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  • 07-Jul-10 22:11 | Nova Yeoman (administrator)
    The impact of the "global economy" has had a ripple effect causing our nation's businesses to lose much of the market share.  The loss in jobs has resulted in a cycle of business closures, which just results in more job loss and so on.  Marketing costs have sky rocketed and much of the traditional advertising methods have proven ineffective in this new post recession era.

    So how do you attract shoppers these days? 

    Here are the top 5 ways to attract new shoppers:

    1.  Magnetism - The owner and the staff should have the kinds of personalities that are difficult to resist.  My orthodontist, Dr. Eric Brust, from the Downriver area in Taylor, is so darned charming and kind!  But what's better--his staff is just as charming and inviting.  They are all sweet, patient and very happy!  I enjoy going to this office, even though after adjustments my mouth is sore.  I still feel that the experience is a positive one thanks to Dr. Brust and his entire staff.  I'd go back and recommend others  based on his winning personality alone!  Can your shoppers say that about you and/or your staff?

    2.  Honesty - Don't lie to make a sale.  If you can't help someone, then be honest  about it.  It's okay not to know something.  Have an arsenal of great people within your network to refer out if a job is just not the right fit for you.  But whatever you do, don't promise something that you can't deliver.  It will hurt you more in the long run.  I appreciate honesty and will refer someone to others if I know they are trustworthy.

    3.  Positivity - Your enthusiasm should be infectious!  You should love what you do so much that it shines through your every pore.  If you don't, you'll have a hard time selling it to others.  If you aren't positive--positive about your passion, positive about the way you approach life, then you must be negative and negativity will only repel a customer.  Smile and let light shine through you.  Sounds corny, but it goes back to tip number 1.  Positivity attracts more positivity and shoppers!

    4.  Backwards Bending - Bend over backwards for your customer.  That's right!  It can be a long road to cultivate a fiscal relationship with a shopper.  If they are going to spend money with you and continue to spend money, they want to see that you are willing to go the extra mile.  Why?  Because competition is so steep these days and customers know they can find someone else who will do it--if you won't.  Give it all you've got!  It will come back to you in great returns.

    5.  FREEBIES - How are shoppers going to know if they like your product or service if they can't try it first?  Freebies are acts of good faith that say, "I know I am so good at what I do that I am willing to give it away for free because I know that you'll be back for more!"  Give samples.  Give time.  Share knowledge.  Share experience.  Give discounts and give more for the price of one.  I remember a very nice gentleman whom I met during an event.  He gave me such valuable marketing advice--for free--that I will never forget him for it.  So, if you need the use of a contact center, please visit www.ACScontact.com and tell Mark that Nova from Michigan Local Perks sent you!

    We all know that times have been tough, but challenges are only opportunities to grow.  Business is an ever changing world of challenges and growth.  If you could use some assistance in taking your business to another level or working to improve your customers' experience, please take a free customer analysis and allow us to review the results during a free consultation.

    You can attract new shoppers and if you stick with our advice, you can even get them to spend more money!

    Can your business go the distance?


    Nova Yeoman, Mi Local Perks CEO and Customer Service Consultant

    About Us | What We Do |Why Mi Local Perks? |Mission Statement


  • 07-Jul-10 22:04 | Stephanie Keffer

    Massage therapy is an anicent healing art form dating back as many as 3,000 years. During a massage the superficial layers of your muscles are manipulated to reduce pain and stress while improving circulation. Depending of if you get Swedish vs Deep tissue it is all about the technique that is being applied. Swedish or therapeutic is the technique most people are familar with. The motions for this one are mainly a gliding motion or a kneading motion. With deep tissue you are getting into the deeper fibers of your muscles to unlock any fascia that maybe stuck. Not only does massage feel good but it has several health benefits. Some of those include:

    • Improves immunity
    • Lessens depression
    • Has been known to increase fertility
    • Eases back pain
    • Helps with migraines
    • Can help with sinus issues

    These are just to name a few but massage can help things from asthma to diabetes to paitents in rehabilitation and fatigue.

