Hi again my friends,

As I recall at the conclusion of my last letter I promised to share some thinking on the elements to consider in telling your back story.   Speaking of my last letter, seems like I should acknowledge the fact that it's been an extended period since my last post.  I just needed a breather to try to recharge my battery so to speak, as well as spend more time on rethinking & developing  business strategy.   Stay tuned for some changes. 

Ok A quick review- Your backstory is how you became what you are today?  It's the revealing of the where, when and who of your business or organization.   It's where your story begins.   Here's a definition from Wikipedia.  A back-story, background story, or backstory (or in games, the background of a character) is the literary device of a narrative chronologically earlier than, and related to, a narrative of primary interest. Generally, it is the history of characters or other elements that underlie the situation existing at the main narrative's start.

 I believe we all need a starting point of departure on the important concept of a business backstory.   Let's start with why you should invest your precious time in both understanding your story and telling it.  In part one of this series I explored how understanding their backstory (Their beginnings) not only energized a brand, but was a catalyst for transforming a dog food company.   

Another reason for telling a great back story of your company according to Rohit Bhargava,  author of *Personality not included"*, is It will help establish a foundation of trust and credibility for your business or organization.   Stories ultimately help build an emotional connection.  Emotions are critical in buying decisions.  Telling your backstory provides context and meaning for the greater story of you and open up the emotional gates for those deeper customer connections.  

Do you like buying something  from someone you don't really trust or like?   I know I don't.  Do you feel a sense of loyalty to buy only from them?  One of the most daunting challenges faced by every business today is gaining trust from your customers.   Numerous research studies conducted on customers, clearly identify the lack of trust in businesses as a major issue.  

When trying to understand a concept ,  I always attempt to get it from my own world's point of view or experiences.   That statement provokes the question- When is the last time that you heard a story about a business that had a significant enough of an impact on you, to influence a buying decision?  

As an example, I recently bought a couple of expensive concert tickets because I watched a video backstory of a musician.   Before I saw his story, the one of a decent person who overcame many trials and challenges before making it big,  I would not have paid to see one of his concerts.   Was he perfect? No. But his story help make him more human, more real.  More importantly, a part of his story became my own, a key ingredient of any great story.   His story not his music was the key,  in establishing a deeper connection.  There were plenty of live music concerts to choose from but I spent the bucks on his.  

You might ask where do I begin telling my BackStory? 

Here's some elements to think about when telling your backstory.  Exchange them with your team or a trusted colleague after you've tried to answer for yourself.  It doesn't matter if you're a solo entrepreneur or the CEO of a fortune 500 corporation.  

Characters - Every great story has characters, people who's actions and decisions ultimately determine the script of the story.  Who are the key people who have shaped who your company is today.   Who are/were the founders?  Who were some of the very early employees?   Who are the current day leaders?  Who are the people that customers must interact with ? What kind of stories are told about your people or you today?  The characters in your story don't necessarily have to be exclusive to individuals directly associated with your company.  Are there any heroes or villains in your story?  

Challenges- What were the challenges or problems the business was trying to answer for customers?  What was the sense of purpose for starting the business beyond just the bottom line? 

Vision- What was the dominant theme or idea of the founders that they set out to create and have others follow, both customers or employees ?

Conflicts- What were the obstacles that the business faced or has faced that stood in the way of success? 

Triumph- How did the team overcome the conflicts or will overcome them? 

To conclude, examining, understanding and sharing(telling) your backstory fits perfectly in the new business world where connecting with customers is the new business imperative.  As Rohit write in his book *Personality not included , "the biggest challenge most organizations face today is discovering how to go from a brand that people consume to one that they are passionate about.  Personality Matters."  So what's your story?

Until Next time- take care and Rock Your Customers. (Employees too!)

Bill G.

Additional Business Storytelling References

The Leaders Guide to Storytelling - Steve Denning Website

The Story Factor - Annette Simmons - Website

Hellooo Again from Story Mavericks  ! 

Just a quick little "Hope all is going well so far in Twenty 11."  If you're from the Northeast, love snowfall & winter,  I think you'll have a bigger smile than those people not considered Fans of Winter.   Skiing is fun but I prefer the golf course or boating.

How Did Pedigree (Dog Food) Transform Itself From A Just Another Company Selling Dog Food, To A  Distinctive Company Where Dogs Rule ?

Ok time to share some thinking today on an area that is becoming more critical in business today, STORY.   The concept of story in today's world of content overload has multiple applications.  There's the content you develop in your communications and share with people via traditional or new media marketing channels.  There's the stories that your customers tell about their interactions with you and your business.  There's the story you tell others by decisions your business makes with regard to how you treat your customers and employees.  I believe however that all of the above is in part guided by another type of story.  The Back-Story- how you became what you are today.  

Guess where the above photo was taken?  - Thought I'd use a photo of something a little different.

But first a little quote which resonated with me.

