Logicblock's Blog

The Current State of the Marketplace Fairness Act

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:37:00 GMT

If you're an online seller, freelancer, or have any interest in Internet rights advocacy you've no doubt heard of the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA). Talk about it has ramped up considerably over the past few weeks as it winds its way through the legislative branch of our government. However, not everyone knows exactly what the Act is, or how it could potentially change their online business.

It's important to know what's around the corner in the ecommerce world. So to get everyone up to speed, let's take a look at the MFA and how it will affect businesses all over the Internet and beyond.

What is it?

Time for a quick history lesson. Back in the 60's, mail order companies were tired of paying sales tax in states where they didn't even have any kind of presence. They would operate out of Wisconsin, let's say, and sell an item in California…and still have to pay sales tax in California. A case about sales tax went all the way to the Supreme Court, where that august body ruled that the recordkeeping required to pay sales tax in all states was just too burdensome. In the 1990's, the Supreme Court again ruled against the collection of sales tax by mail order companies but added the caveat that essentially said “Congress is free to disagree with this and pass further laws regarding sales tax.”

Then the Internet came along, and with it came ecommerce. This ended up being a much bigger enterprise than mail ordering ever was. In the end, this meant states were losing out on a lot of money they could have been collecting by requiring out-of-state online sellers to collect and remit sales tax. The recent economic crisis brought this home. States were having to shutter departments and resources due to lack of revenue, and collecting sales tax would give them a vital source of funds. Not to mention, shops on Main Street were closing their doors.

So to try and combat this they introduced several versions of the MFA. This latest version, however, looks like it might pass. Basically, the aim is to even the battleground between local businesses and online shops by making online stores pay sales tax in states they sell in. That same shop in Wisconsin, now an ecommerce store, must pay sales tax in California if they sell an item there.

What's the Latest?

Naturally, this hasn't set well with online sellers. Ever since talk started about online sales tax online sellers have been up in arms, lobbying and protesting. Unfortunately for them and the community at large the MFA is starting to look like an inevitability.

And it has – well, in the Senate anyway, by a 69-27 margin. All that's left is the House to vote on it and the bill is basically through - the Obama administration has said they like the bill and will support it if it passes. So unless a miracle happens Internet sales tax will be a reality for every ecommerce business in America.

So how will this affect your day-to-day business life? It really depends on two things: what you sell in states around the country, and how organized you are. If you're good with math or have great accounting software, you'll be fine with all the various tax rates and figuring out what you owe.

That's right: each state has its own tax rate. So now not only do you have an added expense to take care of, you also have to figure out what each sale is. This takes time and if you're not organized it's going to drive you bananas.

The other issue, which is honestly the main point everyone is worried about, is how it's going to affect your sales. Customers may decide to just go down the street instead of ordering online since they have to pay sales tax either way. There's really no way to tell until we're in the thick of it, but either way it will be interesting to see.

What's your opinion on the potential internet sales tax?

If Customers Don’t Find You On Social Media…They’ll Find Your Competitors

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:39:00 GMT

Did you know your customers are looking to talk to you right now? At this very moment they’re searching around the Internet trying to find the quickest way to have a chat with their favorite brand: you. The only problem is you’re not exactly making it easy for them.

There are so many options and routes out there for customers to take, most of them social media websites and services. It’s quickly becoming the first thing people do: Google “Facebook or Twitter +your company name” to get your information or discuss a problem with you. If you haven’t set these services up, then they may give up on you in favor of a competitor who’s easier to get in touch with.

Expand Your Network

Of course most of you out there have a Twitter or at least a Facebook page. Most businesses have learned over the years these two sites provide a ton of benefits both to customer service and sales. Facebook alone has the power to open your company to millions of people around the world in no time flat.

However, those two websites aren't the whole story. There are dozens of social media websites out there, all with their own databases of users who are waiting to hear from you. If you’re not expanding your network to include these sites you’re likely missing out on potential sales.

For example, Google Plus has become a giant in the world of small business PR and connectivity to customers. Companies have found a myriad of ways to interact with the public including the Google Hangout feature, which allows business reps to talk directly to users on a live chat.

Another big social media site is Pinterest. While the strictly image-based nature of the site may limit use, those with some creativity can make it work for them. If you can pull it off Pinterest is a great way to bring your customers into your worldview so you have more in common. This makes them stick around longer as they feel connected to your company.

