DIVADIGEST: SEPTEMBER '05, ISSUE 21

Growing Pains: Changes Create The Need For Other Changes

As certain aspects of your business and the economy change, other aspects of your business must change as well. Often, changes in your business will be automatically brought on due to other changes - without you having to actually make any changes. There is one thing that you can be sure of. Not keeping up with the changes in your business, and making sure that other aspects of your business grow as changes occur, will stagnate the growth, and the potential growth of your business.

 

There are many things within the scope of the day to day operations of your business that reflect the growth of your business. Monique Danielle at Diva Design World works with her clients to make sure that all aspects of their business are growing at a comparable rate, and that needed changes are made to promote the continued growth of their businesses. She offers the following advice:

 

Freshening things up can be time consuming and costly - but only if you don't stay on top of things and make the changes as they are needed. There may be needed changes that you are overlooking, simply because you are too close to it. While making changes can improve the way the public views your business, or the way that you do business, making unnecessary changes can harm your business. The key is knowing the difference!

 

If you feel that your business isn't keeping up with the times, or if you feel your business needs to be freshened up, visit Monique Danielle at Diva Design World for assistance.

 

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Understanding Your Customers Product Selection Process

Understanding your customers is the key to making sales and becoming successful. Everything hinges on knowing what they want, what they need, when they want it or need it, what they will buy, and what they will pay for it. From product development to product marketing - everything circles back to these questions, and more importantly, the answers to those questions.

 

Monique Danielle, of Diva Design World helps her clients to understand their customers better. Ms. Danielle is known for her success and expertise in marketing her clients products and services. She knows that the answers to the questions come down to two factors: What the customer wants and needs from the product, and how the product fills those wants and needs.

 

The customers need or want of the product is the main focus of the their buying decision. If a product meets or exceeds their needs, they will purchase the product. That is simple stuff. But the problem comes in when there are two or more products that have the same features and benefits for the same price. This is where understanding your customers product selection process is vital.

 

This isn't a question of what makes your product better than your competitors - the products are exactly the same. The packaging is even equally appealing to the customer. It's what is written on the outside of the package, or in your advertising that will make the difference. So, the real question is what to say to the customer and how to say it. Of course, you would list features of the product and the benefits that the customer will receive from the use of your product. But, the competitor is going to tell them the same thing. So, it comes down to 'how' you are going to tell them.

 

A woman needs to buy dish washing soap. She goes to a store that only carries two brands of dish soap, and she isn't partial to either brand. Both brands are the same price, the same scent, and both soften hands, leave glasses spotless, have a special cleanser that makes the removal of dried on food easier and virtually makes grease disappear. The soap is even the same color.

 

Take a look at the features and benefits. You must understand the difference between features and benefits. Features relate to the product, while benefits relate to the customer. Benefits: soft hands, spotless glasses, less time scrubbing off dried on food. Features: special cleanser. On the packaging, Product A states that it softens hands while you do dishes and leaves your glasses spot free. It also says that it contains a particular cleanser, such as Kryptonite, but doesn't explain what Kryptonite actually does. Product B states that it softens hands while you do dishes and leaves your glasses spot free. It also states that it will make the removal of dried on food and grease easier. The woman buys product B.

 

Basically, the customer wants to know what features a product has and how it benefits them. They want to know in a language that they understand, and they want you to be specific - but not overly specific. That woman in our example had no idea what the special cleanser was, and she didn't care. What she cared about was soft hands, spot free glasses, and less time scrubbing the dishes so she could go watch her favorite television show.

 

People tend to think in abstracts. In other words, we think in the form of ideals, not in terms of actual things. So, when you list the features of your product, you can list actual things, such as specific ingredients, but then you must state the ideal benefit from the ingredient, such as removing dried on food easier. Benefits should always be stated in abstract form. For instance, product B broke the special cleanser down from an actual thing (the cleanser), to an ideal (easier removal of dried on food) - which therefore turned the feature into a benefit (less time scrubbing dishes).

 

It is important to remember these factors when you are writing your ad copy or designing the packaging for your products. Features and benefits are the main selling points of any product or service. But you must relate the features to the benefits.

 

 

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Does Your Creative Flow Need a Jump Start?

In this world, there are those who are creative and those who aren't. While that statement sounds pretty cut-and-dry, it's not always true. The ability to generate good ideas can be learned through a process that's designed to nurture your creative side. Once that becomes part of a pattern, these ideas will come about as part of a natural process that will assist you in every area of your life.

