work from home

Remember the days of the milkman and paperboy? They were core services provided by larger companies who embraced the idea of bringing products to customers so they wouldn’t have to go outside of their homes to buy them elsewhere. Some decades later, the trend caught on and more and more companies started using this “cater to” appeal so they could win new business and build long-term customer loyalty. In essence, what it did was reduce their overall competition. Today, this trend is so wide-spread that almost every company you think of offers right-to-your-front door delivery. But only a few—Netflix, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Office Depot—are among high performers that continue to achieve profitability.

What can your home business do to capitalize on the same “cater to” appeal? Try elevating your convenience factor. For millions of time-starved customers, things like long call hold times, flashy web sites taking several minutes to load, and web-based store fronts that make buyers fill out unnecessary information before they can submit their orders, are all things that rob customers of time and create hassles. They’re also the very same things that make customers choose one competitor over another. With this in mind, you can fully appreciate your greatest advantage in being a small business owner: Your flexibility!

As a small business owner you can modify your service delivery anyway that is better suited for your customers. Yet part of the fine tuning process is finding out what customers want, when they want it, and then making sure you get that product to them without them experiencing any inconveniences.

The good news is that in order to deliver this kind of service, you don’t need to super-size your technology or make a huge investment in state-of-the-art equipment. It's also not a matter of lowering your prices. So, whether you sell to consumers or whether you sell to other businesses, whether you sell products or whether you sell services, when it comes right down to it, all you have to do is WOW your customers with convenience. After that, it’s all about promoting your convenience as a deep benefit in each and every one of your marketing pieces. Then you simply follow through by backing up your statements with unprecedented performance. In other words, make it your business to make your customers’ lives easier. You’ll attract new customers, keep your current ones happy, and your business will make more money.

Give A Specific Delivery Time and Stick to It

Help your customers manage their expectations by telling them what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it. If you have a service-based business and currently give customers two-to-four-hour time frames, nip it. For example, instead of "Our carpet cleaners will be there between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. Commit to a precise time. Promise: ”We'll have our best cleaning technician at your door by 9:30. He’s going to clean four rooms, and it will take him less than forty-five minutes.” This not only gives customers an impression that you honor their time but also that you'll go an extra mile to accommodate them.

·         Convenience Extra: Add a stronger promise, “If we don’t keep our commitment, we take $25 off your bill.”

Make It Easy For Customers to Reach You

Don’t be under the false impression that an email address with an automatic responder is enough. What you can do instead is offer your customers a toll-free telephone number. With this option, you send a positive message that a real person is standing by to help them resolve a problem.

·         Convenience Extra: Offer a toll-free fax number, too. Put these numbers on your web site, business cards, and invoices. If you ship products, include them on your shipping labels.

Improve Customer Support Efficiency

Canned automated support answers irk customers. A better alternative is to dedicate staff to respond to customer problems. Whether you respond by phone or email, make sure your response actually addresses the customers’ problems at hand. Be sure your employees are well-trained, and in the event the problem is going to take more time or expertise, have an escalation and tracking process in place.

·         Convenience Extra: Record customer problems, and use the most common ones as FAQs and post them to your web site.

Know Your Limitations and Define Them for Your Customers

A web site gives you a global presence, but it doesn’t always translate into meaning that you do business globally. If your service is limited to customers in the U.S., then make sure this stipulation is explained in your marketing materials. On the other hand, if you do service international markets, then make sure you clearly explain shipping procedures, extra costs, return policies, etc.

·         Convenience Extra: Be sure this information is easily found on your web site.

Build Customization into Your Service

Get to know your customers. Do they have school-age children? Are they frequent travelers? Do they live in the city, the suburbs, or rural areas? Knowing these details helps you customize your offerings in ways that help them get what they need quickly. For example, you can include a shopping comparison chart which will help customers make the best purchasing decisions. This not only benefits the customers but reduces your susceptibility to customer returns or complaints.

·         Convenience Extra: Have a place on your web site for a particular market segment. For example, if your target customers are families with teen-age children, have a particular area on your site dedicated to educational material for teen-agers. Or perhaps include a special section for single parents.

Communicate Relevant Information

Does your marketing tool kit include newsletters and e-alerts? If so, you’re definitely maximizing your selling opportunities. But if you’re communications are disorganized or lack the kind of information that helps customers learn something new or do something better, you’re becoming part of the information clutter.

·         Convenience Extra: A single picture is worth a thousand words. Find one that captures the essence of your message. Not only will this attract customer attention and customers to read your message, but it will also facilitate click throughs which can inspire an effective viral marketing campaign.

Talk Directly To Your Customers

Just because 99.9 percent of your customers use email, it doesn’t mean it’s always going to be the fastest or most appropriate way for you to communicate with them. If there is a problem or your communication will involve some lengthy steps, it’s better to either speak with the person face-to-face, on the telephone, and sometimes even a letter works.

·         Convenience Extra: If you sell products over the Internet, take the time to send a thank-you card. One that arrives in the mail is much more personal than an e-card.

Don’t Make Everything About Money

Sure, you’re in business to earn a profit. But part of enhancing your customers’ experience is not nickeling and diming them every time you get the chance. This is especially prudent for consultants who sell services rather than tangible products. Remember, when people cannot see or touch a product, they can’t always be sure of what they’re going to get. They have to rely on their experience, imagination, and knowledge. If what you’re selling is something new to them (i.e. fitness consult, financial planning), they’ll have to work a bit harder to understand your value proposition. Avoid this by creating tangible qualities to your service product. An easy way to do this is to charge by the hour or day and then identify a specific list of services customers can expect to receive within that time frame. When customers understand what they’re getting, it’s easier for you to make a sale.

·         Convenience Extra: Create tier levels by lumping a group of services into one tier and another group of services into a higher tier—with each tier having a higher price point. HBM

Sonya Carmichael Jones is a direct marketing copywriter, marketing strategist, author, and motivational speaker. Got a marketing question, reach her at .