Not Every Plan Will Work

As mentioned there are a ton of social media sites out there. Most of them are very niche, with specific interests like movies, music, regional interests, or even vampires! Naturally not all of these sites will work for your company, as their users won’t identify with what you’re selling or saying.

This also goes for the major social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and so on. Not every one of these sites will work for your business. The users may just not care to interact with you in that way. For example, if you’re running a financial based business, uploading pictures on Pinterest probably won’t work too well.

However, you don’t know until you try each one out! You may be totally surprised that your customers love the pictures of money you've uploaded to Pinterest and want to talk to you more. You never can tell when the public will latch on to something so the only person you’re hurting by not trying is yourself. Expand your network and try some new services to see which ones your customers flock to.

Why Branding Can Make or Break Your Business

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:29:00 GMT

Think fast: what do you imagine when you hear “Coca Cola?” You likely think of images of people downing soda with condensation dripping down glasses full of the opaque liquid during a hot summer day. Or you think of polar bears and Santa Claus during the cold winter months.

Now switch it around. When you’re deciding on a nice beverage to consume, Coca-Cola is most likely up there in your mind rattling around. In some parts of the country, like the south, Coke is all there is to it. There are many stories from the area of parents asking their kids what “flavor of Coke” you want, with “Coke” replacing soda.

Coca-Cola has done an impressive job over its many years of existence letting people know they exist. They’re rarely “in your face” like, for instance, McDonald’s; they simply let you recall all the good times you had with their product and let you make the decision. How did they do it?

Household Name

Coca-Cola knows the importance of branding as a viable marketing tactic. They’ve successfully made millions of people subconsciously pick up their products simply by having a strong “voice” or business presence.

But it’s not like it happened over night. It takes years for branding efforts to take off. You can work on one angle, experience some success, and then see it all fall apart when the public realizes the branding doesn’t make sense to them.

For example, let’s say your online store is an office supply company. You want people to think of your store when they think of not only office supplies but also when they think of work in general. You’re trying to make your store THE essential office store (versus a big store like Staples).

However, somewhere down the road it all goes awry. You eventually figure out your customers associate you more with LEAVING work rather than going there. After some research, you find out it’s because your products let them get done with work sooner so they can go party. This is a very positive thing and could benefit your company even more than your other plan!

Getting There

So how do you even get to this point? You can’t just toss some stuff out there and see if it sticks; branding takes a lot of effort, planning, and not just a little bit of luck.

If you’re truly unsure how to start, try to think of what your company or store means to you. You know your business the best, what makes it tick and why people would shop there, so start with something you know is at least true to you. As mentioned above this may change as you go along, but you’re adaptable, right?

Secondly, you have to let people you know exist. At Logicblock we know how important branding is to every single business out there which is why we included services to help you along with your efforts. Every aspect of your store is customizable and also includes SEO and other branding techniques.

On your end, make sure to utilize marketing, social media, and PR efforts to convince everyone out there your store is the #1 for…whatever you say it is. Remember, they have no reason (yet) to run out for office supplies when they feel like getting work done early. If you can convince them you’re the way for that to happen, then you’ll be golden.

Shortening the First Click to Checkout Journey

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Your customers don't have time to goof around. They want to click over to your online store, find the items they want and get going. The last thing they want to do is spent time poking around your site trying to figure out where they're supposed to go and why there are so many steps to go through before they checkout.

That's why we offer One Page Checkout – we know you and your customers are busy people and therefore can't take forever to complete transactions. But is it really that dire? Are people on the Internet that strapped for time?

More Options

It may not be so much that customers can't afford to click multiple times in your site; it may be more that they don't have to anymore. There are so many websites on the Internet that it's become impossible to keep up anymore, if it ever was in the first place. There's no real reason for customers to stay on your website if there's a prettier, easier, more accessible website that does the same thing – and there almost always is.

You have to give them a reason to stay. Usually that entails making their life better, easier, and faster. If you don't, they may take off. This is a strong reason why you should consider shortening the time it takes customers from entering your site to submitting their credit card info.

For example, some websites make the mistake of making their customers go through a lengthy sign up process to buy something. If you offer the same products at a reasonable price and don't make them jump through hoops to receive those products, you're going to get some of that competitor's business. Even if you're a little more expensive the price of not dealing with difficult websites is worth it to some customers.

Shortening the Journey

Lessening the amount of clicks your customer performs to buy a product isn't just introducing One Page Checkout to your site. There are many other things you can do to make life easier for everyone who visits your online store.

