Watching the Olympics the past two weeks, I have been struck by the individual stories and the lessons that we can all learn from them. Most of the situations that these athletes have encountered are reflective of what all of us occasionally find, although perhaps not in the same form. Tragedies such as that of Joannie Rochette, the Canadian skater whose mother died suddenly, have touched everyone's life. Injuries such as those experienced by Lindsey Vonn have happened to some of us. Disappointments such as Bode Miller felt in not doing well during the 2006 Olympics have been endured by us all.
As I heard story after story of these athletes, I realized that the commentators often revealed the keys to the athletes' success. Over and over, the commentators mentioned the training and preparation of the athletes. Referring to the figure skating, commentators frequently stated that "relying on the athlete's training and preparation helped the athlete skate clean."
Over and over, this proved true. The athletes who had not been training and preparing came up short. This was obvious in their performance, even to the average person. On the other hand, those who had been training and preparing did their best, and that is all any athlete can do. That training and preparation enabled Joannie to skate her best through her grief. It allowed Lindsey to take to the slopes with a bruised shin. It pushed Bode down the course and onto the medal stand three times.
They did their best because of training and preparation.
In business, we attend our Olympic events every day. Every day we want to do our best to keep our businesses profitable and our customers coming back. Unlike the athletes, however, many business people do not take the time for preparation and training. Mostly, we fly by the seat of our pants, handling situations as we encounter them rather than preparing and training for them. We are immersed in our daily routine and don't take the time to step back, look at our businesses, and make preparations.
We don't invest time, either, in training ourselves or our employees in how to do better.
Sadly, this leads most of us not to do our best. Although we may not want to admit it, most of us could do much better in our businesses. Most of us are not satisfied. Many know that their companies are not doing the best. Many also do not realize that lack of preparation and training are responsible.
Look at successful entrepreneurs, and you will find people who invest in preparation and training on a continuous basis. This doesn't happen only when they start their businesses. It doesn't occur once-in-awhile. Preparation and training are a regular part of their business activity. These are the keys to their success.
Take a look at your business. Are you investing time in preparing and training for you and your employees to do your best?
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Reason to Buy
“I found a way to keep my food in my tacos,” the young girl announced to her family.
The camera tilted down to show clothespins clamping the top of her tacos closed. Her alarmed mother glanced out the window to see sheets laying on the ground because the clothespins which had been holding them in place were gone.
The girl continued, “Why don’t we have refried beans with our tacos? They would keep the food inside.”
This commercial immediately caught my attention and made me laugh. You’ve probably guessed that it promotes a particular brand of refried beans. I would tell you which one, but I have only seen the commercial once, and I did not write down the brand name. However, after only one viewing this commercial was memorable and sold the idea.
How was that accomplished?
Anyone who has eaten a hard shell taco knows that keeping the food inside is tricky. Grabbing clothespins off the line to do so is funny. Taco-eating viewers can readily identify with the desire to keep food inside a taco, the difficulty of doing so, and the desperate use of clothespins. The clothespins provide a solution to taco eaters’ problem.
This commercial identified a problem, keeping food inside a hard shell taco, and solved it. In fact, two solutions were offered. The first solution was the clothespins, and the second was the refried beans. Of course, the first was intended to get attention and add humor. The second, using refried beans, was preferred. It was the reason for the commercial.
It was also a reason for the customer to buy. Including refried beans in a taco offered a seldom-used solution to hard shell taco eaters’ problem. For some, this was the first time they had been exposed to the idea. For others, this was a reminder. Either way, the commercial gave them a reason to buy refried beans: To keep your food inside your taco.
I see the lack of giving the customer a reason to buy as a big failing of business’s marketing. Is the number of years a company has been in business a reason to buy? Are the features of a product a reason to buy? Is the fact that you and your employees are nice a reason to buy?
Nope. None of these are reasons to buy.
The only reason for a customer to buy is to solve a problem. What problems do your products or services solve?
