Manizesto

Quote of the week: George Carlin

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:00:16 -0600

“So, how can I talk about something eminently familiar to them, on my terms, in a new way, that engages their imagination?”

That is the goal of all marketers, to related to people through your messages that engages their imaginations. The quote is from George Carlin’s last interview, which you can find here).

Why I'm Mad at Otis Spunkmeyer

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:23:00 -0600

Last week I had an experience that made me think the marketing folks at Otis Spunkmeyer should rethink the way they market and position their products.

There I was, minding my own business, looking at two unhealthy breakfast choices. The first, a pre-packaged Big Texas Cinnamon Roll: fatty, sweet and 460 calories - ouch - but clearly the tasty option (it’s won Automatic Merchandiser’s “Pastry of the Year Award 4 years in a row for cryin’ out loud!)

I’m not a fitness fanatic, but I do try to stay active and healthy, so when I saw the second option, an Otis Spunkmeyer Banana Nut muffin, I felt good. Just comparing a muffin and a cinnamon roll, and I’m sure you can choose the healthier one, but I decided to check the facts to make sure. Confirmed. The muffin only had just 230 calories, still a bit hefty but easily the healthier, more cerebral option. Being a thinker, I bought the muffin, and while eating it at my desk, thought about how I would start cycling to work twice a week instead of just once and thinking to myself “I am a healthy person”. I even bragged to some colleagues about my healthy choice and basked in the glory of my low-cal diet.

Then, an actual, experienced healthy person asked a pointed question: “What’s the serving size?”

A flash of heat ran over me. I snatched the wrapper from the refuse bin under my desk and checked the Nutrition Facts again. I’d been duped. The Otis Spunkmeyer muffin was 2 servings, making my calorie intake the same 460 calories I had so recently balked at. So, obviously, now I’m mad at Otis Spunkmeyer for tricking me into thinking I was going to be healthier by purchasing and eating their product rather than a competitor’s.

Positioning. It’s an old marketing tactic, and a useful one if done correctly and appropriately. But I cannot get past the fact that I feel mislead and cheated. I’ve known forever that companies Alter the serving size or servings per container so a product can appear healthier, but it never bothered me much until I fell for it.

The question becomes: Is it right to position products so they appear better than the competition, even though they are not? Or does it simply behoove consumers to do their homework? I think you know where I stand.

Is your business neurotic?

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:55:00 -0600

I recently came across a most enjoyable, sticky blog that anonymously publishes people’s neurotic tendencies. Most people’s neuroses are mild quirks that don’t drastically affect the way they live their lives, but they are the root of many unnecessary behaviors and habits, and they cause a good deal of wasted energy. Which got me thinking about the fluff we sometimes put customers through when marketing our products. For example:

This would be like needing to line up the tassels on your bathroom floor mat

telling it like it is?

This would be like crossing a room to turn off a light so the switches are both down instead of using the one closest to you

This would be like not allowing yourself to stand on more than one color at a time

This would be like typing everything people say to you by clicking your teeth

Take a look at your neurotic marketing tendencies and see if you can’t kick some of the habits that might be getting in the way of a more perfect marketing program. And if you feel like it, share yours below.
Original Photo by Malingering

I wish I were a satellite

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:48:21 -0600

There are about 8,000 man-made satellites orbiting earth at five miles per second this very minute (there’s a lot of action up there). They do their work silently, quickly and efficiently (never complain. Just do the work right. The first time). They don’t interfere with each other (never hinder others) because they’re launched so exactly that their courses won’t collide (good management). Also, they are worth millions.

I wish I were a satellite.

Marketing to money-strapped customers: Part 3

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:16:00 -0600

This is part three in a three-part series on marketing to money-strapped customers.

Now that we’ve gone over how important it is to understand your customers and find ways to solve their problems, let’s talk about what may be the most important aspect of marketing in a tough economy: taking care of existing customers.

Here’s what you should work hard to do.

