Martin Butler

Personalise, personalise, personalise - simple!

2012-01-31T09:18:00.004Z

Another great example of 'modern retailing' has been exposed by Jon Bird - one of Australia's top creative minds and celebrated retail expert. Writing in the new and fascinating blog: InsideRetail - Asia, he talks about 'Mashops' and then goes on to show a wonderful retailing initiative from 77Kids by American Eagle on Times Square, NYC. Click through to read and view .

The 77Kids example is an outstanding piece of modern retailing - just marvel at the everlasting impact it'll have on those who use it or simply talk about it...envy the brand building this relatively simple piece of technology delivers ...and then ask, why aren't we doing something like this to engage and be chosen by our customers?

It's a simple understanding: emotional precision is the future of retail and it's only achieved through relentless relevance - in short, its about true personalisation and customisation wherever possible. Amazon has become the world's favourite retailer by embracing this simple thought....think about the company's incredible 'pick-up' lockers that are tailored and designed to suit your life, on your terms!

Maybe it's time to rethink 'location, location, location' because digital has seen the death of distance - winners are challenging every aspect of received retailing wisdom whenever they bump into it these days!

Croud Sourcing - is this the end for Wal-Mart's buyers?

2012-01-19T07:07:00.002Z

Wal-Mart, one of the biggest companies on the planet, is testing the ultimate form of Crowd Sourcing - customer's choosing what new and interesting products will be stocked in their stores. Could this be the end of the retail buyer as we know it? ...I doubt it, but providing the appropriate safeguards are put in place, it's certainly a wonderful example of the ultimate form 'pull' merchandising. And certainly a refreshing merchandising initiative from a monolith so often constipated with intimidating and aggressive 'buying' bureaucracy. Wal-Mart has invited merchandise applications from the 'world at large' to be stocked in their stores, with success dependant on voting from the stores' customers on their website. Please read this wonderful article in the FT which answers all the questions anyone may have.

With the world and customers demanding evermore customisation and personalisation this has to be a massive step in the right direction for this enormous and rather un-wielding business - but get it right and the rewards will be mind boggling!

Wake up and smell the coffee - 'Be disloyal'

2012-01-19T06:10:00.001Z

Disloyalty rewarded - now there's a thought for independent retailers taking on the big chains! Robert Stockdill, a buddy of mine and a font of retail knowledge in Asia recently blogged about an interesting initiative in Singapore. Well worth clicking through to Inside Retail - Asia to check out how the independent coffee shops are fighting back in the war for regular customers...Robert is now based in the heart of Asia and I'd counsel you to follow his retail/business blog if you're interested in what's really going on in this phenomenally important region.

Retailing at its best - product to die for!

2012-01-13T10:32:00.002Z

Wonderfully redolent setting for a romantic story

Great retailing is about great story telling and with impeccable timing, French perfume house Lubin launched Black Jade on Bastille Day 2011 - it's a fragrance that was created exclusively for Marie Antoinette and she is believed to have kept a small vial of the fragrance with her at all times, even right up to her death at the guillotine. Indeed, Luca Turin writes in The Secret of Scent, that it was the Queen's unmistakable perfume that gave her away as she fled the palace during the French Revolution.

Evocative scene setting

I read about the launch of Black Jade when I was lecturing in NYC and made a special journeying to Aedes De Venustas on Christopher Street in the heart of Greenwich Village to buy the fragrance as a special gift for my wife. It took me nearly 2 hours to find this wonderful little boutique in torrential rain but this incredibly romantic fragrance (a blend of bergamot, cardamom, rose, jasmine, incense, cinnamon, sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean and amber) was extremely well received, especially when I recounted the history - a great gift and great story.

It's such a shame more retailers don't go out of their way to tell genuinely interesting stories as 'signature' call signs to entice customers to choose them, travel to them, giving customers a reason to genuinely feel differently about the specialness of the store and what they've just bought. With some determined research, there's always something that can be told about key products that makes everyone feel special - including the sales person.

Please read more about Black Jade on Perfume Shrine Blog and Aedes De Venustas website.

Delighting customers is old news but astounding them isn't!

2011-12-12T12:18:00.002Z

Just wander around your local high street or shopping mall with your eyes wide open and experience the broken business models most retailers still faithfully reproduce - to be honest it doesn't take long to realise why customers feel soooooo uninspired.....and now really open your eyes and click here to be transported into customer inspiration-heaven. Look at the initiative Lynx undertook to wake up, be noticed and build their brand in the eyes of their London audience - I love it, and more importantly so did their customers.

