Monthly Archives: December 2019

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Keepin Up with Expectations

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The question “What do my customers want?” is maybe even more confounding than the 3000 year old Riddle of the Sphinx. Guessing incorrectly in either case brings the same fate—death (of the business, if not the owner). I suppose we can lay it all at the feet of digital innovation, which has raised the bar on customer expectations. Customers now expect the same level of end-to-end prompt, seamless performance and service from the small and mid-size companies that they still (thankfully!) patronize as they receive from well-funded and staffed multinational corporations. The little people must now work smarter, be evermore creative and resourceful and OMG hustle if we want to be viable.

According to a 2018 Salesforce CX Report, where 6,700 B2B and B2C buyers answered survey questions on technology, trust and the customer experience, 80 % of responders feel that the buying experience a company provides is as important as the products and services it provides. The report also found that if customers are dissatisfied, they’re ready to jump ship—75 % agree that it’s easier than ever to take their business elsewhere. So just because your customers are cozying up to you now doesn’t mean that they won’t look over your shoulder to see who else is in the room. https://c1.sfdcstatic.com/content/dam/web/en_us/www/assets/pdf/datasheets/trends-in-integrated-customer-experience-salesforce-research.pdf

The State of the Connected Customer, a 2019 Salesforce survey of 8,000 B2B and B2C buyers, found that customers will switch brands for what they perceive as a better customer experience. The survey concludes that customers expect good-to-great experiences from companies they know or would like to try out. The report also shows that trust and company values are important building blocks of customer relationships. https://www.salesforce.com/content/dam/web/en_us/www/documents/infographics/2019-state-of-the-connected-customer-infographic.pdf

At the same time, customer expectations are continually shifting as a result of their ongoing interactions with the world around them. For business owners and leaders, this means that in order to get a handle on creating the most desirable customer experience it is necessary to reexamine / reevaluate the customer experience at our organizations, this time from the customer’s perspective.

By way of understatement, customer expectations are not always predictable. How a customer judges their experience will not always align with what business owners and leaders have assumed about the experience their company provides. According to a 2017 report compiled by the uber consulting firm Accenture, 73% of B2B buyers want the customer experience to resemble that of a B2C company. https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-60/Accenture-Strategy-B2B-Customer-Experience-PoV.pdf#zoom=50

We also know that the personal touch is highly valued. In 2015, The Harvard Business Review reported that companies that successfully master the art of personalization for their customers can reduce customer acquisition costs by as much as 50 %, increase revenue by as much as 15 % and increase the effectiveness of marketing dollars spent by up to 30 %. https://hbr.org/2015/11/how-marketers-can-personalize-at-scale

The fact is that the customer experience is impacted by customer expectations and those expectations play a significant role in how our customers perceive and judge our organization. Customers today expect the companies with which they do business to know their preferences and they want those preferences reflected in every interaction, whether online or face-2-face. 

What business leaders can do

First, recognize and define what the ideal customer experience in your organization looks like and take steps to ensure that the standard is consistently met. Remember to assume the viewpoint of the customer and guard against internal bias. Second, stay abreast of market research that reports on your industry to discover trends and evaluate what your organization can afford to do and what it can’t afford to not do, in response. Third, guarantee that all customer-facing staff understands the value of delivering a first-rate customer experience and empower staff to support the delivery of that first-rate customer experience. Training is often necessary to show organization leaders how to create an empowered culture for employees and teach customer-facing staff how to graciously and effectively meet (reasonable) customer expectations.

Creating a superior customer experience at your organization requires significant planning and flawless execution. Be aware that every facet of your organization has a contribution to make as you respond to your customer’s evolving expectations. As you prepare your organization to study and improve the customer experience provided, consider how customers and prospects might view your company’s website content and functionality, sales distribution methods, payment systems, content marketing, social media, sales distribution, business hours and other factors that directly or indirectly impact the buying and customer experience at your organization.

Happy New Year and thanks for reading,

Kim

Photograph: © Richard Termine for The New York Times. Samantha Barks (center) in the Broadway musical Pretty Woman (2018).

