See your karmaCRM tasks everywhere now that we’ve added an ICal friendly feed for your tasks. Subscribe to this feed by going to your tasks section and clicking “Subscribe to your iCalendar task feed” below your task filters. Please keep in mind that while these tasks can be displayed externally, they cannot be edited, created or changed there. You’ll need to do that within karmaCRM.

You’ll be provided both a Webcal link, and a direct link to the feed as well. If you are using something like Apple ICal then you can just click the Webcal link and ICal will automatically prompt you to import the feed.

To add this task feed to your Google Calendar, simply copy the full URL provided in the link box. Then head over to your Google Calendar and click “Add by URL”. Paste in the link you copied from karma and you should be all set!

Keep Track of Birthdays, Anniversaries Etc

You can now easily keep track of dates important to your contacts such as birthdays, anniversaries, when you met them or anything else that is important to you. When creating recurring dates such as birthdays, karma will automatically create a recurring event for you, and add a reminder with a due date of your choosing. Access these important date in the contact form (in the additional information section)

You can also manage these dates in the show view, below events.

Technology has accelerated business into a new era. Information travels at the speed of light and arrives at the push of a button. Smart phones, tablets, netbooks, and the Internet are responsible for the way we conduct business. So you have to ask yourself: Why is it that we still struggle to accomplish so much?

It would seem that with all this technology available to us that we should find it easier to conduct business, but it isn’t so. We answer the phone when it rings. Emails and instant messages are amongst our top priorities while we work. The problem with all this technology around us is that we find it difficult to stay focused.

Whose to blame?  We are and our inability to control technology.

One thing at a time

It started a new wave of information and its delivery, now hiding in our pockets and purses in the form of smart phones and tablets. We find ourselves compelled to answer our phone when it buzzes or beeps, or even obligated to talk to someone through an email or social media whenever we’re alerted. But, that’s not the way things should be.

We must learn how to deal with technology properly. It is a servant master companionship. Unfortunately, it is often the technology that has mastered the user. You must master your use of technology. Don’t let your technology control you. Think about your cell phone, when it rings, do you HAVE to answer it immediately? Or can you resist obeying your technology?

Manage your time accordingly: taking calls, emails, and other sources when you designate that it’s time.

Rather than take calls all day long whenever they come, use your phone, email, messages, or social media accounts at a scheduled time. And, avoid doing them all at once – doing so robs you of the  focus and systematization necessary to yield effective productivity.

Juggling business

Multi-tasking is the renowned ability to do several things at once.  In this juggling, is where technology creates the illusion of control.

Just because we can use so many great tools doesn’t mean we should. When the “smoke and mirrors of efficiency” take us away from the time and focus necessary to develop relationships, listen and actually hear or even just to think; then we need to examine what are the actions necessary to be effective versus efficient.

The myth lies we think efficiency equals effectiveness – but it doesn’t.  Be efficient with things; be effective with people.

Next time you’re sitting at your desk, focused on making contact with customers or following up with someone and then your cell phone rings, think about how that simple call has changed what was going on. You stopped your train of thought, you stopped working, you answered the phone and likely carried on a completely different conversation that had nothing to do with the topic you were working on, put your phone back in your pocket, and then wondered: Now where was I?  All day long, be it your phone or laptop, we let technology control what we can accomplish.

Yet, if you create a system for your actions that moves from point A, to point B and then to point C; a system that is set up in steps that yield results or action.  It can serve as a road map which you can exit from if necessary but always know where the “on ramp” is to take you to the next point.   Then, instead of you being driven by technology – you then drive the technology by automating actions that drive to a result.

We’ve made it easy for you to easily upload multiple files at once. This feature is available to all browsers except IE, as the trend generally goes. It also comes with a fancy progress bar. If you use IE you’ll still be able to upload files, but just one at a time and without drag and drop.

Drag and Drop

When in a record such as contacts, companies, deals, or in the files section you can simply start dragging a file from your desktop into the “Files” section to upload it. Once you drop the file into the “Dropzone” highlighted in gray, the file will automatically start uploading. Even if you’re not viewing the “Files” tab within a record, it will be automatically selected when you start dragging.

Upload Multiple Files by Browsing

While browsing for multiple files, simply hold shift in order to select multiple files to upload. As soon as you hit “OK” they’ll start uploading

Other New Features Worth Nothing

Email attachments now show up in history – Any attachments included in an email, or added manually in the note show view will now appear in the history associated with that note or email. Simply click the file to download it.