In order 'to be chosen' by your audiences, let your mind run free - be different not just better than the competition.....customers will love you for it!

In UK supermarket price wars - has truth become the first casualty?

2011-12-06T11:11:00.004Z

WOW....I can hardly believe what I saw on TV last night.

According to Panorama, an investigative programme from the BBC, all the UK's big 4 supermarkets are allegedly misleading their customers with pricing deals that don't add-up. From palpably incorrect signage promising 'Bigger packs - better value' to accusations of cynically raising prices to then reduce them in a blaze of publicity, supermarkets appear to be misleading their time-pressed customers during busy shopping expeditions - see this clip. Sophie Raworth one of the stars of BBC News TV and journalist on the Panorama programme admitted the maths were too difficult and on this clip said she needed a calculator .... conceding she couldn't do the necessary calculations when distracted by her 3 children out shopping.

Mistakes or misleading - this is not what customers expect from their trusted retailers. Especially when these supermarkets talk about being on the customers' side! The tactics highlighted by Panorama are the sort of tactics so often used by retailers that don't 'get-it' ...don't understand the importance of trust in modern business. But for supermarkets like this to grub around in these murky waters is astonishing. We all knew price establishing went on, we all knew non-essential merchandise wasn't discounted as heavily as other high profile products (if at all) ...but to package things under 'bargain' banners when they are simply not better value has even surprised a practised retail observer such as me - and I feel embarrassed for trusting these retailers!

Over the years, we've all forgiven these supermarkets for coming down hard on farmers in the name of passing low prices onto customers. We've all acknowledged the remarkable work supermarkets have done to reduce the percentage of household income spent on weekly food bills ...but trust me, this goodwill will soon be gone if these supermarkets don't clean up their acts, and super-fast.

Thank you BBC and shame on theses supermarkets if they're found to be guilty, rather than incompetent.

Upto 800,000% interest rate from banks in UK

2011-12-03T08:33:00.007Z

BBC radio headquarters

Radio at its very best! Money Box, one of the absolutely must 'listen to' weekly radio broadcasts from the BBC has recently announced that banks in the UK are charging, coming up for nearly, 1 million percent in interest charges for unauthorised overdrafts when penalty charges are annualised. Initiatives and actions such as this are particularly disappointing as I spend so much time addressing financial institutions about the importance of trust - as if they really need me to tell them this - but rightly they're keen to understand the 'trust mindset' of the world's best retailers...and they can trust me, it doesn't include this sort of customer abuse.

Six figure interest rates ...it's outrageous and eye watering in every sense of the word. As the BBC Money Box reported:
A customer borrowing £100 for 28 days without the consent of Santander would repay £200, for example. That is the equivalent annualised percentage rate, or APR, of 819,100%. Please click here for the full BBC story.

I always implore the banks I address to internally 'remove' the prefix: 'Retail', from their descriptors until they've earned the right to describe themselves as such, earned the right to serve customers. Most banks don't think, operate or treat their customers the way retailers do.... and if they're serious about earning respect and trust from their customers they need a constant reminder and internal mantra: "we mustn't call ourselves Retail until we act like retailers!" - this would be a great place to start and easily understood by the banking workforce.

Please see my previous posting about 'revenue earning units'.

Revenue-earning-units or customers!

2011-11-28T09:50:00.002Z

The wizards of finance and a Meeting of Minds - well maybe. But the financial world is at last realizing it must treat its customers as human beings and not 'revenue earning units'. I had a wonderful session recently addressing 120 or so senior financial wizards at: A Meeting of Minds conference in London. As joint founder of Owenjames, the conference organisers, James Goad had briefed me to open the day with some hard-hitting truths about the state of retail banking/financial services and what might be learned from some of the world's top retail brands. At these types of conferences, I'm always impressed by the customer ambition of these financial wizards and what they have to say... but in truth, as a customer, I haven't noticed a great deal of change over the recent past in terms of how I'm served. I'm minded of a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche the C19 German philosopher who observed: Madness is the exception in individuals but the rule in groups! - perhaps when these wizards get together they fall under the spell of a higher force who decidedly doesn't 'get it!'

Sure, on-line systems and banking is getting very slick but there's not much of a future (or margin) in this - it's the emotional connection with customers leading to a trusted relationship and add-on services that the financial industry need to come to terms with - just like the world's great retailers relentlessly strive for.

