Websites 4 Small Business Newsletter
1 May 2008

In this issue

Business Marketing Tips - Autoresponders
Article - 7 Ways to Stop Hiring Turkeys
What's Free - Google Alerts
Recommended Reading - Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook 
Business Tools - Paypal
Newsletter Archives - click here

Business Marketing Tips

Autoresponders

Email autoresponders work like a fax-on-demand system. If you send an email to an autoresponder address, you’ll get back a pre-written message. Autoresponders have come a long way in the last couple of years. Not only are you able to send HTML messages with graphics, but you can set up a whole sequence of autoresponder messages going out on any day or at any time you choose.

Once you set up your email messages, everything gets done automatically. As soon as a prospect sends an email to your autoresponder, the system keeps working over and over again, like a tireless robot making sure no prospect ever slips through the cracks. Most autoresponders systems now handle your whole mailing list, so you are not having to manually manage your prospects.

Because the vast majority of customers will not buy from you on their first visit to your website, it is extremely important that you have an automated way to follow up with them several times to entice them back. You can use autoresponders to cross-promote various products and services your business offers.

Follow these tips and you can’t go wrong:

1. Make time sensitive offers in your email follow up.

2. Build extra incentives into each follow up, until your prospect can’t resist any more. Offer free reports, free ebooks, freeware programs, mini-courses etc

3. Include a survey as part of your autoresponder sequence, so you can find out what your customers like about your messages, what they dislike and what other information they want.

Some great autoresponders include:

www.getresponse.com
www.aweber.com


Article

7 Ways to Stop Hiring Turkeys!

How many times have you walked into a supermarket or retail store recently and been confronted by a person who just screams, "I don't want to be here today'? Where do they get these people from? Why did management not see during the selection process they were about to hire an absolute turkey? Reason, because during the hiring interview the candidate is presenting him or her self better than you will ever see again! Turkeys get hired because managers continue to employ people using the GE formula, that is, Gut feeling and Emotion decision making.

Hiring is a lot like marriage, easy to get into, bloody hard to get out of. Would you marry someone 48 hours after meeting them just because they looked good and you like them (ok some people do this in Las Vegas, but it never lasts)? No, of course you wouldn't, you'd like to understand more about your partner first, that's why we have engagements - a period to discover compatibility.

Unfortunately when we are hiring new people we don't have the luxury of slipping on an engagement ring. We need to make a decision on whether we want to 'live' with this person based on what we know and have discovered over a couple of days - a tough task, but not impossible if we take a structured approach and not only measure what the person can do, but also who they are.

Here's 7 steps that will help you discover what your job applicant knows and who they really are - how to short circuit the engagement and avoid a 'broken marriage'.

1. Use application forms - CVs will only tell you what the candidate wants you to know. Application forms collect the information you need and in a structured manner so you can measure apples-with-apples. CVs will usually only tell you how good a writer the candidate is, or in most cases, someone else is.

2. Always use a valid and reliable psychometric test - The application form will tell you what a person knows, knowledge, skill and experience. Psychometric testing will explain who the person is, their personality, mental ability, motives and values. You cannot judge this from an interview - most managers do, it's called the GE test (Gut instinct and Emotional decision making). Cost for these tests is usually compatible with the position. If you're hiring an administration assistant and want to avoid hiring a turkey, a computer skills test, personality and mental ability screening, such as JobClues, may be adequate. But if you are hiring a Manager then you'll need something more robust like ASSESS.

3. Use a structured multi rated behavioural interview - One interview question for each of the job competencies (no more than 8). Questions should be behaviourally based because past behaviour reflects future behaviour. Don't allow candidates to give you opinions during the interview, get real life examples. Always have two or more interviewers. Rate the answers to each question. Discuss the rating and formulate an overall score immediately after the interview, not the next day.

4. Always do reference checks - Reference checking is usually done as a last resort. By this time you have made up your mind to hire and tend to explain away any negative comments as manageable or trainable. To eliminate this emotional response, reference check earlier in your selection process. A tip, try and seek reference points outside of what the candidate has given you, nobody will usually put forward a negative referee. Make sure you get permission from the candidate first.

5. Consider doing a background check - Educational and trade qualifications, criminal activity, drivers licence etc are all areas that are easily checked. If any of these are critical to the position don't believe what you read in the CV. There are many competent organisations that can perform this service at a minimal fee.

6. Consider doing drug testing - If the job requires high levels of safety conscience a small fee for this service could save you thousands of dollars (maybe even a life) down the track.

7. Construct a work sample test - Get the applicant to perform a task(s) associated with the job. For example, if you are hiring a drive, take them on a test drive and get them to perform some manoeuvres, a sales person may be asked to do a 10 minute sales presentation in front of your interview panel and some selected sales staff.

Why use gut feel and emotional decision making when science is available. Using a structured approach to selection that includes not just what a person can do, but also who they are, will go a long way to helping you have a happy "married life". And remember, if you don't find your perfect partner first time around, try, try again. Picking the best from a bad bunch has an analogy to dating, as you get more desperate, standards slip.

Rob McKay MA(Hons) is an Industrial/Organisational Psychologist and Director of AssessSystems Aust/NZ Ltd. He specialises in employee assessment for selection and development and has over 30 years of practical hands on business experience.

He can be reached at rob@assess.co.nz  or http://www.7steps4hiring.com
 

What's Free

Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.

Some handy uses of Google Alerts include:
- monitoring a developing news story
- keeping current on a competitor or industry
- getting the latest on a celebrity or event
- keeping tabs on your favorite sports teams

http://www.google.com/alerts

Recommended Reading

Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook

With her "New York Times" bestseller "The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom," America's leading financial expert Suze Orman transformed the concept of money forever by teaching us to recognize the emotional aspects of our relationship with it. Now, this fully revised edition of "Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook" translates Suze's own brand of motivation and inspiration into a user-friendly, hands-on workbook that will empower you to work through the nuts and bolts of personal finance, with Suze as your trusted adviser.

Updated to keep you abreast of our quickly shifting economy, you'll find:
- Insightful exercises, quizzes, and worksheets to help you understand how your parents' relationship with money affects yours, and what money means to you

- Up-to-the-minute information on tax codes, IRA rules and regulations, and long-term-care insurance

- Useful strategies for coping with the ever-changing landscape of educational costs, social security, and the stock market

- An outline of key questions that every financial adviser should ask you upon your initial meeting

- An in-depth analysis of all your monthly expenses, providing a realistic picture of just how much money you have to work with and how you may not be respecting your money as much as you should

Regardless of your age and income, it is never too early or too late to take control of your money. "Suze Orman's Financial Guidebook" is the perfect companion to "The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom," the personal finance classic that changed the way millions of Americans viewed money. Full of self-tests, thought-provoking questions, and Suze'seasy-to-understand personal finance advice, here is your empowering approach to achieving financial freedom forever, with the best guide possible.

To order this book in Australia, click here
To order this book in USA, click here

Business Tools

Paypal

Paypal allows you to sell online easily - accept payments from Credit Cards, Debit Cards and Bank Accounts. Increase sales - accept PayPal along with credit cards. Get eBay tools to make auctions easy.
Paypal also allows you to pay online - you can send money online from 103 countries and regions, buy items on eBay and at millions of sites that accept PayPal, shop without sharing your financial information.
More info

Till next time ...

Ivana Katz
Websites 4 Small Business
www.web4business.com.au