Grow Your Business

As I mentioned in a previous post, implanting an idea in another person’s mind and having them think it’s their own is the basic premise for the movie Inception. Here is how to use in your customer service.

Because today’s customers are very demanding with high expectations suppliers must be ready to deliver what the customer wants. The more the customer feels like they want to be part of the organization, the more they will tell others about your organization.

The Regular

Customers love to be recognized as a regular, be called by name, be able to say “the usual” and the server knows what that means. I know of a guy who has his preferred drink waiting on him at his favorite table as soon as they see him drive into the restaurant parking lot. Now what came first – the great service, or the fact that he dines at this establishment so often they just got to know him. Now the brain-twister: does he come there 3 to 4 days a week because it’s his idea or because the establishment has such great service they implanted the idea in his mine he could become a regular with that level of service if he just came back more?

People like to be known as regulars, people like to think they are memorable enough the service provider knows how they order, what they like to wear, that they like to be on the cutting edge of technology, and people like to be recognized as a member of the club within the club (“Welcome to Marriott Mr. White. I see you are a gold member with us and we are glad to have you back staying with us.”)

These are what will bring customers back time and time again and they will think it’s their own idea to make that choice.

The Rewards

Don’t be fooled that reward programs make a difference. It all depends of the value of the rewards. For example my Marriott points will allow me to accumulate them until eventually they will provide me with a couple of “free” nights I can use for vacation. This has value on many levels.

The new key chain tag I now have from Panera they scan on each visit will eventually give me a free bagel every ten visits or so. This doesn’t have the same value because I know the buyer data they are collecting from me is of far greater value to them than the bagel they give me in return.

Hey Panera, how about a “First Class” line for those who accumulate enough visits to achieve a preferred status? Or a sample bagel of the newest flavor you are beta-testing periodically? Now this program would have more clout because the customer now feels of more value. And that’s the point. When I feel that I get special treatment (that I am willing to earn) at any establishment suddenly your location becomes my preferred destination – and “I thought of going there all on my own.”  Really now.

I’ve watched the movie Inception twice and look forward to renting it so I can stop it and make notes to support my theory of what is exactly going on. My friends are watching it multiple times to support their theories as well. This is probably the most discussed movie I can remember since Memento, another Christopher Nolan creation.

The basic premise of the movie is placing an idea into a person’s mind (and have them think it’s their own) in order to get the recipient of the idea to act a certain way.

Good marketing makes this happen. Good customer service can also make this happen. And creating a product as alive as Inception, where people talk about it for weeks, is the ultimate business creation. Let’s break this down.

Good marketing

When a person gets thirsty for a beer, what makes them choose which one they drink? Billions of ad dollars are hoping the decision is predicated on a piece of marketing that is lodged in the person’s brain. The idea is implanted that a particular brand of beer is “your choice” to buy the next time you go to the store. Beer sales are reliant on brand loyalty and a relationship with the customer. Taste tests have shown American beer all pretty much tastes the same, and people can’t identify their favorite beer consistently. This is why the placement of an idea about the brand is so important to repeat sales. You want your brand to be the first the consumer thinks of.

A buyer will purchase a product from the first brand or company that comes to mind 96% of the time. Did they make that choice on their own, or was it a quick access to an idea placed in their minds?

Good marketing, whether it’s from an ad budget of millions of dollars or a post card that stays on the desk of your desired customer, is all about placing a thought in the mind of the buyer that it is their decision (their own idea) to buy your product.

Look at your own marketing approach. How focused is your marketing with the intent of embedding an idea into the minds of your customers? Are your ads cursory, or are they the kind that sticks in the customers minds? Memorable tag lines, messages, and visuals can find a home in those minds you desire to reach.

Ask yourself these questions while reviewing your marketing approach:

How can I send a more consistent message in all of my marketing?

Do my marketing messages live on in the minds of those I am targeting?

What is the idea I want to implant into my customers’ minds about my products and services?

How can I best accomplish that inception?

The rest of the week I will write on how to create Inception Customer Service and Inception Buzz for your business. Remember you want to create ideas that can keep your customers’ minds spinning … like a top.

Over the last decade a number of things have become obsolete or are virtually on life support. It’s easy to spot in other people’s products and services that are obsolete, but what about your own? After reading this list, reflect on your business. What are the products, services, habits, marketing approaches, and managerial methods that are obsolete in your business. Is your business ready?

1. The busy signal

Phone technology has advanced so much we rarely hear a busy signal any more. Call waiting and voice mail have made hearing the busy signal obsolete. Ask a young person what does a busy signal sound like, and watch the look they give you.

2. Dial up modem

Once again a sound that you hardly hear anymore is the electronic gurgling of a dial up modem searching then making a connection. 10 years ago this was the common Internet connection, today it is pretty much gone from existence.

3. The “Blind” date

Once upon a time when you were fixed up on a blind date you had no clue who the person was or anything about her other than what your friend told you about her. Today with Google, Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter there is an encyclopedia of knowledge you can obtain before actually meeting in person. Which begs the question: Are you using these tools to learn about prospects before calling on them?