But nudging Nietzche's forensic observation to one side, it was a good session, lots of positive feedback and I thank James Goad for his kind words:

“Martin Butler’s charismatic delivery on the art of being chosen really struck a cord with our audience. Too often speakers reel off the same presentation again and again, but Martin tailored his presentation for the audience to ensure it was relevant and bang on the money. Well worth every penny!”

Thanks James and let's hope the wizards of finance will edge ever slowly towards true customer centricity - after all, the more enlightened leaders in customer service view shareholder value as an outcome, not a strategy!

Talking shop at PwC

2011-11-26T11:10:00.006Z

Christine Cross

In the heart of the City of London I was delighted to address a conference full of some of the best brains within Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Christine Cross, the incredibly well connected and globally ubiquitous, 'queen of retail' had invited me to open their annual Talkshop conference as the Stimulus Speaker.
In her capacity as Chief Retail and Consumer Advisor of PwC, Christine asked me to 'wake-up' the audience with some thought provoking interaction on best practice global retailing - ready for a host of top-name retail bosses who'd been invited to talk during the day.

Christine was kind enough to comment: "Martin Butler's keynote stimulus session was just that...and not at all what the audience had anticipated! A refreshing and informed view of the issues facing the 'high street' and the ways in which good leaders are addressing these. Martin was provocative by challenging the audience to adopt some of the best traits in their own work and to never dismiss the opportunity to seize the moment to effect positive change. A great speaker who left a lasting, positive impression on the audience."

Thanks Christine, it was a wonderful brief, a skillfully crafted agenda for the day involving many different skill-sets, all beautifully executed - thank you for inviting me, it was a pleasure.

Pre-brain defence, or simply smart communications?

2011-11-09T09:20:00.007Z

A great buddy of mine in Australia, Jurek Leon, spends most of his time helping retailers maximise their footfall - he also writes a fantastic newsletter/blog too. Click below and have a glance at Jurek's recent posting featuring a You Tube clip about Neuro-marketing's role in creating more effective sales for the frozen foods giant, Birdseye. It's from an Australia panel show called The Gruen Transfer: the particular clip is Ad Crunch: Neuro-Marketing

Some cheesy bon mots and well rehearsed retorts but a fascinating 6 minutes given over to understanding the way advertising and communication research has been heading.

Click here to view the relevant You Tube clip.

If you enjoy this sort of thing, and I love it, please make sure you also click through to one of the most fascinating companies I've ever worked with: Mountainview ...it's rather prosaic self description is: Teaching brain science to business ( thats what you get when Phd's write strap lines)....but you don't need to be a brain surgeon to realise why they're so successful. Thomas Bayne is the boss and if you ever get the chance, ask him about some of the unbelievable insights and techniques his company has developed!

Big thinking, Big audiences - Westfield's Big breakfast seminars!

2011-10-15T07:30:00.006+01:00

Westin Hotel Sydney - with a near 1,000 breakfast audience

The Westfield 2011 Breakfast Seminar series was another outstanding success. Appealing to anyone involved in retail, it sold out in all 5 cities across Australia this September.

It is clear Westfield, a global giant of shopping centre development and management, is setting the bar uncompromisingly high in the fight for today's increasingly savvy customer. And Jack Hanrahan, boss of Retailer Relations at the company's global HQ in Sydney, was equally determined to create an action-packed, information-packed, 2 hour presentation format. Breakfast started sharp at 7am with each seminar finishing precisely at 9.35am allowing everyone to be at their place of work with minimal disruption to their day. Jack brought together three speakers covering a host of issues focussing on global thought leadership relevant to retailing in general and the Australian market in particular.

Opening the seminar and having fun with audience participation!

From my new book, 'The art of being chosen', I was delighted to open each seminar by sharing some of its secrets for business and retail success. With case studies from around the world , my narrative focused on developing the right corporate mindset for best practice customer engagement. From the USA, I was followed by Mike Lundgren, one of the most insightful digital strategy gurus I've ever met...he'd truly forgotten more about his subject than I'd ever dreamt existed. Each breakfast seminar was concluded by Jon Bird, founder of Australia's Ideaworks - he took the audience on a whistle stop retail tour of the planet, highlighting and explaining new and innovative retail thinking and experiences - totally amazing, totally engaging, the man's a creative retail encyclopedia!

