Positively Tennessee Gets the Scoop on KJB's USA Made Surveillance

“At KJB, they can put a camera into anything. And I mean ANYTHING!” KJB featured on WKRN-TV’s Positively Tennessee

This Tuesday, it wasn’t business as usual at KJB. We had the pleasure of spending a few hours with Nashville’s ABC affiliate WKRN-TV News 2’s Dawn Davenport and her extremely skilled cameraman Jeff. They stopped by for a tour and to talk to our President Jill Johnston for their “Positively Tennessee” segment, a regular feature showcasing the people and businesses that make Middle Tennessee a great place to live.

We had a blast showing off the warehouse and our SleuthGear hidden cameras, while chatting about the latest innovations in covert surveillance and the myriad ways consumers use our devices to protect people and property.

Check back for a link to the online story. And if you’re in the viewing area, tune in during one of the following newscasts: Thurs., Dec. 11 at 5 p.m.; Fri., Dec. 12 during News 2 This Morning from 4 - 7 a.m.; and Sat., Dec. 13 during News 2 Weekend 5 - 7 a.m. and 8-9 a.m.

Jill, Dawn, and Jeff chat about the latest remote access hidden video.

Assembly extraordinaire Lee, shows how even the most
mundane household object can hide a camera.

Dawn and Jeff zoom in to see the intricate quality
of KJB's exclusive brand, SleuthGear

Did Tennesseans know that early pioneers of the nanny cam
are still creating reliable surveillance just down the street?
They will on Thursday. Tune in at 5pm to see the whole story!

Reduce Consumer Electronics Return Rates

The importance of Tech Support: Questions and concepts to consider while responding to support calls

Consumer electronics have the highest return rate of any product according to the Consumer Electronics Association and cited in a Liquidity Services Inc. article: Consumer Electronics: Top Retail Returns From the Holiday Season. Each and every week, 11 to 20 percent of purchases are returned back to retailers. Additionally, consumer electronics consistently rank year after year as the most wanted gift during the gift-giving season.

Although these figures aren’t particularly astonishing to anyone that follows Black Friday or Cyber Monday trends – or to each of you – our dealers. What may be surprising is that you have the power to reduce the return rate of your products simply by offering stellar technical support. While you know your products inside and out, it can be easy to forget that highly technical, highly specialized products require a significant amount of support.

And when “ease of use” is oversold, it can be a challenge to keep customers satisfied. So, what can you do to ensure your products aren’t part of that 11 to 20 percent returned on any given week –and especially come the end of December?

Below are a few questions and concepts to consider as you strive to keep the sale and help customers work their new products.

1. Are you calling because you need product training, or is there a specific problem you’re experiencing?
Defining this will speed up the call time because it sets a direct focus for the nature of the call (either Product Training or Product Support).

• Training usually means the customer has elected not to read the manual or that conceptually they are novice users and are in need of a broader understanding. 
• Support usually means they tried something and it failed and they need confirmation that it’s either a working or non-working device. 

2. Before we begin, would you tell me what you intended to use the product for when you purchased it? Here's an example of a follow-up question for a hidden camera customer: Am I right, you’re looking to set up motion-activated recording with a time and date stamp?

This type of question is called a “leading question." Here's an example in an unrelated field: A nursing assistant wants to get to the bottom of a patient's problem so she/he asks specific health related questions in order to receive specific answers, such as, “You’re a smoker, correct?" The patient's response – by design – will be the desired answer. By designing the way questions are worded we impact the answers we receive, allowing improved controlled over the flow of the conversation.

3. We know you purchased the product for a specific purpose, and our aim is to ensure you’re able to operate the product with full knowledge of how it functions. Do you have a few minutes that you can spare so that we may help you ensure you product is working? 

This is an example of Customer Service 101 with a dash of salesmanship, sprinkled in.

Three Main benefits of this approach are:

• Customer purpose for purchasing is reinforced. Reinforcement typically strengthens the original decision to purchase. 
• Displays a willingness to help the customer meet their needs conveniently. 
• Establishes an agreeable environment. By getting your customer to agree to additional support you have now begun to build “yes” momentum. Yes momentum is a key element of the relationship between company and customer. Companies rely on customer’s willingness to say "yes" to their offers. 

4. Did you know, by design, the product is capable of _______________? 

• Often, the customer will have completely different expectations in mind than the way the product was marketed. They derive these expectations from outside influences and experiences. 
• For example – Customer calls to complain about the accuracy of their tracking device. Through a series of questions you find out the customer believes you can place the device anywhere in the vehicle with no impact on accuracy. 
• The call then is more about reestablishing the expectation than about supporting a non-functioning product. 

5. We know you bought the product without intending to return the device, what knowledge can we share with you today that will help make it easier for you to use? 

• The customer will reply by giving you a target, if you hit the bull’s-eye, you’ll have a satisfied customer who has no intention of requesting a refund. 

