Profitable Marketing Insight

A Man with a Mission

2009-12-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

I watched a report a couple of days ago which struck me so profoundly that I wanted to share it with you. The story was about Dan Phillips from Huntsville, Texas. Dan is a man with a mission. He is determined to provide home ownership to anyone who has a job and either good credit or no credit. “In most cities,” Dan explains, “affordable houses cost $140,000. That’s not affordable. Between fifty and twenty thousand dollars is affordable.”

That is precisely the price range of the homes that Dan builds and sells at a profit. How does he do it? Dan uses 85% or more recycled materials in the homes. These aren’t just typical recycled materials. These materials include wine corks for flooring, picture frame samples for ceilings, and glass serving plates for windows.

The entire community helps Dan collect these materials. Everyday he receives calls from Huntsville residents who are about to discard anything from bottle caps to bathroom fixtures. Dan thankfully accepts it all. “In a community this size, enough material to build a small home is thrown away every week. By using this material to construct homes, we are saving a great deal from the landfill.”

Dan believes that we can solve one social problem by fixing another. That’s why he keeps materials out of landfills and builds affordable homes for people who otherwise might not have their own home. As you might imagine, each home is unique. One reporter called the homes “weird.” I find them intriguing. I am still attempting to figure out what material is on the roof of one home.

By building homes for people who would like to own a home but cannot afford a $140,000 one, Dan has filled a want. He discovered a market not being served and found a way to serve it. Dan said that he was on a mission. His goal was to create homes for all and positively impact the planet while doing so.

Beyond his contributions to society, Dan offers a marketing lesson for us all. Marketing begins with your goals. Your goals prompt you to find a want that is not being served or not being served in the way that you would serve it. That want helps you to craft your offer. A well-thought out goal, a well-researched want, and a well-crafted offer lay the basis for successful marketing.

Marketing is not a sleight-of-hand to magically make a product, service, or information sell. Marketing begins when the idea for the business is formulated. Marketing communicates how your product, service, or information fills a customer’s want.

Is your marketing doing that?

Watch the story on Dan that I saw here.

The Trend of the Past and the Future

2009-11-20T12:03:00.000-08:00

Last week I searched for a cover for a vent on the outside of my house. I had looked online and had seen many different options, none of which would work for this particular vent. My next stop was a chain home improvement store. The salesperson there was helpful and walked me over to the one item that the store stocked which might work. I had seen that item online and already knew that it was not my solution. I voiced my thoughts and asked for alternatives. She replied that was all they had.

Nearby was an independently-operated hardware store. Suspecting that the store stocked the same item as I had found online and at the chain store, I thought, “I am assuming what they stock. I want to know for sure.”

As I walked into the store, I was greeted by the owners’ sweet German shepherd. The husband of the husband and wife team who owned the store immediately asked me if he could be of assistance. I reiterated that I wanted to cover the vent.

He showed me the same solution as I had seen online and at the chain store.

“That won’t work,” I replied. “I want a cover with smaller holes and more flexibility in attachment. Any other ideas?”

He sat down on a stool, cupped his head in his hand, and looked down at the floor. “Let me think a minute.”

After a few seconds he had a solution. “I’ll cut you some flexible screening. You can lay the screening over the vent and cut it to size. Then double the screening over along the edges and attach it around the vent with these screws.”

I walked out of the store with the solution to my problem in hand.

The next time that I have a problem or want an item that the hardware store may stock, I will go there first. While online offers quick access and big chains proclaim cheap prices, neither one of these offers someone to help you solve a problem. Neither one offers someone to create a solution. The chain store’s salesperson did her best to be helpful, but she had not been taught to think of solutions. She had been taught to sell products.

On the other hand, the independent hardware store owner thrives on solutions. His solution resulted in a sale and a new customer.

As business people and as consumers, we can be lured into thinking that cheapness and bigness are everything. In truth, what really matters are solutions to problems. Those solutions come from one person to another. When a person is unavailable as happens online or the person to whom I am speaking has not been taught to think in solutions, as a customer, I become frustrated. Only knowledgeable solutions will ease my frustrations.

For years small business people have built their businesses by offering solutions to customers’ problems. They have taken the time to listen to their customers. They have stopped to mull over problems. They have created solutions and offered them for the customers’ benefit. This is the trend of the past and the future. To be successful, this requires thought from those working at the small business.

How are you solving your customers’ problems?

Ineffective Communication

2009-11-12T11:09:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago, I watched a commercial which I had seen several times. This commercial always gets my attention because it starts with a little girl sitting alone on a school bus. She is the last rider of the day. The bus driver asks her questions.

“How was school today?”

“All right,” the little girl replies.

“Do you like your teacher?”

“Yeah.”

At this point, the first time I saw the commercial I wondered just why the bus driver was quizzing the little girl. After the next question, I understood.

“Did you miss your mommy?”

The little girl gets out of her seat, scurries down the aisle, jumps into the bus driver’s lap, and wraps her arms around the driver‘s neck. “Yeah, I missed you, Mom.”

No matter how many times I have seen this commercial, I feel a swell of emotion during that scene.

Then I wonder, “Whose commercial is this, anyway?”

I tend to think that it is for a kid’s treat or food, something that Mom might give a child after school. Usually, I am so caught up in the emotion from the little girl hugging the bus driver that I forget to notice what business name is listed at the end of the commercial.

When I watched the commercial the other day, I made an effort mentally to register the business. As the little girl and her mom walked away from the buses hand-in-hand, the voiceover said, “For life’s important moments, Marshfield Clinic.”

Since I am suspicious that I am an unusual consumer of advertising, I turned to my roommate. “Did you just watch that commercial?”

“Yeah, I like it.”

“Who was it for?”

She gave me a perplexed look. “I don’t know. Some food company?”

“No,” I replied. “Marshfield Clinic.”

She was astonished. “Really? I never would have guessed that.”

This is a wonderfully-written, well-acted, attention-getting commercial that is woefully ineffective.

Why? First, it does not deliver a message, unless you maintain that the closeness of the mother and daughter is a message. Second, this commercial does not make any reference to Marshfield Clinic until the end of the commercial, which is not enough. Third, nothing in the commercial has anything to do with healthcare. A consumer’s mind must make many flips and somersaults to connect what is shown in this commercial with Marshfield Clinic. Who was sick and got well, the child or the mother? How sick was she? How recently did she recover? No one will think this far. Viewers will mentally turn off the commercial because Marshfield Clinic’s connection to it does not make sense.