1. Show you understand the circumstances. Nothing is more frustrating to consumers than feeling like a company does not understand them. Companies show this attitude by not being flexible, by having continuously high rates and otherwise communicating indirectly that you’re “business as usual” when the economy says it’s not.

2. Go out of your way to alleviate their difficulties, even if it means losing money initially. Ford is doing this with their payment deferment program, you can think of ways to do this for your customers.

3. Consider a loyalty program. If you’ve thought about it and haven’t developed a loyalty program yet, now is the time to do it. Show you care by providing perks to your best customers to keep them coming back.

4. Make paying easier. Offer monthly payment options, down payments, and other payment plans, and if you don’t accept every form of payment, do it now.

5. Offer stripped-down versions of products & services. Think about how you can simplify your offerings so you can offer them at lower prices. If you have a sandwich shop, offer a sandwich with less toppings; if you have a consulting service, offer less in-depth packages at a lower price point - you get the idea.

6. Give stuff away for free. Free consulting, free samples, free information, free trial memberships. Whatever value you can provide customers that won’t cost them money will help you position yourselves as a company that adds real value to them.

7. Have outstanding customer service. This is the ultimate way to show you care (and it’s free!). Work hard to please every customer, take care of problems, provide deliverables ahead of schedule, and always, always answer the phone. Showing you’re there for customers cannot be overemphasized.

8. No doomsday talk. The last thing you want to keep reinforcing to people is how difficult the economy is. They already know that; no need to keep bringing it up. Keep your messaging positive, understanding and always, always add value.

Photo courtesy dziner.

Marketing to money-strapped customers: Part 2

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:49:27 -0600

This is the second in a series of three on marketing to money-strapped customers.

Previously, we talked about the importance of truly understanding your customers during tough economic times, and then I discussed how Ford is showing their understanding following a disastrous tornado in Iowa last month.

So what is next? It’s simple.

Once you understand your customers’ problems, find a way to solve them. Generally, with a weak economy, people are more hesitant to make big commitments with their money, so as a marketer, it’s your job to think about how to ask for smaller commitments from customers than before.

Instead of asking for payment up front, consider down payment options or payment plans. Instead of just giving your price, show your price compared to those of competitors. Instead of asking customer to educate themselves on your products, offer free information (such as white papers, free samples, trial versions, newsletters or webinars) to help them make good decisions. The best solutions are ones that will lead to a long term, mutually beneficial relationship between you and your customers. Think about that as you find ways to reach out to customers in this tough economy.

Stay tuned for part three where we’ll discuss marketing to existing customers in a tough economy.

(photo courtesy rougerouge)

Marketing to money-strapped customers, Part 1a

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:32:49 -0600

This is part 1.5 in a series of three on marketing to money-strapped customers

I could not pass up this great example that perfectly illustrates my point of understanding your customers.

Following the devastating tornado that ripped through Iowa late last month, Ford Mo Co has truly stepped up and shown they understand what their customers may be going through.

Ford will allow qualified leasing or buying customers in Iowa to put off monthly payments for one or two months while they put their lives back together.

“Some of our customers may have temporary financial problems because of the devastating tornado,” said Mike Bannister, CEO and chairman of the Disaster Relief Program. “We understand that. We hope our Disaster Relief Program will ease our customers’ financial concerns as they focus on rebuilding and healing.”

It’s brilliant. It makes people feel like the company cares and understands their tough situation, and even though Ford might lose some money up front with the program, in the long run it will pay off. Think of it as a customer retention/acquisition cost.

Stay tuned for more by subscribing to Manizesto. (Photo courtesy julay)

Marketing to money-strapped customers

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:42:00 -0600

This is the first in a series of three on marketing to money-strapped customers

We’re all painfully aware that the economy is in a bit of a slump, which to marketers means you’re probably seeing fewer customers making purchases (lower conversion) and those customers spending less than before (lower average order value - AOV). If that’s the case for you, then you’re probably having a tough time keeping the revenue where it needs to be.

