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Wow, a premonition

2006-06-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

This post sums up my recent marketing meeting / review to a T!

I was told that I need to stop writing anything personal or conversational. Everything needs to not say "we" or "I" but use the company name. Yeah, that's good, because with a product that people don't want...we need to eliminate the personal relationship aspect of the business.

Stop asking our clients and employees what they want and why this is important.

Stop writing drafts of things that go out. Write one, check the spelling and send it.

Trying to figure out a corporate message? That's out too.

Flood the prospects with information about us and what we do.

The concept of lead generation and offering valuable information...lost on them.

So, it's back to the jobsearch market. I am polishing my resume and putting some things together. Will be putting up a squidoo site with links to some samples and fleshing out resume information.

All I want is something that I can believe in...have passion about...grow with...is that so much to ask???

...but, it's cheaper!

2006-06-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

If I sit in one more marketing meeting and hear, "Just email it to them...it's cheaper," I think I may explode.

I'm Starting To Get It!

2006-06-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

This concept of the Long Tail hit home with me.

You see, I haven't really "gotten it" with everyone talking about the whole concept. I read the manifesto, but couldn't get past the entertainment portion of it.

But today I was considering why I subscribe to Netflix or Yahoo music and it dawned on me...the Long Tail!

I think the market for giving people LOTS of options is amazing with services like these. And with pricing structures that reward curiosity and experimentation...it's a great concept and some creative people will do very well with it.

If You Only Read!

2006-06-01T06:08:00.000-07:00

There are days when I wish that people read this blog.

Sure, some of what I dump here is for "when word gets out and I overtake Scoble in readership...then people can look back!" (Hey, power of a positive attitude, right?)

Anyway, I know I've been bitching a lot lately about my current situation...sorry. But, as someone who's trying to find his place in the world of marketing..when it doesn't go well it's frustrating.

I had a meeting the other day with the owners of the company in which I had my ass handed to me. They said that they don't have a good feeling about what I'm doing. Looking back, I truly can't believe some of the things they said, what do you think?

"The asking our customers what their worries are and asking people around here about their opinions has to stop. That's all theory and it's a waste of time."

"Don't spend so much time re-writing a letter. Just write it professionally and send it out. Shouldn't take any more than two hours."

"Marketing is getting a sale in the door."

"We don't need an opinion. Just tell people the facts."

And on...and on.

It's frustrating to watch a company with a good reputation and hard-working employees shoot themselves in the foot so bad. In an industry where many of the services we perform are dictated by regulations...so everyone does them the same way, opinion is ALL we have to differentiate ourselves.

Anyway, enough of my whining. It's time to look for something I can get behind.

"Made in America"

2006-05-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

I heard something funny the other night.

I was walking through Wal Mart while my wife was looking for some flowers/shrubs to plant at our house. I was going to look at a magazine and heard a man talking to his mother (I assumed) and they had picked up a copy of Sam Walton's "Made in America." Sarcastically, they said to each other, "Ha, made in China is more like it." Like they were pissed off.

Hey, McFly, you're shopping at WAL MART!

It's funny how people can criticize business practices but have no problem taking advantage of cheap prices.

It's like all these celebrities complaining about "big business" and republicans and rich people and singing their sob stories about the poor throughout the world and how we need to take care of people and it's all the republicans' fault. Guess what. Maybe if you didn't make $20 million to act in a damn movie (and many times not a very good one!) some of that money would be around.

Or the complaints about tax cuts. Hey, you don't have to take the cut. Send all your money to the government if they will use it so much more wisely.

Sorry...got off on a rant. I just get so frustrated when people take advantage of a company's/country's benefits and criticize the methods. Do they do everything perfect? Of course not. But don't vilify them on one hand and turn around and benefit from what they provide.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

2006-05-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

Ever since I read this post by Tom Asacker, I've been thinking about the roles of sales and marketing.

I've been rolling around in my head the roles of each and how they can work together. I think that a bit of the problem can be seen in Tom's post. Too often, marketers and sales people see each other as...well, not the enemy, but pretty close. One blames the other and then everyone loses.

The reality is, neither would be worth much without the other.

If it was left to marketing...everyone would have lots of information, but few would buy. If it were left only to sales...people would probably buy things they don't know much about.

