Atomic Penny

Bryan Waldon Pope, Founder of Marketing Success Institute, recently wrote about competing with Disney and how he observed the Disney Experience. Disney itself has a book and seminars that cover how it is done at Disney. It is a plan that plays to perfection almost every day in each Disney theme park around the world. Next time you visit, really look a little deeper and see how your interaction and experience is enhanced by the plan the Disney Corporation has put in place.

What led me to discuss Disney is a conversation with a client. When I asked what company he wanted to emulate, his immediate response was “Disneyland”. Not the rides or the food, but the experience. As I am working with him to create that experience I wanted to share a few of my observations.

• You cannot wish to create an experience without a plan. The plan starts before you answer the phone, greet the first customer or sell your first paper. The plan needs to address everything that affects the customer experience; seen, heard, smelled, felt or even tasted.
• Your plan needs to address all of the above and do so in a way that exceeds expectations and creates a better experience than expected.
• In creating an experience, look to the customers for validation – not in a survey, but in their smiles, posture and actions. If you see an issue, address it immediately.
• Give the customers more than they expect. Fireworks are always a good fallback. If you are inside, what fireworks can you create?

One thing that is lost in the creation of the experience is the price. Don’t price to beat the competition, price to make the customer feel they got more than what they paid for when the experience is complete.

In looking around your business, what can be improved immediately to enhance your customers’ experience?

POWER ON–Mark

Recently I contacted a businessman that I had done business with, commented on his blogs, tweeted his success and shared his writings with others. Because I knew he was busy, I used his personal email address, and did not want to interrupt him with a phone call. The response I received was not from the business owner, but from some unknown assistant. It read in part, “thanks for writing Bob (not his real name). If you wish to leave a message please go to his website and post a message.”

WOW!

Now I know what my support is worth. It must be that I didn’t attend all the seminars, workshops and consulting he tried to sell me. He will never understand my frustration, but I probably won’t go out of my way to use his services, which are quite good. I just wanted to support him when he started out, and hoped that I could learn something which I did.

By the way, I have emailed or twittered Seth Godin, Pamela Slim and Tony Hseih and received a personal response. I was no only surprised, but more importantly I was impressed. I am not a captain of industry, I am not a major player, and I am definitely not someone who can bolster his or her career. But to each of them I am important enough to respond to, and they have a fan for life.

If you put this in the context of your business, have you ignored your older customers because they didn’t buy everything that was offered? Do you consider the person with the biggest car or highest credit limit more important than the customer paying with cash?

Who stood by you when you started up and when times turned tough? What have you done for them lately?

POWER ON–Mark

It worked before, it will work again. Have you ever told yourself that? It’s like trying a suicide squeeze in baseball three times in a game. If it worked for you, it has probably been noticed by the competition and they are doing something similar. If you continue to do the same thing, you move into the crowded field of marketing that you created. The same thing again and again may create a reminder for current customers, but will it attract new customers?

You can do the same thing over and over, but will it pay off? Why not reset the parameters and redefine what you are doing? Same message delivered in a different way. WOW the buying public!

Make your message memorable and fresh. You can do it if you are willing. Again and again will work to maintain.

But don’t you want to grow?

POWER ON–Mark

You have many choices when marketing to customers. Imagine the scenario where you have $3 left in your marketing budget. You want to reach as many prospects as possible and want to grow your business. Sounds absurd, right or wrong. As a marketer or business owner you have that decision to make every time you begin a new marketing concept.

What can that $3 buy you? Printing, postcards, a couple of banner ads? How about some goodwill and respect? Instead of marketing to the masses, market to the ONE. Who is the ONE? It is the one person who can influence others to interact with your business.

Your $3 can buy a cup of coffee or a piece of pie. Make the interaction special, memorable and personal. A cup of coffee by itself is just a cup, but the conversation and interaction will make or break the deal. Discuss what is important to the ONE. Family, sports, cars, world peace. It is your money but her time. The whole idea is to gain the trust of the ONE. If you do, the ONE can be your gateway to your future. Not only in customers, but in VC, media, alliances.

$3 and an hour of your time. It’s worth the investment.