Are you communicating those solutions in your marketing?
The camera tilted down to show clothespins clamping the top of her tacos closed. Her alarmed mother glanced out the window to see sheets laying on the ground because the clothespins which had been holding them in place were gone.
The girl continued, “Why don’t we have refried beans with our tacos? They would keep the food inside.”
This commercial immediately caught my attention and made me laugh. You’ve probably guessed that it promotes a particular brand of refried beans. I would tell you which one, but I have only seen the commercial once, and I did not write down the brand name. However, after only one viewing this commercial was memorable and sold the idea.
How was that accomplished?
Anyone who has eaten a hard shell taco knows that keeping the food inside is tricky. Grabbing clothespins off the line to do so is funny. Taco-eating viewers can readily identify with the desire to keep food inside a taco, the difficulty of doing so, and the desperate use of clothespins. The clothespins provide a solution to taco eaters’ problem.
This commercial identified a problem, keeping food inside a hard shell taco, and solved it. In fact, two solutions were offered. The first solution was the clothespins, and the second was the refried beans. Of course, the first was intended to get attention and add humor. The second, using refried beans, was preferred. It was the reason for the commercial.
It was also a reason for the customer to buy. Including refried beans in a taco offered a seldom-used solution to hard shell taco eaters’ problem. For some, this was the first time they had been exposed to the idea. For others, this was a reminder. Either way, the commercial gave them a reason to buy refried beans: To keep your food inside your taco.
I see the lack of giving the customer a reason to buy as a big failing of business’s marketing. Is the number of years a company has been in business a reason to buy? Are the features of a product a reason to buy? Is the fact that you and your employees are nice a reason to buy?
Nope. None of these are reasons to buy.
The only reason for a customer to buy is to solve a problem. What problems do your products or services solve?
Are you communicating those solutions in your marketing?
Friday, February 12, 2010
Entertainment or Revenue
People are still talking about and reacting to the Super Bowl commercials. For airing once, these multi-million dollar commercials receive a week’s worth of airplay. They also receive more commentary than any other commercials. Most of the comments center around how much those commenting liked or disliked the commercials. This week, I have heard lots of agreement in the critics’ remarks. “This year’s Super Bowl commercials were the least entertaining in several years.”
The commercial which has received the most positive attention is one which addressed a negative situation: the one featuring Letterman, Oprah, and Leno. This commercial got attention because it was shocking, addressed a recent controversy, and starred three memorable celebrities. Its message was simple and funny. In addition to the critics, the commercial has received airplay this week on the celebrities’ shows. Unlike many of its counterparts, this commercial will be replayed and remembered for quite a while.
Quite likely, this commercial accomplished its objective. What objective was that?
Since this was a commercial for his show, his basic objective was to promote David Letterman. He wanted to be funny. He wanted to be “a good sport.” He wanted to talk to more than his viewers; he wanted to talk to Oprah’s and Leno’s viewers, too. Ironically, this unpaid, network promotion may be the most effective commercial from this year’s Super Bowl.
This commercial accomplished reaching its target market, delivering its message, and prompting those receiving the message to act. It did an excellent job associating its product, David Letterman, with its message. Its target market was late night viewers. Its message was that Letterman is funny, perhaps that he is funnier than Leno. I have not seen any numbers, but I suspect that his show’s viewership is up this week. Whether those numbers will remain up when Leno returns to late night is yet to be determined. However, Letterman seized an opportunity offered by the Super Bowl, a highly-watched program, being positioned during a time when his competition was weakened to promote his show.
That was smart marketing.
While not all of us as business people get the opportunity that Letterman did, we all can learn two lessons from his commercial. One is to be alert for opportunities such as this, and the other is to create a commercial which accomplishes your objective. Letterman achieved his objective by creating an entertaining commercial that promoted his show well. I assume that increasing sales was the objective of the businesses running the paid commercials, most of which were entertaining. To be so, many sacrificed association of their products with the commercial. These commercials were expensive entertainment which, I suspect, did not reach their objective.
