Tag: Small business tools

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Design & technology

Tips on how to optimise your professional website

When used properly, a professional services website can account for the majority of your income. Unfortunately, most businesses think of it as an afterthought that doesn’t help improve the bottom line.

That’s a mistake which you shouldn’t repeat. In this article, you’ll learn simple but effective ways to create a website that works as a powerful lead generation and acquisition channel for your business. Additionally, we take you through some easy steps you can take today in building a winning first impression.

Think about the look and feel

First impressions always count, so put your best foot forward with a professional, secure and fast-loading website full of content curated specifically for your target client. Take the opportunity here to differentiate yourself from your competitors and make it clear why you are the best business for the job. 

Inundated with questions? Set up an FAQ section

Nip the commonly asked questions in the bud by directly addressing them on your website. Assume your customer has zero knowledge of your services so use clear and concise language, and take the time to explain things coherently. Using keywords here is also a great opportunity to boost your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) ranking!

Get straight to the point

By the time a customer has reached your website, they’ve potentially been on dozens of others researching. Make their journey to book or purchase as easy and seamless as possible. For example, consider adding in your unique selling points, telling your story and clearly displaying your contact details at the top of every page on your website. Businesses on the Oneflare platform use their Oneflare profile as the designated one-stop-shop for explaining who they are, what they do and offer, what people are saying about them and how to get in touch with them. 

Let customers know what your website is all about straight away / Source: M.R Design & Marketing

Content is king

If appropriate, use pictures and/or videos on your site, especially in the FAQ section. Rich media is fantastic for SEO and makes it easy for customers to understand what you do. Build trust from the get-go with some positive reviews and trust badges on your site.

Build content mapped to funnel stages

When people have challenges, they follow a series of steps before they settle on a specific provider. People often first research the problem, figure out the kinds of solutions available, take a look at the service providers, and finally choose one. There’s another step that most people miss – retention – which focuses on maximizing the results of a client or getting them to come back when another relevant problem arises.

For example, if someone’s roof is leaking, they’d first search online for causes. After finding several answers, they’ll look at multiple types of solutions such as DIY or hiring a contractor. Next, they’ll vet different contractors before finally settling on one.

Use your website content to lead people through every step of this process. With the example above, the kind of content they create may look like:

  • An infographic that explains the different reasons a roof may leak
  • A blog post that dives deep into the different ways you can stop a leaky roof
  • A comparison guide that shows how your service stacks up against the competition
  • Landing pages, targeted at different buyer personas, which detail how your service will help them solve the specific problem
  • Host a podcast or video tutorial that shares insights about how to maintain the roof going forward.

Once you’ve got all the pages set up, you may want to consider launching a local link building campaign to improve your search visibility. When it’s successful, you’ll be the first business that shows up when potential clients are looking for solutions to their problems.

Contact local web design experts

Clear and relatable social proof

The last piece of the puzzle is arguably the most important. Social proof has been proven time and again to improve conversions on almost any website.

It can be a case study, client testimonial, or even mentioning how many clients you’ve served in the past. Use the type of social proof that makes the most sense for you and supports a promise you’ve made on your landing page.

For example, if a plumber promises to get to a client’s house within 30 minutes for any plumbing issue, they would show social proof that supports that claim. Maybe a client called at 2:00 AM because of a burst pipe. A testimonial from them about how the plumber saved the day would be perfect.

Think about the biggest promises you’ve made and your value proposition then gather testimonials or even case studies that support it. Interested in learning more? Our Oneflare HQ industry leaders in sales, marketing and SEO recently discussed best practices, new technology and how to build trust with potential customers online.

Categories
News & updates

How to build customer loyalty

Customer needs must be at the forefront of every business. It takes about five times more resources to gain new customers than to retain old ones. Many factors determine whether a customer will purchase from you again or whether they will go to your competition. Let’s explore some of the ways to retain customers and help your business grow.

What is customer loyalty and why is it so important?

According to HubSpot, “Customer loyalty is a customer’s willingness to repeatedly return to a company to conduct business. This is typically due to the delightful and remarkable experiences they have with that brand. Customer loyalty forsters brand trust, increases share-of-wallet, and helps your business grow without needing to acquire new customers”. 

