Marketing Done Modern

Earn an Extra $25,000 a Year By Reading This Blog!!!

Got your attention, didn't I?  How many of you saw the title and thought, "Yeah right?"  That's what I thought.  You're probably thinking that this will waste your time and is a false promise.  But this is a lesson.  Albeit a little tricky, but a lesson nonetheless. 

Under promise, over deliver.

This isn't a new concept by any means, but it should be applied more than it is.  Here's the thing, if a small business owner were to use some of my advice and work really hard at getting customers, it is possible that they could earn an extra $25k a year, but it's not a guarantee.  And it may be deflating to learn that it won't happen for everyone.  It's like when you go to a restaurant and it says "Free Cup Of Coffee" and in small print it follows up with "After a $7.50 purchase."  Here you are, going into a coffee shop, thinking you're getting a free cup of coffee, when actually, it's probably 7 times the cost of a regular cup.  Seems misleading doesn't it?   One thing that companies need to realize, is that customers are not only looking for a good product, a good experience, but a trustworthy provider.  If you're a bakery and you say you'll have baked goods ready for the high school bake sale on Friday and show up with two cupcake, technically you're delivering on your promise.  But was your statement misleading?  Absolutely.  That's why we need to under promise and over deliver.  Tell the customer what you plan to provide for them.  Then deliver better than expected if its possible.  Now, I'm not saying to under deliver to the point where someone questions your credibility because you're always delivering way better than you said you would, there is a fine line to walk.  But here is an example from my own personal experience working.

I work in marketing research and at times, we can have really tight turnaround deadlines.  I can't tell you my client, because that would breach confidentiality but I'll give you details to the best of my abilities.  This company is a fast food chain.  They were testing a new sandwich and wanted results quickly.  Based on the work that we have done for them in the past, it's usually five business days from receiving data to presenting a report to the client.  The clients that I was working with happened to want their data as quickly as possible, even though they knew what our "deliver by" date was.  We promised to have something on our deliver-by date and said we would try to get data to them earlier if possible.  I knew that they were on a time crunch so I made every effort to get them their data earlier than expected.  I received the data on a Monday.  The report was due on Friday.  I worked furiously all day Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and was able to provide them a report two days early.  Just because I was able to deliver early on this particular project doesn't mean I will be able to do it every time.  But, we under promised and over delivered, satisfying our clients needs. 

So if you offer free coffee, make sure it's a free cup of coffee.  You don't want grumpy people walking away with a $7.50 cup of joe.

Happy Marketing!!!

Business is Like a Relationship, We Look For A Great Personality

Ok, so you've started your own business and you're pretty successful.  Business is good, your product is selling well, and you're making enough money.  But would you like more business?  If the answer is no, then just stop reading.

This may sound like common sense, but there is something really simple you can do to help your business.  It's simple when it's second nature, but getting there may be a little difficult.  But you must get personal with your clients.  And I'm not talking about creating a personalized product, although that is important.  But you need to get to know your clients.  Talk to them, get to know them.  Customer experience, at times, may be more important than the product itself.  People like returning to a store that has a staff that have good personalities.  This is important in any kind of business. 

For example, let's say you own a coffee shop and bakery.  You notice the same elderly couple comes in every day around 10 am for coffee and a bagel.  You could very easily say that you notice that they come in frequently and would like to introduce yourself.  This gives you a way of finding out their names so that when they come in, you can greet them personally.  There are other ways to personalize.  You may notice that the lady often orders different flavored lattes.  Let's say you're developing a special flavor, like an almond joy mocha.  It includes shots of almond and coconut flavorings as well as the regular mixings of a mocha.  The next time they come in, ask the lady if she would be interested in trying your drink, on the house.  The reason you are giving it on the house is because it isn't exactly what she was probably planning on ordering, plus, you're getting an opinion from an obviously loyal customer.  This is actually an example from my younger days of working in a bagel  shop. We were developing new coffee concoctions and one of our loyal customers that came in daily helped us to develop a really delcious mocha. 

I know everyone isn't the best at talking with people, but there are great ways to overcome this.  I am currently taking a Dale Carnegie course.  His book, How to Win Friends and Influence People is really great.  I was a skeptic at first, but have found it to be very useful, especially in my personal life for relating and working with other people.  If you really wanted, you could take a Dale Carnegie course, or even a public speaking course at a local community college.  But getting out there, getting to know your customers, and using their loyalty to your advantage can really be a win win situation.