As evidenced by me and my roommate, the viewer not connecting the commercial with the business is the most devastating result to Marshfield Clinic. I am certain that we are not alone nor unusual in our responses.

While creating an attention-getting commercial is important, sacrificing effective communication to achieve attention makes the marketing effort a waste of time and money. Your message is more important than creativity. Make certain that your message is clear and that your business is easily connected to your message.

That is effective communication.

Brevity

2009-11-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

“This is John Smith at 652-3400. Call me back, please.”

I received this message on my voice mail today from a person unknown to me. Although I immediately deleted the message, I have been mulling over its positive and negative aspects.

On the positive side, I am intrigued. Who is John Smith? Why did he call? What did he want? Should I have called him back?

This, of course, was precisely what Mr. Smith wanted me to think. He wanted me to be intrigued. He wanted my curiosity to prompt me to return his call. I have had to restrain myself from calling back. By telling me little, he piqued my interest.

That’s a good lesson to remember; less is more.

On the negative side, this person’s unwillingness to tell me why he called makes me very suspicious. My he’s-trying-to-sell-me-something antenna are waving crazily. Questions plague me. Why wouldn’t he tell me the purpose of his call? Was he calling me in particular or am I merely on his calling list? (I suspect the latter.) Why did he decide to call me?

These thoughts led me to remember a billboard that I drove past recently. The billboard’s message was short: Because stuff happens. In addition to being brief, the message was written upside down and backwards. That grabbed my attention!

Both the billboard and the caller delivered their message with brevity. That’s not easy to do. Distilling your message into a few words is tough. Having those words actually get attention is tougher. Assuring that the words communicate your message is the toughest.

While the caller accomplished two of out of three with a short message that got attention, the billboard achieved all three. Even more, the billboard’s message did not destroy credibility; the caller’s message did.

Do you communicate your message with brevity? If not, doing so will require thought. Brevity is not just a few words. Brevity is a few words that communicate your message well. Sit down and think through your message before you attempt to abbreviate it. Then, run your abbreviated message past a few customers to find out how well the words that you have chosen communicate your message. Apply your customers’ input to tweak and finalize your brief message.

Then use it on everything.

Bandwagon Effect

2009-10-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

“Thompsons have butterfingers!” A kid screamed into the camera.

After that pronouncement, he turned and ran toward the lighted house behind him. Framed in the house doorway, a lady was patiently holding a bowl of Butterfingers. As the kid rushed toward the lady, he was joined by lots of other kids in costumes swarming from every direction. The message was clear: trick-or-treaters prefer Butterfingers.

I was riveted by this commercial. I wanted to share with you the lessons that it offers in communicating with your customers.

First, openings are critical. You only have a few seconds to get your audience’s attention. With the Internet, people’s brief attention span has grown even more brief. Beginning the commercial with a close up of a kid screaming into the camera with a short, to-the-point message gets attention. It got mine.

Second, talk to your audience. Show or use the voice of a situation or person with whom your target market will readily identify. Those who are concerned about kids trick-or-treaters will quickly find this commercial interesting because the topic is on their minds. Another idea would have been to present the commercial from Mrs. Thompson’s point of view and show the Butterfingers disappearing rapidly from her dish as she greets trick-or-treaters. Either way, the audience for this commercial gets the message because they feel addressed. The “Mrs. Thompsons” are the audience. When they identify with the commercial, they receive the commercial’s message.

Third, create a bandwagon effect. Everyone wants one so you should, too. In this commercial, all the kids wanted Butterfingers. If that’s what they want, why buy any other candy? That thought establishes itself in the minds of the “Mrs. Thompsons,” those serving the candy, and also in the minds of the kids who see the commercial. While I would not suggest that a thirty-second commercial can change kids’ tastes to like Butterfingers if they do not, it can stimulate those who do like Butterfingers to want some.

The first two lessons are relatively easy to achieve. Keep them in mind whenever you are communicating with your customers. Remember to grab attention with your opening and to talk to your audience.

The third lesson can be more challenging. You may have to think longer to figure out how to achieve a bandwagon effect for your product, service, or information. As you think, realize that the bandwagon effect that you show or state does not necessarily have to be true for every person who has ever used your product or service. It only needs to be correct for whatever group you are referencing. The kid in the commercial did not say “Everyone loves Butterfingers.” No, he said “Thompsons have Butterfingers.” His statement implied that everyone wanted Butterfingers, but he did not say it directly. After making the statement, he had lots of kids follow him to Thompsons' house. However, we don’t know that every kid in the neighborhood followed.

How do you create a bandwagon effect? Similar to Thompson, reference a well-known customer who uses this product, service, or information from your business. Do this with the customer’s permission, of course. Use a number or percentage. 8 out of 10 or 90% of our customers use this product, service, or information. State a desire that you know your customers want and that your product, service, or information offers. Instead of stating a product such as Butterfingers, say the “What’s in it for me” for the customer from using the product. “Mouth-watering candy at Thompsons” is intriguing to all, whether they like Butterfingers or not.

The bandwagon effect seeds the thought in your customers’ minds that they ought to have this product, service, or information, too.

How can you use the bandwagon effect in your communications with customers?

Give Them What They Want for Less

2009-10-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

In this economy, I hear business people more than ever agonize over price.

“My clients can’t afford it.”
“Customers just aren’t spending.”
“The only way that I will get business is to drop my price.”

While I maintain that price is never the number one reason that people buy, I agree that everyone has limited financial resources. Customers’ perception of tough economic times prompts them to delay or completely withhold purchases. They still have the same wants, but they may choose to act on those wants differently than they would in a vibrant economy.

The guitar company, C. F. Martin, faced this dilemma. For over a hundred and seventy-five years, C. F. Martin has been crafting guitars which have been played by hall of fame musicians as well as ordinary people who love to play a good guitar. These guitars were not cheap. The lowest-priced one was two thousand dollars. In this economy, that was a hefty sum for the average person to pay for a luxury item. Consequently, Martin’s sales were down.

With the option of closing a plant and/or laying off hundreds of their skilled craftsmen, Martin turned to what the current Martin’s grandfather had done during the Great Depression when he encountered a similar situation. They made a new guitar. This guitar is a stripped-down, plain, simple model with no lacquers, no inlaids, and no laminates, but it is still a very well-made Martin guitar, crafted with skill. Named the One Series, these guitars sell for hundreds, not thousands, of dollars. So far this year nine thousand of these guitars have been sold.

