The auto-responder note was short, pointed and just what I wanted to read. In fact, I thought the email was a representation of the near perfect auto-responder message. Let me break down the elements that make an auto-responder message successful. 1) Order Tracking. The section provides the order number for easy referral if there is a problem with the order. Customers can use this number when contacting the company with any customer service question. 2) A Statement of Intent. This section clearly defines how many emails the recipient will receive to guide them through the product fulfillment process. In the case of this sample that number is three. This number is fairly standard for auto-responder emails. a) Order Confirmation. This email assures you that the company received your order. b) Order Status. This email indicates that the order is in process and provides an itemized list of purchases and applicable discounts along with shipping related costs c) Order Shipped. This email is sent when the product fulfillment team delivers the package for delivery. This generally includes tracking numbers and business contact information should the package be delayed lost or arrived damaged.
At this point the auto-responder notice encourages recipients to white list their emails so future information isn’t sent to the spam folder.
Finally the auto-responder message includes a closing note from the customer services department head.
In this case there is a statement listed that reads, “My only job is making you happy.” In all the auto-responder message was shorter than the above description. No graphics were included, but the message was caught and digested quickly. It may be to your advantage to make your auto-responder messages short and without undue marketing statements. After all the reason for the auto-responder is to manage a customer’s order once the purchase is actually complete. To go overboard in marketing might be viewed as overkill. Auto-responders should be designed to assist both the online business owner and the customer. This happens when pertinent information is delivered on a timely basis. Customers appreciate knowing the status of their order and a three-pronged approach to information delivery can happen in a virtually hands-free environment known as auto-responder. Does your auto-responder have to look exactly like the sample outline above? No. You devise it any way you want. I simply used this outline to demonstrate one very succinct way to allow your customers to know what to expect, when to expect it and that you will not be sending long-term emails to them without their permission. I might suggest that if you want to include a marketing angle make that appeal on your last auto-responder email.
This email can provide tracking information, but it can also alert customers to ezines or free email services you may offer that may be knowledge-based and desirable. Make sure this is offered as an opt-in function and don’t high-pressure these individuals who have already extended their trust in making a purchase. Auto-responders can be the first line of defense when it comes to providing proactive customer service.
Marketing.
Does that single word cause you to want to scream or run away? Well, it doesn’t need to cause that kind of reaction. Although every business, large or small, needs to market themselves on a regular basis, there is no need to be afraid of it. You really just need to do what is comfortable for you. One thing you can do is market your business online, and it is easier than you think. Here are seven of the most popular online marketing ideas:1. Have a professionally-designed web siteIf you have the skills and time needed to create your own professional site, by all means do it. If not, hiring a professional will be money well spent. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, either. Just keep it simple to educate others about what products or services you offer.2. Online networkingThis is a great way to meet those in your target market, especially if you don’t enjoy networking in person. Two sites I can suggest that do not cost anything to join are: Ryze Business Networking, http://ryze.com/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/3. Submit articles onlineIf you enjoy writing, a great way to drive more traffic to your web site is by submitting articles online. Find publications that your target market reads, and submit your articles there. Some sites offer directories of articles that others can use in e-zines or blogs. Submit to as many sites as possible, and don’t forget to include a short bio at the end. Reference your contact information, including a link back to your web site.4. E-zinesE-zines help you keep in touch with clients, customers and colleagues. This is also another opportunity to send more traffic to your site. <5. Blogs Blogging is becoming much more popular these days. Blogs are less formal than e-zines, allowing you to become more up close and personal, while still promoting your business.6. Message BoardsAlthough this also falls under the category of online networking, posting to message boards is a great way to showcase your expertise.
Offer a solution to a problem someone has posted about, or offer a helpful tip. The more you come across as being an expert in your field, the more you will build your credibility.7. Advertise in online publicationsThis option is not the least expensive way to get your business noticed, but can help if you know your target audience. There are plenty of sources for finding lists of publications that allow advertising. As you can see, marketing your business online is fairly easy to do. Hopefully these suggestions will get you started in finding more business, and getting the word out there about you and your business.