Happy Marketing

Don't Fight In Front Of The Kids

At some point in time, in every company, there will be disputes between colleagues.  Hopefully, these can be solved by some inter-office mediator, or people can be adults and solve the problem themselves.  However, there are times where even the most adult person can act like a child.  Trust me, I've done it.  I have this amazing ability to get upset with my boyfriend when he's off to work on his race team for the weekend.  I'm not really upset with him, I'm really just upset with the fact that I don't have anything to do.  Yes, I am aware of how immature this is.

There are many parenting experts that state that you should not fight in front of your kids.  Others may disagree, but for the sake of this article, we'll say that you shouldn't.  You take care of them and what you do in front of them can affect how they grow up.  It's not much different with clients.  It doesn't matter what personal problems are going on in the workplace, your client doesn't need to see that, ever.  This may be easier to deal with in some companies than others.  For example, it is very rare that we have a client come into our office.  Therefore, it is difficult for them to see how we interact with one another.  Not all companies are like this.  Take restaurants, clothing stores, and florists as examples.  It can really affect your client's perceptions and could possibly lead to them not returning.

Last week I was preparing to go out of town.  When I am in a rush, I have a tendency to forget to eat.  While running errands at 7 pm, I decided I should grab some food.  I stopped at Burger King.  It was a slow time; I was the only one in the drive through and there were only two people in the dining room.  While waiting at the window for my Whopper Jr., the girl at the cash registered literally yelled across the restaurant, "I'm out of quarters.  Bring me more quarters."  I understand that a lot of times it may be high schoolers that are working there to get money for gas.  However, I found this unacceptable. I'm not even going to discuss how there were no manners used, no please or thank you.  But I was right there at the window and she just yelled.  That was her first strike.  Then, when I needed change, she gave me all dimes and nickels (which I didn't mind) but as she gave them to me she said, "Sorry, I ain't got any quarters yet."  Strike two.  Mostly because she was insinuating that it wasn't her fault that she didn't have any quarters.  Then, while waiting for my burger to come, she's yelling to the manager and asking for quarters again.  Then she proceeds to say that everyone else heard her, she doesn't understand how the manager didn't hear her.  Strike three.  After she has struck out with me, she continues to talk about how stupid the manager is and that it's a good thing that she doesn't plan on working there much longer.  Let's put it this way, I won't be returning to that particular Burger King again, even though it is the closest to my house.  I don't need to see those problems.  Work them out, just not in front of customers.  I will go to another Burger King to get my Whopper fix.

Simply put, if these employees had put their differences behind them while I was there, they would  continue to have my patronage.  But because they were rude to each other, and in front of me, I felt that it discredited them.  Especially since this girl stated that she doesn't plan on working there much longer.  Don't fight in front of the kids, it applies to home life, and work life.

Happy Marketing!

Let Others Do Your Work; Why Public Relations is Worth It

Especially with the current economy, many companies are pouring money into advertising.  However, this won't last long.  Companies will soon learn that their return on investment for their ad dollars won't be what they anticipated.  But there is a way to increase business without spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on goofy TV ads or annoying radio commercials.

Public Relations

I am currently reading a book called The Fall of Advertising, The Rise of PR. It discusses how advertising is a great tool for maintaining a brand, but that using PR is the best recipe for building a brand.  While, I wouldn't use the book as a manual on how to launch and build a product, it does carry some very interesting points.

A third party can really create buzz about a new product.  For example, there is the Oprah Effect.  Look at her book club for one example.  Many titles that had never been heard of by many people are now best sellers.  Just today when looking at amazon.com, the first thing that pops up is "Kindle is Oprah's New Favorite Product."  My bet is that sales of this little gadget will increase significantly, now that it's been endorsed by Oprah.  If you aren't aware of what a Kindle is, it's a wireless reading device that is a product of Amazon.

While Oprah is a big and famous name, she's not the only one that can create appeal for a product just by talking about how great it is.  Many people look to Consumer Reports when they are trying to determine which product to buy.  But PR is not limited to well known names.  It could be as simple as an article in the local newspaper or a story on a radio station.  Sometimes we can't control the PR we get, but other times we can by supporting a little league team, sponsoring a cancer walk event, or even providing a prize for a local fund raiser raffle.  We have to remember that advertising isn't the only way to get our name heard and remembered.

Happy Marketing!

Get Professional or Get Lost

And I don't mean the sort where I say "Scram, you're bugging me."  Like I discussed last time, if you want customers to actually use a program - be it loyalty, discount, etc - you need to provide them with some form of marketing material.  This is sort of the second half of that.  I find this topic to be very important to me, therefore, as a head's up, this is a more verbose article.  This means a lot to me so I'm typing out very plainly for all to see.

Provide professional looking marketing materials.

