Marketing-Fix: 100-Words-On

It’s a natural reaction.  We’ve all had it.  And it suggests a myopic tendency.

Before engaging an expert – who’s very possibly someone ‘just like’ you – consider two things:

Your customers probably aren’t you. How could they be?  You’re immersed in the details of telecommunications, apparel, insurance…whatever.  They’re seeking solutions not minutae.

Your customers expect you to be them. Ask questions, chat ‘em up, think like them.  Deliver what they want – concisely and fast.  They’ll be loyal customers and become fans.

With these in mind, how about finding experts at “wide-eyed innocence”? They can peer in, ask questions, focus, distill and deliver clarity.

As Roy Williams (the wizard of ads) suggests: we’re all uniquely unqualified to market ourselves.

“I’d like to add you to my professional network.”
– Rachel L.

“Do I know you? Who are you?”
– Kirk

Are we too lazy – or speed obsessed to optimize social media by personalizing?

Let’s not forget the vintage advertising mantra: show me you know me.

If we haven’t spoken in years, met in passing, or never, a generic note won’t motivate me to connect.  Sell me on the value of being linked: you’re fun, we have history, our networks mesh…

Skip ‘faux personalization.’ Personalized subject lines do work – we’ve tested and re-tested for clients*.  But, few of us write ‘Kirk, it’s so exciting…’ ‘Kirk, you’d be surprised…’ in personal communication.  You don’t know me.  You’re marketing me.

Un-friending, un-linking or unsubscribing is like breaking up. It’s personal – and sends a clear message: don’t contact, recommend or refer you to my network.  Remember, few of us can’t be replaced by someone who’s more personal…

* We see about a 15% increase in open rates when leading with your first name – it still gets your attention.

“When life hands you lemons, make lemonade and lemon pie”
-Anne White

Ugh, but then again…

I wonder: when problems hit, why not take quick, transparent action? Getting in front of challenges can change customer perceptions – dramatically.

This started with big problems – failing nuclear reactors – but crystallized with a minuscule one: upgrading Mac OS X knocked out our MAC-only database.

Had the vendor jumped on the problem, they’d have taken advantage of ‘sour lemons’ to look like heroes.  Their actions would have conveyed:

• We’re top of our game. Even without advance warning from Apple, when the problem arose, it would appear that they were monitoring and improving – on the spot.

• We care about our customers. They have customers’ emails.  Why not show they’ve ‘got our backs’ before we discover problems?

And from management’s perspective, we bet it would be cost-effective. Aren’t spikes in customer service needs disruptive and expensive?

Sigh. Gotta love that lemon pie!

P.S. Kudos to the service wizards at Philadelphia’s Springboard Media who fixed the ‘glitch’ in a flash.

-Cassandra Clare

“…or seen!”
-Kirk K.

It’s true.  E-mail usage continues to plummet.  And, alternatives from Facebook to Twitter encourage faster communication and more interaction.*

This makes it easier – or at least faster – to build business and personal brands than before.

But – do most of us think through the consequences of instant, multi-channel broadcast communications?

The warp-speed communication helping your business can also cause undermine it just as quickly.

Two examples we’ve gotten recently:

• A ‘personal’ business update to customers that didn’t mask recipients’ email addresses.  Don’t a few thousand of us trust the vendor a little less?

• A frisky photo of partying ‘co-workers gone wild’ that’s been shared and shared and shared.  What happens when it’s in personnel files – or on Tosh.0?

Everyone and everything are everywhere – forever.  Let’s pause before we send.

* Here’s a terrific article about social networking – and its consequences.

“I don’t believe in yesterday.”

-John Lennon

but then again…

“The future ain’t what it used to be.”

-Yogi Berra

Exceptional therapist and relationship expert Maya Kollman has wise thoughts about the past, present and future.  Pundits often suggest we focus on only one.

Kollman proposes that  to succeed, we all need to live in all three places.  Her reasoning:

• Living in the past keeps us from changing and growing.

• Living in the present prevents us from preparing for what’s coming next.

• Living in the future inhibits us from experiencing the present and adding to our knowledge.

Our thoughts:

• Mine the past. It’s full of lessons and examples.

• Stay attentive to the present. Observe what’s happening.  Use that to shape decisions.

• Dream big about the future. There’s no better way get where you want to go – in life or business – than stretching.

Here’s to a successful 2011.

