Liz Strauss

Author Archive

How Not to Talk to Customers When Something Goes Wrong

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

I’m a Person Talk to Me Like One

This morning my big blog is down and has been for two hours. I put in a support ticket to ask for some help.

This is the response I got …

We are currently experiencing intermittent latency in our Chicago network due to an issue with an upstream provider that may manifest itself in other datacenters based on the route taken through our network. Please stand by and we will let you know as soon as we have news or as soon as the issue has been corrected. At this time we do not have an ETA.

Thanks,
______________________

Senior Server Support Engineer
Layered Tech
https://layeredtech.com

Here are a few things about that response that don’t inspire me to be on their team about this situation …

That 32-word sentence that basically implies that “it’s not our fault” sounds like they’re trying to avoid owning the problem.
The second sentence that “we’ll let you know when we have news” sounds as if my inconvenience means nothing to them.
Note that the fact that business is halted because of their problem isn’t mentioned.

Customers are people, not users, not eyeballs, not computers at the other end of network. We pay you to care about our business. It’s nice when you talk to us as if you might know that. When you do, we can understand that problems happen and that stuff goes wrong — you make a customer fan. When you don’t a problem can become something made worse by the fact that you didn’t seem to care.

A great response to win support and understanding might have said something closer to this.

Hi!
We’re sorry that a latency in our network is affecting your site. It seems to be an issue an upstream provider and we’re doing everything we can to get the issue corrected and get your site back online as fast as possible. We appreciate your patience while we get this sorted out.

Thanks,
…..

When something goes wrong, if you want folks to hang in there with you. Let them know that you’re working for them.

_________
Just received this UPDATE via email

EVENT UPDATE 22-MAR-10 10:00 CDT: At this time our Network Engineering team continues to work to resolve lingering issues which are impacting connectivity in our Cedar Falls location. The Chicago network is largely stabilized, but customers with services in both Chicago and Cedar Falls may be experiencing sporadic issues.

You may continue to watch http://www.ltstatus.com for news as it happens.

The update information most certainly helps. But the omission of concern for those affected still stands out.

Liz Strauss

Tags: irresistible, Liz
Posted in Leadership, Uniquely Liz | View Comments

Attract New Clients Immediately

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Irresistible Opportunities Are Built Not Discovered

A while back someone — Let’s call her Cindy — asked my advice about when to pursue what had become her business passion. We discussed ways that she could build a client base that would ensure her income to replace what she’s been used to collecting from the job that she would leaving.

Cindy had done a pile of right things to set a concrete foundation.

She had spent a year using every minute of free time being a saturation learning. She got to know the business that is her passion. She watched the key people, read their blogs, and used the tools they recommended.
She went to conferences and built a network that served her a support group for personal development, business advice, and current trends.
She worked with pro bono clients and friends to build experience and to gain powerful personal information about what energized her and what she unique benefits she could bring to projects and problems that needed solving.

By the time I talked with Cindy about establishing her private practice all she needed was coaching in how to immediately attract clients who love her work. We identified, defined, and discussed this set of specifics:

how her offer is a investable client opportunity
how to frame her opportunity in terms of benefits — show how it meets a deep need or urgent desire
the unique and powerful return on investment she offers
how to negotiate from the client side of the table

About a week after our conversation, I got this email.

Liz!

I just landed my first client on retainer!

Sure, I’ve had other clients up until now but it has been a lot of BARTERING…and now I’m making the leap into accepting money.

This is awesome!

Thank you so much for your counseling by phone a couple of weeks ago.

It made my day.

I’ve put together a pilot program that I’m testing in Seattle next week. I want to help get good folks back to work. Click the title to see more information.

Liz Strauss: Authentically Attract Clients Who Love Your Work

If you’d like to bring something like it to your city, please contact me a lizsun2 @ gmail.com I’m not certain how long I can hold the prices quite that low, but I’m committed to doing the best I can.

I want to get more emails like that one.

Liz
Work with Liz

Tags: Branding, business relationships, Getting clients, irresistible, Liz
Posted in Perfect Virtual Manager, Uniquely Liz | View Comments

50 Blue Feather Association Tweeters and 12 Associations Who Tweet

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

A few month’s ago Lonnie Hodge wrote about Blue Feather Tweeters.

So, I thought “How about a list of the top 20-30 nicest people to meet and tweet on Twitter?” Here are my first picks for Blue Feather Friends – who actually talk to you….

It inspired me to make a list of my own.

Now we’re working on a project for a new iteration of our conference called SOBCon Hands-on Associations. I’ve been listening to association tweeters who talk about what’s going on in that most interesting space. I thought you might want to know who I’ve found to follow. Certainly these aren’t nearly all of the dedicated people in the association conversation, but these are ones I suspect wouldn’t mind a new person asking a question.

