Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Modernizing the Patient Experience in Reproductive Medicine: Part 6-Making You Tube Work for You and Your Clients/Patients


Let's start off with a You Tube Hot Fact:  Social media-related YouTube stats are impressive. 

YouTube Statistics 

  • The very first YouTube video was uploaded on 23 April 2005.
  • The total number of people who use YouTube – 1,300,000,000.
  • 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute!
  • Almost 5 billion videos are watched on Youtube every single day.
  • YouTube gets over 30 million visitors per day
  • In an average month, 8 out of 10 18-49 year-olds watch YouTube.
  • By 2025, half of the viewers under 32 will not subscribe to a pay-TV service.
  • 6 out of 10 people prefer online video platforms to live TV
  • The total number of hours of video watched on YouTube each month – 3.25 billion.
  • 10,113 Youtube videos generated over 1 billion views.
  • 80% of YouTube’s views are from outside of the U.S.
  • The average number of mobile YouTube video views per day is 1,000,000,000
  • The average mobile viewing session lasts more than 40 minutes. This is up with more than 50% year-over-year.
  • Female users are 38% and male users are 62%.
  • User Percentage by Age 18-24 – 11%, 25-34 – 23%, 35-44 – 26%, 45-54 – 16%, 50-64 – 8%, 65+ – 3%, unknown age – 14%.
  • More than half of YouTube views come from mobile devices.
  • YouTube’s mobile revenue is up to 2x y/y.
  • YouTube overall and even YouTube on mobile alone reaches more 18-34 and 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.
  • The number of hours people spend watching videos (aka watch time) on YouTube is up 60% year-over-year, the fastest growth we’ve seen in 2 years.
  • You can navigate YouTube in a total of 76 different languages (covering 95% of the Internet population).
  • YouTube has launched local versions in more than 88 countries.
  • 9% of U.S small businesses use Youtube
  • Approximately 20% of the people who start your video will leave after the first 10 seconds. Create a damn good intro.
*Credit to Fortunelords 

Let You Tube help you brand YOU!



Now that you have let that sink in, below are some tips for making You Tube work for you and your patients/clients:
        Set up a channel to reflect your brand and engage with others.
        Create short videos of valuable tips of interest to your clients and prospects to show off your expertise.
        Share slides from presentations that weren’t recorded. (which, by the way, is exactly what I am doing here!!)
        Put together a creative video explaining your services.
        Promote your events using recordings of previous events.
        Introduce your staff to add authenticity.
        Post links to your videos on various social networks.
        Display company information in every video including name, URL, phone number and email address.

More You Tube tips on the next post!
* This information is from 2017 so note that these numbers have changed

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Modernizing The Patient Experience in Reproductive Medicine: Part 5- You Tube


Not only can you use You Tube for your own Videos- you can implement the following to get the most out of this amazing site!
·         Streaming Ads-Shorter is better....less than 1 min
·         Advertise on the side bar
·         Advertise on 3rd Party sites 

In the next few posts I have some great ideas for you on how to make You Tube work for you! Have you subscribed yet to this blog? You probably should so all of this great information will land in your e-mail in box and you can read it over coffee and start planning your marketing strategy for 2018!! 
**Learn more about LaMothe Services and how I can help YOU! www.LaMotheServices.com
* This chart is from 2018 so note that these numbers have changed

Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Modernizing the Patient Experience in Reproductive Medicine: Part 4- Twitter

Letting Twitter Work for You




       Invite your professional network (via e-mail, Facebook and LinkedIN) to connect with you on Twitter
       Lookup professional associates manually
       Follow other professional associates that you know or want to work with
       Post a note “tweet” about your company news, events, activities, services, promote other professionals
       Drive traffic to your Websites, You Tube, Facebook and Blogs by tweeting about posts and articles
       Utilize for opinion polls
       Build community by commenting/retweeting others
Remember that you can link these social networking sites together in several different ways. This enables you to just post in one place and have that same post show up in several different sites.
* This chart is from 2017 so note that these numbers have changed

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Modernizing the Patient Experience in Reproductive Medicine: Part 3- Facebook

