Is your business ready for Facebook? Read this first!

So, you’ve finally decided that you’re going to bite the bullet and get into this whole social media “thing.” Good for you! It truly is a great way to extend your reach and create a community for your customers.  But, don’t jump in too quickly.  There’s a lot more to it than simply creating a page, entering your information, and uploading a couple of pictures.

Consumers in today’s market want the real deal. And not only do they want the real deal, they want it to be current, up to date, and new. Here’s where Facebook can be a huge asset to you – you can keep your customers up to date on promotions or company news. You can also send out “Facebook fan only” one-day specials, creating a sense of urgency and making them feel special.

However, these high consumer expectations are important to consider when embarking on adding social media to your company’s marketing strategy.  If you have a Facebook page, Twitter account, LinkedIn Group, etc. you must, without exception, update that page on a consistent basis.  If a potential visitor visits your Facebook Page and finds you haven’t done an update in the last month (or even the last week) you can actually lose credibility. Now social media and all its “coolness” is working against you…

So what’s the right thing to do?  It all depends on your goals, time, and staff.

Social media can be a great tool in terms of loyalty, SEO, and advertising. However, if you or another employee can’t invest the time to keep it current – it can actually harm you.  Luckily, even if you don’t have the time to invest, this doesn’t mean you can’t still utilize these great tools – there are companies out there who can get you started, help with maintenance, or custom design your fan page.

Main Street Webworx is one of these companies. It is our goal to help our clients build their businesses and differentiate themselves from their competitors. We’re here to take the “scary” out of getting on social media or getting a great website! Every budget deserves a great website, and social media marketing is just another piece of the puzzle to take your business higher.

So… are you ready to take the leap into social media marketing?

Save Money and Grow your Business through Lean Strategies

Lean business strategies are a hot topic. There are entire B2B companies dedicated to auditing utility bills, project management, and supply chain strategies in order to help other businesses save time and money – ultimately leading to happier customers and future growth. You see, running a lean business isn’t all about just-in-time inventory and maximizing employee efficiency – it’s also about periodically evaluating fixed cost items and looking for ways to reduce your operational overhead.

For the last four months, Phoneworx has been performing FREE business phone system checkups for small businesses in Greenville, Spartanburg, and throughout the Upstate. By far the most impactful insight we’ve gained is how often companies are overpaying for telephone services. One client in particular, had a phone bill of over $2000 each month! We’re finding that customers assume these costs are just something they have to accept – like paying taxes or hang-nails. Many also are under the belief that if they’ve signed a 3-year contract then they have no options until the contract is up.

I’m here to tell you, right now, that you are NOT helpless against the telephone company!
New VoIP technology provides small businesses with a cost-effective option to reduce telephone expense over the long term. VoIP phone systems include many additional items that a telephone service provider usually charges extra for like Caller ID, Call Forwarding, or Voicemail. Plus, a quality phone system can last you up to 10 years, if not longer – making it a much more effective investment of your company dollars.

Furthermore, even if you have a contract in place, you likely have the ability to cancel or make changes at any time. Yes, you may pay early termination fees, but often times this amount is small compared to the sum of money you’ll save long-term.

So if you are like most other small businesses out there, I know that running a tight ship (i.e. being lean) is very important to your short-term gains and long-term growth. So why would you continue to pay more than you have to? Phoneworx’ Client Relationship Representatives can help you evaluate your current telephone service provider bill and provide alternatives to get your company in ship-shape!

Ask yourself, when’s the last time you took a thorough look through your company’s utility bills?

Do You Really Know How to Answer the Phone?

Ok, so here’s another topic where you are thinking: “Duh! Of course I know how to answer the phone… I pick it up and say ‘Hello’.” Simple, right? Maybe not. Have you ever really thought about how you and your employees answer your company phone? Does the manner in which you do it change according to the weather, time of day, or day of the week? If so, you might need a quick phone etiquette ‘refresher’ with your team, or possibly want to look at other options to best greet your customers. You remember how important they are right? Without them, you don’t have much of a business, or at least won’t for long…

Now that I’ve sparked your interest, here are three key things to do when answering a company phone call:

1. If you are going to answer, always answer by the 3^rd ring. Americans generally have a very short attention span – the quicker you can pick up the phone, the better.

2. Be consistent. It’s a good idea to develop a standard script or method of answering the phone. This helps to eliminate those “oops” moments when an important client or high-value prospect calls. Make sure your employees know what they need to say; winging it is never a good idea.

3. A friendly tone is a must. Tone of voice may be the single most important factor in how a caller perceives not only the individual answering the phone, but also your business. Tone can convey an entire slew of business qualities – whether or not they are intended.

So, what can you do to ensure that your company phones are being answered in a timely, friendly, and consistent manner? Surprisingly, you’ve got options, and don’t we all love those?!

Option 1: Take the three key items above and lay out expectations with your staff. Write out a basic greeting and tape it to your office phones – this way, employees won’t have to remember it off the cuff. Once you’ve set the standard, pay attention to how well your staff is adapting. If necessary, call your office from an unknown number to test their consistency. When they do well, give positive reinforcement. Continue to coach those individuals who might not be “getting it.”

Option 2: There are outside companies you can actually hire to answer your phones (remotely) for you. If you are a one or two man company and cannot afford to miss calls or let them go to voicemail, having someone to answer the phones live can be a comforting prospect. It can help to boost your image, legitimize your company, and both gain and retain more customers. Unfortunately, you have now entered the realm of “outsourcing” a portion of your business. There really is no way to guarantee that these companies’ employees will always be in a good mood. Furthermore, because you aren’t there with them, how confident can you be that they are consistently giving the desired impression?

Option 3: You can do what we’ve done at Phoneworx and utilize an auto-attendant – a built-in feature available on our VoIP business phone system options. Auto-attendants generally answer a call on the first ring. They are always in a good mood and can provide a menu of options, ensuring callers are delivered to the phone of the employee best suited to meet their needs. Overall, auto-attendants offer a level of consistency that cannot be matched by any “live” staffers. What’s more? You can change the greeting and message at any time, giving you exceptional control over a client’s first impression of your business.

Overall, answering your office phone isn’t quite as easy as it may appear. However, it’s great to know that you have options. So, do you really know how to answer the phone?

Until next time,

- Megan