This is a concept you'll want to wrap your head around. Marketing Currency is at the heart of the best offers, it is key to establishing your “unique selling proposition,” and it creates instant value out of thin air.
Do you have “Restless Leg Syndrome,” or RLS? This is example of one form or Marketing Currency the drug companies have used with absolutely undeniable success. The real answer is, RLS came from a marketing guy’s (or gal) mind. It’s not a real medical “syndrome,” but a catchall of a list of symptoms bunched under a new name created to set apart one drug from another. It’s so successful, people now complain that they have it. The drug company promoting it has created their own “Marketing Currency.”
Ever seen coupons on cereal boxtops and the like? The kind you collect for prizes or discounts or whatever? Marketing Currency. In a small way, it adds value to the product that didn’t exist before.
How about “You may be a numismatat” from the US mint?
Are you using marketing currency in your business? Why not?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Walking the Blog
You know, it's a pain in the patootie to do blogs and articles. I tried. No, that's not true, I didn’t try, I abdicated. I set out to create a blog and within just a few posts it became obvious I didn't want to fit the process into my already busy schedule… and so I didn't.
Oh, I tried the "hire a ghostwriter" approach, but blogs are about being real. It just didn't work for me, seeing the lame articles I got. Sure, it may work for some "I don't care" marketer to throw up any old thing on the web. And yes, maybe I put too much emphasis on the depth and quality of what is, after all, a web log. But that's me, and that's them.
Fact is, blogs and social media may cost us nothing, but they demand a LOT of time, focus and energy. For companies who want to market, there are a LOT of easier ways to make a big splash… including in some cases radio, television and direct mail. Those things cost mucho dinero, while social media -- blogging, facebook, youtube, twitter and all the rest -- essentially cost nothing - zip, nada, zero.
But blogging takes time. And not just the time to write and post blogs, but the time to build community. That's what web 2.0 is all about, after all, building community. Not creating immediate knee-jerk responses, not post-and-sell, but generating genuine conversation. Once the conversation has begun, well, it takes a time commitment to keep it going and growing. Maybe I was more afraid of that bigger time commitment than even the commitment to write blog articles every week.
Nevertheless, I have been awakened by the passing of a year… a YEAR… since my last post. A year of my life, a year of involvement in my blog, a year of some incredible marketing campaigns and discoveries, of breaking new boundaries, entering new territories and pushing the envelope… and of building relationships. That doesn't mean it's all gone. It just means I was so focused on doing the blog and social media "right" I lost the focus on building the relationships, the community. So I post this post, a new day, starting anew, and bringing whatever knowledge and resources I have into this space and looking for that community. And I look to you all to help keep me on track ;)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Like it or not, your vote is an emotional decision
It's interesting seeing all the commentary and pundits, all the analysts, "in depth" interviews and negative, baiting ads. Oh, I'm as fed up with it as everyone else in the country, but it's interesting as a marketer to watch. I know most people can get into heated discussions about why their team is the best, the answer, the hope for America. I submit that it all comes down to emotional connection alone.
What we're looking at is a national SALES campaign. Obama brought in $150 million last month alone… he's outspending McCain by 3 or 4 times in key markets. Both sides use half-truths and fear, and try to maximize soundbytes to explain the differences. Who's really the most qualified?
How the heck should we know? How could anyone know? There's nothing in living memory anyone can relate the current economic meltdown to, so who's the "best" to handle it all? All the economics are theory, and somewhere inside me is a little voice saying, "you can't just throw money at a problem and expect it to go away!" More than that, I can't even imagine how anyone expects to create effective oversite over a trillion-dollar bailout overnight.
So when the curtain pulls behind us, which one do we select? The way we decide every sales pitch: emotion. There's nothing logical in being sold. We can collect all the data, sort it into columns, look at the blues vs. the reds… but in the end, we're going to vote for the one we "like" or the one we "think" will be "better." Even "change" is an emotional word. For some it evokes a positive turn, even when it's non-specific. The grass has to be greener; it can't get any worse than it is; been down so long anything looks like up to me. For others, change is threatening. Generally, people resist change in their lives, their relationships, their careers. In both cases, the whole concept is emotional.
