How to Get More Done with the Elimination Technique

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Most of us are familiar with the infamous “to do” list.

We dutifully populate the list with task after task that needs to get done. But we’re never sure where to start. There are only so many hours in a day, and all the tasks need to get done. We can’t fit a square peg in a round hole, and even if we stayed awake 24 hours, we wouldn’t be able to finish all the tasks on our list.

When faced with this dilemma, most of us are ready to tear up the task list and just wing it. A better option might be to use the Elimination Technique instead. What is the Elimination Technique? It’s a method to help narrow your focus. It starts with a series of questions to ask to begin eliminating options to get to what is most important.

Take a look at your current task list and ask the following questions:

  • What tasks take more time than I have available?
  • Are there tasks that don’t have to be done today?
  • Are there tasks that can be automated?
  • What tasks can be delegated to someone else?

Your task list should now be shortened. Reduce your list further by asking these questions:

  • What tasks are most important for this day to be considered a success?
  • What tasks don’t generate results that move you along your major goals?
  • What tasks are required to move forward with a project?
  • What tasks don’t facilitate some sort of growth, profit, or sales?

Your goal is to eliminate as many of the non-essential tasks as possible. Remember that the goal is to narrow your focus into a laser beam. By asking these questions, you should begin to see which tasks are truly important and must be prioritized and which tasks can be pushed down the list or better yet simply eliminated from your day. Less is more in this case.

For some, eliminating tasks may feel painful. We live in a society that seems to be constantly on the go. A long to do list must equal someone of substance. But having lots of activity doesn’t necessarily lead to fulfillment. Some struggle with the concept of elimination because there may be a sense of loss. (If I don’t do it, it will never get done.) But if all that extra non-essential activity gets in the way of doing what is most important, wouldn’t it be better for it to be eliminated?

Start today by ruthlessly eliminating tasks so you can reveal to yourself the truly important things in your life. With elimination comes focus. With focus comes efficiency. Efficiency leads to doing more while actually working less. Working less allows you to enjoy more freedom to accomplish what gives you real fulfillment and happiness in life.

Tactics or Strategy?

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You’ve probably heard the phrase “tactics vs. strategy” countless times.

People love tactics. Tactics can be fun and exciting. They’re relatively easy to pick up and seem to have magical quick results (at least for a short time). Social media in the form of a few tweets is a classic example of a tactic.

But there’s a critical part most businesses seem to miss, and it’s why tactics often fail in the long run. To be successful, you have to put all the tactics together in a logical and cohesive way to make it all work.

That’s where strategy comes into play.

Without a well thought-out strategic plan, all tactics will ultimately fail. It’s not the fault of the tactic that it didn’t work. It’s the fault of the person behind the tactic who thought it would be the magic pill it didn’t turn out to be.

A strategy is a plan to get you and your business where you want to go. Without a strategy, you are lost in the Sahara with no compass and no water. Once you have your strategy in place, the right tactics will fall into place where they need to be.

Overwhelmed by Your Marketing Efforts?

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Marketing your business can be a nonstop, exhausting task. Here are a few ways to avoid feeling overwhelmed and get the most out of your marketing efforts:

  • Create a SWOT analysis, which is a strategic planning method to evaluate your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By identifying and understanding these four areas of your business, you can more easily create a strategy that will distinguish your company from the competition, so you can compete successfully in your market.
  • Hire a talented assistant. An assistant can help you manage your workload, get things done faster, and relieve the stress of looming deadlines. Even a part-time assistant can help you free up time to focus on more important tasks.
  • Find a marketing intern. Interns can provide a lot of value… if you let them. Interns are best utilized to help you reach business goals. For example, consider assigning interns to manage social media accounts, write articles and other blogs to increase your web presence, develop creative campaign ideas, etc. Interns can help relieve capacity issues and “test” new hires before making them official.
  • Remember to delegate. It often seems faster and easier just to do something yourself, but you also risk not having trained backup when you really need the help. If you’re nervous about trusting others with key projects, be sure to frequently track progress, give feedback, and help people solve problems.
  • Communicate with other departments in your business to gather new marketing ideas. For example, your production crew may suggest highlighting a new product feature, while your sales team may receive suggestions from customers about requested promotional ideas.
  • Learn from others. Collect examples of marketing materials or creative ideas that caught your attention, and organize them in an ideas binder. Combine your favorite traits from each into marketing ideas that are customized for your business.
  • Create a wish list of marketing initiatives, as well as a list of necessary projects with realistic deadlines. Schedule a weekly or bi-monthly meeting to review your progress, identify issues that are holding you back, and reassign tasks or projects.
  • Consider outsourcing projects if you or your team doesn’t have the time or resources to complete an important project. Freelance writers or designers can also be a great solution to keeping up the pace without hiring permanent staff. One great way to use freelance writers is for customer case studies. As an outside party, freelance writers can often ask sensitive questions and may be able to get customers to open up more as a result.

