Or as a snob, do you parse out information in a way to offend others and reinforce your superiority?

Which will get you more in the long run?

There are a lot of lonely snobs. 

And many happy experts.

POWER ON–Mark

Before you read this I want you to know I am a fan of Apple products, I have a Mac, 3 iPods, an iPhone (3G, not the 4), and I had an iPad for a while, hoping it would meet my needs. It did not, so I returned it. But I love the products, the design, and the ease of use, so I will continue to buy Apple products as I need them. With that said, did you see or read about the announcement by Steve Jobs regarding the iPhone 4 antenna issues? I saw and read them and was disappointed. You can watch it for yourself here: Steve Jobs on CNN Reports

On one of my very first posts, I briefly mentioned that marketing is the heart of your business, and I believe that even more now.  In looking at the presentation by Steve Jobs, I felt Apple forgot its heart. Why? There really wasn't an apology, there was an explanation. And worse, there was a comparison! Apple has never had to compare. Instead of saying "we want all our customers to be happy",  Apple should apologize, say they failed to meet their own high expectations, provide a fix and move on. Giving a free case was a needed gesture, but did not fix the bigger issue of the proud culture that has been established by Apple.

The comparison to the loss of signal while holding the phone a certain way was below the high standards of Apple. Apple needs to remember that they can and should turn a weakness into a strength. Go for the jugular. Don't compare your weakness, make it better. Show why I should buy, and why you are better, or the best. Regain your arrogance, and move on. Take your lumps, fix it, then power ahead. 

If you have a similar issue in your business, learn from Apple. Make your weakness a strength, move ahead, and rise to a higher level.

What power can you gain from a weakness?

POWER ON–Mark

When you become a sweeper, you lose the opportunity to expand. You lose the ability to respond, the ability to react and the ability to grow.

What do you have in your Confetti Project that is waiting to be spread? Put your broom away, throw away the dustpan, and forget about sweeping, you will be pleased with the results.

POWER ON–Mark

Creating a marketing program can be amazingly tough. Do you base it on media, social media, referrals, or inside actions? Do you spend a massive amount of money using a ‘push’ strategy, hoping for the best? Or do you create an ‘pull’ strategy with your customer’s assistance? The possibilities are infinite, as are the frustrations. When starting your Confetti Project, the countdown is an essential step to determining what will work best for you in your situation. The countdown starts with a blank sheet and an open mind. Being proactive instead of reactive can lead to ideas that really fly.

There are resources also that will help stimulate your process. Here are four that can help you out:

Seth Godin-Author, Marketing Expert, All-Around Good Guy

John Jantsch-Duct Tape Marketing

Dave Crenshaw-Author, Time Management Whiz

Pamela Slim-Coach, Speaker, Small Business Expert

These are just a few experts, use them, or find your own. Just don’t carry the burden alone.

POWER ON–Mark

How tightly do you control your marketing message? Are you what I like to call a ”sweeper” who constantly makes sure the message is tight and controlled? If so…WHY?! The purpose of a message is to spread either virally or organically. If you are concerned about your efforts going in the wrong direction, maybe you have the wrong message.

This came up recently during the run to the Super Bowl by the New Orleans Saints. The NFL was so concerned that the phrase “Who Dat” was being used without license that they threatened to sue anyone profiting from the phrase. What a good way to taint a feel good story.

Instead, become a spreader. Allow your message to be shared far and wide. Be like Red Bull who gives away free samples across the world. Use your name and message to promote your product. While you can’t control the entire message, it is better than bottling it up.

Spreading is also easier. Get your product or service in the hands of new customers, without disenfranchising current customers. Remember, as long as you treat your current customers well, they should be loyal. The issue is that current, satisfied customers have already told their friends and family about you. Allow your word to spread beyond those with direct awareness, like a virus.

What message do you want your potential customers to see?

POWER ON–Mark

My suggestion to achieve WOM success is to plan the biggest event you can afford and invite EVERYONE! And don’t just invite customers. The reason why is simple, but often overlooked. Your customers, if pleased with your service, have already told people about your product or service. It is the customers that have not yet been WOWed from an interaction with you that can help you reach a brand new audience.  Emergemcemarketing.com has a nice blog on this subject.

Get the message to spread to new customers through interactions outside the usual office or business environment. An event that I have had consistent success with is a car wash. For the cost of  a power washer and a local high school or community group, you can increase interaction, goodwill, and your bottom line. 

Let the people you please spread the word about your business!

POWER ON-Mark

Keywords: Apollo, Challenger, Pinto. Three simple words that have vivid memories about specific events in my life. Not life changing in any way, but memorable and indelibly etched in my past. What do they bring to mind for you? If you use a search engine, Apollo brings up 41,500,000 references on Google, Challenger-19,800,000 and Pinto-37,100,000. Think about Challenger, is it a spacecraft, a contestant, a car, a participant in a race, a politician or a school?  Pinto is even more generational in the 70′s it was a car, the 80′s a movie character in “National Lampoon’s Animal House”, the 00′s a baseball player or an actress in an academy award winning movie; “Slumdog Millionaire”. Or it was a bean that has been eaten for generations.