First let me tell you some facts that you may or may not know. I am pretty sure if you are reading this it just might be that you saw my blog post link on my own Facebook or Twitter feed and so you already know all about what I am going to share...or not...read on and see! ;-)

Facebook Facts and Statistics

  1. Worldwide, Total number of Monthly Active Users: 2 billion.
  2. Total number of Mobile Monthly Active Users: 1.66 billion.
  3. Total number of Desktop Daily Active Users: 1.18 billion.
  4. Total number of Mobile Daily Active Users: 1.57 billion.
  5. The gender split on Facebook is 46% men and 54% women.
  6. One in five page views in the United States occurs on Facebook.
  7. More than 83% of daily active users are outside the US and Canada.
  8. The Facebook like button has been pressed 1.13 trillion times.
  9. The average time spent on Facebook per visit is 20 minutes making the average monthly time spent to 600 hours.
  10. At its current growth rate, Facebook acquires about 8 users per second. That’s 7,246 people every 15 minutes.
  11. 75% of all men and 83% of all women who use the internet can be reached via Facebook.
  12. Every 60 seconds, this is what happens on Facebook: 3,000,000 items are shared, 243,000 images are uploaded and 3,125,000 likes are generated.
  13. Currently, Facebook is available in 101 languages.
  14. Any two people on Facebook are separated by an average of 57 degrees of separation.
  15. Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp collectively process about 60 billion messages a day,3 times the number of normal SMSes sent globally.
  16. An average Facebook user has 155 friends.
  17. 87% of online users of age 18-29 are on Facebook.
  18. 56% of online Seniors aged 65+ are on Facebook and 63% are between age 50-64.
  19. About 66% of Facebook users turn to the platform for news.
  20. As reported at the end of Q1, Facebook’s revenue stands at $8.03 billion, at a 49% increase year-on-year.
  21. 80% of Facebook’s revenue comes from ads, and 20% from virtual games.
  22. 65 million businesses now have Facebook pages.
  23. Nearly one-third of Facebook users (32 percent) engage with brands regularly.
  24. 42% of marketers report that Facebook is critical or important to their business.
  25. 42% of customer service responses from brands on Facebook happen within the first 60 minutes.
  26. 70% marketers claimed that they use Facebook to acquire new customers, while 47% have said that the social network was their top influence for purchases.
With some of these numbers you might now see why you should really give due respect to what this free networking service can do for you and your business if you manage to keep up with it all. And that is not so hard to do!

Below are a few tips on how to use Facebook to your best advantage.

        Create a professional Facebook page for your Practice

        Select a business category from the drop-down menu such as “Health/Medical/Pharm.”

        Create an interesting profile, photos (office, staff, etc.)

        Advertise your new profile by sending it to all your co-workers and professional friends

        Make sure you add links to your website, You Tube, LinkedIN, Twitter and blog

        Remember to update and post several times per week
Do you have more to add? Please write down your own tips in the comment section! 

 [ FB Fact Source: ZephoriaDrumupWikipediaOmnicoreagency]

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Modernizing the Patient Experience in Reproductive Medicine: Part 2- Let's Look at Social Networking


The next few blog posts are going to focus on Social Networking. As most of you know I actually do a lot of social networking not only for myself but for quite a few clients in the Reproductive Field. It brings visibility and shares your business's very important messages. Building a following is vital and for low to no cost why not take advantage of this great marketing tool?

While at the ASRM I met with Rob Taylor from TD Media and what he uses social networking for is a practice/business advocacy tool.  This means that he takes the "Happy Patient/Client" and empowers them to become an advocate via social networking to support the clinic or business that they have had a positive experience with. This is extremely important  as potential clients are out there on Bing and Google reading everything they can about you and your business so they can make an informed decision.
My next post is all about Facebook!

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Modernizing the Patient Experience within Reproductive Medicine: Part 1- Nothing Can Replace Great Customer Service!


