database - Blogs - Black Business Women Online

Databases build Client-Realtions!

Posted by Lisa Henry on December 9, 2008 at 8:35pm

Greetings everyone!Marketing effectively on low and no budgets requires a humble attitude and knowing and understanding what you are against. No one wants to waste time with people or businesses cash flow poor or seem to be going nowhere. Many minds will be closed to your services or offerings. Notice I said MINDS. (One must have a willing mind to receive and accept.) Your attitude task is to help prospective clients in any way possible, offer your assistance, if they allow you, expecting to receive nothing. A willing mind must accept you and clearly see that your circumstances are temporary, that you are temporarily without cash and start to believe in the services you provide. This is where database marketing is crucial to your business. The most important word in guerrilla marketing is DATABASE.Keeping a record to track clients, prospective clients, and important deadlines is a must. It keeps you in tune with your clients’ needs. A satisfied client normally is great for spreading how wonderful you are.Businesses are different and have different needs and uses for the information collected. You will have to decide how, when, and where this information is structured to benefit your business. I will use my experience only for an example.When I first became marketing manager for a criminal defense law firm many moons ago, I immediately noticed that the information that the firm was paying someone to gather was not being used to its maximum. At that point, I had over ten years of commission sales, sales management, and management experience. I knew that the firm’s bottom line would increase with a few adjustments. Never had I seen a group of people fight change before on any marketing job, especially when profits may increase. After about a year of fighting, I finally did not include the staff, I set-up the database and began using it. One Monday morning, the attorney came to my office closed the door and said, “Show me that thing. We took in five cases this weekend.” The irony of it, the business manager gave everyone a raise that year including her raise, but me. I didn’t complain to the attorney because it was his name on the door, he caught me as I was leaving one day and handed me a bonus. I received a bonus every 90 days after.The information that the firm was paying to receive was now being tracked. I was able to track trends and properly prepare successful campaigns for popular arrest charges that occurred in different areas of the state. We were able to track who was coming to the county jail possibly to pick-up indictment papers or just been arrested. Usually most picking up indictment papers had already retained counsel and if not, the attorney knew then that a payment plan probably was not possible if they called the firm. The database also helped to increase revenue on some cases. Before a prospective client was allowed to speak with an attorney in the firm, their information could be immediately verified while they were currently on the phone. Sometimes a prospective client had separate cases and charges in other jurisdictions and the information was flagged. The attorney was able to ask the client if he needed representation on those cases along with the one he initially called about. The information that our attorneys could share with prospective clients immediately cemented the attorney-client relationship.This is just a little information about the power of database marketing. It is important that you create one for yourself and your business. Your needs will be different. I created a prospective database for every product or service I sold or represented from furniture, prestige cosmetics, and had a database for district managers, whether they were my manager or not. Helped me keep up with the politics of the businesses I worked for, equally important. A humble attitude and a well organized database are solid building blocks.One more thing, gather database information yourself to insure integrity. I know there are great information brokers and lead lists out there, however, how many of your competition purchased the same list? The more competition, the more time and energy you spend on courting prospective clients. Working a watered down list is time management suicide, especially for attorneys.Always a blessing to share, Dream your World!www.LisaHenry.org or lisa@lisahenry.org

WANTED! Contributing Writers For Blogs, Network Postings, & Marketing Newsletters‏

Posted by Edwina on December 8, 2008 at 2:00pm

WANTED

eBiz Marketing is looking for contributing writers for articles and essays to be posted on eBiz Marketing and several of our network affiliate sites. These articles must be based on “Online Marketing Tactics/Techniques” and “How Your Business Can Survive the Recession”. We will provide a bio/bi-line and your contact information. Some articles may be posted in our “eBiz Marketing Newsletter" eBlast. Because our subscribers are typically African American Professionals , Companies interested in submitting articles must be 51% African American owned. eBiz Marketing has last say on what articles will be published. Once your article is approved we will contact you via email. You must have complete rights to publish your creative works. We at eBiz Marketing recognize the importance of featuring articles in blogs, blasts, and network sites. We are currently seeking your help in increasing our exposure. There are many excellent writers in this community. In exchange we hope to bring additional exposure to you and your business. We would additionally like to thank LaShonda for all the valuable information she provides on a daily basis.

Please Email the following information with your submissions to: articles@eBiznessonline.com NOTE All responses must come to email address provided. Thank you

Name
Company Name
Company Website
Contact Number
Brief Bio or Bi-Line (95 words or less).
URL Links to any RSS Feeds, Blog Sites, etc..
URL link to where you may want articled to be linked to.
All articles must be submitted in word or notepad only.
Please do not submit any pictures, logos, or graphics.

B-to-B Database

Posted by Solutions Now! Radio on May 15, 2008 at 2:30am

Hi Everyone,Just a shout out to those business owners (or starting business owners) on the list who own and operate businesses in the Greater Pittsburgh area to be part of the Solutions Now! Group database. This is an initiative of the International Business Card Group. The focus of the database is to compile a networking opportunity for the Southwest PA area. This a B-to-B database. There is no cost for participation and participation is completely voluntary. The for-cost database will be available for distribution in January of 2009.Eligible businesses are:Non-profit organizations and/or for-profit businessesSmall, medium and large businessesStarting, new and established businessesHeadquartered and/or operating in Greater Pittsburgh/Southwestern PA/Southeast Ohio/West Virginia and Maryland PanhandleInterested parties can participate by emailing database@solutionsnowgroup.org with the following information by October 31, 2008:Contact SalutationContact NameCompany NameContact TitleCompany Address (street, city, state, zip)Contact PhoneContact FaxContact EmailCompany WebsiteBusiness CategoryBusiness Description (250 words or less)You can email info@solutionsnowgroup.org if you have questions. Feel free to forward.--Sincerely,Candice L. MasonDirector of Communications, Solutions Now! GroupHostess, Solutions Now! RadioTelephone/Fax: 1 (888) 851-9035eMail: solutionsradio@aol.comWebsite: http://blogtalkradio.com/solutions_now_radioMySpace: http://myspace.com/solutions_nowLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/candicelmason

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.