to compose your thoughts.  Think along the lines of: Can you elaborate on how you came to this solution? What is preventing us from coming to an agreement?

Strategize silently.

Use silence to your advantage.  When people are nervous they tend to ramble.  So don’t talk too much, you just tend to over-promise or under-sell—things you’ll later regret.  Stay quiet and think so you can prepare for your next move.  Silence also makes your counterpart open up and talk.  Silence helps keep you in the more favorable position.

Identify mutual gains.

Seek out a way that both parties benefit.  A win-win is the best way to negotiate; never look at the situation as a win-loss.  There has to be a positive in their somewhere if you look at the situation with an open, optimistic mentality.

The art of negotiating is one that is tricky, but can be conquered with the right mentality.  Take an optimistic approach and the above tips can help you overcome your fears and struggles and end up on top.

What advice do you have for other businesswomen?

Photo Source: forbes.com

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4 Ways to Improve Your Website This Week

Business owners are notoriously busy.  You need to run your business, manage your Web presence, serve your customers, pay invoices and keep up with social media efforts.  Oh, and it’s nice to have a little bit of a personal life, too.  With your plate so full of tasks, wouldn’t it be great to get one thing under control? Here are five things you can do so your website is in great shape next week:

Improve your About Page.

Most small business owners wind up ignoring the about page on their website.  If one was created, that seems like a small feat.  Besides, no one really looks at the page anyway, right?  Wrong. 

One of the worst things a business owner can do is ignore the About page.  Customers frequent this page to learn about the business, build a relationship, understand what your business is all about, and decide if your company is worth doing business with.  Use your About Page to share your story, credentials, pictures, your values and other humanizing information.  Don’t view your page as a laborious task, think of it as a place to formally introduce yourself to your audience.

Show off your social media skills.

Put your social media profiles on a pedestal!  Use your website to highlight your social skills.  Are you on Facebook?  Twitter?  Awesome.  Include icons on your home page and other prominent pages of your website (think your About page or Contact Us page) so your visitors will follow you on these social networks.  Cross-linking increases the strength of your profiles and gives customers an additional place to engage with you. 

Update your blog.

Photo via djdesignerlab.com

It isn’t really that hard to bring some life back to your website.  Use some of your time this week to make some changes to your blog.  Write a post that directs your audience to look at the pages within your website that you’ve revamped.  Answer some questions about consumer issues and give your take on where the industry is going.  Talk to your audience again.  Updating your blog gives your audience something to read and engage with, while also boosting your rank on the search engines.

Focus on Navigation.

One of the most overlooked parts of your website is navigation.  It’s essential to creating a website that encourages a successful business.  Your website should be user-friendly, simple to navigate and intuitive.  Focus on what your customers need to know so they can find their way to your products quickly.  Don’t try to get over-clever when you name tabs on your site.  Think simple and do some keyword research to ensure the phrases you’re using in your site navigation are still relevant.

Your website is a crucial component to a successful business.  A few small changes can lead to a big boost in customer satisfaction, leading to happier, loyal customers that come back to your for business time and again.

Photo Source: djdesignerlab.com

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Honest Feedback: Why You Need It and Ways to Get It

In the world, everything revolves around communication.  In order to run a business that grows and thrives, communication and feedback are essential.  Oftentimes, small business owners may think they know what the customers’ want, but might later find out they were wrong.  This is where honest feedback comes into play.  Here are some reasons why you need it and some easy ways to get the feedback that will help your business reach a whole new level.

“It’s expensive and time consuming.”

Many small business owners have uttered these three words time and again.  While it may sound harsh, if you aren’t able to afford to seek feedback some level then you really can’t afford to run a business.  Feedback really isn’t that expensive, a small cost in relation to your gains.  As far as time goes-- make getting feedback a top priority like marketing your business or updating your database.

Photo via fensa.org.uk

Feedback costs both time and effort.  It takes energy to find out what people think of your products and services.  On the back end, it can cost if the feedback is negative and painful. The truth hurts sometimes. 

But the effort is well worth the information you learn.  Selling people what you know they want is more profitable than guessing what you think they want and being offended and confused when they don’t buy.  Customer feedback is your opportunity to listen to what your audience has to say and do something about it.  Point blank, feedback saves you unnecessary actions, wasted money and time.  Find out what people want and you can quit producing and selling what you think people want and stop marketing in avenues that don’t benefit you.  Use feedback so you can deliver what people want, consistently.

Feedback is your friend, but sometimes she’s hurtful.  Have you ever asked someone’s opinion to find out you hated his or her answer?  I have.  How did you respond? 