So what can you do? There are basically three stages to this, but let’s talk about understanding your customers first. If you’re going to be able to send customers relevant offers, they need to be based on the fact that you understand where they’re coming from.

To get the full picture, look at the current macro-world first. What’s happening in the big picture? Gas prices are high. The housing market is in a slump. Everything is getting more expensive. Consumers are not as eager to take risks and invest. The Dollar is weak. People are spending less money on entertainment and other non-essential items, such as eating out.

That’s a lot of bad news, right? Don’t get too worried. This understanding will help you communicate in the right way with customers and develop offers and messages that resonate with them.

If you’re a truly great marketer, you’ll look for ways to help your target customers and help your business too, without putting either in less desirable situations.

The truth is, a slow economy is actually one of the best environments to build strong relationships with customers. What better to build a long term relationship with a client than to solve their problems during tough times? Think about it.

Next, we’ll talk about what to do once you understand your customers.

To make sure you get the next two segments, subscribe to Manizesto today. (Photo courtesy roujo)

Lesson of the day: Speaking to the lowest common denominator is...

Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Lesson of the day: Speaking to the lowest common denominator is not always enough.

This clip is from a Mac computer support call a few years ago.

Popquiz: Whose brand is this?

Tue, 20 May 2008 13:51:00 -0600

Click the image to the right. Can you tell me which company these words describe?

What you’re looking at are words that people have submitted describing Comcast. Pretty ugly huh?

The comments are being compiled as a part of this new, amazing project by NoahBrier.com, which shows you a company logo and asks you to use one word or phrase that describes the organization. The premise is that whatever people say a brand is, that’s what it is.

It’s a fun exercise, and one that should get you thinking about the difference between what you want people to perceive about your company and how they actually label your business.

The truth is, as much as business owners, product managers, and marketers would like to be able to say that they can make their brand whatever they want it to be, that’s only indirectly true. It’s how people perceive your brand that makes it. Michael J. Fox said:

“No matter how much fame you have, it’s not something that belongs to you. If I’m famous, that doesn’t belong to me — that belongs to you. If you can’t remember who I am, I’m no longer famous.”

Replace “Fame” with “Strong brand” and you about have it.

Subscribe to this blog for more.

How a booming hot dog stand does zero marketing

Tue, 13 May 2008 12:41:29 -0600

I live in a college town, home of both UVU and BYU, which means we have tons of cheap places to eat. One of the most popular is a small, 5’ x 5’ hot dog stand that sits just a block south of BYU Campus called JDawgs. The menu is simple; polish or beef dog with various types of onions and peppers to top it off. No ketchup is offered; instead they have their home-made and secret recipe sauce that has a sweet BBQ flavor. The buns are steamed and the dogs are fresh, and JDawgs has been a huge success.

Here’s the catch. Jason Edwards, JDawgs founder and Provo native, has done virtually nothing to market his hot dog stand. He has never bought an ad, has never introduced a loyalty program, has never sent an email to customers, and does not even have a sign on his small red shack, yet the stand always has long lines with both students and faculty every day. Business is booming.

How can a business like this thrive with no marketing?

Here’s what Jason is doing right to make JDawgs such a smashing success:

1. He has the perfect location. BYU’s south campus is severely lacking quick, cheap, delicious food within walking distance. JDawgs has basically no competition.

2. He is personal. Everyone at JDawgs is friendly, casual and confident in what they’re selling. When was the last time you got to listen to funk music at a fast food joint?

3. He has something unique. Would people travel all the way across town to “get a JDawg” if it weren’t for the sauce or the steamed buns? No way. That unique point differentiates himself.

4. Word of Mouth. The best kind of marketing is the kind that does not come from the horse’s mouth, but from other horses who’ve seen that horse in action. I’m talking about word of mouth marketing. When you have customers that are evagelists for your business, you will acquire more and retain the ones you have. People always trust other people more than they trust an advertisement. JDawgs word of mouth marketing is his key to success.

