Cindy Palmer

Authenticity is key and also builds trust. At times, business owners (or marketers) either try to be all things to everyone, or be something they are not. Even if every person can use your services or product, it doesn't mean what you offer is the right fit (or vice versa). Be yourself, but with the appropriate amount of professionalism, and own your brand. Allow ideal potential clients to get to know you, and the right fit will stick around. If you chose to only chase the dollar for the dollar, or don't incorporate authenticity, it will eventually lead to burn out.

Most employees give their all for 8+ hours a day to build someone else's dream. We've all been there. And sometimes businesses need to make decisions to move forward or stay afloat. Communication is the key to success in every aspect of life. We're all human with our own passions, struggles, and emotions. Putting yourself in the shoes of another person makes any negative processes or situations easier to work through. How would you want to be treated and what would you want to know if you were in their shoes? Being open and empathetic can make a world of difference. Fully understanding a situation as difficult as a layoff allows for a good path of action for all involved and gives the opportunity to build trust in the days ahead.

One of the best things that was provided to me was the opportunity to grow through training tools and opportunities. Provide tools/resources for everyone, AND the time to utilize them. This reinforces the importance and that an employer truly backs the growth and progress of their employees. When possible provide these opportunities in a group setting and give your teams the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and grow together. It doesn’t always have to be hard-skill related. Soft skills are important for overall growth, trust, and employee happiness too - keeping them checked in and creating a positive work environment.

This is incredibly detrimental to a company's future success. Change is difficult for many and keeping a finger on the pulse of how things are going will help you gauge employee satisfaction which leads to not only retention, but also to help ensure that they continue to work at their best capabilities.

Listen to understand. Effective listening will help you get to the end goal. Sometimes a customer just wants to vent. Sometimes they have their own assumptions of a situation. Typically when people are upset, they're trying to get everything out - some of which isn't even really the main issue. Take notes. Once they've said what they need to say, determine if you have a solution, or if you need to ask questions to get a better understanding. Sometimes you may need to even ask them what type of resolution they're looking for. Each situation is different and effective listening will better help you determine which step to take next. Treat your customer the way you'd like to be treated in their situation.

Listen to your client. I can't tell you how many times I've called a company and they're too busy reading off a script to listen to what the client is saying. Effective listening is imperative to saving time and ensuring that you're providing the best customer service. Making assumptions will only waste time.