Earlier this year I subscribed to dozens of mailing lists in a quest to learn what value they actually add. Though many were hosted by for-profit companies, they all claimed to be newsletters rather than sales pitches, and most of them were. After several months I ran a test by unsubscribing from all of them. I was curious which ones would remove me immediately, which ones took … [Read more...]
9 Ways to Get Personal with Your Customers
I know my local banker by name. The folks at the local Mail Stop know me by voice. The baristas at Starbucks know my usual drink, and the cook at Five Guys knows I like my fries well done. There's something to be said about "old-school" business practices. With everyone going digital, and in such a rush to get things done, don't overlook key things that can make small business … [Read more...]