Added option to ignore email attachments – Sometimes you might have logos, or other images that are always a part of your email. To prevent them from getting added to each contact, you can tell karma to ignore them from your emails in the “My Info” -> Dropbox settings.

Add local files to emails, with “drag and drop” or normal file browser – Up to this point you weren’t able to send emails from karmaCRM with files from your computer, well now you can. When sending an email click “Add Local Attachments” or just drag files into the dropzone.

According to Sandler Sales System, 78% of your current customers will not do business with you again not because they dislike you or are unhappy – it’s because they forgot about you.

Out of sight and out of mind

Small businesses may not be aware of this, but customers actually forget brands more often than we think. Customers do business with us, are satisfied – and then get busy.  If they like it enough and time permits, they’ll start telling people about it.

Yet, most of the time, the scenario is that someone asks them where they found a product or helped and provided them the service and their answer is “some guy online” or this ” vendor we’ve been working with” or even “this guy whose been calling on us for a while”.  They are hardly any phrases of referral or recommendation.

You did your part and they liked your product but because they can’t remember the name, how can they refer people to do business with you – or even find you again?

Repeat sales and referrals are the “bread and butter” of any business. Do you make it easy for customers to buy and refer others to buy or do business with you?

The forgetfulness is even more prominent in recurring service based businesses.

For example:  let’s say your a dentist or a hair stylist and have booked someone their next appointment to happen in the next 8 weeks or even a year.   When a client cancels last minute, you lose an hour’s pay. Have several people do this and you might be losing half a day’s worth of business. This often happens when you have no way or system of staying in touch with you customer.

Following a system provides you the framework to develop your relationship with your customer further.  There is so much benefit in automating the process so you energy and focus can be on personalizing the relationship.

Here’s what you can do to make your customers remember you:

The System

• Customer Database – Have a system in place to capture their information like name, address, contact details (mobile, e-mail), and birthday. When they come visit you, give them a piece of paper where they can write their information.
• Organize Touch points – Set guidelines of when, where and how you’ll contact your client.  This is your template. Invent it once; let it work for you the rest of the time. The hardest part is creating it.  The biggest benefit is not having to reinvent the wheel thus freeing up your focus and time.

Using the System

The system is there to help make your transactions easier, help you build a relationship with customers, and increase brand awareness. Make sure that your customers don’t forget you. Make use of the system that you are using to get in touch with your customers.

Here’s what you can do:

• Follow-up – through reminder, emails, tweets, phone calls or newsletters – every customer needs to at least be reminded of you once a quarter.
• Say thank you – Send your customers an email or a thank you card to extend your appreciation of doing business with them. This will make an impression and make them remember you.
• Call past clients – Remember your database? When you’re not too busy, you can email or call your clients to remind them about your promos, or if they’re due for their haircut, etc. A creative approach will make your customers come visit you again. Make use of your customer database.
• Send birthday greetings – Because you have their information, greet them on their birthday. I remember opening an email and a company greeted me on my birthday – it worked liked a charm because I ended up getting things from them as a gift to myself.
• Send holiday greetings – Stand out from the crowd by staying away from them.  Don’t be the one of a thousand who sends “Season’s Greetings”.  Be the one who sends a July 4th;  or Veteran’s Day or some other holiday not focused on by others.
• Send anniversary greetings -  My favorite are those emails that say “we’ve been together a year” then there’s an offer or even a simple “happy anniversary”.
• Re-connect – In your database, there was something that was on their mind, either they were worried or excited about, when you last connected.  Touch base with them and see how that went – just to check in with them.

It’s tough to find new customers and it’s even tougher to be forgotten by customers who once thought the world of us to forget who we are, what we do, or how we can help them. What are you doing today to be memorable?

Clients are valuable to our business and they are much more than numbers in our books. To us, they mean income, pipeline referrals, stability, and growth.

Your social capital directly impacts your financial capital. So, how does your social portfolio look?

First of all, ask yourself: What are the common frames of reference for my clients?

What are the common themes, interests, activities and goals for your client? If you know their business, the industry, their sphere of influence and most importantly what’s important to them.  You will be seen more as a valuable adviser than someone who is “merely selling”.

The second step: Research.

