7 Tips for Dealing with Complaints Posted on Your Fan Page or Twitter Profile

December 30th, 2010 by elizabethdmrx 2 comments »

I’ve heard people worry about using social media because they aren’t sure how to handle negative comments or bad reviews.  They’ve heard some nightmare situation where an unfounded complaint was posted on a review site or someone’s Facebook Wall and the business spent days in an ongoing dialogue refuting the complaint.

Consider social media networks as an extension of your customer service. Here are some tips in dealing with negative reviews and comments posted online:

  1. Be sure to thank the person posting the negative comment or review for sharing their concerns.  Companies can appear indifferent or hostile when faced with a negative comment.
  2. Always reply to negative posts. It shows you are interested in their experience with your company. Let everyone see you have great customer service by posting a timely response.
  3. Don’t get into an online argument for any reason. Always be professional and civil no matter how inflammatory the individual’s comment or review may be.
  4. Be quick to provide an apology when dealing with a negative review. You are sorry they had a bad experience.
  5. Fix the problem and explain the steps you’ve taken to make the fix. Address the issue in a timely manner before you give the person reason to post further complaints due to your failure to respond to the complaint.
  6. Don’t obsess on a bitterly negative review. You don’t want to sound defensive or make a bad situation worse. Do your best to fix the problem and then move forward. Focus on keeping your regular customers happy and encourage them to post positive reviews. This will balance out any negative posts that prospective customers see. If they read on bad review out of 50 good reviews they’ll know it was an unusual occurrence.

If the issue is too involved send the person a direct message on Facebook or Twitter. You can even ask for the customer’s phone number so you can contact directly.  In the past, when I’ve had issues with my web hosting services tech support scheduled a phone appointment to deal with my customer service and technical concerns.

The point is to be proactive and have a person designated to handle customer service issues that come up through your social media profiles.

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Social Media Helps You Find Out What Your Customers Want

December 15th, 2010 by elizabethdmrx No comments »

Have you been wondering why you should bother using Twitter or Facebook as part of your marketing plan?  Social networking incorporates the following aspects of human nature:

  • People like to be involved
  • People like to be appreciated
  • People like to share their knowledge and experiences

Social networking is about building relationships – on a wide scale.

You can use social media to find out what motivates your customers to buy from your business over your competitors.

Your fans will let you know in real time what works and doesn’t work about your business. I have personally used Facebook and Twitter to resolve customer service issues I was having with companies. I was to the point of not even using the business ever again when I decided to post my dissatisfaction on the company’s Facebook page and Twitter profile.

I got quick responses when my previous phone calls and emails hadn’t worked and I’m still doing business with those companies. You can be the business owner known for a quick response to customer service issues. People will know you care about their needs and continuing business relationship not just making a quick buck.

Using social media is a great market research tool to understand what your customer wants:

  • Posting questions for your customers to answer. People love to participate and give their opinions on a variety of topics.  It’s amazing how many people will share their knowledge and expertise if you only ask by posting a question on Facebook or Twitter.
  • Use surveys and polls. There are third party applications you can use and many are free or low cost. Are you curious to know why certain products or services sell more than others? Wondering if a new product or service you’re considering offering will even sell? Create a survey or poll and post it on Facebook and tweet a link to it on Twitter.
  • Ask people what they like and don’t like about your products. You may find out how to improve what they are already buying so they will buy more often and referring their friends.  Maybe they want more flexibility in service or more choices in colors or sizes in products you sell.  Making a few small adjustments could increase sales without investing a lot of money in a new product or service that wouldn’t appeal to your customer base.
  • Show customer appreciation by providing rewards for their participation. Give a discount or coupon for a free treat/sample when they come into your business or make an online purchase as the reward for completing the survey, poll or answering the questions you posted.
  • Reward them for doing something they already wanted to do. Some times offering a reward for clicking LIKE on your Facebook Fan Page can be rewarded. After I clicked LIKE on a local business Fan Page they provided a 20% off discount coupon for me to print. I wasn’t expecting it and planned to LIKE their Fan page regardless. But now that I have the coupon I’m ready to go spend some money at the store I wasn’t planning on spending at all.  How’s that for motivating your customers to spend money?

Using social media to market your business is a vital way to connect with your customers.

Use social networking to show our customers you appreciate them and want their feedback so you can keep improving your business to fit their needs.  It’s also an effective platform to share your expertise and let people know why your business has the best services or products to fit their needs.  Use your Facebook Fan Page or Twitter profile to be the online gathering place for prospects looking for what you have to offer.

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Whip Your Marketing Into Shape for 2011!

December 14th, 2010 by elizabethdmrx No comments »

January is packed full of marketing opportunities. What outrageous advertising can you come up with to entice customers into your business?