One way you can lessen the amount of clicks is to have a more inclusive product page. Many websites have separate pages for images, product reviews, and other details of each of their products. Instead of having separate pages for customer to click around to, include many details on one page. You don't want pages too cluttered so you may also consider having a sampling of each detail on one page.

Also consider moving some of your product around so they're more easily found. During the winter holidays many online businesses will move their hot selling items to the front page to enhance visibility. After the holidays end, though, they move them right back.

Instead of reverting back to your old site design, keep the fast-moving products towards the front of the store. This way your customers see it right away and can just click and buy it. Otherwise, they're left poking around the site for minutes on end until they can find the product they want. By that time they may have bounced away from the site to find somewhere they can easily find what they want.

Have you ever sat down and watched someone click around your website? What surprised you?

2013 Small Business Trends

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Every year brings new challenges and chances for success for businesses, and 2013 aims to be no different from years past. What will be the big trends for this year? Will we see a move towards more organic based marketing, or will computers take over more than they have now? What types of software will every business owner want to get their hands on this year? Read on below for our predictions!

1. Balance Offline and Online Marketing

If 2012 was the year businesses all over the globe embraced technology, 2013 will be the year they find a healthy balance between finding customers online and offline. While it’s difficult to say there’s a clear indication online marketing is a “trend,” it’s important for every company to find customers wherever they are.

Sometimes, this involves going offline and heading into the real world. As the trend continues down the path of customers relating to those who sell to them, expect the public to want more face to face time with sellers in their community.

Learn what members of your local area love to do and go out and do them. Volunteer for some activities or charities so you can find out the inner workings of your community. You should see things swinging your way fairly swiftly thereafter.

2. Know Regions Better

Your world is expanding, and you can’t expect to run your business the same way no matter where you go. Each region you enter will have different cultures and expectations when it comes to businesses they interact with, and not knowing these differences can be costly.

So expect companies to have to know more about the regions they’re selling to. Even individual states will have vastly different practices of which you should become accustomed.

It’s not just a matter of not offending anyone. It’s also a matter of maximizing sales in different parts of the world. The smallest mom & pop business can sell their Coke memorabilia like crazy if they know different parts of the United States have different names for the drink.

3. Lots of Numbers

Data is going to continue to be a big factor when it comes to business. The digital age has made it very easy to break down your company number by number, bit by bit. Not only will that not change, expect it to blow up even more in 2013.

Finances are of course a huge deal for every company, and there are plenty of online tools for everyone to use that break down every cent you’ve spent and earned. But that’s not the end of the tale, as social media interaction, warehouse management, and bill-saving energy usage apps keep you in tip-top shape.

So if you haven’t jumped on the “big data” trend, now is the time to do it! You should see a plethora of new software packages come out this year, each one bigger than the rest. Best of all, many of these are free to try, at least for a while, so you have no excuse not to at least give them a shot.

What trends do you expect to see in 2013?

If You are Not Retargeting Shoppers, You are Letting Another Online Seller Snag Your Customers

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

You would think most customers buy stuff from an online store the first time they visit it. After all, don't you do the same? Hop on to a website you just heard about and go ahead and grab the item while you're there?

More than likely, you absolutely do not do this, whether you were aware of it or not. The fact is only around 2% of first-visit customers will buy something from any website, including yours. The more likely scenario is they will check out the shop, leave, and potentially come back when they’ve looked around some more or perhaps acquired more wealth with which to buy stuff.

The trouble is how do you get these poor misguided souls back into your shop and keep them from wandering into someone else’s website? It’s called “retargeting” and you should be taking it very seriously.

Grab Their Attention While it Counts
Don’t just let that other 98% walk away (or click away) without offering some sort of follow-up to their visit! Make sure you have ample links for your Facebook page, Twitter account, Pinterest account, home phone number, Thanksgiving dinner invitation – something that will make them want to stay in touch with your company. If you don’t, they will leave forever!

Don’t make them search for your Facebook page link or whatever, either. Put it right up there at the top of the page or on a sidebar. Regular customers won’t mind, and anyone actively searching for that information will love you for making it so obvious. This increases their chances of sticking around tenfold.

However, your job doesn’t end there! After they’ve followed you on Twitter and Facebook you have to remind them what a great shop you have. Post deals and coupons luring them back to the shop. Again, don’t make them work for it – post links, send emails and generally stay top of mind with them!

