Customer Service Excellence for Team Members

Excellent customer service is an essential aspect of your most valuable asset: your customers.

Customer service is so vital that it can be a powerful competitive advantage. 70% of Americans have spent more money on better service, according to Forbes. 

Excellent customer service is not solely for the customer service representatives. Instead, everyone on the team should practice exceptional customer service because every job ultimately affects the customer. 

Below is a list of concrete ways your team members can exceed your customer’s expectations. 

Customer Service Excellence: Hire Smart

Certain personalities and strengths are better suited for customer service jobs. Hiring the right people will set the company and employees up for success. 

When hiring, look for people who excel in the following traits. 

• Problem-solving. Give the interviewee a scenario and ask how they would proceed.


• Communication. Ask the interviewee to explain a complex topic.


• Listening. Tell the interviewee a little bit about yourself and the company. Check to see how much they retained.


• Time management. Ask them about a time in their life when they were very busy and how they got through it.


• Empathetic. Ask the interviewee about a time they saw someone hurting and how they reacted.


• Attentive. Gauge how attentive they are at the interview.


• Patient. Ask them to wait a little bit before or during the interview.


• Curious. Ask them if they have any questions for you about the company. Gauge their natural curiosity.

Hiring the right people gets you off on the right foot. After hiring customer service-oriented people, training will further define their natural skills. 

Customer Service Excellence: Training

Training creates more knowledgeable and skilled team members. 

The more trained and knowledgeable your team members are, the happier your customers will be. Happier customers are more likely to create word-of-mouth advertising, which is the most effective form of advertising: 5 times more powerful than paid ads. 

Training and development can take on various forms. 

• Hire a trainer. Find a professional who excels in teaching customer service skills. Pay them to come to talk to your team members.


• Do it yourself. Research ways your company can improve customer service. Ask your customers what they’d like to see. Share your findings with your team members at a meeting.


• Online courses. Direct, or if it’s in the budget, subsidize your employees to take online courses to help them improve their customer service.


• Mentor-mentee programs. Pair a more experienced staff member with a less experienced one. Have them get together to share information and tactics that have helped them.

Whichever route you choose, you’ll see the benefits pay off in higher customer satisfaction and improved customer relationships.  

Customer Service Excellence: Customer Relationships

Encourage employees to develop positive customer relationships. 

Keep it natural. Try asking customers questions about themselves. Some just want to get in and out. But others enjoy talking and will appreciate the opportunity. If you remember the customers’ names and the stories they tell, they’ll be happier and more loyal. 

Further, increase customer relationships by sending customers birthday gifts or cards. Companies that prioritize emotional connections with customers do better in the long run, outperforming their competitors in sales by 85%. 

Customer Service Excellence: Let Customers Help Themselves

71% of consumers reported wanting to solve customer service issues independently. 

Counterintuitively, some of the best customer services you can provide are the gifts of not needing customer service. By providing efficient, straightforward methods for customers to solve their own issues, the customers leave happy. 

There are a couple of ways to accomplish this. 

• Q&A page with answers to the most commonly asked questions.


• Information. By providing relevant information in a convenient place, such as a brochure, you can proactively prevent frustrated customers by providing all the information they need beforehand. 

Customer service is one way your business can stand above the rest. If you do it well, profits will increase. 

We know customer service can be tricky because of the wide range of inquiries and emotions. However, we’re here to help you with our excellent printing services. For example, we've got you if you need promotional products for a birthday gift, birthday cards, or informative brochures!

Word-of-Mouth Marketing: What is it, and How Does it Benefit Your Business?

Since the introduction of social media, word-of-mouth marketing has dramatically increased.

Before the internet, someone would tell a friend or two if they had a good experience. Today, if they have a good experience, they tell thousands with a short post.

Word-of-mouth marketing allows your business’s brand to potentially get noticed by thousands of consumers, which, if done correctly, can spread like wildfire.