As a sales and marketing professional, I know every sale since the dawn of time has been an emotional one. This is like Sales 101. Features don't sell, benefits do. Sell the sizzle, not the steak. We use the right brain, the emotional brain, to make the decision. Here's how it works:
Let's say we're looking at a car. Ooooh, it's hot! Beats the heck out of the old dog we've been driving. And it's got a sunroof! Our right brain just swells up thinking about it! Juices are starting to flow.
Left brain (logic) starts right in. My God, look at the price! They sure are proud of this one! There's no way we could afford that! Besides, our old car gets us where we need to go, and it's got a few years of life left in it. Plus, it's almost paid for, and the insurance would be a lot lower, too. Besides, if you want a car, it wouldn't it make more sense to check out that little used compact over there?
Right Brain: Man! Leather seats! It smells like I'm sitting in a wallet when I slide in! Wow! It sure drives smoothly… did that girl just look this way? This is the kind of car I deserve to be driving, as hard as I work.
Left Brain: Why are we even looking at this? It's nuts! It'll take moonlighting a second job just to make the car payments! People who drive these kinds of cars are compensating for something… and trying to impress. Bottom line: don't need it, can't afford it, not interested. Let's leave.
And that's the end of it. Unless you're determined. Because at that moment the Right Brain starts going off on Leftie:
Look, I want it so stop telling me why I shouldn’t get it! Why SHOULD I buy this car? Tell me! NOW!
Left Brain. Oh. OK, let's see, it does get 5 more miles per gallon… we could probably even save a bundle on gas. And you never know when an older car might break down. 100,000 mile warranty is really good… all we've got now is 30 feet or 30 minutes, and all the repairs on our old car come out of pocket.
And so it goes. The logic either convinces us -- emotional us -- that we shouldn't, couldn't, can't… or Left Brain takes the lead and the sale is made. No sale takes place based on logic. Only on emotion. Logic supports the emotion or creates doubt and fear (more emotions). Either way, emotion makes the final call.
On election day, we're going to vote for the person we think, feel, believe in most. Or against the one we dislike the most. Truth is, nobody has a crystal ball, nobody can tell who will make the "better" president, whatever that means. We're going to vote based on how well the words and messages used in their sales approach resonated within us. And logically, that's the only way to go.
What we're looking at is a national SALES campaign. Obama brought in $150 million last month alone… he's outspending McCain by 3 or 4 times in key markets. Both sides use half-truths and fear, and try to maximize soundbytes to explain the differences. Who's really the most qualified?
How the heck should we know? How could anyone know? There's nothing in living memory anyone can relate the current economic meltdown to, so who's the "best" to handle it all? All the economics are theory, and somewhere inside me is a little voice saying, "you can't just throw money at a problem and expect it to go away!" More than that, I can't even imagine how anyone expects to create effective oversite over a trillion-dollar bailout overnight.
So when the curtain pulls behind us, which one do we select? The way we decide every sales pitch: emotion. There's nothing logical in being sold. We can collect all the data, sort it into columns, look at the blues vs. the reds… but in the end, we're going to vote for the one we "like" or the one we "think" will be "better." Even "change" is an emotional word. For some it evokes a positive turn, even when it's non-specific. The grass has to be greener; it can't get any worse than it is; been down so long anything looks like up to me. For others, change is threatening. Generally, people resist change in their lives, their relationships, their careers. In both cases, the whole concept is emotional.
As a sales and marketing professional, I know every sale since the dawn of time has been an emotional one. This is like Sales 101. Features don't sell, benefits do. Sell the sizzle, not the steak. We use the right brain, the emotional brain, to make the decision. Here's how it works:
Let's say we're looking at a car. Ooooh, it's hot! Beats the heck out of the old dog we've been driving. And it's got a sunroof! Our right brain just swells up thinking about it! Juices are starting to flow.
Left brain (logic) starts right in. My God, look at the price! They sure are proud of this one! There's no way we could afford that! Besides, our old car gets us where we need to go, and it's got a few years of life left in it. Plus, it's almost paid for, and the insurance would be a lot lower, too. Besides, if you want a car, it wouldn't it make more sense to check out that little used compact over there?