Look for things that they’ve already told you, even if you weren’t asking. Clients appreciate someone who is “aware” of what goes on in their business. Look at current purchases, preferences, and general information that is already there for you to see.

My favorite source of information for this is their “wall of fame.” It could be in their office such as a shelf area with the latest boating picture; reunion; ski trip; along with trinkets and memorabilia from events gone by.  It could be that wall of their office which displays their diploma, certificates, plaques of appreciation.  If you’re online, then it could be their Facebook timeline cover photo, their Pinterest board (Pinterest is an online social board where you can “pin” your “interests” and share them) , their Twitter favorites and background, or their LinkedIn recommendation and groups.  All are sources rich in insight into your client.

A few questions to ask

Now it’s time to focus on an interactive conversation. For clients, there are some invaluable questions that you need to focus on in order to better serve them. Aside from basic information (age, household, sex), ask questions that start a conversation. Conversations are where you get to know how someone acts, thinks, and perhaps what they want from your product or service. So make sure that your questions are open-ended so that you allow for unique and personal answers.

1. Start with the classic with a twist:  Instead of so tell me more or about your business. The question could be – What does success in your business or industry look like?
2. After that question, one of my personal favorites is - If you could change one thing about your business (job, CRM tool, staff, training – whichever pertains to how you can help or what began the conversation/connection) to make it better, what would that be? The key here is to – be quiet.  Their answer will tell you so much about who they are, what they’re needs are and their focus.  If you interrupt the answer or answer for them because their response is delayed, then you lose all the good info you “could of” gotten.

These questions can be useful for new clients, yet remember your veterans, too.  Do you want to know a question that will even make that connection more profitable?

If you could change one thing about the way we work together, for the better, what would that be?

Ask, but don’t interrogate

You don’t want your client to go into defensive mode nor to get the impression that you’re “just a drone” going through a series of questions required by your sales manager.  In fact, no one is excited to work with someone who behaves like a drone.  We like and want to work with someone who is at the best in their field and at the top of their game.   Remember, to keep it conversational .  Even if formality is your style, you don’t want to seem like a lawyer cross-examining a witness.

Your business depends on your relationships.  It is no longer, “who you know and who knows you” it’s gone to the next level – who do you know well?

The New Year has always been thought of as a time of change and new direction. We make huge lists of resolutions and plans of what want to change. Sometimes that’s as far as we go yet we have to take things a step further in order to accomplish our lists for this upcoming year.

The tip of the iceberg

The list is merely the start of things. It is nothing more than an outline of a plan that we dream of. Whatever format you use – from using a notepad and forming your list, we have transformed to using your PDA’s, computer programs, and online systems that do something a little different than just write down a few thoughts- they schedule.

Scheduling rather than listing

The list is still good, yet you have to take it a step forward. A list alone is merely a lust for thought. You think, but do not plan. You say, but fail to do. So, you schedule to ensure that you will do. Luckily, these electronic devices that convenience our life possess an array of abilities that make scheduling easy. When you form your list, arrange for time to be able to accomplish each item. If you don’t, a list will merely frustrate you as a reminder that you have yet to do something about it. When you schedule, you set that time to the side. Even if it is next week, or the week after, you are going to have an appointment with your plans.

A bit of initiative

Your mind set has to desire to do this. If you plan to make your list into a schedule, all you’ve done is make another list. Sit down and start scheduling your list. Even if it’s not your final design, it’s the beginning. And once you’ve started, that is half the work.

Prevention planning

Sadly, the New Year start is possibly the one time of the year that we do think about the future. I’m not talking  just talking about tomorrow, but all the days after as well.

Prevention is the first line of defense. Ask yourself:

• Do I know all the steps to accomplish what I want this year?
• Do I have all the resources available to accomplish what I want to this year?

For every item on your list, write down the three or four things that need to occur or that you need to have to make completing that item on your list inevitable.

Time management

What it all comes down to is being able to manage your time. Your lists are just that- lists. They are simple reminders.  They are only “to d0’s”. Yet, when you’re serious and put your list item in your “time budget” then you’ve taken the action necessary to complete it.   Taking the initiative to schedule your time bestows enormous value for you and your business. You analyze what needs to be done, and manage your time so that it can be done. This New Year, lose your lust for lists, and schedule time to accomplish your goals.

