LeapZone Strategies for Massive Success » Branding & Tips

Creating a “WOW” Experience: Give Them Value

Clate Mask — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:30:10 +0000

A few weeks back, we published a post about “wowing” your customers by giving them more than they expect. Well, I thought I would build on that post by giving you additional suggestions for creating an incredible experience for your customers and prospects (whether they purchase right away or not.)

Not every marketing message should be a targeted sales pitch. Not every conversation has to revolve around their decision to buy or not buy. When building your relationship with your prospects, give them something of immeasurable worth; knowledge.

Here are some suggestions of ways to include valuable content (and start leading your contacts to an eventual sale):

Newsletters
Tips and tricks of your industry (audio, video, written)
Upcoming industry-related events
Links to news articles about your industry
Free reports and white papers
Celebrity stories related to your products/services

Nobody knows your business better than you do. Taking the time to share your knowledge with your contacts will build that relationship of trust and appreciation. The best part? These ideas cost you nothing but a little love and time and could be worth a fortune in sales, not to mention, building a strong following community.

Remember, your prospects and customers should mean more to you than an occasional sale. Give them value and watch your customer ROI soar!

Leap of the Week: What’s one simple thing you can start doing this week that will not only add value, but could also put you at the top of the leader board?

Got a story to share?

Leave a comment! Asking questions as well as sharing wins and challenges is not only necessary to growth, it’s also a great way to learn from your success community.

5 Ways To Encourage Employee Excellence.

Clate Mask — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:00:09 +0000

Did you know that the vast majority of small businesses are one-man shows? And, it’s no wonder. Managing employees can be a challenge. You’ve undoubtedly heard many horror stories about late, rude, or lazy employees. But, just because those are the stories that get circulated, doesn’t mean all (or even most) employees are inadequate.

Good leadership & management can sometimes mean the difference between having poor, satisfactory, and phenomenal employees. Here are some ideas for encouraging employee excellence:

1- Build a culture of productivity. From the moment you first interview a candidate, they should understand your expectations. Whether your culture is a high-stress, strict regime, or a laid back, go with the flow atmosphere, be sure your employees truly comprehend that you value and expect productivity.

2- Offer performance incentives. Even the most dedicated and self-motivated worker needs an external incentive on occasion. Think of an incentive (such as Employee of the Month, or additional bonuses) that you can consistently offer based on performance.

3- Have employees learn your Brand Foundation (values, mission, brand promise, non-negotiables). Make sure your staff is aware of the company’s purpose. When the entire company is united in a common purpose, more work and better work gets done.

4- Give your employees a chance to grow. Too many business owners are tempted to do it all themselves. Relinquish your tight hold on the company and give your employees a chance to solve problems, try new ideas, and put their own thoughts and ideas to the test.

5- Practice “lavish praise and quick corrections.” One of my favorite books is The One-Minute Manager. You should read it. The essence of it is to catch people doing well and point it out to them. But you also have to quickly correct and reprimand when you see something outside of what you expect.

Whether you have 1 employee or 50, these suggestions will ensure a productive workplace and employee satisfaction while allowing to sleep better at night!

Creating A “WOW” Experience: Give Them More.

Clate Mask — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:30:15 +0000

Have you ever put on a pair of pants and found a five-dollar bill in your pocket? Can you recall a time when someone bought you lunch simply to be nice? Do you remember what it feels like to receive a present “just because?” Well, that’s the type of feeling you provide your customers when you give them more than they are expecting.

Imagine how your customer will feel about you, when they purchase a product or service and receive an added bonus. Imagine how your prospects will respond to your marketing when they receive a free gift (without even making a purchase!)

Giving “more” is a simple, inexpensive way to instantly improve your relationship with both customers and prospects.

Ideas for gifts… that cost you nothing!

Free Whitepapers
Free Reports
Newsletters
Admittance to webinars
Industry specific bonuses (i.e. recipes, sporting tips, coupons)
Trial offers

Ideas for gifts… that cost you a small amount

Company logo items (hats, water bottles, mouse pads, etc.)
Non-related materials (stuffed animals, candy, paperweights, etc)
One of your products or services at no cost to them
Calendars
Food

The return on your “gift” investment could be worth thousands of dollars in sales. Make that extra effort and give your customers more than they are looking for.

Leap of the Week: Think of one value added gesture that you can start implementing this week that will add an element of surprise for your clients….and remember to keep it simple and sustainable…’cause, consistency is key.