4. Poor TV reception

No more rabbit ears and tin foil to find the best channel reception. We have more than 4 stations to pick from as well. CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS were about all the choices you had and getting them watchable was an exercise.

5. Waiting to get photos developed

Photo technology has changed from waiting a few days to get back vacation pictures to having them on your computer in five minutes. Almost unlimited capacity and no waiting are the code words of the photo industry today.

6. Answering machine

Along with the busy signal the small answering machine box has all but disappeared in its short lived life span. This product was being replaced almost as fast as it was invented. It had a very short life cycle.

7. A calculator watch

We no longer need watches with tiny button to do basic calculations on. In fact, we no longer are in need of wrist watches to tell time. Good thing the industry decided to market them as status and jewelry accessories.

8. Floppy disk

Ten years ago portable memory was on 3.5 inch disks that held so little memory capacity; most current programs wouldn’t fit on ten of them. Today, thumb drives, and portable hard drives the size of transistor radios (remember them?) make memory capacity readily available. Expect these devices to go the way of floppy disks in the near future as well with the advance of cloud computing.

9. Car cigarette lighters

The ubiquitous cigarette lighter was on the dash board of every car. Who knew that penny-sized hole would transform into an electronics charging port? The lighters don’t even come with the port anymore as the transformation from lighter to charger port is complete.

10. Getting an AOL disk in the mail

Monthly I was getting a disk of free minutes for AOL. Snail mail spam as it were. When was the last time you saw one of those? AOL the pioneer of online connection is lost in the vast number of ways to access the all important information highway.

The NCAA was tired of watching Lew Alcindor beat opponents by dunking the ball over their heads effortlessly, so they outlawed dunking in college basketball. Coach John Wooden talked with a distraught Alcindor and told him to forget what was and focus on what is. He then encouraged him to find a different way to shoot, thus the Sky Hook was created. When Alcindor turned pro where dunking was legal he was doubly equipped to score over opponents with two deadly shots.

We need to focus more on what is and what will be than in what was.

Business owners are still wishing for a return to how things used to be, wishing for the clock to roll back to the good times. Forget what was; let’s deal with winning with what is.

Be in the present

I am asked frequently about what can be done to win in the present times. Here are my tips for finding success in the current economic climate. It all starts with the fundamentals.

Stop comparing

Businesses have a habit of comparing this year with the year before, the best year, the worst year and the same month of the previous year. Forget it. The comparisons are unfair. Why are they unfair? Because they are not comparing equals. New businesses come to town, traffic patterns change, economic shifts happen beyond your control, and buying habits of consumers change. Sadly in good times we loved those comparisons because they improved (frequently beyond our control) and we loved the ride. Today those comparisons beat us down. To borrow from John Wooden once again – forget the winning and the bottom line. Take care of performing the fundamentals with excellence and the winning will take care of itself.

Focus forward

Looking at what used to be isn’t going to get us where we are going when the business world is so different. The rules of engagement have changed when dealing with employees, customers, vendors, and investors. Today’s times require a renewed focus on where you are going and what tools are the best to use to get you there. An Internet presence has never been more important than today, the ability to make changes rapidly has never been as necessary as today, and being able to find the hidden pockets or revenue has never been as important in your business’s lifecycle as right now.

It’s time to navigate where you are going not where you have been.

Hard work and hustle

With the advance of technology greater demand is placed on small businesses to keep up on all fronts; and it seems fronts keep adding on! Not only do you have to be on the front page of a Google search, you need to have a solid presence in social media and have multiple sites, and that is just in the online marketplace.
I hear all the time from small business owners, “How am I going to get everything done?” In this economy where everyone is going after scarce dollars the winners are those who out-hustle and out-work the competition. Many businesses got away from the basics in the good times. Now it’s time to ramp up the effort, energy and commitment.

Try stuff

If you aren’t experimenting, innovating and trying new things on a daily basis your business will constantly be playing catch up. Forget perfection. Forget trying to find a groove. Try stuff and embrace the volatility of change and you will see your victories returning like it used to be.

Consumers, whether individuals or businesses, are overwhelmed with a barrage of information and choices. As a result, they often shut down and avoid the buying process altogether.

Use these questions to apply the information Russell provides to fit your organization:

1. Do we need to pare down our product and service offerings to a more manageable level so we can offer more complete, better-informed suggestions to our potential customers? How do we do that?

2. Once we have reached the decision-making stage, how do we simplify that process so that we don’t sabotage our sale by offering too many options or too much information?

3. How can we distill out marketing message down to the most important thought we want to communicate?

To keep up with employee shifts and changing needs, employers have looked for ways to offer new and different benefits. Some of them became government mandated and some of them corporately created. Today, as fast as the world is changing so must employee benefits.

One of the greatest complaints of employers is the cost of benefits now that medical has become the monster in the benefit room. What can organizations do to serve employees without breaking the bank? Join the information age.

Next Gen employees are information junkies and they have many information needs a corporation can meet with minimal cost.