Right Brain: Man! Leather seats! It smells like I'm sitting in a wallet when I slide in! Wow! It sure drives smoothly… did that girl just look this way? This is the kind of car I deserve to be driving, as hard as I work.
Left Brain: Why are we even looking at this? It's nuts! It'll take moonlighting a second job just to make the car payments! People who drive these kinds of cars are compensating for something… and trying to impress. Bottom line: don't need it, can't afford it, not interested. Let's leave.
And that's the end of it. Unless you're determined. Because at that moment the Right Brain starts going off on Leftie:
Look, I want it so stop telling me why I shouldn’t get it! Why SHOULD I buy this car? Tell me! NOW!
Left Brain. Oh. OK, let's see, it does get 5 more miles per gallon… we could probably even save a bundle on gas. And you never know when an older car might break down. 100,000 mile warranty is really good… all we've got now is 30 feet or 30 minutes, and all the repairs on our old car come out of pocket.
And so it goes. The logic either convinces us -- emotional us -- that we shouldn't, couldn't, can't… or Left Brain takes the lead and the sale is made. No sale takes place based on logic. Only on emotion. Logic supports the emotion or creates doubt and fear (more emotions). Either way, emotion makes the final call.
On election day, we're going to vote for the person we think, feel, believe in most. Or against the one we dislike the most. Truth is, nobody has a crystal ball, nobody can tell who will make the "better" president, whatever that means. We're going to vote based on how well the words and messages used in their sales approach resonated within us. And logically, that's the only way to go.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Congress Finally Passes The "Bailout" Part II -- So what's a marketer to do?
It's not enough that the housing market is in the dumper. People don't even want to talk about buying real estate, even though it's the best buyers market in years. People are largely afraid to invest in property, and it doesn't have to make logical sense; it just is.
OK, so that means companies marketing real estate developments have to adjust their messages. People training real estate investors need new angles. Companies that invest and fund these projects, such as socially-conscious City Capital, must look to new ways to address their products and services for investors. So far, that’s all pretty obvious stuff.
What about car dealers? They don't have anything to do with real estate. Yet they're having to lay off employees and in some cases, shut their doors. How do they address the changing market, one where 60% of their applicants get turned down? Of course, they might be able to sell you a new car or newer model used car at 27% "tote-ur-note" rate. Not interested? Didn't think so.
Over the last 20 years or so, we have created a credit-driven, credit-dependent society.
Internet sales depend upon credit card sales for a significant part of their ability to survive. Might be a good time to invest in PayPal, since their model is credit-neutral (and no, I don't own their stock either)
How do we as marketers address a marketplace where spontaneous purchases will become more and more difficult to effect? As credit tightens the economic noose around people's necks, not only will discretionary spending go way down, fewer and fewer will have the ability to use their credit at all.
As I mentioned earlier, with City Capital Corporation (www.citycapcorp.com) we've seen response slow down from marketing with a real estate message. That's the front-end interest waning. People have different questions and concerns now from just a few months ago, and as credit tightens, even people who were approved in the past cannot get accepted now. Fortunately, City Capital has several areas of interest, such as their IRA/rollover investments and biofuels, that have allowed them to adapt their message and begin seeing responses and conversions increase once again.
Back in the day, you could run up your credit cards, second mortgage your house to pay them down, and do it all over again (after all, by then you'd have even more equity to play with!) Apart from the grasshopper mentality, it wasn't a sustainable model. But it was one we all -- as marketers -- benefited from. It made the conversions a lot easier to come by. If you don't think so, you haven't been marketing out there recently.
For example, more and more seminar clients have approached WEB3Direct because their responses have dropped as much as 50%, with conversions down even more. It takes more than just clever changes in your message to overcome these kinds of numbers.
So how do we adapt to these kinds of market conditions?