Whatever you do, don’t forget to put a professional finishing touch on your marketing efforts by choosing a printer who can offer helpful advice, creative ideas, meet tight deadlines, and provide a quality product you will be proud to distribute. We’re here anytime your business needs help putting your best foot forward.

Good, Better, or Best

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When it comes to upselling your product line, a tiered marketing strategy can accelerate the research-buying process for your customers, give you a competitive edge, and increase your bottom line through increased revenue. Here are a few tips to help you take advantage of a tiered selling technique:

  • Provide a comparison chart that outlines various differences and focuses on the most importance benefits to motivate buying.
  • Describe product differences using an emotional appeal rather than technical verbiage.
  • Use descriptive headlines or titles that distinguish between the product service levels. For example, try basic, premium, and ultimate; or fast, faster, and fastest.
  • When displaying in your store, group your products in close proximity to one another, making it easier for customers to comparison shop.
  • Provide upselling options in sales proposals, especially if an RFP asks for minimum or bare bones specifications. You may be surprised how many organizations choose higher price points after understanding their benefits.
  • Even if you offer a large variety of products or services, select a few of your best choices as a starting point that won’t overwhelm your audience. When possible, note that other options are available as well.
  • Draw attention to the most expensive option with extra benefit statements and intriguing visuals that will resonate with readers and support the additional expense.

Tiered marketing can not only paint your product line in a positive light but also help your customers make educated decisions based on benefits that are most important to them. The result is a win-win for you and your customers.

Circle of Trust

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In the movie Meet the Parents, Jack (Robert DeNiro) explains to Greg (Ben Stiller) his philosophy which he calls the “Circle of Trust.” Greg is planning to marry Jack’s daughter. He’s an outsider who desperately wants to be included in Jack’s Circle of Trust.

Greg tries to fit in, but every effort is met with failure and ridicule because he tries to be something he is not.

In an effort to impress our prospects, we sometimes make the same mistake of trying to be something outside of who we are. But if you really want to get inside a customer’s Circle of Trust, you must have integrity, and you must show that you truly have their best interest in mind at all times.

Above all, be yourself.

With all the mishaps and disasters that happen during the movie, Jack is convinced that Greg is not a good fit for his daughter. But at the end of the movie, Jack realizes that Greg really loves his daughter and has her best interest in his heart.

To enter and stay in a customer’s Circle of Trust, always have their best interest in mind and show them that you truly care about them and their business.

Now, here’s a short and funny compilation of the Circle of Trust scenes from Meet the Parents. Enjoy!

Stand Out and Get Noticed With Folded Business Cards

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Everyone knows that business cards are an essential marketing tool for exchanging contact information, so why not double your marketing effort with a folded business card?

Folded business cards not only provide your standard contact information, but can also provide your audience with something useful to them, such as an events schedule, appointment card, coupon, map, menu, frequent customer discount, punch card, or response card.

The extra space can also be used as a mini-billboard, provide a list of your products or services, highlight helpful tips or industry resources, and much more.

Creative options are endless, including designs, paper and ink choices, diecut shapes, finishing touches, and even the placement of the fold. Folds can made along the top edge, short side, or even offset, where part of the card is shorter, revealing information on the panel below.

Check out your options for folded business cards next time you want to make a lasting impression and ensure your prospects and customers keep your business card on hand.

Complaints: Problem Solvers in Disguise

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While it’s hard to think of customer complaints as a good thing, most of them are actually great problem-solving tools for your business. Valid complaints expose problems that cost your business time and money.

With that in mind, here are a few ways to deal with and learn from customer complaints:

  • Offer several convenient ways for customers to express their dissatisfaction, such as customer surveys, comment cards, a toll-free number, a dedicated email address, and an online feedback form.
  • Listen to customers, and let them tell their story without interrupting.
  • Apologize for the issue they are experiencing.
  • Take necessary actions immediately to resolve the issue and re-establish rapport.
  • Ask customers for suggestions for improvement. Sometimes the solution may be easier than you think.
  • Thank customers for bringing issues to your attention.
  • Gather as much data as you can about customer complaints, and share them within your business. While all issues should be addressed, you may want to start by fixing those that waste the most time and cost the most money.
  • Follow-up with customers to be sure their issues were solved and that they were satisfied with the outcome.

