Moments of Clarity

Hottest New Marketing Strategy For the Social Media Era: Kitchen Magnets

In our current world of facebooking your twitterlog and burning your flickrmeme, I find it very refreshing that the only marketing effort a few local businesses I deal with undertake....is delivering me a new kitchen magnet each year. 

I buy firewood from "The Woodman" (no extra charge for the attached little calendar) and I call the same garage door fixer guys if I have issues.

Don't underestimate the power of simplicity, a handshake, and magnetism.

Now go Fark a Widget.

Shining example of customer service and branding: Jared, The Galleria of Jewelry

My wife has been to a few jewelry stores looking for a new "screw on earring back thingy" that keeps the diamond stud deals securely in place.  (Earrings were purchased at Costco's little jewelry section).  Each store simply said, "No sorry, you need to go back to the place where you got them and get a new thingy".  I've always found this odd since they sell similar stuff but I digress.

Fruitless for months, we decided to visit Jared at Jordan Creek.  We were immediately greeted by Stephanie who asked us how she could be of service.  Once we told her that we wanted this little problem solved (and effectively that we weren't going to be buying a $5k ring that day), she solicited assistance from Arnold, another associate immediately.   Stephanie then offered us coffee, cappuccino, water, etc.  Shortly thereafter, Arnold returned with new back thingy installed and sent us on our way...free of charge.  Here are my first impressions, often the only ones that will matter.

1. Jared cares and is in it for the long haul with their customers (and potential ones).
2. Jared doesn't have people that shuttle you off to the "they're not buying anything so give them less service land" so prevalent (it seems) today.
3. Jared has a kid play area so they don't mind you bringing your little ones around.
4. Jared's brand promises are absolutely kept and executed upon when you visit the store.

Great job Jared.  In closing, let me tell you that my barometer of service excellence is my wife.  As we left the store, she said, "Well I guess we know where we'll be buying all of our jewelry from now on."  That's the kind of instant loyalty that you want...and you've got it from us.

Making Brand Promises One Can't Fulfill

Lately, I've heard a radio spot for local Big O Tire stores. It's the kind of ad where the owner believes that doing his own commercials will breed credibility and loyalty and put a "real face" on the business via the airwaves.  During the commercial, they make the promise that, "They'll do whatever it takes to (earn, get, or some other word like that) your business."

Whatever it takes!  Wow.  I wonder if I printed up my own coupon explaining that I'd like to have 3 distinct free services to test their service level at 3 times through a 6 month period before I pay a cent if they'd go along?

Something tells me that this promise is radio gobbledygook and rings empty.  Why would a business make such a desperate promise and likely have NO plans to follow through on it?  It's just cheap radio bunk that doesn't help the brand in my humble opinion.

Listen to 93.3 WOW FM to hear for yourself.

Low Post Volume...Big Opportunity

Big change in the works for me.  Lots of growth and exciting new opportunities await.  More detail as I can share. 

Do you think this is a wise publicity/marketing strategy?

A company in the Rental Software business, Genisys is offering a free software package for the "best horror story from using rental software packages".  What if someone submits a horror story about using THEIR system?

This just doesn't feel right as a strategy and cheapens the brand in my opinion.

Details are here.

I've gotten another article published...

Hello all.  I've written an article that has just been published in Rental Product News.  (I even got special permission in advance to post it on my own blog)

If you don't already know me personally, I do a fair amount of work in the industrial/heavy equipment rental sector helping these companies leverage technology solutions to their fullest potential while accurately measuring and recouping their investment in them.  I've written an article that introduces the often "old school" rental business to blogs and their power.  This article "wrote itself" after I attended a "Guerrilla Marketing" seminar for the rental industry...that didn't mention blogs whatsoever.  Shame.   

Here's the piece:

Ready for a blog?

You've heard of them. Perhaps you read them. You might even be one of the 50-plus million people that have created one. But it's not likely that you've drawn a clear connection between blogs (short for WeB-LOGs) and your rental business. In this article, I will shed some light on business blogging, the often misunderstood marketing tool, and provide some reasons why it might make sense for your rental business. (HINT: Blogging can be the most powerful weapon in your marketing arsenal … and it's free!)

Background on blogs
When all of the hoopla is stripped away, blogs are simply websites that make it easy for non-technical folks like you and me to show the world what we think in words and pictures. Disappointed? Don't be. The simplicity of blogs and the tools used to create them have spawned an entire industry focused on providing tools enabling the rest of us to make very professional looking blogs that complement our corporate websites.

