As promised, I want to spend the next couple Thursdays talking about word of mouth marketing. We all want our customers to tell their friends and colleagues about us but do we have any idea what they might be saying?
Here's a ten minute assignment for you.
Go to your favorite free online survey tool, like Survey Monkey. Create a new poll and ask these three questions:
Do you ever talk about McLellan Marketing Group (obviously, fill in your own company name!)
If so, what do you tell people about us?
If you had to describe McLellan Marketing Group in a single word, what word would you choose?
Now, send an e-mail to all your clients, past clients, vendors, etc. Explain that you're trying to understand how you're perceived in the marketplace and because you value the relationship you have with them, you're counting on them to be candid on a very quick, 3 question survey.
The power of this is two-fold. One, you're going to get some eye-opening insights. But second, you are making the people you survey feel important and valued. And in a subtle way, suggesting that you might be talk-worthy.
Send out the survey and prepare to be surprised. Most of the time, people do not spout off your features and benefits. They talk about what sticks with them, what feels different, something that surprised them.
Long before you leave the front desk of Hotel Burnham in Chicago, you know you're going to have a different experience. It's not anything big, in fact….it's something small.
The key.
Today, every hotel from a Motel 6 to a Four Seasons, uses a magnetic key card. Some are prettier than others but they all use the same technology. It's what we expect.
At Hotel Burnham, they hand you a brass key.
Is it some crazy stunt? Is there incredible value in the key? No.
The value comes in the surprise. In being different. The subtle message is "if they pay attention to that level of detail — they really care. They've put a lot of effort into this." It's something their guests talk about. Organic word of mouth.
This week, pay attention to all of the things you do because that's how your industry does them. Or it's how you've always done it. What would happen if you changed that up?
What's one little change you could make that would signal to your customers that you've gone to a different level of caring about their experience?
M&Ms have been around since 1941, when they quickly became a favorite of the soldiers in World War II. In 1954, peanut M&Ms came to be and they went crazy in 1976 by adding an orange M&M to the mix.
In the subsequent 30+ years, we've all watched the evolution of the M&M. Seasonal colored packages (green and red for Christmas etc.), almond M&M's, etc.
But the basic M&M tenet — inexpensive, candy coated chocolates that won't melt in your hand has pretty much stayed the course.
Until recently.
M&M's as you probably know, launched M&M Premiums. At $4 or more a package, these are being played up as something very special…not an ordinary candy at all. Eva Longoria helped launch the new candies in New York City and the packaging and marketing all say — high end.
They also launched a media campaign to push the new offering.
So here's what I am wondering. Did M&M's step over the line? Can they be both the inexpensive candy we have grown up with AND a premium candy?
We talk about how the brand lives in your consumers' head and heart. They own the brand. We can tell them who we are ut they get to decide if that's really the case.
Did M&M's try to stretch their brand beyond our comfort level? What do you think?
I've long lamented the fact that companies find the idea of marketing/talking to their current customers as less sexy or valuable than the chase for new business. The reality is, most companies spend backwards.
They invest the most money on strangers they hope will become customers
They spend a little money on current customers — taking their business for granted
They spend little to no money on their employees, who either deliver the brand promise and delight the customer…or not so much.
Looks silly, when you see it spelled out that way, doesn't it? I believe the recession, the employee shortage (which has been temporarily delayed because of all the layoffs) and the new consciousness in terms of fiscal responsibility may finally make this the year when organizations begin to recognize the value in investing in their current customers and employees.
Around the internet….I have been initiating some conversations around this topic.
So go check out those conversations and then come on back and let's talk about how we can communicate more often and more effectively with our current clients.
I have long preached the gospel of brand consistency. (I've also questioned if you can take it too far) But I want to remind you about a more subtle but often forgotten about aspect of your brand where consistency is sometimes lost.
Often times, how you say something is more important than what you say.
You should have a clear idea of what your company’s “voice” is. And regardless of how many different writers are involved, your materials should always be in the same voice.
How do you “sound” in your communications pieces?
Are you formal? Conversational? Do you use short, choppy sentences or long, descriptive paragraphs? Do you strictly adhere to grammar and style rules or do you take some liberties? What about slang or industry jargon?
What do each of those choices say about you?
Don’t assume the right answer is based on industry stereotypes. Imagine the tone and style differences between a corporate law firm and a law firm that specializes in family law.
Your voice goes beyond the written words. What is the attitude of your radio spot? How about your signage? Is your voice consistent in how you answer your phone? The signature line on your e-mail? What about your press releases and sales promotions materials? Your on hold message?
Think of all the ways you communicate to your customers, potential customers, employees, and vendors. How consistent is your voice?
I had coffee today with a gentleman who made the comment that "branding was the hot, new thing."
Yes and no. It’s certainly one of the buzz words of the day. But the truth of the matter is… genuine, dig deep branding is a fundamental truth that has been talked about for a century or better. Listen to what branding expert Mark Twain has to say on the subject:
"I cannot give you a formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody."
How about you? Are you narrowing your focus or in this recession panic filled time, are you trying to please everyone?
Just about every day at McLellan Marketing Group, we’re working with clients who want to explore social media and what it can do for their company. And almost all of them think they want to blog.
