MARKETING MINDSET

"Cat sitting" - How Can You Find A Marketing Idea In That?

Cats are independent, people-averse, aloof, don't learn tricks, don't do what someone tells them - but wait. That's a stereotype!

I spent the long Canada Day weekend babysitting my niece's cat (kitten really - it's under one year old) and do you know what? That's not THIS cat. It was independent (of course - all cats are), people friendly (it wanted to be in the same room as me AND "talked" directly to me!), close (rubbed against my leg often and loved to be scratched), knew a trick, did what I told her (if I said "down" and meant get off the table, she would - eventually).

She was the opposite of the stereotype many people have of cats.

Marketing tip: Don't "judge a book by its cover". How do you treat people? Do you make a judgement based on their appearance? I don't :-)

Client's Speed or Yours?

It was raining and that is what my taxi driver and I talked about. We discussed that whether it’s sunny, rainy, snowy or icy people drive as if it’s nice weather here in Toronto. We live in the biggest city in Canada and some people “forget” how to drive in rain or snow after a bout of “good weather”.

That made me think of speed. Do you “rush” your clients or do you really listen and go at THEIR speed?

This is another chance to not only live in the present but also to really listen to your clients. Listen to their words and their tone, look at their faces (if you can – email makes this difficult) and  take notice of the speed they use themselves and answer the same way.

Do you? Tell me how.

What I Learned At The "Bulk Store"

For those who don't go ta a "bulk grocery store" you'd be surprised at what they sell there. They have the usual - nuts (did you know that here in Ontario if you buy the unsalted type there is no tax?), raisins, cranberries etc in bulk - but they have other groceries as well. Where I go they sell organic cereal and baking materials!

OK. My anecdote ....

Recently I got some things at the "Bulk Barn" - a chain in Toronto. I  had spent a bunch of money (as you do) and when I was at the checkout, the girl there gave me a gift  certificate. I wasn't expecting it and therefore didn't spend/ buy accordingly - it was a surprise!

I knew it was to get  me to come back (a type of marketing) but because I wasn't expecting it, and the checkout person smiled as she gave it to me, it was a joy.

I smiled as I received it :-)

 

Do you give your customers gifts even if  they have "strings" attached? This event made me think  about my own business and what I could give to my clients to get repeat business -- or referrals -- or even to  have clients remember me and talk about me.  HMMMM ....

What do you do to get your clients to keep coming back?

3 Ways to Decide Which Social Networking Site To Use (For Technophobes)

Young people (those under 30) grew up with technology - computers in their classrooms and at home, cell phones used by most people - and PDAs - don't get me started. If an "older" (over 45) person asks them for help with technology they use a lot of what is "gobbledeygook"!

I'm older (over 55) and co-owned one of the first computer stores in Toronto in 1980. I'm a technology user but my partner was and still is a geek. He had to have the latest and greatest of every kind of technology. I couldn't stop him from getting a (large about the size of a copier) fax machine before there was anybody to fax to. He had one of the first cellphones - the handset was like our phone and its battery was as big and as heavy as a car battery. You needed a strap to carry it!

I could go on and on but I won't. Technology is here to stay.

But many people are overwhelmed by the choices, how to set it up and how to use it for their business.

I'm here to help :-)

Here are 3 steps to help you choose which Social Networking site is right for you.

1. Find out what your clients use. Ask them. from Denise Wakeman of "The Blog Squad"
2. What are your goals for social media? grow your list? have people buy from you? learn more? become known?
3. Follow your industry "conversations". Participate in discussions. Get a feel for what is out there and what is needed. Help people.

Remember: Google loves inbound links. Each social network site is considered a link whether you go there or not so when you have to "join", do and write a profile. You don't have to write any posts yet :-)

Comment on this and let me know if you agree or disagree!

Next time I'll write how to promote your "new link".

What To Know For A Radio Interview

A client of mine had a radio interview and called me ahead of time to ask what she should know. I only gave her one thing to remember. It's true for all marketing.

What is your goal?

Have one goal and keep it in mind at all times. There are at least three different kinds of interviewers - the "really" friendly one, the contrarian and someone who is a combination of the two.

