Getting More Out of Your Web Site

The cost of not returning phone calls has been documented extensively. Here’s some data on the cost of not returning emails.

PIzza Hut: Missed Call Costs $5.40

So according to a report The Cost of a Missed Call, they have established a policy to return 97% of all calls. (Not sure how they arrived at that number, but they did set a goal.)

From the same article:
"Ford dealers who responded (or auto-responded) to e-mail inquiries within 15 minutes were able to achieve an 18 percent closing rate whereas e-mails that were answered more than two hours later yielded a 10 percent closing rate. The closing rate is nearly two times higher in the first instance; imagine what it could realistically be in the case of dealers who don't respond at all."

So people put up a web site, it has an email link, and they want to get leads. People go to the site, people email them, and then they don't respond! Go figure. (And that's a worst case scenario of course, but all too common.)

So, Does This Affect You?

One of our guiding principles at Bare Feet Studios is to look at each client and each situation as being case-specific. Clearly, this kind of data is more relevant to people in the retail end of the business spectrum. When a customer is out looking to buy something, they want a response and they want it now. At least, that is how I am when I want to buy something. I can wait a little while. But not very long. What about you? How long are you willing to wait for an email response? How do you interpret a slow or nonexistent response from a web business? How much of your stuff is bought by women?

Women Buyers on the Internet Depend on Speed and Email

According to an article in Wired, "Another reason is women seem more inclined to use the Internet as a time-saving device, flipping to sites to do shopping or research as opposed to seeking entertainment, said Linda Meyers-Tierney, president of the e-commerce consulting firm Meyers-Tierney and Associates."

And women are checking their mail three to four times a day. The same article reports that "almost three quarters say that email influences their buying decisions."

How Will I Use This Info?

We at Bare Feet are facing a challenge. Historically, we've been committed to responding fast to emails. We've spoiled many of our clients. But in a recent customer survey, "fast response" was nowhere near the top of the values they expressed. And, we find that we are not getting our work done as efficiently as we would like, as the volume of email has become a significant interruption throughout the work day. So we're using this info to launch a re-evaluation of our SLA (service level agreement). For our current clients, we think they want us to be as efficient as fast, as that lowers the actual cost of the job. When it comes to new leads though, I am still inclined to reply within a half day, so they know we are on the job and paying attention. Our long term clients know that already.

More Executives Are Blogging

A new report from US News and World Report discusses how the iron wall of formal PR-speak is melting fast in the heat of corporate blogging.

Blogging Bosses

Candid Corporate Communication: What a Concept!

Although many are still standing on the sidelines shaking their heads in disbelief, the business climate has changed. Customers can tell when the corporation is talking versus the living, breathing individuals who make the decisions for the corporation.

Be the customer for a moment: do you want to talk with the corporation or a real person?

Information is no longer "precious" — instead it can be found everywhere — albeit in various forms of accuracy. If you want to be in charge of public perceptions - aka your brand, then best for you to be proactive. Talk to us directly, so we won't have to rely on hearing things (modified) by others.

"Blog readers are a small but very influential group of people," says Mark Hass, CEO of public-relations firm Manning Selvage & Lee. The firm's BlogWorks unit launched and maintains the technical aspects of FastLane, GM's executive blog where Lutz and other executives post their Web journals. - US News & World Report

Breaking News: Blogging Eliminates Multiple Personality Disorder!

People are no longer willing to maintain two separate personas — work and personal.

That doesn't mean full disclosure all the time about every last detail of your life. A successful blog is one that navigates the extremes of all or nothing, and provide snippets that are engaging and entertaining.

Shane and I each maintain separate, personal blogs that are unrelated to our company. But that doesn't mean we have to hide our opinions here or pretend we are merely working machines. In fact, as our business develops, one consistent thread has been our ever more candid communication with our clients.

Update! We're all blog all the time now. [We also have a somewhat quirky blog here - tightly integrated into our main site. (Some might say it's buried.) We know our audience does not read many blogs yet, so we thought having our blog "inside" might give it more exposure to non-bloggers.]

What do you think? Is it too hard to find? Do you like the convenience of being able to jump around the blog and the podcasts and the main site, rather seamlessly? Have you noticed that the newest blog post can always be seen on the home page? We'd like to know what you think.

Aloha,

Still Doubt Blogging? IBM is in the Game

My digital divide alert sounds went off today once again.  Half the country does not know what a blog is, most don’t know how to use one when they do come across one, yet business giant IBM has announced it is developing its own blogging tool.

What's a small business owner to do?

1. Keep focused on your business and what IS working for you. That is always good advice.
2. Give yourself a gold start - you are reading the Bare Feet Blog!
3. Remember that the internet is not going anywhere. You don't have to be the first adopter. But if you are, there is some good press to be had and some possible "first mover" advantages.
4. Set aside an hour or two a week to read up on technology. You can find information in the mainstream press, and you can start googling things like "blog home repair" - if you are intersted in home repair for example - and go from there.
5. Attend meetings and seminars (many of which are free) to learn more about blogging, podcasting, and how to use the internet for your business.
6. Hire someone to give in-house seminars to you and your staff on technology and how to use it more efficiently.
7. Make sure you have a technology partner who doesn't go blank when you ask questions about the latest business tools for technology.

And yes, that's where we come in. We provide knowledge, support, and training - and blogs of course too.

Links

IBM and Blogging
Business Tips for the Third Millennium
Study Shows Confusion with Blogging

What's your biggest technology challenge? Leave us a comment - and we'll address it here in our blog. You'll also be able to get over any reluctance to using the tool, and you'll be adding a link back to your web site — which will help your search engine rankings. That's what we call peership in action, or what used to be called a "win-win."

Aloha,

We’d Like to Hear from Business Owners by July 18

I’ll be speaking to the Northern New Mexico chapter of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) to share some of my favorite internet technology tips for business. The event is open to the public—men and women—so consider yourself invited!  Even if you are not able to attend, I’d like to hear your thoughts on a few internet business items.

Internet Technology: Not Just for Techies Anymore, It's a Business Essential

Roxanne Speaks at NAWBO July 20, 2005
www.nawbonm.org

Please join us if you would like to network with other business owners and managers and/or are interested in seeing the latest internet tools for business. We think of it as the internet, version 2.0, as so much has changed in the past 2-3 years.

To help me prepare my talk though, I am looking for feedback from other business owners and managers. I think presentations are more interesting when:

• They are based on real data not just speculation;
• They are more conversational than lecturing;
• They are current and not recycled ideas or info.

I hope you'll fill out the brief questionnaire. You can be completely anonymous, unless you want to provide your web info for possible follow-up. I am especially looking for two (2) companies who would like to get some free professional advice on how to improve their web sites. Do consider submitting your web address if you would like me to mention it in my talk.

Thanks in advance for stopping by. We know you are probably as busy as we are.

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