Cathy Stucker - The Idea Lady

Attract Customers and Make Yourself Famous

Use Images to Attract More Readers

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Attention-grabbing graphics bring readers to your posts.

Content is king, and written content is what it’s all about. But to get them to notice the written content you have to attract them with a great image. You are competing with everything else on the Internet, and you need to grab readers’ attention and create intrigue, mystery, curiosity and a host of other emotions that wrap their tendrils around your visitor and pull them to your writing.

Headlines matter, but an image will draw the eye faster than a clever headline. Headlines are still important, but a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

So how can you use images to get the attention of the people who should be reading your content? Here are 10 ideas:
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Enough About You – Let’s Talk About Me

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Many people tell me that they have trouble talking to others about their businesses. But many other people have the problem of not knowing when to stop. We’re probably all guilty of this now and then–I know I catch myself sometimes–but if it’s a habit it is costing you customers.

Telling too much can take several forms. You may go on and on about your business to the point where listeners get bored. The solution to that one is simple: sit down and shut up. Learn to watch your listeners for signs that they are losing interest. When you see those signs, make sure you switch the topic back to something they will find more interesting–them! [Read more…]

Time Is Money–to Your Customers and to You

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Will your customers spend more money if it saves them time?

With all of us feeling more pressed for time these days, it is likely that your customers are making decisions about where they spend their money based on convenience. Yes, price and quality are important, but time has become an important part of our buying decisions. Customers are more willing to do business with companies that save them time, even if it costs them more money.

When I had more time than money, I was willing to spend time to save money. These days I find myself less and less willing to do so. I will pay more if it saves me time–and aggravation.

How does this affect your business? To get and keep customers make it easy for them to do business with you. And don’t be afraid to charge premium prices if you deliver convenience.
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Dealing with Difficult People

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In business, not all your customers will be pleasant. In fact, some of your customers may be downright mean, insensitive, or harsh. While this may seem like a headache or a problem, if you are prepared for these types of customers, you might actually make more money or take your business to the next level. It’s all about how you play the hand dealt you.

No one has the right to be abusive to you or your staff. I have dealt with a few of those types, and the sooner they are gone, the better. There is no reason to put up with customers who are abusive or threatening. However, most difficult people are not sociopaths, they are just…difficult. They may be more demanding than the typical customer, or require more hand holding. Some will want everything done yesterday or make round after round of changes. Most difficult people want to be treated as though they are special—the most important person in the universe, or at least in your universe.
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Why Doing It Yourself Can Cost More

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Should you hire a professional or do it yourself? The answer may not be as clear as you think.

I recently heard someone say that they would not pay $150 an hour or more for professional services. They claimed that all the information you need to do the work yourself is available online, so there is no reason to pay such “outrageous” fees.

We are not talking about do-it-yourself brain surgery here. The fact is that there are many professional fields where the average person could probably do the work themselves, rather than pay rates of $100, $200 or more per hour. So why pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to someone else for work you could do yourself?

Believe it or not, paying the professional may save you money. Here’s why. [Read more…]