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Multiplication Table: Inclusive Interpretations of Business Growth

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I’m not much of a gambler, but I’ll wager that at least 75% of those who aim to track the growth of their business or self-employment venture follow just two metrics—net profit and market share (or the length of the client list). The two are reliable indicators of business performance and so most will look no further. But if you think about it, limiting one’s assessment of a business to just two metrics is short-sighted and will not yield a comprehensive measurement of business performance. Furthermore, focusing exclusively on revenue means one is likely to overlook other metrics that demonstrate growth.

A business is a complex organism that consists of numerous variables that play a role in its success or failure. In order to thoroughly measure the performance of a venture, Freelancers and business owners would be wise to look beyond the usual suspects and broaden their view and understanding of what’s going on.

It’s a beautiful thing to regularly monitor Key Performance Indicators. It’s even better to know which KPIs, when considered together, will accurately reflect the state of the venture. Revenue and profit are the king and queen of KPIs, but forward-thinking business leaders also monitor less obvious but still powerful growth indicators.

Let’s consider two metrics that matter in every business, churn and referrals. Churn occurs when customers who could reasonably be expected to at least periodically do business with a company instead sever contact and take their business elsewhere, presumably to a competitor. The opposite of churn is customer retention. Referrals are recommendations of potential customers to a business, made by current customers of that business or those who are familiar with the business. A business leader should not only monitor referrals and the churn rate, but also create strategies to encourage the former and discourage the latter. Let’s talk about it.

Churn

A high churn rate indicates that the business is not retaining customers and this has an adverse effect on top line (and bottom line) revenue and profit. Now the type of business must be taken into consideration. Wedding planners, for example, can be expected to do business with a bride only once and repeat business is rare. But if customers are severing contact with a business and seeking out a competitor, it signals a big problem and an urgent need for corrective action.

Limiting churn has a positive impact on customer retention. It has been demonstrated by a number of researchers that it costs a business at least five times more to acquire a new client than it does to keep a client. Reducing churn is an indirect multiplier of revenue and profit and is therefore worth the effort.

A well-written customer survey that communicates the company’s commitment to meeting or exceeding expectations and creating a positive customer experience may yield a surprise or two and, most importantly, information that is actionable. Finding opportunities to have face-to-face conversations with customers who have remained may also surface information that will clue business leaders in on modifications that should be made.

Referrals

I am in business to help business leaders identify goals and strategies that will take their venture to the next level. I also frequently collaborate on the branding, marketing, content marketing and social media campaigns associated with that process. Reducing churn to increase customer retention, as well as bolstering referrals, supports both the top and bottom lines of a business.

A great way to pump up your referral numbers is to launch a campaign focused on referrals themselves. The simplest referral campaign is to just ask a customer to “tell your friends.” Another useful tactic that can motivate customers to make referrals is to offer a 10% – 15% discount off their next order, or a product or service upgrade, for every customer who is referred and makes a purchase.

The referral process can be taken online with an easy referral link in team members’ signature blocks. Offer incentives to existing customers, extra services that are valuable to those making referrals to you.

Referrals are a huge vote of confidence because they signal that the company is trustworthy, dependable and doing something right. Referrals are the warmest, most qualified leads a business will encounter and often little more than clarifying the choice of specific product or service features and confirming a delivery date and price are all that’s needed to close a sale. Yippee!

Happy Chanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa! Enjoy your favorite holidays and thanks for reading,

Kim

Photograph: © The School Run

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Getting Clients: The Reboot 2020

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For us freelancers to find reliable, long-term clients is a job unto itself and not an easy one. We have no choice but to invest thought and time into showing prospective clients and those who might refer us to prospective clients why we could be the best choice for providing the solution(s) for their problem.

To get ourselves inspired and off to a running start in the New Year, let’s review how we might best package and promote ourselves and our services to prospects, potential strategic partners and referral sources and update how to stand out and appear highly competent, trustworthy and an overall good hire for the Next Big Project.

KNOW YOUR NICHE

It can be so tempting to not want to limit ourselves to a specific niche, but the truth is, “If you’re talkin’ to everybody, you’re talkin’ to nobody.”
The biggest mistake that Freelancers make when going out on our own is that we try to be all things to all people. But when we create a niche, we can more effectively express what we do for our clients and how those clients benefit. That helps those who know and trust us to make referrals on our behalf. A clearly defined and easily described niche service or product is also easier to market to potential clients, because the message is easy to articulate and understand.