By creating this new guitar, C. F. Martin reacted to customers’ wants and the current economic conditions. Customers still want a C. F. Martin guitar. However, in these economic conditions, customers have difficulty justifying a two thousand dollar guitar purchase.

C.F. Martin could not drop the price of the two thousand dollar guitar to accommodate its customers. Instead, Martin created an entirely new guitar which filled the bill.

This action is vastly different than what most businesses do in similar situations. Most business people think that they must drop price, even if that means that the business does not make money, just to prompt the customer to buy. The business focuses on revenue instead of cash flow. If the price does not cover the cost of the good or service and include some sort of profit, the sale does not cash flow. Sure, cash is flowing, but it is flowing in a negative direction because the business is taking in less than the cost of the good or service. Eventually, this negative cash flow leaves the business without enough revenue to cover its costs. What is the point of that?

The point of having a business is to make profit so that the business can survive and thrive. In order to do that, a business must have cash flow. To achieve cash flow, a business must sell the goods or services for more than they cost. Selling goods and services for more than they cost may require creating a good or service that the customer wants and will buy. Offering this good or service may require some thought. This thought takes more effort than slashing a price.

This thought gives customers what they want for less and maintains cash flow for the business.

What new offer can you make which gives your customer what he wants and cash flows for your business?

Make It Fun

2009-10-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I watched a fascinating report about a redesign of subway stairs into musical stairs. Innovative designers and Volkswagen teamed up to turn a flight of stairs at the subway in Stockholm into a keyboard. They placed electronics on the stairs which made each stair when stepped on play a distinct musical note. Then they covered the electronics with floor coverings that turned each stair into a key, either black or white, on the keyboard. This resulted in the entire flight of stairs appearing to be a gigantic keyboard. Volkswagen did not disclose why this was done. However, since the stairs were next to an escalator, many speculate that the motive was to encourage people to take the stairs instead of the escalator.

Whatever their reason, their idea was a big hit.

The number of people taking the stairs as compared to those taking the escalator has done a 180. Now everyone wants to take the stairs, even those who have difficulty doing so. Some people go up and down several times on their ascent or descent just to step on more stairs and make more music. No one takes the escalator anymore.

Why was this so successful?

People love to have fun, and taking these stairs is fun. Rather than telling people that for their health they ought to take the stairs, Volkswagen made taking the stairs a blast. In fact, Volkswagen made people want to take the stairs and touch extra steps in the process, giving them additional exercise. Rather than leaving signs instructing people to take the stairs, they created a desire within the customer to take the stairs. Rather than preaching to the customer, they involved the customer.

They showed the customer “What’s in it for me.”

“What’s in it for me” was making noise, stepping on something cool, and having fun.

We can all take a lesson from this innovation. We can learn to involve our customers. We can learn to lighten up on how we present change. We can learn to bring fun into our interaction with our customers.

Today we have ample opportunities to do this. With boundless technical innovations, we can offer our customers involvement and fun very easily and at a small cost. Volkswagen proved that.

How can you make your customer’s interaction with your business fun?

To watch a video of these stairs, go here.

A New Twist

2009-10-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

“I am furious that I get treated differently as a regular customer than a new customer does,” complained my client. “I thought that my business meant more to that firm. I guess that I am just another number to them.”

Looking me in the eye, he spit out, “A new customer gets a lower price than me, and I have been doing business with that firm for several years! I can’t believe it!”

His outburst reminded me of my days selling radio and television. As salespeople, we were given incentives to find new customers. In fact, doing so was an important part of our compensation and evaluation. Our incentives to the new customers were a variety of price drops, including production freebies.

Occasionally, a regular customer would find out about these incentives and have a similar reaction to that of my client. “Why can’t I get that package? I’ve done a great deal of business with your station.”

I never could come up with a good explanation, probably because I didn’t think that one existed. “That’s how station management set it up,” I usually mumbled, not liking to blame management but feeling that the truth was my only option.

We were never given incentives to retain customers. Station management expected that once a customer had spent money on a schedule the customer would repeat spending at that level year after year. The customer’s spending became a baseline from which to build more business with the customer. There was never a consideration that the customer would not spend or would spend less. Management seemed to think that the customer’s past level of spending was “due” the station. Any reduction was met with management’s distain and censure for the salesperson.

Many times regular customers did not get the attention that a new customer received because the new customer took more time. Since a salesperson only had so many hours to get a job done, we salespeople often compressed taking care of regular customers because our knowledge of them hastened the task.

In other words, familiarity bred neglect.

Our familiarity with a regular customer took that customer and his or her business for granted. Intentionally or not, we were forced to juggle our time, and the result hurt our regular customers. Most regular customers were not consciously aware of this neglect. Even those who discovered the special packages to new customers never understood the extent of our neglect. They did not know what they missed. They did not know what we could have offered them, what we could have done for them, and what more business they could have done with our station.

Neither did management.

Two of the most profitable ways to grow your business are to increase the frequency and amount of business that regular customers transact with your company. Getting new customers is the least profitable way to grow your business. Unfortunately, as my client at the beginning of this piece explained, the least profitable way to grow your business is the preferred method of most businesses.

I recommend a new twist on familiarity. Make familiarity breed profitability. Rather than taking regular customers for granted, see them as the way to grow your business profitably.

Do it today.

Take a Fresh Approach

2009-09-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today I drove by a sign that caught my eye. Dominating the sign in large, block letters clearly printed on a white background was “25¢.” Underneath in small letters was printed “sale.”

“What a fresh approach!” I thought as I continued on my way.

Now I did not follow the arrow on the sign and check out the sale. However, I assume, probably correctly, that someone was selling stuff that he or she did not want. Instead of calling the sale what everyone else calls a sale of that sort, either a garage or a thrift sale, this person wisely gave the sale a different name. This person called the sale a “25¢ sale.”

While many items on garage or thrift sales are 25 cents or less, calling the sale a 25 cent sale immediately caught the attention of anyone who saw the sign. That amount of money made me think, “Hey, that’s cheap! Anyone could afford 25 cents.”

Others reading the sign probably thought likewise.

With a garage or thrift sale sign seemingly on every corner lately, this sign also set the sale apart from its competition of other garage or thrift sales. A sale dubbed “garage” or “thrift” sale immediately suggests old, used stuff that someone else does not want. I know that you can find treasures at garage and thrift sales, but you can also find a great deal of stuff that you do not want.

