‘Cheers’ was a fictional bar in (I think) Boston that was the scene of an American sitcom a few years ago. As the jingle went, at ‘Cheers’ “…..everybody knows your name.” Customers love it when people remember their name. It makes a very psoitive impression.
I was interviewing some staff of a business recently and it just happened that they had previously been customers of the business, then went elsewhere and then came back to remain loyal customers. They both then went on to become staff members.
My question was, “What made you return and stay as a customer?”
Both responses were the same. “Because when I walked in the staff remembered my name. And that’s when I thoiught this is a business that cares and a business I want to deal with.”
Many people dismiss the simpole things in marketing and business as having a big impact. But it’s the little things that matter.
Do you know your customer’s names? What about their parterners? Or children? Or hobbies? Taking an interest means you care. And a caring business will sell more than a non-caring one.
Cheers!
Brendon
I’m giving the following examples not to say that we’re better than anyone else, but just as an example of what a customer focus is.
To be successful you need to meet your customers needs. Might be price, might be quality, might be service. You’re in business for the customer – so do everything you can to meet that customers needs.
On Friday morning I asked, on behalf of a client, for some graphics from my clients graphic artist. The answer I got back was that the person in charge of that account had left for the day and was at a conference. And because another artist had alread left for the conference the business was 2 down and too busy.
“We’ll send them Tuesday”
We needed the files urgently and the graphic artist pretty much said, “Doesn’t suit us. We’ll send them Tuesday.”
Today (Saturday) I visited a client and downloaded a piece of software onto her computer and showed her the basics of using it. It took me an hour and a half.
But my client really needed that software on her computer. And if it wasn’t put on today it would be another week before she had the chance to give me access to her computer. No biggie really.
Our business is customer focused. We don’t get it right every single time, but we have to have a commitment to making life as easy as possible for our clients. It’s not rocket science.
Our clients wants solutions, not problems.
If sending your employees off to a conference means you’re clients will suffer, don’t do it. If you have to go in on a day off to help a client, maybe you should.
It’s all about the client.
Brendon
Yesterday I spoke with an ad rep for a major Australian cinema chain regarding a 12-week advertising run in a major Australian city. After a chat the rep has sent through the proposal.
And what a bunch of crap it is! How do these people sell any advertising?!
Firstly, the emailed proposal spells my company name wrong. And then on the next page it spells it wrong again – this time is a different spelling mistake.
And the proposal – 1 page – almost no information other than the rates. There is nothing here that positions this chain as anything other than second rate with appalling customer service skills.
The proposal gives me the number of screens, number of ads shown, any inclusions and the price. Under ‘Additional information’ I have this:
Admissions: 896,000 for 02/03 (latest figures although there was an increase last year)
What a waste of an opportunity to demonstrate how the cinema advertising could meet my needs. That needs to be something like this:
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Viewers;
The cinema attracted 896,000 paying viewers for the financial year 2002/03. The admission numbers for the 6 months ending December 31, 2003 have increased a healthy 6% on the same time last year. At current growth rates we anticipate just under 950,000 into the cinema for the year. (Have up to the minute information!)
For the dates you have mentioned as being appropriate for your client our statistics indicate your ad would be viewed by 250,000 people. Our forecast demographic information for this period is blah, blah and blah.
Interestingly, the upcoming releases will appeal to the same demographic that you identified as your market. Further to that, we have some ideas already on how you could leverage your investment to gain the greatest exposure possible.
This could include:
* Provide you with A4 & A2 size posters of your ad (you can use these for general advertising/display – build a strong connection)
* A trade night where you and 30 guests/customers come along to a complimentary movie (with reserved parking, enjoy wine and food prior to the start, and complimentary popcorn and Coke!
* 30 free tickets for you to dsitribute as prizes in the business
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Basically, tell me how my significant investment will provide me with the benefits that you know it can. And then quantify those benefits.
The only other bit in the proposal was this:
Additional Artwork and Voice Over: $1,045
Don’t tell the prospect the cost until you demonstrate the benefits and value he will receive. Try something like this:
Brendon, as you are aware, quality creative results in more recognition and sales to you. Our highly experience team (they have over 52 years experience in cinema advertising alone) thrive on the challenge of producing outstanding creative to meet your exact needs and generate recognition and sales.
David Smith is widely acknowledge as one of the best voice-over men in Sydney and his voice would provide a nice fit with your target market. Barry Jones’ is a brilliant copywriter who has worked on campaigns with Telstra, Tailored Consulting (!!) and Coles Myer. Our research of the unprompted recall of Barry’s work is consistently above that of the competition and we can tie that back to about a 20% increase in sales.
This expertise is available exclusively to our clients. Of course we tailor the package to meet your exact needs – to give you a ballpark figure $1,045 is the average spend on creative.
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If you are selling a big ticket item – such as web sites – then give the prospect the information he needs to make a decision. The bigger the price the more information.
Regards
Brendon
Solve client’s problem
If you, like me, have been hammered today with hundreds of infected emails you’ll know how frustrating it can be. It’s pretty much slowed our work day to a crawl. This virus is the worst I’ve every seen and it will get bigger over the next couple of days (note: this blog is transferred over from my www.tailored.com.au site and was orginally written in January 2004).
This virus is a great opportunity for you. Follow these 3 simple steps.
