One of Our Best Customers
March 4, 2009
I got a message a while ago from someone named “Dave” who wanted to talk to me about “an important marketing opportunity.” Not having any information, but being interested in marketing, I called the number he had left for me.
When the phone was answered, and I explained why I was calling, there was a brief pause while the person on the phone had to go off and find out exactly who Dave was. A few minutes later (at this point, they had piqued my curiosity) Dave finally arrived on the call.
He had called me about a marketing conference – a “boot camp” type event featuring three well known marketing people, including Adam Ginsberg, who teaches people how to make money using eBay. Always curious as to how people select and target their mailing lists, I asked how they got my name in the first place.
At first, he didn’t know, and then, after further digging, he said triumphantly, “Oh, here it is: Adam Gisnberg says you’re one of his best students.”
Wow – what an honor! Except for one simple fact: I’m not one of his best students. In fact, I’m not one of his worst students: I’m not even a student of his at all. I’ve never bought so much as a book from him. The closest I’ve ever come to any involvement with Adam Ginsberg is the time he spoke at one of the major marketing conferences I attend each year.
Turns out, I had reached a call center where people were working fervently to fill seats at an upcoming event. There were many ways they could have gotten my name, any of which would have made me a likely candidate. But the minute they couldn’t explain how they selected me – and got their only attempt at it dead wrong – I lost all interest in attending the conference…and in continuing the conversation.
Affinity is important: teachers selling to other teachers; stay-at-home moms selling to other stay-at-home moms; entrepreneurs selling to other entrepreneurs all have better results because of the common background, language, and experience they share with each other.
But you have to get it right. You can’t send a letter to a list of vegetarians that starts out: “Just like you, nothing brings a smile to my face like a big, juicy sirloin steak…” And that’s essentially what they did.
It doesn’t take much effort to select qualified lead sources, segment your own “house list,” and customize the message you send to specific market segments. Best of all, the effort you put into this process will almost always lead to improved response and increased revenue.
Four for the Price of One
February 27, 2009
Most people understand that technology, remote workforces, and quality outsourcing have significantly leveled the playing field and eliminated many of the “economies of scale” that used to be the exclusive domain of very large companies.
But despite this, it’s still tough being a small business these days. People can be reluctant to work with you because they secretly wonder if you’re going to be the next casualty to fall as a result of the recession, and they don’t want to be left hanging if anything happens to you.
Fortunately, there’s a way to make yourself appear to be much bigger than you are, like when cats puff up and arch their backs when they’re near a dog to look larger and more menacing.
We recently called the local company that does our annual termite inspection. It had four numbers listed on the receipt from the last time the company was out here – one for Raleigh, one for Durham, one for Chapel Hill, and one for Hillsboro – four cities in our general area.
What we discovered after talking with them was that the company didn’t really have individual offices in all four cities, but rather a single office with four different numbers, each with a local exchange that made it look like other phone numbers in that area.
There are many ways to do this, whether through your local phone company, or through Voice-Over IP services (VOIP) like Skype, and it’s actually a good strategy for two reasons:
- It makes you look like you’re a bigger company than you actually are, providing subtle reassurance to your customers.
- It implies that you have a local presence in each area so people think you’ll be closer to them in the event of an emergency.
Of course, it’s important to note that nowhere in its marketing did the company actually claim to have four offices or even imply that – it simply listed four different “local” phone numbers on its materials.
You always have to determine if your strategies and approaches meet the guidelines for “acceptable use”: try whatever you like, as long as it’s not illegal, immoral, or unethical. And, of course, you set the rules for the last two of these.
Remember, there’s a lot you can do to establish and maintain credibility with your customers and prospects, and in this economic climate, it’s more important now than ever.
Cutting Back…or Charging Forward?
February 12, 2009
Business is slow; revenues are down; and people are panicking. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Consider this excerpt from an article I just saw in our local paper:
A Raleigh advertising agency, founded nearly 25 years ago, has filed for bankruptcy protection and on Friday laid off 15 employees. As the recession worsens, they have seen a “significant reduction in our clients’ marketing budgets for 2009,” said their CEO. Clients also are putting off longer-term projects. “There was not enough to keep us afloat,” he said.
Why is the advertising agency filing Chapter 11? Why are their clients’ budgets being slashed? Why are they putting off longer-term projects? The answer is simple: fear.
You see, when the economy starts looking grim, businesses respond with the first knee-jerk reaction that comes to mind: cutting expenses. I used to see this all the time in my previous corporate life. Times are good? Hire like crazy and train everyone. Revenues slowing? Immediate hiring, training, and spending freezes across the board – without considering any strategic spending that might actually help bring the company through the difficult patch.
This same thing is happening in businesses today: “Recession! Arrghhhh! Run for the hills!!! Cut spending! Lay off everyone! Stop advertising!” This is both wrong and dangerous for three reasons:
- It’s pure reaction without any thought. When a crisis hits, it’s always best to think through different scenarios and, more importantly, to consider counterintuitive, outside-the-box options before taking the path everyone else is following.
- It puts you in a “scarcity mentality” where all you think about is avoiding more losses instead of focusing on creating more revenue. It’s the same thing that happens when professional sports teams start playing to “protect the lead” – they almost always squander the very lead they’re trying to protect by focusing on “avoiding loss” instead of “achieving victory.”
- It overlooks the HUGE opportunity that exists in marketing today: less competition for attention. Think about it – if everyone else is cutting back on marketing and advertising expenses, then there are fewer letters and post cards being sent, fewer ads being run, and fewer web sites being updated and managed correctly. All of which spells opportunity for the few brave souls willing to step up and strategically move into this vacuum.
Are you going to follow the pack or blaze your own trail? Target specific market segments; develop irresistible offers; measure response and effectiveness, and you can not only survive, but actually thrive – even in this economy.