Unfortunately, the Super Bowl has fostered a competition to create an entertaining commercial. I understand the attraction for doing so. However, if this entertainment comes at the expense of achieving more sales because the entertaining commercial is not associated with the product or service, then what has the advertiser accomplished?
As an example, name three commercials from the Super Bowl and the products or services that they were promoting. Can you do it?
For those that you named, have you purchased the product or service this week?
The commercial which has received the most positive attention is one which addressed a negative situation: the one featuring Letterman, Oprah, and Leno. This commercial got attention because it was shocking, addressed a recent controversy, and starred three memorable celebrities. Its message was simple and funny. In addition to the critics, the commercial has received airplay this week on the celebrities’ shows. Unlike many of its counterparts, this commercial will be replayed and remembered for quite a while.
Quite likely, this commercial accomplished its objective. What objective was that?
Since this was a commercial for his show, his basic objective was to promote David Letterman. He wanted to be funny. He wanted to be “a good sport.” He wanted to talk to more than his viewers; he wanted to talk to Oprah’s and Leno’s viewers, too. Ironically, this unpaid, network promotion may be the most effective commercial from this year’s Super Bowl.
This commercial accomplished reaching its target market, delivering its message, and prompting those receiving the message to act. It did an excellent job associating its product, David Letterman, with its message. Its target market was late night viewers. Its message was that Letterman is funny, perhaps that he is funnier than Leno. I have not seen any numbers, but I suspect that his show’s viewership is up this week. Whether those numbers will remain up when Leno returns to late night is yet to be determined. However, Letterman seized an opportunity offered by the Super Bowl, a highly-watched program, being positioned during a time when his competition was weakened to promote his show.
That was smart marketing.
While not all of us as business people get the opportunity that Letterman did, we all can learn two lessons from his commercial. One is to be alert for opportunities such as this, and the other is to create a commercial which accomplishes your objective. Letterman achieved his objective by creating an entertaining commercial that promoted his show well. I assume that increasing sales was the objective of the businesses running the paid commercials, most of which were entertaining. To be so, many sacrificed association of their products with the commercial. These commercials were expensive entertainment which, I suspect, did not reach their objective.
Unfortunately, the Super Bowl has fostered a competition to create an entertaining commercial. I understand the attraction for doing so. However, if this entertainment comes at the expense of achieving more sales because the entertaining commercial is not associated with the product or service, then what has the advertiser accomplished?
As an example, name three commercials from the Super Bowl and the products or services that they were promoting. Can you do it?
For those that you named, have you purchased the product or service this week?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Sticky Marketing
I picked up a pizza at Papa Johns the other day and was instantly reminded of a marketing technique which is available to many of us but that we don’t use: sticky marketing. On the top of the pizza box, several pieces of paper were stuck. One was a sticky note offering two pizzas for ten dollars. Another “proudly offered members of the armed forces 25% off.” A third was a folded-over 8 1/2 x 11 full color flyer with lots of coupons and special offers.
These immediately grabbed my attention in several ways. I thought the two pizzas for ten dollars was a great deal and set that sticky aside to use soon. I thought a 25% discount for members of the armed services was a wonderful salute. I gave the flyer the least attention, partly because it had too many offers on it and partly because my attention was spent.
All of these sticky pieces were invitations for the next transaction. Asking your customer to do business with you again while the customer is enjoying the current purchase is profitable marketing. Sticky notes are excellent vehicles to do that.
Yesterday afternoon I ran across another excellent use of sticky notes in marketing. I checked out a bookstore online and read a customer comment from Ed. “I like this place a lot since it has little yellow notes letting you know what awards certain books have won, and why it is a great read.”
“Wow!” I thought. “That is a great idea. Customers love to be given an inside scoop on a book.”
