The Small Business Success Index provides small business owners and entrepreneurs with best practices to improve their businesses. This is part of a series of interviews with small business owners, entrepreneurs and small business experts providing their insights about the index results.
Becky Carroll is founder of Customers Rock!, a consultancy focused on engaging customers through conversation, social media, and WOW customer experiences, and author of the company’s blog. She is a regular on the nationally-syndicated Big Biz Talk Radio show and teaches the class “Marketing via New Media” at the University of California San Diego. Additionally, Becky is a contributing author on the Age of Conversation business books.
She served as Director of Social Media for Brickfish and worked at HP for 14 years. Becky’s clients have included EA, HP, Fujitsu, and Ford.
IF YOU LIKE THE INTERVIEW YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ, YOU WILL LOVE THIS:
At the end of this month, Grow Smart Business – a new Network Solutions blog, resource hub, and home to the Small Business Success Index – hosts its first webinar hosted by Network Solutions CEO, Roy Dunbar
Learn from the risks taken, lessons learned, and success attained from a great webinar panel. Join entrepreneurs and business leaders for this free, live webcast. And get a chance to learn from their experience in securing capital and deciding their approach to marketing.
When: Thursday, April 30 from 2-3pm ET,
To register: Visit http://growsmartbusiness.eventbrite.com.
Network Solutions: Why, how and when did you start Petra Consulting Group/Customers Rock?
Becky: I started Customers ROCK!/Petra Consulting Group in 2005. I had already been doing customer loyalty and retention consulting for another company, and I wanted the flexibility that comes with running your own business. The business really took off when I started my Customers Rock! blog which focuses on great customer experience examples and how to create rockin’ customer service. There are too many blogs about poor customer service where people rant all day. I wanted to show the positive side, show what is working.
Network Solutions: What did the study reveal to you about the success of small businesses in 2008?
Becky: The study clearly showed the best way for small businesses to differentiate themselves: customer service. Great customer service is what makes a business memorable. Often times the “big guys” look at customers as a queue to get through; small businesses look at their customers as people who need help to be successful.
Network Solutions: The study captured six dimensions for measuring success: Capital Access, Marketing and Innovation, Workforce, Customer Service, Computer Technology and Compliance. What do you think are the top priorities for making small businesses more competitive?
Becky: I think the top competitive priorities are continued excellence in customer service, as well as a strong focus on the workforce and marketing. Companies that look at customers as an asset, and treat them as such, will be more successful at weathering this economic storm than their competitors.
This is enabled through the workforce; treat employees well, and they will in turn treat customers well. In addition, focused, relevant marketing to customer segments based on their needs will help a business to rise above the rest. This is especially important as more and more customers are spending time with social media tools. These tools are a very efficient way to build relationships with existing customers and reach out to new ones. An organization that is great at doing this is Urbane Apartments. Owner Eric Urbane uses a combination of social media, mobile marketing, and texting to reach his consumers who use these new technologies as a way of life.
Network Solutions: According to the results, Capital Access and Marketing and Innovation were the two biggest inhibitors for success. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Becky: Capital access is indeed very difficult right now, and not every small business owner has the capability to be creative in finding other sources for funding. I believe small businesses often don’t know how to excel in marketing, so this can quickly become an inhibitor if the business is not willing to outsource this function. Most small business owners are experts in their field, but that does not make them marketing experts. However, they are shown to be experts in building customer relationships, so employing the use of social media marketing will be a boon and will help increase the rate of business growth when used appropriately.
Network Solutions: How does the current economic state affect Capital Access and Marketing and Innovation?
Becky: The current economic state makes getting capital that much more difficult. It should actually make marketing and innovation a little easier to accomplish as there are many cost-effective ways to market and involve customers in the innovation process.
Network Solutions: The results show that 1/3 of small businesses feel they are successful in building the profitability of the owner. What is your advice for entrepreneurs and small business owners in terms of increasing the value of their company?
Becky: Entrepreneurs and small business owners can increase the value of their company by bringing others into their operation who can help them grow, as well as operationalizing their processes. In other words, businesses that rely solely on the entrepreneur or small business owner are limited in their growth and profitability potential.
Network Solutions: According the study, “small businesses rely on a range of Internet business solutions and computer technologies to succeed.” What online services do you think best help entrepreneurs and small businesses? Why?
Becky: A solid SEO strategy, as well as the online services that the customers of a business want to use are best for helping small businesses succeed. Understanding which online tools your customers are using, then using those to reach out to and interact with them, will help put a more human face on the organization and improve customer relationships.
Network Solutions: In your opinion, how can entrepreneurs and small businesses use the SBSI to their advantage?
Becky: The SBSI can be used as a benchmark to help keep a small business competitive in their field. It is also a great way to learn from other businesses as a type of support system.
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On Thursday, April 30 from 2-3pm ET, Network Solutions will host the GrowSmartBusiness Webinar to help small business owners learn from the success of others. Join our all-star line-up of entrepreneurs and experts for this free, live webcast. They’ll discuss tips for overcoming challenges to marketing strategy and capital access.
Register and get the details at http://growsmartbusiness.eventbrite.com.
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