 

If we think about the circumstances that lead people to be creative, we'll see that the old adage which states, "Necessity is the mother of invention," is quite true. Why do you suppose the wheel was first invented? For the same reason that all other creations were developed...to meet some type of need or to solve a specific problem. In the case of the wheel, the fact that objects couldn't be transported with ease meant that some other way had to be found for taking something from Point A to Point B - ergo, the wheel was born. All good ideas are approached in the same manner: identify the need, consider possible ways to meet that need and design an object that will do just that. That doesn't mean that you can't consult with other people in order to gain an outside perspective. It simply means that you have to create the structure which serves as the basis for a good idea, and then put it into action, either individually or with the help of others.

 

In order to be successful in the art of "good ideas," we need to expand our understanding of the process. One of the main tools for arriving at the solution to a problem is investigation. By being a good sleuth, you'll be able to gain a better understanding of the problem and the possible avenues by which you'll arrive at a sensible solution. Don't hem yourself in when it comes to researching the facts. A good investigator thinks outside of the box and doesn't get weighed down by tunnel vision. You must open your mind to all possibilities on all levels.

 

When an idea pops into your head, don't dismiss it as being uncreative or too complex. All of the ideas that come to you should be written down, so that you can make time to sift through them at some point. The way to find a good idea is by eliminating those that either don't work or are so impractical that they're not worth the burden of exploring. Draw on all parts of your mind to generate ideas, even ones that may seem silly or - perhaps - a bit too analytical for your tastes. Only by tapping into all of your reserves will you be able to find that truly great idea. Of course, in order to arrive at the best possible solution to whatever the problem happens to be, you're going to need to possess the ability to see the "big picture". If your cognitive skills aren't what they should be, then you're in danger of stopping short and not seeing the true outcome of the solution that you choose.

 

Another way to generate a good idea is to look for solutions in unusual places. It's often too easy to stick to the more tried-and-true methods of arriving at a particular conclusion, but that's not utilizing the creative process; that's simply mechanical investigation, which is something that anyone can do, given the opportunity. Who would have thought, back in the days when the phone was first invented, that one day we would be communicating through online technology that allows us to see and hear each other over the internet? It probably never would've happened if someone hadn't been willing to consider possibilities that were outside the normal realm of thought.

 

Those who are truly successful at finding creative solutions to problems (these are the ones who generate great ideas!) are those who can't seem to let go of the problem until they've found an idea that will provide a solution. We've all heard of people who are so intent on finding a creative solution to a problem that they can seem to think of nothing else. Some refer to them as "Type A Personalities," while others just see them as obsessive. One thing is certain, though: they get the job done and don't get sidetracked by distractions of any kind. They stay on the problem until they've conquered it, and usually come up with quite a few good ideas in order to accomplish that task.

 

While you may have heard that a bit of R&R is essential to your overall good health, it's also critical for your thinking processes to have a rest now and then. In fact, ideas often present themselves at such times when the conscious thought of the problem has been put on the proverbial back burner. In some cases - though, perhaps, more rare - ideas for solving problems can be passed to us through our dream process. That means that you don't have to over-exert yourself to be consumed by the thought of finding a solution during every waking moment of the day. If you learn to relax a bit and let your creative juices flow, great ideas may come to you when you least expect them to, and you can enjoy a bit of relaxation in the process.

 

Don't be discouraged if you haven't generated any sensational ideas that will solve a particular problem. It sometimes happens that the situation will be resolved when an idea presents itself at some future point in time, after you've stopped pouring your energy into it on a 24/7 basis. Just remember that there's a solution to every problem somewhere on the horizon and, by applying these processes to your every day thinking patterns, you'll soon train yourself to be more open to novel ideas and find the solutions to those problems much more quickly and creatively.

 

If, after applying these techniques, you discover that you're still having difficulty generating creative ideas, then it may be a good idea to turn to those whose career it is to think creatively. For instance, if you're attempting to come up with some great marketing ideas in order to sell a particular product, but you haven't found anything particularly compelling yet, consult with a marketing firm. One of the best examples of this type of business is DivaDesignWorld in Portland, Oregon. This particular company has achieved great success and boasts a full staff of creative experts. They're known for being reasonably priced, flexible in their approach and working well with clients. So, if your thinking cap has lost the juice in its battery, contact DivaDesignWorld to do your thinking for you.

 

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Autoresponders: The Proof in the High-Tech Marketing Pudding

If you haven't yet become educated in the area of the autoresponder, then you may well be missing out on a significant amount of sales. These e-mail generated responses have helped some of the most successful members of the business community to achieve frontrunner status. In addition to generating the extra revenue, autoresponders can go one step beyond and even deposit the funds into your bank account. Were you to ask those individuals who utilize such a strategy, they would tell you that they virtually make money in their sleep.