6. If we can help you take advantage of your warranty and ensure that a working unit gets in your hands, would that be something you’d find helpful?

• “Warranty over Refund” should be slogan and a belief that you insist your customer service representatives live by. 
• Similar to question 3, this question is aimed at getting an agreeable response from customers while reinforcing the benefits and purpose of product warranties. Any time you can get a customer to expect the warranty option over a refund is a victory to your bottom line. 

7. Suggested words and phrases to avoid: 

• Defective 
• Broken 
• Money back 
• Refund 
• Do you want a refund? 
• Did you want credit for the product? 
• What will make you happy? 

Let's WIN this! Vote to feature Zone Shield Night Vision Clock Radio on DIY Network's I WANT THAT THE MOST

We’re thrilled to announce that viewers of DIY Network's I WANT THAT selected the Zone Shield Night Vision Clock Radio Wireless as one of their top 30 favorite products of the season!

Now we have the chance to be featured again on Nov. 28 in a special episode titled I Want That “The Most.” Only the top 15 products will appear in the episode and YOU can help ensure we are included!

Share this unique link to the Clock Radio on all of your social media channels along with the hashtags: #DIYNetwork and #SleuthGear throughout the voting period.

Encourage your fans, friends, and family to Pin, Tweet, and Post the Pinterest link from Nov. 3 - 10. Only the products with the most social media chatter will be featured on the show.

SleuthGear Gets High Marks from Top Ten Reviews

We are proud to announce that Top Ten Reviews, gave Xtreme Life Wall Clock and Zone Shield Oscillating Fan Excellence Awards and 9+ stars!

9.2 out of 10 Stars for Zone Shield Oscillating Fan DVR

The Verdict From Top Ten: The SleuthGear Zone Shield Oscillating Fan DVR can secure your home or protect your business while keeping you cool and comfortable. TopTenReviews.com gives it the 2015 Bronze Excellence Award for Hidden Cameras.

9.5 out of 10 Stars for Xtreme Life Wall Clock DVR

The Verdict From Top Ten: The SleuthGear Xtreme Life Wall Clock is a simple hidden camera with a complete feature set and a dependable design. TopTenReviews.com gives it the 2015 Silver Excellence Award for Hidden Cameras

Dealer Tip: 5 Ideas for Handling Customer Reviews

Customer reviews – something that can make or break a company’s reputation. Like it or not, they are a huge part of what makes businesses successful. Often times, companies don’t really know how to handle a scathing review.

According to Dr. 4Ward, 95 percent of consumers who have had an unhappy experience will return if their issue is solved quickly and efficiently. In addition, 70 percent of potential consumers look at other user reviews before buying.

Here are a few tips we’ve found to help you (legally!) navigate the ins and outs of handling customer reviews.

Chances are every review won't always be glowing and positive. A great way to encourage your customers in that direction, however, is to respond. Huffington Post recommends you speak to your customers as a friend – not as a corporation in legalese. You need to be aware of the reputation your business has garnered on review sites. Ignoring will only worsen the situation.

Don’t ignore a bad review – be proactive. Take the opportunity to show other potential customers that you as a company value your customers and the experience you provide. Respond professionally – apologize, offer a solution, and thank the reviewer for their feedback. Follow-up later on to ensure their issue was rectified. Maybe the bad review is a gift to your company – is this an issue that you may need to be addressing on a larger scale with your products?

Here’s an important one - don’t take it personally. Remember that these reviews are not attacking you as an individual, nor should you approach your response this way. Each of these reviews was formulated by a real person (hopefully!), and they’ll appreciate a positive, professional response. Address the situation, fix the problem, follow-up, and don’t take the negativity to heart.

Keep it short. A customer review is not the place to respond with a lengthy post on your company’s other shining areas. Respond to the post succinctly with useful information, answer the question, and give the people what they want. Chances are, your customer isn’t going to stick around through multiple paragraphs.

Encourage customers to speak up! We’ve established that bad reviews will happen. However, 75 percent of consumer reviews are positive. Customers can be motivated to write reviews with creative incentives, links to the review websites, or even just the knowledge that the company cares enough to respond. According to the Better Business Bureau, companies who actively solicit reviews appear more trustworthy to potential clients than those who wait for reviews to come to them.

By facilitating consumer engagement, your customers will feel as though their feedback is valuable. Treat them with courtesy and respect; address the situation professionally and promptly to guarantee they’ll come back.