 " Originality matters.  But history matters too.  The very act of rediscovering and reinterpreting the past creates the clarity and confidence necessary to craft a distinctive game plan for the future." 

William Taylor-Co-founder, Fast Company Magazine, Author Practically Radical 

I came across the quote in "Practically Radical" a book on the changing landscape of business management from William Taylor.  So far a great read, for someone who believes, that "Average is no longer an option for those that want to be successful."  One of the many real world stories of business transformations Taylor shares, is that of Pedigree Dog-food.  The Pedigree story is and example of one of the many companies that get the fact that their heritage & tradition can be an important component, in providing a competitive advantage versus competition, and one that can't be copied.  

The Pedigree Micro Story

Back in 2004 Pedigree began a process to strategize how to answer the challenge most businesses face today.-  Commoditization of their brands. (Price-Price-Price)  Early on, as part of that process, they revisited their roots, their history.  The team immersed themselves in a journey through time, to explore and try to uncover new ideas or something from the past that would be special today in moving forward to create unique value by rejuvenating the brand.  I think it's important to note that the process involved not only exploring their own history but also everything and everybody in their industry,  that related to dogs and their food.  

By revisiting their back story, the Pedigree team were reminded that The Mars family, who founded the company, had been passionate pet-lovers for generations and that Pedigree had always been a brand endorsed by breeders for years.  What Pedigree discovered was that they had moved away from the original founders mission which centered on being in the business because they loved dogs.  That was their soul.  They had become another me to  company who tried to make food that cost less. 

Rediscovering their soul created a gateway to the future success of the Pedigree Brand.  It became their compass to guide future business strategy.  More importantly, it allowed them to transform their culture and invigorate the brand with a greater sense of purpose.   It made them different and distinct in their industry.  Imagine the difference in a company culture where it's employees come to work thinking that they work for a company who loves dogs, versus coming to work for a dog dog food company.   Imagine again, the neat talk-able stories that were created by everyone walking the "canine talk" at Pedigree,  through their dog-centric innovations and implementation.   

Here's a few things they did: employee badges and cards included photos of employee dogs, Employees were encouraged to bring dogs to work or use the companies on-site dog care center,  The company offered health insurance for pets, In some cases dogs made sales calls on supermarket buyers, The company crafted a creative customer (dog) experience statement that they called "Dogma", a manifesto on why the company exist and how it should behave.  The list of innovations is extensive and ultimately resulted in a company that was very different and one that had a distinct energized personality.  

The transformation of The Pedigree culture, no small task, gained momentum and energy  by exploring their back-story.  Understanding their history helped create a clear path and distinctive game plan for their future. 

Maverick Messages

The key message I wanted to share with this post is the critical need for all businesses to look at themselves with a pair of "Fresh Eyes".  Let's face it to remain wed to past practices ignores the reality of a changed world.  Despite the revolution in marketing, there is still important lessons we must take from the past.  Imagining your business from the framework of a story and revisiting the effects of your heritage, your origin, history- back-story, is a great place to start.  In that story can be found a script to guide your future communications and the staging of authentic experiences for all stakeholders in your business.

In part two I will share some thinking on the elements to consider in your back-story including some questions to explore with your team, colleagues or friends.    Until my next post, give some thought to why and how your company was founded.  Take care &  always, "Rock Your Customers."

Bill G.

Hello again from Saratoga Springs, New York, The Home Base of Story Mavericks & "Rock Your Customers."  As always, I hope your world is great both personally and professionally.  The topic of this post has been on my mind for quite some time so I thought it was time to share a thought with you on an important principle, on storytelling and customer experiences. 

Great stories like Great Customer Experiences just don't happen.  They are intentionally defined, planned and designed. 

Below is a paragraph originally written by the  author of "Story Theater Method", Doug Stevenson, about the art and hard work of business storytelling.  Colin Shaw substituted the words "Customer Experience" for "Story" , in his book,Revolutionize Your Customer Experience.   I think the paragraph illustrates the point i am making in this post.   

 “For a Customer Experience to come alive and captivate and audience, the content, structure, and performance must be crafted strategically.  The Customer Experience itself is only a beginning.  Customer Experience is an art and the designer of the Customer Experience, the artist.  And all artist need tools.  The actor needs a stage, props, and costumes.  The musician needs her instrument.  The artist needs his brushes and paint.  And the Customer Experience designer needs form, content, and presentations skills and techniques.  The great designers of Customer Experiences distinguish themselves not just by their talent, but also their dedication to their craft.  They think about their Customer Experiences constantly.  They structure the sequence and flow of the Customer Experience,  and experiment to find just the right words that are genuinely theirs.  They work on gesture or movement until it is just right.  Then they rehearse it over and over until it becomes second nature – the line and the gesture effortlessly married together.  They incorporate acting skills and turn the Customer Experience into little theatrical events.  In order to have an end that is amazing, you will have to spend many hours working on your Customer Experience.  Your Customer Experience must be worked and re-worked, formed and re-formed. You’ll want to find the drama and comedy of your Customer Experiences and let them shine.”

