Spent any time with a small child recently? Got tired of them asking “why, but why, why, why” to just about anything you ask them to do. Or have you noticed how much more likely to they are to do what you want if you give them a simple explanation?

Guess what, we never grow out of this, we just learn not to ask all the time.

Consider these two signs -

Which is more effective? The simple addition of a reason to act increases the impact of the request.

This has an effect on a lot of what we do when interacting with our customers.

Give them the why.

• Buy now – because the offer ends next week
• Out of stock – due to huge demand
• Don’t cross this line – because you might fall under the train
• Fill in this form – so we can send you offers

Every time you ask a prospect or customer to do something give them a simple reason why it will benefit them – even if it seems obvious. Why? Because it will uplift your sales and improve your customer’s experience a little bit.

Photo credit: Banalities

…not to be unfriendly but it doesn’t seem like a great idea.

That's a lot of hands...

So is the new self-service check in system a touch screen too far? On the plus side it saves a bit of time, a good thing I’m sure you’d agree, I’m all for improved customer service.

Oh well, I’m sure the bugs are loving it…

Hopefully by the time I go again there’ll be an antibacterial hand gel dispenser on hand and a “Thank you for checking in – now cleanse your hands” message on the screen.

End to end thinking is always a good idea in product development / customer service improvement. Maybe I’m just being paranoid – what do you think?

Photo credit: John-Morgan

Keeping your blog relevant is not an easy thing to do. The commitment to blogging while trying to do the other million and one job’s you have to do should not be underestimated. Who’s even looking anyway? Well I’m no TV presenter or camera operator however I think it’s important to show your face every now and then. As far as I’m concerned homemade is good.

When we try too hard to sell ourselves it can all look a bit contrived and social media should be immediate. Corporate work is an entirely different matter though.

Coffee Pot House

Have a look at this film production specifically for internet not TV put on the internet.

Some interesting comments on how online video is changing and developing.

So far we have not done a lot more than put TV on the internet, but some innovators are starting to take advantage of all the possibilities offered by the interactive nature of the internet. Check out this interview with Tim Street on the Marketing over coffee pod cast.

Is this how gaming will enter a real life Matrix style of play via apps on your iphone? Feel it, live it, interact with it. Be immersed and provoked?

I’m not sure if I’m ready for that, (haven’t mastered brain training yet!) How do you think online video is going to change? Or are most viewers happy to just sit back and watch TV style?

Photo credit: Jeff Kubina

Keep it Simple

Usually when we are excited about a new project we have lots to say about it. We are enthusiastic and want to tell you all about the marvellous things on offer – this is great. We need to love and believe in our product in order to sell it.

Trouble is our audience insn’t in love with our product (at least not yet). So when it comes to getting your message across less is more. What is the simplest way to communicate you information? If you can visualise something and break it down in to easy steps the idea can be presented successfully.

Test your message and get some feedback.

You can always save some information for later. When you are selling something there will be a second chance to tell your potential audience more so don’t panic you don’t have to get all 101 features and benefits in the first e-mail. Take your strongest points and keep building upon them with your second or third e-mail, letter or call. This way you have something new to talk about rather than pushing the same thing over and over.

It’s old advice but it’s good advice – keep it simple!

Photo credit: schatz

How to avoid blending in to a cloud of CV’s

Today I helped a close friend apply for a job. Both of us are in management roles and have seen many job applications and CV’s before.

Sometimes you get the most fantastic person in the world. On paper it all seems too good to be true so you don’t pick that one! Sometimes there are poor errors and it would seem that the applicant didn’t have the time to check. So you don’t select that one for interview either.

You have to strike a balance – enough information about your skills but don’t come across as a super droid. A little bit of personality and humility goes a long way.

Good lay out, clean readable text and a friendly manor is the objective.

Read through the advertisement and answer all of the points requested, this way you can directly appeal to the companies requirements. We did our research and checked out all aspects of the company. We also read between the lines asking ourselves what the employer needs and why they feel that this role is essential right now?

How will your CV and letter stand out from all the rest?