To be successful today is going to require creating those outside-the-box creative offers, using a variety of payment options including PayPal, self-financing, and payment by check (or e-check) or money order, or even wire transfers. Sort of like the old days before credit was so free and easy. The greater the cost of your product or service, the more creative you'll need to be. There will still be credit out there, but don't expect the market to loosen real fast. As I pointed out in my last blog, the real hurting will begin after the holiday buying spree racks up the balances on people's credit cards.
We all still have a few months to test some new strategies, some new approaches. And testing is the real answer. And then testing again, and again and again, to improve your results. Granted, it's a tough time to get your message out there and heard, because of the incredible clutter of the election noise and the annual retail hell-race of marketing for November-December. But testing -- even on a small scale, even with results skewed by all the seasonal clutter -- is still the best solution. Think outside-the-box, and test new offers, new payment plans, and other new ideas. But by all means test… we have a window of time to prepare for the next wave of financial news, so use it!
OK, so that means companies marketing real estate developments have to adjust their messages. People training real estate investors need new angles. Companies that invest and fund these projects, such as socially-conscious City Capital, must look to new ways to address their products and services for investors. So far, that’s all pretty obvious stuff.
What about car dealers? They don't have anything to do with real estate. Yet they're having to lay off employees and in some cases, shut their doors. How do they address the changing market, one where 60% of their applicants get turned down? Of course, they might be able to sell you a new car or newer model used car at 27% "tote-ur-note" rate. Not interested? Didn't think so.
Over the last 20 years or so, we have created a credit-driven, credit-dependent society.
Internet sales depend upon credit card sales for a significant part of their ability to survive. Might be a good time to invest in PayPal, since their model is credit-neutral (and no, I don't own their stock either)
How do we as marketers address a marketplace where spontaneous purchases will become more and more difficult to effect? As credit tightens the economic noose around people's necks, not only will discretionary spending go way down, fewer and fewer will have the ability to use their credit at all.
As I mentioned earlier, with City Capital Corporation (www.citycapcorp.com) we've seen response slow down from marketing with a real estate message. That's the front-end interest waning. People have different questions and concerns now from just a few months ago, and as credit tightens, even people who were approved in the past cannot get accepted now. Fortunately, City Capital has several areas of interest, such as their IRA/rollover investments and biofuels, that have allowed them to adapt their message and begin seeing responses and conversions increase once again.
Back in the day, you could run up your credit cards, second mortgage your house to pay them down, and do it all over again (after all, by then you'd have even more equity to play with!) Apart from the grasshopper mentality, it wasn't a sustainable model. But it was one we all -- as marketers -- benefited from. It made the conversions a lot easier to come by. If you don't think so, you haven't been marketing out there recently.
For example, more and more seminar clients have approached WEB3Direct because their responses have dropped as much as 50%, with conversions down even more. It takes more than just clever changes in your message to overcome these kinds of numbers.
So how do we adapt to these kinds of market conditions?
To be successful today is going to require creating those outside-the-box creative offers, using a variety of payment options including PayPal, self-financing, and payment by check (or e-check) or money order, or even wire transfers. Sort of like the old days before credit was so free and easy. The greater the cost of your product or service, the more creative you'll need to be. There will still be credit out there, but don't expect the market to loosen real fast. As I pointed out in my last blog, the real hurting will begin after the holiday buying spree racks up the balances on people's credit cards.
We all still have a few months to test some new strategies, some new approaches. And testing is the real answer. And then testing again, and again and again, to improve your results. Granted, it's a tough time to get your message out there and heard, because of the incredible clutter of the election noise and the annual retail hell-race of marketing for November-December. But testing -- even on a small scale, even with results skewed by all the seasonal clutter -- is still the best solution. Think outside-the-box, and test new offers, new payment plans, and other new ideas. But by all means test… we have a window of time to prepare for the next wave of financial news, so use it!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Congress Finally Passes The "Bailout" -- What's Next?
How the market turmoil is changing marketing -- and everything else
It's what they had to do. It had to be tough: a whole bunch of these representatives are up for re-election, too -- and I think most of their constituency will vote with their wallets this time around! They added a whole bunch of junk pork into it, but in the end, they did what they needed to do to hopefully correct the financial issues threatening the market.
