Consider QR Marketing

In my observation I am noticing a movement in marketing to more focused use of QR codes. QR, Quick Response, is not new but is still very early in its application to marketing your organization' products and services.  It is a two dimensional bar code detectable by your smart phone.  When your phone reads the code you are connected to your special web page where you display useful information to the reader about your products and services.  They are an easy and virtually free way to increase sales with very little effort.  You can grow mailing and text messaging list, too.  They attract attention and they are unobtrusive to your prospect.  I'm suggesting you read up on this technology and experiment a little to see how it can help you grow your business. 

Resource:  http://ezinearticles.com/?QR-Codes-and-How-They-Can-Benefit-Marketers&id=6572322 

Join the Jim Click Business Preferred Network and let's grow our economy and businesses together as we make Tucson a kinder and friendlier community.   Visit: http://Fans.JimClickBPN.com

The Getaway Place - Time-Out to Refresh

Everyday it is good to take time-out and getaway from the daily grind.  This is good to help lower your stress, sharpen  your focus, and go back to work RERESHED.  You owe it to yourself and those you care for.

Enjoy a brief getaway now and try this one. http://riddles.com/all-kinds-of-riddles/riddles/idiot-test-2009072466778/

Visit and connect to our Jim Click Business Preferred Network. http://fans.jimclickbpn.com/

Nothing Beats a Handshake

Social Media has proven to be a strong method for reaching and communicating with prospects and customers.  The virtues of Face book, Twitter, Linkedin, and such, are undoubtedly priceless.  (Even if they are basically free)  I am pleased to share in the many conversations and keep in touch with new friends and old.  However, I think there is no better way to be engaged with building market-share than face-to-face contact.  Relationships take time to build and meeting the people you want to earn trust in your organization requires a continuum of Social Media elements.  I find that our Jim Click Business Preferred Network's mobile coffee breaks has brought us closer to our customers and prospects.  We bring the coffee, pastries, juice, and fruit to your location to show our appreciation.  We are even willing to do it for you and your own prospects and staff.  You pay a catering company what we do for free. And, we do it because we want  your organization to prosper too.  Let's help each other keep the economy growing.  Become part of our free network and we can help you prosper!  Visit us at Fans.JimClickBPN.com and let me know how we can partner with you.. 

Quality of Care Index

I have discovered that my success or lack thereof, is in direct proportion to my "Quality of Care Index - QCI)  Let's take my effort to lose weight.  The more I care about my health and energy level, the more I commit to exercise and nutrition.  I'll rate my QCI for weight loss at 72.  When it approaches 80, I start getting into action by swimming, walking and eating fruits and vegetables.

Almost all organizations measure quality of care.  Health care providers, automobile dealerships, and any one who provides customer services of any kind. 

How about this.  What if we were to measure the QCI of employers in the way they care for their employees?  And this would appear on financial statements for the public to know more about the way an organization treated their employees.  A high QCI would most likely result in higher productivity and more people wanting to do business with them.  It would certainly help their recruiting and employee retention. 

What is your personal QCI for the several most important areas of your life, like relationships, contribution at work, or in hobbies and sports?  And, if you had to rate your employer, what is the QCI you would assign?

Join with us in our Jim Click Business Preferred Network and let's improve the QCI for our Tucson community.

Authentic Customer Service

Starbucks is a business model that any organization can learn from.  Feelings about the company run from "not-interested" to "I'll stand in line for 20 minutes to get my espresso." 

Howard Schultz, CEO, in his latest book, Onward has provided critical information concerning a method to make any organization more successful.  It is about the soft-side of business skills.  For sure, efficiency in the financial aspects of business are mandatory and require constant attention; but his message will give your organization the kind of soul that will have you thriving.

The essence behind "ONWARD" is romance.  This is a romantic business book.  The love affair and passion of people who have learned that coffee is much more than the glorification of the bean to the cup. 

Much of this 400 page book is self-glorification and it's real value to a shrewed business person could have easily been delivered in about 120. 

There is nothing new about the basics concerning customer service; quality products, guarantees, easy to purchase, and a feeling of, "I want to do more business with you".

Whatever your product, service, or mission it needs romance and spice.  My mother drank coffee every morning but I never saw her get excited about that black liquid.  Starbucks was able to accomplish this in a way never achieved by any other company in the history of coffee.

