Question

Topic: E-Marketing

Question Ideas - Featured Customer Q&a Blog

Posted by Anonymous on 6/23/2009 at 12:12 PM ET 150 Points
Hi,

My company sells packaging (gift bags, tissue paper, ribbons etc.) to gift shops, ecommerce stores, and other small, independent businesses.

I'd like to feature a customer Q&A each week on our blog. I'm planning on asking general questions about their business that will hopefully appeal to our diverse set of customers.

My question is 2 part:

By asking these general questions, does it water down the impact/importance of this feature to our customers?

What are your ideas for additional questions I might ask?

Here's what I have right now:

Q. What type of business do you run (general introduction)?

Q. What’s the most important thing on your mind right now?

Q. What’s been the most stressful part of running your business?

Q. How are you handling the stress, if any?

Q. What would you do differently if you had the opportunity?

Q. What’s been the most rewarding part of owning your own business?

Q. How has the economy changed the way you run your business?

Q. What is your advice for other small businesses and retailers?

Q. What life lessons have you learned from running your own business?

Thanks,

- Jesse
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 6/27/2009 at 5:04 PM Accepted
    I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish. What's the goal? How will you know if this is successful or not?

    If the only goal is to have a customer Q&A, then ask them anything you want. If you get a response you will have accomplished your objective.

    If there's a commercial motive (i.e., to sell more stuff), then you need to go back to that objective and ask yourself what the best way would be to accomplish the objective. Maybe that's with a customer Q&A and maybe it's not.

    As it is, this looks like a solution in search of a problem.
  • Posted on 6/30/2009 at 6:18 PM Accepted
    Remember, small business owners wear many hats and the most precious thing to them is time. While it's nice to do an "ego" interview with one client and hope the others would read it, I'm not sure it would elicit a great deal of interest from your diverse client base.

    I did notice your list of questions hit on points that would appeal to every small business owner. Why not do an email newsletter with articles about ways to relieve stress, ways to deal with employee problems, etc.??? They don't have to be long articles. Short and sweet articles would be most effective.

    Then also include a coupon or your latest merchandise that's just arrived. You'll make friends by helping your clients with problems they face everyday.....and increase sales at the same time.

  • Posted on 6/30/2009 at 8:20 PM Author
    Mike, one goal we'd like to achieve is extend the lifecycle of our existing customers - keep them buying for a longer period of time. I thought a Q&A might be helpful in achieving that end, although I'm open to other options.

    Kathy, you're right about the diversity among small business owners, which is true of our customers. At present, our blog posts are geared toward answering general small business issues. Our customers are offered the option to receive these as emails, but I haven't mixed in any coupons or product promotions in these educational emails. Definitely worth trying out.
  • Posted on 6/30/2009 at 8:38 PM Member
    Definitely include your merchandise and specials! Everytime you contact them is a selling opportunity.

    There's an old saying in the media biz and it applies to the advertising arena also. It's "DON'T BURY THE LEAD".

    In other words, don't hide what's most important. I would assume for you it 's selling merchandise and what would interest your existing clients is what's new...or on special sale...or closeout items.

    I know I open vendor's emails because I'm always on the look out for some new ideas I can build on...or a good deal for my clients. And when I pass that along to my client's , they open my emails because know there will something new or a great deal in my email to them.

    If you're going to spend the time and effort on a newsletter, don't "bury the lead". Feature you merchandise too. You'll find it gets opened more often and your list will grow...with a tell a friend campaign.

    Kathy Nunes
    Million Dollar Ideas Don't Have To Cost A Lot

  • Posted on 6/30/2009 at 8:40 PM Member
    Definitely include your merchandise and specials! Everytime you contact them is a selling opportunity.

    There's an old saying in the media biz and it applies to the advertising arena also. It's "DON'T BURY THE LEAD".

    In other words, don't hide what's most important. I would assume for you it 's selling merchandise and what would interest your existing clients is what's new...or on special sale...or closeout items.

    I know I open vendor's emails because I'm always on the look out for some new ideas I can build on...or a good deal for my clients. And when I pass that along to my client's , they open my emails because know there will something new or a great deal in my email to them.

    If you're going to spend the time and effort on a newsletter, don't "bury the lead". Feature you merchandise too. You'll find it gets opened more often and gives you great opportunities to grow your list too...with a tell a friend campaign.

    Kathy Nunes
    Million Dollar Ideas Don't Have To Cost A Lot

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