Email Lists
Like in the outside world, customers like to shop around. Sometimes they’ll pick up a few items and put it in their basket “just in case.” When they leave a physical store they’re forced to make the decision to either abandon the basket or put everything back. Online, though, they simply just exit the website.

However, this gives you a chance to win them back. These empty shopping carts can also come with email addresses. Instead of just letting these customers go, assume they just forgot they had a shopping cart full of goodies (which is likely). Email them asking if they’d like to come back and complete the order. If you’re feeling giving, give them a coupon!

Seasonal Shoppers
Another large percentage of that 98% that came and never bought anything was the holiday shopper crowd. In fact, they may even be part of your 2% that actually bought an item upon their first visit. Either way, though, they haven’t been back since, as in their minds you’re a holiday store. You have to convince them otherwise.

This is the very definition of “retargeting” your shoppers as it’s almost a total rebranding of your store. At least, from the customer’s perspective it is. They think of your shop as one thing and you want them to imagine another so they will buy more stuff. If that isn’t rebranding then what is it?

So whether it’s on Facebook or through an email campaign, show the seasonal shoppers why they should come in even though it’s not the holidays. Figure out a focus for your sale or efforts before you start – for example, since customers think of you as a Christmas store, put up a “summer sale” to get their heads in the right place before they click over.

Check out our Marketing & Retargeting Partners and ask us how each would potentially help your business.

Brand Building and Customer Experience Management

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

As any business owner knows, maintaining an identity is a vital part of running a company. It can make the difference between selling a few items versus being extraordinarily successful. An identity gives legitimacy in a way that many aspects of your business can't - the power of instant recognition.

You may also know how difficult maintaining this identity can be. Not only do you have to figure out what your identity is and keep it steady through every interaction you have with customers, vendors and the general public, you also ensure a wonderful customer experience throughout every aspect of your business and brand. It can be tiring and more than a little confusing.

With a few simple tips, though, the task becomes much easier! Here are some ways you can get your brand off on the right foot.

Create a Narrative
If you’re working on building up your brand as well as a unique customer experience, there’s no better way to approach it than with a narrative. Not necessarily creating a story (but if that helps, go for it), but simply a narrative for your company that intrigues the customer and can safely shape the rest of their experience.

For example, it’s safe to say Coca-Cola has done well to establish not only a brand but a strong narrative. They’ve designed it where a customer will “feel” like having a Coke instead of merely being thirsty. The storyline Coca-Cola has created over decades in business makes customers feel nostalgic and warm – they even associate fun, family and Santa Claus with the brand!

Does Coke actually do any of this stuff? No. It’s all a storyline created by Coca-Cola. The storyline is the typical “built from the ground up company” that’s all about family and Christmas and just wants you to have fun. In reality, Coca-Cola is a giant company that could probably buy a small country if it wanted to.

If you create the proper narrative for your company (rugged entrepreneur, obscure creative, religious-oriented) half of your work is done for you. Your core customer base will immediately identify with your storyline. Now all you have to do is help maintain it.

Enhancing the Experience
Ideally you want every part of your business to reflect the narrative you’ve built. This includes not only buying your product but emailing customer service, going on the company Facebook, or even when a customer simply talks to a friend about their experience.

As a customer, there’s nothing much worse than finding out your favorite brands aren’t exactly what they say they are. Think if news broke out that Coca-Cola was secretly funding organizations to kill puppies around the world. Not only does it go against their family-friendly narrative, it breaks the trust you’ve had with the company for decades.

So if you’ve gone with, say, the “rugged entrepreneur” narrative for your business, all aspects of your customer experience must reflect it. It won’t work to have a website that’s all about how you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps and then talk about all the startup capital you received on your Facebook page.

Likewise, a brand run by a “rugged entrepreneur” would do well with strong, personal customer service. A nameless entity emailing a customer back about a problem just wouldn’t fit the image you’ve created. This is why it’s important to cover every aspect of your branding before you launch so you don’t accidentally break the illusion for anyone.

How did you decide on your “brand”?

Why 3rd Party Checkouts are Awesome

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

You've finally got your website and store all ready to go. You've loaded all your product pictures and copy up and designed your site to be perfectly accessible by everyone. Wow, it seems like you've thought of everything.

Everything, that is, except how your customers are going to pay! Foolishly, you forgot all about people actually giving you money, and only have options to run credit cards yourself or sending in a check. Or, even more ridiculous, a money order.

