Marketing Tip: Go the Extra Mile

It never ceases to amaze me how a customer's experience is often less than ideal. You hear stories all the time about rude customer service agents or front line employees checking people through the register while simultaneously talking on their cell phones... HELLO!!!

Today's quick marketing tip is about going the extra mile. As a Napolean Hill follower and someone who has benefited tremendously from understanding where to focus my energy, it's always on going the extra mile. The good news is that the concept, as simply as it may be, carry's great value.

I recently had a very good experience with this when visiting a local retailer. I asked someone if they had any more items of a particular kind in the back of the store. After waiting a few minutes, the clerk came back and said 'no'. But she didn't stop there. She said, "let me call another store to see if they have any in stock." After calling the store and discovering that they were out of stock as well, she called a competitor to see if they had the item - which they did.

She was focused on making me happy. And because she went the extra mile, I will be back to her store many times over. The lesson to be learned here is to treat each and every customer with dignity and respect. And, most importantly, to go the extra mile. This pays dividends time and again.
When you are putting together your marketing program, work diligently to ask the question, "how can I go the extra mile?" Collaborate with people on your team, your customer service group, and even your customers. By baking additional value into the marketing and purchase process, you'll build everlasting loyalty among your customers!

Where Marketing Goes Wrong

With the right planning, executing on an effective marketing campaign is easy. However, getting things right at the point of interaction with a prospective customer is where it all happens.

Not too long ago I was traveling and decided to run into a coffee shop. Upon entering, I noticed there weren't a lot of people there so I went right up to the cashier and ordered my coffee. She was miserable. No "hello", no "smile", nothing.

Imagine being the marketing guy (or gal) for this coffee shop. You could do everything right and then lose business because of a depressed cashier! I for one have not interest in going back to that place.

Yet this happens all the time. Prospective customers visit retailers only to have a bad experience. Or they buy products that under perform. Worse yet, they reach out for help only to speak to an unhelpful representative or call center where you can barely hear the customer service rep.

Marketing is more than running a direct mail campaign, its the whole package. If you want to take your marketing up a notch, think about the whole user experience. From first touch to repeat purchase, marketing needs to be involved with the entire purchase decision process and then some.

This week, take a closer look at your process from start to finish. It's always best to see things from a customers perspective. You may just find some opportunities for improvement!

Marketing In a Recovering Economy

We're definitely not out of the weeds yet, but things are starting to look up - people are spending money again. But this time, they're a little more discerning. What does this mean for small and medium sized business depending on cautious consumers? It means that they need to alter our approach and keep an eye on buyer confidence.

To make the most of this recovery, think long term. Consumers may be less likely to make big purchases right now, but you can certainly encourage them to make small purchases again and again. By thinking long term, a new approach leads you to alter your pricing and packaging approaches.

A good example is that of a small retailer. Can you offer specific incentives that get consumers to buy small items again and again? Points programs or frequent buyer cards can do the trick. Think about ways that you can get consumers to return without being overly concerned about making a really large sale. The more you can get your customer into your store or back to your web site the better.

Of course you can always issue coupons or discounts, but I don't like getting consumers into the habit of expecting money off each time they visit my web site (or a retail store). Rather, consider bundling small products to keep average order size smaller than what you normally may be offering and encourage replenishment.

The other side of this coin is buyer confidence. How can you make consumers feel as though they're receiving valuable products and services? And, doing so at a price that is fair? In this economy, low price guarantees or liberal exchange policies are recommended. You can also help by doing the comparison of products or services on behalf of consumers.

Let your buyers see consumer generated feedback, ratings, and other information that can improve their knowledge of the products and services you're selling. Provide a personal testimonial and let them know what they can expect during and after the buying process.

The best marketing strategies today are those that let consumers try before they buy and minimize risk. These are actually tried and true marketing techniques but have risen to the top as markers look for new and improved techniques for creating awareness and generating sales among targeted segments.

Improve your marketing today by thinking long-term. Review your product and pricing strategies to support what's going on in the real world. Most importantly, put yourself in the shoes of your customers. If you do, you'll understand what matters most and provide the confidence they need to continue buying from you.

Referral Marketing Can Push You Over

Just last week I decided to buy a new cell phone.  Finding the right phone these days can be a real chore.  When I was in the Verizon store, it was so packed that I could hardly hear myself talk.  When the salesman approached me I was actually relieved and glad to get a little help.  After he asked me what I was looking for he showed me some phones and explained the various plans.

Since I'm online pretty much 24/7 I was looking for something with a good web browser. He strongly encouraged me to purchase a particular phone.  When so called "experts" make a recommendation, we tend to listen.  After doing a little research online and comparing plans I went ahead and ordered the device.  When I first got it I was pretty excited.  I mean, who wouldn't be.  Getting a new phone is like buying new car.  It's hard to dismiss that "new" feeling you get when you try it for the first time.

In just a couple of days, my enthusiasm waned.  The phone was heavy, didn't allow me to complete some simple tasks easily, and didn't stay charged for more than a few hours.  None-the-less, I spent an arm and a leg to get this phone so I figured that I should learn to live with it.

Then I was having dinner with a friend and he said, "Why didn't you get the [name of phone]?"  I told him the whole story and how the rep in the store pointed me to the one I purchased.  My friend said, "Call them up and get a new phone."  I was reluctant at first, after all I was the one who chose the original phone in the first place.  But then I reminded myself that I should have what was going to make me happy.  Besides, I'd have to live with it everyday for the next 2 years.

So I called up Verizon and ordered a new phone.  Of course it cost more money, plus I have to pay a restocking fee, and not to mention but it's back ordered too.  Even so, it was the right thing to do.  So why didn't I make the choice to begin with?  I think the question is really more about the influence of a referral.  If I had dinner with my friend before buying the phone, I'd likely have made a different selection the first time.  The fact of the matter is that marketing can do a great job but can never live up to the value of a personal referral.

What does this mean for marketers?  It means that in addition to promotion, we must also focus on creating an EXCELLENT customer experience.  What people say about you and how likely they are to actually recommend your business or product is what matters most!

When was the last time that you experienced your business as a customer?  Encourage customer feedback and continually evaluate the customer experience.  Don't be afraid to hear good news and bad.  You want to encourage testimonials and referrals if you want your business to grow.

PPC Made Simple: Book Number 2

A couple of years ago I wrote my first book, SEO Made Simple. For those of you who read the book and have followed me via this blog know that the book was developed for those who wanted practical advice for achieving number one rankings for their Web sites or blogs.

Ever since the first book was published, I've had people asking me to teach PPC using the same, simple, easy-to-understand methodology. In essence, how to make pay-per-click marketing simple. It took me a while to finish PPC Made Simple - given the fact that I'm working on six different projects at any given moment, but I'm happy to say its finished.

The book is great for anyone starting out in PPC. I take my years of Internet marketing experience and boil it down to about a hundred and forty pages of "do this" and "don't do that." I don't know about you, but reading 300 page books on Internet marketing that don't show you how to do much of anything really aren't my cup of tea.

PPC Made Simple is easy to read, easy to implement, and will get you the results you need when marketing through Google AdWords. I encourage you to pick up a copy today or recommend it to anyone looking for valuable pay-per-click advice.  PPC Made Simple is available in softcover and for the kindle.

As always, thanks for visiting my blog, listening to my marketing rants, and finding value in what I have to offer!

All the best,

Michael