Ideal Client Profile

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Guest post by Anna Lieber

Every business needs to generate referrals to new clients. So it’s imperative to know who we want as clients. A prospect is someone who has a need, ability to pay and the authority to make a decision to buy. But to design a better business, one which is more profitable and enjoyable, we want to be aware of first-class prospects, those who are likely to be our very best clients.

A ideal client is one you most enjoy working with, who is receptive, committed and can successfully use your product or service. They understand what you do and appreciate the value you bring. They may have purchased your type of product or services before and therefore require less time and education.

The most qualified leads come via referrals. Therefore the more specifically you can define your ideal client, the more likely you can communicate to get the right referrals. And the more focused your target, the easier to determine how and where to market. 

Develop your ideal client profile. Analyze your best clients using the following criteria:
€ gender, age
€ income, education
€ position, industry
€ type, size of of company
€ need or problem
€ professional organization
€ trade magazines, newspapers

Use the profile in your conversations. Let others know the kind of people you want to work with and how to recognize them. Once you’ve determined your ideal client, you’ll find it’s a lot easier to find them. 

Design: the Ultimate Brand Booster

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Guest post by Anna Lieber

It’s no coincidence that products and services with high design values become household names. FedEx, Nike and IPod are a few examples. 

Tom Peters in his excellent book “Re-imagine!” says: “Design is the NO. 1 DETERMINANT (his caps) of whether a product-service-experience stands out–or does not.” 

Peters also quotes Fortune magazine: “Design is treated like a religion at BMW.” Hey, doesn’t everybody want a well-designed car? If the design is slipshod, what about the safety? It’s ironic that many of us will spend a premium to equip our offices with well-designed furniture and our kitchens with beautiful appliances. Yet, there is a disconnect when it comes to our business brands. Small business owners have a difficult time making an investment in good design. Rarely is it valued as the most critical brand component. 

And just as often corporations fail to manage their valuable brands. Time and resources are wasted as different departments produce materials which don’t even resemble each other. Lack of consistency is the ultimate brand killer. 

Our recommendations: appoint a brand leader, create brand guidelines, integrate your materials, educate your staff. Use great design to set your company apart. 

Some of you run creative businesses; others are business owners or corporate managers who work with design firms, writers, web developers, etc. In any case, to ensure a positive outcome, you need to manage the design process. Here are a few tips:

€ START WITH A PROPOSAL AND A TIMELINE
Determine the project scope in a signed agreement. The proposal needn’t be extensive but it must outline the project parameters, deliverables, work process, fees and payment schedule, usage (if it applies), preliminary timeline and cancellation policy. An agreement will help prevent problems.

€ SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE
The larger the project, the longer the commitment and the more extensive the documentation. A contract prevents miscommunications which disrupt the relationship and derail the project. Sign the contract before work begins. It’s a lot harder to negotiate after a fallout occurs. 

€ AGREE ON WHO DOES WHAT
Agree about the number of design choices, number of revisions, how you will handle printing or computer programming, and who supplies content (copy, images). Agree also on the client’s responsibilities and time frame on approvals, especially if there is a tight schedule created by an event or other deadline. 

€ MANAGE THE RELATIONSHIP
Many clients don’t fully understand the design process and what’s required of them. The client is concerned with being satisfied with the results, finishing on time and not going over budget. The designer’ is concerned with creating a great product, making sure the client is happy and charging for time spent. Sometimes these concerns conflict. Most disagreements occur when services additional to the proposal crop up. If they do, be sure to discuss it before proceeding. The designer’s role is to educate the client, manage expectations, schedule and budget, and charge fairly. And the client needs to communicate their needs, make timely decisions and agree to pay fairly for all services rendered. 

€ DESIGNER’S ROLE
Design firms can help projects go smoothly by creating a simple but structured work process. Create a welcome package to walk your client through the way you work. Get a deposit before beginning work. Get additional payments as the work progresses. Make sure you are buttoned up. If things do go wrong, be honest and correct the problem quickly. Clients hate surprises.

€ CLIENT’S ROLE
Clients can help projects go smoothly by educating yourselves about the design process. Practice due diligence in choosing a designer whose work you like. Realize good design takes time to percolate. Be reasonable. Handle the project professionally as you would with an attorney, accountant or doctor. And if you negotiate a lower fee, understand what you will be giving up. Know what’s included, what’s not—before beginning a project. Do your homework and ask the questions. 

Most important, remember design is a partnership between client and designer. Each shares responsibility for the success of the final design. 

 

Are You A Commodity Or A Brand?

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Guest post by Anna Lieber

Business owners often tell me they are frustrated when their service is seen as a commodity, virtually interchangeable with others. So how do service providers get out of this quagmire? And how can purchasers distinguish one designer from another, one accounting, technology, construction firm from the rest? 

We all know it’s not always how much something is worth but how much people think it’s worth. Consider the beauty industry where cosmetics companies put $3 worth of skin cream into $10 worth of packaging and charge $100. And if you had told people twenty years ago that we would all be paying for bottled water, they would have laughed. 

Why do we pay a premium for brands like Starbucks and Perrier? One answer is that their product is better, they give us a better experience and ... because they’ve told how they are better. 

So first, realize that your clients want to understand the differences but find it confusing. Second, understand it’s your responsibility to show them how you are different and better. And third, recognize that image and perception are everything. 