I spoke on a panel at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine a few years ago on the Patient Experience and the ways that would make it easier to reach people who need Assisted Reproductive Technology to build their families. As I was putting together my power point (By the way I hate doing power points but apparently that's what people want when they attend seminars!) I thought that the information I was giving to clinics can and will work just as well for Surrogacy, Egg, Sperm, and Embryo Donation Agency owners as well as Reproductive Attorneys , Mental Health Professionals, Adoption Agencies and Pharmaceutical Companies.

I am going to blog about all the great information that came out of this panel here on The Business of ART topic by topic. Please feel free to comment and add your own ways you feel would be helpful to patients suffering from infertility and/or using some form of ART to grow their families.

So ideally these Top 10 Customer Service tips are something that you and your staff are already doing. Do you have anything to add to this list? Is there something that you can improve on? How are your communication skills? How about your staff? Is their attitude 'customer friendly'? This is the first step to making your company better than anyone else's!



Friday, August 14, 2020

Setting Up The Surrogacy Agency: The LLC


I am going to cheat on this one and give you an article from About.com. I had a business attorney to go through all the in's and outs regarding an LLC and that's what was decided upon. It'a up to you to decide what's best.

The Limited Liability Company, or LLC
BY: Scott Allen

The Limited Liability Company, or LLC, has in recent years become the most popular legal structure for small businesses wishing to incorporate. The exact requirements vary slightly from state to state, but setting up an LLC is a relatively simple process that can usually be done in an hour or less, depending on the complexity of your organizational structure.

Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 1-4 hours, depending on complexity of company

Here's How:

Obtain a copy of your state's LLC Articles of Organization form from your state's Secretary of State office. When you contact them, also find out if the state in which you are incorporating requires you to post a notice in the newspaper. Also find out any specific rules regarding business names.

Choose a name for your business that complies with your state's rules for LLC business names. The main part of the business name is generally very flexible, but each state has a list of prohibited words, such as "Corporation", "Incorporated", "Insurance", "City", and others. Your legal name must end with an LLC designator, such as "Limited Liability Company", "LLC", etc. Also, the name can not be the same as another LLC on file in the state in which you are filing.

Fill out the LLC Articles of Organization form. This is usually a relatively simple process, as the only things you need to notify the state about regarding your LLC are items such as name, its business purpose, principal office address, the "registered agent" for receiving any legal documents, and the names of the initial members. You do NOT have to specify at this point the ownership distribution or management structure, just the names of the LLC's members.

Publish a notice in your local newspaper of your intention to form an LLC (if required by your state - don't waste the money otherwise). This should be done prior to filing your Articles of Organization. Currently this is only required in Arizona and New York. Check with your state's Secretary of State to be certain.

Submit your Articles of Organization form to your Secretary of State along with the appropriate filing fee. Fees range from $40 to $900, depending on the state. Be careful: some states may have a corporate tax which is separate from the filing fee but must be paid at the time of filng. For example, California has only a $70 filing fee, but an $800 annual tax.

That's it, you're done! At least legally, that is. Now wasn't that easy? While you're done in terms of legal requirements, there's still a very important piece missing: the LLC Operating Agreement. However, the Operating Agreement is not required by the state, and can be created after the legal filings are done. If you are the sole owner of the LLC, you probably don't need one at this point. However, if there is so much as one other owner, it's best to make a written agreement of the terms.

Create an LLC Operating Agreement that spells out the financial and management rights and responsibilities of the LLC members, such as: who contributes what if the LLC needs additional capital, when and how profits from the business will be distributed, under what terms members can leave the LLC, etc. Even (or perhaps especially) among friends and family, leaving these questions unanswered can create strains on both the business and personal relationships down the road. Put it in writing!

Tips:

Although not legally required, you should probably work out the details of the Operating Agreement well in advance of filing the LLC Articles of Organization. You may find that someone doesn't want to be a part of it once they know the whole deal, or perhaps that you need to bring someone else in. Work it out in advance.

You can hire an attorney for this, but really, unless your organization is fairly complex, you can do this yourself.

Unless you have a compelling reason otherwise, it's generally best for small businesses to incorporate in the state in which it will principally be doing business. There are some tax and organizational advantages to registering in certain states, however. Delaware, Nevada, and recently Wyoming are the most popular for out-of-state corporate registration. Consult with an attorney or research it on the web further if you are in doubt.