Why torture your customers like this? You’re just making the process that much more difficult for both them and you. Most likely, anyone shopping on your site will be turned off by the crazy procedure to hand over their hard-earned money. Third party checkouts can take the hassle out of running an online store for many reasons.<

Ease of Use
Customers generally shop online not only because of the wide variety of items they can find but also because it’s easier. Instead of getting out of bed, putting on clothes, driving to the store, dealing with sales clerks, and fighting traffic to get home, they can simply lean over in bed to grab their laptop or tablet and start buying things.

The last thing they want to encounter during this easy process is some major hurdle they have to overcome to buy your item. If the product is incredibly important to them they may go out of their way to send you a check…but most likely not. They’ll simply find the item somewhere else or just say forget it.

The thing is, most people have an account with PayPal, Google Checkout, or some other form of online payment system. Maybe you started your store back in the mid-2000s when that wasn’t the case. However, times have changed, and buying something immediately is the preferred way of doing business. You don’t carry your checkbook around to each store just in case the store you entered doesn’t take cash or credit, so don’t make your customers do it either.

Security
Besides simplicity, customers want to feel like their favorite websites are as secure as possible. This is doubly, perhaps triply correct when they enter their personal and financial information into the site. They don’t want to keep looking over their shoulder for a “strange activity” notice on their credit card every time they buy something online.

Going through a 3rd party checkout system gives an extra boost to security for all your ecommerce needs. Right away they get the satisfaction of knowing they used a service that’s accepted worldwide and has a strong “paper trail.” In other words, handing over their financial info to PayPal has less chance to go into the black market than if they give it directly to a new store they’ve never shopped with before.

It’s also way more secure on your end as well. If something goes wrong with the payment, would you rather say “Ugh, PayPal did so and so!” or “Please don’t sue me!” to the customer? It’s an extra step between the customer and your store. Sure, sometimes it can be a hassle, that’s true. However, it’s a hassle well worth putting up with, and a feature in your store you can’t just ignore.

Site Reviews: Critical Components of Your Search Strategy

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

A potential new customer, Ned, hears about your shop from a friend. Ned, being a discerning web user and shopper, decides to check you out. He's hoping your store lives up to the great review he received from his friend as they've never steered him in the wrong direction.

However, Ned's friend told him the wrong name, so he has to poke around on Google to find you. He does - but what's this? Next to your website are some reviews of it...and they're not so good. In fact, they paint a picture that's none too flattering of your entire business.

They say your website is confusing, almost intentionally so. They hate your search system and your checkout system and even your logo. Ned suddenly has second thoughts from even clicking over to your website at all, much less buying anything from you.

Painting a Picture
When you present your company and brand to the web, you're not just offering customers a chance to buy your stuff. You're putting your reputation on the line as a legit business owner, one who has a vision for their company and will use every means at their disposal to accomplish their goals.

If you have a cruddy website that makes no sense, you're painting a picture that doesn't do any of that hard work justice. You're telling the world you really don't care whether or not your website looks good or even makes sense. They should be honored they get to buy your stuff in the first place, right?

You want your website to immediately convey a sense of authority and sustainability. The last thing you want is a customer like Ned stumbling upon your site and gasping in horror. You can have the best products known to man but if your website is terrible, nobody will buy from you.

Reviews
Knowing all this, you want any reviews you get of your website and/or store to reflect how much work you've put into it. When's the last time you looked at these reviews? They may be less than flattering, meaning you're losing money left and right and not even realizing it.

Some of the reviews may be a little on the older side; perhaps you remodeled your entire business a few months ago and all the reviews are from before that happened. Now it's your duty to scour the Internet and (kindly) respond to these reviews saying you've improved and everyone should come check you out.

A website that's gotten no coverage at all can also be a liability. Customers may be a little unwilling to send money to a store that's hardly been seen - the transaction could go either way.

To counter this, try and solicit some reviews from a few reputable people. Some frequently read bloggers, for example, or even a top Yelp user. Kindly ask them to check out your website and, if they have a second, throw up a review. Don't try to bribe them as that may backfire. Just point out that you exist in hopes they'll give you some coverage.

But remember: make sure you've painted the picture you want before you ask anyone for their opinion!

Cyber Monday Sales

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

And just like that, the holidays are over. All that preparation and stress, all the running around and late nights trying make everything in your online store perfect only for it to simply vanish in the blink of an eye. It happens every year but it always catches me off guard!