The truth hurts sometimes, but you need to hear it.  It needs to be an ongoing part of your company if you hope to grow with your customers and stay in business.

Here are ways to get feedback your business needs:

• Social media is a great way to get feedback.  Listen in on conversations about your business in order to find out what people really think.
• Utilize effective questionnaires to receive anonymous responses.  Remember not to lock in on one or two negative responses when you have a plethora of positive ones.  Instead, identify trends among the questionnaires.
• For more in-depth interaction, use interviews.  Feedback is another side of a conversation that can hold incomparable value.  In order to converse with your customers, there must be an exchange, someone giving a message and someone receive it. 

Feedback is something every business needs.  It isn’t always pretty, but it does help you improve your business and it’s products and services.  Use the ways suggested to help get feedback and improve what your business has to offer.

Why do you think feedback is crucial?  How do you get your customers to give honest and open feedback about your business?

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What Good Writing Says about Your Business

One of the biggest ways people learn about your company, product or service is by reading about it. It would be wonderful to regularly meet potential customers face-to-face, and have the opportunity to give them the long version about the features and benefits of what you offer. Unfortunately there isn't enough time in a day to make those types of meetings cost effective- it's important to reach the masses and get your name out there.

Thanks to the Internet the written word can be available globally for all to see, at any time. Those words can be impactful, and not always in a positive way. It is necessary to hone your writing skills, or hire someone to write for you. The first impression you leave with consumers may be a lasting one, so put your best foot (or hand) forward and become an intelligent voice for your business.

Let's review a few important things to take note of when writing for your company:

• Communicate Effectively: Keep your writing straight forward; remove extra unnecessary fluff words to maintain credibility. Try to avoid filling in the gaps with information that isn't pertinent to your company or business. Be sure to use powerful and appropriate terminology, just make sure the words aren't made-up or sound gimmicky. It's also important to write properly when communicating internally, in email for example, and with marketing brochures and advertisements.
• Check and Re-Check: It is absolutely necessary to check your writing for proper grammar and use of words. Regardless of your level of knowledge, improper grammar will cause your message to be lost amongst the errors. Typically it's simple misuse or misspellings that could easily be caught with a quick search tool before posting your communication. Some fairly common mistakes include using "your" instead of "you're", "there" instead of "their" (or vise versa!), and using apostrophes incorrectly. Take the time to review or learn writing basics, and always ask someone to proofread your work; a fresh set of eyes can be extremely beneficial. Proofread emails to make sure you are getting the appropriate message across to the reader.
• Be a Stand-Out: In the same manner bad writing can hurt your business, great writing can put you on top. People will appreciate your professionalism and recognize the attention to detail. Quality business writing will help consumers view you and your company as industry leaders and come to you to meet their needs. Having well written hand-outs and marketing slogans will bring your company to mind and ultimately result in more sales revenue.

In the event you decide to hire an individual or service to handle your writing duties, be sure to carefully research and review sample writings. The only thing worse than making mistakes is paying someone else to make them for you.

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Where to Hire Freelance Writers

Successful companies typically use social media, email marketing and newsletters to help people learn about and discover their business. With the power of the internet, it's important to take advantage of the opportunity to get the word out. You are busy running and growing your business and may not have the time to focus on tasks that involve writing. It's likely the perfect time to hire a professional to help out.

Freelance writers can assist with blog posts, marketing, general content and information on your website. Companies will also utilize freelance business writers to do email and letter templates; this not only simplifies things but insures that you will send out professionally written correspondence every time. Your current and potential customers will take notice and look to you for guidance within your industry.

Now that you have discovered the need, where can you look to find someone? It's also important to know what to look for in finding the right fit for your business. Below are some suggestions to help get you started and off and running with your business writing.

The World Wide Web

Where else would you begin a search but on the Internet? Of course that would seem like the first place to start when looking to hire a freelance business writer, after all a lot of what they can do for your company will center around your own website. A Google search will return several hundred spots to check out; as with most things some are more reputable than others, and some free or fee-based. Ask for recommendations from friends or business associates, and if you don't have any, start chipping away at the list or try some more detailed searches. Elance, Guru and Freelance.com are a few to help you get started. These sites make it easy to see how many writers are available in a specific field. Freelancers can post  their skills and budget requirements, making it easy to quickly narrow down the choices to match your business writing needs.

Universities and Colleges

A lot of college students and recent graduates, especially journalism majors, want to practice their skills and have high hopes of having work published. The key to their journalistic futures often lies far outside their college papers. They may also require lower pay than their professional world counterparts which can be a nice bonus for you; they get a few bylines and you get a writer with fresh perspective, win-win. Obviously these students can be found online as well, but check out local universities and job fairs- it might be nice to meet your potential employee face-to-face. Always ask for examples of their writing and consider having a sample test to see how well their writing represents your company.