Now, I go further in depth on this one.  Anything that a potential client has a chance to look at should look as if it's professionally made.  I am not saying everything that you print and hand out has to look like a work of art, but it should look nice.  Plus, you don't have to spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on printed material.  But by spending a few dollars, it may give your clients a more favorable opinion of you.  I'm going to start with a few ways that you can still get high quality printed material for far less than going to a design studio to produce it.  Then, I will give you an example of how this can be really lucrative for you. 

Business cards are one thing that you should definitely have if you own your own business.  If you're just starting out, I'm sure you don't have a $250 budget just for printing business cards.  You don't have to spend that much, but too little can make your material seem cheap.  For example, one thing I really dislike is getting a business card that has perforation marks on it.  In my mind, this person isn't legit and they are too cheap to get business cards made.  They also may not be serious about their business or the product they are providing for you. But the thing is you don't have to buy 2,000 business cards and spend $150.  You have options.  You can go to Office Depot and purchase Avery Business Card products that have clean edges and come in quantities of 30 to 2500.  Another idea, that I personally love, is using an on-line printing company.  There are other places besides Kinkos.  A site that I really like is called VistaPrint.  Several times I have gotten personalized return address labels.  They aren't that expensive and they really show off my personality.  But VistaPrint offers many products including premium business cards.  They also offer free business cards if you aren't dedicated to a logo.  They offer several different templates that range from whimsical to very business like.  Granted, you may have to pay $5.45 for Shipping and Handling, but it's still 250 business cards for roughly $0.02 a card.   

Besides business cards, make sure all pamphlets and handouts look professional too.  I know that it may be easy to just type something up on the computer and print it out.  But take some time.  And you can print it out at home, but make sure you have a nice color printer and high quality paper.  And DON'T PHOTOCOPY!!!!  I have nothing against photocopying for somethings, but doing it for all of your material is unnecessary.  Changing the color of the paper also doesn't change the fact that it's a photocopy.  It may be cheap, but I hate getting photocopied material where some piece of information is missing because it wasn't scanned in properly.  I could literally write for hours about the need for personalized folders (if you provide a lot of information), glossy finish tri-fold pamphlets, high quality paper stock vs. generic ink-jet paper, but I won't.  I will explain how spending a little bit more for nicer materials can really pay.

Every year for the last three years I have had to move. I like choices when looking at apartments.  My last move occurred in May of this year and I visited about a dozen different complexes before deciding.  As petty as this sounds, if an apartment complex had a crummy looking marketing folder, they were automatically off my list.  Giving me a piece of paper which is supposed to include amenities but the last word is cut off just doesn't cut it with me.  Also, complexes that had information, but it had been written on rather than reprinted also bugged me.  It made me feel like they were more interested in getting me to sign a lease rather than making me feel at home in my new community.  I ended up renting an apartment, not only that I liked and fit all of my criteria, but they had a very nice folder with glossy inserts, no missing words, and it was all organized very nicely.  Considering I spend about $950 a month on an apartment, that's a pretty sizable chunk of my income.  $950/month * 12 months = $11400  While the marketing material wasn't the only contributing factor that lead to choosing where to rent, it didn't hurt anything.  Other apartment complexes lost out because I didn't even want to look at what they had to offer.  Just goes to show how something so little can pay off so big. 

Happy Marketing!!!

Provide Information, Produce Customers

Many companies offer discount/loyalty programs.  If you live near a Kroger, I'm sure you have a Kroger Card with you wherever you go.  Lots of people, including myself, have a Best Buy Reward Zone card.  The great thing about both of these programs is when you sign up, there is a lot of promotional material to explain exactly what it is you're signing up for.  Hundreds of companies offer discount programs, but not all of them offer promotional materials to accompany you.  I understand that it costs money to print promotional material, but is it worth the $0.25 it's going to cost you to print a brochure to lose a loyal customer?  A simple page can be printed easily, if you want it to look more profession, take it to Kinkos.  In my opinion, it's better to go with a more professional look, but we'll get to that on a different day.

Last week my boyfriend was visiting.  I gave him a Nikon D60 as a birthday/Christmas/anniversary/Valentine's Day gift.  While he was visiting he wanted to get a camera bag to protect the camera on his trip home.  After not finding precisely what we wanted at Best Buy, we went to Ritz Camera.  We found a great Tamrac bag and a couple of other items.  That's besides the point.  So while we are checking out, the girl tries to sell us a loyalty program where you get some discount on printing using their services.  The reason I'm so vague is because we really didn't know anything about the program.  When my boyfriend asked for some material to take with him to think about, she responded that she didn't have anything, just what she told us.  We say no thank you and move on to another store.  As we continue to shop, my boyfriend mentions that if they had some type of material, he would've considered it.  The other problem was that the program didn't offer any immediate benefit. 