1. The "friendly" agrees with everything you say and lets you take the lead.

2. The contrarian says the opposite of everything you do -- whether they believe it or not.

3. A"combo" person starts by being either friendly or contarian and then switches.

When the interviewer sidelines you by talking more about a topic that isn't your goal , take them -- nicely -- back to your goal. For example, let's say your goal is to talk about planning a no-stress home renovation. They talk about a garage renovation and go on at length with questions for you. You could say something like "well renovating a garage can be much like planning a home renovation. Let's talk some more about this. You can make a list of functions you want for your home renovation like ...." and give an example.

That way the interviewer doesn't look foolish but you've brought the conversation back to your goal -- gently.

Hope this helps you as it did her. Each time the interviewer went down a different path, she said she heard my voice in her head saying "Stay on track. Remember your goal."

Is Sales Just a Part of Marketing?

Recently I had a conversation with a friend about sales and marketing. He said they are separate and I said that sales is another part of marketing (like market reseach is).

I'd like to clarify my beliefs. If you draw a "marketing funnel" then     every marketing activity you do to get prospects is at the top or widest part of the funnel.

As you proceed down the funnel it  gets narrower and you keep marketing.

Then you get to the narrow part of the funnel (see in my diagram I've drawn a line there). You're now meeting the prospect face to face .. or these days by phone or skype or are online ... and when you "close the deal", they become a client (at the bottom of the funnel).

I know that you don't use the same activities to sell as you do to market. I agree that they should be taught as two topics - but I still this sales is in the marketing funnel.

That's my opinion. Tell me yours :-)

What I learned at the Hairdresser

Many men will look at this title and say "this is a post for women" but I know that there are some very good customer service activities ANYONE can do in their business.

Know and Use Their Name

I take a taxi to the hairdresser from the same company each time. I chose this company because it didn't charge a fee for using their wireless device when I use my credit card. Now I have found more reasons to keep using them.

The dispatcher knows my name and address when I call from home (I know that this is available to everyone now - a technology feature). She says "Hi Trudy" which is a bit more friendly. But when someone at the hairdresser calls in for me when I've finished and the dispatcher asks "is that for Trudy?" the caller and I both smile broadly. That's why I stay with them.

Ask if They'd Like A Coffee or Tea ... and then get it.

Would I like a drink of something? Someone asks. This is another way they show me friendliness. They remember what I had last time, too . They bring me back a little something extra. In the case of my hairdresser it was a cookie.

Listen

I know this is one of the reasons I (and many other women) go back to the same hairdresser for years. She listens - with interest. And not only does she listen to me but I do to her. We become "part of the family". My hairdresser truly cares about what I do.

Not only does my hairdresser do these things - listen, care, remember, ask - but every one of her staff does, too. Could you add this kind of customer service to your business? It makes me a loyal 
  client who goes back over and over. 

 
                                                                     Me at the hairdresser's in Sept 2008. 

                                                                    I was trying to look "professional".

6 Ways Offline and Online Marketing Are Different

The world has changed - as it always does and we in business must keep up if we want to be successful (no matter how we define success for us).

Technology has REALLY changed. I remember (I'm 60 now in 2011) co- owning an Apple computer dealership in the 1980s and a conference company in the 1990s where we held events for people who used what were then called hand-held computers (PDAs). We were always at the "bleeding edge" of technology (just before the "leading edge" - always in the red and not making money but always the first to know about things).

We had:

• one of the first fax machines (as big as a small photocopier but with very few others having one and therefore no one to send things to),
• one of the first cell phones (the battery for this was the size of a car battery and the handset like that of an "older" phone
• one of the first to use the internet to market with our "email blasts" which were formerly "fax blasts" (some people had email addresses but most companies didn't have websites yet)

Times continued to evolve and with this came what was then a revolution (we even produced a print booklet called A Revolution in the Making which in 1984 took 6 weeks to produce even though we had the latest desktop publishing software at that time) that caused all of us to transform ourselves and our thinking.  

