November 6, 2003 Volume 1, Issue 2
Published by: Diane St. James/Shannon Barnard
http://www.homepartynetwork.com

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Welcome!

This e-zine is for all members of the homepartynetwork
Yahoogroup. Every issue will have some helpful content
for all of us in the home party business! There may be an
occasional good recipe for home party snacks and other
snippets that we think will make this newsletter worth
reading.

For all those who ADVERTISE in the Direct Sales and Wholesale
Opportunities section of our site, you are entitled to a free ad in
this Newsletter. Just send a 4 line ad with website link and your
contact information:
mailto:dstjames@homepartynetwork.com?subject=Ad for ezine

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In This Issue:

Section I *Article * Turn Customer Complaints Into More Sales*
Section II *What's NEW at HomePartyNetwork.com?
Section III *Tip or Tidbit
Section IV *Ways We Are Promoting HomePartyNetwork.com

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Section I

Turn Customer Complaints Into More Sales
Copyright 2003 Bob Leduc
http://BobLeduc.com

Customer complaints can cause you to lose future sales from
customers and from everybody else who hears about their bad
experience. Or you can turn customer complaints into more
sales from these same customers and the people they
influence. How you handle your customers' complaints
determines which of these two results you get.

Here are 7 simple actions you can take to turn customer
complaints into more sales.

1. Plan For Complaints

You can never eliminate every customer complaint. Some
mistakes happen regardless of how carefully you try to
prevent them. Expect to get a few complaints periodically.
It's part of operating a business.

Handle complaints with a positive attitude. Strive to
preserve your relationship with the complaining customer
instead of your immediate profit from them. Make your
customer happy now and they will reward you later with more
sales.

2. Make Resolving Complaints A Priority

Surprise your customer with a quick response to their
complaint. If you cannot solve the problem immediately, let
them know you consider it a priority. Then do whatever you
can to resolve the problem fast.

The longer a customer has to worry about getting their
problem solved the less likely they will accept a
satisfactory solution and remain your customer.

3. Conduct Yourself Professionally

Conduct yourself professionally even when a complaining
customer does not. Complaining customers sometimes act
hostile because they expect you to resist solving their
problem. You can calm their hostility by letting them know
you genuinely want to help them. Assure them you will do
everything possible to solve their problem.

4. Take Responsibility

Take responsibility for resolving your customer's complaint
even if the problem was not your fault. Apologize for the
inconvenience. Briefly explain the probable cause of the
problem. Then tell your customer exactly what you will do
to correct it.

Don't focus on blaming someone else for the problem. It
sounds like an excuse. And never stretch the truth in your
response to a complaint. Making excuses and explaining
something the customer suspects is inaccurate can destroy
your credibility.

5. Compensate Your Customer For The Inconvenience

Complaining customers hope they can get a satisfactory
solution to their problem. But they often expect to get
something less.

Surprise them by solving their problem AND giving them
something extra to compensate them for their inconvenience.
This helps customers forget about the problem they had.
Instead, they will remember the special attention you gave
them.

6. Follow Up To Confirm Satisfaction

After solving your customer's problem, follow up to confirm
their satisfaction with the outcome. This reinforces your
relationship with the customer.

Tip: Once you confirm the customer is pleased with the way
you resolved their complaint, give them a special offer not
generally available to other customers or prospects. Offer
them a special discount on their next transaction. Or offer
to include a special bonus item with their next order. This
motivates them get back into the habit of buying from you.

7. Take Action To Prevent Similar Complaints

After resolving a customer complaint, try to identify
exactly what caused it. A complaint often reveals some
weaknesses in your business procedure. Many times this
weakness is minor and you can easily correct it to avoid
similar complaints in the future.

Customer complaints can cause you to lose future sales from
customers and from everybody else who listens to their sad
story. Don't let that happen to you. Use these 7 simple
actions to turn your customers' complaints into more sales.

Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find
new customers and increase sales. He just released a New
Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast
With Simple Postcards ...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a
newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You'll
find his low-cost marketing methods at: http://BobLeduc.com
or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV

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Shannon and I would like to annouce that we have a new business
It is PartyPetShop.com
It is a new online Pet Store for all your pets needs!
We will always have Weekly Specials!
So stop by and shop! :)
We also offer PartyPetShop for those of you who would
like your OWN virtual pet store!
http://www.partypetshop.com

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Come to the CHRISTMAS Bash Online Shopping Expo
http://www.theexpoconnection.com/events/nov03/novdefault.htm
Starts TODAY at NOON - through November 9th
There is a "Shopping Spree Drawing" available for visitors to enter to
win a $75.00 shopping spree for after the event.
And many of the vendors will have specials of their own.
Come get your shopping done for Christmas this weekend!
And grab a little something for you while you're there!
You MAY even recognize some of the vendors ;-)

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Section II

What's NEW at HomePartyNetwork.com?

We have added several new articles to help your businesses
They can all be viewed here:
http://www.homepartynetwork.com/articles.htm

10 Tips For Creating Irresistible Adverts
by Oluwafisayo Akinlolu

Sales Slump!
by Kathy Thompson

Are You Marketing With A Deaf Ear?
by Charlie Cook

3 Simple Marketing Strategies
by Bob Leduc

3 Tips to Shake Up Sales
by Will Dylan

5 Common Advertising Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid
by Bob Leduc

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P.S. I Love You

Greeting Cards, Personalized Note cards,
11 x 14 Perfect Expressins, Greeting Card
Organizers, Gift bags, Holiday Cards and more!
Interested in joining my team?
email me offlist diane@abcmortgage.net
http://psiloveyou.iact1.com/Deescards

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Section III

Tip or Tidbit - by Diane St James

Did you just get an order of 500 business cards a few months
ago? GREAT!

Do you still have 498 of those cards? NOT GOOD!

Give out those cards! They do no good sitting on your shelf!
Put them in you bill payments.
Leave them on your table (or give them to your waitress) in restaurants.
Post some in your grocery store if they have a board.
Leave a few in every rest room you use.
Include a few in your orders that you've filled.
Have a supply in your purse because you never know!

These are just a few off the top of my head, I'm sure there
are many more places to distribute your business card. Get them
out there!

If you have a tip or tidbit you'd like published here,
mailto:dstjames@homepartynetwork.com?subject=TiporTidbit
with your tip/tidbit and include your byline

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Section IV

WAYS WE ARE PROMOTING HomePartyNetwork.com
~ ~ ~ Advertising/Listings/Events ~ ~ ~

HB Advertising - Participated in Ezine Ads Promotion which went out to
over 50,000 subscribers!

http://www.mothersworkathome.com - 3 month listing for banner rotation

Listed on http://www.momswithaspine.com in the Home Job Database section.

I am slowly working on adding it to EVERY category page in the margin
at http://www.shoparoundthefleas.com. (banner is already on Home Page)

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Hope you have enjoyed this issue!
Best of luck with your sales!
Thank you for reading!