OK so we’ve braved the picture but can we put together a more personal approach, an outstanding application? If the company is relatively switched on in terms of media then a PowerPoint style or video clip presentation can work really well. These can be loaded on to a USB stick and sent via courier or recorded delivery.

OK it’s not Big Brother or X Factor that you’re applying for so don’t go mad. Just introduce yourself, talk about your skills and end the piece by suggesting that you have some ideas that the company would like to implement. Call the employer to action! Make sure your contact details are on the film or presentation and ask them to get in touch.

So in short

• Plan to impress
• Answer all of the questions posed by the advertisement in both letter and CV
• Don’t over do it (no one is that good) Keep it simple
• Inject some personality
• If appropriate do something a bit different

Good luck

Business is about all sorts of skills and one of them is understanding others and helping them sort out what’s important to drive their business forward.

Working in a Marketing Consultancy gives me a fantastic opportunity to work with so many different people who have many different objectives. I like encouraging them to take the steps to improve upon or discover new customers.

If you want something doing find the busy people and ask them.

Look to those people who help in their community see the goodwill that surrounds them and understand that this is the teaching ground for good business practice. Those who are inspired will come forwards while those who resist the extra effort will continue to search for success.

Together we discuss, evaluate, try and test new ideas until we hit on the right combination to make it work. So there’s a great amount of communication, trust and assisting each other to make the right decisions.

It’s really important to build this trust with clients, suppliers and customers. Make your first steps to helping today and set aside time to help others and you will see your business shift in the right direction too.

Photo credit: thegiantvermin

I popped into Borders last week and picked up a copy of The Dip by Seth Godin. It’s a very quick, very motivational read 7/10. Here’s a quick review.

Video Book Review of The Dip from Simon Mason on Vimeo.

Some subscriptions are even harder to break away from.

If you’re a phone/broadband/sateliteTV or other subscribtion based service I realise that you don’t want me to leave.

But here’s the thing. Make it easy for me to leave and I might just come back later. Make it hard for me to leave and I won’t. Make it really hard for me to leave and I’ll warn all my friends not to join as well.

Two things, first circumstances change and sometimes we all need to save money, second if you have confidence in your service why do you need to tie me up in knots?

So let me go – even if I’m still in a minimum contract period let me return the equipment and pay a surcharge – but make it easy, then I’ll have the confidence to return to you when I can / want to.

Can I filter incoming communication or am I becoming an easy target?

Read then sieve

The emergence of more and more free media with the option to subscribe and unsubscribe as and when I choose is a fabulous thing. I can select my news feed and my entertainment when I want it where I want it. I have total autonomy. Fantastic!

With my pre selection and filtering how exposed am I to new ideas? If I surround myself with only one point of view my ability to reflect subjectively diminishes.

My selections are visible to others who would like to promote more of the same and I can be easily identified. So more of the content that I seek is supplied to me. Any message or opinion that does not fit I am able to filter out.

Is my life richer for this? If I love fishing and can meet up with others from all over the world to fish and share my experience then I am experiencing more. If I’m a gambler and have become immersed in the cycle of gambling then perhaps this is not so good?

I would never suggest censorship but feel that individuals should take care to ensure that incoming communication is varied. It is important to comment on blogs and challenge our own viewpoint as well as others.

Recently I joined a group called “It Starts With Us” see the great ideas and the fun stuff they do here http://www.itstartswith.us I was sceptical as recent ventures on Twitter were filled with spam and BUY MY STUFF!!! Great I can now filter that out.

When I joined the #ATeam and took part in some of the missions (no religious connotations for me personally) I felt great and made a small difference in a huge sea of change. When I joined I made it clear that my participation was based on trust and that I didn’t expect to see any “related marketing information.”

I can report that so far I have not been marketed to in any way other than the purpose for which I joined. To be part of some ones Big Idea http://bit.ly/SuGci and to do something that made myself and others feel good about themselves. Thanks Nate for keeping in touch.

So in conclusion I am an easy target, but I can filter the spam, the rest I will experience and comment on when I’m on line and try to keep an open mind.

When we are communicating in business we are reaching out to our audience and looking for new clients. A little thought before you make that blog, tweet or comment will help you to add value and content to your item. A bit of personality offers another dimension.

Photo credit – spali