I don't think for one minute the market would have just "corrected" itself from this iceberg. None of us like the idea of the grasshoppers sliding by and the ants having to foot the bill, but there's more to this than that. There was pretty clear culpable liability on the part of the lenders and brokers involved… and don't get me started on the hedge funds and other investment entities buying the subprime notes on the "greater fool theory," with everyone figuring they could spin off the bad to the next guy.
Here's what really is unnerving about all this
Money is drying up. What bugs me is, most of the experts I keep hearing are saying things like "first of the year, spring at the latest, we should be recovering; Maybe even in better shape by this time next year!" Sure, it's a knee-jerk reaction but those knees aren't going to start running again -- there'll be a lot of crawling and walking before we see the pursestrings loose enough to really sustain economic growth. The people the lenders are targeting -- the scapegoats of the world? Real estate investors. Sure, some investors super-speculated. OK, a lot did. Some acted fraudulently, often in cahoots with real estate agents, appraisers and others in the chain. But by and large, the ones who could get us out of this mess fastest are the people who WANT to invest in properties, and who are willing to do so even now. Yet almost every rule, every underwriting action, has focused on this group more than the general public. And the general public -- homebuyers in particular -- are scared to death of buying real estate right now. So the end result is, while foreclosures increase, fewer homes can be recycled back into the market as fast as we need to help reverse this economic disaster.
The ripple effect -- it's not just about mortgages, people!
Refinance rules and regs will tighten up, making it harder for investors who use "hard money" or bridge loans (all at higher interest, balloon payments and shorter terms) to acquire and rehab property -- to then refinance at a reasonable rate. Reasonable as defined by their ability to cash-flow on the property.
This also makes it harder for Americans to pull equity out of their homes -- whether they need it for college, medical bills, or stupid money (like consolidating credit cards or going on a cruise). Well, time to tighten the belts.
The even bigger problem is the average credit card balance hangs around $1700. A significant number of people are at or near being maxed out on their credit cards. It's been interesting to me to watch how quickly people have "adapted" to $4.00 and $5.00 a gallon gas. At first traffic thinned out and really slowed down. Now the roads are full again and people driving like gas is $.50 a gallon instead of ten times that much (and yes, I remember when…)
Makes you wonder…
A little while back I realized why: most people are buying gas -- like everything else -- on their credit cards. And what happens when the price doubles? They don't pay more on the card; they just let their balance go higher!
What's Next? Watch Out For Q1!
Add to this the impending holiday season, and you've got a perfect storm. It's legend how terrible retailing drops off the first of every year. Why? Because people have gone nuts trying to impress friends and family with their holiday "spirit!" This coming January and February, watch out! That's when the "Joe Six-Packs" and "Soccer-Moms" will start really crying the blues. Imagine not having enough to fill up your F-150 to get to work! Or having to make decisions based on -- horrors! -- how much you can actually afford to spend! The question is, what are YOU doing right now to prepare for tighter credit for the foreseeable future, expensive gas (and everything else as a result), more work (as capital gets tight, spending slows, companies tighten up, layoffs increase and job loads and stress increases).
All of this means major demographic and psychographic shifts in the marketplace. Taking it away from the headlines and personal finances for a moment, what should we -- as businesspeople, as marketers -- do to address this changing market landscape? Give it some thought, and I'll share some of mine on that aspect in my next article.
Carpe Diem!
Emerson
It's what they had to do. It had to be tough: a whole bunch of these representatives are up for re-election, too -- and I think most of their constituency will vote with their wallets this time around! They added a whole bunch of junk pork into it, but in the end, they did what they needed to do to hopefully correct the financial issues threatening the market.
I don't think for one minute the market would have just "corrected" itself from this iceberg. None of us like the idea of the grasshoppers sliding by and the ants having to foot the bill, but there's more to this than that. There was pretty clear culpable liability on the part of the lenders and brokers involved… and don't get me started on the hedge funds and other investment entities buying the subprime notes on the "greater fool theory," with everyone figuring they could spin off the bad to the next guy.