    Your probably wondering how that relates to you. Well massage is a great way to improve your health and the power of touch is something everyone needs. Do you have aches and pains? Massage can dramaticly reduce those symptoms and improve your quality of life. If you have never had a massage start out with a Swedish massage to see if you like it and what kind of pressure you can handle. You may think a deep tissue massage is what you need but if you have never had a massage or it has been awhile start out light.

  • 27-Jun-10 21:38 | Nova Yeoman (administrator)

    Today's social media has become a force to be reckoned with.  It can make the difference between making or breaking a company.  Why?  Because the world is now connected and talking!  The old saying, "one person knows at least ten people who know at least ten people and so on…" has been replaced with, one person has about a 100 friends on Facebook, about 200 followers on Twitter and who knows how many pals on MySpace?  With technology advancing to the point where thoughts can be transmitted and shared to hundreds, if not thousands in a blink of an eye, a business owner needs to be aware of what customers are saying about them.

    Tweetdeck is a handy tool that actually makes it easier for customers to post their reviews, both positive and negative, across multiple social media outlets.  It's a one stop shop.  Now customers only have to tell their story once and they have an audience of potential shoppers waiting to listen.  Social media is not going anywhere and should be taken seriously.  If you are a business owner, seek to get connected even if to observe activity.  Are you aware of how your patrons feel about your products or services?  If you haven't already, register for both a Twitter and Facebook account and monitor them closely.  Here are some other things you can do to make sure that your customers only have good things to say about your business.

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    • Try to nip customer issues in the bud early.  Take all complaints seriously and seek to rectify them as soon as possible.

    • Reach out to individual customers.  Do your best to make each shopper feel special.  Even it’s just a smile or a handshake.  Make a connection.

    • Maintain a connection.  With all the customers you come in contact with, it could be difficult to truly stay connected with all of them.  However, with today’s internet tools, there are ways.  E-mail newsletters or alerts are great ways to pop into a customer’s e-mail box and say, “Hey, don’t forget about us.  We’re still here to serve you.”

    • Ask the question.  Customer surveys and feedback forms are vital.  Find out what your customers think about your product or service. 

    • Take the critique to heart.  Try to improve in areas mentioned.  Don’t be afraid to hear the worst.  If you don’t know what’s wrong, how can you fix it?

    Social media provides a new way to communicate that is not going away any time soon.  Don’t stick your head in the sand and hope that all the tweets and postings are good news.  Pay attention to what is being said, but most importantly, do your best to influence what is being said by offering the utmost in customer service and integrity in business practice.


    Nova Yeoman, Mi Local Perks CEO and Customer Service Consultant

    About Us | What We Do |Why Mi Local Perks? |Mission Statement 
     

  • 27-Jun-10 21:35 | Nova Yeoman (administrator)

    Who knew a pickle could cause such a…well…pickle?  (Sorry, I couldn’t help it.)  But this story only goes to show that what may appear as trivial to one person makes a loud and resounding statement to another.

    A shopper at Somerset Mall in Troy, Michigan had previously visited the food court and enjoyed a signature corn beef sandwich with a pickle.  Upon her return a few weeks later, she anxiously awaited an encore culinary experience.  Sandra, a professional hair stylist for over 20 years, says, “The pickle makes the corn beef sandwich.  Anyone who has had a corn beef knows that.”

    Apparently, this establishment serves two styles of pickle, one familiar as the “old dill” and then another known as the “new dill”.  The “new dill” pickle resembles a cucumber with a crisp, light, white texture, opposed to the greener pickle that may lack that proper crunch.

         
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    So, when going back to the food court with palette fixed for a delicatessen delight, Sandra waited patiently to place her order.  As she watched the customers before her receive the unique “new dill”, she could barely wait for her own plate.  When the moment finally arrived, imagine her dismay when her order did NOT include the “new dill”.  “I saw that I was given a different kind of pickle and had to ask for the new dill.” 

    At this point, everyone is wondering what is the big deal with this pickle?  Well, believe it or not, it wasn’t the pickle, but what the pickle represented.  “I saw the patrons in front of me be given the ‘new dill’.  I even saw the people after me be given it as well.  The only difference between me and everyone else is that I’m black and everyone else was white.” 