Specific things  mean different things to different people. When developing a SEO program you need to keep that in mind. If you are too general you spend too much money chasing after dead ends, too narrow and you have nothing to show for your efforts. Be smart, take it to another level. MAking your search parameters will yield very different results;  Apollo 11 (10,100,000), Challenger Explosion (324,000) or Ford Pinto (682,000).  While you as a user know this, when you create your SEO you program, you may tend to forget in order to reach a wider more diluted audience. If you use the correct words for your SEO program, you will find the correct group of potential customers. If using SEO as an option in your marketing program, be generally specific. Also don’t forget to be unconventional. While the Apollo 11 was the first to land on the moon, Apollo 17 was the last lunar mission. You don’t want to be first or the last, but you want to be easy to find and memorable.

What will be memorable about your SEO strategy?  And how will you get there without spending a mint? I have some ideas, and I am sure you have some great ideas, drop me a note and we can chat about it.

POWER ON–Mark

mark@atomicpenny,com

Find–Go out and find the people, situations and interactions that will not only help you be successful, but in which you can        reciprocate. There are millions of customers waiting for, almost begging for an interaction. If you don’t do it through a personal  interaction, the customer will find someone who will. Once you find her, accelerate to her to be of assistance. Now as a company with hundreds, thousands or even millions of customers, you personally cannot help every one. You can however, put in place a system that can be replicated and reinforce the customer interactions.

Accelerate–Move as fast as you can to help, assist or sell to the customer. Also accelerate away from those customers who will suck the life force out of you! You are in charge of the gas pedal, use it wisely. Once you accelerate to the customer, don’t be a stalker. Do what you need to do, do it well, keep in touch and find another person or company to build a relationship with. Then work to maintain that relationship

Maintain–Make the call, send a note, refer another client. Make sure the customer know you appreciate her business. Be sure to maintain that relationship. With a little time, you can do quite a bit. A customer only sale, a thank you note or a visit just to say hello goes a long way. Maintain the relationship in such a way that again, both of you gain from it. A word of warning, be sure to make the customer feel needed, but not in a desperate way. Desperation never looks or feels good. And remember to enjoy the interactions.

Enhance and Enjoy– Enjoy the reciprocal relationship you have created. Make an effort to include the customer in your company functions. Let the customer know that her success is your success. Depending on the customer,  include her in corporate events if possible. Brag about the customer and her accomplishments. Don’t brag about the size of the sale, but how both of you win in the interaction. Be genuinely please to see the customer and interact with her.  Make it a long lasting relationship based on mutual success and admiration. Enjoy the success both of you have. Besides her success can be your success.

Many times in sales and marketing it is easier to find a new customer than to help a current one. In the business climate we live in today, everyone is trying to win new customers, and some of them just may be yours. Make the extra effort and don’t give the customer a reason to leave, create a reason to stay. Not only will both of you be happier, you will claim the F.A.M.E. you so richly deserve.

POWER ON–Mark

When I posted this link it reaffirmed that what the customer wants is a special experience.  I personally am tired of hearing: sale, price, mark-down and closeout. What I want to hear is “Thank you for shopping with us”, “Yes Sir”, ” I can get that for you” and so on. I also started thinking about who does it right.

The Apple Store is an amazing place to visit. It is visually stunning, interactive and welcoming. You see no signs stating; “Don’t Touch”, “You break it you buy it”, “Backpacks are subject to search” or a scowling security guard. You are welcomed to browse, ask questions and touch stuff, lots and lots of stuff. Cool electronic stuff. iPods, iPhones, Macs, Macbooks and accessories. No one asks you to stand behind a rope or wait your turn. If you have an Apple product, make an appointment at the Genius Bar to experience another part of the experience. And if you need help all you need to do is ask. That is what I call an excellent customer experience. I enjoy just going in and touching.

Nordstrom is another retailer that gets it. While I admit that I dislike clothes shopping as much as I dislike visiting the dentist, Nordstrom makes me feel welcome.  I am willing to pay a little more to get clothing I know will last and can be returned if they don’t work out. Lastly, the associates at Nordstrom  will walk around the counter and hand you your purchase. While it is a little thing, it makes the experience a big thing.

As either a marketer or business, what can you do to make a small thing BIG?

POWER ON–Mark

If you are a paid consultant, you are paid to be right, but that does not always extend to other aspects of life and business. In business there is always an individual or group that knows either more or different information than you do. Pamela Slim, author, coach extraordinaire, mentor and blogger, has written about this subject. She is an expert in this area and really dedicated to getting aspiring entrepreneurs up and going. Her primary advice is to get a Council of Elders or a personal board of directors. I highly suggest checking it out.

Another marketing expert, Bryan Waldon Pope, wrote about resources available to assist in running your start-up. His information is part of his website at Marketing Success Institute. He provides a number of resources in his blog to help you start or grow your business.

So as you start running, growing or marketing your business. Take your blinders off, open your ears and above all ask questions.

I have found with some of my hiring and business practices it is best to ask those people who likely will give you the harshest criticism for advice. Friends and family will tell you what you want to hear, those who are are unaffiliated or more critical will tell you what our need to know. Be unconventional and ask for criticism, learn from it and grow your business to a higher level. Then make your critics your biggest cheerleaders by showing them you can listen and learn.

Bonus Sites:

www.escapefromcubiclenation.com

www.marketingsuccessinstitute.com

POWER ON–Mark