A Few of My Blue Feather Association Tweeters

@sweet sue Susan Kuhn Frost is the on-the-ground planner of our D.C. event.
@jeff hurt Jeff is helping us with the blog and the content. He’ll be there too.
@JoanEisenstodt A brilliant and generous consultant who has helped us tune our ideas.
@lizstrauss I’m putting myself on this list because I’m studying everyone else who’s here and have been for quite a while.
@kwells2416 Executive Director of an NGO that really cares about partner violence. Fabulous sense of humor and incredibly smart.
@JessicaLHansen Jessica is the real deal in the world of PR for associations.
@ekeating Content specialist with the Software Information Industry Association. — Knows what’s that.
@HansRuinemans Founder of Professional Speakers Association — Cuts Crap. Creates Insights. Inspires Souls. Heals hearts.
@ScottKelby Started the National Association of Photoshop Professionals — gives great tips
@DeirdreReid Seeking exec level position in the association space.
@tcar Todd Carpenter of the National Realtors Association, Chicago.
@tapangarg Chief Catalyst at the CIO Association of India.
@maddiegrant Association/non-profit blogger. Parter at SocialFish.
@lindydreyer Chief social media marketer and association nerd at SocialFish
@Mike Kujawski Marketing and Social Media Strategist for Government, Non-Profits, and Associations.
@DrDavidBallard Head of Corporate Relations and Business Strategy at the American Psychological Association
@saltzberg Association maven
@pinnovation Jeff De Cagna — innovator, thought provoker in the Association space.
@AvenueZ Beth Ziesenis, association groupie, speaker, a cool writer chick.
@Peggy Hoffman Association management is her thing.
@ewengel Elizabeth Engel, CAE, association managment and blogging.
@jamienotter Works with associations to raise their power..
@markbledsoe An association exec and blogger.
@scathcart Stephanie Cathcart is the Public Affairs Professional for the largest Small Biz Association – NFIB
@dswon Darcy Swon Soon to be Pres of the Iowa Chapter of the American Marketing Association.
@JudMod Woman born to partner. Global Alliances, Neighborhood America. President, Association of Strategic Alliances.
@BoardMagic Sheila Martin, Social Entrepreneur w/ biz focus in Association & Nonprofit Management
@MarylandADAKatie Jones twitters for Maryland Automobile Dealers Association (MADA) –the statewide association of new car and truck dealers in Maryland.
@ShelleRoseCharv Shelle Rose Charvet is President of Canadian Association of Professional Speakers
@KarenBrown Consultant and conference planner
@rgbroitman Web Publisher for the National Wildlife Federation.
@Reggie Henry Director of Tech at ASAE and always smiling.
@KnealeMann He makes associations and friends grow by knowing him.
@christytj CAE exec, AAUW, author, blogger
@StephenPeeler Association management consultant.
@PeterHutchins Charming, funny, and graciously good humored.
@ltwhite Leslie White, a risk management specialist who works with associations and nonprofits.
@MichaelMcCurry Creative thinking event planner from my neck of the woods.
@mmcallen His energy is beyond inspiring … It’s contagious!
@ljunker An association writer, editor, and source of information. .
@scottoser Great combination — publishing, associations, and multichannel marketing.
@sgiarde Sandra Giarde – A GenX Association Executive.
@shifted Another Chicagoan, this one is shifting the American Library Association
@krash63 American Heart Association
@renatosogueco Avid technologist for the floral industry and association
@jkhewett Julie does Association management and events services
@AnnikaStensson National Restaurant Association’s media relations director
@iawife Sandy ks the President and Founder of the International Association of Women in Family Enterprises.
@brianjohnriggs Consultant to associations, Director of Business aat AssociationHQ
@siddNullus master of the Xtreme Bowling Association!

And 12 Associations that tweet

@NAPP_News The National Association of Photoshop Professionals
@NAFSA Association of International Educators
@Loyalty360 Loyalty Marketer’s Association
@AAAnews official twitter channel off the American Automobile Association
@AICR The Association for International Cancer Research
@SMEI Worldwide Professional Association for Sales & Marketing
@ChicagoIMA Chicago Interactive Marketing Association
@AAEteachers The Association of American Educators (AAE) is the largest national, non-union, professional teacher association.
@RetailBC British Columbia’s retail trade association
@IABC International Association of Business Communicators —
@AssnMediaPub association publishers, communications professionals and the media they create
@ASHAWeb American Speech and Hearing Association

Of course before we talk, it’s always a good idea to listen first. Then do tell them I said, “hi.”

Feel free to add the Associations and Association Tweeters you know

Liz Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Buy my book.

Build better blog.

Register for SOBCon2010 NOW!!

Invest in a weekend working with a social media dream team.

Tags: Associations, irresistible, Liz, Twitter
Posted in Leadership, Uniquely Liz | View Comments

be irresistible.