I mentioned earlier in the post that this topic has been on my mind.  It is the result of hearing or reading about so many promises of great experiences, or wow customer service from businesses.   The words have really become buzz words that are ubiquitous and have little marketing impact. 

The above paragraph written to teach the concepts of Story and Customer Experiences, by Doug Stevensen and Colin Shaw, are becoming a reality in today's business world.  Study upon study of business leaders points to one very clear fact.  They consider reconnecting with customers the top business priorty for 2011. 

Let me be clear that I am not merely talking about customer service here but memorable, "Rock Your Customer" type experiences.  The growing importance of fighting off an increasing commoditized business world of goods and services by staging experiences, was first articulated by Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore in their best selling book ,  "The Experience Economy". The subtitle of Pine & Gilmore's book, "Work is Theatre & Every Business a Stage",  offers a great work model to stage great customer experiences.   Great stage performances just don't happen. 

Have you intentionally designed your customer experience? 

Please share your thoughts and if you’ve done something really great in this area I’d love to share it on this blog.  Thanks Much

Best to You & Rock Your Customers !

Bill

As we begin the New Year, let me ask you a question.

WHAT MAKES YOUR WEBSITE DIFFERENT & MORE COMPELLING THAN YOUR COMPETITION? 
We'll get to that but first, though it's only January 9th, I hope your New Year is off to a positive start.    It's so easy to get lost in all the negative business news and let disappointments and negative energy rule our thinking.  We've just got to keep pushing and I guarantee your day will be better, if you're forging ahead by sharing a laugh or smile with someone. 

Ok, time to hit the play button on this REEL which focusses on an area of business that is exploding, On-Line Video, a tool that can help make your website distinctive.  

 

Something Old - Something New

Like many people, the New Year for me brings with it a period of reflection  about years past.   Oh how things have changed since we started our video production business 24 years ago.  The large (back breaking) camera pictured about cost in excess of $12,000, while the smaller one, a Flip Camera, cost less than the taxes paid on the first.    I remember paying over $2400 for a 4 gig hard drive that would playback just 10 minutes of video.  Heck, I remember having to use a pay phone every day to call my office when I was in Corporate America, and when the fax machine was the latest and greatest way to communicate information.  Who could have imagined then that this thing called FACEBOOK would connect over  500 million people worldwide as we begin 2011.

The primary purpose of this REEL however is not to discuss changes in technology,  but rather revisit why video as a  tool,  is a  good investment to consider in your marketing strategy.  I'll share some thoughts on video strategy in future REELS.
  
While technology certainly has driven revolutionary non-stop change, too many businesses, arguably, spend too much time on technology as an entity, and not enough on its impact on people-your customers.    That customer is a drastically changed one, which mandates new business thinking on ways to create value in marketing and communications.   It makes sense doesn't it?  Tell me what you think.

 The big picture of  WHY USE VIDEO comes down to one word. 

EXPERIENCES

Let's look at the features and benefits of on-line video from through the lens of experiences, something most video production companies and web companies don't address or emphasize enough. 

Why EXPERIENCES?  Today, consumers value experiences more than ever.  The experiences you stage creates distinction & differentiation for you and new value for both your business and your customers.  Experiences go much deeper than technology and physical attributes. (Product,Price,Place, Promotion)  Let me also note , that this applies as well, to companies with business to business offerings.  

Let's begin.
First, a quick  top-line definition of a business experience from my friends, Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore, authors of an Internationally recognized book on experiences. "The Experience Economy - Work is Theatre & Every Business a Stage."
 

"An experience occurs in a business when a company engages customers connecting with them  in a personal and memorable way."  

If one really takes a minute to think about this definition coined by Pine & Gilmore in 1999, you'll should see the very reason driving the explosion of Social Media as we enter 2011. 

I believe that all companies, small or large, regardless of industry would serve themselves well by considering another Pine & Gilmore thought.  "The Experience is the Marketing." In other words the best way to generate demand for your goods and services is to have your customers experience that offering in a place (physical or virtual) so engaging that they can't help but pay attention and then pay up.   

Secondly,  a sneak peak  at the stages of any experience as defined by the Doblin Group, an internationally recognized leader in innovation, from Chicago.  Ok let's show that with a graphic.

...  just wanted to provoke some new thinking and introduce a new framework to explore the business case for on-line video.  I'll focus on the main 3 stages of experiences,  Attracting/During & Extending.
  

ATTRACTING CUSTOMERS (Pre-Experience)

On-Line Video by its very nature is effective in capturing attention & mind share of customers, in a world of information and marketing overload.

• Getting someone's attention is the very first step to attracting people to your business on-line.
• Video can help build a foundation of trust & credibility.

On-line video provides SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Benefits

• Did you know that YouTube is the number two search engine behind Google? The SEO benefit applies directly to THE ATTRACTING STAGE of an experience.