Also, blogging is not just about writing, it's about reading. Although I won't focus on reading blogs in this article, using the power of RSS feeds (RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication) and feed readers, your company can search once and subscribe to feeds delivering real-time news and information on your industry and your competition. At least equally important, you can subscribe to what the industry and others are saying about your company, so you can answer.

But I already have a website!
If you ask 100 people on the street where they go first to look up a business, 80 percent will likely say, "I Google it." Have you spent some time searching for your own website using common key words? If you don't come up in the first page and your competitors do, don't feel lonely. Most corporate websites are put up with great intentions and many look great. However, they quickly become stale and stagnate.

Often, business owners are held hostage by the webmaster or design company that created the site. Want to put up a new event, press release, or product information section? Get out your wallet. As a result, most sites transition from "web" to "cob web" in less than six months. Stale websites do not impress search engines.

While there are techniques to make your website rise in rankings, typically called SEO or Search Engine Optimization, you can help your company ascend the ranks by posting quality content to your blog with regularity. Regular blog postings (three to five times per week) are consumed by search engines voraciously. As more people find and link to your quality posts, they become more "relevant" to the search engines and the site rises in the rankings. By linking your blog site to your corporate website, you can complete the circle and drive more people through the front door. Of course, simply posting random thoughts about the weather will not attract the masses.

Business blogging is really two-way communication between a business and its clients or potential clients. Blogs provide the platform for your company to become more findable and for the public at large to comment and link to what they're reading.

Before you jump in with both feet, it's important to establish the reasons why your business should blog in the first place. After all, you're probably not looking for more workload to fill the day. Let's not forget that your goal in creating this business blog is most likely increasing revenues and differentiating yourself from the competition.

Blogging tools
The most common blogging software platforms today are Blogger(www.blogger.com), WordPress ( www.wordpress.com), and Typepad (www.typepad.com). Each has strengths and weaknesses but all allow the author to create a blog site and start posting with zero upfront expense. If your company outgrows the software or desires more technical tools, they're readily available. These products allow even the most technically challenged among us to put a blog up and post entries in minutes.

Eventually, you might want to employ someone to match the look and feel of your blog to your website. Or, you might even go so far as transitioning your entire corporate site into a blog site. Remember, "findability" is what you're after and a blog's freshness of content provides the fresh new treats that search engines love to eat.

Be different, honest, informative
Your company blog is a platform to highlight what makes your rental operation special. Here are some blog post topics that come to mind if I were posting to your blog:

Share stories that highlight interesting customer service experiences. Share your unique ability to resolve problems and satisfy customer demands.

Share times that things went wrong and what you learned from them. Sometimes I get bored with hearing about how well things go. Tell me about some times when you messed up and how you made them right. These tales get my attention.

Discuss specialized solutions your company provides the industry. I love hearing out-of-the-box solutions to complex situations. If your firm has innovated, tell the world! If you think the competition won't find out eventually, think twice. Share with the industry.

Mention specials or other unique promotions your company is offering. A blog is not merely a site for your electronic sales pitches, but it can be a place to strategically share your specials. If you offer your clientele something they need, they'll likely forward the deal to their friends.

Expose the unique talents of your employees. It's really cool to see that your sales coordinator is a drummer in a rock band and that your shop foreman is a gourmet cook, specializing in French cuisine. Expose a little bit more of what makes up your company's unique personality. These details give outsiders a glimpse of what it's like to deal with you before they walk through the door and might provide "instant rapport" when the potential client walks in the door.

Your unique blogging voice
Your company's "blogging voice" and flare will evolve over time. You should encourage many in your organization to write for the blog and see where they take it. Of course, the software makes it easy to moderate and edit the posts in case someone decides to post a rant about your management style. Also, don't forget that there might be a budding writer out there operating your equipment.

Engage your organization in blogging passion and watch the results!   

Doug Mitchell is the vice president of business development at Dispatching Solutions Inc., a provider of logistics software and GPS tracking solutions to the equipment rental industry.

Click here for copyright permissions!
Copyright 2007 Cygnus Business Media

A special thank you goes out to the Godfather, Mike Sansone who ignited the business blogging gene in me almost 2 years ago.

Central Iowa Golf Is Hurting: Here's Why & What To Do

Background
There was a sports front page article in the Des Moines Register yesterday highlighting the current tenuous state of Central Iowa golf courses.  Courses are experiencing flat or declining revenues, declining attendance, and price pressure. The piece provides a few reasons for the tough times.