Now, it’s time for another tradition – the breakdown of all the data collected from sales. Specifically, we're looking at Cyber Monday and how well it did compared to past years and the other sales holidays.

Also, in doing further research for this blog, I noticed Target has already started preparing for Cyber Monday 2013. If there’s any doubt this sales day is a big deal, that should squash it!

Record Sales
Unsurprisingly, Cyber Monday sales were better than ever this year. In fact, Cyber Monday had a bigger jump than Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Thanksgiving at an astounding 30% increase. Black Friday had online sales increase by 21%, showing more customers than ever are skipping lines and logging on for deals instead.

The increase was also 10% more than projected. Data tracking firm ComScore was projecting Cyber Monday sales at $1.5 billion rather than the $1.98 billion it achieved. That’s not entirely surprising either, though, as Cyber Monday has constantly been derided since it started, despite trends to the contrary. Some were even (hilariously) calling for its demise this year.

These numbers mean this Cyber Monday was the biggest online shopping day in history. At a time when the economy was thought to be a big bane to shopping, the massive numbers were a welcome sign to the contrary.

Figuring Out Why
So why the big jump in sales numbers? Of course every year there’s a simple matter of simple exposure – everyone knows about Black Friday, as it’s been around for years. Cyber Monday, though, has had to build up steam since its official naming in 2005. The same for Small Business Saturday: while many shop in local businesses during the holidays, they may not realize there’s a specific day they should go for the best deals.

One of the biggest reasons why Cyber Monday is working so well has to be because of the way the world works now. Electronic shopping is rapidly becoming the norm rather than the exception. Sure, physical Black Friday sales were still way above Cyber Monday sales – but ecommerce is here to stay, and as brick & mortar shops close electronic ones pop up all over the place.

Another big contributor to online sales is the pure accessibility of the shops. No matter where shoppers are, they have the ability to grab an item they see for a present with a few touches of their phone or tablet. There’s no need to run back to the office or your home computer to order something online, giving you ample time to forget what you were going to buy.

What does this mean for the future? Look for 2013 to include more of 2012’s success as ecommerce heats up more than ever. Tables sales skyrocketed in 2012 with no signs of slowing down this year, meaning more people than ever will have instant access to their favorite stores…including yours! Like Target, now is the time to get started on your strategy for what could be the biggest day of your shop’s life.

How to Actually Keep Your 2013 Business New Years Resolutions

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

As 2012 winds down, many of us look through our calendars to look at all we've accomplished over the year. If you're like me, it's with a hint of trepidation as you're worried you'll let yourself down because you neglected one of your business resolutions.

It's just like the resolution to exercise – everyone starts out fine in January, but as the year goes along the less we commit. Everything else (also known as "life") gets in the way of going to the gym, so by December you've given away your membership card to someone who will actually use it.

The business resolutions you made in early 2012 probably ran the same course as your personal ones. Some you held steadfast, like earning over 2011's profits or networking on a bigger scale. Others, though, fell by the wayside, like your goal of posting a blog post every day or selling bigger items for quicker profit.

The point is you made those resolutions, and you succeeded in some even though you didn't quite it make it in others. Here are two approaches to 2013's resolutions that could help you make it an even better year.

Don't Worry About It

Did the world come crashing to a halt when you didn't exercise enough this year? Was everyone disappointed in you when you didn't mow the lawn like you were going to? Or was it just a matter of "well, I gave it a shot" and nobody really reacted strongly?

Your business resolutions are fine goals. They are areas you want to improve, which is a good thing. However, are they the areas you SHOULD be improving? Perhaps there are other areas where you could focus your attention that need it more than you think.

Usually what happens with resolutions is they get passed over for more interesting things. In your personal life, that could be a bad thing – you need exercise, for example, and to eat healthy meals. Your business resolutions, though, may be a sign of what you need to focus on more in your business.

For example, if you wanted to get way more clients but didn't quite make it, that's a bummer. However, if you also worked on attracting bigger fish clients, therefore resulting in more money, that's not a bummer. This could be what you should focus on in the future.

Buckle Down

The only thing that's preventing you from achieving your resolutions and goals is you. If you could only focus and make it happen, you'd be much more successful.

Yeah, that sounds great and all, but what's it really do for you? You can tell yourself that you're not getting it done all day, but if the end result is the same, what's the point? You have to come up with a plan or you're going to end 2013 the way you ended 2012: a little down in the dumps.

