| magine that you have spent years building up | | | | different question, add it - and your answer - to |
| your expertise in a certain niche - say, puppy | | | | the FAQ page on your website. Suggest that |
| training. You have written articles, created | | | | clients check this page first to see if the answer |
| courses, published e-books (or real books), filmed | | | | to their question is there. |
| training videos and hosted web seminars. | | | | 3. Create Website Forms for Support or Contact |
| Suddenly, your name is out there. Your | | | | Your email will decrease if you ask clients to fill in |
| promotional activities have born fruit, and you are | | | | a contact form on your website rather than |
| now the 'go-to guy' on puppy training. | | | | emailing you directly. Put a polite note on your |
| For a while, it's great. Your products sell like hot | | | | website explaining to people that because of the |
| cakes, and your e-courses are always full. | | | | volume of mail, it has been necessary to use a |
| Grateful clients send you emails telling you how | | | | website form. Here, you can direct people to |
| fantastic your information is - and of course, you | | | | consult the FAQ page before they fill in the form, |
| use their words in testimonials. That generates | | | | or to Tech Support, if this is the issue. |
| even more sales. | | | | 4. Create Quick Explanations Using the Signature |
| Then one day you sit down at the computer to | | | | File |
| start on your email - and you realize that it's out | | | | Your email program should allow you to create |
| of control. Increasingly, you are getting mail from | | | | new signature files. (In Outlook Express, this is |
| puppy-owners assuming you will be happy to | | | | under Options/Signature Files.) If your business is |
| dispense free advice. (After all, you are the guru.) | | | | not yet large enough to outsource support, use |
| People who have done your courses tend to stay | | | | the signature file to create quick answers to |
| in contact, too. Sometimes they just to report | | | | common questions. (For example: a common |
| success, sometimes they ask for further advice. | | | | question is "I've downloaded your e-book but it |
| ("I know you're a busy person, but I wonder if I | | | | won't open in Acrobat. I get a message saying |
| can just ask a quick question?") | | | | that the file has been corrupted. What do I do?" |
| At times, you open your email program and find | | | | Mostly, this problem arises because the customer |
| that you have twenty or thirty emails to answer. | | | | is using an outdated version of Acrobat Reader. |
| You're spending hours every day just being polite | | | | So, you create a new signature and call it |
| to people or answering more questions. | | | | "Acrobat Reader". Type out a few lines that say |
| What are you going to do? | | | | something like "Most problems in opening PDF files |
| Obviously, you can't keep this up. Yet you know | | | | are solved when you download the latest version |
| that these are nice people - their motives are | | | | of Acrobat. You can download it here.... If this |
| innocent, and you don't want to offend them. | | | | doesn't solve your problem, please contact me |
| They obviously have no idea how much time you | | | | again." |
| spend on unpaid support - or how the time spent | | | | Create similar signatures for any common |
| on all those 'quick questions' can add up. | | | | question. One of the first that you should create |
| Here are a few strategies that can help you take | | | | is a friendly paragraph explaining that your email |
| control of your time again. | | | | volume is so high that you can no longer spare |
| 1. Outsource Technical Support. | | | | the time to address problems personally. Suggest |
| This is the first thing you should do if your | | | | that the FAQ page is a good source of |
| expertise has started producing a good income. | | | | information... and perhaps provide a different email |
| Your time is precious: use it to create new | | | | address for URGENT concerns that are not |
| products or to enjoy well-earned leisure time - | | | | covered on the FAQ page. Most people will |
| not to give technical support. Create an email | | | | respect your time once they understand that you |
| forwarder (or a new pop mailbox) on your | | | | get large volumes of email and simply don't have |
| website, which will forward all support issues to | | | | the time to answer individuals. |
| the person you hire. Make sure this 'support' | | | | You'll find that a collection of signature files that |
| address is included on the 'thank you' email that | | | | address common questions will save you a great |
| goes to all customers who buy downloadable | | | | deal of time - you can respond with a few clicks |
| videos, e-books or software. | | | | of the mouse, rather than typing it all out again. |
| 2. Create a FAQ Page on Your Website. | | | | Bottom line: If you don't recognize the value of |
| You will find that the same problems or questions | | | | your own time, nobody else will - so take action |
| come up again and again. Each time you get a | | | | NOW to regain control. |