DURING STAGE-(The Main Experience)

On-line Video can help make your website more Engaging & Memorable-A Better Experience.

• Video can help bring your website to life creating a place that customers want to experience over and over.  Static text and photos only websites are a dime a dozen and undifferentiated. 
• Video can create stickiness to your site getting people to spend more time with you.  More Time = More Sales
• Adding new video content to your site is a great way to keep it fresh, giving customers a reason for a revisits. 

 On-Line Video like no other marketing tool available, has the power to evoke Emotions from your Customers

• Emotions directly account for at least 50% of all buying decisions. The motivation to chose one brand or company over another, when choices are endless is sparked by emotion. 
• Specific emotions drive value during each experience stage that attract new customers,  produce loyal customers and produce customers who will recommend your business.

On-Line Video has the power to give your company a Face, a Personality.

• It has the power to humanize your brand, demonstrate your uniqueness in a world of sameness.
• People buy from people they know, like & trust.

On-Line Video is a natural  fit with  digital STORYTELLING

• Per above, emotions  impact buying decisions.  Stories connect with customers on emotional level.
• Great stories spark action, transmit values, foster collaboration, communicate who you are, & help lead people.

 EXTENDING STAGE (The Post Experience)
 

 Video is an excellent  piece of marketing collateral,  that people can  share with friends or colleagues.  
 

• Viral word of mouth marketing is still the most effective from both a cost and results standpoint.

Video is an excellent  tool to use as a piece of memorabilia for people to re-live their experience and remember you.

•  Video can be used after the main experience to demonstrate to customers that they're more than just a transaction. 

 ON-Line Video engagement is  measurable.  Here are a few areas.

• Number of views
• Time spent by each viewer
• Customized set of criteria relative to time (days,months, specific ranges of dates ) videos are viewed
• Specific drop off points for each on-line video
• Unique viewers and where they came from
• Referrals by viewers

 
A WOW graphic giving you another WHY consider On-Line Video


To conclude,

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you find the content I provide meaningful and relevant to your business.  We continue to explore and think about new ways to provide more value in our communications with you. 

We are already working on  changes to all video and experience offerings for 2011.  If you are already considering On-Line Video drop me an e-mail or call and I will send you a summary of current packages available.

As always, feel free to give me a call should you want to start a conversation on marketing including on-line video or your customer experience. 518-587-6340  bill@storymavericks.com

Best to You & As Always.....Rock Your Customers !

Bill

24

Happy New Year !!!

           Welcome again to another edition of Story Maverick's Rock Your Customer.  I thought I'd change up  the content I've been sharing in past letters to something a little different.   No, it's not going to be another letter about new year resolutions.  They certainly can provide value and can be thought provoking. Just not me.

What's with the 24?   You see.... I'm not referring to the hours in a day or a  popular TV show with a guy named Jack.  I  remembered a few days ago that January marks our birthday as a company.  We're 24 years old ! 

I'd Rather Share a Piece of Ice Cream Cake with You

Until we can ENJOY a piece of birthday cake together, I thought I'd share a few frames of our 24 year heritage, some learning or discoveries from a  journey as an entrepreneur, and finally a personal thought or two about the biz of biz as we begin 2011. 

24 Year's Ago

Lights, camera, action! The scene: A 1987  sales meeting, 400 people, somewhere in New Jersey.  A stir of enthusiasm is in the air. It's time to kick off the company's biggest sales contest of the year.  Each business district has to present it's case now referred to as "trash talking" to the audience.   As part of the East sales team we're psyched.  We've done something different than the usual Power Point presentations...We've produced a video featuring a trained police dog as a star, interview statements from the sales team, energetic music, and a great theme-....Keep Pushing.    The results: Standing Ovation, It steals the show. ........... The seeds for a video company are planted. 

 

Since the start up of Sunrise Productions  in January 1987, we have produced a diversity of video experiences including training  educational, marketing, documentaries, meeting, and broadcast.   Like that very first presentation, our goal has always been to produce an experience that stands out from the norm ......to deliver the unexpected.........to really connect emotionally to an audience. We love to say Touch a Heart and Reach a Mind !

 The video we produced over 24 years ago was a hit with the audience which was very gratifying,  but as important was the fact that we loved telling a story using video.  Additionally, starting a video production business seemed a good next step for a guy that always walked around with a still camera and loved photography.  We named the company Sunrise Video. 

The above plaque was presented to us in the late 90's by Jim Wojnovich , when I left Hunt Wesson Foods/ConAgra, to pursue a second career in video production.   It's a small piece of memorabilia that reminds us of our roots.

Jim Wojnovich was my mentor for the 19 years I spent working in the Food Industry.  Not only did he give me my first opportunity in the business world following graduate school,  but taught me about business and more importantly the art of managing and leading people. I am grateful that he saw some potential in a long haired graduate with a BS. Degree in History and a MS. degree in Guidence & Counseling, who had not taken one single business class during college. 

