As a solo traveler, it sure was nice to find a local restaurant where I felt like I was part of the family. Due to my intolerance for wheat, Lisa suggested a number of custom options that Clarke could make just for me. I went for the fresh, in-season halibut with a special Creole tomato sauce, steamed veggies and, of course, Lisa’s ultimate cole slaw on the side.

The patrons of the restaurant were equally friendly and gave me tourist hot-spot tips such as the hotel where Marilyn Monroe stayed and the graveyard where Laura Secord was buried.

The food was great. Service was excellent. I liked it so much I went back for dinner the last night I was in town. Each table had a little bunny display with chocolate eggs at each table. I enjoyed my time so much, I gave them a copy of my book. As a big thank you, they gifted me with this cool baseball bat with a cooling fan and candy holder. How cool is that? This is a fine example of an awesome customer-centered experience.

What’s your customer-centered experience? Comment below.

P.S. I have changed the name of the tips from One Minute Marketing Tips to Quick Tips to correspond with the name of my new book, Lift Strategies: Quick Tips to Engage Customers and Elevate Results. Buy It Now in Canada, U.S., in Bulk or Globally.

Buy It Now link – http://www.liftstrategies.com/book/

P.S.S. The Lift Strategies website has been updated and includes our brand new Virtual Consulting services and pricing.

Virtual Consulting – http://www.liftstrategies.com/consulting/virtual-consulting/

1. Medium Fear is for families or the weak hearted.
2. Hot is for the brave.
3. Hardcore is for the insane.

Which level of fear would be for you?

If you offer your customers only one option then that is all they have to choose from. When they don’t want what you offer it automatically becomes a no.

Offering three or more options provides room for you to customize your products or services while providing more value in the process. The likelihood of giving your customers what they want will be higher and the “yes” factor will increase exponentially.

When I was in Niagara Falls this spring, I knew that if I walked into this candy shop I would be in big trouble so I decided to take a picture of the signage and keep walking instead.
That is the best way for me to deal with my addiction to chocolate and candy: walk away and not take a bite.

How do you deal with the sweetest things in your life?

When I moved to British Columbia twenty years ago from Ottawa, Ontario, I was in awe of how big some of the trees are. After all this time, this awe hasn’t changed. I still feel the same way as I did the first time I stood next to a humongous tree.

As a goal-oriented business woman, I find getting out in nature is a perfect way to unplug, connect with myself and recharge my batteries. When I do this, I am in a better head space and more productive. This life strategy not only benefits me, it benefits my clients greatly. I am happier, more clear headed and highly productive as a result.

Tree hugging or nature may not be your go-to place to connect or recharge your batteries; it may be something different altogether. I know a colleague who benefits greatly from going to yoga during her lunch hours. When she makes this part of her regular routine, she is more productive and content.

You may or may not be a tree hugger. However, whatever gives you a power boost and reconnects you with yourself, more power to you for putting a strategy in place that feeds your soul.

When I see the trees it reminds me that beauty is around everywhere I go and all the time. It really just comes down to noticing it. From the guy who panhandles outside of London Drugs who makes me laugh with his witty sense of humour to the car that waits for me to cross the street even when they have the right of way.

In a world there we are over-inundated with information, it is nice to know that there is an incredible amount of beauty interspersed just waiting to enter our world if we are open to letting it in.

There are three critical areas in which customer engagement is necessary for small business success: Conversion, Frequency, and Maintenance.

Conversion – Good marketing strategies and strong promotions should increase call volumes and business traffic, but if the front-line staff does not have the ability to convert prospects into customers then efforts are wasted. The ability to connect with the customer is essential in business and this comes down to asking the right questions, developing rapport and providing helpful solutions.

Frequency – Many forms of promotion, including social media, email marketing and advertising, require frequency. Sending out an email blast once or running one ad rarely generates business. Businesses must maintain regular contact with prospects and customers. Frequency is an effective method of building and engaging relationships with those we want to do more business with.

Maintenance – It costs up to 15 times as much to get new customers as it does to keep the ones we’ve got. Maintenance marketing is a great way to stay connected to the customers you love. This can be done through thank-you cards, social media, lunches, emails, special offers and follow-up phone calls. The number of ways to follow up with our customers is endless. If your company does not have a maintenance marketing plan in place then it is at risk of losing exponential business opportunities.

My new book, Lift Strategies: Quick Tips to Engage Customers and Elevate Profits explores these three areas as well as focuses on how small business can develop their competitive advantage, maintain healthy profits, and attract emerging fans. It contains 89 quick tips for business owners with limited time and energy on how to find the resources to increase and retain customers.