I'm impressed by Westfield.
But there are many who are not! Not least the tenants finding the rents in these difficult trading conditions a heavy burden. But I'm impressed by Westfield's overall endeavour to create a differentiated shopper experience and their absolute passion to deliver quality footfall for the tenants. Impressed by their 'behind the scenes' commitment to exceeding shoppers' expectations - from sourcing world class design specialisms to state of the art security systems. I'm also particularly impressed by one of their new initiatives, a retail incubator called: '100 square'. It's dedicated to helping different, sometimes radical, start-up retailers find their feet, eloquently answering the ever-present criticism of homogenised shopping opportunities in towns and cities around the world. And Jack Hanrahan's department runs a host of education programmes designed to help established retailers maximise the opportunities offered by the high traffic flows in Westfield centres. I'm also impressed by the experiential direction of the food offering in Westfield's recent developments. Take the newly opened central Sydney mall for example (featured here), where I didn't feel there was one piece of 'retail theatre'....and for me that's good, very good.... because theatre implies acting! Instead I enjoyed a wonderful offering of truly authentic food 'options' from every corner of the world, catering to every palate...even happening across food to 'feed the soul' and a classroom of foodies!

Jack Hanrahan was the master of ceremonies and huge congratulations to him and Robyn Burgess for delivering a wonderfully focused, wonderfully cogent breakfast seminar for each city. From the positive feedback it is clear he achieved his ambition of exceeding the audience's expectation. Hardly surprising for this experienced global retail executive - he cut his teeth by delighting his customers in the rough, tough, unforgiving world of value fashion retailing and that's easier said then done!

Some really Big thinking, delivered Big time and on time - well done Jack!

I love Tommy Hilfiger - but don't look at these pictures!

2011-09-30T10:01:00.003+01:00

I've just returned from chairing a session at the World Retail Congress in Berlin. I was talking about the vital importance of engaging the people who work in retail, making sure they 'feel' what the brand is trying to stand for. My expert panel had some really interesting perspectives on this and we had some great questions from the floor too. Thank you to everyone.

But I have to say when a talented bunch of individuals are led and inspired by the genius that is Tommy Hilfiger, the heights that they and the brand can climb are limitless. I had no idea just how charismatic and 'connected' this fashion guru was - Tommy Hilfiger is in a league of his own! Do please check-out his websites and blogs, the man's a walking, talking business empire.

So inspired by his keynote chat and interview in Berlin, I decided to look again at his brand positioning, look again at the physical manifestation of his thinking. I decided to make a special trip to visit his wonderful store in Berlin. Like a moth drawn to light, I was attracted to the energy radiating from the entrance - especially the wonderfully quirky brand 'family' poster beckoning me in. I immediately knew I had to share this with the 'world' so they too would understand how this timeless genius keeps his brand relentlessly relevant. Indeed at the Congress Tommy talked about the power and energy he draws from his customers' observations (good and bad) and how powerful this is in keeping his finger and the company's finger on the pulse - he particularly spoke about social media and the importance of this 'sharing' medium in shaping his thinking.

Imagine then my supreme astonishment when, standing on the sidewalk taking a photograph of the store, I was greeted by an employee standing directly in front of my camera signalling that I couldn't take a photo!

Why I asked?

Because other people might see it and copy it!

But everyone walks passed the store on the sidewalk - it's the ultimate form of public access?

Yes but we don't let them take photographs!

But Tommy says he wants the world to know and share their thoughts about his wonderful brand?

I said, please don't take photographs!

A naughty quick click and I did....because I believe Tommy Hilfiger would want me to not only tell the world about the energy emanating from his wonderful store but he would want me to show it too - just like he wants people to talk about his wonderfully quirky fashions and his wonderfully relevant brand on Facebook or whatever.

I hope I'm right and the misguided employee is mis-interpreting a company position.

I hope Mr Hilfiger would love a fellow retail enthusiast with several thousands of people in his audiences around the world and several thousand hits on his blogs, to celebrate one of the grand masters of fashion - not only on his work but about his work.

This whole episode speaks so eloquently to the unbelievable importance of an engaged retail workforce - because as I always implore in my lectures - if your workforce don't 'get-it', don't intuitively understand the grand ambitions of a business, how can their customers be expected to 'get-it'!