Since this 25 cent sale did not use either “garage” or “thrift” sale on its sign, I have no idea what items were being sold. The mystery of what was on sale was intriguing. Whereas I usually suggest telling as much as you can about your product or service, piquing interest by telling less is an effective marketing technique, particularly when what you tell directly appeals to what your customer wants.

Customers who are attracted to a garage or a thrift sale are interested in something that is cheap, hopefully unbelievably cheap. When a sign speaks to what they want, cheap, that sign gets their attention. A sign that gets their attention has a high likelihood of prompting them to check out the sale, and, ideally, their doing so increases sales. That makes the sign’s fresh approach profitable marketing.

Look at what your customer wants and what you offer. How can you rephrase your communications to speak to what your customer wants?

Just like the person running the “25¢ sale,” break away from the pack and position your business differently from your competition.

Take a fresh approach.

How to Handle Your Competition

2009-09-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

Last week, diving and swooping, hummingbirds sped past my kitchen window. I love to watch them feed. Their antics are laughable. If you have had the opportunity to watch them, you understand. They constantly fight over the feeder. Although the feeder has four “blossoms” which potentially allow four birds to feed at one time, in reality only one does. Occasionally, two will. Once or twice I have seen three. Never have I seen four.

More likely, I am entertained by one bird chasing another away from the feeder. Each bird will go to great lengths to force another bird from the feeder so that it alone may feed. I have seen one dive-bomb another who had settled at the feeder. I have seen one approaching the feeder get chased away by another suddenly flying past. I actually have seen one peck at the back of another which was feeding. They focus so much on getting the other birds away from the feeder that I often wonder how they get the chance to feed. Judging from my daily changing of the feeder, however, I know that they do.

One of my neighbors took down her feeder because she dubbed these birds “mean.” I disagree. These birds are merely being themselves. They remind me of some business people I have met.

These business people are always concerned about what their competition is doing. What is the competition’s latest promotion? What is the competition’s newest line? How are the competition’s sales? Rather than focusing on their customers, these business people spend their time focusing on their competition. Like the hummingbirds, they want to chase the competition away from their customers.

These business people want their customers all to themselves.

While that is understandable, it is not realistic. Customers may also check out and/or do business with your competition. Accept that fact. Know your competition so that you understand why your customer might do business there. After that, focus on your customer. Focusing on your competition too much takes your focus off your customer.

Be like the hummingbirds who fed the most. They sat at the feeder, focused on imbibing the rich liquid, and ignored the competition which attempted to chase them away. The best way to "beat" your competition is to focus on your customer, give that customer what he or she wants, and keep the customer coming back to do business with you time after time.

After all, your revenue comes from your customer, not your competition, doesn't it?

Addressing the Wrong Issue

2009-07-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I heard a report that the names of two terminals at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport may be changed from Humphrey and Lindbergh to “One” and “Two.” The airport commission met to decide the issue. Commission members are held back from the name change by the estimated 2.2 million dollar cost to change signs both inside and outside the airport. At the end of the report, the reporter said, “People don’t understand these terminals because more signs are needed.”

“Wait a minute!” I thought. “They are changing the name of the terminals and spending over two million dollars in new signs because they need more signs?”

Checking out the story more thoroughly online, I discovered that the commission is reacting to complaints from those unable to find their flight. Some people have missed their flights due to the situation. This happens because the two terminals are three miles apart off different exits and have no road connecting them. If a person goes to the wrong terminal, finding the other one means retracing the route back to the highway and taking another exit.

The signs indicating the terminals do not list which airlines fly out of each one. Airlines switch terminals, too. If one’s last flight on Midwest left from the Humphrey terminal, today Midwest flights leave from the Lindbergh terminal. Without a listing, how would a traveler know that?

Not surprisingly, travelers have complained. In one week 600 travelers complained at the information booths around the airport. Travelers have also gone online and registered their complaints. As we all know, those with complaints get our attention. We tend to react to their complaints, often without checking out precisely the size of the problem and without thinking through the problem from the customer’s point of view. Since some complaints have voiced that the names “Lindbergh” and “Humphrey” are meaningless to them, the commission apparently feels that the names of the terminals are not memorable and, therefore, a great deal of the problem.

From what I read online, I suspect that the names of the terminals are not the problem. The problem is not knowing which airlines board at which terminal. I don’t think any traveler cares about the name of a terminal. He or she just wants to board on time. Thus, rather than changing the names of the terminals, the commission could solve the problem by listing the major airlines that board at each terminal. Doing so would make choosing the exit much easier, which would dramatically decrease the number of people going to the wrong terminal.

Incidentally, the new names of terminal one and terminal two will be for highway exit purposes only. In actuality, the terminals will still retain their historic names.

Huh? That sounds like more confusion will ensue.
To solve a customer’s complaint, you must get to the problem. Often, the problem is not what the customer voices. Those who voiced that they couldn’t remember the terminals were merely blaming the names because the names weren‘t “relevant.” I question that terminal one and terminal two would have any relevance, either. In fact, I can image myself getting to the exit and thinking, “Was that terminal one? I think so. Wait a minute, maybe it was terminal two…”

The real problem is behind what the customer voices. In order to discover the real problem, you must ask the customer questions. Don’t ask the customer what he or she thinks is the problem; find out what the customer wanted that he or she did not get. That information will point to the problem and, then, the solution.

Are you asking customers questions to discover the problems indicated by their complaints?

Reminder Marketing

2009-07-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

Last week I froze strawberries. I love to savor their peak-season freshness at off-peak times, and, thus, every year I freeze several quarts. I froze the first few quarts in a store-brand plastic bag. When I ran out of those bags, I opened a box of Ziploc bags.

As I pulled the first Ziploc bag from the box, I immediately noticed a difference from the store-brand bag. The plastic was a heavier, distinctive blue color. Boldly printed across the front of the bag was “Ziploc” followed by a white space to write a reference to the bag’s contents.

“Look at that,” I thought. “Ziploc has used reminder marketing.”

I returned to the berries. Reaching for the last lush, ripe, juicy berry at the bottom of the flat, I noticed something under the strawberry that was red, too. It was a sticker. The sticker said, "Govins' Meats and Berries," followed by a listing of the products that they offer, “All natural beef and lamb, free range chicken and turkey, strawberries, and pumpkins,” and ended with their phone number and Web site address.

"Good for them!" I murmured. Govins, too, had used reminder marketing.

The next day I had lunch at Taco Johns. After removing my food from the tray, I noticed a coupon for a free cini-sopapilla bites with a five dollar purchase. Taco Johns was giving me an incentive to spend another five dollars, either that day or another.