“Whatever.”

Colleague and wise art director Nick Mitchell suggested the phrase ‘emotional retirement’ describes those in business who’ve checked out long before official retirement age.

Symptoms of emotional retirement include:

• Dismissing possible success before investigating the facts—“our customers would never go for that.”

• Focusing on the downside before trying to succeed—“what if too many people respond and overwhelm the call centers?”

• Giving exactly what’s required or just a little less—“my work week is 38 hours. That’s it.”

There’s probably no simple cure, but we’d ask:

• Does criticism come from a constructive place? Or from approaching emotional retirement?

• Do others around sense this?

And most importantly:

• Everyone has enthusiasms how can we get them to bring those to work?

Do not expect an immediate call back

Do not expect free advice

Do not expect the answer you wanted

—Consulting Firm Landing Page

Ouch—but, thought-provoking.

Is this firm:

* So ballsy that you’ve got to know more?

* So honest that you might get great insights?

* So self-involved that you should avoid it at all costs?

We applaud ‘being true to yourself’—but at what price?

Three wise-men came to mind:

* Danny Meyer suggests hiring only empathetic people—for every position in the company.  Technical skills can be taught, being welcoming and caring not.

* Seth Godin suggests giving things away—after qualifying the ‘lead.’  A little ‘free advice’ might be worth it, if there may substantial benefits down the road.

* The Dalai Lama suggests that when you want something—give it away.  Period.

We’re there: Why not put it out there and see what comes back—before telling us what you won’t do?

“No one reads, their mail.  Everyone knows that.”

–Anonymous

Not so fast…

Clearly, we love email and we admire web sites and apps that deliver value (think of Yelp or Groupon).  Yet, our increasingly empty USPS mailbox makes us wonder if print isn’t being overlooked unfairly.

A new consumer survey found that:
•    Two of three preferred print catalogs to viewing catalogs online.
•    Six of ten preferred receiving printed bills, invoices and financial statements.
•    Eight of ten dollars raised for charity are from mail solicitations.

Direct mail is rarely the most cost-effective way to acquire customers today and the incremental value of multi-channel buyers is declining.  Still, we believe that print should be part of the mix.

To make it effective, we wonder how many have:
•    Abolished silos and integrated systems to accurately measure the value—and incremental value—of every interaction.
•    Created a integrated contact strategy vs. direct mail, web and email strategies.
•    Segmented customers accurately, based upon their transaction and product preferences.

“They overlooked it”

“The delivery service sent it”

“The policy is to charge extra”

Hospitality genius Danny Meyer recently suggested in the Times that success requires putting the employees first.

His ideas are basic, but worth re-visiting:

Hire right. Ritz Carlton: not our fault that reservations “overlooked” special requests for an anniversary.

Skills can be taught, loving interaction with people can’t.  Analysts don’t need people skills—front-line staff and managers do.

Make the team feel great. Manhattan Fruit Company: not our job to track lost packages, even if you’re “understaffed and really busy”.

Employees who like each other and their jobs transfer that enthusiasm to customers and co-workers.

Empower employees. Restaurant Associates: not acceptable that, “it’ll be $3″ for a second slice of bacon with our $19 bacon and eggs.

People can’t excel when constrained by rule books or micro-managing bosses.

From accountants to airlines:  being customers’ favorite keeps them coming back—so, please, put employees first.

You’re only as good as the last front-line associate”
-Concierge Ritz-Carlton Dallas

Systems upgrades may be easier to justify than “people upgrades.”

Improving systems seems foolproof, rigorous and eminently measurable.  Most love Amazon’s personalized recommendations.

Solving problems and improving customer experiences by upgrading personnel takes training, intuition, employer trust and employee initiative. Plus, measuring is harder.

Still, employees remain the best customer-retention tool.

We’d ask:

Who’s responsible for customer service? When it’s a back-office cost center suboptimal interactions often diminish customers’ interactions and trust in the brand.  Few love their cable company.

Has customer service been included in marketing plans? People demand answers and resolution instantly.  Not even Google can successfully launch a product-G Phone-without adequate customer service.

Have employees been empowered? Little annoys more than cloaking “No” in “it’s company policy.”  Consider Ritz-Carlton’s “anticipatory service”* where employees can spend lavishly solving problems anticipating additional revenue.

* Here’s the link to Ritz Carlton’s Leadership Center:  click here