1. Fixed costs have increased including wages and petroleum based fertilizers, etc.
2. High property taxes hurt courses because they're taxed as commercial property vs. recreational.
3. Municipal courses (owned by cities, i.e. subsidized by having less tax burden) green fees are low and getting lower to keep the crowds coming.  Private courses don't have the luxury of operating this way.  Sound familiar?
4. The high cost of gas to get to the course in the first place.
5. The war in Iraq.
6. More parents are "Dedicating themselves to their kids," by spending a day at the soccer or softball field.
7. Legalized gambling.
8. Too much supply.  Too many courses.  Aggressive overbuilding of "hole inventory".  Courses and developers have been using the 1990's website rule for business decision making, "Build it and they will come". 

Analysis
I believe that numbers 1-7 are somewhat true but not enough to make the measurable impact the industry is feeling. 

Number 8 is a BIG factor. The bottom line is that there are virtually limitless choices for golfers at all typical golf price points within typical driving distance around the metro.  In fact, the number of available holes for golfers within a 20-mile radius of Des Moines grew by 30% in the last decade.

The factor that is not mentioned, discussed, nor implied is the purple elephant in the room.  It's the largest single factor that impedes growth and repeat business. 

Golf courses make almost no effort whatsoever to market themselves, create brand identity, or create an experience for golfers that is ANY different than other courses in their competitive landscape.  Golf courses leave the entire branding function to the courses beauty and layout itself.

I have only golfed at about 10 courses since I've moved to Iowa.   One has asked for my email address.  None have created any experience or purveyed a brand.  If I asked you to name a brand of coffee that has created an experience and maintained a premium price for something that costs almost nothing to make...you could name at least one immediately. I should be able to do the same for Iowa golf courses...without having to resort to the $300+ per round facilities.

Recommendations
Golf courses need to get past the helpless, brand-less, malaise they're in now.  They need an injection of creative marketing (beyond the logo golf ball) and branding so their courses are synonymous with the kind of experience that creates raving evangelists that want to grow your business for you.  This is especially true when there is NO stand out, no leader, and a "that's just the way it is" attitude out there.   

1. Engage in meaningful email marketing.  Segment your audience and target them with offers that make sense.
2. Host customer appreciation days at the club house.
3. Leverage "course greeter liaisons" a la Walmart to welcome players and build the experience. 
4. Invite families to play together and space tee times to allow for slower play. Think Disney.
5. Blog.  I would absolutely subscribe to a blog written by a golf course that gave me offers, course condition updates, and opinions.  Extend the conversation beyond the 19th hole. 
6. Leverage SMS marketing (text message).  Would I choose a course that used my exact marketing preferences and sent me offers at key times just for me?  Yes.  I know many others that agree with me.
7. Develop unique factors that separate you from the competition.  I'm still looking for "self serve honor system for non-alcoholic beverages" at key points around the course.  I'm also looking for the "buy drinks from the cart on a tab that I can settle after the round".  This speeds up play and frees people up to spend more.  I promise it works.  Just about every course out there believes that price is the key in the buying decision.  Honestly, I've never asked once how much the round would cost in advance of stepping up to pay in Iowa.  Generally, we know that it's going to be between $30-$50 to ride for 18 during prime time.  A few bucks does not the decision make.

There are plenty more options for courses to engage in that would separate themselves from the crowd. But like many businesses, golf courses don't hire marketing/branding employees or leverage agencies or consultancies...rather they put these responsibilities on the course manager or owner.  While this man or woman may be excellent at running a golf course, they probably don't have the time or inclination to move beyond "coupons in the paper".

Courses must shift their mindsets and become competitive and agile.  They must develop a road map to uniquely separate themselves from the over supply in the market.  Remember, there are plenty of places to get coffee...but only a few that create an experience.  It's up to you.

Are you ready for help golf course owner/manager?



   

Struggling! (Marketplace at Jordan Creek per the Front Page of the Business Section Today

I've done my quick case study on the Marketplace at Jordan Creek (MAJC).  I've also highlighted another friends experience where "neutral service is negative".  Now today the front page of the Business section in the Des Moines Register has the following headline:

"Specialty Grocery Struggles in W.D.M."

(W.D.M. is West Des Moines non-Iowans).

The article paints a pretty bleak picture of the market's prospects and does well to prop up its competition.  (Which by the way has gotten pretty good marks from my ad hoc surveys of customer service experiences).

I still believe that the bottom line is this:
In retail, especially high priced retail (aka Starbucks)...experience is everything.  Create the environment that brings folks back over and over again, because single visits do not a successful market make.  It's repeat high average ticket sales that win the game my friends.

I'm still offering to recruit a cadre of black aproned customer service agents to make this a place that people rave about.  Shall I shine the signal light in the sky?  Is the MAJC listening to the blogosphere? 