I’m partial to candy so if you mailed me an offer including free candy I’d be tempted to make and extra trip into your store.

You can run a contest on egg recipes since January is National Egg Month.

Or have a Bake-Off with National Bread Machine Baking Month. Which you your customers can up with the best bread recipe? Have them post recipes to your Facebook Fan Page. You can send out tweets for people to vote for the best recipes.

January is:

National Candy Month
National Hot Tea Month
National Fresh Squeezed Juice Month
National Oatmeal Month
National Prune Breakfast Month
National Bread Machine Baking Month
National Wheat Bread Month
National Soup Month
National Egg Month
National Meat Month

Week 1

January 1 – National Apple Gifting Day
January 2 – National Cream Puff Day
January 3 – National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
January 4 – National Spaghetti Day
January 5 – National Whipped Cream Day – I heard it now comes in peppermint flavor.
January 6 – National Shortbread Day
January 6 – National Bean Day
January 7 – National Tempura Day
January 7 – National Fruitcake Toss Day – Sounds like Punkin Chunkin – Have a competition.
January 8 – National English Toffee Day – Tasty treats to send your top clients.

Week 2

January 9 – National Apricot Day – I like them glazed and dipped in chocolate!
January 10 – National Bittersweet Chocolate Day – Use it to bake up cookies!
January 11 – National Milk Day
January 11 – National Hot Toddy Day
January 12 – National Marzipan Day
January 12 – National Curried Chicken Day – Namaste! Let’s eat.
January 13 – National Peach Melba Day
January 14 – National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day – Oh, yeah, go for it Delis.
January 15 – National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
January 15 – National Fresh Squeezed Day

Week 3

January 16 – National Fig Newton Day
January 16 – Hot & Spicy International Food Day – Heat up your sales!
January 17 – National Hot Butter Rum Day
January 18 – National Peking Duck Day
January 19 – National Popcorn Day – Healthy treat
January 20 – National Buttercrunch Day
January 20 – National Cheese Lover’s Day
January 20 – National Granola Bar Day
January 21 – National New England Clam Chowder Day
January 22 – National Blonde Brownie Day – I make some yummy ones!

Week 4

January 23 – National Pie Day
January 23 – National Rhubarb Pie Day
January 24 – National Peanut Butter Day
January 25 – National Irish Coffee Day – Keep your customers warm while they shop – Make sure its non-alcoholic
January 26 – National Peanut Brittle Day
January 26 – National Pistachio Day – I love them!
January 28 – National Blueberry Pancake Day
January 29 – National Corn Chip Day

Week 5

January 30 – National Croissant Day
January 31 – National Brandy Alexander Day

Post which days you use and how the promotion worked. I’d love to see samples of your mailers or flyers or screen shots of your outrages ads. I’ll post them on this blog for others to see your great ideas.

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How Marketers Are Using Social Media

December 12th, 2010 by elizabethdmrx No comments »

Are you using social media to market your business? Why not? Check out what marketers are doing. Twitter and Facebook are the top social media tools. Are you using them effectively?

Everybody’s Doing It: How Marketers Are Utilizing Social Media In 2010
Flowtown – Social Media Marketing Application

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Don’t Fritter Away Your Marketing Opportunites!

November 27th, 2010 by elizabethdmrx No comments »

December has a kettle full of special days cook up more business.  Not surprisingly it’s National Fruit Cake Month!  And also National Egg Nog Month. Invite your customers to an event and serve fruit cake and Egg Nog.

Another idea is to offer a tropical themed event to get people’s minds of the cold winter chill with National Roast Pig Day on December 18th or National Fried Shrimp Day on December 20th.

I’m having visions of a Cotton Candy machine so you can hand out the fluffy treat to your clients and their children with December 7th being National Cotton Candy Day.  And so the vegan oriented don’t feel left out there is National Eat a Red Apple Day and National Kiwi Fruit Day.

Week 1

December 1 National Eat a Red Apple Day – Healthy promotions!
December 2 National Fritters Day
December 3 National Apple Pie Day
December 4 National Cookie Day – Love baking cookies in winter.
December 5 National Sachertorte Day (It’s a chocolate cake!)
December 6 National Microwave Oven Day – Can’t live without mine!
December 7 National Cotton Candy Day – Love it!

