Service Provider And Technology
A while back, I was on a teleclass call and one of the issues brought up was how can a service based business use technology to help reduce the workload. I’ve been in the service business too and one of the constant struggle is how to do all that work which you obviously have to do and still make time for marketing.
My friend Alice Seba will say outsource! And I agree wholeheartedly but before we even go to outsourcing since labor does cost more than software, is there any way technology can help? You know I sat thinking about this for a while now – in a service based business clients tend to expect live help perhaps more than other businesses. All businesses would fare better if owners strove to build relationships but you don’t often get ‘impulse purchase’ with a service based business.
Service businesses require a whole lot more relationship building than physical products. For example, I always tell my clients there is no refunds why? Because unlike a physical product, I can’t turn around and sell it as refurbished goods for a lesser price. The work is done whether the client likes the work or not and my time is gone never to be recovered again. Because of this, people will only hire someone they know or think they know. So how do you build that trust and make them think they know you without spending all of your time on the phone or on the computer following up? I still cannot think of any technology that can beat an autoresponder.
My friend and I had a good talk not too long back. She’s in the personal service business and had been attending a lot of offline mixers and networking sessions but wasn’t having much luck. People ask a lot of questions and she follows up after the events but nothing ever comes out of it. I asked her if she has a newsletter she says yeah but can hardly find time to publish it. Then I said, “Why not create an email course or put all those questions they have into an autoresponder and let the autoresponder follow up for you?”. Well she hadn’t thought of that but said she’d give it a go.
Yes, it can work offline. Although your signup rate might not be as good but that will depend on a number of things like how appealing you make the course to be. Also people who sign up from offline efforts are likely more motivated too since it takes more effort to type in your URL or email than it is to click a few buttons while they are surfing.
Other than making a course, you could also write up a series of followup style emails and after the event just email them an invite to confirm subscription. Say something like “It was a pleasure to meet you the other day, by the way I’ve written a quick report that answers all of the questions you had for me, how {something} benefits you and more. If you’d like to download it just confirm this email and you’ll get instant access to it”. Nobody says all of your leads have to go into one mailing list. In fact it’s better to separate them so each communication from you can be further personalized. Someone you met at a mixer or seminar is a lot different than someone who happened to find you by clicking through several websites or a search engine.
The technical learning curve of using today’s autoresponder is very small and that is good because it’s your message that matters the most. If you’d like to learn how to successfully use your list, try List Profit Secrets. For autoresponders, I suggest AWeber or 1ShoppingCart.
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Thank you for addressing the needs of a service business, Lynette.
A while ago I asked if you could compare the email/autoresponder software of Postmaster Express with another you had mentioned in your communications, and you did not seem familiar with it.
My husband has downloaded that to reside on our computers, which must then run 24/7; I am still waiting for a reliable computer which I can count on to do that.
However, it seems to me this is still the most complete and affordable solution, as one can set up many autoresponder series on it, and monitor what goes on, as well. Plus there is a labor-saving element with the Intelligent Secretary which you program with phrases specific to your business (service or other kinds), and it reads the incoming mail and sends a response (hopefully pertinent).
I doubt any machine can be programmed to think and respond as a human would to every difference in communication that might be sent to me, however, it can acknowledge an email and then I can follow up.
It can also handle the subscriptions and mailing of newsletters/ezines, optins, and optouts.
The company offers payments if it’s too much to get started, plus one has a 10-mailing free trial period, as well.
I’d like to see you evaluate this and give us some thorough feedback.
I’d also like to have feedback from others who have this software and get input about dealing with this company, Online Automation, Inc., who impress me so far as a little too hands-off!
Full automation is also not good! Builds a lack of trust in the technical service aspect of things.
Thanks, Lynette
Thank you for addressing the needs of a service business, Lynette.
A while ago I asked if you could compare the email/autoresponder software of Postmaster Express with another you had mentioned in your communications, and you did not seem familiar with it.
My husband has downloaded that to reside on our computers, which must then run 24/7; I am still waiting for a reliable computer which I can count on to do that.
However, it seems to me this is still the most complete and affordable solution, as one can set up many autoresponder series on it, and monitor what goes on, as well. Plus there is a labor-saving element with the Intelligent Secretary which you program with phrases specific to your business (service or other kinds), and it reads the incoming mail and sends a response (hopefully pertinent).
I doubt any machine can be programmed to think and respond as a human would to every difference in communication that might be sent to me, however, it can acknowledge an email and then I can follow up.
It can also handle the subscriptions and mailing of newsletters/ezines, optins, and optouts.
The company offers payments if it’s too much to get started, plus one has a 10-mailing free trial period, as well.
I’d like to see you evaluate this and give us some thorough feedback.
I’d also like to have feedback from others who have this software and get input about dealing with this company, Online Automation, Inc., who impress me so far as a little too hands-off!
Full automation is also not good! Builds a lack of trust in the technical service aspect of things.
Thanks, Lynette
Hey Jannette,
I remember you asking about that. There are just so many software and services that it’s not possible to evaluate them all but I do hope that someone else who has experience with it will chime in.
The autoresponders I recommended in the original post won’t be scanning the emails to send response to people. For customer support issues, I personally prefer to send people to a helpdesk with the most commonly asked questions and then allow them the opportunity to submit a help request which in turn will be replied by a human being – either myself or my assistant.
Hey Jannette,
I remember you asking about that. There are just so many software and services that it’s not possible to evaluate them all but I do hope that someone else who has experience with it will chime in.
The autoresponders I recommended in the original post won’t be scanning the emails to send response to people. For customer support issues, I personally prefer to send people to a helpdesk with the most commonly asked questions and then allow them the opportunity to submit a help request which in turn will be replied by a human being – either myself or my assistant.