You don’t need to be a champion in business to know that you should pick up the phone.
But did you know that most phone calls placed to small businesses go unanswered?
That’s right. An eye-popping 62 percent of all phone calls to small businesses just keep ringing and ringing and ringing …
This data was revealed during a webinar — “5 Fabulous Habits of Small Business Champions” held in conjunction with National Small Business Week 2017. The webinar was sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE, and YP (Yellow Pages).
“If you don’t answer your phone, you don’t deserve to have those customers,” webinar co-presenter Rieva Lesonsky said. “You are showing on your phone behavior, what kind of service (your customers) are going to get.”
Lesonsky is cofounder and CEO of GrowBiz Media. She’s also a contributor to Small Business Trends. Small Business Trends is also a co-sponsor of National Small Business Week 2017.
Here are the 5 habits local business champions should have, according to the webinar.
Be Consistent, Be Accurate
It can’t be understated how important consistency in your message is to your company and brand’s reputation. And being inaccurate about any information about your company will raise skepticism and drive customers away.
Your Business Has A Story –Tell It
Your company’s website should tell the story of your business. And your smartphone is really the only tool you need to help convey it. Take photos, record videos, and share.
“Bring your story to life,” Lesonsky said. “Your phone will take excellent pictures and video.”
Web Design Matters
Use calls to action and tell visitors what you want them to do on your site. Keep your design clean and simple. Make sure it has all the relevant information, including a physical address.
Lesonsky said, “Your site is like a store. no one is going to walk into a dirty store.”
Answer Your Phone
Webinar co-presenter and vice president of Portfolio Marketing at YP Holly Bowyer added, “That personal touch is so important.”
Social Media Best Practices
Check out this slide from the webinar on some good habits for local businesses on social media.
This webinar was part of a week-long series hosted by the SBA and SCORE. Each webinar features a different corporate partner. There are three more webinars being held May 4. Check out the rest of the schedule here.
A recording of this webinar will be uploaded here by the end of the week.
Images: YP, Shutterstock
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