Howard, made a big deal about coffee after visiting an Italian coffee house.  He saw something few others did and applied his vision to his own little coffee shops.  The result being that there are thousands of stores globally producing revenue every hour, just so he can buy a new $45 million jet and enjoy some of the finest experiences that money can buy.

Twenty-five years later, from another shop owner in Italy, he learned anew the value of taking pride in what you do and doing it to its finest and best purpose.  If you do this and create passion for your organization great things are coming your way. Get his book and read diligently and searching between the lines for ways to apply his understanding to your organization. Onward is a small investment that will bring big rewards. http://www.amazon.com/

One other great thing is to get involved in the Jim Click Business Preferred Network and let's create something that will stir your soul.

Marketing Tips To Increase Sales

Business is starting to pick-up.  I think we will continue to see an increase in economic activity.  To help make this true will require some effort on your part. These five suggestions are basic to increasing your gross sales.  And, that means you have to commit to doing them and persevere.  Rewards will come but it takes time.  The sooner you commit, the sooner the rewards.

Tip 1. Who are the people most likely to buy what you sell?  And, where you can most likely find this prospect.
Tip 2. What are their most important issues.  Target how your product/service will provide a solution to their desire, pain, worry or concern.  The more in need they are, the more likely you will sell them.
Tip 3. The hook, make them an offer they can't refuse like deep discounts or even free.  Hook them and then start building the relationship.
Tip 4. Speak to them in their language using phrases and terminology they understand.  For them to hear you, they have to understand you. 
Tip 5. Make it easy to buy from you and trust you.  Offer guarantees and make it simple to reach you on their terms. Digital offers a method for constant contact 24/7.

Article Source

http://EzineArticles.com/6162752

Connect & Refresh Mobile Coffee Break

This is an invitation to any partner in our Jim Click Business Preferred network. As an act of goodwill and kindness we will provide a free Connect and Refresh Mobile Coffee Break for your organization.

You can show appreciation to your staff, prospects, or customers. We bring premium Arabic coffee and fresh baked mini muffins and scones from our own cafe to you.

This is interactive marketing at its best. We want to create a friendlier kinder Tucson. Join with us and let me know when we can schedule yours.

If you are not yet a Business Preferred Network partner join now at www.JimClickBPN.com.

Face-to-Face Marketing - Kindness at Work

The two basic aspects of successful marketing has been and will always be, Face-to-Face relationship building and the absolute necessity of providing exceptional customer satisfaction.

It matters not, how proficient we become in the use of digital development. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any others are effective tools for telling our stories. However, nothing is stronger than backing up your product or service value through a good old conversation over a cup of coffee.

The humanistic side of business is key to success when building trust and brand loyalty. Build your brand on this foundation and you will succeed. Caring about the needs of others creates the glue that holds it all together. We call this "Goodwill"! Believe me, Jim Click did not build a great business just because he had some great cars and values. Mr. Click, from the heart, knew that a generous pocketbook along with a generous heart creates over thirty years of goodwill that serves him and our Tucson community well.

Join with us in the Jim Click Business Preferred Network and let's build some community goodwill for you and your brand. Kindness is a tough minded business tool. Use it. Put kindness to work.

Goodwill - Branding Yourself

According to accounting principles, Goodwill, is the intangible part of total assets that exceeds book value. If you sold your company for $100K and the value of all the assets was $90K, the excess of $10K is Goodwill.

How much more is your company worth than your combined tangible assets? I think this is the most important aspect of creating a successful company. What are you doing today to make your business worth more than its equipment, inventory, liquid assets, and etc.?

This can be the determining factor in "Branding Yourself". The term synergy comes to mind. Synergy is a term meaning that total value is worth more than the sum of all parts. Just like good financial investments, your efforts can gain appreciation in its value.

We sometimes lose sight of the fact that we contribute to overall success, not just this quarter's profitably. We accept our hourly wage, commission, and salary as if that is all we are entitled to. However, we should receive a regular bonus for the Goodwill we create! That's my branding of myself every time I go the extra step to make my company successful.

My W2 states I earned X amount but I actually earned X amount plus the Goodwill I created. If you decide to leave your company, you better believe you will be selling your next employer on the value of your personal brand and its Goodwill.

The Jim Click Business Preferred Network is our community effort in Goodwill. We want everyone of you to succeed. It's good for you, the Tucson community, and all of your friends and family. Join with us in our BPN and invite a guest to become involved in building their Goodwill.

