If you anything like me, you’re probably absolutely sick of the Australian Media talking down the economy.

I discussed this with someone last week and they took action by creating an online petition where both small business owners and individuals can register their discontent at the way the media is trying to make us all reign in the purse strings and go into financial hibernation. If everyone does that, we will have another recession and won’t the media love that! I can see the headline, “Official! Australia in Recession.”

Like you, I went through the Keating “Recession we had to have” in the 90’s. Never again. If Australian small business rallies and looks at how businesses survived the last recession, they will see that survival came about by implementing systems to make themselves sleeker and by spending money on marketing.

The same processes will always work.

Anyway I want to get back to the petition. I’ve signed it and I hope you will, too.

It’s here.

And once you’ve signed, please do me a favour and send the link to this site to your friends so they can read my message, too.

Thanks!

If you do, this article will blow your socks off!

The Author’s point of view is, to say the least, controversial…

It’s called “A Conspiracy Of Imbeciles”

And here’s another one… from Spectator.co.uk  (Thanks to Andrew McGowan for sending me this)

Please read them both.

James.

For the last few months, I’ve been working on a new business which kicked off in June this year.

It’s a full service marketing company; no longer a consultancy.

Here’s what we do…

• Build websites,
• Write online and offline copy for sales letters,
• Graphics for websites, business cards, brochures; including printing
• Create and manage AdWords campaigns,
• Create and manage email marketing campaigns
• Provide a range of training services including sales, negotiations and customer service.

Let me introduce you to mediaglue.com.au

Let’s start by reviewing the purpose of the business. I’m sure you’d agree with me that the aim of any business is to generate profit, and lots of it.

Before that can happen, the business needs to have cash flow. Cash flow comes from making sales. Sales come from customers and repeat sales and referrals come from satisfied customers. Profits are generated when overheads and costs are less than the revenue generated from sales.It stands to reason then that in order to make profits, the business needs to get and keep satisfied customers.

Customer generation and retention come as the result of the interaction between your staff and your profit source. Yet typically we don’t share our visions for service standards with our staff; neither do we spend time training them in how to do it well.Yes, OK, we might do some sales training (although my experience is that little is really done) but what about training the accounts staff and the technical staff? They all interact with customers at some time or other and it only takes one negative experience for the status quo to be interrupted.I’ve heard it said “Why train staff; they’ll only leave and go somewhere for more money”.

My perspective is this “Why take the risk of not training and having them stay?” The answer to the question “Just whose job is customer service anyway?” is this: It’s everyone’s.

Let me leave you with this question: Are your profits in the hands of poorly trained staff whose main motivation is their next paycheck, or is it in the hands of motivated, profit-conscious staff who know the game plan and how to achieve it?

Want to know more? Here’s a booklet you can read at your leisure. It’s called “How to Gain and Retain More Customers - essential sales skills for everyone.” It’s a customer service primer. To download your copy, simply subscribe to my 7-part e-course “Why Customers Don’t Buy - and how to fix it” The booklet comes with the first part of the course. Simply complete this form, click “Submit” and watch your inbox for your confirmation request.