Understanding how word-of-mouth marketing works and how it can benefit your business helps increase your chances of attracting new customers.  

Why Word-of-Mouth Marketing Is Important

According to the American Marketing Associated and the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, 64 percent of marketing executives believe that word-of-mouth marketing is the most effective form of advertising.

However, only about 6 percent claim to have mastered this marketing technique.

With a majority believing in word-of-mouth marketing and so few learning the skill, understanding this marketing tool can put your business in front of the competition and keep your products and services in the minds of consumers.

Even if a person does not need a product or service, they may be more inclined to tell friends and families about what they know about your business through word-of-mouth marketing. 

Using the Three Es of Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Three tactics can help you increase your word-of-mouth marketing reach, often referred to as the “Three Es.”

1. Engage

The first E is “Engage,” which means you engage with your followers and customers by setting up a presence in their lives.

Some ways to engage include sending birthday cards, offering special discounts and gifts, and consistently responding to social media posts, comments, and messages related to your business. 

2. Equip

The second E is “Equip,” which means giving your customers something to talk about, such as a fantastic product, high-quality customer service, and fun facts about your business.

When consumers like a company and have things to talk about and share with others, it encourages them to let everyone know about their favorite products and services, which could be yours. 

3. Empower

The final E is “Empower,” giving consumers different ways to talk and share their experiences and recommendations.

The more methods you offer for consumers to share your business, the greater the chance they will. Additionally, empower consumers to feel like they are a part of the process, such as asking questions, running contests, etc. 

Word-of-mouth marketing has been around since the first caveman started trading, and with technological advancements, it has become significantly easier to utilize this advertising method.

Additionally, it has become more crucial for businesses to understand how word-of-mouth marketing works to use this tool best and achieve optimal advertising results. 

Becoming a Mindful Leader

Everyone is different, which is why various leadership styles exist.

Some of the most common ones include democratic, autocratic, laissez-faire, strategic, transformational, transactional, coach-style, and bureaucratic leadership. However, one often overlooked and quite effective leadership style is the mindful leader. 

Mindfulness is one’s ability to be fully present and observant while also being in control and not overreacting. 

Mindful leaders possess specific beneficial characteristics, making them stand out and be successful. 

Mindful leaders have emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to notice and manage one’s feelings while seeing and responding adequately to the emotions of others. 

Psychologist Daniel Goleman, author of The New York Times bestseller book Emotional Intelligence has created a model that divides emotional intelligence into 4 quadrants. 

• Self-awareness is the ability to be aware of one’s mood and thoughts and their impact on others. Some aspects of self-awareness include emotional self-awareness, accurate self-assessment, and self-confidence.


• Self-management is the ability to effectively manage one’s feelings, thoughts, and actions. Some aspects of self-management include emotional self-control, transparency, adaptability, and optimism.


• Social awareness is the ability to accurately gauge others’ emotions and situations, allowing you to make better decisions and actions. Some aspects of social awareness include empathy, organizational awareness, and service.


• Relationship management is using the above skills to manage social situations effectively. Some aspects of relationship management include influence, conflict management, and collaboration. 

According to the Harvard Business School, emotional intelligence accounts for nearly 90% of what makes high performers stand out. Responsible leaders are also sure to stand out. 

Mindful leaders take responsibility. 

When you let go of the desire to insert blame, you can take responsibility for yourself and the business better. 

Blaming people or situations is often a waste of time. Instead, observe to accurately understand the circumstances so you can focus on the decisions you can make while accepting the areas you can’t control. 

By taking responsibility, you open up doors to possibility. Blaming, victim thinking, and fear create limitations and barriers. By taking full responsibility for the aspects you can control, you’re opening yourself and the business up for success. 

Mindful leaders are powerful.

Power isn’t just for the loud and strong, it’s for those who acquire respect. 

Mindful leaders are often respected for their ability to…  

• Give the situation and the people before them 100% of their attention.


• Filter their thoughts before they speak.