That said, I see endless opportunities for JDawgs to expand. Why not get a portable hot dog stand and sell them outside the BYU Football stadium and the numerous baseball fields? Why not offer catering to local businesses? Why not have loyalty cards where the 10th dog is free? Why not host a hot dog eating contest and give away a year’s worth of dogs to the winner? Why not build a website and start an email program? Why not allow people to order their hot dogs via text message so it’s ready and waiting for them when they show up? Why not franchise?!

JDawgs success despite not marketing his business only shows how great his product really is, which is why with a little marketing, Jason could easily double or triple his business over the next couple of years.

Hat tip to Brock R. for the insight.

Subscribe to this blog to get regular insights on small business marketing. Photo courtesty Chicagoeye.

Why I hate spammers more than you

Mon, 12 May 2008 13:00:05 -0600

We all hate spammers. I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t want to run into one in a dark ally and dislocate his jaw (and clicking fingers). Spammers are the reason identity theft is so prevalent. They are the reason junk folders were invented. They are why companies spend billions on security filters and helping customers who’ve been duped by fake emails. In fact, I’m guessing the only folks who like them is Pfizer, the makers of V!@gra (and maybe the Nigerian government).

But as much as you probably hate spammers, I hate them more. Why?

I’m an email marketer, which means I use email as a marketing channel to send relevant, timely offers to our customers and prospects who have indicated it’s okay for us to communicate with them. Each person who I email knows they’ll be getting emails from me, they can clearly see who the email is coming from and they can unsubscribe anytime with the click of a mouse. But spammers make my life hell! Here’s why:

1. Formats. Because of them, I have to create a separate email format every time I send an email to AOL customers, because AOL has had so many spam problems they have blocked traditional html emails.

2. Spam buttons. I don’t send spam, but it never fails that once in a while a subscriber will click the spam button in gMail or Hotmail when really all they want to do is unsubscribe. The result: black marks on my reputation as an email sender, and too many of those will lead to…

3. Blacklists. Just like the ones during McCarthyism, email providers, like Hotmail, gMail, Yahoo!, AOL and individual companies with their own have blacklists of companies they’ve deemed are spamming their customers. Too many spam complaints (regardless of how relevant the emails are or if they’ve opted in) and you’re out. No more sending any kinds of emails to them. See how messed up the system is? You have to prove you’re not a witch instead of being proven you are.

4. Spam Filters. One of the biggest topics in the email marketing world is how to make sure you’re emails don’t automatically end up in a Spam folder. Obviously, if a person has given their permission for us to send them messages, it would make sense that they be allowed to receive them instead of rifling through hundreds of spam messages in order to get my relevant ones. It’s a constant, uphill battle.

5. Whitelist payments. To stay on the good side of email providers, most legitimate email marketers have partnered up with companies who help them make sure they’re emails get to the right place and that our domain is not put on the blacklist. The companies send updates (Some even call them report cards) on your spam complaints and lets you know if you’re too close to the threshold of acceptable complaints.

In all truth, there is a lot good email marketers can do to minimize these problems, but if people weren’t sending crappy, unsolicited emails all the time, these problems would mostly go away.

Spammers are why Spam buttons, AOL formats, blacklists, Spam folders/filters exist, and those things are why I deserve to loathe spammers more than you do.

For more reasons why I hate spammers (and other cool stuff) subscribe to this blog. Photo courtesy of rbatina.

I'm self-smarted, basically, by myself

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:03:07 -0600

Watch this video. It’s a hilarious interview with a prisoner who talks about how he “self-learned his self” through doing drugs. I have no idea if this is real or not, but can you imagine how successful a viral marketing campaign would be that had videos that were this funny?