Jim Wojnovich

 

 A Thank You To Our Customers
Before I share some reflections,  on our Journey as a small business, I think it's important to say THANKS to all of our customers who have supported us.  Without customers there can be no business, a fact too many businesses don't think enough about.  A very Special THANKS to a company named THE FORT MILLER CO., INC .  (John Hedbring, Butch Marcelle and Peter Smith)  Fort Miller was our very first business customer way back in 1987 and I'm proud to say is still one of our loyal customers. 

On Location with Fort Miller in NYC

Reflections from a Journey
A few years ago while on a business trip to Colorado, I bought a framed poster called "The Art of Journeying."  The content was written by Terah Cox. I keep the poster in our production studio as it is a great reminder that running a business is really a journey.  The written content on the poster is meaningful and relevant to the trials and tribulations of running a business.  I'll use a few of Terah's words to share a few reflections on the last twenty four years.

"Let your feet follow your heart"

I love what I do !   Producing a video story or working with a customer on  customer experience design is personally rewarding,  and extremely enjoyable.  It's more than just the paycheck  for the services we provide.    Did you know that less than 28% of all Americans on truly engaged in their work, feel energized about their work, and look forward to it each day?  One of the best compliments we have received over the years is that we have a passion for our work.    "Love Mondays" is one of our core stated values.  It's part of our HEART.  Our Heart  I sure do hope you are one of that 28% !

"Know that in the sky of your heart, all destinations are reachable."

I'm sure that at some point in time you've read the statement. "Find Your Passion And You'll Find Success In Business."  Passion is about Emotions.  Having a passion for something you are trying to achieve in business connects directly to also believing that it is possible and  that you can make it happen.   I believe as many others that central to both is having a sense of purpose for your business beyond just the bottom line - How are you making a difference in the lives of others with your business.

So what does all this have to do with my journey? 

For the past six  years, I have been swimming up stream in a way, trying to change the business world in a couple of ways.
 
1. Developing inspirational Communications (video) by using a different mindset and methodology

2. Making life better for customers and employees while helping businesses develop new economic value through experiences they stage for customers and employees.

It hasn't been easy !  "Turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones" is easier said than done.  Aside from the natural resistance of people to change old ways of thinking,  breaking away from our established heritage as a video production company, had a financial impact to our bottom line. 


Here's the connection.  Having a passion for and believing in what we are going to accomplish- Having a greater sense of purpose for our business than just making money has made all the difference in the world.  It has and will continue to get us through the tough times every business faces.  Having a sense of purpose for your business has other ramifications both we'll leave that for another day.  I hope you can find some meaning here.  Time to move on to another reflection.

 "Don't be afraid to make an occasional leap of faith - - and if you have short legs, borrow some wings! " 

Our leap of faith as a company  took place sometime in 2004.  We decided that we needed to get different as a company.  Our search for differentiation led to a discovery of a new emerging business discipline called customer experience design.   It started simply by  reading a book called "The Experience Economy" , by Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore.  Since the reading of that book we have invested a substantial amount of time and financial resources in formal training and education,  National networking to learn and understand this new field.  Not only was it a leap of faith but also became a way of life.

Our investment in our future through learning not only made us better video producers but led to the transformation of our company into a customer experience design company.  

Borrowing some Wings !  I don't have short legs but i have certainly reached out to individuals with bigger  and more expansive wings than mine.   I love the statement "Nobody is as Smart as Everybody."  One of the most exciting parts of our Journey the past 24 years has been learning from others who's paths we've crossed.   I've learned, especially during my last six years of travel and national networking, that there are some incredibly talented and creative individuals out here willing to share their wings with you.  It's no big secret that collaboration is a key component for success in today's changed business world.   It starts by investing in personal relationships and realizing that "Nobody is as Smart as Everybody." 

An Investment in Future

"Find balance not only in standing still, but by moving with integrity and regard for yourself and others." 
 
Some time ago during a video interview with a bank president he made the statement that "In the end business is all about people."  I think he meant it, believed it and tries to walk the talk as a CEO. 

The ugly reality however is that most businesses do not make decisions based on "Regard For Others" -  their customers (people) or their employees. They say "It's just Business!"   What they are really saying is that the bottom line is more important than people.

The real bottom line is that the old ways thinking about creating value has resulted in an all time low level of TRUST by customers and employees in business.   What has been the bottom line loss of profit to businesses due to the loss of  trust ? 

"While you're busy getting to wherever you are going, turn around every so often to give whoever's behind you a hand."

One of the most gratifying and personally rewarding experiences of our journey has been our active involvement in community service.  Many of the productions we've done for the non-profits in our community have been our favorites.  We've been both  inspired and left in awe by telling the stories of  individuals who have given so much to those less fortunate.  It has also been our good fortune to meet so many wonderful people through our activities in  Rotary, Lions Club, and Leadership Saratoga.   They truly are the unsung heroes of this world. 
   
and finally.................

