Are You Terrible at Keeping a Secret?

Yes, that was The Kid back on her 2nd birthday. She chose these photos, to help out with today’s post—and of course even she can’t believe that’s her. Wow, time flies.

It’s MCE’s 2nd birthday today, and I admit it, I’m hoping you’re terrible at keeping a secret, because this is NOT going to be your typical blog-birthday roundup post.

First and foremost, I’d like to stop for a minute and thank you for being a part of the last two years.

It’s no secret that I love talking about ways we can all improve our revenues by delivering Maximum Customer Experience to the Ideal Customer.

When I’m writing here, I’ve got an Ideal Reader. I don’t write for the Big Boys, the CEOs of huge corporations. I write for and about the small business owner, the entrepreneur, and the employee hoping to help your company get an edge; for the dreamer, the do-er, and for the insightful observer of what can go right and wrong in customer experience all around us.

To all you dreamers, do-ers, and observers, a huge thanks. Writing for you over the past 400-plus posts, hearing from you in comments and in emails, getting to know more of you as time passes, makes this gig rock.

I just had to think of a way to thank you that’s as big as my appreciation. So after checking with several folks who are sure I’ve gone crazy…

I’m going to try very hard to give what I do away to you.

You’re giving it away?

That’s right, I’m hoping to. You probably know that here at MCE I offer a Web Audit package, an in-depth assessment of your website from both the eyes of an expert and the eyes of user testers, and a complete Web Experience Solution, combining that incredibly detailed assessment with the focus and retooling that’s a cornerstone of Maximum Customer Experience. It’s different from work I do with (forgive the tired term) traditional bricks-and-mortar businesses, where we may get into working on their physical space and their customer service as well. Here I can offer web-only Experience Design, exclusively for my loyal MCE readers.

I’ve been told I don’t charge enough. Maybe that’s true for working with the Big Boys, but for the small business owner whom I love to help, I’m glad to provide a great value that can help move your business forward quickly.

Pass it on!

For the next two months, I’m going to try something wild for our great community of readers.

First, are you subscribed to the blog? Go on, get free updates by email or RSS over in the top left of the sidebar. That’s important. If we’re going to get wild, I want to know you’re with me.

1. Send me a screen shot of your subscription confirmation, or forward the email confirm to me, or if you’re already subscribed and you want to be part of this wildness, send a screen shot of MCE in your RSS or your email. My email: kellye (at) visionpoints (dot) net

2. Head on over to the MCE Web Audit/ Web Experience Solution page. Read all about it, decide how you want to work with us, click one of those charming “email me” links, and let me know you’re ready to go. I’ll invoice you and we’ll get to work on the Audit or full Solution for your website or blog. You get an awesome audit and you’re ready to d-i-y or plug in and go.

So far, cool! but business as usual, you say.

Ah, yes. The title is, Why *you* should work for free…

While we’re doing our work, *you* get as busy as you like.

Talk to your friends, your blog-buddies and Twitter pals, the folks you know at the chamber of commerce and your networking groups; email the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker. Easiest work you ever did. Tell them working with VisionPoints will breathe new life into their website and help them connect with customers better than ever before. Send them a link to the Web Audit/ Web Experience Solution, and tell them about this wild deal.

3. For every new client who signs on for an Audit or a full Solution, using your name as a reference, from now through 16 January 2010 (two months from today), and becomes a paid client, you get $100 of your paid price back.

Up to FREE.

Yep. If you sign on for the Audit at $449, and five friends at the skating rink need their websites assessed and overhauled, tell them to mention you when they sign up and pay in full by 16 January 2010, and you’ll find your $449 back in your pocket.

If you need the full Web Experience Solution for your site, starting at $1149 (size of site, complexity of Solution can vary the price), and you know twelve folks who were downsized from the Quik-E-Chem and started their own businesses last year, who want their sites to convert more visitors into loyal customers, dial them up. Your $1149 will come back to you in $100 chunks, every time another buddy pays in full.

Isn’t that crazy enough?

Maybe not quite.

So tell your buddies to come on over to MCE and subscribe to the blog.

Then back to #1 up above, buddies—send me a screen shot….

That’s right. If your friends and fellow business owners want to work toward getting their work for free too, tell them to refer their friends to our Web Audit and Web Experience Solution. They’ll get the same $100 of their paid price back for every new, paid-up client who uses their name as a reference from now to 16 January 2010. Up to free.

The small print:

I’m crazy enough to try this enormous thank-you to my dear readers, but not nuts. I have no idea how this will go! Our small team has loads of energy, but there’s only 24 hours in the day. While I will honor all who take me up on it, getting your project scheduled works the same as it did yesterday: first come first served. So if you want your project done *soon,* you know what they say—don’t delay.

So we’re clear:

You must be subscribed to the MCE Blog, via RSS or email, to take advantage of this refund offer, and you must send proof of that via email when you are ready to hire us for your Audit or Solution.

You must be a client of VisionPoints—Website Audit or Web Experience Solution ONLY. Sorry, no refunds to folks who haven’t done work with us—there’s nothing to refund! and sorry, I can’t do the interiors of your corporate headquarters for free, even with loads of referrals.     You must be paid in full in order to receive a refund of your purchase price. You do not have to wait until you’ve paid in full to refer new clients.

New client referrals must mention your name when they email about having their own Audit or Solution done. That’s how I know who to thank with a refund. For every client you refer who has paid in full before 16 January 2010, you will receive a $100 refund of your purchase price, up to free. If you refer all 2,000 of your Twitter followers, you have my undying gratitude. You have my Kid’s undying gratitude. (You have 1,895 Twitter followers who may wait a little while to get their finished Solution.) But I can not make any refund beyond your purchase price. No exceptions.

PAST CLIENTS: Yes, I would love to give you your money back! Please do accept my thanks and have fun with this offer.

If your work is not a good fit for VisionPoints, we do reserve the right to turn down a project. All other terms of working with VisionPoints apply, as always. And folks, if there’s a way to game this that I haven’t thought of—don’t. Be nice for everybody’s sake.

Last, while I hope you will love the work we do for you so much that referring folks to become new readers of MCE and happy clients of VisionPoints will become a lifelong habit, this offer will end two months from now, on 16 January 2010. No exceptions.

 

Even back then, The Kid suspected I was overly generous with the cupcakes…

Thanks again, dear reader. You’ve made the last two years a wild ride. I’m just returning the favor.

 

Grow and be well,

Kelly Erickson

P.S. In case you missed the link, just click on over to the MCE Website Audit/ Web Experience Solution page right now to hire us for your Audit or full Solution. We’ll start working for you. You start working toward free!

P.P.S. As you might guess, if you’ve enjoyed today’s post and many more here at MCE, today I’d be extra-grateful if you’d consider Tweeting, Stumbling, or otherwise spreading the word about this wild blog-birthday offer using the Tweet This and the Share links. Our community always has room for more fans of Maximum Customer Experience!

Tweet This!