In my organization, I'm the marketer and the salesman. Now, I don't necessarily recommend this either, but I think that these two key business functions need to see each other as allies and work together to achieve the goals of both. It's up to marketers to identify and forward qualified leads and up to sales to take into account the work that was necessary to get those leads and act accordingly.

I think that the successful organizations going forward are the ones that are able to bridge the gap between sales and marketing.

Selling the Invisible...Literally

2006-05-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

So, as the saga continues, I am being told to convert from focusing on marketing to sales...even though we've had shoddy marketing efforts at best due to the view of marketing around here.

One of the markets we're targeting is contractors for asbestos inspections, mold assessments and other environmental services associated with construction.

Here's the problem.

What do I sell? Basically, we want them to call us when they have an issue, but we just have to wait until that situation presents itself...so that's marketing. How do I sell the, "Call us if you need anything."

I would love to offer information, white papers, tips, etc to these people so when they do have an issue, they call. But, the owners are scared to give away information because, "That's what we want them to pay us for." In addition, they just say, "No one will read that."

So, why don't we offer something they will read?

It's frustrating to have marketing seen as "send out a letter," or even worse, "send a mass email."

I Just Can't Get This Out Of My Head

2006-05-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

I know I've touched on this before, but I just can't get this concept of using blogging as an advertising strategy.

What do I mean?

I mean the new billboards/radio ads for AT&T that try to use blogging as a message in their ads for why to use their internet service. They just don't get it!

Every time I hear/see one of these, I laugh and at the same time wonder how they can miss the boat so badly.

Blogging is not just another "message delivery tool." Blogging is community. Blogging is a conversation. Blogging is the ability to talk and share ideas with someone halfway around the world while I'm supposed to be working!

Seriously. I went to the AT&T site and haven't found a "read our blog" section. Sure, some topics are tough to blog about (my employer's for example. Want to talk asbestos?) but that means you have to get creative.

It's funny to watch the people who subscribe to the "traditional" form of marketing scratching and scraping for the "good old days" in their mind.

I Agree...and I'm Guilty

2006-05-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

I completely agree with this post.

I have a tendency to look up to other professionals that are doing what I wish I could do. Now, I want to learn so much from them and try to be successful like them...but I sometimes end up trying to do it THEIR way, rather than using their experience and blending it with MY way.

I am realizing more and more that while the "experts" can give me a lot of great tips, it's up to me to apply them and make them my own. My struggle is trying to do that. Trying to have to confidence to try what has worked for them...even if it fails.

What's Next?

2006-05-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

In looking at Firefox extensions, something popped into my head.

There are MANY tools for commenting on websites and searching other people's comments, etc. Why haven't these tools caught on more and why hasn't one come to the forefront like some of the blogging tools?

It seems like the next logical step to me. It turns virtually any site into a blog in the sense that you can comment on other people's opinions. When do you think these tools will catch on (or have they and I missed it?) and is there one you think will take the lead?

Information Please!

2006-05-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't posted for a while, but that's ok because no one's reading anyway! But, at least someday people will be able to look back at the archives and say, "Ah, so that's where the downhill slide began!"

Anyway, I was reading through some quotes and came across this one by Tom Peters.
"An informed colleague (customer, vendor) is a far less anxious one."

This is what I'm up against right now. I am trying to convince the powers that be of the importance of educating our customers and prospects. I'm trying to illustrate the benefit of giving away information. They are just focused on what we can get out of the people, not what we can give to them.

There is so much benefit to educating people.

They learn what they need to do.
They value the information and you in kind.
They see you as an expert.

So, why is it such a difficult chore to convince them of how important this is?

Put on Our Thinking Caps!

2006-04-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

"With imagination, almost any product or service, from a company of any size, can become a star in even the toughest, most competitive corners of the global marketplace." -Tom Peters

My problem is figuring out how!

I understand the philosophy, but when you're in an industry that sells a service that people basically need but don't want, how do you do this?

In case you're interested (and judging by my readership...you're not!) I work for a small company that provides consulting services in environmental health and safety. Asbestos inspections, mold testing, industrial hygiene, etc. All very exciting stuff. It's something that people are told they should worry about, but don't really want to focus on .

Add to that the fact that the chances of someone being inspected and cited are so slim unless something happens and people just don't seem to care.

So, how do I make this a star? That's what I'm struggling with right now. How to make a service that is valuable but not desired something people want to hear about and care about.