Internet Marketing Strategy Made Simple

The path from understanding that the Internet can increase opportunities to do business to actually doing it is filled with many obstacles. I am discovering that many of our BPN partners do not have the time or inclination to use this most effective Interactive Marketing tool.

Sometime in March or April, our Jim Click Business Preferred Network will host our first "Coffee Break Seminar". "Internet Marketing Strategy Made Simple will be presented by Jerry Lankin of National PC Solutions. This is a learning opportunity and a method to meet some of our 1,000 business partners. (at least those who attend) For more info contact me at Jpoore@JimClick.com.

Be kind to yourself, your family, and grow your business!

Let's Make Digital Marketing Easy

If you are like me, you may feel overwhelmed with all the conversation about Social Media and Digital Marketing. Most of us are acquainted with Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, My Space, You Tube, and etc. Some of us use these fairly regularly. And, few of us have any effective strategy on how to employ these venues for marketing our products.

So, what do we do? Nothing! We say, “It’s good and sometime I’ll start using it.” We at the Jim Click Business Preferred Network want to help. We are seeking qualified “experts” to help us all learn and implement our marketing strategy. Few of us can pay a consulting fee and really we would be smarter understanding and doing it ourselves.

I have a couple of experts and I think they will help us by giving a free seminar/workshop for our 1,000 business partners. This will be our very first Business Preferred Network meeting. If you are reading this and have an interest in attending, let me know. It won’t happen before the end of February and most likely early March.

And once you begin to know how to implement your new-wave marketing, the key to success is in the doing. Your return on your time invested will be extremely high.

Don’t forget to “Be Kind”!

Kindness & Civility

This has been a tragic few days here in Tucson. This quote is from Steve Kozachik, Council Member, Ward 6. It is profound.

"The prayers of all of us who work in the Ward 6 office are lifted up on behalf of the victims and their families who are suffering through the senseless events that occurred Saturday.

I want to believe that this does not reflect how far we have slipped in terms of our ability to carry on political discourse in this community, and in this State.

I want to believe that this incident represents the indefensible actions of one troubled individual and is not a picture of the larger ethos of our community.

And I want to invite the fringe on both ends of the political spectrum to exit stage left and right and allow those of us who are still able to carry on political debate in a civil manner to take center stage and discuss the issues of the day in a manner that respects the rights of all."

Thank you Steve.

Dress Code

What do you think? Are dress codes good or bad? Beginning November 1st, our dress code changes to "winter wear". That means more formal attire. White dress shirt, nice conservative tie, and sharp looking dress pants. The polo shirts will get stored until Spring.

Image is important and can set the tone for your next sale. A successful image and favorable first impression make a lasting impact. It sometimes doesn't matter what you know, a bad appearance will speak so loudly your customer won't be listening.

Make sure each day and during the day you do all that is possible to keep a fresh sharp appearance. You will feel more successful and you will be more successful

Be successful and join with 700 other Tucson area businesses in our Jim Click Business Preferred Network as we help each other thrive!

Process and Service

You and your organization will be most successful when you view selling as a process. Every organization sells something. Not-for-profits sell image and the benefits of their services. Educational, religious, governmental organization must do the same. The ability to see that gaining support for your entity requires continuous follow-up and is a long term process is absolutely necessary. Building relationships take much effort over a long period of time. It is necessary to have a sense of urgency as that motivates you to act now for what you need later.

The one basic aspect that has not changed in successful marketing is the quality of service and value of products that you provide. No matter how effective you are in building relationships, if your customers don't like and value your products and services they are not coming back. Further, they will tell a lot of people, via the social media not to use you. That is the worst that can happen; using the power of the social media against you.

Therefore, it mandates more than ever that we take care of our basic business and make sure we offer something that definitely has a competitive edge, like our free Jim Click Business Preferred Network which is available to any of our Tucson community friends. Join with us and make Tucson the best place to grow a business!

Expand Your Resources For Success

Our Jim Click Business Preferred Network is continually looking for ways to help its associates grow their organization to the fullest. I believe each of you have a least one idea or experience that would be useful to the rest of our almost 700 partners. Share one here now.

For instance, one of you casually mentioned that they found an answer to a business problem by reading an ezine article. I had heard of ezine but never fully checked it out. I know more now than I did and want to encourage you to use this excellent resource.