Saturday, August 1, 2020

20 Survival Strategies for Your Small Business


As a business owner or manager, during the last 18 months you have been faced with shrinking profit margins and fewer customers lining up to purchase your once thought to be “hot products or services.” The question of how to survive these seemingly tough times usually results in answers such as…”we have to lay off more workers” or, “…let’s close the office located in Suburbia”.
    
The problem with this approach is that…when the economy rebounds, you will be looking to re-hire those very people you laid off in the first place. Unfortunately, you may discover that they have moved on to other jobs, gone back to school, or start their own businesses. You have then put yourself in a situation where you have to now hire and train a new employee or hire a more experienced worker who can “hit the ground running”.
Laying off employees during economic downturns should be a “last resort”. Well, at least not until you have explored all other avenues, namely trying the strategies I have outlined below. I will even go one step further. If you have already implemented some (if not all) of these strategies, or have made them an integral part of your company’s operating culture, chances are you have not cancelled your long-planned vacation to the Bahamas.

Additionally, although these key strategies can be adopted by businesses regardless of size, they are primarily geared towards Small Businesses. The definition of a small business will obviously vary by industry and, more importantly, it may depend on the business owner’s personal assessment. Regardless, you can find out the classification of your business as defined by the Small Business Association (SBA) by going to http://www.sba.gov

Survival Strategies

1. Schedule Weekly Budget Meetings. The assumption is that you have a budget. You may be surprised at how many small businesses either (a) don’t spend the time to develop a proper budget or, (b) don’t have a regular budget review process. Use the meeting to challenge managers and supervisors to find ways to reduce expenses in their respective departments (and reward them). Have the managers call in via conference calls if you have satellite offices in various parts of the country or globally. Make sure they are prepared with arguments to justify the budgets of their various departments and plans on how to cut costs.

2. Set up a Profit Committee/Task Force. This should be employee-driven. Challenge them to contribute ideas but, more importantly, reward them for good ideas that actually get implemented.

3. Revamp your performance reviews. Are the employees (especially Senior Managers) objectives aligned with company goals (i.e. increase sales, reduce expenses, improve customer service)? Are the goals more than simply rhetoric or “feel good” words? Simply put, are the objectives specific enough and…can you really “MEASURE” the progress?

4. Review your “Turnover” ratios. Profits are quickly eaten up by idle inventory a late-paying customers. Incorporate these items as a part of your budget review process. Work closely with your vendors to reduce case packs, or get simply get rid of items that don’t sell! Offer to settle with your late-paying customers or arrange for installment payments on outstanding receivables. Getting something is better than nothing in tough economic times.

5. Rely on the leverage you have with your vendors. Partnerships should be more than just “talk”. Negotiate better terms, i.e. try to increase “days to pay” for your invoices. Even taking an extra 5 days per month on a base of business valued at $1 million annually can earn your business extra interest of over $3,000, after taxes. That’s real money!

6. Change your Payroll Cycle. If you are on a weekly payroll cycle, consider moving to bi-weekly. If you are paying bi-weekly, consider moving to semi-monthly (15th and 30th). Perform a cost-benefit analysis to make sure this makes sense for your business. You can reduce payroll processing costs which can be significant especially if you have a fairly large employee base.

7. Get on the “green” bandwagon early. Become more energy efficient. Who knows…you may even qualify for tax breaks. Get employees in the habit of turning off lights when they leave conference rooms. Installing sensors for rooms or areas used infrequently may be something to think about. Turn off computers and unplug office equipment at the end of each day. According to the government’s ENERGY STAR program, 40% of the electricity that home electronics use is consumed while the products are turned off. I would imagine this applies to office equipment as well.