Lists that provide a road-map to completion, a timeline to do that and a way to track that are vital success tools to make your new year great!

We all know how fast paced the business world can be. Traffic buzzes by in both directions with a few speeders and slow pokes amongst the crowd. And now that the holidays are here, everything seems to speed out of control as though someone has hit the turbo button on life. We sometimes find ourselves in such a hurry that we forget to take the time to do more than drop a message or wave at those around us. While we may get to where we’re going, we’ve forgotten to take care of what matters the most- our clients and customers.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you have to slow your roll to a crawl as you shake everyone’s hand and talk about the weather. There is a niche that you must achieve in order to make it to your destination in time and still take the time to get to know your customers.

Taking time to get to know your customers

You stand out when you slow down to notice and focus on a person these days.  Our time deprived society finds that type of behavior to be the exception – not the norm.  Valuing someone for who they are and slowing down to listen to their needs is virtually nonexistent when we’re having conversations with a phone in one hand ever vigilant about seeing that next text, tweet, email or update that we’re wanting to see.  Become an invaluable trusted advisor not just in your industry of expertise but for life in general, when people know that they can trust that you listen to them and actually value them enough to stop and hear.

Take the time to get a little more personal at your customers comfort level.  Often people quote the golden rule of “doing unto others as you would have done to you.”  For your customers, think of the platinum rule – do unto others as they would have done unto them.

If you have a client who likes phone conversations and considers that important, then that might be the most effective way to reach out and connect with that person.  Yet, there are some clients who dislike the phone and find it very time consuming.  They find a handwritten card to be the item that provides them the feeling of being valued. And, there will be others who want and appreciate a short text that doesn’t fill their inbox, clutter their desk or take too long to receive.

Most businesses make the mistake of  thinking that once they have a client, that client will stick with them. They often focus on trying to gather new clients, rather than spending time with the ones they have.   It’s a misnomer to label a sale made of a client acquired as “closing the sale”.  It’s really more like “opening a relationship”. It’s not the end but the beginning and a chance to them to see confirmation in their choice or for you to slip out of sight and out of mind.

Spend quality time with your customers so that they are eager to share and recommend you to people they influence.  There’s nothing better than being able to borrow from someone else’s credibility as they speak to their sphere of influence about your services. The natural results are new connections at a higher level of engagement and new customers for you. Take the time to take care of your clients, and your business will grow accordingly.

What are some ways you can take the time to know your customers?

• Compile a list of 20 questions or factoids that you need to know about each and every client you have (having this list compiled will help you focus and direct some of the conversations you have as well as glean the information through status updates, posts and tweets your client makes).
• Create a touch-point plan so that you are connecting with your clients not only when you have something new to sell or when something needs to be renewed – their relationship building connections.
• Track your client’s preferences- remember, you want to meet and connect with them at a level that’s comfortable for them.
• Have an organized database and contact system. There’s nothing worse that can kill the energy of making connections with clients than having to reinvent the wheel every time.  If you don’t have a system in place, your energy will be lost in the process of making the connection – every single time.
• Keep this acronym in mind – S.Y.S.T.E.M.  – Save Yourself Significant Time, Energy and Money.

You have heard the expression “All I have ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten.” Well, I learned the most valuable skill I have ever needed to know about providing excellent customer service by teaching kindergarten. My background in child development has taught me many things, but the technique I apply the most is actively listening.

Engage your customer

Customers have different needs. We should never assume we know what they want before they tell us. Ask them questions, listen to their answers and then mirror their responses back to them. This is a way to check for understanding, to make sure we are properly identifying their needs.

People want to be heard

Customers feel valued when we take the time to listen to them. Acknowledge their needs. Even if we can’t provide exactly what they want, taking the time to validate their request helps build the relationship. Suggest other options they may not have thought of that you are able to provide. If the customer is angry, remain calm and try to identify the emotion they are expressing (anger, disappointment) in a non-judgmental way, and ask them to suggest a solution that would make them happy. Children and customers are usually pretty good at coming up with their own solutions. If it is reasonable, do it!

Be mindful

Sure, this sounds easy, but pay close attention to your thoughts. We may be so excited to sell our product that we are not taking the time to identify our customer’s needs. Be sure to stay and focused and in the moment. Instead of listening, are you actually chopping at the bit to continue your sales pitch? If so, what comes out of your mouth next could be an inappropriate response to the conversation; your customer will know you weren’t listening, possibly causing you to lose a potential customer. If you push your agenda, customers (and children) will see right through this.