POWER ON–Mark

Shift your weight, look at the ball, keep your left arm straight. Don’t let your club go too far out, don’t let it go too far in. Concentrate. Breathe. Relax. Now–SWING! If you are a golfer, you know what it’s like to hit a little round ball hard, but with precision. One little mistake can cost you some strokes, maybe the match, or can cause you to play poorly for the rest of your golf round.

Marketing is a lot like golf, lots to do, while aiming for a market. Sometimes you miss the market completely, other times a new market will find you. Here are a few suggestions to help you find your “groove” in your marketing plan:

• Determine what your core target market will be.
• Investigate ALL complimentary markets.
• Listen to feedback from your customers. They will give you clues to current and future opportunities.
• Don’t follow the pack, do your own thing.
• Allow feedback, and allow it to be available to all. Comments from customers and the associated follow-up by others is invaluable.

These suggestions can lead you to build your own Confetti Project, worthy of mention in future case studies.

You know the one. The person who everyone remembers from an interaction. He may not be the richest, best looking or most interesting, but the one person wh makes you feel better about yourself and others after an interaction.

The Confetti Project can work the same way. Be “That Guy” to your customers, prospects and suspects. Hugh MacLeod is “That Guy”, author of “Ignore Everybody” leaves his mark with every interaction. His Daily Business Card is amazing artwork for everyman.

Pamela Slim is  ”That Woman”,  dedicated to helping other escape from the corporate abyss. Right now she has an entire series of posts on expanding markets. She is a true confetti spreader.

Be “That Guy” or “That Woman” to your customers. Make the interaction something to remember and give everyone a reason to come back again. It’s not about the budget, it’s about the interaction. Oh, and when you interact, give those you meet a reason to remember you, and not a business card (unless you have one done by Hugh Macleod).

POWER ON–Mark

In the Wall Street Journal last week, this article appeared regarding retailers teaching improved customer service techniques to improve sales. I found it somewhat ironic that major retailers such as Macy’s and Hope Depot did not already have these processes in place. As a major retailer, wouldn’t you expect nothing less than every effort to be made to delight you, the customer? Plus, the cashiers are always willing to up-sell the extended warranty or offer you the latest credit card.

As a marketer and a small business owner, this just reinforces the fantastic opportunity you have to gain new customers. Make service the foundation of your work, keep it in front of the customers. Don’t brag about you customer satisfaction index or JD Power score. Let your customers brag about you.

If the big boys aren’t doing this, you may as well take advantage. That is one of the building block of your Confetti Project. What else can you do better than the BIG BUSINESS?

POWER ON–Mark

On Monday, the Boston  Marathon was run for the 114th time. If you watch any news coverage of the event, be sure to look closely at what the runners are wearing. Not the shoes, socks or even shorts. Look to see if they are carrying a message on their shirts. Also look to see if they are carrying a smile.

Why the shirts? It is more than a marathon, it is a cause, a hope a challenge. It is something many of them do to prove they are alive and well, other to remember or honor someone who has passed, or if fighting the good fight. I was not at the Boston Marathon, but at the Salt Lake City Marathon on Saturday and saw the contingent “Running For Michael“.  They are even highlighted in a local news story.

Think of this from a marketing perspective. These runners and those cheering for them are all spreaders.  Spreading Confetti, to all those that saw them run. What a great way to spread a message of hope or hype: “It will all work out.” How are you going to spread your message?

POWER ON–MarK

Once your countdown is complete, it is time to launch! Over the last several weeks we have seen the launch of the Apple iPad, the Microsoft Kin phone, the HP Slate and the updated Hyundai Sonata. Of these four, which one were you most aware of being launched? I would venture to say it was the iPad, not because of the amount of TV or print advertising, but because of the Confetti. Go to any search engine, news source or blog and you will see more about the iPad than any of the others. Why? Because of past performance and heightened expectations.

That’s what Apple does better than any company in the world. It creates anticipation, and launches, as promised. Even if the iPad is not something you would own, you probably had a discussion about it. The other products, possibly, but the passion probably was missing. That is the difference. Regardless of opinion, the product is discussed.

Apple is a spreader, and a darn good one. What can you do to spread your message. have people talk about it, then launch on time?

POWER ON–Mark