GETTING CLEAR ON CLIENTS

Getting clear on your niche and how we serve our clients is only step one. The real magic happens when we learn to consistently communicate in a way that resonates with target client groups. Speaking their language makes all the difference. Do you want to stand out to prospects? Know your ideal client!

It is to our advantage to be clear and concise about whom we can help and why. Tell (don’t sell) the story and talk just like you’d talk to a colleague. Embody the tone and attitude of one who cares, who understands their pain and can help them. Paint the “after” picture, i.e., the picture of their future after working with you. Offer credentials and tell client success stories that speak to their unique needs and concerns. In short, be all about your client.

INSIDE THE CLIENT VIEWPOINT
Christy Geiger, founder of Synergy Strategies Coaching and Training in Austin, TX https://synergystrategies.com/, says that one of the most difficult challenges in marketing is to identify and articulate one’s unique value and then sell that value to prospective clients.

Christy recommends that we flip the message and describe our service fromthe client’s perspective. Rather than presenting a list of self-promoting attributes that paint you as Mr. or Ms. Wonderful, discuss instead how your expertise ensures that clients are able do what they need to do and achieve goals and objectives.

MARKETING CREDIBILITY

As a Freelancer, the best way to stand out from competitors is to build your marketing around our credibility. Content marketing is very useful for this mission. Produce content that will help both bring visibility to your products and services and it help to establish you as an expert in your industry.

KNOW YOUR COMPETITION

Research others who provide products and/or services similar to your organization. What do they offer, what do they charge (if you can determine that)and how do they differentiate themselves in the marketplace? Then, ask yourself what could be realistically portrayed as valuable differences between your operation and those of your closest competitors? How might you be able to successfully distinguish yourself, your business practices, your qualifications, your products and/or your services and how might you persuade clients that these attributes make you the preferred provider?

CASE STUDIES

When clients hire us Freelancers, we expect that there will be a “discovery phase,” when they check us out—visiting our LinkedIn profile and social media presence, finding and reading articles we may have written and media quotes or features, for example. They’ll visit our websites and peruse our client list to find out who (else) they know who’s worked with us. To verify our work ethic, they may have a good talk with the referring party, if that was how the parties were introduced, or they may just call one (or more) of the clients on our list and discuss the quality of the results of the deliverable.

Freelancers can help both ourselves and our prospective clients reduce by sharing two or three well-written and descriptive case studies that demonstrate what we do, how we do it and the (exceptional!) results that we produce.

EASY TO DO BUSINESS

We Freelancers wear many hats. We’re the Chief Marketing Officer, the Vice President of Product Development, the Director of Sales, the Comptroller and company President. Our products and services may be excellent, but we would be advised to employ business practices and customer service protocols that make it is easy for customers to access what we have to offer. Setting up online purchasing or appointment booking, returning inquiries promptly and following-up as promised make a big difference. If customers have to jump through hoops to work with us, they will go elsewhere.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Photograph: Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980), the “King of Cool,” in The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).

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10 Great Client Gifts for Under $25.00

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Hello all, have you bought your holiday client gifts yet? What are you waiting for? The clock is ticking. I bought mine yesterday afternoon (whew!).

Any and all clients for whom you do ongoing work, regardless of how small the billable hours, deserve an acknowledgement from you at this time of year. A client who gifted you with a big invoice this year definitely deserves a gift. Everyone with whom you’ve done business for the past five years deserves a holiday greeting card.

Devising client outreach tactics that skirt the appearance of a sales pitch is one of the indications of a well-designed marketing strategy. The best thing about the holidays is that we don’t have to dream up an occasion and fret over how to deliver the message—the occasion is self-evident. I invite you to browse these 10 practical, business appropriate and inexpensive gift options, which I hope will quickly solve your search.