Your Clients Expect Consistency. Period.

Jen DeTracey — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:30:53 +0000

A close friend of mine regularly stops at her local fast food drive-thru for breakfast. Last week she asked for a cup of hot water with her order. The woman at the window told her that request would cost her fifteen cents. In the past, there was no charge for this “little extra.” Yet, on this particular day, the woman asked for money and clarified that the fifteen cents was to cover the cost of the disposable cup and lid.

Any of us in business know that this makes sense. It costs the restaurant money to provide water in a disposable cup to its customers. The next day my friend returned and was serviced by the same woman. She ordered the same breakfast, requested hot water, then proceeded to hand over an empty travel mug.

Despite the fact that there was no disposable cup and lid being used, the woman still charged her for the hot water. It’s difficult to know what this restaurant’s policy is. If they have one, it is inconsistent. If it happened to my friend, how many other people are experiencing the same scenario?

If you create a new policy in your company that impacts your customers, be sure to communicate this policy clearly to all employees. Customers like and expect consistency. They are also willing to pay a little extra to get it.

To learn more about how LeapZone Strategies and sidekick Lift Strategies can help you create more consistency, awareness and profitability through business, branding and marketing strategies, fill out our free Needs Assessment Questionnaire today.

Here Is Why A Style Guide Is “Crucial” To Building A Thriving Brand.

Isabelle Mercier — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:51:28 +0000

Due to recognizing one of our own stuck point or “pot hole” as I like to call it, we have created a new rule at LeapZone, and that new rule is to always provide a Corporate Style Guide to our clients no matter what level of Branding Program they are on. We have 3 different Branding Programs and only the second and third included a Corporate Style Guide. I know, we do things sometimes that make no sense…

The important thing here is that You spoke and We listened.

So, why is a Style Guide so important? Well, for one, to promote a certain level of client autonomy, which, lets face it, does reduce the amount of random phone calls inquiring about fonts, PMS colours and logo formats. But, more importantly, it’s to help you properly communicate your brand personality while gaining an understanding of some of the elements of your brand identity and how to use them effectively for maximum consistency.

A corporate style guide also provides an overview of your brand foundation and explains the DOs and DON’Ts of how to maintain the integrity of your name and identity. It also guides you as to how to use of your logo and each of the elements involved in communicating your unique personality.

The more clarity gained around who you are and what you stand for, the more consistent internal and external communications become.

Maintaining consistent communication brings:
•   Ease of decision-making
•   A common flow among the team
•   A clear sense of direction
•   A uniform customer experience

To learn more about how LeapZone Strategies can help you increase brand equity and profitability through business and branding strategies, strategic planning, performance coaching and brand development, fill out our free Needs Assessment Questionnaire today.

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LeapZone wants to know

Communication Makes or Breaks a Brand.

Margarita Romano — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:30:15 +0000

If I had to choose one thing to focus on when building or maintaining a brand, I would focus, without a doubt, on communication. Clear, honest, and thoughtful communication is the backbone to any great brand; whether you’re speaking in person, on the phone, in an email or text message, or creating an ad, brochure or website. Good communication allows you to spread the “right” word to the right people, and unite your team to make your business an outstanding promise delivery system. Because if you are truly being honest, with you and your audience, then delivering on a promise should be a no brainer.

The problem is a lot of businesses don’t put all their cards on the table, and this leads to disgruntled employees and dissatisfied customers. Not being clear with what you can do, or what you need to be able to do it, leads to wasted effort, missed deadlines, and a whole lotta stress.

So, here are 5 aspects of communication to focus on:

Really believe in what you are doing and why you are doing it. Your authentic passion for your business will transfer to your communication and be felt by your customers, prospects, and team.
Make every word count. Only say what you can actually promise and deliver on to build credibility.
Be consistent with what you are saying – across the board, through any medium. Consistency builds trust, showing that you mean what you say, every time!
Know the value of your brand. The clearer you are on the value you deliver, the easier it will be to get that across in your messaging.
Do what you do well – good communication most certainly paves the way for positive, consistent action, and as the saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words!”.

Have fun!

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Featured LeapTool: Brand Wheel

Margarita Romano — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:58:25 +0000

The “Brand Wheel” is designed to help you identify, on a big scale, which areas of your brand need further development or attention.

How does your brand measure up? Find out today!

