Manizesto

After much consideration and angst, I’ve decided to make this blog fully accessible only to subscribers. Why? Four main reasons:

1. Be a part of something. Godin describes it best here. Call it a tribe, a community, a group or what-have-you, but the goal is to increase mind share and the value of the information posted here.

2. Higher engagement. When you subscribed, you invested in me too. Subscribers generally have a higher level enjoyment and engagement to a blog, making it subscriber only is a way to improve my readers’ experience.

3. Brain Juice. I think about what I write here, a lot. No more “pearls to the swine” baby! You gotta want it!

4. It’s still free. When all is said and done, you can still get great, innovative marketing tips in one click and at no cost. And you can unsubscribe whenever you want. So it’s a win-win.

To all my subscribers, thanks for keeping this blog alive and for your great feedback!

From today’s Deseret News:

“After 22 years in the Salt Lake City market, Utah’s two Bally Total Fitness locations have closed.

With no warning, members visiting those locations Wednesday discovered the lights out and doors locked following the company’s decision to permanently pull out of the area due to declining business….”This location is now closed” read a sign on the door of the Midvale location. It listed a toll-free telephone number for members to call.” (more)

I hope they don’t ever try to enter the Utah market again, because they’ve just burned a lot of bridges.

How about a letter or email that says:

“We’re sad to announce we’re closing our two Utah Bally Total Fitness locations on December 10th. It’s been a great run. We’ve enjoyed helping you reach your fitness goals. The truth is, we didn’t adjust to the competitive landscape very well. We’re sorry we let you down. We hope to be able to adjust and come back a leaner, better club sometime. If we do, we hope you’ll consider us as your gym of choice. Thanks.”

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I found my dentist, Provo Dental Care, like most people do, from a referral (word of mouth still trumps any paid channel). But I’m continually impressed with their marketing campaigns. Here’s what they’re doing that keeps me engaged.

1. Referral gift. I was so impressed with the practice that I’ve referred a few people to their practice. Every time I do, they send me a Thank You card with a hand written note, two movie tickets and a gift card to a local restaurant. How sick is that? Of course I’m referring people whenever I get the chance. This is what my mentor and friend, Brett Barlow, calls “Surprise and Delight.”

2. New customer gifts. After my first visit, they gave me a toothbrush, floss, chapstick, a couple stickers and a t-shirt with the practice’s logo on all the items. The shirt looks pretty cool and fits well, so I actually wear it. Surprise and Delight again.

3. Appointment reminders. I get emails and postcards in the mail when my next appointment is coming up. They even let me know I need a checkup when I don’t have a follow up appointment scheduled.

4. Relevant Marketing Nudges. I got a letter from them a couple of weeks ago reminding me I still have money left on my dental plan for another visit. The letter even told me the amount I had left on my plan and encouraged me not to let the money go to waste. I love this!

These guys have got their CRM marketing running like a well-oiled machine. It’s not like they’re innovating like crazy; they’re just consistent and relevant. Every business in the service industry should do this kind of stuff.

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[Photo by snowriderguy]

From today’s Washington Post:

“The news that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) has been taken into custody on charges of seeking bribes in exchange for an appointment to the Senate (among other allegations) fundamentally reshapes the Illinois political landscape.” (More here)

This is staggering, and it’s why politicians are some of the least trusted people out there, along with real estate agents and auto mechanics (Advertisers and marketers don’t fare much better, by the way).

In today’s world, many companies will find they need to dip into their company’s “trust account” probably more than you expected. Hopefully you’ve got some trust savings to pull from. Every time you exceed customer expectations, you’re making a deposit. Every time you market your products honestly, right a wrong, go the extra mile or lean in the direction of customers, you’re making deposits into that trust bank.

When you don’t do those things, of course, you’re making withdrawals.

And in a tough economy, more and more people will turn to companies they already trust and that have deposited into those trust accounts over the years. Might want to check your account.

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[Photo by TheWhiteRabbit11]