Here are some of the reasons why you should place an emphasis on making sure you invest in these relationships and keep your customers engaged.

  • Cuts costs in lead acquisition

One of the most well-cited reasons for maintaining loyal customers is that it cuts down on advertising costs. Services like Google ads and social media ads cost money and time. You have to know how to reach your potential customer audience and you have to showcase your business in a unique and engaging way so that they convert into paying customers. With loyal customers, you can skip this expensive step, leaving you with repeat buyers at a much lower cost.

  • Creates long relationships

A customer who has had a good experience with your business is your most valuable asset. They are likely to re-engage with your business when they next need the services that you have to offer, instead of going to a competitor. 

  • Creates ambassadors

Another reason to try to help build loyal customers is that they will tell others about your services. Word of mouth is some of the best advertising you can get, and the best part is that it is free.

  • Increases word of mouth

Having a good ambassador for your service  goes beyond telling people directly about your brand. They are also likely to talk about their experiences on social media where other people will see their good recommendations and stories. Information about your brand will spread rapidly, so it is a good idea to make the most of it.

6 ways to increase repeat business

A loyal customer is the best resource that you have. Once a customer has had a positive experience with you, your job is not over, you need to work to nurture that relationship.

  • Commit to customer service

The number one thing you can do to increase the chances of a return customer is by offering excellent customer service from start to finish. Offering follow-up calls, service reminder texts, and overall providing a high level of communication and service is one of the best ways to build on the relationship.

  • Be transparent

Transparency is another important component of building customer relationships. Customers do not like unpleasant surprises like costs they did not know about. Making sure you are upfront, and all of your policies and costs are clear, is the best way to ensure a positive and trustworthy customer experience.

  • Rewards or loyalty program

Customer rewards are an excellent way to retain customers by giving an incentive for them to return. Loyalty discounts are an excellent way to encourage future services. These often have a better return on your investment than the cost of the discount. Repeat business has many rewards that go beyond the sale, also represent considerable cost savings in advertising.

  • Ask for and learn from reviews

Successful companies listen to their customers and what they have to say. You might be tempted to avoid negative comments, but criticisms are an excellent way to improve your services. Listening to features that customers would like to see in the future is an excellent place to get ideas for new developments.

  • Engage with your customers

Keeping up with your customers through email and SMS is another way for them to remember you. You can also include a newsletter that gives them additional information about your products or services, offerings like discounts or new services.

  • Showcase your values and differentiation in the market

Whether you are gaining new customers or trying to keep old ones, they need to know what makes you different. Your interactions with them on your website, social media, and through customer service interactions all help to reinforce your reputation, differentiation and your values as a business. 

Engaging and sustaining loyal customers is a continuous process. Many times, businesses focus only on marketing efforts on gaining new customers. Effort spent on keeping current customers is a much better use of your marketing budget and will have a greater return on your investment. 

Categories
Success stories

Success story | Alex from Abco Plumbing Solutions

Here we share Alex’s story

Alex grew up in a family of hard-working plumbers; he started out by helping his dad and brothers with their plumbing work on the weekends. As the years went by, he fell in love with the industry and decided to build his own business, Abco Plumbing Solutions. 

He started out as a sole trader and took on jobs throughout Sydney. Now, 16 years later, he has his own team of plumbers, 5 trucks on the road and 24/7 emergency plumbing services.

The team at Abco Plumbing / Source: Abco Plumbing Solutions

Challenges before Oneflare

Alex needed a quick and effective way to connect with genuine, high-quality customers. This was challenging because he didn’t have a strong online presence and had very few reviews and ratings to prove the quality of his work.

“Before I started with Oneflare, I didn’t have many reviews and I wasn’t winning much work. The more time and effort I put into [Oneflare], the more I started to feel that I was starting to win more work because of the reviews. I was starting to get a lot of repeat work, and a lot of genuine customers.” – Alex

Want to share your success story?

Register here

Experience on Oneflare  

Through a Credit plan with Oneflare, Alex committed to growing his business and providing the best service he could for his customers. He collected all his reviews and ratings and completed his Business Profile to stand out against his competitors. 

