Today I refer you to Jerry Kennedy's blog. Here's an excerpt:

"What this post and the “open letter” campaign are really about is a determination to end the the tolerance of bad service. We as customers have become so accustomed to bad service that we just pretend like it’s something we have to get used to. But we don’t. We get to choose. Just like the business has a choice in whether or not they want us as customers, we have a choice and we need to exercise it more often."

Read more of Jerry's post at his Motivation 101 blog.

I've heard this term for years and just got around to reading the new edition of Jay Conrad Levinson's book Guerilla Marketing. You can order a copy at his website and I suggest you do. It's packed full of great information. He gives a list of 200 marketing weapons. Here are just 20 that I'm working on:

Marketing plan
Marketing calendar
Elevator pitch
Email signature
RSS feeds
Brochure
Business cards
Post cards
Domain name
Website
Blog
Ezine
Free consultations
Article
Networking
Easy to do business with
Honest interest in people
Speed
Professional title
Forum Board

I love this quote from his book on page 269: "Having a clue means seeing everything from the customer's point of view."

I plan on writing a more thorough review of his book soon. Have you read it? What did you think of it? What weapons are you using?

So we're all wondering what we can do to help our business grow despite the economy. We've heard it all before. Here's a reminder. Provide extraordinary customer service. You'll get more repeat business and word of mouth referrals. Here are just eight of many ways you can provide extraordinary customer service:

1. Thank Them for Coming In
Thank your customer for coming in. Everyone has a basic need to feel appreciated. Thanking your customer for coming in makes them feel welcome and valued.

2. Anticipate What They Want
Get to know your customer, develop a relationship. Knowing his name is just the beginning. Once you know your customer, you're able to anticipate what will appeal to him and make relevant recommendations.

3. Give Each Customer Unique Service
Everyone wants to feel special and unique. Again, you need to get to know your customers, paying attention to many different factors and details. Then you can give each customer special, unique service.

4. Smile!
We all like to be around friendly, happy people. Your customer should see a smiling when they enter your business. A smiling face will make him want to come back.

5. Exceed Customer Expectations
When was the last time you had a meeting with your employees or did a survey of your customers to determine what they expect? Once you know what they expect, you can exceed it. Understand what your customer expects from you and then go the extra mile.

6. Connect with Customers on an Emotional Level
Know what motivates your customers. When you show the customer that what is important to them is also important to you, you're connecting on an emotional level.

7. Keep in Touch with Your Customers
We must earn loyalty from our customers every day. Keeping in touch with your customers is not just telling them about a sale. It's letting them know about things of interest to them; it's about educating and informing them about your business or industry. Sometimes, it's just a friendly reminder or a thank you.

8. Educate Your Customers
Offer seminars or classes on topics of interest to your customers. Make sure your staff is informed about your merchandise and able to advise customers knowledgeably. Use signs to explain the benefits of a product, to teach how to use a product, or explain the difference between similar products.

Attend a free one-hour class this summer throughout the months of July and August in Roseville, California. Joel D Canfield, The Commonsense Entrepreneur is teaching his series of four classes.

The class titles are:
Commonsense Customer-Centric Thinking
Effective Entrepreneurial Etiquette
Commonsense Small Business Marketing
Cultivating Quality Employees

Joel D Canfield has been a successful small business owner and operator for over 25 years and recently won the Stu Ed Award for the Most Profitable Business Class.

All the details can be found at the NCAE website.