Week 2

December 8 National Chocolate Brownie Day
December 9 National Pastry Day
December 10 Celebrate National Fruit Cake Month
December 11 National Noodle Ring Day
December 12 National Cocoa Day
December 13 National Ice Cream Day
December 14 National Bouillabaisse Day

Week 3

December 15 National Cupcake Day
December 16 National Chocolate Covered Anything Day – My kind of day!
December 17 National Maple Syrup Day
December 18 National Roast Pig Day – Have a winter Luau! Get customers inside your business.
December 19 National Hard Candy Day – Send out a mailer with hard candy attached.
December 20 National Fried Shrimp Day
December 21 National Kiwi Fruit Day

Week 4

December 22 National Date Nut Bread Day
December 23 National Pfeffernuesse Day
December 24 National Egg Nog Day
December 25 National Pumpkin Pie Day
December 26 National Candy Cane Day – Love peppermint flavors!
December 27 National Fruit Cake Day
December 28 National Chocolate Candy Day

Week 5

December 29 National Pepper Pot Day – Send out pepper grinders to good clients.
December 30 National Bicarbonate of Soda Day – For all the overeating going on and over spending. Soothe your clients’ tummies!
December 31 Celebrate National Egg Nog Month

Leave a comment about which days you use to promote your business. Don’t forget to tweet about your special day promotions and post on Facebook!

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Bake Up Tasty Marketing for November

November 8th, 2010 by elizabethdmrx No comments »

November has a cornucopia of special days to use for your marketing promotions. Don’t call me a sourpuss but I’m liking National Pickle Day on November 14th! Or make your whole month healthy with November being National Vegan month. I’m partial to all the dessert days with my killer sweet tooth. How about you? Which days will you use to promote your business?

Celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month

Week 1

November 1 National Vinegar Day
November 2 National Deviled Egg Day
November 3 National Sandwich Day
November 4 National Candy Day – Everyday is candy day for me!
November 5 National Doughnut Day
November 6 National Nachos Day
November 7 National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day

Week 2

November 8 Celebrate National Raisin Bread Day
November 9 Celebrate National Vegan Month
November 10 National Vanilla Cupcake Day – I have an easy frosting recipe!
November 11 National Sundae Day
November 12 National Chicken Soup for the Soul Day
November 13 National Indian Pudding Day
November 14 National Pickle Day – Love crunchy dill pickles!

Week 3

November 15 National Raisin Bran Cereal Day
November 17 National Homemade Bread Day – I have a great beer bread recipe.
November 18 Celebrate National Georgia Pecan Month
November 19 Celebrate National Pepper Month
November 20 National Peanut Butter Fudge Day
November 21 National Gingerbread Day – Have a Gingerbread house contest.

Week 4

November 22 National Cashew Day – Tasty nut. Mail small bags to your clients!
November 23 National Eat a Cranberry Day – I like cranberry juice and dressing!
November 24 National Sardines Day
November 25 National Parfait Day
November 26 National Cake Day
November 27 National Bavarian Cream Pie Day
November 28 National French Toast Day

Week 5

November 29 National Lemon Cream Pie Day
November 30 National Mousse Day

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Harness Your October Marketing Promotions for Big Sales!

September 26th, 2010 by elizabethdmrx No comments »

Use your marketing promotions to celebrate:

National Chili Month
National Apple Month
National Popcorn Popping Month
National Pretzel Month
National Seafood Month
National Pork Month

There are food choices for every type of business. Make your promotions healthy fun or guilty pleasures! I’m thinking Chili Cook Offs or have your customers create recipes for apple desserts and use Facebook and Twitter to promote the events.

Pretzels are easily shipped and you can mail them out to prospects with recipes for chocolate dipped pretzels.

October being National Pork Month sounds like its time for a Luau for your customers. Or have a clam bake or shrimp cocktail available for a customer appreciation day.

Let me know what you decide to do for your October marketing promotions.

Week 1

October 1 World Vegetarian Day – All healthy businesses can do something on this day!
October 2 National Fried Scallops Day
October 3 National Caramel Custard Day

Week 2

October 4 National Taco Day
October 5 National Apple Betty Day
October 6 National Noodle Day
October 7 National Frappe Day
October 8 Celebrate National Chili Month
October 9 Celebrate National Apple Month
October 10 National Angel Food Cake Day

Week 3

October 11 World Egg Day
October 12 Celebrate National Popcorn Popping Month
October 13 National Yorkshire Pudding Day
October 14 Celebrate National Pretzel Month – Love ‘em! Send bags to your clients
October 15 National Chicken Cacciatore Day
October 16 Celebrate National Seafood Month
October 17 National Pasta Day

Week 4

October 18 National Chocolate Cupcake Day – Sprinkles strawberry cupcakes and strawberry frosting is fabulous! Bake some for you best clients.
October 19 National Seafood Bisque Day
October 20 Celebrate National Pork Month
October 21 National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day
October 22 National Nut Day – Send your clients packages of nut mixes.
October 23 National Boston Cream Pie Day
October 24 National Bologna Day

Week 5

October 25 National Greasy Foods Day
October 26 National Mincemeat Pie Day
October 27 National Potato Day
October 28 National Chocolate Day – Gotta love this one! Send boxes of chocolate out to show your client’s you appreciate them.
October 29 National Oatmeal Day
October 30 National Candy Corn Day
October 31 National Candy Apple Day – Rocky Mountain Chocolate factory has yummy ones in a variety of flavors.