The Customer Success team supported him throughout his onboarding journey and shared valuable advice for winning work. Once all set up, the Oneflare Account Management team took care of any questions and continued to provide support when necessary.   

Results on Oneflare

Abco Plumbing Solutions now has

  • The freedom to choose the type of clients, jobs and locations
  • A 4.8 average rating with over 300 reviews
  • The #1 top featured business for plumbers in Caringbah on the Oneflare Directory
  • A high-performing close-knit team of plumbers with 5 trucks on Sydney’s roads

Ready to start winning work?

Register your business

Alex’s advice for any business looking to sign up with Oneflare is: “Use the platform, try to jump onto every single job you can. Go and meet your customer, bring a card, quote on the job and brand your business out there. Get out there and give it a go. You’ve got to be in it to win it”. 

Alex of Abco Plumbing Solutions / Source: Abco Plumbing

Categories
Top tools

Top Featured Business

The ultimate way to showcase your services on the Oneflare Directory

The Top Featured Business tile is an exclusively available fixed listing that sits at the very top of your chosen directory pages*. Once secured, your business will maintain a permanent, highlighted placement above your competitors’ listings.

To be eligible for a Top Featured Business tile, you will need to have at least a 4.3-star average rating from a minimum of 3 reviews. Need a hand boosting your review count? Simply sync your Facebook and/or Google accounts with Oneflare.

Benefits of being a Top Featured Businesss

  • Eye-catching directory listing
  • Zero competition
  • Be seen as the Top Featured Business in your area
  • Bundle discounts available

Speak to a Sales Consultant on 1300 441 593 for more information.

*Subject to availability

Frequently Asked Questions 

How can sync my Facebook and Google accounts with Oneflare help my business?
How do I increase my profile rating?

Categories
News & updates

7 ways to attract more leads with your Oneflare profile

Your Oneflare profile is the key to connecting with the right customers and winning work on the platform. Think of your Oneflare profile as your selling page – the more information you have for potential customers, the more likely you will get hired! This is your chance to stand out from your competitors and promote the value of your business.

Here are some pointers on how to attract more leads using your Oneflare profile.

1. Reviews, reviews, reviews!

Reviews are the most important factor when winning work from an online platform. This is generally the first thing that a potential customer will look at when making their hiring decision. There are several ways you can build your review base on Oneflare:

2. Get verified

The verification process has been introduced on Oneflare to add a layer of credibility to your business profile. This process is designed to give your potential customers peace of mind when hiring you.

To complete the verification process, all you need to do is log on to oneflare.com.au – click get verified – and follow the prompts. Once you complete this you’ll get a fancy blue tick next to your business name, the same as a public figure on other social media sites!

For a step-by-step guide click here

3. Talk about your business

Customers want to learn more about your business when they are making their hiring choice. Make sure you spend time outlining why your business stands out from others in your industry. Do this by writing a great description and filling out your Unique Selling points on your profile to capture your lead’s attention the moment they click on your profile. 

4. Profile Image is your first impression

Having a professional logo on your profile is crucial to gaining a customer’s attention. This is your first impression on these potential customers – so make sure you have a professional logo, or headshot there to stand out from other businesses.

Tip: make sure you jump on Oneflare’s website to utilise the new profile image editor tool, which allows you to zoom in and out and crop your image to look professional.

5. Images: what customers want to see 

Customers want to see your best work when they look at your profile. Be sure to fill out your image gallery to showcase some of your stand-out projects, whether these are before/after shots, work in progress shots, and completed projects; uploading around 10-15 images will help you to shine.

6. Setting up the correct preferences 

Get the right leads from the right area, and leave the rest to us so you can focus on what you do best. You can do this by setting your service types and service areas preferences in the Lead Settings section of the Oneflare for Business app, or on the Oneflare website.

7. Connecting with customers 

When you reach out to customers on the Oneflare app it’s important to stand out right from your first touchpoint. Use the additional comments feature when connecting with leads to personalise your message. Add links to your website and social media pages, and we’ll tell your customers to check out your Oneflare profile too. Adding in these details will show your potential customers that you value providing them with a personalised service, and will aid you in getting the best response.

Categories
News & updates

An introductory guide to customer success

What is customer success?