1. Tech Compatible Gloves $24.00 A meaningful gift for those who live in a cold climate! Now your client can maximize efficiency and work on his/her devices wherever and whenever, whatever the weather, thanks to the knit-in touch-screen capability on the thumbs and index fingers of the gloves. Wear them alone when it’s not too cold and slip them into another pair of gloves on colder days. https://www.rei.com/product/873158/smartwool-liner-tech-compatible-gloves?cm_mmc=aff_AL--40661--55097-_-NA&avad=55097_c180e7139

2. Vinluxe Pro Wine Aerator $23.50 For those who like wine, a wine aerator is used to expand the wine’s surface area, allowing air to mingle with the wine. An aerator forces air to be circulated through the wine, resulting in a wine with more of an aromatic profile and softer tannins. It’s an alternative to swirling the wine. An Andre Lorent product, the Vinluxe was rated one of the top seven wine aerators in 2019 by the California Wine Advisor. https://www.andrelorent.com/

3. Hamilton Beach Electric Kettle $24.99
The kettle holds 1-liter (almost 34 ounces) and it’s stainless steel. It will heat water even faster than a microwave! For safety, the kettle has auto shut-off with boil dry protection features and for convenience, a water-level window. There is also a removable mesh filter and the heating element is concealed. https://www.hamiltonbeach.com/1-liter-stainless-steel-electric-kettle-40998

4. Anker Wireless Power Station  $16.99 
If you know someone who is constantly watching something on their phone, give them this stand that also doubles as a wireless charger. It works at 10W for Samsung phones and 5W for iPhones. sleek and practical, the Anker wireless charger will look great on your client’s desk. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DBXZZN3/ref=as_li_ss_tl?SubscriptionId=AKIAJO7E5OLQ67NVPFZA&ascsubtag=991011980-2-1278882471.1575921784&tag=shopperz_origin1-20

5. Southern Sampler Gift Box   $23.95
This sampler includes our most popular items: a World Famous Praline, Milk Chocolate Bear Claw, White Chocolate Bear Claw, Glazed Pecans and Peanut Brittle. Yummy! https://www.riverstreetsweets.com/product/Southern-Sampler/Gourmet-Gift-Boxes-and-Assortments

6. Business Card Holder/Desk $20.75 Here’s a nice desk item that is practical, versatile and unique—a business card holder with picture frame, to serve a dual purpose in a way that your client will appreciate. Available in rosewood or cherry wood finish. You Personalize your gift by laser engraving the card holder with the client’s company logo. Dimensions: 4″ x 2 3/4″ x 3 3/4″ https://www.e-corporategifts.com/Pop-Up-Business-Card-Holder-and-Frame.html

7. Cheese Board $19.95 This slate cheese board is the perfect size for your client’s office. The board features natural edges and velvet mounting to protect counter tops. It comes with food safe soapstone chalk to note the type of cheese, or write a message for your guests. An innovative take on a staple product for your home. Food-safe. Natural slate. Soapstone chalk. Dimensions: 8″ x 16″ https://www.greatgatherings.com/entertaining-essentials/barware-serveware/slate-cheese-board

8. Sponge Holder $24.00 Challenge: how to add flair to storing a mundane cleaning tool? This cheeky yet practical kitchen or bathroom accessory is made of decorative beach stones and a base cut from salvaged granite, connected by three aluminum posts that hold your sponge in style. The durable rubber bottom pad protects surfaces from scratches. This elegant holder also makes a great wallet valet, inviting cocktail napkin holder, or artful mail caddy. Handmade by Arra David and Anne Johnson in Windham, NH. https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/sea-stone-splash-sponge-holder

9. The Bullet Pen $22.95 Writes at any angle, even in Zero Gravity. Simply the most versatile pen ever made. This amazing pen is constructed of raw, unfinished brass. Over time, each pen will develop an unique patina as it responds to its environment, the owner’s body chemistry and the way s/he handles the instrument. Writes at any angle, even in Zero Gravity. It is simply the most versatile pen ever made. The pen also will write in extreme temperatures from -30F to 250F. Each Fisher Space Pen is precision assembled, hand tested in the USA and carries an unconditional lifetime guarantee. http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/4551?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlOSu—h5gIVRNyGCh14PQPlEAQYASABEgJNPfD_BwE

10. MagLite Pro Mini Flashlight $25.73 We’re over budget here (sorry!) but this is a great little gift—introducing the all new Mini MagLite Pro LED Flashlight. MagLite is based in California and makes its entire product line in the U.S.A (all right!). The Mini has the latest generation LED that makes its beam super bright. Turn on and focus the light by simply twisting its head. A black polypropylene belt holster and 2AA alkaline batteries are included. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Maglite-Black-2AA-Pro-Mini-LED-Flashlight-SP2P01H/203457057