So "buckling down" has less to do with actually doing what you need to do and sitting down and coming up with a plan. Think about that exercise resolution; wasn't one of the big problems not having a routine to follow? You can say "I'm going to exercise" and it's a total different thing to say "I'm going to jog, then lift, and play a little basketball." One is a generic statement; the latter is a specific plan you can follow.

Do the same with your business resolutions. Don't write down "get clients" and "start a blog." Write down "gain at least one new client every three months in this field" and "post a blog at least every week about these subjects." This can make everything easier to get into since you're not overwhelmed with a dozen aimless tasks at once. Suddenly it's just a breakdown of a few things you must do every week or so.

What's your major business goal for 2013?

Be Memorable and Stay That Way

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

If there's anything to be learned from working with customers it's that marketing, public relations, and everything else can be boiled down to one idea: cementing your place in your customer's minds. No matter if you're working on a public relations campaign or attempting to fix a customer's problem, you're trying to keep your business in their brain as long as possible.

The alternative, of course, is to be forgotten, which is essentially to go out of business. If nobody remembers you after they shop at your store they won't tell their friends. They won't brag about you online or at their church. When you're barely an afterthought, nobody thinks to go into your store unless they happen to walk by.

This pursuit is why so many subscribe to the idea that “even bad PR is good PR.” After all, even though the talk is negative, at least you aren't being forgotten, right? The end result is business owners grasping at straws to stay relevant which can drastically harm their company. So how do you stay positive yet stay important to customers?

Earn It
It's hard not to feel like you're entitled in some way when you start up a new business. After all, you're excited about it, so why shouldn't everybody else be too? Especially those close to you – your friends and family should at least be pumped you're striking out on your own.

The trouble is that can only last for so long. After that you've got to earn the respect and loyalty of your customers. You may pick up one or two customers during that initial “new car smell” phase, but after that you're on your own. You have to figure out which direction to go that brings in new customers…and keeps them coming back.

Approach it like this: nobody WANTS to remember a store. You don't go into a TJ Maxx or a mom & pop candle store expecting to love it forever. That happens when you encounter something unexpected that makes you go “whoa!”

For instance, I visited a souvenir shop in North Carolina last year. I've been in countless souvenir shops, so I wasn't expecting to remember it at all. As I was checking out, though, I realized I had less than a dollar's worth of stuff. I asked if I could use my credit card anyway and the lady behind the counter said, “No, but I'll pay for it! Merry Christmas!” I'm likely to always remember that particular souvenir shop simply from that one moment.

That Moment
Of course I'm not saying you should pay for all your customers' items to gain their favor as your business won't be in business very long. However, it's more about that particular moment than the money or anything else.

The lady who did that for me had a moment – she could have just as easily told me to just go buy something else so I had enough stuff to use the card. However, in that moment she realized making a mark meant more than the change it cost her to pay for my stuff.

However, I was just one customer. The people who work in that shop make hundreds if not thousands of those same types of decisions every day. The same with your store – you have to make the very same decisions every time someone comes into your store (virtual or no). If you make enough of the right ones you could just end up with a very memorable place of business.

What do you do to keep your business top of mind with customers and potential customers?

Little Motivations Turn Into Big Deals

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

While customers everywhere are scrambling around trying to find the perfect gifts for family members, small business owners are starting to feel the strain of maintaining their schedules. The constant battle of making product, updating the website, shipping packages, dealing with irritated customers on the phone – it all can become extremely exhausting and wear the most hardy business owner down.

That's why it's very important to look for the little things each day that motivate you to keep going. When you start feeling like you'll never be able to survive another second with the insane amount of work you have at the moment, a little motivation can turn into a huge deal – in more ways than one!

Maintaining Your Cool

The absolute last thing you want to happen right now when you're so busy is to lose your cool. If an angry customer emails you about an issue and you blow up at them, you could potentially be losing a lot of business. That's because it's not just that customer you're mad at; you're simply letting the situation get out of control.

So when you blow up at someone who just needs a problem resolved, you're acknowledging that you've lost your cool. This can quickly translate into a continued change of attitude throughout the rest of the season, as it's difficult to come back from a blow-up like that.

Even worse, if your explosion is big enough, it could quickly go viral across the web. It may be totally out of context, but readers won't care – they just see a business owner losing their mind. You can do some quick damage control, but it's most likely too late, especially with how close it is to the end of the holiday season.