 

There are different levels of automatically generated e-mail responses. The true autoresponder is multi-functional and provides the benefits of advertising, revenue boosts, client retention, order-taking, invoicing, shipping and banking transactions. For instance, suppose clients tend to ask the same sort of questions regarding your products or services. Using an autoresponder, you can provide your customers with a FAQ - or Frequently Asked Questions - page. This saves time and effort on both the part of the customer and your business - which results in a money-saving scenario.

 

A large portion of our contact with the outside world today is through the e-mail system. Just as with any other system, these can sometimes fail due to glitches, server problems and a variety of other technological anomalies that may surface. The result is that, unless you have an autoresponder which confirms the receipt of their e-mail, customers may be left to wonder whether or not their communication was received. The autoresponder confirmation allows them to know that their message has been delivered, and that their questions or concerns will be addressed within a certain amount of time, as indicated within the body of the autoresponder's message.

 

One of the best ways to know what consumers want is to simply ask them. Using your autoresponders, you can send out a survey to existing and potential clients, asking for their opinions. You might be surprised by the number of people who will respond to this, since most folks like to think that their opinion has some value in the marketplace.

 

Everyone wants something for nothing, and there's a great deal of wisdom in employing such a tactic to draw in customers for future sales. By offering them a free training course in an area that's relevant to them, you're much more likely to realize a greater sales potential as a result of their association with you through the benefits of the autoresponder. Such courses would best be presented in the form of several autoresponders - that way, it's a constant reminder that you're interested in doing business with them, and a positive way in which to maintain an open line of communication.

 

The distribution of e-books is big business in today's technological market. Use your autoresponders to deliver these - one chapter at a time - and be sure to include valuable links that might draw them to your website in order to view your products and, perhaps, make a purchase. In this way, the customer gets something for free, and you have the opportunity to make a sale. It's a win-win situation!

 

Those who are committed to doing serious research before establishing a relationship with a company often make use of their quarterly or annual business reports. This is a great way to use your autoresponder, since it puts the information into the laps of the customers without their having to go on the hunt for them. They'll appreciate the fact that you took the time to inform them, and the high-quality content will impress them. In contrast to some of the fast-pitched hard-sales tactics that some use, your company will stand out as a truly professional firm with the openness to share its news with the public. Naturally, that leads to increased sales.

 

If you've ever visited a website that was so busy with graphics flying at you from every direction that you couldn't figure out how to get from Point A to Point B, or one that was so simplistic in their presentation that it wasn't apparently obvious how to navigate the website, then you'll understand the need for a clear, well-mapped-out index. Autoresponders can be used to provide such a service to clients. If the items within the index are properly linked, then they'll have the added convenience of being able to access the information that they need right from their mailbox.

 

The only way to familiarize people with your products or services is to show them a list of what you have to offer. Set up a "menu" of the items that your company makes available to consumers, along with a set of order forms, in an attempt to bring the shop to the customers' doors, rather than waiting for them to come to you. A bit of added incentive to purchase wouldn't hurt, either, such as a coupon that's good for the next 5 days, for example. Time-sensitive materials is good for generating fast sales, and most people don't want to miss out on a deal, which makes them quite effective.

 

If you choose to use the autoresponder for the purposes of a simple advertisement, you can take advantage of sending updates, discounts and product release information through the e-mail, in addition to your hard copy advertisements. This is one way to gain additional exposure without the cost of running extra ads in a publication or buying air-time on TV.

 

Most of us don't have a lot of time to spend on reading websites, even when we're looking for specific information. By offering your customers the option of downloading the information that they need from your autoresponder, they'll be able to peruse it in their own time and spend the necessary time that it takes to locate what they're looking for without having to rush.

 

Autoresponders can also be used as an archive to store all of your past newsletters, as well as any other material that may be beneficial to the customer. In most cases, potential clients like to have the opportunity to do a bit of research on a product, service - or even the company from which it's offered - and the ability to access such information is bound to be appreciated by consumers.

 

The implementation of your autoresponders may become an issue for you once you've determined its uses within the scope of your company's needs. The thing to look for is an autoresponder package that has a proven record of usability, reliability and deliverability. If you can't count on your autoresponders to do the job for which they're intended, then you've done nothing more than waste your time and money.

 

If you're looking for solid information regarding your marketing and advertising techniques, consider contacting a professional. Diva Design World- of Portland, Oregon - is an excellent source of information for those who are in need of a bit of help when it comes to sprucing up their marketing schematics. As one of the leaders in their field, Diva Design World provides up-to-date, state-of-the-art technologies to boost the sales of large, medium or smaller businesses without the burden of a hefty price tag.

 

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