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Building a website that converts
Randall Craig MarketingHave you ever considered what makes an effective website? You might think that it is great design, easy-to-find information and intuitive functionality. These may have made the list in 2002 (or even 2012), but certainly not today. Many marketers now understand where the website fits into the mix. It is the hub to which every initiative (social media, advertising, media relations, direct mail, etc) drives. When the user arrives at the site, they experience great design, easy-to-find information and intuitive functionality. Then nothing happens.
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4 tips to making a positive first impression
Anne Rose Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementMuch has been written about executing amazing customer service, but let's focus today on one aspect that's immediately implementable: first impressions. You've heard the axiom, "First impressions count." They do! So why do so many people pay so little attention to how they first greet or interact with a potential client? It takes a few seconds to properly impress a new client, and it takes days or weeks (or never) to undo a negative first impression.
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Marketing when you’re busy gets the phone ringing when you’re…
Fred Berns MarketingToo many green industry companies use warmer weather and crowded calendars as reasons to put marketing on hold. Bad idea. As spring approaches, many owners of lawn and landscape firms, garden centers, nurseries and other firms have a lot on their minds other than promoting their services. But busy times are the best times to think about slow ones.
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Why you should carry spiders at your pet store
Kevin Plazak Pet CareRecently, I was asked to stock and sell tarantulas. In my mind, this translated to "pay money for spiders." Big, hairy spiders. Things that get my wife jumping on furniture to get away from them while screaming for me to kill them. I didn’t take the request all that seriously and ignored it. But the requests kept coming in — rose hair tarantulas and pinktoe tarantulas. Every other store wanted them. My customers asked…and I needed to figure it out.
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Music streaming services continue to emerge as album sales slump
Suzanne Mason CommunicationsStreaming music was a huge component of the music industry in 2014. While album sales saw an 11.2 percent decline, streaming music saw a 32 percent increase from the previous year. The ongoing dominance is now getting the attention of musicians who are seeing another way of getting their songs to play.
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3 common plumbing issues and how you can avoid them
Mike Polizzi Facilities & GroundsIt's the New Year, and you have made a resolution to expect the unexpected this year. Each morning, you wake up to an upbeat song that fires you up for the day. You're Rocky, preparing for the big fight against Apollo. "Eye of the Tiger" plays in the background, and you think through your strategy for the day, hoping nothing goes wrong once you set foot in the building and face the rush of customers.
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The secret to smarter customers
Carol Heiberger RetailI want to be a good customer. I don't mean that I want to spend a lot of money at a particular establishment or with a particular vendor. What I want to do is communicate comfortably and easily with the people who are providing me with a service. Then, they know what I want and can deliver it, and we'll both be happy.
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Garden centers need to think outside the (big) box
Fred Berns Facilities & GroundsWhat does it take to outmaneuver and outsmart bigger competitors with deeper pockets? Independent garden centers are discovering it takes a combination of innovative products and services along with offbeat events.
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Shift on the horizon: New wine-drinking trends
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageAmerica retained its position as the No. 1 wine-drinking nation in the world with about 322 million (12-bottle) cases of wine sold in 2014. Though this figure was only a 0.3 percent growth compared to the year before, it actually represents an 80 percent rise in wine sales over the last two decades.
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Robbery awareness programs can reduce chance of loss
Tony Gallo RetailA well-defined loss prevention program should include proactive methods and tools to reduce robberies. Effective loss prevention in any business results from some critical practices and attention to detail. Good customer service, proper lighting, assertive signage, cleanliness and heightened awareness are proven effective measures that cost little but provide the deterrence you need in protecting your business.
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