8. Meet with your banker. Set up a meeting right away. Not only will you be building a critical relationship (one that too many managers neglect), but ask them for ideas. They have the benefit of seeing what works (or doesn’t) for other businesses so feel free to pick their brain. Best of all…it’s free advice! Discuss things like…putting extra cash in Money Market accounts, CD’s etc. See if you can move your operating account to an interest bearing checking account. While the interest earned may not be “earth shattering”, it is still money earned without doing anything different. If there is a limit on the amount of checks that can be written in such an account, analyze the fees that the bank may charge vs. the interest that can be earned. Pay bills electronically and offer direct deposit for your employees to reduce any check writing fees. Also, are you carrying too high balance of a balance in your checking account? Work with your accountant and take a look at your cash flow to see if some of that idle money can be earning interest elsewhere.

9. Trim your travel budget (if you still have one). Telephone and/or Video Conference will save you tons of cash. Also, are the seminars and conferences you attend every year really paying off? Maybe attending 2 instead of 4 will reap the same benefits.

10. Renegotiate contracts. Bring in service providers (telephone, software, etc,) and consultants to discuss current contracts and reduce fees. Take a look at your leases (office equipment, rent, etc.). Also, are you taking full advantage of any “hidden deals” and/or discounts? Have you been paying attention to the invoices in an effort to avoid “overcharges”? Take advantage of the economic downturn. No one wants to lose a customer at this point. Where appropriate, bring other providers in to bid for your business. Caution: don’t hire them simply because they are cheap!

11. Tax strategies. If you invest a lot in equipment and are incurring high business equipment taxes Explore states with business-friendly tax codes. There are benefits to setting up an “equipment holding” company in a low tax state. Business losses and write-offs may also result in your business qualifying for various tax breaks and deductions. Talk to a good tax attorney about how to maximize these and other tax deductions for your business.

12. Budget for “reserves”. In other words, have a “contingency” or “miscellaneous” account as a line item in your budget. A good starting point would be to set aside 5% – 10% of all your total expenses for unforeseen circumstances. Keep in mind, if we could predict the future, we would all be millionaires. Incorporating the “reserve” account as an “expense” item is simply good business policy.

13. Look at your health insurance benefits. If you haven’t spoken to your Insurance Rep in a while, now would be a good time. You should be reviewing your policy every six months anyway. A slight change in your workforce level can have a significant impact on the employer (and employee) is your contract coming up for renewal? Can you break the contract without incurring any fees? You may be able to find a good deal out there without sacrificing coverage.

14. Conduct annual invoice audits. Look closely at the invoices received from your vendors. If you don’t have a good system for monitoring the invoices before they are paid, you may be surprised at the number of duplicate or erroneous payments that can occur. An extra “0″ added to a $1,000 invoice results in a $10,000 payment and a $9,000 mistake. Incentivize your employees when they discover these errors. For example, if they recover monies, split it with them. It’s a “win-win” deal!

15. Go after abandoned customers. If a competitor closed its doors, that should spell “O P P O R T U N I T Y”. The customer may be cutting back, but when things get better or they find a new job, they will be back. You will want to make sure you are well positioned to fill the gap left by your competitor.

16. Explore new sales markets. As strange as it may seem, an economic downturn is the perfect time to look for opportunities in new markets. Territories once shunned (especially overseas) now deserve a second or third look. Again, get ideas from your employees.

17. Stay involved in your community. Don’t cut back on your sponsorship of community events and charitable donations. The money spent on the uniforms for the Little League Baseball team is “big deal”. People remember this stuff. Those people are potential customers or good referral sources. Actually, its worth much more than the tons of money you spent for the sign at your local Major League Baseball stadium. You know…the one that nobody notices!

18. Do you twitter? Do you have a presence on the social networking sites? Yes, I do mean Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. Are your employees set up on LinkedIn? Even if you are a “Mom and Pop” type businesses, consider paying one of your tech savvy employees 15 or 20 cents extra a week to post updates and monitor these sites for you if you do not have the “know how.”

19. Part-time and Independent Contractors. Before you consider laying off, explore the possibility of reducing hours or changing the status of an employee to “Independent Contractor”. The employees will still appreciate having an income and, at the same time, you will save money on payroll taxes and/or health insurance contributions you were obligated to.