Here's what really is unnerving about all this
Money is drying up. What bugs me is, most of the experts I keep hearing are saying things like "first of the year, spring at the latest, we should be recovering; Maybe even in better shape by this time next year!" Sure, it's a knee-jerk reaction but those knees aren't going to start running again -- there'll be a lot of crawling and walking before we see the pursestrings loose enough to really sustain economic growth. The people the lenders are targeting -- the scapegoats of the world? Real estate investors. Sure, some investors super-speculated. OK, a lot did. Some acted fraudulently, often in cahoots with real estate agents, appraisers and others in the chain. But by and large, the ones who could get us out of this mess fastest are the people who WANT to invest in properties, and who are willing to do so even now. Yet almost every rule, every underwriting action, has focused on this group more than the general public. And the general public -- homebuyers in particular -- are scared to death of buying real estate right now. So the end result is, while foreclosures increase, fewer homes can be recycled back into the market as fast as we need to help reverse this economic disaster.
The ripple effect -- it's not just about mortgages, people!
Refinance rules and regs will tighten up, making it harder for investors who use "hard money" or bridge loans (all at higher interest, balloon payments and shorter terms) to acquire and rehab property -- to then refinance at a reasonable rate. Reasonable as defined by their ability to cash-flow on the property.
This also makes it harder for Americans to pull equity out of their homes -- whether they need it for college, medical bills, or stupid money (like consolidating credit cards or going on a cruise). Well, time to tighten the belts.
The even bigger problem is the average credit card balance hangs around $1700. A significant number of people are at or near being maxed out on their credit cards. It's been interesting to me to watch how quickly people have "adapted" to $4.00 and $5.00 a gallon gas. At first traffic thinned out and really slowed down. Now the roads are full again and people driving like gas is $.50 a gallon instead of ten times that much (and yes, I remember when…)
Makes you wonder…
A little while back I realized why: most people are buying gas -- like everything else -- on their credit cards. And what happens when the price doubles? They don't pay more on the card; they just let their balance go higher!
What's Next? Watch Out For Q1!
Add to this the impending holiday season, and you've got a perfect storm. It's legend how terrible retailing drops off the first of every year. Why? Because people have gone nuts trying to impress friends and family with their holiday "spirit!" This coming January and February, watch out! That's when the "Joe Six-Packs" and "Soccer-Moms" will start really crying the blues. Imagine not having enough to fill up your F-150 to get to work! Or having to make decisions based on -- horrors! -- how much you can actually afford to spend! The question is, what are YOU doing right now to prepare for tighter credit for the foreseeable future, expensive gas (and everything else as a result), more work (as capital gets tight, spending slows, companies tighten up, layoffs increase and job loads and stress increases).
All of this means major demographic and psychographic shifts in the marketplace. Taking it away from the headlines and personal finances for a moment, what should we -- as businesspeople, as marketers -- do to address this changing market landscape? Give it some thought, and I'll share some of mine on that aspect in my next article.
Carpe Diem!
Emerson
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Carpe Diem!
OK, I get asked this all the time. What's with the "Carpe Diem!" I'm always using?
"Seize The Day" is a constant reminder, for me as well as everyone I communicate with, that life is short, love is sweet, there are no dress rehearsals and no guarantees that opportunity will knock twice. In business as in life, we have to constantly be ready to seize every moment, every opportunity and go for the gold.
One of my mentors, Dan Pena, signs all his correspondence "To your Quantum Leap!" I like that -- sort of a toast to your success. Likewise, my reminder isn't a challenge, it's a reminder that only you can seize the day for your life and your business.
Carpe Diem also means, for me, to be IN the moment. As we multitask ourselves silly (or as my wife Annie says, "tumultuous-tasking"!) it's easy to be movin' and groovin' so fast we miss the moments that are most important. Taking time to focus on your family, your staff, even your pets -- taking time to "smell the roses" -- these are the real things that matter. It always helps to seize those moments and not burn up 8, 10, 12 hours (or more!) of your life, only to realize you have little to show for it except fatigue and an ever growing inbox of crap to deal with tomorrow. And yes, this is an ongoing struggle for me, too.
