Category: current issue

The Best Loyalty & Rewards Programs for Small Businesses

Morne Boshoff
The Best Loyalty & Rewards Programs for Small Businesses

There’s plenty of evidence that customer loyalty and reward programs drive sales for businesses of all sizes. 72% of all adults in the US belong to at least one loyalty program, and 87% are willing to have their consumer activity tracked if they get something in exchange. I’ve written about the importance of loyalty and reward programs before, but it’s time for an update. Technological advances have made loyalty programs more effective than ever. The Qualities of an Effective Loyalty Program There’s no question that consumers love loyalty programs, but…

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Is Your Reputation Costing You Business?

Morne Boshoff
Is Your Reputation Costing You Business

The song says, “I don’t give a damn ‘bout my bad reputation.” Those lyrics sounded fun and rebellious when Joan Jett sang them but taking that attitude when it comes to your online reputation can be disastrous to your business. Not caring about your online reputation is a mistake. And your online reputation consists of more than your carefully-thought-out website and social media pages. Most importantly, your online reputation is something you can control – for the most part. Here’s what you need to know. The Elements of Your Online…

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How to Turn Your Fans and Followers into Paying Customers

Morne Boshoff
How to Turn Your Fans and Followers into Paying Customers

You’ve got a big following on social media. So what? Unless those followers are paying you for products or services, they don’t mean much. I’m not saying that social media followers aren’t important in some ways. Having a lot of followers sends a signal to potential customers that you have a popular brand. It can help you get more traffic and attention. That said, sales and profits are the name of the game. If those followers aren’t buying from you, they’re not doing anything for you in real terms. The…

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How to Create a Relationship-Building Autoresponder Series for New Subscribers

Morne Boshoff
How to Create a Relationship-Building Autoresponder Series

Email marketing is one of those topics that keeps coming up – and for good reason. Email is still one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with your customers, nurture leads, and build your business. Arguably the most important time to engage with subscribers is when they’re new. By subscribing to your list, they’ve indicated a serious interest in your company and what you have to offer. It’s the ideal time to start building a relationship with them. That means you’ve got to create an autoresponder series that will…

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