• Lead by self-motivation instead of fear or manipulation.


• Stay calm under pressure.

Research has shown people spend 47% of their time thinking about something else and not on what they’re currently doing. Almost half of people’s time is spent not being mindful!

Where do you lie on the mindfulness spectrum? Try taking a quick self-assessment from the Harvard Business Review. If you’re like most people, you have room to grow.

Luckily, there are tactics you can use to become a more mindful person. 

Practice mindfulness to become a mindful leader.

Aim for at least five minutes every day of mindfulness. 

This means finding a quiet place to sit and focus on your breathing. It’s a way to calm down, push away future anxieties, and focus on the present. By practicing in neutral times, when stressful situations arise you’ll be better able to focus on your breath to calm down. 

Many find mornings the best time to practice mindfulness, mainly because we release the most stress hormones within minutes of waking up. Practicing mindfulness can be a great way to counteract this. 

Stop multitasking to become a mindful leader.

Multitasking fragments your focus. 

Multitasking is also ineffective because humans are terrible at it. Research found that only 2.5% of people can effectively multitask. Do yourself and your mind a favor by cutting back on this ineffective work tactic. 

Decrease distractions to become a mindful leader. 

By decreasing distractions that break your focus, you’ll be able to stay in the present. 

One major culprit of distractions is your phone. It’s constantly pinging with notifications from texts, missed calls, emails, and social media apps. Try sectioning off times of the day when you’ll be phone free. Communicate this with coworkers, friends, and family. Then, you can use these phone-free, distraction-free times to get your most challenging work done. 

Emails are another common distraction. They go off throughout your day. Responding to emails feels productive, but in reality, they disrupt your work. If possible, try pausing all email notifications, instead blocking off a time of day to check your email box. 

Mindfulness is both a leadership style and a way of life. By incorporating it into your life, you’ll be better able to calmly tackle day-to-day problems with focus. 

Mindfulness: Paper Versus Digital

Speaking of mindfulness, when it comes to advertising, you want your target audience to be as present and focused as possible.

Although digital advertising does have its advantages, one major problem is focus. It’s often harder for people to focus and be mindful when using screens because of all the distractions. 

However, paper can be a powerful tool to initiate mindfulness in the recipient. It’s much less distracting, allowing the viewer to focus their entire attention on the paper at hand.

We can help you capture your potential client’s attention with print! 

Top 3 Reasons Small Businesses Should Consider Offline Marketing

Jingles used to incorporate business phone numbers quite frequently.

But now, we direct people to our websites or a physical address. Sure, things have changed, but it’s still advertising. We still need to reach people and ask them to visit our location.

And now that more people are working from home, they have more time to read their mail.

You can send flyers, postcards, and brochures in the mail, and they’ll get noticed. So here are three reasons you should consider offline marketing in addition to your online marketing efforts.

Top 3 Reasons Small Businesses Should Consider Offline Marketing

1. Offline Is Still Relevant

Offline marketing tools reach many more people than just online. This is because people do much more than just spending time online looking at websites.

In 2018, Nielsen found that Americans spend half the day (11 hours) interacting with media. Out of those 11 hours, over four hours are live TV, 36 minutes are “time-shifted TV” (DVR), and almost two hours are radio.  

This means that seven hours has nothing to do with online. Radio, newsprint, and direct mail marketing are good reasons to shift your advertising offline. People want information more tangibly.

2. Solidify Your Message

The more you get your name out in front of people, the better. And using different methods, such as offline, helps solidify the message and make your budget stretch farther.

Repeated brand exposure not only keeps a brand’s messaging and products top-of-mind for consumers, but Entrepreneur reports that it can also instill a sense of familiarity and trust.

Not everyone wants to spend time online looking for answers to their issues. And direct mail, for example, allows you to target specific people ideal to your market.

In addition, people perceive direct mail as more reliable and trustworthy.