Now, if they had provided some type of material for us to look over, we might have considered it.  But, now we will get our prints wherever we feel like rather than being repeat customers.  That's a lot of money if you consider that we just got a new camera, we sometimes scrapbook, giving pictures is one of my favorite fall back gifts, and I love to frame pictures.  They could have made a lot of money if they had just provided a little information.  A little information goes a long way.

Happy Marketing!

Take Advantage of Your Strengths

Many times people go into business because they feel that they can provide a product or service that either other companies can't provide or that they can do better than the competition.  Look at Burger King and McDonald's.  Biases aside, they provide a very similar product.  They are fast food hamburger restaurants.  They both have a signature sandwich, the Big Mac and the Whopper.  However, in the minds of consumers, they are different.  McDonald's slogan of "I'm Lovin' It" automatically brings to mind the jingle.  Burger King has "the king."  But each has found customers who are loyal.  Growing up, I wouldn't touch Burger King with a ten foot pole.  As an adult, however, I went over 3 years without touching McDonald's and have become a devoted Burger King fan.  They have managed to coexist for decades offering very similar products.  Sure, the burgers are slightly different, but the premise is the same. 

So what if there are 45 other restaurants town, yours is different.  But step back for a minute and ask yourself why.  What makes you different from the other 45?  And how can you use that to your advantage?  First you need to find out why you're different.  If you are exactly the same as 10 or 12 other restaurants, it may not be long before you fold like so many others have done before you.  Next, use your differences to your advantage.

In St. Joseph, MI, where I grew up, there is a wonderful restaurant called Schu's.  Schu's is a great restaurant and has awesome food, but is really well known for one thing, their potato soup.  It is, in a word, scrumptious.  It's thick and creamy, comes topped with bacon, chives, and cheese, and completely sinful.  It's the perfect compliment to a meal or perfect as a meal itself on a cold Michigan night. I am not the only one who feels this way.  While Schu's is always busy, let's create a scenario where they need a little help. 

Let's say they are very busy Thursday through Sunday and closed Monday.  Since tourist season is over, Tuesdays have become dead.  If I worked there I would suggest using our potato soup to our advantage.  People know about it, they love it, let's provide it for them.  From October to March, I would do a Soup Tuesdays once either every other week or once a month, depending on what is monetarily feasible.  I would advertise that on Tuesdays, every customer, that was interested, would get a free cup (not bowl) of soup with their dinner. Use your strength to draw in customers on a slow day.  Most people can't make a meal out of one cup of soup so it's more than likely they will buy a dinner and a drink as well.  While you may not make as much as if the soup was full price, you're bringing in more money on Tuesday than you were previously. 

Maybe you're a pizza joint that uses a special kind of mozzerrella on your pizza.  Don't limit it just to your pizza, use it in manicotti and even on top of salads.  Use what makes you different and brings customers in to your advantage.  Don't assume that they will come on their own, entice them.  "If you build it, they will come" may have worked for Kevin Costner, but it doesn't always work in real life. 

Happy Marketing!

Work Together, Not Alone, It Will Help Your Business and Theirs

Many companies think of what will be best for them.  Which is understandable.  You want what's best for you, your company, and your customers.  Sometimes, the best thing for you is also the best thing for your neighbor.  A lot of times people forget that they can be symbiotic with another company.  Many companies work with non-profit organizations, but few seem to work with other companies.  Sometimes you need to work with someone who does something different from you in order to help yourself.  Here's an example.

There's a small boutique clothing store in my home town.  It sells beautiful clothing but I've never been there when a lot of people are.  I can't even think of the name, that's how unmemorable this place is.  This small company really needs to do something to get it's name out there.  Here's my idea.  Think, who loves clothes and has a lot of disposable income?  Teenagers.  Teenagers are worth $179 billions dollars a year. A YEAR!!!  I would recommend that this company holds a fashion show at the local high school.  Not only that, have girls volunteer to be the models.  Charge a couple of bucks per ticket at the high school auditorium and donate the proceeds to one of the clubs at the school like Key Club or the Boosters.  If you have girls modeling, they will bring their friends, their parents, and even their parents friends.  It's a great way to sponsor a fun event as well as show off your goods and get your name out in the public. 