I couldn't resist...I'm a rock star!

Thanks Drew, Gavin and probably a lot more for pointing this out.
What a hoot!  I wish this tool allowed me to post the Morph into Gavin Rossdale. The Des Moines Metro is going to be low on Grecian Formula and "Rustic Rock Star Black" from Loreal tonight Steph!  Of course I could shave my head leaving wispy white all the way around to become the VP. 

Helping College Grads Save Time & Misery

Over at McLellan Marketing, Drew "Top Dawg" McLellan is trying to put together an e-book that will assist recent grads in landing that first job.  He's soliciting nuggets of wisdom from his readership and I'd encourage you to add yours.  I've created a top 10 list for general career strategies to share with him.   Click on the above link to see his post and to add your comments, stories, or advice.

Doug's Nuggets - College Advice 13: 6-33

I graduated in 1994 with a degree in International Business.  I knew that I wanted to have an international flare in my vocation but I had no idea what that meant.  Like many business majors, I spent the first 5 years of my career in sales jobs that were fairly unfulfilling.  However, I spent those 5 years thinking, planning, learning about myself, improving myself, and building relationships. The time was not "wasted". 

Then, in 1999, I had a conversation with an early twenty-something guy that I'd built a relationship with in my sales days, "I'm looking to get venture capital financing for my start up company, He said, "I have one month's salary to give you to write the business plan.  If we succeed, you're in.  If we don't, that's it."  I took it, we did it, and the rest is history.   

So here are a few nuggets I've crystallized from my experience:

1. Always build relationships in everything you're involved with.  You NEVER know when that person might be EXACTLY what you're looking for in an employee or advisor.  These relationships will likely be the ones that either provide you jobs, financing, or business partners.  I haven't had a resume since 1999 and wear that as a badge of honor.

2.  Foster relationships with mentors.  I didn't do this early enough.  Create an honest self-assessment.  I call it a "Life Resume".  When you find someone you truly admire for their skills, business acumen, relationship skills, etc...ask them for a formal mentor/mentee relationship.  Structure it and meet monthly. I found a venture capitalist and said, "I want to know what it's like to be you and what you do all day," and that's been over 2 years now.   

3. Shift your thinking to solutions and you'll be a winner.  Everyone has problems.  Meetings are filled with idea killers and lamenters. Have you noticed though that many leaders are aware of the problems...but driven to break through to solutions without harping, getting down, or developing negative energy?

4. Become very comfortable in your own skin.  Speak in public, get terrified and overcome it.  Conquer that inner voice of doubt and break through to excellence.  Nothing will serve you more than being able to communicate to large numbers of people. 

5. Write. Become an effective writer by having your prose torn apart by someone good!  Don't be afraid of the red pen!  Learn to embrace it.  Say more with less (I should listen to my own advice).  Blogging is a great way to accomplish this.  Please keep the party photos and youthful indiscretions off the myspace pages though.

6. Follow your passions (hint: they may change). I'm not particularly passionate about a subject like real estate, economics, or art.  But I have discovered that I'm extraordinarily passionate about growing small companies into bigger ones NO MATTER WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER.  It took me a while to gain the perspective and breadth of knowledge to grasp this. But when I did, doors began opening for me.  If you love an industry or segment, you may want to get some experience in any part of the value chain you can.  I bet if I took a job sweeping the shop floors at a NASCAR team's garage just out of school, I'd be a marketing executive by now. 

7. Embrace technology and be an early adopter.  This does NOT mean become a programmer!  Learn how to use all of the technology tools that successful companies use.  There's nothing more powerful than "the girl who just seems to know how to do it all".  It doesn't seem like it, but it will become harder keep up when you get older so consciously extend beyond your comfort zone throughout your career or you'll get passed by.  

8. Consider the option of NEVER getting a "real job". Self-employment may not be everyone's first best destiny, but you may not know until you try.  It may seem safer to be employed by someone else, but I'd beg to differ.  If you have it in you, do it.  I'd rather see try and fail vs. never try. 

9. Dress Well.  It's advice that seems to be missing from the "Golden Rule" list when growing up these days.  It's NEVER harmful to be the best dressed person in a room.  You will command more respect by being well dressed.  If you don't know what looks good, seek help. 

10.  Have initiative. Take on tasks and roles that extend beyond your comfort zone and knowledge base.  This could be the largest single factor in your success.  Immerse in something new.  Passionately obsess about something until you know more than most about the topic.  Do this enough times, and you'll find yourself able to participate in a much larger sphere of influence.  Nothing pleases me more than hearing, "I don't know how to do that, but I'll figure it out and have it done shortly."