Tuesday night in his headlines segment, Jay Leno read a curious headline. "Dining Out? Try Somewhere Else. Johnson Family Restaurant."
I have no idea if this was good advice from those who know or if it was an attempt to catch attention. Either way, these were wasted words.
They reminded me of a billboard that I had seen a couple of months ago which read, "It swallowed a luxury vehicle." The billboard was for a 4 x 4 truck. I don't remember which brand because I immediately focused on the words. The imagery of a truck swallowing a luxury vehicle did not seem to have a purpose.
"Do truck owners want to drive a luxury vehicle?" I pondered. "I'm sure that the idea of a truck having the ability to swallow a luxury vehicle appeals to truck owners' perception of the truck's toughness, but I don't think that is the purpose of the statement."
In addition, beginning a statement with the word "it" was a very weak opening. Since "it" is a pronoun referring to a noun, the reader of this billboard was forced to decide what was "it." That decision took the reader's attention away from the message. I suspect that the reader's attention never returned. Consequently, the message was not received, all because of "it."
"It" was a wasted word.
What are wasted words? Words that do not clearly communicate your message are wasted. The Johnson Family Restaurant wasted words telling consumers not to come. A headline giving consumers a mouth-watering reason to dine at Johnson Family Restaurant would have been much more profitable. Those words would not have been wasted.
Like "it," some words are wasted because they are unclear. Other words are wasted because they have become abused through overuse. They have been used in meaningless ways by so many that these words no longer communicate a clear message. In fact, they may communicate no message at all. A few examples of abused words include: quality, selection, value, biggest, and best. Consumers have heard these words shouted at them with such frequency that they "tune out" these words.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," a consumer might react. "You have the biggest, the best quality, selection, and, of course, value. I've heard that before, many times. I know what these words mean to me. What do you mean by using them?"
Rather than repeating the words that others overuse, choose words that specifically tell your business's story. What makes you think that your business offers quality? What do you mean by value? How is what you offer the biggest or the best?
Answering these questions and then giving your answers to consumers employs your words profitably. We live in a time when consumers want information. Give them what they want. In doing so, communicate specifics. Don't grab words that communicate nothing or a vague generality. Tell consumers exactly what you want to say and what they want to hear.
This will require thinking on your part. To encourage you to think through your words, consider that each word you use costs $100. How many $100 bills do you want to waste?
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
A Question of Objectives
This morning I stopped by the Girl Scout regional office to buy some cookies. Since I hadn’t been approached by any troop member this season, I had not had the opportunity to purchase cookies. I hadn’t been concerned about missing out on the cookies, however, because the past few years when I had wanted more cookies I had stopped by the regional office and had bought cookies there. I usually had stopped to buy lemon cookies, my favorite because their flavor is so intense.
After watching a recent story on Girl Scout cookie sales, I thought about those lemon cookies. My thoughts tickled my taste buds, and, today, when I was in vicinity of the Girl Scout office, I seized the chance to satisfy my craving and buy some cookies. As I entered the reception area where they have their store, my eyes scanned the room for boxes of cookies. I saw no cookies where they were displayed last year nor any where they were displayed the year before. Scouring the entire room with my eyes, I thought, “Where are the cookies?”
Desperate, I approached the receptionist and asked, “Where are the cookies?”
“We’re not selling them this year,” she replied. “The decision was made to credit the troops with the sale so the cookies are only being sold at the cookie booths around town. The nearest one is at the local grocery store, and the booth is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.”
“Oh,” I returned. “Thank you.”
As I walked out the door, I realized that I probably won’t get those lemon cookies this year because being at that store during those hours on a Saturday will take an exceptional effort on my part and is unlikely to happen. Mulling this incident over further, I was struck by what I had just experienced.
I encountered the result of objectives.
The Girl Scout’s objective was to “credit the troops with the sale.” Their objective was not to sell more cookies. Their objective was not to maximize cookie sales. Their objective was not to make it easy for the customer to buy cookies. No, their objective was to “credit the troops with the sale.”
With that objective in mind, the troops set up cookie booths at a time convenient to them in a location convenient to them. At that time and in that place they will get credit for every box of cookies that they sell. With certainty, they will achieve their objective.
When I talk to business people about setting objectives, I emphasize how important objectives are in achieving results. At times I get the impression that objectives are viewed as busywork, something that does not matter. This incident at the Girl Scout office proves otherwise. What you set out to achieve will determine your result.
While I am appalled that an objective would not include selling more cookies and maximizing cookie sales, this experience has reminded me that more sales are not everyone’s objective. My purpose in sharing this incident with you is not to judge whether the Girl Scouts’ objective was correct or not. My purpose is to point out that what you set out to do will determine what you accomplish. It will affect how you run your business. It will mold how you develop your customers. Objectives are very important.
What are your objectives? Are they in writing? Do you review them often?
After watching a recent story on Girl Scout cookie sales, I thought about those lemon cookies. My thoughts tickled my taste buds, and, today, when I was in vicinity of the Girl Scout office, I seized the chance to satisfy my craving and buy some cookies. As I entered the reception area where they have their store, my eyes scanned the room for boxes of cookies. I saw no cookies where they were displayed last year nor any where they were displayed the year before. Scouring the entire room with my eyes, I thought, “Where are the cookies?”
