In this issue
	Kutztown SBDC News Government Marketing pays off for Hardware and Supply Company of Chester - by Dawn Wivell A Reason to Return: Repeat Website Customers Boost Profits - by Merra Lee Moffit Scoring a Whole in One by Dr. Edward Martin Baker - Insights to Success

Government Marketing pays off for Hardware and Supply Company of Chester - by Dawn Wivell

Patricia Steinberg, president and CEO of Hardware and Supply Company of Chester, Inc.(HSC), has had to face many challenges - from DoD budget cuts to working in a "man's world" to $1.5 million worth of damage caused by a hurricane. She has faced each challenge head on and turned a "Mom and Pop" hardware store into a multi-million dollar industrial supplier. HSC is a family owned hardware store and national distribution center with over 100,000 different types of supplies and items that are needed for the maintenance, repair, service and operation to keep all types of businesses functioning. HSC stocks over 70,000 items ranging from plumbing, heating, electrical and cleaning supplies to hardware and power tools. HSC prides itself on customer service and operating debt free. HSC was started by Patricia's father-in-law in 1942. Patricia and her husband, Richard, bought the business in 1984 with Patricia handling the marketing and Richard running it. In 1992 Patricia took over the daily operations, becoming the president and CEO, while Richard took over care of their multi-handicapped son, Ricky. Click here for the complete article. »

A Reason to Return: Repeat Website Customers Boost Profits - by Merra Lee Moffit

How do you keep people coming back to your website? Stay in touch! The trick is to create a message that interests them, is relevant to them, and convenient for them. The rewards to you are plenty! Staying in touch with what is relevant requires attention to detail. Provide both a link to your website along with your tag line and reminder of what you can do for them in every email whenever you correspond. To ensure that a newsletter gets read, make sure it has educational or entertaining articles in it, not just sales lures. Make sure your newsletter has a call to action and links back to your website. When someone fills out your website contact form, provide a well written, yet personal thank you with your signature block. Provide invitations to call, buy, or visit with new offers on a regular basis. Most important, update your website regularly so they have something new to see. The savviest of businesses estimate the time when the product will be consumed and send a coupon at that time. What if your product is not consumable? Send a "tell-a-friend" coupon at the time when the customer is most likely thrilled and talking about your product. Click here for the complete story and info about Moffit. »

Scoring a Whole in One by Dr. Edward Martin Baker -

Looking for a book that provides new insights into getting better performance results from your organization while providing a more rewarding experience for all involved? Dr. Edward Martin Baker, former Director of Quality Strategy and Operations Support for Ford, provides stimulating ideas in Scoring a Whole in One. In less than 100 pages, Baker provides a new theory of management plus practical advice on better management practices. Click here for the complete story. »

Insights to Success

Insights to Success is a monthly article sharing challenges/learning opportunities encountered by our clients every month relative to their day-to-day business activities. All Insights to Success articles come from our clients' submittals. The format for the piece consists of a brief introduction, the respective challenge, and the solution. Lessons in Customer Service:The not so good, the bad, and the worst - By Dan Goldberg Within the not too distant past I had some interesting experiences that cut to the core of the dos and don'ts of customer service. In the middle of February I received an offer from my local telephone provider informing me that for "one low price" I could consolidate my local and long distance phone services and have unlimited calling in both areas. Plus, included in the price was unlimited use of other services that I either already had or wanted to add on. Sounds pretty good, right? Right! Click here for the complete insight. Please Email your Insight to Success articles to the Success Connection Editor Dawn Wivell at wive0634@kutztown.edu.