Hiring freelance writers is an important decision and can make a really big impact on your business; take the time to find the right person. Do you currently use outside writers for your business?

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Ways to Maximize Local SEO

If your small business serves your local community, you may not understand the significance for search engine optimization, or SEO.  But it is crucial - most of today’s consumers search the Internet whether they plan to buy locally or use a service inside their communities.  To make your business rise above other competitors, local SEO is key.  Here are a few ways you can capitalize on your local SEO efforts.

Comprehend the concept of Hummingbird.

Google recently experienced the major update to its algorithm.  A result of the updated algorithm, called Hummingbird, made some changes to the way businesses are ranked during a Google search - now we see an increase of local business at the highest rankings.  When people enter a search term, the top businesses will likely be local.  For example, if a search is performed for a “pizza place”, their results will probably be places in their town.

The change also encourages businesses to update their website to include content with local context.  As opposed to writing paragraphs about jewelry, it’s more beneficial to talk about jewelry and the city where your business is located.  People who live locally and search for a jewelry store will then see your business pop up in the search results.

Photo via localbusinessmarketingsuccess.com

Reflect on mobility.

Many people who search for a business aren’t sitting at home on a desktop computer – they’re on the go using mobile devices.  People will search for a pizza place when they are ready to head to eat.  For your business, this means you want to design your website for mobile and ensure that it or your app are user-friendly.

Contemplate local marketing.

Sites like Foursquare have honed in on the fact that people do research online for local businesses.  Even the popular pinning site, Pinterest, now has a service in place where business content can be put on a map so users can see your location.  If a person looks for shoe stores and sees that you are local to them, they are very likely to look further into making a purchase from your business.

You may not have lots of time to establish a solid presence on each social network, and that’s okay.  Instead, research and find out where your potential customers are spending their time – this increases the likelihood that they will also go to that social network as they look further into making buying decisions.  Customers can’t learn about your business if you don’t have an online presence.

Small businesses that cater predominantly to local consumers often don’t realize that they need an online presence.  However, more and more people continue to own mobile devices and the amount of time they spend using these devices to research prior to making a purchase will only grow.  The ultimate success of your business relies on making its presence known and showing customers why they should make purchases from your business instead of your competitors.

How do you optimize your local search engine optimization to sell more locally?

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Write Product Descriptions that Sell

Behind every good product is a good salesperson – but if you’re selling online, your writer is your sales person.  To sell your products, it’s essential you have a well-written product description.  The description must do far more than simply describe your products – it needs to sell them too.  A professional writer can help you with this daunting task or you can go at it alone.  Here are some simple ways to persuade your web shoppers to take a better look at, and hopefully buy, your products.

Focus on your ideal buyer.

As you write a product description, make sure you do it with the mindset of who will be shopping for what you offer.  When you write for a large crowd of buyers, your description may end up too vague and you basically don’t address anyone.  The best descriptions address your ideal buyer directly and in a personal manner.  As you create a product description, pretend you are asking and answering questions in a conversational manner.  Choose the words your ideal buyer would use and go ahead and use the word “you.”  Also think about the humor your ideal buyer may appreciate.

Persuade with social media proof.

When your prospects aren’t sure which product to purchase, they look for suggestions.  Customers are often swayed to buy the product with the most positive reviews. If you’re trying to establish credibility as a new business or are one who’s been around for years, include a photo of a person any quote – it adds credibility and also makes your company appear more personal and approachable.  Most buyers like to purchasing items that they know are popular so mention or highlight your customer favorites.

Photo via flickr.com

Avoid overused phrases.

When in a pinch, it’s easy to turn to fillers – words that every company uses when they aren’t sure what else to add to a product description. Professional writers can help come up with good descriptive words and may choose to describe each technical detail of the product and its benefit.  For instance, if you make shoes, an excellent description would share that the hand-sewn construction of the shoe provides additional comfort and durability.

Entice sellers with benefits.

As business owners sell their products, naturally they feel excited about the features each product offers.  However, potential buyers want to know what the product does for them specifically.  So instead of saying the soap you sell gets their hands clean, share that the soap has a holiday scent that adds festivity to the holiday season, therefore makes the time more enjoyable.  As you or your writer create a selling description, remember to focus on how the product makes your customers feel happier, healthier or more successful.  How can your products solve or ease your customers’ problems?