Here’s the lesson: many people are online looking for entertainment, and if you can create entertainment and weave a marketing message into it, you’ll have a successful viral marketing campaign on your hands. It’s a great way to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

SelfSmart from Jonathan Munk on Vimeo.

Why I hung up on the pizza guy

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:56:57 -0600

Customer Service (CS): Thank you for choosing XXX Pizza, would you like try our Fantastic Friday Special?
Me: No, I actually...
CS: It comes with a free order of "Nutso" Bread, an extra large Supreme pizza, and your choice of Caesar or garden salad. It's a limited time offer, and it only costs $22.99.
Me: No thanks, I think I know...
CS: Is this for delivery or takeout?
Me: It depends. How long is the wait?
CS: It depends.

(Awkward silence, broken by grumbling stomach.)

Me: How about right now. How long is the wait for delivery versus pickup?
CS: Pickup is always faster.
Me: I know, but if it's going to be less than 40 minutes, I'd rather just wait here than drive all the way out there.
CS: If you pick it up, we can have it ready it 20 minutes.
Me: It takes me twenty minutes to get there, and twenty back, then I'm looking at 40 minutes, you see.
CS: It takes the delivery driver the same amount of time to get there as it would for you. We don't drive twice as fast.
Me: Yes, I know but...(Googling other pizza places)...how much is it for just a medium pizza with pepperoni, olives and fresh tomatoes?
CS: What do you mean fresh tomatoes?
Me: You put them on after it comes out of the oven instead of before...
CS: It's $7.49 for a plain cheese and $.99 for all the toppings. Sliced tomatoes are extra.
Me: End communication.
CS: What?
Me: (click)

Quote of the Day: Pulitzer on Messaging

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:16:21 -0600

“Put it to them briefly, so they will read it; clearly, so they will appreciate it; picturesquely so they will remember it; and above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.”

-Joseph Pulitzer

Say a lot with a little

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:39:52 -0600

I’ve been doing a creative exercise lately that challenges me to tell a story in just a few ~~words~~ syllables. It’s been fun and very challenging, but today I had an “Ah-Hah!” moment and realized that in marketing, saying more with less is good.

Said Thomas Jefferson:

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”

People are bombarded by marketing messages wherever they go and in every single media they consume, so it’s no wonder people tune them out, which means you’re wasting money on fruitless tactics. Stop wasting time, effort and words. If you can say something in three words rather than three sentences, do it! That means looking at every sentence, nay, every word, nay, every pixel and determining if you really need it to get the point across.

You don’t put an entire jar of peanut butter on the mousetrap, just enough to attract attention. The same goes for marketing. After all, what is more powerful, saying “Our topical headache treatment medicine will reduce your headache and let you live live life to its fullest. That’s right, for just 5.99 your headaches will disappear. Find our product in these popular stores…”, or “HeadOn, apply directly to the forehead” (more on that). See what I mean?

Now go do it.

Subscribe. Photo courtesy sassysugarpants

Marketing Tip of the Day

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:29:22 -0600

An underused and very important aspect of good marketing is this:

Talk Straight.

Simple, right? Too simple? Never. People want direct, true information. They want to glance at something for 3 seconds and get what you’re trying to say and what you want them to do.

You should do it.

For more good tips, subscribe to Manizesto.

Hilarious customer feedback

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:06:00 -0600

The following is an actual Continental Airlines customer who is upset with his seat and provides frank, hilarious feedback for the company (it’s from a few years ago):