3. Offline Marketing Is For All Ages

We tend to think offline advertising is for the older people who typically don’t use online to gather information. However, this is simply not true.

All ages love to get mail, listen to the radio, and watch TV.

The USPS Household Survey found that response rates from 18- to 21-years-olds doubled in 2016.

That’s good news because offline marketing is affordable.

Using both online and offline marketing is best to get optimal results, and we’d love to help you with it. Contact us today!

10 Tips to Increase Productivity as a Busy Entrepreneur

Productivity is a critical factor in being successful.

Although it would be nice to have our goals reached by relaxing at home all day, there is a rewarding feeling of achievement knowing that effort was put in for a great outcome.

This is easier said than done; being productive daily takes self-control and discipline. There are so many factors that go into running a business. Incorporating organization into your day and staying productive can assist and guide you as a busy entrepreneur. Here are a few ways you can do that!

10 Tips To Boost Productivity

1. Prioritize.

Looking over a long to-do list can be stressful.

Instead of becoming overwhelmed, try organizing your to-do list into priorities. Determine which task is the most crucial to complete and stick with that one. Taking it one step at a time changes your perspective and helps you take a realistic approach to overcoming that stubborn list!

2. Communicate.

Communication is essential in all areas of life- especially in the workplace.

Many problems arise from a lack of communication, and this can waste time and resources in many different instances. You can avoid conflict down the road by ensuring you communicate with everybody involved.

3. Delegate.

Going along the lines of communication, being able to delegate is a valuable skill.

Look over what you need to accomplish. Is there anything that you can pass on to someone that is qualified? This may require you to look at your team and detect their strengths and skills.

In the end, this will save you time and help you communicate with your team- keeping everybody involved and connected.

4. Develop a routine.

You may have heard this tip before, but that’s because it’s important!

Structure throughout your day will help you stay on track and accomplish what needs to be done. Forming habits that will improve your overall health, like clean eating, exercise, and sleep, can translate to your work performance and mood.

5. Practice time management.

Your workday hours are limited, so you probably want to take advantage of each second you get.

A study from Stanford University found that productivity per hour declines when a person works over 50 hours a week. At 70 hours per week, the amount of work completed is the same as for someone that worked only 55 hours.

This data shows that the more time you spend working doesn’t always result in more work being accomplished. Managing your time is vital so that the quality of your work can be done in a reasonable amount of time.

6. Reflect.

Looking back on the past can be beneficial to improving your business.

Try recognizing what went well and what needs improvement. You’ll be able to analyze which factors created success and build off those things. By reflecting on past projects, you can learn and take feedback to prepare for the future. Remember to not dwell on the past and let it bring you down. Learn and move on!

7. Plan ahead.

While it’s important to reflect, it’s also great to think ahead.

Organize what you need to accomplish and set goals for yourself and your business. Yes, focusing on what you have in front of you is essential, but make sure you’re working towards something. Planning is convenient and will prepare you for your next steps, whatever they may be.

8. Set your boundaries.

You may be stressed at times and doubt yourself, but remember you’re in control!

You know what you can and can’t handle, so don’t be afraid to listen to yourself. Taking on too many responsibilities can be detrimental to your work performance. Learn to say no when necessary, and don’t burn yourself out.

9. Follow the 80/20 rule.

If you’re unfamiliar with the 80/20 Rule (also known as Pareto’s Principle), it simply states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

In perspective, the most productive 20% of your day produces 80% of your work. This concept shows that you can accomplish more with less effort by concentrating on things that will produce the most significant results.

10. Motivate yourself!

Think back to why you started your business.

What were you hoping to accomplish, and have you done that yet? Sometimes, all you need to get motivated is a little reminder of why you do what you do!

These things will help you combat your struggles as a busy entrepreneur and increase your productivity. Remember to prioritize your time and use your resources to ensure that you can reach all of your goals for your business.

We want to see you succeed and help you with your needs regarding professional printing.