Companies need to make available free podcasts or online self-study seminars for employees on among other things finances, wellness, marriage, and family. These are not those black and white movies from the 50′s on how to be a happy homemaker. This is raw information where employees can learn how to better manage finances especially in these economic times.

Wellness programs start with the mental side of dealing with stress, dealing with family issues and dealing with the scary times for those just beginning their work careers in today’s economy. Bosses are not the experts on these topics and sending employees to a one day, one size fits all seminar holds little value. Informational downloads can be appreciated at the employees leisure.

Not only will this offer new benefits to meet employee needs but it creates a culture of personal growth which is a great work culture that will foster organizational growth because the growth mindset has been established. Help the employees with their educational and informational needs and help your company create a culture of growth in the process.

Back in the dark ages I owned record albums with “hidden” soundtracks and “backmasking.” Monty Python’s Matching Tie and Handkerchief album had a second, or “hidden,” groove on one side of the album that only played if the stylus hit it accidentally. We called this the “third side” of the album.

The Beatles White album has a message recorded backwards under the song Revolution Number 9. I had access to a radio studio turntable, so I could play the album backwards and hear what the words really said. These were the surprise prizes that were shared from person to person; the “inside” information made us feel in the know, clever for having figured it out, and part of a special crowd.

DVDs now do the same thing with Easter Eggs. They are exciting to discover, and the customer feels special and rewarded. And the best part for the customer — sharing the “secret” with someone else! For example, the Cars DVD has hidden treasures aficionados enjoy. If you’ve seen “Boundin’ with Mater,” you are an Insider!

Even TV shows. The little icons prior to commercials on Fringe spell words in code.

What are you doing to create the buzz of word of mouth marketing for your surprise prizes?

Do you know about the “secret menu” at In and Out Burger? Have it “Animal Style!” Are you a Maker’s Mark Ambassador with your own barrel of private stock bourbon? Now you want to be an Insider don’t you?

Define the “Insider” Read more »

Lately I’ve been listening to people who are always upbeat and excited about life and their optimism is great but it’s missing something. “Sure the economy will turn around.” “I have my health.” “There are a lot of people a lot worse off than me, so I have nothing to complain about.” Some of the optimism seems Pollyanna to me and wishing and hoping optimistically isn’t enough! You need to be opportunistic!

When I bought this house I live in on the lake I was looking for not just a nice house but a good deal and great investment opportunity. That fact that we found a house underpriced because of an acrimonious divorce just wanting to get rid of the last connection they had was my good fortune! Had we not signed the papers the day we did the opportunity would’ve been lost because literally there was a couple flying across the country from Seattle to come put a contract on it. They were in the air when we inked the deal! Oh yea! That’s opportunistic!

Those reading this can scoff but winners take control and grab opportunity when it presents itself. I got to watch the Panthers beat the Packers at Lambeau Field because I grabbed opportunity. I got to see a Styx concert in Vegas for free because I grabbed opportunity. I met my breakeven figure for the year before the year started because I grabbed opportunity.

Opportunistic seems to have a negative connotation to it, I figure that’s because there are more people who miss out on opportunities than those who grab it. Be the one to grab opportunity and elevate your optimism to opportunism.

When I speak at conventions and conferences in breakout sessions, one of my main goals is to shut down one other concurrent session. I want to have such a large audience eager to hear my information that I have standing room only and one other speaker has an audience of 3 or less. It works regularly and I’m proud of it.

Does this sound cruel to you? Does this sound like I have my priorities all askew? I am in a competitive world just as you are and everyone should be looking for ways to make your business such a draw it cripples your competitor.

I learned this years ago when I was working a cable television trade show and part of my compensation was to have a booth. It just so happens my booth was in between HGTV and the Playboy channel. Because of my antics in the booth, the games I was running and the prizes I was giving away created an excitement that drew a critical mass of people. Once there was the critical mass, people started to noticed and wondered what they were missing and the crowd grew even more. In fact for that show I out drew both of my neighbors purely because I created the right excitement and enthusiasm and had a plan to draw a crowd. Isn’t that the purpose of a trade show? It’s the same purpose for your business.

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I had the opportunity to meet with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company to pitch a project I wanted to do for them. In his spacious office John Wayne was everywhere: posters, autographed pictures, and even a life-sized cardboard cutout of the Duke himself standing in one corner of the office.

I commented on the memorabilia and he mentioned to me everyone who comes to his office wants to add to his collection, and the way he said it, I got the feeling his interest became more the passion of others with their gifts.

As I was leaving after my presentation I noticed one thing framed that had nothing to do with John Wayne. It was a certificate from Star Fleet Command. He was a closet Trekkie! When I asked about that particular framed certificate his eyes lit up and he told me all about his week at Star Trek camp! You never know do you?

In the thank you note to him for giving me his time I included two inexpensive items I found on ebay. One was a Star Trek communicator the actors would hit on their chest to communicate with others on board. The second was a red enamel Klingon war pin.

In the note I told him he could use these as indicators when he walked into meetings. If the communicator pin was on it was open communication. If he was wearing the Klingon war pin – the warrior was loose.

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