Not so fast.
I think one of the most irresponsible things we (MMG) can do, is simply give them the keys to a blog and set them off. Because many of them will end up in a ditch. Not because they’re not competent and capable. But because not every one or every company should blog.
Before we’ll build them a blog and teach them how to engage it….we review the 5 musts of business blogging and walk them through each step. If they can get through all five, they’re probably a good candidate to blog.
You must have a clear purpose.
The why sets the tone for everything. Who are you going to talk to? What types of things will you write about? Who should be writing? How will you decide if it’s working or not?
Way too many companies launch a blog simply because it’s the cool, new things to do. Really bad idea. Don’t do a thing until you have a vision for your blog.
Listen at least twice as much as you write.
Good bloggers are good blog readers. They read inside their own category and they read blogs that have little to do with their core competency. They read smart writers. They reference smart writers and they create a network of smart bloggers, inside and outside of their profession.
Jump into conversations and add value.
Most beginning bloggers believe that all they need to do is write their blog posts and voila, a following will show up. Rarely.
You earn your stripes and the respect of other bloggers, readers and the like at other people’s blogs long before you can earn it at your own blog. A good blogger is not only a frequent reader…but a frequent commenter.
And “great post!” doesn’t count. When you comment — add to the conversation. Do that consistently and you will entice people to your own blog. Skip this step and your blog becomes a dusty monologue.
Write and then write some more.
The tech blogs seem to have a new post every 5.7 seconds. For the average business blog, that would be insane. But 3 to 5 on topic, on target posts a week is what it’s going to take create the stickiness that will attract and keep readers satisfied.
We’re not talking thesis papers here. Blog posts should focus on one teachable message or thought. Short and sweet (shoot for 300 words or less) wins the day most of the time.
Be in it for the long haul.
Business blogging is not a quick fix. It’s relationship-based, whether that’s your relationship with your readers, with other bloggers, or with the media — it’s all about connecting.
If you’re looking for an insta-success, try something else. Even if you do everything just right, it’s going to take some time and discipline to create a community.
If you’re not going to give it a year, don’t give it a start.
Whew…if that hasn’t scared you off, then you’re probably a pretty good candidate for a business blog. Let us know if we can help.
And, a hat tip to my blog coach Mike Sansone. I learned all of this stuff at his knee a few years ago and keep on learning from him today.
I hope you’re not good. Good is fine. Acceptable. Meets my expectations. Good is boring. In fact, for most of us — it’s invisible.
When was the last time you told a friend about an experience you had that was good? A meal that was good. Customer service that was adequate. Nothing wrong…but nothing special either?
You didn’t — right? Something extraordinary (good or bad) needs to happen to get you to tell someone about it.
We don’t notice, let alone talk about the ordinary. The expected. The good enough. We don’t get excited unless something extraordinary happens. That’s how we live our lives as consumers.
But when we put on our marketing hat, we’re astonished that the marketplace doesn’t applaud our efforts every day. Truth be told…many organizations are satisfied with just delivering satisfactory.
You don’t have to create a circus in your consultation room or have minstrels wandering through your store. You don’t have to serve gourmet snacks outside the dressing room. But you do have to find a way to infuse something remarkable into your product or service.
Now here’s the tricky part – it also has to be genuine. Consumers are not only jaded but they’re smart. Rightfully so – they hate being manipulated and they can spot insincerity a mile away. So a manufactured moment feels forced and insulting. The trick to creating the extraordinary is that it needs to come from the heart. The heart of the organization. Your brand.
It’s not as hard as you might think to take the leap to extraordinary. Take stock. Scrutinize every time you interact with a client and let your imagination off its leash. How could you change that moment and go beyond good to reach for spectacular? What would feel special and genuine from both your customers and your employees’ point of view?
My daughter will be 16 next summer. Which means she sends a lot of text messages. It also means I send a lot of text messages. When in Rome…
One truth I have discovered is that even in that abbreviated medium, it’s easy to be long-winded.
For every sentence I text, her retention and response gets shorter. The briefer I am, the more attention she pays and the more importance she seems to assign to my message.
If I really want an answer to a specific question or really want her to hear me about something, I use a single sentence. Then, I get her full attention.
Boy, is there a marketing lesson in that.
The more copy you use to deliver your messages…the less important they seem. The more messages you shove into a single ad, blog post or brochure — the more likely your big message will be lost in the blur.
I conducted the MMG brand discovery process for a non-profit over the weekend (hard to gather volunteer board members during the work week) and at the end of a long but fruitful day, their board president said, "I’ve learned so much today. Not just about marketing our organization but this stuff applies to my work, my relationships…my life!"
He’s right of course. Marketing’s core lessons are not only universal but they’re really basic tenets of relationships.
A few years ago, I wrote a series that I think is a very good reminder to all of us of these core lessons. I hope you’ll take a few minutes and read the entire "Marketing Tips from My Italian Grandma" series. Even if you vaguely remember some of them…I promise an ah ha moment or two.
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As promised, I want to spend the next couple Thursdays talking about word of mouth marketing. We all want our customers to tell their friends and colleagues about us but do we have any idea what they might be saying?![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=381bce2e-8c69-4c45-846d-3cb6591d6b6e)
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