Rather than emulating competitors, figure out what you possess that they do not. What sets you apart? Is it your special capabilities, training, patents and trademarks, industry knowledge, access to resources, proprietary processes or just plain know how?

Now how do you change perception? In plain English, toot your horn. Once you’ve developed a clear and sustainable competitive advantage, drive it home with the right brand message. Communicate frequently with clarity and consistency. 

We trust companies we know and so to create value make sure others know you. A recognized brand is worth more. That’s what we mean by brand equity. 

8 Ways to Get the Best Price

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Guest Post by Andrea Woroch
www.andreaworoch.com

As if staying on budget during the holidays wasn't hard enough, retailers are using dynamic pricing to make it even more difficult. The concept refers to the practice of changing the price of a product based on fluctuations in supply, demand, and even in response to the weather.

However, most retailers use dynamic pricing to one-up their competitors. Earlier this year, the price of a microwave oven on Amazon changed nine times in one day, ranging from $745 to $872. That's over $125 in savings if you bought at the right time -- and a really bad purchase if you bought at the wrong one.

So what's the best way to navigate fluctuating prices and land the cheapest deal? Consider the following eight tips for hassle-free savings.

1. Use price-predictor sites.
Sites like Decide.com and PriceGrabber.com are designed to help you determine the best time to buy a desired item. Price histories and product reviews are also available at your fingertips, since each of these sites has an app for your smartphone or tablet.

2. Look for coupons in-store.
In addition to shopping during sale time, grab coupons while you're browsing in-store using the Coupon Sherpa mobile app. The app is free for both Android and Apple devices, and enables you to search for discounts that can be scanned or entered directly from your smartphone.

3. Try tracking tools.
PricePinx is a free service that sends you a notification when the price of a desired product drops. FreePriceAlerts is a browser add-on that helps you find the best price when searching online for products. And CamelCamelCamel is another browser add-on with price history and price-drop notifications for items on Amazon, Best Buy and Newegg.

4. Redeem reward points.
One of the easiest ways to save money on holiday gifts is to use your credit card reward points toward discounts and gift cards. Some credit cards will offer extra points when you shop at select stores, and others will offer discounts on gift cards to specific retailers. Ultimately, it's best to call your credit card company to determine what specials and extra savings are available.

5. Get a price match.
Stores such as Target and Best Buy are matching Amazon prices this holiday season, and Lowe's and Home Depot usually duke it out for customers by offering price match "plus," or 10-percent off their competitor's better price. Ultimately, it pays to shop around and ask store managers about price-matching options. Use a barcode-scanning app like RedLaser to determine what a product costs at local stores and online retailers.

6. Ask for a price adjustment.
Some stores offer price adjustments on products that drop in price after your purchase. Timeframe is always a factor, so keep your receipt and track the product's price two to four weeks after you purchase it. A friend of mine received $25 back when the artificial Christmas tree she purchased for $75 dropped to $50.

7. Ditch the extras.
Extended warranties and expedited shipping are just two of the many add-ons that increase the price of your product. The basic warranty is typically sufficient, especially if the credit card you're using has additional coverage. And, events like Free Shipping Day on Monday, Dec. 17 make it easy to order last-minute gifts while dodging delivery fees.

8. Review your credit card perks.
In addition to rewards, some credit cards offer price guarantees. These guarantees make qualifying purchases eligible for a partial refund when they drop in price during a certain timeframe. This is different than a price adjustment because it's issued by your credit card company, not the retailer. 

3 Online Networking Tips for Job Seekers 

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Skillful networking can help you meet the right people, make a splash in professional circles, get your name out there, and position yourself as an expert in your field. Social media tools provide amazing new opportunities to expand your networking reach and influence -- especially when you're in job-hunting mode. But too many job seekers forget that every single tweet, blog posting, and Facebook entry has a life of its own -- and that life is immortal. 

Bottom line: If you're not using social media consciously, carefully, and thoughtfully as a way to enhance your online presence and reputation, there's a good chance that it's hurting, not helping, your job search efforts.

As you're putting yourself out there in the job market, here are three tips for effective networking online:

Give before taking. 

When networking for a job search, always start by giving something of value. Offer an insightful comment to a blog or a question on LinkedIn. Pose a question to an industry group and engage in an information-sharing dialogue on best practices. The trick is to give your expertise and thus position yourself as the helpful expert. People will be inclined to return the favor.

Invite right.

Be sensitive as to which social networks you request colleagues to join you in. If your Facebook page is largely family-oriented and reads like a snapshot from Ancestry.com, think twice about inviting the boss or the senior leadership team to post on your wall. Is this really the mix that either of you wants? If so, more power to your Uncle Ned's backyard barbecue. If not, stick to sites geared more toward professionals, such as LinkedIn or Plaxo.

Avoid gate crashing. 

If you have a name and reputation in your field that gives you special currency, don't assume this gives you carte blanche to enter any social network. For example, let's say you search a site such as Ning for social communities geared toward your corporate interests. Before belly flopping into the pool, have a seat on the deck and listen. Get to know the audience you'd like to engage with first. If there is an administrator of the special-interest community, you might start with a quick introduction, the reason for your call, and a query as to whether members would be okay with your involvement. Or if you feel inclined to get in the water, do so authentically. Members might be pleased to have an expert in their midst, but only if you're honest and sincere.