Inbound Marketing Blog

Before I read Never Lose a Customer Again by Joey Coleman (which debuted at #2 on Wall Street Journal’s Best Sellers’ List), when someone asked me to explain my role at IMPACT, I had a hard time articulating it.

As the outward face of the company, a customer service representative (CSR) is one of the most important players on your sales team. If those on the frontlines have poor judgement when it comes to working with the people that perform end-purchasing, even the most stellar business plan or innovative product can be undone. Anyone who works with customers knows a single negative interaction with a client can overshadow the effects of even dozens of positive ones.

Processes. We love to hate them, but even the best of us will have to admit, they are totally necessary. Truth be told, most of us figure that out the hard way, but we aren’t here to talk about why processes are important. We’re here to talk about identifying when it’s time to overhaul your existing processes. I’ve had the pleasure of “providing myself with an opportunity for growth,” (a.k.a: totally screwing up and falling flat on my face) when it comes to building sustainable website processes that benefit both my internal teammates and my clients.

Hey! You there. It’s me, that little box on the corner of your screen. Do you have a question? Can I help? Do you want to live chat with me? What better way to help you out than with live chat? How companies have handled customer communication is always changing, as technology improves and consumers’ expectations become increasingly demanding.

What does customer experience have to do with marketing? In the case of Atomic Reach, the answer is "everything." In this week's episode of The Inbound Success Podcast, I'm interviewing Paul Blamire, the VP of Client Experience at fast-growing SaaS company Atomic Reach. Our discussion centers around his work to understand the customer journey and solicit feedback, and how the insights he has uncovered have led to changes in the product roadmap, the company's positioning, and its overall marketing strategy.

“It’s not you it’s me.” You’ve probably heard this phrase a million times in romantic comedies or maybe in your own life, but have you heard that from a client? Probably not. In my experience, you’re more likely to hear “It’s not me, it’s you,” when dealing with a client or customer breakup.

I’ll never forget the feeling I had when I lost my first client. I was 24 years old, new to the inbound marketing game, and it hit me like a brick wall. I was blindsided, which meant my boss was blindsided, and I felt like I let the whole company down. I’ll never forget the feeling -- but I’ll also never forget the lesson I learned.

“I’m rubber and you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.” “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Growing up we are taught not to care what other people say about us with old adages like these. These sayings are great for boosting the confidence of a child, but they do little for boosting your business. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words... may actually hurt your sales. Enter customer reviews.