Desperate, I approached the receptionist and asked, “Where are the cookies?”
“We’re not selling them this year,” she replied. “The decision was made to credit the troops with the sale so the cookies are only being sold at the cookie booths around town. The nearest one is at the local grocery store, and the booth is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.”
“Oh,” I returned. “Thank you.”
As I walked out the door, I realized that I probably won’t get those lemon cookies this year because being at that store during those hours on a Saturday will take an exceptional effort on my part and is unlikely to happen. Mulling this incident over further, I was struck by what I had just experienced.
I encountered the result of objectives.
The Girl Scout’s objective was to “credit the troops with the sale.” Their objective was not to sell more cookies. Their objective was not to maximize cookie sales. Their objective was not to make it easy for the customer to buy cookies. No, their objective was to “credit the troops with the sale.”
With that objective in mind, the troops set up cookie booths at a time convenient to them in a location convenient to them. At that time and in that place they will get credit for every box of cookies that they sell. With certainty, they will achieve their objective.
When I talk to business people about setting objectives, I emphasize how important objectives are in achieving results. At times I get the impression that objectives are viewed as busywork, something that does not matter. This incident at the Girl Scout office proves otherwise. What you set out to achieve will determine your result.
While I am appalled that an objective would not include selling more cookies and maximizing cookie sales, this experience has reminded me that more sales are not everyone’s objective. My purpose in sharing this incident with you is not to judge whether the Girl Scouts’ objective was correct or not. My purpose is to point out that what you set out to do will determine what you accomplish. It will affect how you run your business. It will mold how you develop your customers. Objectives are very important.
What are your objectives? Are they in writing? Do you review them often?
Judging a Business
"You can always tell how a business is run," my former boss was fond of saying, "by its restrooms. If they are clean, the business is well-run. If not, the business does not pay attention to what is important to the customer."
His wisdom came to mind the other day when I entered an impeccably-kept restroom. This room had been well-designed with windows just below the ceiling that allowed lots of natural light. Beyond clean, the room was beautifully painted in bright, attractive, organic colors. It was inviting to enter.
The next day, I entered another restroom that was very well-kept. In contrast to the earlier restroom which was in a new building, this restroom was in a very old building. That fact, however, did not prevent the business owner from presenting an attractive room. The room had warm lighting, featured a large, beautiful painting, and an overall appealing decor. Although the business, which was a restaurant, was not in a large space, the restroom was spacious, with plenty of area in which to move around.
A couple of days ago, the owner of a doggie day care which just expanded gave me a tour of the new facility and pointed out the effort that she had put into the restrooms painted in fun colors and graced with appropriate dog-world titles on the door fronts. "Are these too much?" she wondered.
"No, they are fun and fittingly-named," I encouraged.
Beyond Cleanliness All three of these businesses paid attention to their customers by establishing and maintaining impeccably clean restrooms. In addition, they both went beyond clean by offering attractive rooms which reflected the personality of the business. The doggie day care created a fun atmosphere which is what it offers dogs; the restaurant displayed art which tied into its theme; and the first business established a natural, organic feel which reflected its focus. These restrooms marketed these businesses to their customers. Their design communicated each business's unique selling proposition.
Every communication with customers markets your business. The condition of restrooms speaks volumes to your customers and has a direct bearing on their current and future transactions with your business. Customers judge your business by many factors, one of which is your business's facility. The design of your business's restrooms communicates or markets to your customer how much you pay attention to detail and how much you care about their comfort.
Take a fresh look at your restrooms. How can they look more than clean? How can they better reflect your business's personality? How can they market to your customer?
His wisdom came to mind the other day when I entered an impeccably-kept restroom. This room had been well-designed with windows just below the ceiling that allowed lots of natural light. Beyond clean, the room was beautifully painted in bright, attractive, organic colors. It was inviting to enter.
The next day, I entered another restroom that was very well-kept. In contrast to the earlier restroom which was in a new building, this restroom was in a very old building. That fact, however, did not prevent the business owner from presenting an attractive room. The room had warm lighting, featured a large, beautiful painting, and an overall appealing decor. Although the business, which was a restaurant, was not in a large space, the restroom was spacious, with plenty of area in which to move around.
A couple of days ago, the owner of a doggie day care which just expanded gave me a tour of the new facility and pointed out the effort that she had put into the restrooms painted in fun colors and graced with appropriate dog-world titles on the door fronts. "Are these too much?" she wondered.
"No, they are fun and fittingly-named," I encouraged.
Beyond Cleanliness All three of these businesses paid attention to their customers by establishing and maintaining impeccably clean restrooms. In addition, they both went beyond clean by offering attractive rooms which reflected the personality of the business. The doggie day care created a fun atmosphere which is what it offers dogs; the restaurant displayed art which tied into its theme; and the first business established a natural, organic feel which reflected its focus. These restrooms marketed these businesses to their customers. Their design communicated each business's unique selling proposition.
Every communication with customers markets your business. The condition of restrooms speaks volumes to your customers and has a direct bearing on their current and future transactions with your business. Customers judge your business by many factors, one of which is your business's facility. The design of your business's restrooms communicates or markets to your customer how much you pay attention to detail and how much you care about their comfort.
Take a fresh look at your restrooms. How can they look more than clean? How can they better reflect your business's personality? How can they market to your customer?
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