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Photograph: © Houston Ballet. A 2015 performance of The Nutcracker by The Houston Ballet Company

Administrative , Leave a comment

2019 Tax Prep + Deductions

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The Holidays are upon us and there is so much to do! Shopping (remember to buy gifts for special clients), holiday cards (everyone you’ve worked with over the past 5 years will receive one), parties and catching up with dear friends and colleagues. You may also find it advantageous to change your health insurance plan before open enrollment ends in your state, or make a retirement account contribution before January 1. It also makes sense to review the years’ invoices to calculate gross revenues and decide how to handle December billings.

Especially for invoices that are due on or after the 15th, should you keep those earnings in this year and invoice at the usual time, or invoice on January 2 and push earnings into next year? If you earned more than expected this year, consider pushing earnings forward, to limit taxable income. You could also make a retirement plan contribution, if you haven’t reached the year’s maximum amount (whether you bill clients in this year or the next). Here are a few more tax season preparation tactics to consider:

Find all invoices and confirm that they’ve been paid. Send a reminder to those clients who have not paid up. As noted above, calculate your revenues (i.e., income before deductions) and determine whether to invoice on time or later. Of course you can do other good things with your windfall, if you have one, such as registering for a class that will be held in the new year and paying for it now (and taking the deduction in this tax year).

Calculate your self-employment tax. In addition to our regular income tax, Freelancers are responsible for paying the 15.3 % self-employment tax levied on the first $132,900 of net income and 2.9% of net income beyond that amount. This tax represents the Social Security and Medicare taxes that traditional employees have taken out of their paychecks automatically. The amount includes as well the employer portion of those taxes, since Freelancers are considered both employer and employee.

Freelancers are able to write off business expenses for these categories:

Business-related travel, meals and lodging

Membership in business and professional associations

Office required equipment or materials

Home office. Most Freelancers work from home and are therefore eligible to take this deduction. The Internal Revenue Service allows independent workers to write off a corresponding percentage of rent/mortgage and utilities when our home is also our office. Get out your measuring tape and determine the dimensions of your workspace as a percentage of the square footage of your home to calculate the amount of your deduction. Be advised that office space must be used exclusively for self-employment work. One cannot, for example, “borrow” a child’s bedroom from 9:00 to 5:00 and consider that your home office.

Office equipment and supplies. One of the downsides of being a Freelancer is that we are unable to use an employer’s computer, scanner, printer, staples, or paper clips. We pay for that stuff out of our own budgets. But since we need certain resources to do client work, the IRS allows us to deduct their cost from gross sales revenues. To avoid IRS problems, keep your business and personal expenses separate. For example, check in with a smart accountant before you decide to deduct your cell phone or Internet service while using them only partly for work.

A real benefit for those who will buy office equipment is the Section 179 Deduction, which allows the business owner (or Freelancer) to write off the entire purchase price of qualifying equipment for the current tax year, up to $1,000,000. Qualifying items include office furniture, computers and software programs such as QuickBooks and InDesign.

Travel, meals, lodging. This category of deductions is the most confusing for Freelancers and business owners. We are allowed to deduct the costs of traveling to our work assignments, client meetings and conferences, including gasoline, tolls, parking, trains, planes, buses, or Uber/ Lyft. One cannot deduct costs associated with commuting to your separately leased or owned office space. Hotel/ airbnb/ B&B rooms are 100% deductible, except for personal expenses such as movie rentals or the mini-bar.

The cost of taking clients and prospects out for a meal are deductible at a 50% rate, while costs associated with company-wide parties, picnics and restaurant meals when at least half of your employees attend are 100% deductible. Keep all receipts —take a picture with your phone as back-up.

As with all Freelancing expenses, deductions must directly relate to one’s business. We cannot write off the tuition for a workshop on baking or flower arranging if one is a website developer, nor can we write off education that trains us for a new occupation. But if we take classes to earn certifications in our field or to enhance business knowledge, then we can typically write off all associated costs. The same is true for any licensing, registration, or certification costs that we incur.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Illustration: Henry Holiday The Tax Collector at Work, created for the Lewis Carroll poem The Hunting of the Snark (1876)