Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Attention is Filtered

One of the most renowned marketers in the world Seth Godin says, “smart companies abandon worry and embrace change”. This post is inspired by some of his thoughts on marketing: People see right through fake. It melts away instantly (along with your money). Everyone in every type of business needs to be a marketer these days. From the sandwich guy down two floors to the kids trying to differentiate themselves by selling Kool-Aid rather than lemonade. As a result, a lot more bad marketing is contaminating the air. There’s no rulebook to great marketing. In fact, the greatest marketers are the ones who take the supposed “rulebook” and toss it out the window (or probably something more unique like light it on fire or cut it up into an art piece). However, as difficult as it is, marketing is a necessary component of every business. Marketers think that the more they can get their messages across, the better—bus ads, bench ads, banner ads, and any other obnoxious placement that will get, let’s face it, ignored. Interruption marketing rarely works (unless you’re showcasing puppies or babies). Anymore, you have to ask to access consumers. You have to put your offer on the table and leave it there, hopefully wafting temptingly in their direction so they want to examine it closer. Attention is filtered. You have to earn trust before consumers are willing to listen. So, how do you get heard? By being consistently remarkable. We know that’s a tall order, but just look at companies that have managed to do it. The first one that comes to our mind is Apple. They have people literally lining up at their doors when they release a product. Why? Because they never disappoint. And they’re unpredictable. Their innovations are worth sharing. People get amped up over a leaked phone schematic as if it were dirt on the President. And it’s not. Often times it’s a simple scribble left accidentally on a bar napkin by some tired Apple Genius. But nevertheless, it spreads. Apple is trusted. People know that, when their new products are finally released, it won’t be average. And Apple has swagger. They know that they’re excellent at what they do. And how do consumers respond? By trusting them more. Confidence is an indication of quality. Because consumers aren’t dumb. And they know that marketers won’t boast a product unless it can stand up against the competition. Swagger without substance will result in a permanent loss of clients.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

6 Rules for Excellent Customer Service

The general advice of all customer service departments is to “listen to your customers.” And sure, that’s a great start, but it means nothing if you aren’t actively listening and trying to problem solve. Think back to the most frustrating call you’ve ever had—the phone operator probably acted like they could care less about your problems, never mind getting them solved quickly. The whole process took 20 minutes and by the end of it, you still had your original problem (now complete with a few busted blood vessels and a sore throat from repeating yourself so many times). If you are to be good at customer service, your company must be valuable to your clients. So, how do you do it? How do you give awesome customer service always? By following these rules: Answer Your Phone Sounds simple, no? Avoid answering systems if at all possible. People want to talk to a person, not a machine. Accept Complaints No one likes hearing things they’ve done wrong. But give their complaint proper attention and you won’t lose their future business. Even if it’s negative, feedback is valuable in any form to know how to better serve your clients. Take it with class—your customers will appreciate your patience and attention. Don’t Take it Personally Accept accountability, even if you didn’t personally handle their case. Apologize if necessary, and be the one who saves the day. Don’t get defensive. Simply ask how you can help solve their issue. Train Your Staff You can’t be the only one equipped to handle situations. Make sure your staff is well aware of protocol on solving various customer problems. And make it so your employees ever have to respond with, “I don’t know, but _________ will be back in 20 minutes and he/she can answer your question.” Go the Extra Mile If it takes 10 extra minutes to solve a problem more fully, do it. Go the extra step, call the extra person, and take the extra time because customers will notice. Don’t Break a Promise Never agree to anything that your team or company isn’t capable of following through on. Breaking a client’s trust is the best way to lose them—permanently.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

3 Tips to Beef Up Your Email Marketing

While print definitely isn't dead, digital isn't necessarily going anywhere either—and with that, email marketing. You don't want to focus on one or the other, so while you may have a strong print campaign in your prospects’ hands, now is a good time to put some effort into beefing up your email marketing. Here are a few tips to get your email marketing into fighting-fit shape. Don't Let Gender Render You Useless If you run gender-specific campaigns, this can seem like a no-brainer, but this happens. When you schedule a mailing that's set to target, say, women—make sure that your sending your email to women. This can be as simple as list maintenance and cleaning up your contacts. Also be aware that some names don't always scream a certain gender. Sending to Kelly Doe? May want to double-check what list they belong in. Graphics Aren't Always an Email's Best Friend Having graphic-heavy email marketing campaigns can weigh you down. We tend to assume that your recipients are using an email client that will allow them to see all the graphics in your message—and that's your first mistake. When you're building out your email marketing campaign, it's important to make sure your audience will still be able to understand your message without seeing the images. To play it safe, don't send out emails that are one big image. Include text and you'll have a better chance at avoiding the spam folder. Spam Without the Can A spam folder is to email what a trash can is to direct mail. The benefit of direct mail? That recipient is still physically holding that piece of mail and looking at it while they throw it away. Emails get sent to your spam folder without you even realizing it. How can you avoid the cyber trashcan? Don't include attachments in your campaigns—email programs will assume they include viruses. Be sure to watch your copy too. Including too many spamy words like "free," "bonus or "prize" can send you into the unseen. Don't let your time and money go to waste by sending it right where waste belongs. You're not far off from a stellar email marketing campaign. Put these three tips into action to ensure this tool generates revenue for your business.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Marketing Beyond Demographics

There’s a difference between knowing your target audience and knowing your target audience. It’s similar to the different levels of knowing your spouse—there’s the newlywed phase where you’re still learning that they sleep in their socks and hate lima beans and then there’s the been-married-25-years phase where you can be completely uninhibited and walk around in your undies. As marketers, you should strive for the undies-level of knowledge of your target market. (No, we’re not saying you should show up to your next meeting pantless). But you should know them beyond simple demographics. Demographics tell you their most basic information—age, gender, geographic location, etc.—and chances are, your business is already utilizing these stats on your existing customers. Psychographics, however, delve deeper. Including information such as lifestyle choices, behaviors, internal attitudes, what motivates them to buy, psychographics give you insight into why they buy whereas demographics is simply who’s buying. Utilizing a combination of psychographics and demographics allows you to create a richer brand experience for consumers. How do you go about compiling psychographics? A survey is the easiest method. Send one out to your current available email list asking them questions such as: • What made them decide to buy your product? • What do they like about your competitor’s product? • What are their interests, hobbies or pastimes? • Are they extroverted or introverted? Analytical or emotional? Etc. • What kind of environment do they thrive in? Other methods of obtaining useful psychographic information would include oral interviews, focus groups or employee observations. Pick the method that’s most effective for your company. And remember, in using a combination of both demographics and psychographics, you’re getting a leg up on the competition and gaining a deeper understanding of your current and future clients. In searching for a deeper understanding of what makes your customers tick, you’re striving to maximize the potential of your business. The more you know them, the easier it is to allow your business to satisfy their wants and needs.