So grab life, and grab opportunity, and live like you would if you knew it was the last day you'd have -- with focus and passion! And seize the day!
Carpe Diem!
Emerson
"Seize The Day" is a constant reminder, for me as well as everyone I communicate with, that life is short, love is sweet, there are no dress rehearsals and no guarantees that opportunity will knock twice. In business as in life, we have to constantly be ready to seize every moment, every opportunity and go for the gold.
One of my mentors, Dan Pena, signs all his correspondence "To your Quantum Leap!" I like that -- sort of a toast to your success. Likewise, my reminder isn't a challenge, it's a reminder that only you can seize the day for your life and your business.
Carpe Diem also means, for me, to be IN the moment. As we multitask ourselves silly (or as my wife Annie says, "tumultuous-tasking"!) it's easy to be movin' and groovin' so fast we miss the moments that are most important. Taking time to focus on your family, your staff, even your pets -- taking time to "smell the roses" -- these are the real things that matter. It always helps to seize those moments and not burn up 8, 10, 12 hours (or more!) of your life, only to realize you have little to show for it except fatigue and an ever growing inbox of crap to deal with tomorrow. And yes, this is an ongoing struggle for me, too.
So grab life, and grab opportunity, and live like you would if you knew it was the last day you'd have -- with focus and passion! And seize the day!
Carpe Diem!
Emerson
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
"Your customer likes to dance."
Customers by nature like to be romanced. They like foreplay, but even more they like their entire buying event to be seducing, lulling... the wine, the lighting, the flowers.
Dancing is a pleasure, not a chore!
My friend and business partner Ephren Taylor's wife, MeShelle, is a professional dancer. She's very good. I'm not. I've taken ballroom dancing and learned enough to dance with my wife and daughters a bit, but that's about as far as it will probably ever go.
Every good dancer likes to be in the skillful arms of another equally good dancer. In ballroom dancing, the man leads and the woman follows. I’ve asked many women over the years about this relationship -- including professional dancers and championship winners -- and I have yet to find one who feels she is “less than” in the relationship. On the contrary, almost all have shared the many ways they communicate and “help” guide their partner!
However, no dancer wants to feel like they’re being dragged around the floor by a dominating and boorish lead! In sales and marketing, this Maxim requires us to create the impression that we are a skillful participant with our prospect, not an opponent trying to nail them, or “close” them on the sale. Give them the chance to dance with you. After all, that’s what they want to do… we just need to respect our “partner” enough to give them the opportunity to say…”Yes!”
To put it into the context of a marketing piece, your customer likes the game... the personal nature of the mailing, the printed blue signature, and the bogus check that looks oh so real. They like the little lift notes... the little discoveries they get to make. They know the check in the envelope isn't real, the "personal" lift note was mass-produced, but they love to play along. They love to believe the announcer is sincere when he says, “Order before midnight tonight!” And when they call the 800 number, they want the person on the other end of the line to continue the illusion.
In the online world, the play is a little different. When they come to your website, they like to feel they are really doing “due diligence,” as you lead them through the pages of copy. It is important to consider what they are wanting to accomplish, versus what you want to accomplish while you have them as an audience. What is your prospect’s primary reason for coming to your site the first time?
To check you out!
They want to see if you’re real, if you can be trusted, if you carry the products or services they want, if your prices are reasonable, and more. I call this the “Due Diligence” dance. They want information, yet most ecommerce sites put little or no importance on this. The prospect comes to your dance, but you don’t want to dance with them... You want to close a sale! Next!
Your customer may actually want to come ready to buy, but don't expect people to flock to your site just to be sold. You've got to add some meaningful depth to your site, build a sense of relationship, of community. Include testimonials and resources that fulfill their need. Provide them tips and assistance… be their partner! The sales will take place if the sales copy and graphics are allowed to come in "under the radar," instead of in their face. And when you do it right, you’ll collect a significant number of names of your visitors… a database of incredibly qualified prospects for ongoing sales.