All three of these are examples of reminder marketing. Each business was reminding the customer of the origin of the purchase and inviting the customer back. Three important characteristics of reminder marketing are that it is easy to find, provides information that the customer wants, and offers additional benefits. Let's look at each of these more closely.

Reminder marketing must be easy to find. While this may sound obvious, I know of a business person who placed the business's name on the bottom of a cup rather than on the cup's side. Unless the customer totally drained the cup, the name was hidden. Notice that Ziploc positioned its name boldly toward the top of one side of the freezer bag. Govins' name caught my attention from the bottom of the empty flat, and Taco Johns invitingly slipped the coupon underneath my lunch so that when I removed the tacos, I saw it.

Further, each of these gave me information that I wanted. The Ziploc name on the bag was a convenient reminder of the brand of bag, making it easy for me to know what to buy next time. Govins’ information gave me a handy reference to call for additional berries and told me of other products which I may want. Taco Johns informed me of a new offering that sounded delicious.

Finally, two of them gave me an additional benefit. Ziploc left a white space on the bag in which to label the bag's contents. Taco Johns gave me a free sample with a purchase.

These additional benefits left me with a good impression and a reason to do business with them again. The benefits took me a step beyond reminder marketing, setting me up for my next purchase.

Every business has opportunities to invite the next purchase. Every business has ways to do reminder marketing. This is a simple but critical method to develop a customer.

How many ways does your business implement reminder marketing?

Sticking to Your Objectives

2009-07-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning I watched a news story on CBS about an amazing relationship between an elephant and a dog. The story took place at an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. As the reporter remarked, "An elephant sanctuary in Tennessee? That sounds like a story in itself!"

This sanctuary rescues elephants that are no longer wanted or have been abused. When an elephant arrives at the sanctuary, it immediately bonds with another elephant. The elephant in this story, Tara, did not bond with another elephant; she bonded with Bella, a stray dog which had shown up at the sanctuary. They go everywhere together. Last year when Bella got sick and had to stay in the sanctuary office for three weeks, Tara stood outside the entire time, waiting. To appease Tara, Bella was carried out to see her. Since then, this unusual twosome go all over the sanctuary together.

Evidently, CBS had reported on this story previously and the report that I watched on Sunday was a follow-up piece because the owners of the sanctuary referenced the first story and what had happened after it aired. "After that story aired," remarked the wife of the husband and wife owners, "we were bombarded with calls. We had request after request about Tara and Bella. Disney even called and wanted to do a film about them starring either one or both."

"Disney!" the reporter exclaimed. "So what happened with that?"

"We thought about it," she continued. "Our reason for having this sanctuary is to give the animals here an opportunity to live life for themselves and to be the creatures that they are rather than be performers for the entertainment of humans. For them, just being who they are has intrinsic value. That is our goal with this sanctuary. We turned Disney down."

The reporter was stunned, and so was I. They turned down Disney. They turned down a great deal of money. Most amazingly, they stuck to their objective.

Sticking to an objective is not easy. It's easy to forget your objective. It's easy to be swayed from your objective by lucrative offers. It's easy to rationalize out of your objective by the temptation of an offer. Diverting from your objective is much easier than following through on it.

That's why you set objectives. Objectives state what you want to accomplish. They require a great deal of thought to formulate. Once written, they are a ready reference and best when reviewed consistently. They help you maintain your focus. They keep you on the path toward achieving your goals.

The elephant sanctuary stayed on its path by following its objectives.

How are you doing following your objectives?

Reduce Your Frustration

2009-06-26T03:08:00.000-07:00

As I was walking my dogs early yesterday morning, I witnessed a spectacular sight. The high humidity had spawned a heavy dew which clung to everything. Wherever a spider had spun a web, the beauty of the web in minute detail was exposed for all to see. The sun filtering through the heavy haze glinted off the dew, acting as a back light to further accent these spinnings.

Everywhere I looked, I saw webs. I was amazed at the number of them. There were more than I had ever imagined! Their uniqueness fascinated me. One was very deep, about six inches horizontally. Others had long, single-strand anchors. Some were softly draped and swung with the slightest movement. No two were alike.

However, all had something in common.

Beyond the fact that they were all created by a spider, all of these webs were a part of a system. As my dog moved past one into the ditch to sniff, I worried that on her way back out of the ditch she would ruin the web, forcing the spider to flee. I hated to see such hard work disrupted.

Looking closely at the spider, I realized that the spider was unconcerned about its web being disturbed. It had created a system and was patiently working it in anticipation of a meal.

That prompted me to think of the similarity between the spider and its web and a business and its marketing. Just as the spider anchors its web, a marketing plan is the anchor to a marketing system. Those businesses who have a marketing plan have a place to start in developing their marketing system which directs their focus toward their revenue goals. When they encounter tough economic times, they continue to work their system. Not only do they do much better during tough times than those without a system, but they come out much stronger afterwards, too.

A marketing system allows a business to build on what works rather than reinventing the wheel, or the web, periodically. It establishes historical documentation of marketing efforts, which, similar to historical accounting data, offers information that can be reviewed and adjusted as necessary. It sets up a continuity of marketing which reduces frustration and produces better results.

Businesses who have a marketing system and work that system are like the spider working its web. They are not subject to being disrupted. They are not worried about what to do next. They are not frustrated with their marketing. Instead, they are maximizing their revenue by staying focused on their system.

How do you develop a marketing system?

Start with a marketing plan.

Make Communication Powerful

2009-06-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

As I was enjoying a Pepperidge Farm cookie (or two) this morning, I read the side of the package. I liked the writing so much that I wanted to share it with you. Here is what it said:
The Art of the Cookie
by Pepperidge Farm
Begin with a baker’s soul. Seek the finest ingredients. Explore nature’s infinite variety of flavors and textures - sweet, crunchy, rich…oh, and chocolate.
Entertain inspirations. Embrace decadent cravings. Reward yourself.
Open…Taste…Delight.
Thank you for letting us share our creations with you. Gratification guaranteed.

Notice how each sentence opens with a verb. These are not just any verbs, but ones which have been carefully selected by an talented writer. Begin, seek, explore, entertain, embrace, reward, open, taste, and delight are verbs which intrigue, invite, and ignite the reader.

In addition, beginning the sentence with a verb sets “you” as the subject of the sentence. That pulls in the reader and personalizes what he or she is reading. Involving the reader delivers the message effectively.