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Make Your Marketing Tasty for September!

August 20th, 2010 by elizabethdmrx No comments »

I’m digging National Guacamole Day on September 16th. Have a customer appreciation fiesta. Bring out the tortilla chips.

I’m curious about National Blueberry Popsicle Day on September 2nd. I’ve never tried a blueberry popsicle. Sounds yummy, but who makes them?

What marketing ideas can you come up with all the fun themes below? I’m thinking National Potato Month has endless marketing potential. Mail out potato chips to your customers and have a special potato themed sale in your business. Maybe even have someone dressed up in a potato costume!

Week 1

September 1 National Cherry Popover Day
September 2 National Blueberry Popsicle Day – I’ve never had one! You?
September 3 Celebrate National Potato Month
September 4 National Macadamia Nut Day
September 5 National Cheese Pizza Day

Week 2

September 6 Celebrate National Rice Month
September 7 National Acorn Squash Day
September 8 National Date Nut Bread Day
September 9 National Weiner Schnitzel Day
September 10 National TV Dinner Day
September 11 National Hot Cross Bun Day
September 12 National Chocolate Milkshake Day

Week 3

September 13 National Peanut Day
September 14 National Cream Filled Donut Day – Yummy!
September 16 National Guacamole Day – Add tortilla chips and you’ve got a party!
September 17 National Apple Dumpling Day
September 18 National Cheeseburger Day
September 19 National Butterscotch Pudding Day

Week 4

September 20 Celebrate National Biscuit Month
September 21 National Pecan Cookie Day
September 22 National Ice Cream Cone Day
September 23 National White Chocolate Day
September 24 National Cherries Jubilee Day
September 25 National Crabmeat Newburg Day
September 26 National Pancake Day – Bring on the Maple Syrup!

Week 5

September 27 National Chocolate Milk Day
September 28 National Strawberry Cream Pie Day
September 29 National Linguini Day
September 30 Celebrate National Chicken Month

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Heat Up Your Marketing for August!

August 1st, 2010 by elizabethdmrx No comments »


August has a different marketing opportunity for each day. I like National Watermelon Day since watermelon is tasty and refreshing and it brings back many happy memories of summertime family picnics and barbecues.

I’m curious what marketing promotion you can do for National Zucchini Day? I’m thinking something for Farmer’s Markets and organic grocers and maybe restaurants.

National Root Beer Float Day sounds like a fun family oriented marketing event. Invite your best customers and their families to your business for Root Bear Floats on August 6th! August 16th is National Bratwurst Day. I’m thinking a Bratwurst eating contest could promote your business.

In the heat of August National Lemonade Day on August 20th sounds like a refreshing way to show your clients how much you appreciate them. I’m visualizing lemon yellow flyers offering free lemonade during a special sale event. I could use some lemonade now. I’m thirsty.

Week 1
August 1 National Raspberry Cream Pie Day
August 2 National Ice Cream Sandwich Day – Great for a summer day!
August 3 National Watermelon Day – Give out slices to your customers.
August 4 National Lasagna Day – If you have a special dinner for top clients.
August 5 National Mustard Day
August 6 National Root Beer Float Day – Yummy!
August 7 National Raspberries in Cream Day
August 8 National Zucchini Day

Week 2

August 9 National Rice Pudding Day
August 10 National S’mores Day
August 11 National Raspberry Tart Day
August 12 National Julienne Fries Day
August 13 National Filet Mignon Day
August 14 National Creamsicle Day – I like the Raspberry sherbet flavor.
August 15 National Lemon Meringue Pie Day

Week 3

August 16 National Bratwurst Day
August 17 National Vanilla Custard Day
August 18 National Soft Ice Cream Day
August 19 National Potato Day
August 20 National Lemonade Day – Drinks for your visiting clients.
August 21 National Pecan Torte Day
August 22 National Eat a Peach Day

Week 4

August 23 National Sponge Cake Day
August 24 National Peach Pie Day
August 25 National Spumoni Day
August 26 National Cherry Popsicle Day – My favorite when I was a child!
August 27 National Banana Lovers Day
August 28 National Cherry Turnover Day
August 29 National More Herbs, Less Salt Day – For health related businesses!
August 30 National Toasted Marshmallow Day – Fun for kids!
August 31 National Trail Mix Day

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