Maybe I'm missing something about celebrity, exclusivity or self-elevation and importance but I doubt it, Tommy Hilfiger doesn't seem like the architect of one of those brands. BUT I'll take the posting down if the sales assistant was correct - I just can't see that's what Mr Hilfiger would want for his adoring disciples: existing or future!

Not wanting people to take photos from the side walk?....nahhhh surely not!

In the meantime, please don't look at these pictures until someone lets me know it's OK to do so!

.....sorry about the quality of the photos - but now you know why!

World class cricket, world class retailing...

2011-09-23T13:11:00.001+01:00

James Sutherland, CEO of Cricket Australia, kindly invited me to talk to the senior members of this august sporting establishment. Headquartered next door to the MCG in Melbourne, I was honoured to address the main executive including the various regional bosses on the finer points of 'being chosen' by the famously passionate Australian sporting public. James kindly dropped me a note which included:

"Martin Butler's presentation really set the platform for our two-day conference....it was pleasing to receive positive feedback about his content and to hear the participant’s reference examples he'd raised....we know we need to find new ways to capitalise on being unique and different and to master the 'art of being chosen' in everything we do...we all gained a fresh insight from the world of retail and thank Martin for his time in connecting with Australian cricket."

I was awarded a fine pair of cuff links for not mentioning the Ashes....I didn't mention an empty display cabinet I thought I'd seen in reception either - that too, would have been churlish!

Honest bank. Wake-up: smell the coffee!

2011-09-05T07:10:00.006+01:00

At last a bank talking openly about honesty. Please take a couple of minutes to have a look at this infomercial/ad/social observation...or whatever it is! I saw it recently in a TV ad break in Perth, Western Australia whilst on a lecture tour - it's from one of the more progressive, more customer centric Australian banks: NAB. And I like what it's saying.

I particularly like the imperative it sets the bank's workforce...and I applaud its bravery. They've certainly gone out on a limb and risked possible ignominy by cosying-up to 'honesty'. Which is a good deal more than can be said for their peers in the lending/overdraft/mortgage departments of banks around the world, they're simply not 'doing' risk at any cost, no matter how honest you are!

Interestingly, in a kinda Phd research-agenda-way, they have even taken the honesty issue to another level by being rude to customers and treating them with a total lack of respect to see if it impacts honesty....now honestly, where would they get an idea like that?

But seriously, I'm delighted to see a bank 'walking the talk' on honesty and I wish NAB well - though to be honest, I was a tad underwhelmed by the pay-off to this piece of communication.

...oh and just another thought. If a current account sat languishing with a generous credit, would any bank contact that customer and suggest they move their money across to a higher interest account. Because I always espouse that successful businesses give 'a little of today for a lot of tomorrow'.

Honest answers and comments only please!

"...a fine piece of Emotional Precision skillfully harnessing the power of social networking ensuring Tienda Inglesa is 'being chosen' in Uruguay!

2011-08-12T20:41:00.007+01:00

Over the years I have judged thousands of entries for marketing awards...some have been truly brilliant, some not so brilliant. But earlier this year I judged an outstanding entry from a advertising and marketing agency in Uruguay called Amen. Nancho Vallejo, boss of the company kindly allowed me to post the Fathers Day commercial he created for one of his clients: Tienda Inglesa ....he even integrated a behind the scenes explanation of how the advertisment was created.

Click: Fathers day marketing campaign

Do take the trouble to watch this 2 minute informative video clip - for me it eloquently speaks to something I call 'Emotional Precision'. This is a mindset and process I believe any successful business leader must ensure their company adopts if they are to be chosen by today's customers - especially those in highly competitive arenas. For me, this fine example of communication is a particular type of Emotional Precision that acknowledges a customer's love of having something unique, something different, something personal, while also enjoying the prestige and values of an umbrella brand - it's often referred to as mass-customisation.

This particular communication not only chimes perfectly with what customers love, it has at its heart, a brilliant 'new-media' element that effortlessly magnifies the whole effect of the campaign - I love it!

To the boss of Tienda Inglesa and Nacho, boss of Amen, I salute you and your teams on a truly outstanding piece of relevant, modern communication - it richly deserves the huge success it has enjoyed.

I would have loved any one of my four daughters to have celebrated Father's Day for me like this....congratulations, it's a brilliant example of creative thinking.

Gallic charm in a financial world

2011-08-09T12:43:00.001+01:00

I recently spoke at a financial services forum in Europe and met an absolutely charming Frenchman, Arnaud de Villepin. We had much in common including a love for the wonderful Kensington and Chelsea area of London and a passion for sailing.

