The Talkroute Blog

    It doesn’t take much to make a positive impression on people, and when you just need a way to show your appreciation without taking up a lot of time, there are few things that are as quick or effective as a Thank You note.   This is something that can be especially useful to retain customers, serving as a show of good faith, that they are not “just another number” to you. Below, you will find a variety of Thank You note examples that our team has put together.   These can be used to send to your customers, business partners, colleagues, employees, newsletter subscribers, potential clients, or valued friends. After the examples, keep reading for some helpful tips for writing your own Thank You letter!   Universal Thank You Examples   We start off here with a couple of nonspecific examples. These are great for scheduled emails …

Right after starting a new small business, funds can be tight. Payroll, office space, taxes, and production can eat into capital. And that’s if you’re lucky enough to have a capital investment. If you are like many entrepreneurs, you’re not worried about investors; you’re bootstrapping your business on a shoe string. There’s no way you have $100,000 lying around to conduct a direct mail campaign (and that’s what it often costs, by the way). Newspaper ads, telemarketing, billboards, and television commercials can also run six figures each. And what’s worse is that newspapers, landlines, and traditional TV are all being replaced by websites, cell phones, and streaming video. Even low-cost awareness-building activities can eat up between $15,000 and $75,000 of your annual budget. For a small business, that’s a lot of money. In this context, marketing or advertising can get short shrift. So what’s a small business owner to do? …

Social media platforms are among the best sources for lead generation and brand awareness. Yet, businesses and entrepreneurs often overlook the value of using them for customer service. Connecting with customers through their preferred communication methods tends to result in greater satisfaction. Most consumers are already using social media to reach out to companies so it’s a no brainer that you should be as well! One study found that about half of all social media users have used these platforms to contact businesses. Whether you are already active & knowledgeable with social media, or you have no idea whatsoever how to navigate it, this article will break down the key things you need to know. So let’s find out how to leverage the power of social media to gain and retain more customers.. Why Use Social Media for Customer Service? Many businesses use email, phone, and online chat to communicate …

  Running a business comes with many challenges, from developing new products or services to attracting and keeping customers. Yet, generating a profit is often the biggest challenge. If your business is experiencing negative cash flow, know that you’re not alone. Growing companies often operate at a loss. Losing money doesn’t signal the end of your business. You just need to slow down & reassess your business operations. Negative cash flow creates stress, which often leads business owners to make impulsive decisions. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to keep a cool head. Remain calm. Avoid making any major changes to your business without taking the time to think through all the details. In the following post, we’ll walk you through several strategies for turning things around and improving your profitability.     Review Your Revenue and Expenses     You should first take a good …

  Although getting return customers isn’t rocket science, there is definitely more to it than hanging a sign on the door that says, “Please Come Again!”. We all wish it was obviously that easy, but there are plenty of things you can do to make sure customers happily come back to your business. Here are 11 effective ways to earn repeat business and keep your customers coming back.   1. Earn Repeat Business with a Habit Forming Product   Having an “addictive” product doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to be something that people physically crave, or something upon which they are emotionally dependent, like Instagram or Twitter.   It may just be something that is so much fun, that they can’t go a day without it. Maybe you are an online service provider with a user interface that is really simple and fun to use, or maybe your packaging …