A warm welcome to all our new eZine subscribers and
a friendly hello to our regulars!
As promised, here is your free issue filled with
useful information to help you succeed. Let us know
what you think.
I am very delighted to present this
week's feature article written by none other than Canadian
entrepreneur, Rick Beneteau. His common sense business
advice, written in a warm, friendly style, has made his
name synonymous with success.
He reminds us, in his article, how as a business owner, making a
positive impact on clients and associates is vital for a business
to succeed. It's all about reputation--especially on the Internet.
Read on and enjoy!
I realized when I was writing up
this issue that it has been quite a while since I offered you a
free gift. Well this week is your lucky week. I think it could be
a useful tool if you sell products online. This new web tool is
called Order Link Generator, and lets you easily create
both ClickBank and PayPal buttons and links without being online
or logging into your account. Simply
click here to download.
Lastly, be sure to support your fellow subscribers by
reviewing the offers and opportunities in this
week's issue. They may be offering the services
that you need to succeed in your own business.
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Make an Impact -
Make a Difference
by Rick Beneteau
It was
moving day, twenty some years ago. The trucks had long
since pulled away from our new home and we were left in that
"what a mess limbo" that you are probably all too familiar
with.
We were also hungry and this was no time to hook up the stove
and go rifling through the stacked boxes to find our kitchen
supplies. With no phone installed, dad and two-year old
daughter decide to try out the brand new Taco Bell everyone
was talking about.
The parking lot was full but with babe in arms we filtered
into one of the LONG lines of eager first-time fast-food
seekers and Sara had her eyes fixed on the busy counter. As
children have the uncanny ability to do, during a dead silent
moment in the crowd, she screamed at the top of her little
lungs, "Daddy, look at that 'wary' big brown lady!!", pointing
at the counter person in charge of our line.
Look, I don't know how many shades of red a person can really
turn, but I know I must have sported them all. I can still
hear both the boisterous laughter and the silent gasps of
sheer shock at this innocent revelation. All I know is I felt
terrible that it was MY "out of the mouths of babes" that
rocked this joint.
When we finally reached the counter, I could only offer my
most profound apology to who would be this wonderful, large
Afro-American woman who said "No problem at all, I laughed
too!". Phew!:-)
Well, 'Marva' and I starting chatting about her new job and
other things, and I told her I a dry-cleaning company in town.
Now, I admit that I still enjoy some Taco Bell fare, so I
continued to visit this location on occasion for over a
decade. Each time, Marva remembered my name, asked me how
business was, and of course, how Sara was!!
The point of this true story is very simple. Ableit a strange
and innocent way to make an impact, my two-year old tyke did
just that. And, in a big way. A strong impression that lasted
more than ten years. Each time I was there after that, I stood
in Marva's line and whenever management wasn't looking over
her shoulder, I slipped her a nice tip which she always
refused to take (but I always won).
Although this particular fast food location is now gone, I
will always remember Marva and that day, and I'm quite sure
Marva (and many of the patrons, at least those with a sense of
humor) will never forget it either.
And so, we all should strive to make a profound impact on
people, especially in business, on our customers. Let me
explain.
The very best way we can make an impact on customers is by
making sure our product or service itself makes one. Trust me,
I'm not trying to be boastful here, but by the time I was
finished writing my first book,
The Ezine Marketing Machine, I
knew in my heart that *if* I could get it to sell well, it
would help an awful lot of people and make a strong impact on
those folks who wanted to use the best Internet promotion
method available in order to make a good living online.
Gratefully, I was able to launch successfully and with the
help of many dedicated resellers, turn EMM into one of the
best selling Internet marketing books ever. The evidence of
the impact that this book has made is clearly shown in the
testimonials I've received (this is about 1/3 of them) which I
encourage you to read:
http://www.interniche.net/said.html
Another
great way to make an impact is with customer service.
Let's face it, most of the online population is still hesitant
to spend their hard earned money online. And who can blame
them with all the scam artists and hucksters hanging their
crooked shingles in cyberspace? Even the big brand websites
are taking heat for poor customer service.
Here's an example of someone who didn't like my book ie: an
unhappy customer. First though, my guarantee states "If you
are not completely satisfied with what my product does for you
after trying my Ultimate Marketing Method, I won't give you
100% of your money back. Show me you've tried
The Ezine Marketing Machine and I'll give you 110%"
Now, this purchaser never tried anything in the book. Just
stated he *thought* the methods wouldn't work (wrong:-) almost
right away. I am too familiar now with the buy now/request a
refund a half an hour later scammers (like, at least don't
make it so obvious:-) but this person I didn't feel was one of
them. So, without hesitation, I rebated his credit card. This
is what he wrote back:
"After doing business on the Internet for some time now, I
must say that although I didn't see the benefit in your
product, I do appreciate the level of customer service that
you gave me. You refunded my money, within 24 hours of my
request, no questions asked. It is nice to know that you are
running a first class business. I wish you continued success."
Now, I'm quite sure that a person who was impacted enough to
write the above to me has told all his online contacts about
his experience with Rick Beneteau. Word-of-mouth on the
Web will always be the strongest form of advertising!
Last example, and another odd one, but please bear with me. I
received an email a few weeks ago from a reseller. She had
forwarded an email she received from someone who offered her
$10.00 to buy
The Ezine Marketing Machine (my reseller had
paid the retail price of $29.95). He was so bold as to tell
her that if she didn't take him up on his offer all he had to
do was change the ID# on the URL and someone else would buy
it.
My immediate human reaction was anger. I mean, this
"sleazeball" was canvassing my resellers to steal my work and
undercut me! Well, I had no choice but to immediately send a
curt "Cease & Decist" notice and threaten "swift and immediate
legal action" if he contacted anyone else in my organization.
I really didn't expect a reply but a few hours later came the
"real story". Here was a young man, full of apology, trying
to "figure out the Internet". I replied that if he had only
been "honest" with me upfront instead of trying underhanded
tactics he would have received a no-obligation free copy of my
book. Which was the truth. He received that copy and I know
one thing for sure - this young entrepreneur had the
opportunity to learn a valuable lesson and it's my gut feeling
he did.
Bottom line: every time you make an impact, you make a
difference. Make a difference to your customers and you will
make a difference to your bottom line. I guarantee it!
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Rick Beneteau is the author of the best-selling
marketing eBook, The Ezine Marketing Machine at:
http://www.ezinemoney.net
He is also the purveyor of those famous
'traveling billboards' called I.D. IT! Plates:
http://www.iditplates.net
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