Arnaud was particularly keen to learn about the 'mindset' the world's great retail leaders nurture within their organisations ...and I was flattered to receive this endorsement from him:

“Martin Butler delivered an inspiring tribute to these entrepreneurs of the retail industry whose success story started with simple ideas, remarkably put into practice”

Arnaud is Head of Business Development at BNP Paribas (personal finance) and if you ever bump into to him do ask him to unlock the many interesting mis-interpretations between English and French - hilarious!

Thanks Arnaud.

Now choose 'The art of being chosen' instantly as an e-book

2011-08-08T06:55:00.004+01:00

view inside and or order

Great news, my latest book: 'The Art of being chosen - secrets of success from the giants of retail', is now available as an e-book. Its certainly not the same as the paper book but it is considerably cheaper, saves a few trees and transportation costs ...and is really helpful for my readers in far flung corners of the world.

Simply click on the 'view inside or order' of the book above to read the first few pages and then click the buy button for an instant electronic copy - it couldn't be quicker or simpler.

Everything should go smoothly but if it doesn't please simply let my publisher know - this is a new and exciting service and I'd love to know what you think about the whole idea of e-books in the comments section of this blog.

Thank you.

Australia's retailers invited to wake-up to Westfield's breakfast seminars

2011-07-27T12:09:00.004+01:00

I 'm delighted to have been invited to be part of Westfield's breakfast seminar series. 5 cities in two weeks starting 6th September and featuring Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. This is all part of my 3rd world lecture tour following the launch of my latest book: 'The art of being chosen - secrets of success from the giants of retail'.

I'm visiting Hong Kong w/c 29th August en-route to Australia. And September 20th I'm off to LA and New York followed by the World Retail Congress 27th September in Berlin to lecture and chair a session on the importance of 'people' in retail. It's then on to London for a 'Meeting of Minds' - delivering a lecture on what financial services can learn from best practice global retail followed by a brief workshop both on October 6th at the Berkley hotel.

This latest world tour kick starts an exciting Autumn and I look forward to meeting you all. Please stay tuned for more up-dates or contact me if I can be of any assistance.

The complaint sandwich

2011-07-08T09:30:00.002+01:00

Winston Marsh, one of Australia's leading business consultants and conference speakers produces a fabulous monthly newsletter with an eclectic mix of fascinating tips and tasters on sales and marketing. Here's a video clip from his latest newsletter on the art of complaining from Dr Guy Winch (as featured from his book: The Squeaky Wheel).

If you're looking for a bit of free, hands-on, practical advice, you could well do a lot worse than sign up for Winston's newsletter!

Big thinking at the BIG lottery fund

2011-06-13T20:12:00.003+01:00

Few people understand 'people' like Perry Timms. He's head of organisational development at The BIG Lottery Fund - the UK's largest distributor of lottery money - and is one of the best HR men I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Creative beyond normal parameters, I just love his energy and passion....those who elect to be ordinary in his presence eventually get swept-along in a tide of enthusiasm. I recently spoke to executives at his headquarters and Perry was kind enough to write me a note that included:

"Martin Butler is a provocateur of the first order – and someone who shows us the world is about retailing, about customers, and about power – the power we have in our buying choices, our leadership choices and our personality choices…. he has such fascinating insight from those who’ve made successes out of leading in that most challenging, fast-paced and creative arena – ‘selling stuff’…… from talent management through to organisational change, it’s all made so relevant that I can guarantee you’ll be better off from Martin’s wisdom and provocative delivery. He’s perfected the art of being chosen himself, so maybe you could learn more than you think from him...! "

I feel as if I've won the lottery with an endorsement like this.....thanks Perry.

Airport Retail - the nonsense

2011-06-11T08:34:00.002+01:00

Can anyone tell me why I have to show my boarding pass to buy anything at a UK airport - and indeed at many other airports around the world?

... and I don't want the palpably untrue explanations I get from the sales assistants about security or because of tax free concessions - I'm talking about why I have to show my boarding pass to buy magazines or suncream.

I suspect it's a data gathering initiative run by either the store or airport owners or both! And if my suspicions are true - I want to know if it is legal to demand this type and quantity of information purely for marketing purposes?

And if it is legal, it's certainly a hassle when I'm enjoying a coffee before flying and my kids want to pop off to buy some sweets at the newsagents - kids in possession of really important documents (boarding passes) don't mix well in time-sensitive, document critical, situations - telling the boarding gate official my children promised they wouldn't loose their boarding pass just doesn't cut-it I suspect!