    With southern roots and memories of living through a turbulent and violent era of oppression for blacks, Sandra was taken back to a time when restaurants treated “colored” folks differently.  “I was livid.  I couldn’t even enjoy my meal.  I stormed up to the counter and asked the clerk point blank, ‘do you only give the new pickles to white people?’  He turned beet red and apologized, but could give no other explanation for what had occurred.”   

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    Sandra declined the offer to speak to a manager, “I didn’t see the point.  There was nothing left to say.  The damage had been done.”  Later, it was discovered that store policy was generally to provide the “new dill” first, allowing patrons to ask for the “old dill”, if they so desired.  Ultimately, that lent credence to the allegations.

    When asked if she would ever patronize that establishment at Somerset Mall again, she responded, “I don’t think so.  The whole experience has left me with a bad taste in my mouth and I every time I think about it I get angry.  Why should I give them almost $10 for a corn beef and a pickle if they don’t want to treat me with the same dignity as everyone else?  I can take my business elsewhere.” 


    Nova Yeoman, Mi Local Perks CEO and Customer Service Consultant

    About Us | What We Do |Why Mi Local Perks? |Mission Statement

  • 27-Jun-10 20:20 | Nova Yeoman (administrator)

    Business cards have been the staple of business operation seemingly since the dawn of time.  They are such a commodity that many would rather be caught with their pants down than without their business card! 

    Remember your last networking event?  Think back to how you were gingerly talking up the benefits of your product or service when you stop and say, "Let's set up a meeting to discuss this more in depth.  Let's exchange business cards."  Heck, I'm sure that happens all the time.  I am gulity of this myself!   So what's the problem?

    The problem is that business cards have become as cliche and ineffective as online banner advertisements.  People see them and may even hold onto them for a while, but do they ACT on them?  Do they tuck them away in a drawer?  Do they take the time to pass the cards on as referrals to those who can utilize your services?  Or do they simply throw them away? 

    A few weeks ago, I was leaving a local Downriver event when I stopped by the trash to dispose of my cup.  As I released the cup into the can, I just happened to look down to find a pile of business cards sitting right on top of the rest of the refuse!  I was horrified!  It's bad enough that everyone of those business owners had put forth their time and investment to create their business card, BUT on top of that, the person who came to the event would have been well aware that business cards would be exchanged.  Why in the world would that person not even have the courtesy to take the cards with them?  I have to say, it really ticked me off to see that! 

    So, I started thinking just how valuable are business cards if they aren't taken seriously?  And then it hit me! 

    This might shock everyone because business cards are pretty cheap to print, but it might be an idea to stop handing out your business card and take another approach.

    Have gift certificates on hand instead!  Gift certificates are actually perfect marketing tools! 

    • Who doesn't like the idea of receiving a gift?
    • Create gift certificates giving a dollar or percentage of funds towards your products or services.  Meaning that the person has to try what you are selling to utilize the gift certificate!
    • If the person who receives the gift certificate can't use it, they are more likely to pass it on simply because it is a gift certificate!
    • Place an expiration on the gift certificate to spur action within a reasonable amount of time.
    • Make an unforgettable impression!

    Michigan Local Perks offers customer service consulting that includes creative ways to market your business.  As a result, we offer affordable printing of a variety of promotional tools, like gift certificates.  We can print as many professional gift certificates as you like, starting at only $30 plus shipping.  Include your logo and contact information on a beautifully printed full color certificate and receive FREE envelopes to complete the presentation.

    • Use them during marketing events.
    • Mail them to special customers or clients.
    • Even sell them during holiday or other sales events.

    Since a gift certificate has all of your information with logo, but includes blank areas that allow you to personalize and specialize each for specific promotional situations, it makes perfect marketing sense! 

    Think about it.  Do you think I would have actually found a stack of gift certificates in the trash? 

    No way!


    Nova Yeoman, Mi Local Perks CEO and Customer Service Consultant

    About Us | What We Do |Why Mi Local Perks? |Mission Statement

 
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