1. Pick up the telephone and call everyone of your clients and tell them about the virus.
2. Post up on your web site all the information about the virus that is known. Include links to virus software sites. Direct your clients to the site.
3. Tell your clients how to check and fix their computer themselves. Or offer to go to them and check their virus software and hard drives for a fee.
Once you’ve done that you will have some extra business. Then ring around all of your clients again in a couple of days to check and make sure all is working fine. Suggest some safeguards for the future – write that down in a mini-report and post it to your clients with your compliments.
Even the clients that didn’t use your services will thank you for being so concerned, proactive and helpful. And you’ll also get plenty of referral work.
Like I mentioned below, business is about taking headaches away for your clients. Do that and you’ll have a terrific business in no time.
Cheers
Brendon
I assessed an advertising opportunity for one of my clients today. This is how I did it.
He was offered the back of a local golf club’s scorecard the players receive. His ad would appear along with 2 others. It was $400 to be on 8,000 cards.
Now, a good way to assess the value your advertising (aside from does it work!) is what’s called CPM. Stands for cost per thousand. How much does it cost to reach 1,000 people. $400 divided by 8 = $50. $50 to get the ad in front of a potential 1,000 people.
Let’s look at the downside of these ads:
1. Do golfers look at the back of golf scorecards? I’d say no.
2. My client sells mainly to women. More men play at this golf course than women.
3. I know that this golf course has been purchased and will be developed into housing. Those 8,000 cards may not even all get used.
So, we have an ad that the vast majority of people won’t see. And if the golfers do see, they are not our target market anyway. And the ads compete against 2 others on a very small space.
This ad ain’t going to make the cut!
Let’s compare it to other forms of advertising. We’ll see how it stacks up against the local free newspaper.
Readership of 80,000. Costs $160 for a decent sized ad. For $480 we would get 3 good sized ads. And a free editorial – that’s a story written by a journalist about my client’s business.
3 and a bit times more cost effective
For much the same price we get to 320,000 people. $480 divided by 320 = $15 CPM ($15 to get in front of 1,000 people).
From that simple exercise we can see that my client doesn’t spend $400 on the golf scorecard ads. his money is better spent elsewhere.
Can you apply that sort of review to your marketing?
Brendon
Take this simple test. Read the paragraph below:
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer are in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe and the biran fguiers it out aynawy.
Amazing, huh??! What’s the lesson here – I have no idea. It just amazed me, that’s all!
Cheers
Brendon
I think I know a bit about how people perceive value. I observe it, test it, document it and write about it. I’m pretty cynical when it comes to assessing the true value of things.
Or so I thought
Or so I thought……………until I caught myself assessing the value of something I purchased today. You see, I purchased an e-book today. It came with 4 bonus ‘reports’.
When I downloaded the pdf files (the e-book and the reports) I opened the folder I’d saved them in. The first thing I noted was the file size. The book had the largest file size. I immediately assigned that as having the most value.
Next most valuable in my quick review was the next highest file size report.
As soon as I made that judgement I knew I’d made a judgement call on value based on flimsy, flimsy evidence. All it would take is an extra large graphic within a report and it would suddenly be perceived (to me anyway) as being more valuable.
The point is this: We make judgement calls every single day. Based often on nothing more than very poor criteria (like file size for instance!).
How do people judge your service or product? Every single part of your business matters. It all says something to your customers. Are those things saying the right thing?
Brendon
Howdy. Talking with some clients last week about how best to market their business. During the discussions we got around, as we always do, to what they are going to offer their target market.
Make your offer irrestible. Have your market look at your offer and say “WOW! That’s unbelievable! I want that!!”
That way your market will come to you and buy. And once they do that you are much more likely to have them come back and buy from you again (it’s all about reduced perceived risk, knowing where you are, etc) – and you can now market to these people with laser like precision.
Brendon
I’ve talked before of the problem with many businesses of not getting the cash in the door quickly enough.
We generally ask for 50% deposit on most work, with the balance on completion. I’ve been thinking of always asking for 100% upfront and providing a decent discount if the client chooses that option.
But I hadn’t done that regularly as yet.
But I will from now on
I gave a client a quote. Usual terms of 50% upfront.
“Can I pay 100% upfront and get a discount?” she asked.
Yes, she could. I’ve finally implemented that strategy with a gentle shove by my client.
Cashflow is critical for all businesses. Can you use that strategy?
You’ll never know if it works until you ask your client.
Brendon
We have an ongoing debate here in the office about personalising mail we send out to prospect businesses.
* Some people say we have to have a name contact for the business.
* Others argue that having the business is enough.
The right answer? I have no idea! (You’d expect that answer now I’d imagine)
Taking a look at the results of our mail out campaign shows that sending material to:
Acme Accounting
1 Smith St
Smithsville
works okay.
What works better is if the material is addressed to:
Joe Smith
Acme Accounting
1 Smith St
Smithsville
But then you have to weigh up the cost of developing a database with names and job titles. It is far easier to develop a database of just business names (i.e look in the Yellow Pages). Which means that we can send far more non-personalised material than personalised.
Taking all of that into account I’d say that (and I don’t have the exact numbers to back this up) it’s better to personally address the material. Your conversion rate (whether that be in leads or sales) is much better.
Regards
Brendon