There are a few things you will never hear a home business owner say. The fact they don’t utter those particular comments actually tell us a lot about why owning your home business is so incredibly attractive. Let’s look at three examples and what they show us. First, you will never hear a home business owner say, “I wish I had my old schedule back.” Although some people seem to take comfort in certainty, those who own their own businesses soon find that the flexibility and personal fulfillment that comes with being in charge of their own lives makes what some see as a form of security almost akin to a prison. They love making their own hours and deciding how to use their own time. Second, a home business owner will never say, “I wish I was more appreciated.” You’ll hear that lament from many people who slave away at nine to five jobs without recognition or reward, but those who run their own businesses receive immediate financial and personal rewards for their efforts. They are no longer concerned about being noticed or appreciated. They get to experience the direct benefits of everything they do and learn to appreciate themselves more in the process. Finally, those who operate home businesses never say, “I feel trapped.” Again, you can hear that complaint from those in the traditional workforce, but people who own and operate their own moneymakers don’t have to worry about feeling trapped in something they don’t enjoy or that doesn’t bring a sense of fulfillment or adequate pay. Instead, they always have the option to grow, transform or redirect their professional lives based on their interests and experiences. Owning your own business may not always be easy. It can require some effort and determination. However, those seem like small prices to pay for the sense of personal freedom and opportunity for financial rewards that come along with being one’s own boss instead of merely serving as an employee. The things you don’t hear from home business owners can tell you a great deal about controlling your own operation and the attendant benefits of escaping a world of employee clock-punchers! If you are considering your own home business, think about the issues upon which other home business owners are silent.
Their lack of complaints and angst on certain topics can give you some big clues about just how rewarding it can be to own your own business.
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A few of our customers told us about their creative ownership methods and use.
They are very creative ideas on building and effectively using a timeshare portfolio. There is a simple idea to most of these portfolios: Travel to the nicest places they could find as inexpensively as possible. They had found that timeshares let them do this. Their secret is to build a timeshare portfolio. One customer has four consecutive weeks of timeshares at four different resorts around the Gulf Coast of Florida. Each year the customer and his wife travel to Florida and spend four weeks at four nice resorts. Their total housing costs for four weeks is under $2000 (based on the total maintenance fees they pay). The couple is retired, so they have more free time than most people. But their idea is great – and cost effective. They are also not alone. We see more and more people who recognize the value of a timeshare and then purchase multiple properties. These properties to give them cost effective travel at great resorts. Here are a couple Timeshare Portfolio models we have seen our savvy customers use: The «Expressway» Portfolio The scenario given at the beginning of this article is a perfect example of an Expressway Portfolio. In this model, the timeshare property owner wishes to visit a specific geographic repeatedly. The Expressway Portfolio is usually composed of fixed-week properties in the same general area. People who build this portfolio like the idea of spending their vacation time in a specific area. Customers who favor the Expressway Portfolio model often have children or extended families that frequently travel together. Often, the resorts are within a half-day car ride from home. Since the resorts are close, travel expenses are kept to a minimum. The Dartboard Portfolio This Dartboard Portfolio is the model of choice for “empty nesters” or those who have more time and flexibility. This portfolio emphasizes properties acquired primarily for trading, or floating weeks at desirable resorts.
Each year’s vacation planning is like throwing a dart at a dartboard. Each year the Dartboard Portfolio owner works the Exchange companies and resorts to create the best vacations possible. The property owner uses low-maintenance properties and exchanges them for more expensive resort properties. This property owner also uses floating weeks at a favorite resort and reserves each year for the best time possible. The Dartboard Portfolio usually consists of a “foundational resort” that may have cost more than other timeshare properties to acquire. We see many customers in the West using Hawaii properties as “foundational resorts”. They cost more, but they will be visited almost every year. The portfolio is then filled in with trading properties. These are usually two - bedroom units that have low cost annual maintenance fees (typically under $400). These trading units are banked as early in the portfolio-building process. The Portfolio Owner then shops the exchange company for the possible best trade. Factor in Your Available Vacation Time There is no best portfolio; every person’s situation is different. However, we have noticed that portfolio owners keep a few factors in mind.
The first factor they consider is available time.
They ask themselves several key questions: How many weeks of vacation do they have each year? How many vacation weeks can they actually take each year? How many of these weeks do they travel between vacation sites? In other words, how many vacation weeks does the portfolio owner need to stay home. Here’s a suggested rule of thumb: use 50% of your available vacation time with a timeshare. As your vacation time increases, add additional timeshare weeks. Estimate Your Cost Cost is the second key factor. The type of portfolio you choose to build is affected by the cost of travel. If you live in the Midwest, are you ready to pay for yearly airfare to Hawaii? Would it make more sense to acquire a Caribbean timeshare for a little more money up front (but lower annual travel costs)? You can also start with an Expressway Portfolio and transition to a Dartboard Portfolio. As your family matures, you can start to use your existing timeshare weeks more for trade. You may even want to create a hybrid portfolio with some properties at fixed locations to be kept over the long term and some are used solely for trading. Focus on the Reward: More Control, More Fun The best part of building a portfolio is the control you have over purchasing properties. When the right properties are purchased, the focus of your vacation is on the experience, not on the expense.
You spend your time enjoying wonderful places with family and friends – and that’s the reason for owning timeshare properties in the first place.