Resources:

http://www.bbb.org/blog/2014/02/the-value-of-customer-reviews/

http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2010/02/01/5-ways-to-rock-customer-review-sites/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-oneill/5-ways-to-manage-your-onl_b_4017764.html

http://www.dr4ward.com/dr4ward/2013/03/what-are-some-interesting-statistics-about-online-consumer-reviews-infographic.html

Dealer Tip: 10 Ways Print Marketing Can Work For You

Whether your website is beautiful and robust or simple and to the point, your site can’t do it all. Remember newspaper ads, magazine ads, direct mail pieces and flyers? The value of print marketing is not to be forgotten.  These days, a printed marketing piece is perceived as a gift by those who prefer to actually hold something in their hands. Here are 10 tips for creating and distributing marketing information:

1. Don't just focus on advertising your products.  Provide information that will inform them on a relevant or timely topic.   Offer a printed "Hidden Camera Buying Guide" similar to this one from Ebay. Be sure to create your own.
2.  To save money, only place ads in publications that target a very specific audience or community and partner with another business related to your industry.  For example, split an ad with a self-defense instructor. 
3. If you write a blog, carry that information over to a printed piece and hand it out at your store or print and mail it to a prospect list. 
4. Don't forget to promote your site on your printed materials.  Print and web are a beautiful partnership. 
5. Establish credibility. If you have something to "say", putting it in a professional printed pieces gives the perception that you are a credible professional. 
6. Be frugal when printing by using any of the hundreds of online printing companies like Vistaprint or Mimeo. 
7. Write handwritten notes. Yes! Studies show that a personalized note can increase response to a marketing campaign by 30-50%.
8. Avoid getting overwhelmed by choices and goals.  Create a small print marketing plan for 90 days at a time. 
9. Stuck with what to say or how to say it? Research your competition to see what they are saying and read industry blogs. 
10. Don't copy content from other sources.  Create your own by thinking like a customer - what do they need to know?

Whether in person, via email or in an ad, telling people to visit your website is not enough.  Save them time and frustration by telling them exactly what part of your site to visit.  Better yet, dedicate one page or section of your site just to relevant statistics or FYI's and drive readers to that page first.  You will appear to be a knowledgeable resource rather than just another dealer:

Resources:

http://www.ebay.com/gds/Hidden-Camera-Buying-Guide-/10000000177628710/g.html
www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2012/06/28/print-is-dead-not-so-fast/

http://www.mimeo.com/

http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/default.aspx?couponAutoload=1&GP=7%2f8%2f2014+12%3a29%3a59+PM&GPS=3228237509&GNF=0

http://info.tmrdirect.com/the-power-of-the-handwritten-notes-in-marketing

Dealer Tip: Do A Little Corporate Soul Searching To Reach More Customers

Are you having trouble selling to your customers? Often times the issue lies not within what you have to offer, but that your customer is uninformed as to why they need your product over someone else’s.

According to Laura Lake’s Top 5 Reasons Customers Don’t Buy From You, there are distinct areas of product marketing that could be the cause of your sales slump. We think Lake gives some useful reasons and we've adapted them for you – our dealers.

1. Customers are not aware of what you’re offering to them. 
Be it a product or a service, consumers cannot consume what they don’t know about. If what you’re doing isn’t working, it may be time to reevaluate your marketing tactics. Are you targeting your audience effectively? Is your message making it out to those who may be interested in what you offer? Lake suggests that the method for dealing with this issue may not be more marketing – rather look at your marketing methods and messaging instead.


2. The product doesn’t seem beneficial to the customer. 
Although customers factor in price to what they purchase, they mainly consider how the product will benefit them. Why your product? What can you offer that someone else cannot? If customers cannot specifically discuss the benefits of your product, you aren’t conveying the message in a strong enough manner. Outline what you want the consumer to take as a benefit of the product, and use the top three points in your marketing strategy.


3. Your product isn’t perceived as having value. 
If your customer doesn’t think your product has value, they will have no interest in purchasing. As opposed to a sales pitch, inform your target audience of that value. Ask the right questions – why would a consumer perceive a hidden camera or surveillance device as valuable? Use the answer to tailor your message. Create this value by showing your motivations are in the consumer’s best interest. Creating the “perceived value” in your marketing message will allow consumers to think twice before passing up your product online for another that does a better job selling its value.


4. Your product doesn’t meet their needs.
Does your product satisfy a specific need in your customer’s life? Does it simplify their day-to-day, save them money, save them time or make their life easier? Give your customer a clear reason why your product is a necessity in their life. Don’t make them come up with their own answers – educate your consumer.

5. Your product isn’t available to them or can't easily be found online.
This is a big one – and not as easily solved as the others. If a customer has difficulty obtaining your product or even finding it online, you'll be out the sale. Make it easy for them. Maybe you need to consider how your product is being sold online as well as your distribution and shipping tactics. Accessibility is key – people won’t buy what they can’t find.

Whether you’re struggling to keep customers in the loop with your product’s benefits or failing to make your service accessible to your target audience, these five areas will allow you to enhance customer engagement and build interest in your products – resulting in sales.

Source: http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingmethods/a/5reasonsnotbuy.htm