In a recent report, 80% of customers said that the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services, highlighting a maturing consumer mindset. Customer success occurs when your customers achieve their desired outcome through their interactions with your product. The strategy focuses on optimising the overall experience by proactively providing solutions and/or answers to any given situation that arises during the buy and delight phase. This premeditated approach sends all the right messages to customers, making them feel considered, nurtured and you guessed it, successful.

Why should busiesses invest in customer success?

Traditionally businesses have relied entirely on Sales and Marketing to head their growth strategy, which simply doesn’t cut it in today’s landscape. The focus, now, is pivoting to include the all-important customer. Customer acquisition is becoming increasingly challenging and expensive in today’s crowded markets, so adopting a strategy that focuses on keeping your current customers happy makes a lot of sense. While it is always important to find new prospects it’s even more important to nurture your current customer base. With this focus comes loyal customers, then brand ambassadors, and eventually entire communities. A foundation of loyal, happy customers drives repeat business, renewal and retention and minimises churn, ultimately improving your bottom line.  

How to create an optimised customer success strategy

How your customer success strategy looks will depend on three things:

  • Your customer’s needs 
  • Your product offering 
  • Your business resources 

Every strategy will need to leverage data gathered from consumers, an intuitive team to track and record consumer behaviour, and strong customer success software to collect and display the data for actionable insights. In larger organisations, you may choose to outsource or hire a customer success expert to drive the strategy and build a team to support the trajectory. For smaller, cash-conscious businesses creating a strategy may mean gathering a representative from each business function; product, sales and support to create a roadmap for customer success. 

Who is responsible for implementing customer success?

If you’re wondering whether you need a customer success strategy, the answer is probably yes. If you service customers then you should be looking into investing resources into creating a strategy that enables you, as a business, to partner with your customers. This working relationship will allow you to extract critical feedback and deliver on what the customer deems as most valuable. The task of creating, and maintaining this strategy lies with a Customer Success Manager (CSM) and their team. The CSM provides holistic leadership to the customer-facing team, while the team utilise their working relationships with customers to derive valuable, actionable feedback for the business.

No matter the size of your business, driving a customer success journey starts and ends with a customer-centric mentality, combined with a commitment to providing the best possible outcome using your product. 

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News & updates

How to attract your ideal customers and avoid time-wasters

Sooner or later, every small businessperson runs into that customer they regret getting involved with. When time is money, you need to draw the line between being knowledgeable and helpful, and giving away too much billable information. The best strategy is to learn to spot these types of customers and set boundaries in the beginning so that you can spend your time with more valuable prospects, but how do you do this?

How to identify a time-waster

Everyone knows how valuable customer relationships are to growing your business. While it is always best to be courteous, how do you navigate a difficult client without sacrificing your professional reputation? The first step is to learn to recognize them in the first place. Here are a few of the more common things you should look for in potential time-wasting customers. 

  • They ask about lowering your price or striking “deals’

This is probably the biggest clue. This is a sign that they do not see the value in what you have to offer. If they are bargain shopping, they are not serious. 

  • They keep asking for industry information

 It is a sad reality that some customers only want you as a resource for industry knowledge. They might try to “impress” you with their knowledge of the industry by telling you things any beginner would know. You must set boundaries in the beginning and suggest that they hire your services if they would like a consultant. 

  • They’re delay in responding

 If a customer takes too long to respond, they are likely testing you to see how desperate you are for their business. You can bet that if you chase them, they will take full advantage of your vulnerability. If the client is a big company or influencer, you might want to ease up, but if this is not the case, you are probably better off moving on. 

Ways to attract the ideal customer

Now that you know a little more about avoiding the time-wasters, you need to know how to attract your ideal customer. Here are a few tips. 

  • Use a customer contact form 

Put a contact form on your website or email using Survey Monkey or Google Sheets. This technique allows you to ask a few prequalifying questions and to get a better idea of their needs. This takes up much less time than answering the phone and spending your time talking to “browsers.” 

  • Position yourself

Use your online presence to define your target market. This comes under the category of knowing your brand, knowing the value of your brand, and knowing as much as possible about your target market. 

  • Charge an initial consult fee

Your time is worth something. If they are serious, they will understand this and be willing to pay for your services from the beginning. 

