Are You Ready for Your Customers?

I recently received an email from a representative of a charity, asking me if I would spread the word that said charity was seeking scrapbookers to help create projects to donate for their next fundraiser.  She very basically described the project and what the pieces would be used for, and asked if I would forward the email on to anyone who might be interested.

Her email included her personal email address and the website of the charity.  But that was it.  No mention of a deadline for submission of the projects, no mention of the date or location of the fundraiser, no real specifics.

Here's a tip: If you are planning to ask someone for help, give them the tools they need to help you.  That often means spelling out exactly what you need, when you need, where to go or send their submission.  Provide instructions, illustrations, and examples, if need be, to help people...help you.  (insert chant from "Jerry Macguire here: "Help ME help YOU!").

The same goes for your business.

If people don't know how to contact you, they won't.
If people don't know how to find your business, they won't swing by.
If people don't know when your sales or events are, they won't come.

I responded back to the charity volunteer with some feedback:

Do you have a webpage where you have information posted about this "call for help"?  If so, I can share the link in a blog post or through Twitter. That would be the most efficient way of spreading the information.  Plus that would (hopefully) provide all the information about deadlines for contributions, where to send or drop off contributions, and perhaps share a photo of a finished example, so people know what you're looking for.

If you don't have the call posted - consider it!  Crafters are always looking for ways to contribute to charities.  If you have the 'power', I would suggest posting the info on the How You Can Help page on the charity website.  

The underlying lesson here is to take the time to make sure you have basic information posted on your website, and available at your place of business before you start any promotional campaign.  If your campaign is successful - meaning it alerts people to your products or services, and brings them in seeking more information - make sure you have the information available to better serve them.  If you don't have that available, and the people can't find what they're looking for, they'll get frustrated and leave.  And that does nothing to improve your business.

Comments

[Jennifer]

This can be related on an even smaller scale without our community. I love to participate in digiscrap challenges, but find it frustrating that the deadlines often aren't mentioned specifically. Don't tell me "in a week"... does that mean by midnight the night before, but midnight on that date, in your time zone or mine?

[Angie Pedersen]

Interesting parallel, Jennifer! And true - no matter whether your "audience" is a paying customer, or non-paying visitor to a web community, give them the information they need to do what you want! :)