You can work with other local companies as well and all be sponsors.  Get together with a salon to do the girls hair and make-up before going on stage.  Talk to a bakery to provide cookies and other desserts for after the show.  Not only do people see your product, you're helping a local organization, and getting other companies (that aren't your competitors) noticed as well.  And it doesn't have to be a high school, it could be a newcomers club, Rotary club, or Kiwanis club.  Work together to help everyone and get noticed more.  It's a win-win.

Happy Marketing!

Extraordinary Everyday Items

Companies make millions of dollars by providing their customer with a product that is used everyday.  In my mind, at times we take these items for granted and forget about the company that produced it.  Other companies have done a good job of marketing themselves that you can look at the product and know the brand name without ever seeing a label.  Some of these companies include Nalgene, Vera Bradley, and Post-Its, just to name a few of the items on my desk which are easily recognizable.  Each of these products I use on a daily basis and love because they are all very useful, handy, and reliable. 

I love small businesses that provide a useful product.  Now, all small businesses probably think that their product is useful, however, not all products are useful to everyone.  For example, a cat owner has no interest in a boutique doggy bakery, and a size 2 woman is probably not interested in a plus sized shop.  But then there are small businesses where the product can be useful to just about everyone.  I figured every now and then I would spotlight a small business where they have a good product and I like their marketing initiatives.  Today I thought I would talk about a company that I have used personally.

Goulet Pens

This year I was looking for a Father's Day gift for my dad.  My dad is the sort of man that has everything and is impossible to shop for.  My friend Andrea suggested that I take a look at her brother's website.  I came upon Goulet Pens.  Brian, Andrea's brother, had a wonderful little website.  His main product is hand-turned wooden pens.  I have seen them in person, they are beautiful.  I mentioned to Andrea that they reminded me of Mont Blancs but made of wood.  Something that caught my eye were his wine bottle stoppers.  I thought it would be great for my dad since him and my mom enjoy wine.  I purchased one and was very pleased.  Not only was the product great, the whole purchase experience was customized and simple.  My dad loves his wine bottle stopper and he mentioned that several of his friends commented on the fine craftsmanship and beauty at a recent party they had.

First of all, Brian has a fantastic product that he is very proud of and it shows.  Second, his products are useful to many people.  A good writing instrument is a staple on most desks, shirt pockets, or even purses.  Third, I believe Brian is doing a good job of marketing himself.  Not only does he have a website offering his goods, he also has a section on how the pens are made showing that he actually does the work.  In addition, you can link to his blog and his facebook group.  Both are good ways to reach younger people.  Not only that, he attends craft shows, symposiums, as well as a number of other things that I am sure that I am unaware of but I know that he is always out and about in the Richmond community.  Plus, he has me telling everyone I know about how great they are, word of mouth sometimes can be the strongest type of advertising.  I'm also a repeat customer.  The wine bottle stoppers are now my choice gift when attending a wedding.  Also, although I've never met Brian, I feel as though I know him based on his dedication and love of wood-turning.

Brian has decided to dedicate his time to his craft and has turned his passion into a full-time career.  I wish him the best of luck, and who knows, maybe in the future, I'll be able to sit down with Brian and interview him for another entry.

Happy Marketing!

Do Whatever it Takes, It Will be Worth it

Sometimes it is necessary to go above and beyond the ordinary.  Not only with a marketing plan but sometimes with your business in order to ensure smooth workings.  There may come a time when you need to do something that isn't appealing, but is necessary for your business to thrive.  This could be offering a sale similar to one that your competitor is running.  Or it could be offering a very unhappy customer a full refund on a product they were unhappy with.  It may be something you don't want to do, but it must be done.  It may win you a new customer or keep one from leaving you. 

I have just returned from a 48 hour stint in Denver, CO.  This was an unexpected trip.  An e-mail was sent around the office around 5:30 on Monday saying that it was urgent and that someone was needed to travel Tuesday to Thursday to oversee a taste test.  I was in the office at the time so I visited the sender of the e-mail to let them know if they couldn't find anyone else, I may be able to go.  At 9 am the next morning I found out I would be taking the 4:45 pm flight. 

The reason for this trip was because the fellow that was supposed to go to the Denver location had a family emergency.  Someone from our company needed to go to make sure that everything went smoothly.

I wasn't particularly thrilled about the prospect of running home, packing, and getting on a plane.  But I did it because I knew that it was necessary and I was helping out my company.

It ended up being a great experience.  Not only did I get to see how the taste test was done, I got to answer questions and make a couple of executive decisions.  All of the questionnaires were distributed correctly and hopefully, we will get great data and help our end client make a decision about their product. 

So, perfect example of how something I really didn't want to do helped me learn and we were able to cater to our customer.

Happy Marketing!