It is www.ezine.com and it is free. Here you will find articles, well written, on any subject you can think of. From social-media to how to save the Spirit Bear. It is both educational and entertaining.

Knowledge is one tool we can't get enough of. And becoming a partner in our Business Preferred Network is something we want more of. Please tell your business peers and friends to join with us as we help build a thriving business base in the Tucson, AZ community.

Too Much Information

I was reviewing the information I have assembled concerning social media. All of it is interesting and maybe useful. However, I am feeling overwhelmed with the thousands, yes thousands, of well written documents concerning this subject.

I have way too much information and that makes it more difficult to set into action a good marketing plan. Luckily, Jim Click is a recognized brand in Tucson. Awareness of our products is not an issue. Conversion of customers to purchase is the issue. They have many choices and they are as knowledgeable as any of our salespeople, maybe more so.

The key is having a relationship with the prospect that breeds trust. Some people are good at building an almost instant rapport and the rest of us must invest some time to earn that trust.

That is why the current digital communication technology is relevant. It helps us build relationships, in numbers never imagined before, that create the modern opportunities to do business. (OTDB)

If you are feeling overwhelmed about social media, you are among the majority of business leaders. The savvy ones are jumping in and testing the waters. Don't let your fear of doing the wrong thing keep you from getting involved. On the job training is the most efficient way to get started. (OJT)

Heed this advice. Whatever you do make sure that honesty, civility, and respect for those you contact are the uppermost virtues that you employ. You can always fine tune your methods, skills, and strategy but you can't afford to create unfavorable situations from which you will never recover.

Join with us in the Jim Click Business Preferred Network as we all work together to build the best business possible.

Accentuate the Positive

The Jim Click Team was faced with a huge task. Move 1200 cars to the Tucson Convention Center, set up to receive 4,000 visitors, complete loads of paper work, plan to work 12-18 hours each day, secure the place, and welcome guests as they arrive.

The practical side of me said prepare for a tough time. I, along with others, was dreading the week long event.

On the first day of the "show" I met Paul and was about to commiserate with him. However, his first words were, "Wow, I've been waiting for this all year. I can't wait until the doors open. It is such an exciting time!"

His enthusiasm and positive spirit changed my whole outlook and energized me all week. I was astounded at how I felt by adopting his attitude. It was contagious.

I'll always remember to accentuate the positive and look for the good in all challenges.

And, when you join with us in our Jim Click Business Preferred Network, you will feel the same!

Selling From the Heart

I read in "Simple Truths" that the most effective salespeople have a similar trait, they all sell from the heart. In other words they care about the people they sell to. They care about the products they sell. They relate to their customers needs and problems and find ways to solve them.

I find the greatest obstacle to successful selling is a lack of honest communication. When you sell from the heart you always are an honest communicator. If both sides of a sales transaction can see each others needs, there is a strong chance they will find common ground in which to complete the transaction.

Honestly, we want you as a Business Preferred partner so we can help each other do more than we could ever do alone. Everyone in our Tucson network is selling from the heart!

What we Were in the Past Does Not Matter

I read this interesting statement. "What we were in the past doesn't matter, it is what we are now that is important." Each day can be a new starting point. Hanging on to old baggage is stressful and energy draining. It stifles our creative ability and keeps us stuck in the old ways.

If you are a person who can change what happened yesterday I would like to hear from you. We will both get rich. You can atone for mistakes but you can't change the action already completed. Give it up and move on to the positive possibilities you now can create.

Help us help each other as we try to build businesses that grow and are good for everyone. Join with us in the Jim Click Business Preferred Network and let's create a future with meaningful results. It takes all of us working together to accomplish this.

Summertime & The Selling is Easy

Jeffry Gitomer, high profile sales trainer thinks summer is a great opportunity to get more sales. Competition usually slows down due to vacations, relaxing, and sort of in neutral until cooler weather comes.

Take advantage of working harder and getting out to see more people. Stretch yourself like a rubber band until you can't do more. The pay-off will be much greater in a "slow" period. Find out what your customers need. Do something for them that is different. They may have the summertime blues and you can be just what they need to get moving again.

Don't let summertime give you an excuse to take it easy. Get tough and get going. Sing the song, "Summertime and the selling is easy"! And remember, it's easy to participate in the Jim Click Business Preferred Network where the giving is easy.