Sales Renewal's Insight
Until as recently as two years ago, customer experience, or CX, tended to fall under the purview of such diverse departments as IT, customer service, and operations but a new survey shows that that responsibility has made a clear shift into marketing departments. Research company Gartner looked at four specific areas of CX — voice of customer, defining customer personas, customer journey mapping and user experience — and discovered that marketers are now more likely to take ownership in all four areas. In addition, 74% told researchers they expect CX investments to rise either slightly or significantly this year. That increase is evidence that CX initiatives are paying off and delivering measurable value and that companies are better able to connect the dots between positive customer experiences and increased revenue. Have you considered how you can improve your customers’ experience?

Sales Renewal's Insight
Millennials are often misunderstood from stereotypes that were developed quite a few years ago. They are no longer teens, but ar in their 20s and 30s and make up a large part of the workforce. Even though they've been around for a long time now, many businesses still aren't sure how to reach them. It's time to bust the myths and get to know the demographic. You may see that what you think is actually the opposite.

Sales Renewal's Insight
Using snail mail in a digital world may sound backward, but businesses regularly use direct mail. Here are some tips to help your business send mailers.

Sales Renewal's Insight
Google is understanding natural language in searches better than ever before, so well, that it represents "the biggest leap forward in the past five years, and one of the biggest leaps forward in the history of Search ... Particularly for longer, more conversational queries, or searches where prepositions like “for” and “to” matter a lot to the meaning [1 in 10 searches], Search will be able to understand the context of the words in your query. You can search in a way that feels natural for you."

Sales Renewal's Insight
It’s that time of year when people are getting the most shopping done but it can be difficult for small businesses to compete on Black Friday. Thankfully, Small Business Saturday is the very next day and focuses on shoppers’ attention on buying locally to support small businesses. While it might not be as familiar as the other big shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it still generates a lot of attention. Last year, shoppers spent about $17.8 billion at smaller companies on Small Business Saturday. If you’re a small business and you want to take advantage of the Small Business Saturday, make sure you set goals and are prepared to meet them! Generate as much attention as you can through local online groups and throughout the community to let them know you’re are participating and be sure to answer any questions or comments online. Part of the allure of shopping at a local business is being greeted with a friendly face and engaging in conversations - be sure to create a warm environment and unique experience so that shoppers will remember you and keep coming back! Consumers will be using Saturday to shop local - make sure your business is at the top of their list to visit.

Sales Renewal's Insight
Many businesses only pay attention to reaching their customers via emails. While email marketing can be a great way to generate engagement and keep customers updated, it’s not the only way. Direct mail offers an option to reach your customers in a more personal way - through their mailbox. And if you think snail mail is outdated, think again: research has found that direct mail typically has a 4.4% return rate, while the rate for email is just 0.12%. To help make a direct mail campaign successful, it’s important to know who you want to reach and make sure they are actually the ones receiving the mailing. As we know, our physical mailboxes can be as cluttered as our digital ones, but what do most people do when they get their mail? They quickly leaf through each piece and decide whether or not they are going to open it or trash it. Make sure your piece is enticing enough to avoid the recycling bin! An attractive design and a special offer, like exclusive coupons, exciting news or personalization, will make your customers take a second look. Now that it’s the holiday season, consider using a direct mail campaign to reach your customers in a personal way to wish them a happy holiday season and let them know you’re thinking of them and appreciate their business. Don't forget to include a special offer!