"Know that you can get to the next step from wherever you are." 

As I sit here writing this letter on January 1, 2011, I am giving a heck of alot of thoughts to my next steps as one of the founders of a business called Story Mavericks.   Throughout our 24 year journey as a business we have certainly have had our share successes, mixed with  disappointments, stumbling blocks and mistakes.  It has made me as an individual, and us as a company, who we are today.  Part of any business journey,  especially in today's uncertain economy, is the uncertainty of what new experiences the next steps will  lead to.  That's part of the fun of being an entrepreneur.   I can't wait !

In closing,
Thanks so much for visiting with us again. It means alot. My very best to you for an incredible 2011.  I hope our paths cross this year as our journey unfolds.  As Terah Cox says.  " Expect nothing, be ready for anything, and everything will be possible."

Bill Gibeault
Story Mavericks

In addition to my "Rock Your Customers"  blog, one of the channels that I use to communicate with is e-mail. Most business call them newsletters.  I call mine "Get Reel".  In my "Get Reel" letter I try not to share news but rather more thinking on The Customer Experience and its connection to On-Line Video.  My goal is similar to this blog in simply trying to provoke new thinking about the business of business. 

My Latest Reel

Welcome Back to Get Reel, a place where ideas about on-line video storytelling and  customer experiences take center stage.  Let me first thank you for spending a few minutes with me. I appreciate the responses I have been receiving from many of you regarding the content I share.   Speaking of content, I remain committed to sharing ideas and information that provoke new Thinking, Conversations, & Questions on customer experiences and on-line video.   I think we all need to look at the world differently.  On a personal note, it's hard to believe that six years have passed since I began a journey connecting video storytelling to customer experiences.   I believe more than ever, that conversation on both of these topics are more important than ever to your business.  As always,  give me a call if you're interested in some conversation on your customer experience or digital communications and please feel free to pass along this letter to a friend or colleague. 

Video & Experiences
On-line Video & the Customer Experience are connected.  When you cut through all the buzz, technology, and facts and figures, associated with on-line business video, it is only a part of a greater  development in business - The important role experiences are playing to differentiate businesses.   Video is a powerful communication tool that can attract customers to your business, engage and inspire them during their visit, OR Create an Experience !  Great Customer Experiences also Create BUZZ and most importantly loyal and raving fans. 

My Left and Right Brain Still Fight
Pardon my digression to the left side of my brain but....consider the following facts from comScore:

• There were 5.2 billion viewing sessions of video by 175 million U.S. Internet users, during Sept.2010

• Technology giant Cisco predicts that by 2013, 90% of all web traffic will be video.

• From 2005 to 2010 on-line video grew at a rate of 910%

• Video uploaded to YouTube during the last 2 months is greater than the content from ABC, NBC, & CBS, since 1948 !

I hope you get my point on the growing importance of on-line business video. I think it matters.  Check out this TED Talk on the future of on-line video.  See Video

  

Research after research report points to one simple fact. 
The next battleground for competition in American Business is The Customer Experience.

Does your Company or Organization have a defined CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE STATEMENT ?   Why should you?

Consider another mind blowing fact.  83 Billion Dollars - The cost of POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE in The US.  That's $289.00 per customer. source:Beyond Philosophy

Your video strategy should be to set the context for that experience.  Quite frankly, I believe too many businesses using video today, are doing so as an afterthought, without devoting time to developing a a content strategy that considers a drastically changed and empowered customer.   I also believe that too many companies simply associate the term CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE with the words customer service, in both their marketing strategy and internal training efforts.  Do you know the difference?   

OK - Let's move on. 

The Very First Class of Pine & Gilmore Experience Economy Certified Pro's @thinkAbout Minneapolis

There are now more than 100 business professionals world-wide who have been certified by the recognized leaders in customer experience design, (Pine & Gilmore) to help businesses lead initiatives on customer experiences.  Many of these leaders gathered again recently in Minneapolis, Minn. for the annual "Experience Economy" Conference. 
 
thinkAbout

My thinkAbout Experience
The setting and theme specially developed for this years thinkAbout was "The thinkAbout Cafe".  The 2 1/2 day event was a series of Cafes, (really) consisting of multiple rounds of conversation about Questions That Matter, about Experiences, Authenticity, and yes, real world business issues. 

My experience at his years event was somewhat different from my past attendance as I participated in a role as a video producer.  ( Yes I ran from camera to conversation!)   The take away however was the same as always. 

Being exposed to and interacting with, so many incredibly talented, creative and accomplished professionals, from entrepreneurs to CEO'S of major companies, was inspirational.  Collaboration and sharing creative intelligence are key in our changed biz world.  "Nobody is as Smart as Everybody!" 

Feel Free to Share an event that you experienced that was transformational to you or your business.  