But, the concept Tom explains is very true. I just need to figure out how!

Some People Just Don't Get It

2006-04-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

As in, the traditional media.

I'm sure by now you've seen the AT&T billboards with the slogan "Blogging Delivered."

That's right...a BILLBOARD.

Now Geico has ads with a guy saying how great the Internet is, how much he loves blogging, how much he blogs and thinks he blogs too much.

I went to their websites and couldn't find a blog on either of them. It seems that blogs are quickly becoming the "in thing" to talk about instead of do. These corporations don't seem to understand WHY blogs are so popular. They don't understand the importance of a human voice. They just know that, "Hey, everybody is talking about blogs. How can we use that...but I don't want to actually have a blog."

It just doesn't make sense. For both industries even I can think of topics they could blog on. Saving money on insurance...technology emerging in the telecommunications market.

Or, just say, "Blogs are cool." on an advertisement. Yeah, I'm sure that'll work.

Where'd You Go??

2006-04-07T05:46:00.000-07:00

"In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is failing. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible." -Seth Godin

Sometimes the best statements are the simplest.

Everyone knows that you have to stand out to be noticed, but have you really ever sat down and thought about it? I know I haven't nearly as much as I should.

Mine is a business where standing out is difficult. It's a service that our clients don't really want and don't really think much about, but they need it. So how do you stand out and get them to notice?

I'm still working on that one.

The other side of it is, I tend to (as I'm sure some of you do too!) notice things that stand out from a marketer's standpoint. But, do those things really stand out to a non-marketer. We need to think like our customers.

We need to determine what will stand out to THEM and then go beyond their expectations and park happily in their desires.

Stand at Attention!

2006-04-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

"Does it stand out in a flash, or do you need an electron microscope to tell them apart?" -Tom Peters.

I know I'm guilty of this. Coming up with a difference in comparing our company to the competition and falling short of a TRUE difference.

Looking at something with "company eyes" usually leads to this. The illusion that something is truly a difference when, in reality, it's something WE care about, not the customer.

It's important to find the points of distinction that matter to the CUSTOMER, not to the company. Often the best, most effective points of distinction are the ones that make people in the company say, "Boy, I think that's a little extreme."

Yes!

That's what it takes to stand out.

Extreme.
Going to the edge.
Standing out.

And the Lightbulb Goes On!

2006-03-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

"A brand (or new product offering) is nothing more than an idea. Ideas that spread are more likely to succeed than those that don't." -Seth Godin

While this probably seems like common sense now, it wasn't always and for many ( I can vouch for that!) it still isn't.

Break it down though.

So often we come up with a "brand" or "product" and that thing takes on a life of its own. It's nothing more than an idea someone had and our job is to help other people first know about the idea and then (hopefully) accept it and agree with it.

When we place too much stock in the "thing" we lose focus of helping people see our idea for what it is and for what it can be.

Why Not?

2006-03-28T05:42:00.000-08:00

Seth references Mark Polino as to why don't hotels allow you to use your room key for vending machines at the hotel.

I was recently at The Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells and their restaurants in the resort allow you to use your room key to charge to your room. Why not extend it to vending machines? For resort towns, why not take it further? Why not have an agreement with nearby grocery stores for long-term guests to be able to use their card for groceries?

This, to me is TRUE value-added. Existing to make the customer's life better/easier/more fulfilling.

Who will start this to start the next "industry-standard" revolution in the hospitality industry?

T.L.C

2006-03-24T11:47:00.000-08:00

"A little TLC goes a long way." -Tom Peters

When did we get the idea that businesses are living beings?

When did we start treating businesses like they aren't made up of people?

What can we do to get back to dealing with people?

So many times businesses/salespeople/marketers treat ideas and companies in the abstract. We tend to forget that every business decision that is made is made by a person. A person with emotions, feelings, desires, goals and fears. But, we forget to address those things (the most important things!) and focus instead on numbers and statistics.

What if we start treating people like people? What if we start remembering that the people that make up companies are people and not numbers?

What if we started focusing more on TLC than ROI?

BOOOOOOOOORRRINNNNGGGGG

2006-03-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

"In almost every market, the boring slot is filled." -Seth Godin

Brilliant!

So many people try to fit what is already in the market. So many people play it "safe" and in the process become boring.