7 Advertising Basics for Small Business Owners

With many advertising options, billboards, websites, direct mail, etc., it can prove challenging to advertise effectively. Still, there are guides to lead you down the right promotional path for small businesses.

Let’s take a look.

7 Advertising Basics for Small Business Owners

1. Budget

When you think about advertising, of course, you need a budget. And most small businesses don’t have large ones.

This is probably best used in ways that maximize your return, rather than throwing it all in on one large ad on TV.

Leave that for the big businesses that have large budgets.

2. Website

A professionally-designed site can cost thousands of dollars, so try online templates. These work well to foster name recognition and promote your products and/or services.

In addition, you can add pictures, logos, and illustrations that look professional for a fraction of the cost.

3. SEO Marketing

Promote your website.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a practice that aligns your business with Google’s ranking algorithm.

Get Google to advertise it with the right tools. For example, add relevant (industry- and location-based) keywords to specific places on your website.

4. Paid search marketing

Google AdWords and Bing Ads can bring in traffic to the website and help your business feature prominently when people search for relevant phrases.

For $20 or $30 a day, you can get your name in front of the right people searching for what you have to offer.

5. Social Media

There’s also Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to get the word out. These are relatively easy to use if you know what to say.

It’s possible to hire a writer on a freelance basis who can write these for you. Or, if you have a marketing team, enlist someone to write these regularly.

This is a great way to get in front of people daily, or at least regularly.

6. Traditional Print Advertising

Use flyers, postcards, and brochures for marketing your business effectively. It’s inexpensive, and it works.

Provide coupons on the handouts to informally track effectiveness.

You can use oversize postcards to get a better reaction since they tend not to get lost in the shuffle.

7. Combine Print and Online Efforts

Print and online advertising complement one another.

For example, on your printed pieces, be sure to have a call to action that involves visiting your website. Then give them a coupon or discount when they visit.

Likewise, when they visit your website, try to capture their physical address so you can send them direct mail. This is very effective.

You can do many things to promote your small business. However, traditional direct marketing is still in high demand.

Check us out today to learn more!

9 Productivity Tips for Business Owners

Are you busy unnecessarily? Are there ways to become more productive and skip some small steps? Let’s take a look.

9 Productivity Tips for Business Owners

1. Outsource.

Some things seem important, but when you look at them more closely, you realize that maybe someone else could do that for you.

For example, think about having another company or person write your thank-you notes and do other small tasks. You’ll save time in the long run.

2. Create a Schedule.

Making lists is a great way to ensure you don’t overlook the essential things that need to get done.

But putting that list into an actual schedule will help you get more organized and make sure those tasks get accomplished.

Schedule specific times to do certain projects, rather than just listing them on paper.

3. One Task at a Time.

Take it one thing at a time, rather than jumping from task to task.

You will accomplish more and won’t feel as frazzled. Stick to the schedule of tasks rather than what pops up in your mind.

4. Plan Ahead.

Try scheduling it a week before instead of printing off notes or sheets for a meeting the day before. That will calm your nerves and will make you more efficient.

5. Review Goals Daily.

Every morning, take a few minutes to review your annual goals and weekly and daily goals.

Think about what you’d like to accomplish in the upcoming year and what you would like to get done today.

6. Turn Off Notifications.

When your computer, phone, or watch constantly beeps at you, staying focused is hard.

So, turn those notifications off for a set time each day. That way, you can get more done without getting distracted.

7. Choose to Be Happy.

Make sure you have a good relationship with your staff. Choose to be happy and to get along with everyone.

8. Schedule Social Media.

You want to be sure you are posting regularly, but you also don’t want to get distracted by this thought all day long.

The best way to combat this is to schedule a specific time every day in which you will post your social media.

9. Reward Yourself.

When you have accomplished your goals, reward yourself with a massage, a fancy coffee, or some time with a friend.

There are so many great ways to improve your productivity, and these steps should help you right away.

If you need help with getting your printing done in a timely, effective manner, reach out to us today!