The Japanese need our help more than ever after this devastating event. This event will change their lives for many, many years, and by helping even a little bit can make a significant difference.

Here are a few ways that you can use the web to help these victims:

Text to Donate:

The American Red Cross created a texting campagin to raise money for relief efforts. If you would to donate just text REDCROSS to 90999. Each text will provide $10 towards the Red Cross’s humanitarian efforts.

Donate via Facebook:

The Red Cross also has a campaign on Facebook to raise money for relief efforts. By clicking here you can login to your faecbook account and donate $10-$500 to help victims and their families.

Donate via Linkedin:

When logging into your Linkedin account you will see a link to click on to support Japan Earthquake Relief efforts via Red Cross. Once you click on the link you will be taken direct to the Red Cross site to donate to help.

Do you have a website, and would you like to help via your site?

If so all you need to do is embed a simple piece of code. You will need to place the “Hello Bar” on the top of your website. The service has been created to help the victims in Japan. When signing up you will want to use the invite code “helpjapan” and you will get the code that will be needed to embed into the hello bar to drive donations. For more information on this please click here.

For more ways on helping the Tsunami victims of Japan please read these articles:

http://twitter.com/JapanNeedsYou
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2381879,00.asp
http://pacifica.patch.com/articles/tsunami-20-a-natural-disaster-and-the-virtual-response
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-quake-aid-20110314,0,7936585.story

RSS (Real Simple Syndication) is a handy way for people to get updates from their favorite sites, but it’s also a powerful tool for increasing your search engine rankings.

What is RSS?

RSS has been around since 1999 but didn’t really get popular until 2005.  The RSS feed for your site is a XML formatted summary or full text of your posts plus key data the search engines need (title, description, keywords, date published, etc).

This allows many different programs to read the feed so it can be easily distributed, too.

The most common way people come into contact with RSS feeds is by signing up to receive updates from their favorite websites.  These can be viewed in your browser or through an RSS reader like Google Reader.

How it Works for SEO

A big part of search engine optimization (SEO) is getting backlinks to your site.  Google and other search engines consider backlinks votes for your site, so the more the merrier.  A simple and often overlooked way to get a large amount of back links is by spreading your RSS around the web.

Your RSS feed is nothing more a set of backlinks pointing to your site.  As long as you update your content regularly (which you should be anyways), you will be creating new backlinks wherever your RSS feed is posted.

So, let’s say you make the finest blue widgets in the world.  Of course, you have a website that talks all about the art and science of blue widget making.  You set up an RSS feed and encourage people to subscribe to it, so they can stay abreast of the latest blue widget news.

Then Tom Smith comes along.

Mr. Smith is the biggest blue widget fan in the world and has a blog about them.  He loves your blue widgets (naturally) and wants his readers to see your constant flow of information.  So, he places your RSS feed on his site.

Not only does it entertain and inform his readers but it keeps his site fresh as well.  The bonus for you is that every time you make a new post, his RSS updates creating a new link back to your site.

Ramp it Up

You can easily scale up your RSS backlinking results by submitting your RSS to multiple sites.  Being proactive and finding new homes for your feed means exponentially more backlinks.

Here’s a where you should be looking:

• Other sites in your market that aren’t direct competitors
• Your social media pages
• Web 2.0 Sites like Squidoo and Hubpages that you create

Turbo Charged RSS Results

If you want to take things to the next level, then you need to tap into the RSS aggregators.  These are sites that gather massive amounts of RSS feed together, categorize and display them.

This allows people who are interested in a certain subject to easily find tons of information quickly and pick the RSS feeds they like the most.  There are hundreds of these sites around but the largest and most popular are:

• Feedage.com
• RSSMountain.com
• Feedboy.com
• Feedbomb.com

Simply go to these sites and you can amplify the amount of RSS backlinks you get.

But this can time consuming and no one likes to fill out hundreds of web forms.  That’s why there are handy RSS submitters like RSS Bot and RSS Submitter that allow you to blast your feed out to all of the sites possible and use one signup process.

No matter how extensive you want to make your RSS backlinking, it should be a part of your SEO plan.   It’s too easy not to.  Compared to other methods of link building distributing your RSS feed is a walk in the park.