Hearing some of their stories and sharing conversation with many of these individuals, including their trials and tribulations, affirmed my already strong belief  that "Rocking Your Customers" with memorable experiences, is not just more philosophical BS. found in books, but works big time in today's commoditized business world.  
Remarkable customer experiences deliver to your bottom line !   

Here's a few of the many cool and talented people who attended this years thinkAbout in Minneapolis, that I had the pleasure to meet and learn from.  You might recognize their names and companies. 

Maxine Clark-Build A Bear Workshop-with Pine & Gilmore

Maxine Clark  - Founder of Build-A- Bear Workshop.  Maxine's big idea was to  create a fun retailing experience for kids.  Since opening its first shop in St. Louis in 1997, Build A Bear has expanded to over 300 locations across The U.S., Asia, Canada & Europe.  Maxine was awarded this years Experience Stager of The Year Award  by Joe Pine and Jim Gimore, authors of "The Experience Economy, and founders of the 13 year old thinkAbout experience conference.  A little side note- Maxine surprised all thinkAbout participants with their very own thinkAbout Bear !  I gave mine to one of my granddaughters. (Pictured below :) )



When is the last time you made your Customers Smile ?

Made Them Happy ?

Robert Stephens- Founder Geek Squad

Robert Stevens  is the brainchild behind Best Buy's Geek Squad.  He founded a computer support company he named The Geek Squad in 1994.  When Best Buy acquired the company in 2002, The Geek Squad consisted of 62 "Agents" generating 3M in revenue.  Today there are over 24,000 Agents world- wide generating over $1Billion in sales.  The Geek Squad is what differentiates Best Buy from other national chains.  It's not just about the work they do but how they do it.  They stage computer support "EXPERIENCES" !!!  I love Stephens quote, "Advertising is the Price You Pay for being Unremarkable."
Mark Grenier- Sr.VP. Chief Experience Officer Steelcas

Mark Grenier -Chief Experience Officer Steelcase

Mark led a group of experience experts and 'workspace' pros at Steelcase Inc., to design a network of collaborative meeting rooms- A full service retreat space for businesses, called Workspring .  Workspring is located in the heart of Chicago within walking distance of The magnificent mile.  The company bills this new offering as "a place to experience meetings like you never imagined.  Workspring was the recipient of an Edison Award which recognizes achievements in innovation.  Mark Grenier was awarded Pine & Gilmor's annual EMA (Experience Management Award) for his leadership in designing a new experience for learning and working. 
  

Questions That Matter
The framework of this year's thinkAbout centered around "awakening & engaging collective intelligence through conversations about questions that matter,"  for business. 

I chose to share information on the three individuals above for a couple of reasons.

• Their accomplishments & successes demonstrate  new possibilities for creating new economic value for your business through the staging of compelling experiences.
• I believe one of "The Most Important Questions That Matter" in today's economy is what is a compelling & memorable customer experience?  These businesses exemplify through their actions some of the key aspects of experience staging.

? WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCES DOES YOUR BUSINESS STAGE?

 

?DOES YOUR BUSINESS HAVE A DEFINED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE STATEMENT?

 

Welcome again to "Rock Your Customers", a place to share some thinking on staging experiences in business.  One of my favorite statements regarding marketing continues to be "The Experience is The Marketing" coined in a book called "The Experience Economy- Work is Theatre & Every Business a Stage", by Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore.  They provoke businesses in this statement to start creating places either permanent or temporary, physical or virtual, fee based or free--where people can actually experience your goods or services as well as who you (your organization) actually are.  These experiences (if compelling enough) will not only grab customers attention but create greater demand for your offerings, and result in customers paying happily for the goods or services your business offers.   Let's take a look a closer look at an example of this concept in the real world of business.  Have you ever heard of a Pop-Up Experience ? 

Defining a Pop-Up Experience

A pop-up  space is a venue that is temporary — the space could be a sample sale one day and host a private cocktail party the next evening. Pop-up retail is specifically an idea or mindset that allows a company to create a unique environment that engages their customers, as well as generates a feeling of relevance and interactivity. It can also be for the duration of a peak in demand anticipated to be short.
The trend involves “popping-up” one day, and disappearing the next. These spaces, while small and temporary, can build up buzz by consumer exposure.
The term is most often, yet not exclusively applied to stores offering items of apparel, and intended less to transact profitable sales than to promote demand for the goods and thereby produce profitable business at other locations, or in modes other than walk-in stores.   (Paraphrased From Wikipedia)  

3 Pop-Ups For You

A Pop-Up Concert

Keith Urban Rocks Penn Station

Since this Blog is titled "Rock Your Customers", it seems fitting to share a pop-up experience related to ROCK - A Country Music Show at a Train Station. Country rock star Keith Urban recently staged a surprise music experience, a 30-minute pop-up show, at New York City's Penn Station, during the middle of the morning rush.  He followed up that "FREE SHOW" with two more free gigs, for lucky Amtrak audiences traveling to and from Philadelphia.  It was all part of a marketing effort called "Get Closer to Keith" to promote his new album "Get Closer".  Urban's goal was to connect on a personal level with his fans and to give something back to them.   See Article NY Post 