  •  Free 10-minute consultation

Advertise a free consultation time and charge for anything after this, it’s an excellent way to set boundaries and limit your losses from those who only want what you know for free. Set a timer and be ready to politely end the conversation if the person wants too much. Also, keep in mind that people often do not value what they receive for “free.” 

  • Name your price

By advertising average prices on your website for standard services, you create transparency and can save time discussing via email or telephone. Being upfront about your pricing helps to attract those who are willing to pay what you are asking. If your pricing is clear, bargain hunters will probably not even call. 

Ways to steer a free conversation into a billable conversation

You can screen potential customers and take steps to try to eliminate those who are not serious, but sometimes, you still end up in a conversation with someone who sends up a red flag. What should you do if you find yourself in this position? 

  • Express the limitations of your call early in communication

If you are giving a free 10-minute consultation, be clear about that at the beginning of the conversation. Also, let them know when the clock begins. If the potential client begins asking things that are too in-depth for an initial conversation, politely state that this topic is beyond the scope of an initial consultation. If they will not allow you to end the conversation when the time is up, do not be afraid to break in and let them know that from this point forward the time is billable. 

  • Be knowledgeable but don’t give away all the answers

Express the need for more information or documentation to know the whole picture. It is good to let them know that you know what you are doing, but do not be too free with giving away trade secrets. It took you many years to get where you are now, and those who want to be where you are will have to put in the time, too. There is value in the knowledge that you bring to the table, and you should never give it away for free. 

  • Ask to set up a follow-up conversation 

When the time is up for the initial consultation, you should politely ask if they would like to have another conversation at the billed rate? Always keep the end of the conversation upbeat, even if you have a feeling that the person never intends to purchase services because you never know. 

  • Use customer-centric language

Be aware of your boundaries, but you should always give the customer the impression that you put them first. Keep the conversation focused on what they need and suggestions of how your services can help. Your goal should be to understand their needs. 

Unfortunately, these types of customers are a part of doing business. Having a solid plan for spotting them and understanding how to handle them if you do encounter them, is the best advice. The best strategy is to understand how to attract the ideal customer and avoid them in the first place.

Categories
News & updates

A guide to effective email marketing for small businesses

Today, businesses have many ways to reach out to their customers to share new products, services, and promote their brand. Email marketing is not just for big businesses, and small businesses can easily implement email marketing campaigns to reach their customers. Let’s see how email marketing for small business owners can help you reach your goals this year.

What are the benefits of email marketing?

Email campaigns are easy to implement and are a cost-effective way to communicate with your clients. It is also more personal than other forms of advertising because the user is the one to sign up to receive them. Here are some of the benefits of email marketing for small business owners. 

  • Cost-friendly

The cost of an email campaign depends on how many emails you send per month and the size of your subscriber base. Some platforms allow you to send an unlimited number of emails for $25-30 per month. 

  • Revenue

A recent study found that the ROI of an email campaign can be as high as 122%. This is four times higher than any other form of digital marketing. An email marketing campaign increases revenues by improved sales conversions because it is more targeted. It also results in increased website traffic and improved brand awareness. 

  • Ease of communication

It is easy to get the word out to targeted customers with useful information about your products and services, tell them about new products, sales, and promotions. With one well-crafted email, an active subscriber list, and a good mail provider, you can efficiently communicate with your audience anywhere they have access to email. 

  • Newsletters

Email newsletters are an excellent way to keep in touch with your target audience. You can do feature articles that might be of interest to your audience and touch base in a way that does not sound overly promotional. 

  • Promotions

Regular sales and promotions through email are an excellent way to let your customers know that they are in an exclusive club. This is a great way to let them know about holiday sales and special subscriber-only offers. 

  • Updates

You can let your customers know about any changes at the company or policy updates quickly and easily through email. 

  • Reminders

Emails are an excellent way to send reminders about special promotions, abandoned shopping carts, and when a bill is due. 

  • Automation

 The best thing about email marketing is that it can be fully automated. Once the initial email journey is created, you can sit back and let the software do the rest. 

  • Build & nurture relationships

Regular contact with your customers keeps you on their mind. The key is to value these relationships and do not become spam. 