Customers who complain and have a problem solved are generally much more loyal than those who are simply happy with your business. Regardless of the issue at hand, one of the easiest ways to ensure customer satisfaction is by reminding them you’re all ears.

7 Secrets to Customer-Focused Marketing

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Mahatma Gandhi once said, “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.”

While many businesses like to focus promotional materials on their company story, business accomplishments, and products, they should instead focus on the customer — their wants, their needs, and solutions to solve their problems. Here are a few ways to show your customers you truly care about their needs:

  • Educate your customers about industry trends, product training, upgrade options, and product releases.
  • Provide resources that are focused on helping your customer, such as product and/or price comparisons, product reviews, customer testimonials, and customer references.
  • Listen to your customers’ needs, then recommend products and services that are the best fit for them, not your pocketbook. If a customer truly feels like you helped him with a buying decision, he will likely return for more advice and sales.
  • Promote a solid guarantee that shows your commitment to quality and gives customers confidence in your products. Then stand behind your warranty should a customer need to use it.
  • Customize marketing messages based on your target audience. Thrill seekers often respond better to upbeat, urban electronic messaging. Older audiences often prefer traditional print messaging with larger fonts.
  • When customers give you the opportunity to serve them, make the extra effort to ensure every experience with your business is positive.
  • And finally, be sure to reward customers for their loyalty. Throw down the red carpet occasionally by offering exclusive discounts, loyalty incentives, and free bonus gifts to your top customers.

Got any other customer-focused marketing secrets you’d like to share? Add them in the comments below.

Tips to Convey Quality

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While the quality of your products and services is ultimately measured by customer satisfaction, here are a few tips on how to convey quality in everything your business does:

  • Provide a no-hassle satisfaction guarantee…and stand behind it.
  • Offer a longer or more inclusive warranty than your competition does. This will show customers how committed you are to your products.
  • Post customer reviews and testimonials to encourage readers to see what others are saying about your products and services.
  • Offer a risk-free evaluation of your products to allow customers to experience your outstanding products and customer support firsthand.
  • Create a customer referral program that encourages and rewards customers to do the selling for you.
  • Distribute professional marketing materials such as letterhead, envelopes, business cards, brochures, flyers, and product catalogs.
  • Use only high-resolution, quality images. If an image isn’t up to par, don’t use it.
  • Include your contact information on all materials, including your physical address, phone numbers, and email address. This will show customers you are easily accessible.
  • Choose words carefully when marketing your products. Instead of using the word “quality,” use words that imply quality, such as “premium.” Instead of “inexpensive,” use the word “value.”

One of the easiest ways to show customers your dedication to customer satisfaction is by following Henry Ford’s famous words of advice: “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.”

Turn Customers into Salespeople

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One of the most cost effective ways to grow your business is by letting your customers do the selling for you via referrals. Here are a few tips on how to grow your business through customer referrals:

  • Create a customer referral program. For example, provide custom printed referral cards that provide an exclusive discount to new customers. Also reward existing customers based on how many new customers they recruit.
  • Educate your customers with the information they need to market your products. Make sure your customers have access to adequate print literature, website links, blogs, newsletters, and other materials relevant to your company.
  • Differentiate your business based on a key feature or benefit you offer that your competition doesn’t, such as free shipping or low-price guarantees. These differentiators make great selling points to entice new customers.
  • Ask for referrals. If you’ve just talked to a happy customer who complimented your business, ask if they would be willing to refer others on your behalf.
  • Popularity sells. If your business has a very high number of referrals, promote the fact on your marketing materials and website. For example, “More than half of our new customers are derived from customer referrals” would make a great tagline somewhere on your website or in your product literature.
  • Ask new customers how they learned about your business. It’s always exciting to see real-world results from your marketing efforts, especially from word-of-mouth.
  • Include a statement on the back of your brochures, business cards, and other collateral that encourages customer referrals. “A customer referral is the finest compliment we can receive” would be a good example.

Don’t forget to show your sincere appreciation to customers who refer others to your business. A handwritten thank you note is a great way to follow-up, and that one extra step will reinforce the reasons why they recommended you in the first place.