20. Finally…be honest with employees. Don’t tell them today things are great, and then tomorrow start laying off. On the other hand, if things are really tough, let them know. If you build an honest relationship and take the time to let you know how much you appreciate their effort, they will “go to bat” for you during the tough times. If you do have to resort to laying them off, they will understand even if it hurts. Chances are, if you have implemented the other 19 strategies mentioned her and made them an integral part of your company’s culture, your employees will be the ones saving your company from going under in an economic downturn.


Author: Donald Harper
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Saturday, April 27, 2019

6 Ways to Create a Culture of Gratitude in Your Organization

From my personal experiences, I always have a wonderful high that lasts the whole day when I feel that I am appreciated....and someone has actually taken the time to verbalize their gratitude to me. Read below about the 6 ways YOU can create a culture of Gratitude where you work. Thank YOU for reading!

Sharon LaMothe

LaMothe Services, LLC


6 Ways to Create a Culture of Gratitude in Your Organization

By: Liz Jazwiec

If you want to make this the season of gratitude at your organization, the following tips will help you hardwire workplace gratitude from the ground up.

Say thanks. When someone does something kind for you, whether it’s your boss, your coworker, or a stranger, recognize it. A simple “thanks” will do. “You can’t expect people to appreciate you if you don’t receive their kindnesses and compliments with thankfulness,” says Jazwiec. “Sure, you might be skeptical if your boss goes to a leadership conference, and upon his return starts handing out compliments left and right. But just stop and think. Are those compliments making people happy? When you are recognized, does it give you even just the tiniest little twinge of happiness?

Adopt an “it’s the thought that counts” attitude. Consider this scenario: A new VP at a hospital wants to do something special for her hardworking, overworked staff. It’s decided that pizza will be provided for the entire hospital staff, rolling out over a Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to ensure that every person on every shift can take a pizza break. The pizza plan goes into effect and the VP, who arranged everything, walks around the departments, expecting to be welcomed with open arms by an appreciative staff. Instead she finds that many of the teams taking care of patients are upset because they can’t leave their patients to go down to the cafeteria where the pizzas are located. Meanwhile they complain, the business office and IT staffs are able to go to the cafeteria as they please.

“Sometimes you have to take into account the intentions of your boss or your coworkers. If it is clear that they meant for something to be a way of thanking you or helping you, don’t complain about how they missed the mark. Thank them for thinking of you and move on.”

Communicate openly and honestly. If it’s gratitude you need, tell someone. Often your leaders or coworkers can be so tied up in their own tasks that they forget about those working around them. The natural reaction when this happens is to either hold in your negative feelings or complain to another coworker. But a more proactive stance might be to opt for open and honest communication.

Be prepared for some kind words. If you are unaccustomed to getting compliments, it may take some time for you to feel comfortable receiving them. Just practice and be prepared for some kind words.

Thank those you serve. Once you have mastered the gratitude thing with your bosses and your coworkers, you need to move on to the people you serve. “When I first told my staff that we ought to be thanking our patients, one of them replied, ‘What are we supposed to say? Thank you for breaking your leg?’” relates Jazwiec. “Obviously not. I suggested they say, ‘Thank you for putting your trust in us today.’ Regardless of your line of work, there is no better time to start showing your customers you appreciate them than in a slow economy.

Know that gratitude encourages repeat performances. Leaders, remember the behavior you recognize will be repeated. If you think an employee handled a disgruntled customer well or showed great proficiency in managing a group project, let him or her know about it and they’ll work hard to do the same, or even better, next time. And employees, if you acknowledge your boss’s efforts to show gratitude, they will keep doing it. Thank your boss for going to bat for you and your coworkers over a new piece of equipment you need or a pay raise dispute, and he or she will be more likely to do it again in the future.



About the AuthorLiz Jazwiec is a nationally renowned speaker, strategist, and consultant who has shared her passion for leadership, engagement, and service with audiences across the country.