 In fact my nephew who is 20 now and studying at Ryerson University and producing art (by paint and on computer, films on his Macintosh and photos with his digital camera) is a great testament to this transformation. He is of the generation who grew up with and used all technology. He even had access to my brother's Macintosh when he was a baby.  (From left to right: my brother Phil, his sonJake - the one I write about her and my other nephew Josh who's 30 now and  has been in the computer business since he was 17)

 

But I digress :-) There are at least ways in which online marketing is different from offline marketing and here they are. One just needs a computer, a hookup to the Internet and a browser such as Firefox or Internet Explorer.

1. Speed - one can do EVERYTHING faster. Once you have set yourself up, input some data you can send it at the "touch of a finger"
2. Cost - EVERYTHING costs less or is free (do you know of the book   Free: The Future Of A Radical Price )   - audio and video production and even payment processing
3. Reach - one can make contact (for free) with many contacts
4. Measurement & Tracking - one can easily get access to key metrics with ad trackers, newsletter openings etc.
5. Easy to do marketing -  one can "do it yourself" (if you're not a technophobe AND have the time)
6. "Abundant"  information at your fingertips - with most search engines like google or Ask one can search for and find anything - anywhere in the world. Remember that this info has the caveat of buyer beware as does any info you find offline)

 How has this blog made you think - you "technophobes" who didn't grow up with technology?

Here is access to the other post I wrote  13 Ways Offline and Online Marketing Are The Same 

Compare he two and tell me what you think. I'm VERY interested in what everone has to say!

13 Ways Offline and Online Marketing Are the Same

In the early 1980s I was working on my doctorate in Special Education. A friend of mine was working on her Masters in Adult Education. We had discussions regarding how children and adults learned. She (who had no experience teaching kids) held the accepted (at the time) opinion that they learned differently. I said they learned the same way except adults have more experience and therefore have to “unlearn” some things.

At the time I co-owned an Apple computer dealership (one of the first in Toronto, Canada) and trained our customers in how to use computers. I had taught kids from 1972 to 1980 and those in special education from 1976 to 1980 so I had lots of “real life” experience.

It’s now 2011 and the belief now in Adult Education is that “adults and children learn the same way except adults have more experience and therefore have to “unlearn” some things.” Hmmmm.

What if online marketing which many believe to be different than offline marketing ends up being the same? Hmmm … interesting.

Here are ten ways offline and online marketing are the same.

1. they both use advertisements
2. they both use networking to get clients
3. they both  use articles
4. they both use newsletters
5. they both use books or booklets that you sell or give away
6. they both use strategic partnerships
7. they both use “free reports”
8. they both use follow-ups with prospects and clients
9. they both use direct response
10. they both use promotional videos and audio products to promote
11. they both use radio
12. they both use free seminars and demos
13. they both use publicity

Way back (ha! ha!) in 1984, Jay Conrad Levinson wrote a book that has become a bible for small business owners. It was called Guerilla Marketing. Secrets For Making Big Profits From Your Small Business. It's on its fourth edition now and the term "Guerilla Marketing" spawned a whole series of books that are still rolling out. Everything in that book still holds true today. The only difference is that with the invention of the internet and the widespread ownership and use of computers it’s now easier and cheaper AND you can promote your business both locally and internationally.

So what’s changed? Not the marketing activities themselves. What’s different is just the method. Do you agree or disagree? Tell me.

Next time I’ll write about how offline and online marketing are different. Watch this blog for that!

 

Celebrate Your Vendors Not Just Your Clients

February 4, 2011

What a wonderful morning. A celebration DOESN'T have to be "noisy". It can be peaceful and still celebratory. We got together to show our happiness that something really good had happened by having a snack and drinking tea.

We were rejoicing (I say we because we were all a piece of it) the completion of redoing the website and its logo and sending out a newsletter (only the second one) and starting a blog for Christine McMulkin a client of mine who has become a friend over the years. It was a lot more work and attention to detail than most people know or expect.

I took my camera (I'm always prepared!) and here we all are in a photo.

 From left to right we have Susan Ward of  Boost Business who did the web design and new logo, me, Liz McMulkin who did the data input into the database, and Christine McMulkin the client AND the writer of all content who invited us all to celebrate.

We were all part of the team who helped create Christine's her new look and feel.

It felt really good. So let me ask you - do YOU celebrate your vendors and make a part of the team?