  • Customer loyalty

When customers feel that you have crafted a message just for them, it helps to build loyalty. They can feel like they are part of the family because of the personalized message that they receive. 

  • Increase customer engagement

Email marketing campaigns are an excellent way to increase customer engagement. You can provide fun quizzes, surveys, and videos to keep your customers engaged.

How do you create an email marketing strategy for small businesses?

As you can see, email marketing campaigns can open doors and do things that other forms of advertising cannot. The next thing you probably want to know is how to develop an email campaign and an effective marketing strategy. The first thing you need to do is to explore the different email providers available and choose one that is right for you. 

  • Gather contact information

Once you have chosen an email provider, you need to start building an email list. You can do this through a contact page, a popup that asks them to sign up, or by providing special promotions of offers for signing up. You can also collect emails through your social media platforms. 

  • Choose your message

Now, it is time to decide what types of emails to send and how frequently. If you are not sure, you can hire a professional to recommend a campaign scheduled. 

  • Create your content

The next step is to create your content. You can create it yourself, or you can hire a copywriter who knows the right language to use to reach your audience. 

  • Ensure usability of web and mobile

One of the most important factors in today’s world is to make sure your email and westie are mobile-friendly. A large number of people have access to email and the web through mobile devices. 

  • Create a schedule

Make sure that you create a schedule and stick to it. If you commit to sending out an email a month, then make sure you do. Your customers will expect it. 

  • Track performance

Most mail service providers have built-in tracking. This allows you to make adjustments as needed. You should be tracking metrics like open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, ROI, unsubscribes, bounce rate, and site traffic. 

Types of email marketing software

Today, you have many email marketing solutions for small businesses that are cost-effective and can be scaled up as you grow. Here are some of the best email marketing software for small business owners that we think you should consider. 

  • MailChimp

 MailChimp is one of the most widely used email providers for small businesses. One of the reasons why they are so popular is that they allow you to do email automation, newsletters, and segmented lists. They are affordable, and you can scale up as you grow. 

  • Moosend

Moosend is another popular email company. They allow you to add customized forms to your website and manage a contact list. Moosend is an excellent choice for beginners because is it easy to learn. It is easy for beginners, but it also has enough advanced features for experts. 

  • Campaign Monitor

Campaign Monitor is an excellent choice for beginners because they have an extensive library of templates and free tools. They have drag-and-drop customization and optimization for mobile. You can start with a free account and then move up to enterprise-level solutions as you grow. 

  • BOMA Marketing

 BOMA Marketing has an extensive library of resources for all aspects of digital marketing. You can do your email, social media posts, blog posts, and social media ads all from one platform. It also has a content library in case you run out of ideas of things to talk about in your newsletter. 

Email campaigns continue to be one of the most effective marketing tools for growing your brand. You have many resources available if you want to do it yourself, or you can always hire a professional who provides email marketing solutions for small business owners and free your time for other important tasks. 

Categories
News & updates

Profile Image Editor

We understand the importance of showcasing your business online. That’s why we’ve built the ‘Profile Image Editor’.

When updating your Business Profile, you now have the ability to crop, rotate and zoom your profile image to ensure it accurately reflects your business.

Zoom, rotate or crop your profile image using this new feature

The editor is currently a web-only feature. To learn more about our other improvements to the Business Profile, head here.

If you have questions, feedback or suggestions about what you’d love to see next, you can always reach out to your Account Manager or email us at [email protected].

Categories
Top tools

Direct Messaging

Customers can now directly message your business, without posting a job.

Receive high-intent enquiries directly in your Oneflare business inbox and start a conversation with your next customer today. This exciting new feature is free for businesses with an active subscription and at least one of the following plans:

Speak to us on 1300 441 593 for more information.

Register business

How does Direct Messaging work? 

A ‘Message’ button now appears on every eligible businesses’ public business profile. Once selected, customers are presented with a simple form asking them for brief details about what they need done, as well as any photos that help describe the job. 

Upon confirming their contact details, the message is sent directly to your business inbox where you have the option to ‘accept’ or ‘decline’ the request at no extra cost. Once accepted, the customer’s contact details are revealed and you’re now able to continue the conversation.

Frequently asked questions