We are bombarded with information each day. Much of this information comes from companies trying to influence our purchasing decisions. In fact, it is estimated that we are subjected to between 500 and 3,000 commercial messages each day!
(source: http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=56750)

So how can the message your business wants to convey get through this barrage of information overload? Use a trusted source of information. Most businesses know that advertisements are viewed with skepticism. Then what is a trusted source of information?

Trusted sources have changed over the years. I recently read a study done in 2007 by Bridge Rating that compared trusted sources of information with a similar study done in 1997 by the University of Massachusetts. It was fascinating to see how our perceptions of trust have changed. In the 90’s the top three trusted sources included teachers, religious leaders, and friends, family, & acquaintances. In 2007 those sources had changed to friends, family, & acquaintances, strangers with experience, and teachers. In fact the study showed that we trust strangers with experience more than newspapers and magazines, or our favorite reporters, or advertisements.

source: (http://www.bridgeratings.com/press_08.01.067.Influentials.htm)

You may not know who your ideal customers are related to, or who their best friends happen to be. However, the second most trusted source of information comes from strangers with experience. This is something you can capitalize on with Customer Success Stories. A Customer Success Story is when a satisfied customer shares with you her personal and unique experience while using your products or services. These stories develop credibility in the minds of others. They help others see themselves successfully using what you sell.

Don’t know how to go about getting some customer success stories for your business, or how to best use the ones you have? I can help. Just send me an e-mail at Julie@writethoughts.net and soon you’ll have customer success stories in your marketing strategy.

shamrocks by boliyou

St. Patrick’s Day is a great excuse to get together and celebrate. The bakery down the way is serving corned beef and cabbage in honor of this holiday.  So how can you take advantage of this while you are slaving away at work?

Take a colleague to lunch and talk about your home-based business. What, you don’t have a home-based business? Then you are missing out on being able to write off 50% of your lunches. One of the greatest advantages of having a home-based business is that you can start it with very little risk, while you are still an employee for someone else. You can also write off expenses that you cannot write off if you don’t have a business – such as business lunches.

To properly write off your lunch, however, you must plan your lunch and discuss business with an intent to make a profit. This means you can ask someone their advice on an advertising item, request a referral, or ask them if they would like to purchase your services or items that you sell. If you just start a conversation with the waitress about what you do, that doesn’t count. It must be a premeditated business lunch with a purpose.

Training and networking lunches count as well. So if your small business joins the Chamber of Commerce, those lunches (as well as the dues) are tax deductible. The lunches are 50% deductible and the dues are 100% deductible.