Atomic Penny

Facebook has over 162 Million users in the U.S. alone and Twitter has 75 million users, with 15 million of them currently listed as active. These are staggering numbers, and if you are using these platforms to get your message out, you need to apply the right way to reach your target users.

Honda recently used Facebook to launch it’s new vehicle, the Crosstour, and the response was less than pleasing.  If you look for followers on Twitter, the top company after celebrities and news organizations is the NBA  then Whole Foods at 1.8 MM and 1.75 MM followers respectivly.

My point is that Facebook and Twitter, as well as other social media sites have there place. You need to decide how you are going to best use them to your advantage.  Does your message resonate when posted? Rioja restaurant in Denver updates its fan page with new menus and special events. Uni-ball advertises its fan page in television commercials. Many companies are using twitter as a delivery system for coupons. Tony Hseih uses twitter to update employees and customers of his thoughts and goings on at Zappos.

I also use Facebook (Atomicpenny Fan Page)  as a means to deliver my blog and to send out announcements. I use Twitter (@atomicmark) also as a delivery system. Until I get the Confetti Project fully up and running, that will be my reach. Watch for more information soon!

What are your expectations of your social media program, and are you expecting more than you realize?

POWER ON–Mark

I am a big HUGE fan of acronyms. It is not the acronym itself, but the puzzle of figuring out what it stands for and how the acronym applies to you and your situation. At a recent gathering I had been asked to present on a way to grow sales and improve individual customer relations. Not wanting to rehash the same old, same old, I decided to present it as a way to become a legend in your own company, a way to gain F.A.M.E.:

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

I received this email on the 19th of June:

I know I have reached out to many of you before about this, but I wanted to make sure you all were aware of what I’m offering. Next Wednesday, June 24th is the end of XXXX fiscal year for 2009. Thursday, June 25th starts our new fiscal year (2010). As of today I am qualifying for our annual trip (XXXXXXXXXX) at XXXX which this year it’s in Ireland. I am 3 accounts away from making it happen. I am giving anyone who refers me a company (new or existing) that signs and starts XXXX by next Wednesday the following options:

· If you’re a client a FREE MONTH OF SERVICE
· If you’re a client or a prospect you’ll get a $25 Gift Card (to wherever you’d like) for a company that processes on a Monthly/Quarterly basis
· If you’re a client or a prospect you’ll get a $50 Gift Card (to wherever you’d like) for a company that processes on a Bi-weekly/Semi-Monthly
· If you’re a client or a prospect $100 Gift Card for a company that processes on a Weekly basis

(company and sender information removed)

Ummm….. OK, so you are asking me to sign up for you to win a trip? I don’t get it. What do I as a client get? What sets your company or services apart from others? Why should I sign up? Other than the need for a gift card, what is my motivation as a customer?

In my opinion, NEVER put your self interests ahead of your client, NEVER! During the current economic crisis, over and over the news has been full of leaders, managers and executives who put their interests first. That really didn’t seem to work out, for anyone.

Bottom line, be customer focused. Offer them value and service. If you are unconventional, and serve them better than the competition, the result will be positive, regardless of what the competition offers.

POWER ON–Mark

When I was growing up water was water. Now water is oxygenated, enhanced, fortified, bottled, labled, shipped halfway across the world and consumed from many sources other than the tap. Why?

Because a marketer and a supplier got together and came up with a brilliant plan. Give the customer what they need, make it appear to be better than the basic product,  help them obtain it and sell it for a premium. I remember my first bottle of Perrier in high school. It was water, a bit fizzy, but it was water. It came in a cool green bottle, which I threw away because I had no use for it, and I paid two bucks for the privilege to drink it!  Talk about unconventional! And how cool was it to drink bottle water when it was first being marketed?

Now instead of one or two types of water, there are hundreds, including tap water. The beauty of this example restates what we as marketers do every day in an unconventional manner

• We create a want before someone else does
• We make the product somewhat unreachable, but very desirable
• We convince people it will make something in their life better by owning the product
• We place the product where will it will be seen by our desired buying demographic
• We sell what can be had for free or for less than we are selling it for