Thursday, April 4, 2019

3 Steps to Becoming a Trusted, Customer-Focused Business

Where has the customer service gone people ask....maybe department stores can ignore the importance of customer service these days but "service related" industry's simply CAN NOT afford to allow their clients to believe they are not special, unique and cared about. Your clients are your number ONE marketing and networking tool. Seriously folks! If you have a happy client they are going to spread the word about how wonderful, compassionate and caring you are...have a client who is disgruntled, unsatisfied and ignored will cost you more than money when THEY start telling their story! Customers need to know that you care...that they mean something to you other then a pay check. Treat them as you would like to be treated and watch your business grow!

Sharon
http://lamotheservices.com



Times Are Tough. Do Your Customers Know You Care?


3 Steps to Becoming a Trusted, Customer-Focused Business
by Larry Streeter, Constant Contact Vice President, Customer Support

Here in the Constant Contact Customer Support center, we have the benefit of connecting with our users every day -- either by phone, through live chat, or via email. We've been listening carefully to what they're saying about how the economy is impacting their businesses and their lives. And you know what? We've learned something very interesting and extremely valuable to any business or organization:

A down economy is the best time to connect with your customers.

Consumers are seeking trusted business sources to hear their concerns and provide them with options. Customers want your ear and your empathy. They want to be heard and acknowledged. They need to know that you understand and care about what they're going through -- even if they're not buying from you at this point in time.

It comes down to this: You may have the best product or service out there, but that alone won't guarantee your success if you haven't built loyal bonds with your customers. As we've often said, your existing customers are your best customers. They will thank you with their repeat business and send you business referrals. And they will think of you when they're ready to buy -- in good times and in bad. But customer loyalty must be earned.

Unlike big business, small organizations are uniquely able to cater to customer needs and earn their loyalty. How do you do that? By being 100% customer focused every day, with every interaction, in every aspect of your business. Here are three ways simple ways you can earn their loyalty by focusing on super-serving your customers.

1. Be Passionate About Your Customers
Being passionate about your customers starts with listening to and hearing their concerns. Make sure you always understand what the customer is saying or asking. Educate them on the value of the products and services you provide, and offer them solutions based on what they need. Passion means proving to customers you are vested in their success.

Passion also means being accessible, accountable, and HONEST. If there's a problem, don't gloss over it. Own it. And don't quit until you make it right. Saying, "I'm sorry, let's work this out" goes a long way toward earning your customer's gratitude and return business. Get on the phone or send an email and make that personal connection.

2. Use Every Interaction as an Opportunity to Build a Relationship
Consumers today are feeling beat up and shrugged off by the sorry state of some big-business customer service. Customers desire connection.

We have a mantra here: "Leave no customer unsatisfied." We give every customer our utmost respect and complete attention. This applies to all our users -- whether they are a current customer or have just signed up for a free trial. We make sure that with every interaction with our support team, that the caller is completely satisfied. And we take a lot of pride in that.

Every interaction -- be it over the phone, in an email, or across the counter -- is an opportunity to deepen your bond with your customer. Make sure all your employees share your commitment to your customers' success.

3. Learn What's Important to Customers and Deliver It

The businesses that are going to survive this economy unscathed are the ones who are listening to their customers and adapting their businesses based on customer feedback. By letting your customers know that you are not only interested in their feedback -- but you are willing to act on it -- you can build stronger customer relationships and earn your customers' loyalty.

Extend invitations for customers to give you feedback at every opportunity. If you have a physical store, put a suggestion box at the counter -- alongside your email sign-up list.

Include an open-ended question at the end of every email marketing communication asking, "How are we doing? What could we do better?"

Survey your customers to find out what they want and need right now. Ask them, if they're not buying from you now, why not? What would it take to get their business back? Report on that feedback to your mailing list in your future email marketing communications.

Write a Question-and-Answer column in your email newsletter inviting customers to sound off and tell you what's on their minds. Offer free advice. Use customer feedback to inform your email marketing content and drive your campaigns.

The economy may be turbulent for some time. The good news is, building loyal customer bonds is an investment in your business's future. Because when the dust clears and the economy picks up again, loyal customers are more apt to come back to a trusted source with whom they've done business before. But that's true only if they believe you're focused not on what you want to sell them, but on what they need. Today that might just be a good ear that shows you care.