Writing this scoop on a sticky is attention-getting, intriguing, and memorable. The customer who wrote the comment was impressed enough to go to his computer and write a positive comment about the store. That action alone indicates excellent marketing. The customer’s obvious enthusiasm for the store in his comment was profitable word-of-mouth marketing.
Thinking about the power of a sticky little piece of paper, I remembered how excited I was when I discovered electronic sticky notes that I posted on my Web site. I love them because they allow me to highlight a message to visitors without being obnoxious. Visitors may click on them and be taken to a page for further information. I can easily change the message whenever I want. These stickies are a win-win for the customer and me, and the fee to have them is affordable.
What makes a sticky note, whether electronic or paper, effective?
First, the note is small. That gets our attention. Second, these notes are often yellow, which next to red is the color to which people are most attracted. Third, the message is brief. We like brief. Brief is powerful. Notice that I didn’t bother with the flyer because it wasn’t brief. Fourth, the note is portable. I could easily pull the note off the pizza box and place it where I would remember the offer. Fifth, the note is easy for the business to use, whether by handwriting, printing, or electronics.
Most important, however, is the note’s sixth feature: stickiness. The note is easily stuck on a pizza box, a book, or a Web page. It also sticks in the customer’s mind. Remember the customer at the bookstore who took the time to tell others about his experience? The memorable effect that sticky note had on him is something that all business people seek with their marketing. As many marketers and business people will attest, achieving memorability is a challenge. Used well, sticky notes accomplish that.
How can you use sticky notes to invite customers with the next transaction, give them a scoop, or lead them into your Web site?
How can you use sticky notes to make more sales?
These immediately grabbed my attention in several ways. I thought the two pizzas for ten dollars was a great deal and set that sticky aside to use soon. I thought a 25% discount for members of the armed services was a wonderful salute. I gave the flyer the least attention, partly because it had too many offers on it and partly because my attention was spent.
All of these sticky pieces were invitations for the next transaction. Asking your customer to do business with you again while the customer is enjoying the current purchase is profitable marketing. Sticky notes are excellent vehicles to do that.
Yesterday afternoon I ran across another excellent use of sticky notes in marketing. I checked out a bookstore online and read a customer comment from Ed. “I like this place a lot since it has little yellow notes letting you know what awards certain books have won, and why it is a great read.”
“Wow!” I thought. “That is a great idea. Customers love to be given an inside scoop on a book.”
Writing this scoop on a sticky is attention-getting, intriguing, and memorable. The customer who wrote the comment was impressed enough to go to his computer and write a positive comment about the store. That action alone indicates excellent marketing. The customer’s obvious enthusiasm for the store in his comment was profitable word-of-mouth marketing.
Thinking about the power of a sticky little piece of paper, I remembered how excited I was when I discovered electronic sticky notes that I posted on my Web site. I love them because they allow me to highlight a message to visitors without being obnoxious. Visitors may click on them and be taken to a page for further information. I can easily change the message whenever I want. These stickies are a win-win for the customer and me, and the fee to have them is affordable.
What makes a sticky note, whether electronic or paper, effective?
First, the note is small. That gets our attention. Second, these notes are often yellow, which next to red is the color to which people are most attracted. Third, the message is brief. We like brief. Brief is powerful. Notice that I didn’t bother with the flyer because it wasn’t brief. Fourth, the note is portable. I could easily pull the note off the pizza box and place it where I would remember the offer. Fifth, the note is easy for the business to use, whether by handwriting, printing, or electronics.
Most important, however, is the note’s sixth feature: stickiness. The note is easily stuck on a pizza box, a book, or a Web page. It also sticks in the customer’s mind. Remember the customer at the bookstore who took the time to tell others about his experience? The memorable effect that sticky note had on him is something that all business people seek with their marketing. As many marketers and business people will attest, achieving memorability is a challenge. Used well, sticky notes accomplish that.
How can you use sticky notes to invite customers with the next transaction, give them a scoop, or lead them into your Web site?
How can you use sticky notes to make more sales?
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