Finding that "calm center" in yourself can prevent these types of situations from ever occurring. When you have something you know will soothe your frayed nerves, you can turn to it even when there seems to be no end in sight.

Connection

Half of running a business (possibly more, really) is connecting to your customers on some level. When you're selling something to a stranger, you have to quickly determine why this person needs it. Notice the word "needs", not wants. A want is something you might buy – a need is something you MUST buy.

If you figure out what your motivation is, you can use it to connect with your customers on this base level. For example, let's say what keeps you going is to take 5 minutes every hour to do breathing exercises. Obviously you're not going to be the only person on the planet who does this, so when you tell your base about this pattern they'll relate to you.

You can use this connection with your customers to gain ground on your relationship. In fact, you can even relate the products you're selling with said breathing exercise. If your big product this year is a new kind of seating pad, perhaps you could tell everyone how great it works when you're doing your relaxation method. Boom, instant sales!

Logicblock at United Stationers Vision 2012 Conference

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

We had the distinct opportunity to exhibit at United Stationers' Vision 2012 Conference last week. While there, we were very happy to finally be able to meet several of our existing customers in person and showcase our ever-improving 7cart eCommerce solution.

Joe Tapia, Alexander Nicolaides and Adam Tully at Vision 2012

United put on quite a show and we really enjoyed ourselves. The seminars were really good and overall very well done. For example, the concept of driving your Brand and your Identity was clearly emphasized with Megan and Mark's "Branding & Customer Experience Management" Seminar Track; eCommerce being an obvious critical piece of that. All "modern" concepts, while not losing sight of the tried and true concepts that keep customers coming back to buy more online and offline.

Logicblock's 7cart eCommerce solution is integrated with United Stationers, so that Catalog Management, Inventory management, and Electronic order integration are all handled for their dealers by us. Of course, all while maintaining the most SEO-friendly and flexible solution on the market.

We thank everyone that came by the booth to meet us and we look forward to meeting again.

Don’t Give Your Customers (Virtual) Cavities this Holiday Season

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:27:00 GMT

Halloween has come and gone yet again. It was another night filled with spooks, long walks, messy costumes, and of course, tons of sugary candy! If you're like the rest of us, you crammed as much sweetness in your mouth you could the first couple of days only to pay for it later. You quickly remember why you don't look forward to the day AFTER Halloween as your tummy spins in circles.

As this happened to me the other day I started to wonder - could this effect happen to customers? When you eat nothing but candy you're just ingesting empty calories as there's nothing particularly healthy about Smarties and those weird black & orange peanut butter candy things. It's all fun and very little substance.

Could you be offering your customers the same thing? If your store and business is all flash and style but nothing substantial, they may end up with a tummy-ache the size of a giant box of Nerds candy.

Style vs. Substance
You've seen the stores online - they're like virtual "hip" clothing stores where there's loud music, attractive salesclerks, and a shirt costs more than your last car payment. Once you get home and look at what you bought, you immediately get that familiar rumble in your stomach. What on Earth possessed you to buy this thing?

Well, what possessed you was the flashiness of the establishment. You can easily get caught up in the excitement of it all; the noise, the atmosphere, even the laissez-faire style of customer service can make you think you're getting something special. But you can't wear cool out of the store. In the end, it's just a shirt.

This is the same thing that can happen to your online store if you're not careful. It's particularly troublesome during the holiday season, as each ecommerce business wants to get the attention of every person they can. As a result, they end up making their products feel like it's the most exciting thing in the world.

Of course this is part of selling, and it is essential to raise a ruckus during the winter season as everyone else is struggling to push ahead of you. But there comes a time when you may buy into your own hype and forget what you're selling isn't absolutely essential to the universe's continued existence.

Finding a Balance
Let's head back to that ultra-hip clothing store we visited earlier. When they first opened up shop, that ambiance wasn't an accident. They knew it would attract the very people who would get super pumped about buying the very shirt you bought. They most likely didn't think they were the bee's knees when they first opened their doors; they were just as terrified as every other new business owner.

Somewhere along the way, things changed, and they bought into their own reputation. The product quality went down, the customer service suffered, and they became a parody of their own PR and marketing tactics.

Take a look at your own store - do you see this happening with you? How far have you drifted away from your core ideals from when you started? It's usually easy to tell by the reviews by customers that are coming in. Businesses will get negative reviews from time to time, it's almost inevitable. However, if you've been ignoring them for some time and they all have the same complaints, it may be time to see if you've just been feeding your customers sugar lately!