Wendy Suto |
Wendy Suto is president of Search Circus,
a Web site marketing firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. She keeps pace with
the latest optimization, link building and article submission tactics.
Before becoming an SEO consultant, Wendy was a computer instructor for
a wide range of businesses, teaching software and security programs to
children and adults alike. Businesses included Gateway Computers,
Stautzenberger College and a Catholic school in Toledo, Ohio. As a
certified SEO consultant, she will be starting SEO training classes
this spring facilities in Cleveland, Ohio. [email protected] |
Wendy Suto
has written 2 articles for SB Informer. |
View all articles by Wendy Suto... |
How to Survive and Thrive Your Business OnlineWendy Suto
December 14, 2006
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Success in a company is not about having the best technology or
being the smartest or even about having the best customer service
(although none of these could hurt). More than ever, success is now
measured in speed. Today it is about thriving in an ever-evolving world
where everything changes so rapidly – and that applies to any business.
Today is a world surrounded by buyers who want it now, want perfection
and impeccable service. In order to succeed online, your
business needs to be organized and able to handle the increased
business your web site is going to generate. Here are some guidelines
for running a business of speed and complete service. 1. Run your business of speed. It’s
a new phenomenon called Internet time; it’s a 24/7 kind of world today.
This means if you’re business is not moving ahead 24 hours a day 7 days
a week, your business is falling deeply behind. Internet time means not
only doing business quickly but doing it anytime the customer wants and
for as long as the customer wants it done. This I what the customers
demand, and what every company doing business online needs to offer.
The end result is a business that is always working, always aware of
potential business, one that is always one call, email or fax away from
their clients. 2. Having effective meetings means having short meetings. Meetings
are the annoyance of many employees workplace. They involve too little
discussion, take up too much time, little gets accomplished, people
ramble on too much, and respect and open discussion are often not
granted. Meetings though are imperative, but the way in which they are
run can definitely be changed for the better. Because the Internet
world moves so fast, companies doing business online cannot afford to
have unproductive meetings. First set some genuine
detail-oriented goals for the meeting. Let people have the option of
attending, especially if the issues discussed have nothing to do with
them. Post the meeting summary in a place commonly seen by employees,
such as the break room. Start and end your meetings on time, and stay
within thirty minutes to one hour. Have two or three shorter meetings
through the day, with short goals to be accomplished by the next
meeting. Also, don’t bore people with anything not on the agenda.
Lastly, make the meetings enjoyable; use skits, slideshows, charts,
even puppets to get your point across. These moments will likely stick
in employee’s heads over the long, drawn-out boring ones. 3. Email several times a day. In
the Internet world, CEOs and employees alike uses technology to
supercharge productivity. With all of the pagers, cell phones, laptops,
personal organizers and more, email is definitely the most valuable
tool. Set up email power sessions with employees; it allows for
communication with many employees at the same time and resolves any
issues fast. With an email message, you are ensured your message gets
delivered to all the right people exactly how you wanted to say it,
without the hassle of applying phone tag with employees or risk
miscommunication and misunderstanding. Throughout the work day, make
blocks of time strictly to email (sending and receiving) at least three
to four times a day too. 4. Brand matters on the Internet. If
your business is going to succeed in the Internet world, you will not
only need to capture the market share, but also work on improving
customer relationships. Whenever your potential or current customers
need your products or services, where will they go online? Which Web
site will they choose first? Will it be yours? Some tips to increase
your business brand online include discovering a way to position
yourself as being unique from your competitors. Create the right image,
and be sure you continue to reinforce that brand image in everything
your company does online and offline. Increase the number of online
visitors to your Web site through a variety of Internet marketing
strategies. Even if your business only sells locally, do not be afraid
to think and market yourself internationally on the Internet.
Advertise, advertise, advertise. Remember the importance of earning
your customers trust too. 5. The power of feedback. Ask
your customers for feedback, through emails, surveyed phone calls,
feedback forms on your Web site, case studies and letters. Ask for
feedback often, whenever you are testing out a new product, reviewing
sales on an existing product or service, or simply because you want to
know how your customers feel about your company. Don’t neglect
receiving feedback from your employees too; they know your business too
because they work with you. 6. Most importantly, have fun! Create
a working environment where your employees feel free to mix a little
fun into their daily routines and express themselves comfortably. After
all, a happy employee is a productive one. Let your employees know they
are appreciated and needed too, and they will be proud to come to work
with you. The Internet world is about building a better
business environment through increased communication, greater
convenience, personal enjoyment and greater access to information. How
does your business measure up online?
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