On your quest to write compelling product descriptions, make sure you share knowledge about your products.  Explain helpful details and tell stories.  Delight your customers with helpful and fun descriptions.  Your enthusiasm for your products is contagious, so the more excited you are, the more excited your customers will be.

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How to Hire the Right Writer

High quality writing is a mainstay of marketing for every business.  Today’s world of instant communication and other digital platforms means the right writer is essential for business success.  Poor grammar and jargon-stuffed writing is running rampant, and doesn’t do anything for your business. These facts may make you wonder: how does a business owner find the right writer or writing company for his or her business?  Here are some tips to help you hire the “right” writer for your business:

Find a writer who understands what you are all about.

An old, and arguably wise adage for writers is simply “write what you know.” This means whether it’s a chapter book, a biography or content for marketing, a writer should have a basic knowledge of a subject in order to successfully connect with his or her readers.

Think about it - would you go car shopping and make a purchase if the car salesman didn’t impressively know everything about the car you were contemplating? Just the same, find a writer who is a professional – and who also understands your business so they can sell your products and services to your prospects.

Consider a writer who is excited about your business.

A writer who is passionate about what you are doing or selling will naturally convey that excitement and, through the words he or she writes, spread their excitement.  The words your writer chooses can light up your message and powerfully share your pitch.  After all, the reason behind hiring a writer is to essentially sell your products – and excited content makes excited, and paying, customers.

Ask if your writer has editorial skills.

One of the best pieces of advice from successful writers is to write like you speak.  If you need a writer to do blogging, you need to ensure he understands what blogging is all about. Can he or she write in short bursts that are catchy and engaging? Make sure the writer has good editorial skills.  He should know the basics and always check facts and accuracy. If your writer shares something incorrect on your blog, it may blow up -- and the pieces will land in your lap.  

Photo via: flickr.com

Find out if the writer is proactive.

Does your writer take initiative? Yes, you want a writer who can follow your directions. But you also want someone who can give fresh insight and a spin on things.  Relevant ideas and story angles can help your business rank higher in the search engines.  Before hiring a writer, ask him or her, “How would you handle this subject?”

Does the writer have the best attitude for the job?

Like all professions, some writers have better personalities and attitudes to fit one job over another. Some writers aren’t willing to do more than one revision and others resist being heavily edited.  Speak early on about your expectations and come to an agreement on how many revisions are expected.  Communication from the get-go is critical to finding the best writer for your business.

It’s no secret that communication is considered an important skill by so many people – yet some businesses still haven’t gotten on board.  Effective writing should be a company-wide endeavor.  The practice of good, collaborating writing can make the difference between an excellent and a poor business – a essentially a sale or no sale.

How did you find the best writer for your business?

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What is Ghostwriting Anyway?

In the world of freelance writing attaching the pre-fix "ghost" is pretty commonplace; but to the layman it may sound like an unusual term to describe what you do- albeit intriguing. The word is actually used quite literally. Most would consider a ghost to be invisible, and generally speaking a ghost writer is essentially just that to the reader- unseen, unknown, invisible. So what is the benefit? Why would someone let another take credit for what they have written? Let's get to the know the term and concept a bit more to answer those questions.

The Definition: The actual definition goes something like this, "a person who writes one or numerous speeches, books, articles, etc., for another person who is named as or presumed to be the author." Sounds simple enough. With this comes the fact that the author has no rights to the work they have done, it belongs to the individual that commissioned the work. You will not be referencing these pieces on your resume for example. But that isn't always a bad thing.

The Why: Simply put, ghostwriting is a job that pays money. Everyone does something to make a living. And unless you have just written the Great American Novel, in most cases you probably don't mind who gets the credit, as long as you get to cash the check. Many people have the need for writers and don't take on the task themselves; whether due to time, skill or a variety of other reasons. Sometimes you may get paid nicely to make someone sound better than they could themselves- people do it everyday through press releases and public speaking engagements.

The Maybe Not: As mentioned above in the definition you, the writer, won't get credit. Likely not ever for pieces that you have written for someone else under these terms. You cannot use these as examples to get additional work or build your writing resume. If your intention is to maintain and create a writing career it may be best to limit the ghostwriting assignments that you accept. Or at least look for other opportunities as well to fill in some gaps and allow you to produce some credible pieces for reference. If you feel a ghostwritten piece could be beneficial to your portfolio consider requesting a byline or negotiating for some credit. Don't be surprised if the client doesn't agree to either, it is after-all a ghostwriting gig. Hopefully you can at least get a good professional reference.

Ghostwriting can be an exciting way to hone your skills and also give you the opportunity to learn new things, build a strong client base and of course earn some money. How do you feel about writers being hired to write for others?

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