Most importantly, the verbs tell the reader what to do. They start by explaining how Pepperidge Farm creates these cookies, “Begin with a baker’s soul….” They continue by getting lost in the experience of enjoying one of these cookies, which are scrumptious. They end with a “Thank you.” After reading this, I felt that the writer was sitting at the table indulging in one of these cookies along with me.

This was written from the customer’s point of view.

Writing from the customer’s point of view is an effective way to connect with your customer. These words share that Pepperidge Farm is giving the customer what the customer wants. They show how Pepperidge Farm begins with the customer’s wants in mind, creates what the customer wants, and appreciates the customer’s business. They tell the customer what the customer gets when he or she savors one of these cookies and that this experience was deliberate. They communicate that the customer’s enjoyment was Pepperidge Farm’s goal.

Are you doing this with your communications? Are you sharing why and how you do what you do? Are you telling your customer that you understand your customer’s point of view?

Take a look at your communications with your customer. If you are not doing this, adjust so that you do.

Remember, using the customer’s point of view makes your communications powerful.

Caught Up in Creativity

2009-06-01T10:27:00.001-07:00

As I was driving to an appointment the other day, I passed a billboard which caught my eye. The prominent scene on the billboard was a photo of kids jumping off a rock into water. In large, capital letters “Vacationville” spread across the top. A small logo was tucked in the lower right corner.

“Whose logo is that?” I wondered as I peered back at the billboard, almost driving off the road in the process.

At the last second I thought that I discerned “Johnsonville” on the logo.

“Wow,” I exclaimed out loud. “Why do businesses do that? I can’t believe that a business of Johnsonville’s size would make that mistake.”

What was that mistake? The biggest mistake made on that billboard was making the logo too small. I am always amazed when businesses and advertising agencies add the name of the business onto a billboard, a print ad, a radio spot, or a television commercial in an insignificant manner. The name appears to be an afterthought. It is displayed too small in print, said only once in radio, or shown only at the end of the television commercial.

Isn’t the name of the business the principal reason for the advertising? Isn’t the purpose of most ads to prompt customers to buy from that business? How does minimizing the business’s name promote the business?

It doesn’t. When the business’s name is prominently featured, customers get the message easily. In fact, they get the most important part of the message easily: the business’s name. I recommend that in any print piece, whether billboard, magazine, or newspaper, the business’s name is as large as the headline. The headline and the business’s name together give the message of a print piece. If that’s all a reader sees, you have communicated what you wanted to say.

In radio or any audio communication, say the business’s name at least three times in thirty seconds. Repetition is critical. Merely saying the business’s name at the beginning and/or the end of the spot is not enough. The listener needs to hear the name during the spot, too, in order to absorb the business’s name.

Television commercials are the biggest abusers of minimizing the business’s name. Often, the name of the business is only at the end for three to five seconds. When the business is paying for thirty seconds, why not have the business’s name on the screen for the entire length of time? Why not tell the viewer at every point in the commercial who the commercial is promoting? Why not make a big deal about the business’s name?

Having worked in radio and TV and having created print ads, I can answer those questions. Just like the agency who designed the Johnsonville billboard, copywriters and graphic designers get caught up in creativity. They are so into writing something different and thereby getting the viewer’s, listener’s, or reader’s attention that they forget to promote the business’s name. Pay attention to the national commercials; they are often the most flagrant abusers. Many of the commercials show the name of the product for such a brief time that the viewer must pay very close attention to find it.

Do you think that happens? I don’t, either.

I once read that many writers at large advertising agencies are “wanna be film makers.” If you pay attention to their output, you will see this. I also know from first-hand experience, however, that business people frequently encourage this creativity. As a radio and TV sales rep I often heard a business person say “get me a commercial that is creative and different from my competition.” The business person did not know the unique selling proposition for his or her business and, therefore, could not communicate that information to the copywriter or designer. Instead, the business person hoped that the writer or designer could make the business stand out with creativity.

Creativity is not a substitute for substance. Customers want to know what’s in it for them to do business with your business. Tell them. When you do so, be sure to let them know in a big way who is telling them.

Establishing Value by Contact

2009-05-26T07:40:00.001-07:00

Last week I talked with a CPA who related an interesting experience that a current client of his who I will call Bob had had with another firm. The first time that Bob walked into that firm’s office, he was greeted by the receptionist. As she greeted him, she stepped out from behind the desk and offered to hang up his coat. Turning to doing so, she asked him if he would like a cup of coffee and offered him his choice of four flavors. Along with the cup of coffee she brought several magazines. “You may find an article in one of these magazines interesting to read while you are waiting,” she suggested.

He was not finished with an article that he did indeed find interesting when the person he had come to see was ready to meet. As he rose from his comfortable seat, the receptionist once again came over to him. “I noticed that you were engrossed in the article that you were reading,” she began, “but that you were not finished reading it. Would you like me to make you a copy of it that you can take with you?”

Taken aback at her offer, he murmured, “Yes, thank you. I would like that.”

What particularly surprised the CPA was Bob’s admission at the end of the story. “That firm was expensive,” Bob confessed, “but it was worth it.”

After hearing this story, the CPA had been so impressed by this handling of a customer that he had had his office staff set up their own unique version.

While Bob cited that the firm saved him money and helped him, what stuck in his mind about the firm was his initial encounter with the receptionist. Her actions were focused on him and what she could do for him. She made him feel special. She went the extra mile by offering to copy the article for him. She laid the groundwork for his perception of the firm and the price that he was willing to pay for their services.

She established value for the firm by her contact with the customer.

The impact of initial customer contact on securing a customer’s business, getting a price, and setting the tone for future customer interactions is often overlooked by businesses. Since marketing is any communication that you have with a customer, this initial communication is critical to the success of your marketing system.

As I write this, I am reminded of a question that I received from an attendee to a workshop that I gave at a bed and breakfast association gathering. “How do you handle price resistance over the telephone?” he queried. “Should I not give out a price?

“Whether you are encountering price resistance over the telephone or in person the reason that you are doing so is the same,” I answered. “In your initial contact, you are not providing information about your bed and breakfast before you give the price. Price alone tells a customer nothing. Customers want to know what they are receiving for that price. Always tell what the customer is receiving before you quote a price. Tell them about the experience that they will have at your bed and breakfast. Make them understand what’s in it for them to stay with you. Understanding what they receive gives them a basis to justify the price.”

That is just what the receptionist had done for her firm. She had justified in Bob’s mind that the price the firm charged for services rendered was worthwhile. His attitude had been formed by the receptionist’s actions because she had established the value of the firm during her initial contact with him.