Retail Industry Fellow - Deakin University Graduate School of Business

2011-06-08T06:15:00.009+01:00

I first met Steve Ogden-Barnes when he introduced me as the keynote speaker at a retail conference in Sydney. He's a learn'ed man of retail, a specialist in the dynamics of customer 'promotions', a brilliant lecturer and most importantly, the owner of a wicked sense of humour - I was delighted to receive this note from him:

Martin Butler: letter of recommendation

To whom it may concern,

I am pleased to be able to recommend Martin Butler as an excellent author, speaker and 'subject matter' expert in global retail and consumer trends. Martin spoke here in Australia at the 2010 National Retail Forum, and in addition, recently accepted our invitation to speak at a Deakin University Alumni event to mark the 30th year of the MBA program at Deakin. Audience feedback on both occasions was very positive.

Martin’s presentations are refreshingly structured and intelligently delivered with the easy authority and relaxed, engaging style, that are his professional trademarks. Based on in-depth interviews with ‘hard to get to’ senior global retail leaders, Martin is able to present a unique ‘insider view’ of the greatest retail organisations - offering both depth and detail in his insightful sessions.

I have no hesitation in recommending Martin as a great speaker for conferences, seminars, executive workshops and strategy development forums, and appreciate the time and effort Martin invests to ensure his messages are relevant for specific audience groups.

I look forward to seeing Martin present here again very soon.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Ogden-Barnes

Retail Industry Fellow

Deakin University Graduate School of Business

Australia

World study tour

2011-06-03T09:08:00.002+01:00

Jack Hanrahan must be one of the most 'connected' executives in the world of retail....along with his wonderful assistant Robyn Burgess, he runs Westfield's global study tours - 40 or so top level retailers scouring the world for best practice and innovation. I was therefore delighted to be invited to share my views on world retailing and effective leadership skills when his 'tour' made a flying visit to London.... and Jack kindly wrote:

"On behalf of Westfield, and the tour delegates, I would sincerely like to thank you for the presentation you gave to our group. As always you knocked them for six with your insights and I know they listened as “being chosen” is now part of their everyday lexicon. I have no hesitation in recommending Martin as a speaker who will make a difference and provide insights that have applications for 21st century retailers."

Jack was a great inspiration and supporter of mine when I started my second career writing and lecturing to world audiences - his kind words are particularly appreciated - thanks Jack.

International Retail Banking Council

2011-05-26T12:58:00.004+01:00

Karl Westvig

Invited by the Lafferty Group, I recently spoke to the International Retail Banking Council in Rome - my narrative was to investigate what banking might learn from global best practice retailing. I was particularly struck by the desire to learn and the appetite for change expressed by the distinguished audience - Karl Westvig, Chairman of the Redwood Group - Retail Financial Services Specialists from South Africa kindly wrote to me:

"...The truly great leaders have the ability to simplify complex issues. Martin Butler has done this for retailing with his immense knowledge and inherent understanding. His talk made the trip to Rome worthwhile and I'm excited to know that he will be spending some time in South Africa, where we will certainly be making use of his services. Hopefully, this will lead to our organisations being 'Chosen'..."

I shall be spending increasing amounts of my time in the wonderful continent of Africa and I look forward to meeting Karl and his team - he's also a low handicap golfer so I hope he 'chooses' me as his golfing partner! Thanks for your note Karl.

Leadership: Defining the future

2011-05-25T11:16:00.002+01:00

Marc Jones

I recently shared a speaking platform on 'Leadership' with Marc Jones, Associate Professor of Management, at Deakin University's Graduate School of Business in Melbourne. Marc was talking about the really big global issues and how these might inform best practice leadership...his grasp of just-about-everything was breathtaking. He was a difficult act to follow and I was therefore thrilled when he dropped me a note the other day:

"...Martin Butler's knowledge of retailing is encyclopedic. He is able to make the connections between the broadest trends shaping the global economy and your daily experience at the neighbourhood 7-Eleven in a clear and compelling manner...he combines wisdom and excitement in a unique take on leading edge retail knowledge and practice."

If you ever get the chance to hear Marc talk please grab it - I promise he'll open your mind!

Thanks Marc for an impressively thought provoking global perspective and a wonderful personal endorsement - it's much valued and appreciated.