Brand Wheel (PDF download)
Click here for Brand Wheel Simple Video Instructions

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10 Tips to Increase Your Sales: NOW

Isabelle Mercier — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:30:24 +0000

As you know, first and foremost, increasing sales has a lot to do with whether you have a great quality product or service (a great solution to a current problem) that a certain amount of people (your ideal target market) actually need and want. Common sense? Well, trust me when I say that for some, it isn’t. You thinking it’s a great idea does not always make it so. OK, so let’s assume that your quality product or service is viable and desired.

Increasing your sales also has a lot to do with you understanding your ideal clients and their purchase behaviours. Who are they? How do they shop? How do they make their purchase decision? What publications do they read? Where do they eat? etc…The more you know about your ideal client, the greater advantage you’ll have over your competitors.

Increasing your sales means being crystal clear on your Brand Foundation (your core purpose, what makes you unique and relevant – your edge). And most of all, know what you stand for (your values) and deliver on your promise day in and day out…rain or shine. Branding isn’t a one shot deal, it is NOT an event. Branding is an on-going juggling act of continually tweaking your brand foundation through research and conversation. If you’re not tapping into those conversations with your audience, how do you know what their real impression of you is? How will you know how to address it? After all, consistently delivering on what the client needs and wants is what it’s all about, right?

So here it goes:

1. Be unique and relevant – from receptionist to voice mail.
Know your brand (your own unique rhythm) and make sure that everyone on your team is dancing to that same rhythm. For example, our off-site bookkeeper has our LeapZone email stationery template to ensure overall consistency and integration when communicating with clients.

2. Never make a call or lead a meeting – without a purpose.
Always know your desired outcome before making your call or leading your meeting. I always journal to clear my mind and jot a few things down on paper before making my call to gain the clarity that I need to make it a successful call.

3. Ask questions – get your prospect client thinking.
And most of all, listen. Don’t be too busy thinking about your next move, or your next question. Actually listen. Great clues come from truly listening to what your prospect is saying. Listening is truly the key to providing massive value.

4. Create trust – selling is the transfer of trust.
Need I say more.

5. Never quote price – until you establish value.
When people don’t buy…it’s for one reason and one reason only: They do not see the value. Period. If you show them the value…they will show you the money.

6. People like to buy – not be sold. (in any economy)
The key is for you to help them buy. Help them make the right choice for them. Whether you’re the solution or not. It’s that simple.

7. Options are often road blocks - keep it clear and simple.
Too many options can create hesitation and confusion. The more decisions your prospect has to make along the way, the less chances you have of making the sale.

8. Un-written goals – are only wishes.
Have written, crystal clear mission and make sure that your entire team is part of the same mission.

9. Things that get measured – get done.
Make sure that you have a simple and effective way to measure your progress.

10. We are what we think we are – raise the bar!
Henry Ford said it best, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” Know what makes you and keeps you at your best…and get rid of the rest.

To find out how LeapZone Strategies can help you decrease sales lulls, ineffective business practices, and lack of direction in tough times, take our free online Needs Assessment or contact us today.

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10 Valuable Leadership Lessons

Isabelle Mercier — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:00:56 +0000

We all make mistakes and we all learn a great deal from those mistakes. Some need to be repeated many times in one way or another before we understand the lesson but eventually and thankfully, we do learn.

Here are some of my Leadership Learnings that you might find interesting:

1. Successful business cultures need to be intentionally managed - it’s a 24/7 nurturing job.
2. There are no such things as great companies - there are only great teams.
Think about this one for a minute. Not all Walmarts are equally great. Some locations do really well, some others with the same rules of the game and population ratio, don’t do nearly as well. Having the right team makes all the difference.
3. You are only as strong as your weakest link – need I say more.
4. Hire slowly, fire quickly – can’t stress this one enough.
Most entrepreneurs hire too fast and fire way too slow…why? Because they want to be nice or give the “C” employee a chance to get better. Here’s the thing: being an “A” player exists at a DNA level. Period.
5. Implement minimum standards of performance – and find ways to measure your team’s performance ratio and accountabilities weekly.
6. Recruiting is a process – not an event.
7. Recognition “systems” are a must – the best way to get more of what you want is to reward it. And that goes for everyone on your team: employees, clients, suppliers.
8. Daily Team Huddles are a MUST – to get everyone on the same page and working on the same mission.
9. Coach on the field - not in the locker room.
10. Sales leaders grow salespeople – Salespeople grow sales.

To find out how LeapZone Strategies can help you decrease: sales lulls, ineffective business practices, and lack of direction in tough times, take our free online Needs Assessment or contact us today.

