Business Owner's Voice

Show CustoMonsters who's boss - Collect from no-pay customers.

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:38:51 -0500

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10 Signs Of A Problematic Customer

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:27:57 -0500

Know of a bad customer that you wish you could have seen coming beforehand?

You can’t always see it coming when you first meet a customer but there are signs that could give you a glimpse of what this customer might be like to work with in the future. As a new business owner (or even seasoned one) you have to realize that you have every right to make sure that the customer “fits” your business. What exactly does that mean? That means you have the right to fire or hire a customer. If you immediately see that a customer is demanding from the start then most likely they are going to be demanding the entire time you work with them. Do you want to deal with that? You shouldn’t, so fire them from the start.

Here are signs that a customer has the potential to be what we call a “CustoMonster.”

They ask “how fast can you get it done?”
They tell you upfront that they are getting a few different quotes.
They tell you that another company gave them a discount and they “hint” you should too.
If they stand over you the entire time you’re out there showing them products or working up a potential bid.
If they call you the same day to see if the quote is ready (even though you told them you would get back to them by the end of they day or the next).
They don’t want to pay a down payment upfront even if it is your policy.
They don’t want to deal with an employee, they only want to talk to the business owner or manager.
They immediately think they should get a discount for “choosing you.”
They want to change the contract after you worked it up and sent it over to them.
If they want you to work up a quote 3-10 different ways.

These are just a few signs that the customer you’re chatting with about a potential project may just cause you some problems down the road. These are warning signs to watch out for but ultimately it’s up to you to go with your gut on if you want to work with them or not. What it truly comes down to is that it’s YOUR business. Don’t be afraid to not hire a customer that you don’t see fit for your business. Robert is always talking about this on the show and follows up with “ask me how I know…” When in doubt always go with your gut.

In case you missed the live event we did with our friends at the YEC about dealing with problem customers, you can check it out right here.

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Untitled

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:24:45 -0500

Individuals dont build great companies, teams do.

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Why Your “About Us” Page Is A Must For Your Small Business

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:20:10 -0500

This was originally posted on our TV show blog but we wanted to make sure and share it right here too….

Have you ever gone to a website before and wanted to learn more about the business but all you can find is small “About Us” page that reads:

“ABC company was founded in 1983 and continues to wow customers through the years.”

Is that all you got? I mean really where is the rest of the page? How many times have you seen this when you come across a small business website? It seems it happens to often that the “about us” page gets a backseat when in truth it’s one of the most important pages you can have to really let people learn about your business. People now more than ever want to get to know the person or business they are about to purchase from or work with. There is only so much you can say through words before meeting someone and it comes down to how much are you willing to share about yourselves and your business? Don’t hold back, tell the truth and be transparent.

If you have an amazing family business with an awesome story to share then SHARE IT! Have some cool awards that you received for your killer barbeque sauce at the county fair? Go ahead and brag about it because that is something you accomplished with your business and others should know why your sauce is the best. Give quick bios of each member of your team and for fun let them share a few quick trivia questions that shows their personality. Here’s a quick list of some things you can include in your about us page:

Company background and journey of how you got where you are today (even add some humor)
Team member bios
Awards you’ve received for your business or products
Photos of your team, office, on the job etc.
Fun facts about your business (don’t hold back and be creative)
A welcome video or one that shows a typical day in the office (personality counts!)

Yes, this is a simple thing to do but if it’s so simple why are so many small business owners not doing it? Who knows maybe your about us page needs some shaping up too…if you have not touched the page in about 3 years it’s time to change it my friend. And one important thing you need to know is don’t feel like you have to have a boring, clean-cut, one paragraph “corporate” type of about us page. You’re a small business, you have every right in the world to share your personality with others and let them get to know you and the “behind the scenes” part of your business. It drives me nuts when people think they have to model after boring corporate websites (that most hate anyways), just don’t do it. This is where you have the chance to show everyone just who you are and be DIFFERENT.

What’s your favorite part on your “about us” page for your business?

photo credit: what you’re missing kc

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Chilling in the studio

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:46:18 -0400

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Guess Who

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:14:43 -0400

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Guess Who

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 02:43:35 -0400

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CustoMonster 3000

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:09:02 -0500

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Business Beware New Episodes!

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 02:28:55 -0500

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Business Beware brings joy to others

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:42:49 -0500

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Yolk Chicago

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:32:19 -0500

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Young entrepreneurship tour

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 02:15:03 -0500

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IMG00057-20110213-0821.jpg

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:24:18 -0500

www.BusinessBeware.Biz www.BusinessBewareShow.com

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IMG00034-20110208-1340.jpg

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:50:44 -0500

www.BusinessBeware.Biz www.BusinessBewareShow.com

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Business Beware at Target

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:50:39 -0500

www.BusinessBeware.Biz www.BusinessBewareShow.com

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Downtime at the BB Show

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:40:11 -0500

www.BusinessBeware.Biz www.BusinessBewareShow.com

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Angies list and BB?

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:44:26 -0500

www.BusinessBeware.Biz www.BusinessBewareShow.com

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CustoMonster 3000

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:25:32 -0500

www.BusinessBeware.Biz www.BusinessBewareShow.com

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Business Beware Show: Business Humor at it's Best

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 12:11:58 -0500

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Untitled

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 22:49:20 -0500

Just so you know Christmas is our absolute favorite time of the year and with that we are taking the day off. So if you happen to be trying to sign up or contact us on Christmas day don’t expect a quick email because we will be drowning ourselves into some amazing food,great family and exchanging gifts with loved ones…AND so should you! So just a heads up in case you had questions or were trying to sign up for the site. We will get back with you the next day.

Merry Christmas!

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