What is your customer’s initial contact with your business? Does that contact make your customer feel special? Does that contact establish the value of your business?

Teaching Respect by Example

2009-05-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

One of the most shocking examples of bad customer service happened in Eau Claire last week when a Radio Shack employee punched a customer who was attempting to return an item. While I don’t know the circumstances, these actions on the part of the employee were not warranted. Many jokes have been made of the incident, but treating a customer in such an angry fashion is not funny. This is cause for grave concern.

About the same time as this incident I had the privilege of accompanying one of Monarch Tree Publishing’s authors, Nancy Bjornson, to Colfax Elementary School. Our reason for visiting the school was for Nancy to talk to the students about the first three books in her Jesse and Cash series. We were welcomed at the office by the secretary who shared, “The students are very excited about your visit.”

Her statement was the beginning of a day in which Nancy was made to feel very special.

As we walked down the hall to the classroom, Nancy remarked, “Isn’t that great? I am always amazed when students are excited to see me.”

They were. Their teachers had thoroughly prepared the students for Nancy’s visit. First, they had read the books to the students. While doing so, the fifth grade students had summarized each chapter and then compiled their summaries into booklets with hand-drawn pictures for covers. The fourth grade had drawn a picture of their favorite part of the book. At the end of her talk, the teachers asked Nancy if she would sign each booklet and picture. Nancy was very complimented and took the booklets and pictures with her to look them over carefully as she signed them.

Then the teachers did more. They went off campus to buy Nancy and me a delicious lunch. While we were enjoying the lunch, they handed Nancy a gift which was a beautiful plaque that said “Let joy bring a smile to your face and let your smile bring joy to others. Thank you for bringing joy to our school. Colfax students and teachers.” They thanked us profusely for our visit, and, after Nancy had arrived home, she received a delivery of an arrangement of cut flowers which the teachers had forgotten to give her at the school.

Through their actions, the teachers showed their gratitude for our visit and made Nancy feel special. They taught their students respect by their treatment of us. They led by example.

Contrast the teachers’ treatment with that of the Radio Shack employee. The difference is night and day, isn’t it? Having been a manager, I know that you cannot always control how an employee will act, but you can set the tone for how customers are treated. The teachers set the tone for our treatment. Likewise, owners and managers set the tone for customer treatment.

Just like students, employees follow the example of those in authority.

In the day-to-day operation of a business, we can get caught up in a flurry of activity and become irritated with customers because they interrupt other work, ask “stupid” questions, or make unreasonable requests. Often the irritation is not caused by the customer but rather a result of our having too much on our schedules. Customers sometimes are that interruption that comes at the wrong time. Expressing frustration over a customer to employees sets a tone of disrespect. How this tone will be used by employees is unknown. Perhaps they will be less tolerant of customers. Perhaps they will treat customers with less respect. Perhaps they will act toward customers in ways that are unacceptable.

The next time that you are tempted to speak poorly about a customer to an employee, remember how the teachers treated Nancy. Follow their lead and teach respect by example.

Just a Sample

2009-05-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

After finishing a late lunch at Culver’s the other day, a client and I were sitting and discussing business when one of the staff came up to our table holding a tray. On the tray were small paper cups with a spoonful of frozen custard inside each one.

“Would you like to try a sample of our maple nut custard?” the tray-holder asked. “It’s our flavor of the day.”

“Sure,” we replied in unison, and the tray-holder promptly placed a small cup and spoon in front of each of us.

As we savored the frozen custard, I offered, “This is delicious.”

“I agree,” my client replied. “I think that I will have a dish. Would you like one, too?”

“I would. Thank you.”

While he went to get a dish for each of us, I mulled over what had just transpired. The management at Culver’s had taken the opportunity to increase the amount of money that customers already in the restaurant spent by offering a sample of frozen custard. This was an excellent example of one of the three ways to grow your business, which is to increase the amount that a customer spends each time the customer does business with you. By offering the sample of frozen custard, Culver’s had directly tickled our taste buds, thereby prompting us to buy more. Culver’s had increased the amount that we spent that visit, and we had enjoyed the frozen custard.

As I reflected on this, my mind skipped back to another recent example that I had experienced of sampling. I had received a sample of Grammy’s Pot Pie flavored dog food in a shipment of dog treats. After I dropped a handful of the Pot Pie into a dish, my border collie had dashed to the dish and growlingly had driven my shepherd away. You see, my German shepherd readily eats almost any food, but my border collie mix is a very picky eater. Therefore, I was amazed.

“Wow, she likes Grammy’s Pot Pie,” I commented.

Thinking her reaction may have been a one-time event, I offered her some Grammy’s Pot Pie kibbles at her next feeding. She hungrily devoured them.

At that point, I went to the company’s Web site and decided which size bag to order.

By inserting a sample into the shipment, the company increased how much I spent with them on my next purchase. Just like Culver’s, the company grew its business by increasing how much a customer spent on the next purchase by offering a sample.

Sampling is an effective marketing technique to employ but one many of us forget to use. Offering a sample is an easy, noncommittal way to get a customer to try a product or a service. Every business has ways to offer a sample. Even if you sell a big-ticket item, you can sample doing business with you by offering a customer advice or information on how the product can be used to the client’s benefit. That is a sample.

Do you offer samples to increase your customer’s purchase? What samples can you offer? How can you add them into your marketing plan to increase your customer’s purchase?

Remember, just a sample leads to an easy sale.

Wasted Words

2009-04-19T22:13:00.000-07:00

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?

A Question of Objectives

2009-04-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

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?

Judging a Business

2009-04-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

"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?

The People Difference

2009-03-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

While corporate excess, greed, and mismanagement are exposed on a daily basis, last night I saw a news piece on NBC called Making a Difference which showed the difference between some large corporations and many small businesses. The piece featured Joe Works, owner of B& W Trailer Hitches from Humboldt, Kansas. Although business had slowed, he didn’t feel right laying off his employees, many of whom had become friends. Instead, he kept them on the payroll and sent them out into the community to fix what needed fixing: a baseball diamond, children’s playground, a church, and more.

Joe hasn’t forgotten his roots. He and his partner started the business in a garage in 1987. His partner, Roger Baker, had been having difficulty in his classic car restoring business, and Joe had been having trouble keeping the family farm. They joined forces, initially, to make the best truck bed. They accomplished that goal, producing a durable bed that looked good. As their reputation spread, they branched out into headache racks, tool boxes, matched paint, and pin striping.