Your site should be simple and easy to navigate… allowing the prospect to explore the nooks and crannies anonymously, and giving them the chance to follow your lead, and register, purchase or connect with you. I like to think www.web3direct is a good example of this. The site allows a prospective customer to drill down, and the comments I get let me know that that's exactly what they're doing (not to mention the page reports). I call this dance the "due diligence" dance.
It's not rocket science, your customers simply like to dance. So dance with them a little, and watch your sales go through the roof!
This was the first Maxim I ever discovered, and it's probably the most important one of all. Everything else in the communication you establish with your prospects and customers revolves around this on fact: they want to dance with you! So don't jerk them around the floor! Sure, it's more work than just cranking out your sales message. But when you take the time to romance the stone a bit, you'll find out it's made of gold. More than that, as Bogart said in Casablanca, it could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship (and tons of backend sales over the life of that customer)
Carpe Diem!
Emerson
Dancing is a pleasure, not a chore!
My friend and business partner Ephren Taylor's wife, MeShelle, is a professional dancer. She's very good. I'm not. I've taken ballroom dancing and learned enough to dance with my wife and daughters a bit, but that's about as far as it will probably ever go.
Every good dancer likes to be in the skillful arms of another equally good dancer. In ballroom dancing, the man leads and the woman follows. I’ve asked many women over the years about this relationship -- including professional dancers and championship winners -- and I have yet to find one who feels she is “less than” in the relationship. On the contrary, almost all have shared the many ways they communicate and “help” guide their partner!
However, no dancer wants to feel like they’re being dragged around the floor by a dominating and boorish lead! In sales and marketing, this Maxim requires us to create the impression that we are a skillful participant with our prospect, not an opponent trying to nail them, or “close” them on the sale. Give them the chance to dance with you. After all, that’s what they want to do… we just need to respect our “partner” enough to give them the opportunity to say…”Yes!”
To put it into the context of a marketing piece, your customer likes the game... the personal nature of the mailing, the printed blue signature, and the bogus check that looks oh so real. They like the little lift notes... the little discoveries they get to make. They know the check in the envelope isn't real, the "personal" lift note was mass-produced, but they love to play along. They love to believe the announcer is sincere when he says, “Order before midnight tonight!” And when they call the 800 number, they want the person on the other end of the line to continue the illusion.
In the online world, the play is a little different. When they come to your website, they like to feel they are really doing “due diligence,” as you lead them through the pages of copy. It is important to consider what they are wanting to accomplish, versus what you want to accomplish while you have them as an audience. What is your prospect’s primary reason for coming to your site the first time?
To check you out!
They want to see if you’re real, if you can be trusted, if you carry the products or services they want, if your prices are reasonable, and more. I call this the “Due Diligence” dance. They want information, yet most ecommerce sites put little or no importance on this. The prospect comes to your dance, but you don’t want to dance with them... You want to close a sale! Next!
Your customer may actually want to come ready to buy, but don't expect people to flock to your site just to be sold. You've got to add some meaningful depth to your site, build a sense of relationship, of community. Include testimonials and resources that fulfill their need. Provide them tips and assistance… be their partner! The sales will take place if the sales copy and graphics are allowed to come in "under the radar," instead of in their face. And when you do it right, you’ll collect a significant number of names of your visitors… a database of incredibly qualified prospects for ongoing sales.
Your site should be simple and easy to navigate… allowing the prospect to explore the nooks and crannies anonymously, and giving them the chance to follow your lead, and register, purchase or connect with you. I like to think www.web3direct is a good example of this. The site allows a prospective customer to drill down, and the comments I get let me know that that's exactly what they're doing (not to mention the page reports). I call this dance the "due diligence" dance.
It's not rocket science, your customers simply like to dance. So dance with them a little, and watch your sales go through the roof!
This was the first Maxim I ever discovered, and it's probably the most important one of all. Everything else in the communication you establish with your prospects and customers revolves around this on fact: they want to dance with you! So don't jerk them around the floor! Sure, it's more work than just cranking out your sales message. But when you take the time to romance the stone a bit, you'll find out it's made of gold. More than that, as Bogart said in Casablanca, it could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship (and tons of backend sales over the life of that customer)
Carpe Diem!
Emerson
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