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One Simple Step to Increase your Customer Care

Margarita Romano — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:00:14 +0000

In this time of email, text messaging, online chats, Twitter, and Facebook, proper writing etiquette is often replaced with the likes of LOLs. Messages tend to start with content, disregarding the salutation completely and regularly don’t even get a sign off at the end. Some businesses don’t have the need to meet their customers in person, and this current, less personal, type of communication leaves a lot of room for improvement in the areas of relationship building and customer experience.

My quick tip to you is to incorporate some kind of handwritten communication with your customers. Whether it be a quarterly postcard to touch base, a nice thank you card every once in a while to let them know you appreciate them, or even a birthday card once a year. Remind yourself that you are dealing with an actual person who deserves a “Hello” or “Dear” and “Sincerely” with a real signature every now and then.

As a result, your customer will feel taken care of and grateful for the extra time you purposefully dedicate to them. This feeling or experience created for your customer will increase their trust, and therefore their loyalty to you and your business; and a loyal, happy customer is always the most efficient marketing tool for any business!

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How To Build A Successful, Thriving Brand

Isabelle Mercier — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:25:36 +0000

PERCEPTION IS REALITY IN BRANDING.
Every entrepreneur wants to have their company’s brand “WELL KNOWN, TRUSTED & DESIRED”…but not all brands are worthy of that privilege. What is branding? Well, let me start by clarifying what branding is not: Branding is NOT marketing and branding is NOT a logo either. A logo means absolutely NOTHING…unless of course, the company behind it does.

Successful branding is a combination of an authentic promise with a clear, aligned and consistent delivery. Why it is needed is because the promise and delivery are what build trust in your company and increase customer loyalty.

Here are 5 things that will help you move forward in building a successful brand.

1. BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR COMPANY’S PURPOSE.
A purpose is what you and your company are truly meant to be doing and it’s what gets you and your team out of bed in the morning. Know and share that purpose and learn to “Stay On Purpose” with everyone you work with and everything you do. A brand is not a brand without a purpose.

2. DEFINE YOUR IDEAL CLIENT.
Not all clients are ideal clients – far from it. Know who you truly want to work with and who you are best suited to help. Know what companies inspire you and why. The why is important as it is usually closely linked to fulfilling your purpose and aligning with your core values. (Core values are what you stand for, your decision makers).

TIP: Make a list of all the companies that you would LOVE to work with and simply ask all of your existing ideal clients for contacts or connections. You will be amazed as to how many of your existing clients are connected somehow with some of the companies on your wish list. Give it a try! If anything, it gives you the opportunity to stay connected with your clients.

3. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SELLING.
It is important to be very CLEAR (internally with your team and externally with your communication tools) on what you are selling. If you are not clear, how can you expect your prospect clients to be! Make sure that your written and verbal message is crystal clear.

4. FIND YOUR NICHE.
Don’t try to be everything to all people. Be clear about what you are BEST AT SOLVING in this world and offer that to those who get it, need it and want it. The more you define and focus your brand on the one thing that you do better than anyone else, the more clients will recognize you and respect you for it, therefore contributing to building a stronger brand.

5. BUILD GREAT RELATIONSHIPS.
I have always been really good at building relationships and have never really had to cold call. Margarita and I built our previous business’ reputation solely on great relationships and ideal referrals. I truly believe that if you take care of your clients, and understand and deliver on their needs; other great people and other great brands will want to be a part of that.

Building a successful brand is like building trust; it takes time and needs constant attention. All the little things add up, from how you answer the phone to your post sale client care and everything in between. It is a mixture of attracting new ideal business, hiring the best people and delivering on your promise day in and day out.

And that is how you build a successful brand.

HELPFUL TOOLS:

1. Brand Wheel (PDF download)
Click here for the Brand Wheel Simple Instructions

2. Character Scale (PDF download)
Click here for the Character Scale Simple Instructions

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Hey! Cre8ive People…WATCH THE LANGUAGE!

Isabelle Mercier — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:00:22 +0000

WATCH THE LANGUAGE when dealing with clients, look out for words that can come back to haunt you…and for those of you who know me, I have been known to easily drop the “F” bomb once in a while…however, cursing or not cursing is not what this post is about.

I read this article back in the March/April issue of Design Edge Canada by Craig Swistun and I thought it rang true for me and I know it will ring true for all of you cre8ive people out there.

Click here for more

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