Then they designed a hitch which revolutionized the gooseneck hitch industry. At that time, the best way to get rid of a hitch when it was not in use was to install it on a large plate that folded down. The installation required cutting a hole in the truck bed. Joe and Roger addressed this problem and designed a ball hitch which could be pulled out, turned over, and stowed underneath the truck bed when not in use. They called this new hitch the turnover ball. Today, every manufacturer of gooseneck hitches uses a variation of Joe and Roger’s ball and storage system.

Joe and Roger designed a better truck bed, a better hitch, and a better business.

In 2006, B & W was chosen one of America’s top ten machine shops. The award was based on safety, quality, productivity, on-time delivery, employee training, employee retention, and continuous improvement. Joe’s commitment to these factors has not wavered. With slow sales, his focus is still on his employees. He views them as human beings, friends, and neighbors. He also sees them as an important part of B & W’s operation.

Therein lies a substantial difference between many small businesses and many large corporations. Most small business owners care about their employees. They see their employees as individuals. They understand how much their employees contribute to the operation of the business.

Many corporate managers view employees as only people occupying positions. They see their employees as nameless, faceless, meaningless parts of the organization which may be changed or discarded at will with no consequence to the business. They don’t care about the individual. They don’t understand how the individual makes or breaks a business.

That is one of the reasons why many large corporations are in trouble right now.

Valuing employees’ contributions to the business and respecting them as individuals contribute to the health of the operation. These are reflections of management’s attitude toward customers, too. Customers are handled with the same respect, or lack thereof, as are the employees. Management sets a culture as to how people are treated, and that culture permeates the entire organization. Whether it pertains to an employee or a customer, how a business treats people makes the difference in its success or failure.

How does your business treat people?

Consistency and Frequency Matter

2009-02-20T05:50:00.000-08:00

I was inputting new e-mails into my Insight list recently and was reminded how many business people do not have e-mails at their Web sites. If you are one of these people, I hope that this Insight will give you a reason to change your e-mail. If you do, please let me know. I want to keep sending you Insights.

Why does having your e-mail at your Web site matter?

In marketing, which is communicating with your customer, you are smart to take every opportunity to tell your story. You want to reinforce your message frequently. An important part of your message is your business's name. Your customer finds you, remembers you, and refers you by your business's name. Therefore, you want to repeat your business's name at every opportunity so that your customer has easy reference to it.

If you are marketing smart, your business Web site domain name is your business's name. Allow no shortcuts. Make your domain name your complete business name. Then, every time you give out your Web site, you are giving your business's name. If your e-mail is at your Web site, every time you give out your e-mail, your are giving out your business's name, too.

You are also giving out your Web site address. In so doing, you are making it easy to know your Web site address. When your e-mail is at your Web site, every time that you give out your e-mail, your are subtly promoting your Web site.

Think about it.

How many times do you give out your e-mail address? How many times does someone use your e-mail address? How much reinforcement of your Web site would you receive if every time someone e-mailed you they saw or typed your Web site? How easy would you make it for them to go to your Web site and learn more about your business?

E-mail has become the preferred business communication method. This presents a marketing opportunity similar to that presented with snail mail. When someone sends you a envelope via snail mail, that person writes out your business name and address, right? Every time your business name is written, that name is reinforced to the person writing. If you have your e-mail at someplace other than your Web site, every time your e-mail is written, you are reinforcing some other business. That is akin to having your snail mail sent to another business's address. Why would you want to promote Yahoo or Hotmail or some other business?

You don't. You want to promote your business.

In marketing your business, consistency and frequency matter. They solidify your business in your customer's mind. They promote and encourage your customer to do business with you more often. They remind your customer that your business exists. Having your e-mail at your Web site offers both. That is a little thing that makes a big difference in marketing your business. If you don't have your e-mail address at your Web site, change it. Do so today.

A "Super" Opportunity Missed

2009-02-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

During the past few days we have witnessed the one time each year that press and advertising meld. The topic which brings these two normally opposing teams together is the commercials aired during the Super Bowl. To many in marketing, including me, the action of press and advertising joining forces is amazing. However, this has become a cultural phenomenon. The "Super Bowl commercial watch" is as big as the game. To some, the commercials are more important than the game.

What's up with that?

When I sold television advertising, clients often commented to me about the cost of the Super Bowl commercials, which this year was three million for thirty seconds. Unable to grasp paying that much for that little a time, these clients were shocked. They thought that the dollar outlay was foolish. They couldn't believe that a business could reap enough from the ad to make spending three million worthwhile. "Why would someone do that?" they asked.

I replied, "Because they get more than the normal thirty seconds."

First of all, they get thirty seconds to sell to the largest audience of the year. Although some viewers may be taking a break during commercials, with that large an audience you have a good chance to reach more people than at any other time.

Second, before the game the press anticipates the commercials and gives them lots of buildup. Last Friday the Today Show had a significant segment previewing the commercials with two experts commenting on them. "In general," one noted, "this year's commercials are more pragmatic. Many are promoting Web sites, such as monster.com and carrerbuilder.com. Denny's has a surprise, which we cannot disclose, and Pedigree takes a different tack on adopting a dog by never showing one in the commercial."

Although they cannot show more than five seconds of any commercial in their sneak peeks, the attention drawn to the commercials by the news segments feeds the viewers’ desire to see them. No other commercials get this buildup. The buildup permeates all media: online, radio, and print. The commercials may air on one network, but all media cover them.

Third, after the game the talk about these commercials continues. Viewers are able to vote online for their favorite. Coworkers debate which one they liked best. The press spends much of Monday reviewing and discussing the fans' favorites, the critics' favorites, and the anchors' favorites. In fact, once a commercial has aired on the Super Bowl, it has the potential to be forever a part of the media's Super Bowl coverage. A television show, The Greatest Super Bowl Commercials, aired for one hour last Friday. This gives a company with a good commercial an opportunity to get that commercial aired again and again and again several times every year around the Super Bowl for no additional dollar outlay.

Think about it. Can you think of any other commercial which receives this amount of attention from all the press and all the country for that amount of time?

In light of this attention, why don't local businesses prepare special commercials for the Super Bowl and get local press coverage about their commercials? The "Super" opportunity is certainly there. Local press would love to pick up a story about a local business which took the extra effort to prepare a "Super Bowl" caliber commercial.

This doesn't happen because local businesses do not know how to use publicity, much to their detriment. Although this is the only "Super" opportunity, local businesses have many other press opportunities that they miss, too.

Which of them have you missed?