Face it, safe is boring. It's not sexy, it's not fun, it's not exciting.

When faced with a choice between a boring choice and an exciting choice...people choose exciting.

Plus, unless you've just created an absolutely new market with no competition (hint they don't exist...you've always got some sort of competition) you're not the first one there. So you absolutely cannot be the first one to be boring.

Why not be the first to be absolutely exciting?

For Example...

2006-03-20T07:15:00.000-08:00

"'Please give me an example.' These are the five most important words in the interviewer's arsenal and they can't be used enough." -Tom Peters

Be it an interview, sales meeting or any conversation, this is a valuable technique.

Why?

In my opinion there are a few reasons this is a valuable technique.

It helps you to understand EXACTLY what the other person means by what they are saying. If you don't understand what they're saying, how can you offer a proper solution?

It helps illustrate your interest in their concerns or opinions and solidify their view of your concern for them.

It also helps to get them to think about what they are really trying to say. This may be the most valuable outcome. You can help them think through their true needs so that they will truly understand the need for the solution you recommend.

Everyone benefits from a better understanding of the other person's needs.

So, can you give me an example of how you've used this technique?

It's What/Who You Know

2006-03-17T06:56:00.000-08:00

"Know more about your client (or co-worker) than the next person and you've got a leg up." -Tom Peters

Everyone wants other people to care about them. You and I are no different.

We want to feel important, valued and special. Deep down we are all focused on ourselves. We try to focus on other people, and often we succeed, but internally, we are concerned about ourselves.

That's human nature.

But, how does this apply? Well, if a potential client perceives that you know more about them than your competitor, they will feel valued/special/important when they deal with you. Then, naturally they will gravitate toward you. They will want to work with someone who makes them feel valued, makes them feel important and shows that they care.

What can you learn about your clients and potential clients today that will make them feel more valued tomorrow?

Advice?

2006-03-13T10:40:00.000-08:00

So, in a few weeks I have a meeting with the three owners of the company about marketing. I was pulled aside and told that I needed to follow their recommendations better today.

Things like bringing a list of prospects to each meeting (instead of implementing a CRM system) and brining a spreadsheet so that when they talk to someone, they can (if they remember) write down the conversation for me to enter into a system on my computer to track it. Honestly.

I want to understand their views of marketing so that I can meet them and gradually try to shift them.

What do you recommend I ask to open up the conversation and how can I get their true feelings on marketing?

"Deal or No..Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"

2006-03-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

Remember when Who Wants to be a Millionaire first started?

One week on, a few weeks of build-up to the next week? Etc.

When did things start to go downhill for them? In my mind it was when they started being on a regular schedule and eventually every week.

It took the mystery and excitement and anticipation out of waiting for the next installment.

Now Deal or No Deal, which is a good show if you haven't seen it, is going down the same road.

They started with being on for a week, off for a few. Then on again.

But then they did something strange (read stupid). They looked at the ratings. They said, "Let's add another week next week!"

They they looked at the ratings again and said, "Let's put it on Monday and Friday nights every week."

Sure, they're going to make a bunch up front, but what would happen if they stuck with the on again off again for a while? Promoted the upcoming episodes? Enhanced the viral nature of friends telling friends about this great show...you have to see it when it's on again.

Disappointing.

I Am The Greatest!

2006-03-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

"Is your product the best at anything worth measuring?" -Seth Godin

That's a good question. Ever considered it?

The key there is not being the best at something that YOU measure or that matters to you, but being the best at something that the CUSTOMER measures.

Sounds pretty basic, but how many times have you read company literature that boasts about being the best, being number one, etc. and it just seems to be bragging to their competition, not offering anything to their customers?

If you are the best at something worth measuring to the customer, they'll measure it and they'll know. Then, they'll tell their friends.

What say you?

Missing the Forest for the Trees

2006-03-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

I know I've complained about this before...but no one's listening so I can keep ranting.

Why hire a marketing person if you're going to undermine every recommendation they make?

The age old solution for non-marketers of, "Marketing is sending out letters, etc." is DEAD.

DEAD!

If you have nothing to say, no message, no opinion, nothing to offer...you are nothing! You won't get anywhere telling people what you can do because, if they can't do it themselves, someone can do it cheaper.

What's in it for them is more important than ever.

How do you convince company owners to subscribe to that school of thought and spend the marketing dollars that way?