Dear Continental Airlines,

I am disgusted as I write this note to you about the miserable experience I am having sitting in seat 29E on one of your aircraft. As you may know, this seat is situated directly across from the lavatory, so close that I can reach out my left arm and touch the door.
All my senses are being tortured simultaneously. It’s difficult to say what the worst part about sitting in 29E really is? Is it the stench of the sanitation fluid that is blown all over my body every 10 seconds when the door opens? Is the the woosh of the constant flushing? Or is it the passengers a—-s that seem to fit into my personal space like a pornographic jig-saw puzzle?
I constructed a stink-shield by shoving one end of a blanket into the overhead compartment - while effective in blocking at least some of the smell, and offering a small bit of privacy, the a— on my body factor has increased, as without my evil glare, passengers feel free to lean up against what they think is some kind of blanketed wall. The next a— that touches my shoulder will be the last!
I am picturing a boardroom full of executives giving props to the young promising engineer that figured out how to squeeze an additional row of seats onto this plane by putting them next to the lav.
I would like to flush his head in the toilet that I am close enough to touch - and taste - form my seat.
Putting a seat here was a very bad idea. I just heard a man groan in there! This sucks!
Worse yet, is I’ve paid over $400.00 for the honor of sitting in this seat.
Does your company give refunds? I’d like to go back where I came from and start over. Seat 29E could only be worse if it was located inside the bathroom. I wonder if my clothing will retain the sanitizing odor…what about my hair! I feel like I’m bathing in a toilet bowl of blue liquid, and there was no man in a little boat to save me. I am filled with a deep hatred for your plane designer and a general dis-ease that may last for hours.
We are finally descending, and soon I will be able to tear down the stink-shield, but the scars will remain.
I suggest that you initiate immediate removal of this seat from all of your crafts. Just remove it, and leave the smouldering brown hole empty, a good place for sturdy/non-absorbing luggage maybe, but not human cargo.

You can read the original letter in PDF format here (yes, the illustrations are also original).

Lesson to business leaders and marketers: Just because you can do something, does not mean you should.

Sure, marketers often focus on offers and conversion, but you really ought to look at your customer experience from start to finish and see if you’re being true to the experience you promise in your marketing literature.

For more marketing tidbits, subscribe to Manizesto.

Why you should ALWAYS proofread

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:44:11 -0600

Today we had a close call and almost pushed a page live with this text, promoting an upcoming webinar with Chris Baggott presenting (click to enlarge).

Bet you didn’t know Jesus was a marketing expert.

The most common marketing mistake

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:12:25 -0600

Back in college we had to design brochures for the U.S. Army Reserve for a pro-bono capstone project. After countless, exhausting group-project hours, we came up with a brochure we thought was great. It wasn’t. Why? We made the biggest novice marketing mistake you can make:

We Didn’t Include a Call to Action

It seems simple, right? Yet so many inexperienced (and sadly, many seasoned) marketers and business owners don’t ask the people they’re messaging to to actually DO anything, and when the campaigns don’t perform, the response is “Well that campaign sucked. Let’s try something else.” Don’t make the same mistake.

When starting any marketing project, go through this exercise to make sure your campaign or project has a good foundation:

1. What do you want to accomplish with this offer/campaign? Be more specific than “Get more business” or “add more customers”. “Get 20 people to sign up for my free consultation online or via a phone call” is much more like it.

2. In three words or less; what do you want people to do (what action do you want them to take)? Call the number, visit the website, send a response etc. Use related verb-age on your campaign to clearly explain the action you expect people to take (Call XXX-XXX-XXXX!)

3. How will you track response? If you send people to your website homepage or use a generic phone number, it’s much more difficult to find out exactly what impact your campaign is having. At the minimum, use a unique phone number or website landing page, or if you have constrained resources, ask folks to “mention this ad” with a special, unique offer so you can see where the business is coming from.

4. Include 1 call to action 3 times, not 3 calls to action 1 time. This is a big one. I know you have a lot of unique selling points and many products you can offer, but make each campaign about just one of them. Drive home the one action you want people to take several times and include your response vehicles (phone numbers, website addresses etc) 3-4 times so it’s clear to others what you expect them to do.

5. Set clear expectations. It’s better to set the bar low and over-deliver than to promise the stars and deliver the moon. Be realistic with the expectations and offers you set and make sure you can deliver on them.

Get regular insights on small business marketing (Original photo by pupski).