Pop Up Retail Stores -P&G, Toys R Us, Levi Strauss

Do you think it would be a good investment for your business to attract and engage 14,000 visitors in 10 days ?  How about hiring 10,000 workers to operate 600 stores during the holiday season ? Check out this article on Pop-Up Retail Stores. Business Week -The Staying Power of Pop-Up Stores,- Here's the bottom line.  The big guns of marketing understand the importance of building brand loyalty by connecting with customers through the staging of unique and memorable experiences.  When is the last time you had a FREE full CoverGirl makeover or a Head & Shoulders wash & blow dry, or left a store with a free Febreze scented candle ? (Sorry male readers!:)) Christian Charapata, a pop-up veteran and store manager, for one of P&G stores sums it up best when he said, "The women getting her hair colored will remember this the rest of her life."  Is there any one interaction your business has with customers that will create a lasting memory? 

A Pop-Up Cafe

You don't have to be a major retailer or manufacturer to stage Pop-Up experiences.  I recently came across a networking group of creative and innovative women in Albany, New York, who staged a Pop-Up Cafe in a large commercial complex.  Their experience was a collaborative Pop-Up, that included a commercial real estate enterprise (Larkin Commercial Properties ), an office coffee company (Prestige Services) , and ( Panera Bread ).  There were a few other small businesses that participated.  Individuals who worked in the office complex were treated to a free cafe, including high end coffee, baked goods, and fresh fruit, as they entered their office. the pop-up cafe lasted a couple of hours and vanished. The people loved the idea as it was unique and provided a cool atmosphere for these women to start a conversation with potential customers.   

A Final Pop

A business stages an experience whenever they engage customers, connecting with them in a personal, memorable way.  The Pop-Up Experience examples above, are only the tip of the iceberg of more and more businesses that are redefining marketing by connecting with customers in new and innovative ways.  Yes,  The Experience is the Marketing.  What do you think ? 

If you're doing something unique and compelling to connect with customers and want to share in the storytelling, get in touch with me.  Until the next time we meet............

Keep Rocking Your Customers !

Bill   

Welcome back to Rock Your Customers !  I hope that the summer of 2010 has been a great one for you.  The changing of the seasons from summer to fall means that another annual gathering of Experience Economy Junkies is not far away.  The event is simply called thinkAbout.  This year, the 13th, is being held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 29 & 30th.  thinkAbout 2010 Details 

I thought I'd share some thoughts on my first thinkAbout experience as it was an important milestone in the transformation of my business.  It was really the beginning of an incredible five-year journey for me. Simply stated thinkAbout was the best investment I ever made in my business.  Don't hesitate to get in touch with me should you have any questions. 

The Story begins after reading and studying a book called The Experience Economy-Work is Theatre and Every Business a Stage, by Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore.

In August of 2005 I decided to write an article for a local business journal on my discovery of “The Experience Economy to somehow connect the concept of experiences with out current video production offerings.  It was really our initial effort to communicate our differentiation.   A quote from Pine and Gilmore’s book, to be included in the article led to a website search for biographical information on the authors and to the discovery of a special learning encounter being offered by them.  It was simply called tHINKABOUT. (No that’s not a typo –they use a lower case t)

thinkAbout- A Rocky Mountain High

WOW!  I’ve got to go to this.  My first reaction to discovering this special event called thinkAbout.  I’d spent a considerable amount of time on the book’s concepts and was excited to learn more.  But $2500 bucks for a seminar!  I’ve attended quite a few over the years in business, technology and creative; none this expensive.    A confident assertion- ok a 100% guarantee, by Strategic Horizon’s Scott Lash, that a clearer vision for my business would result, made it an easy decision.   So it was off to the mountains to search, explore and hopefully discover a new vision.

It was a brisk September Morning in September of 2005.  I was sitting in an outdoor amphitheatre of sorts readily anticipating the opening session of ‘thinkAbout’, two-day business conference held that year in The Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The event staged (and I do mean staged) by Strategic Horizons, Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore, is an annual gathering of 150 business professionals to learn, explore, and share ideas on the important role experiences are playing in business worldwide.
 The agenda – “fostering learning, creativity, innovation and sharing all through a series of intentionally designed experiences”.  thinkAbout 2005, held in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, was a transformational experience for my small video production company and for me personally. I remember thinking, what an incredibly inspiring environment The Rockies offered, to re-imagine something new for my business.  International business guru Tom Peters, author of Re-Imagine, was the opening keynote speaker. THINKABOUT KEYSTONE was the beginning of a journey of learning and discovery that included exposure to exemplar businesses (people) worldwide that are redefining the work they do, and in some cases their industries. It was very different than the numerous training and learning programs I’d been exposed to during my 19 plus year corporate career in the Food Industry.  My thinkAbout excursion was a milestone in changing my thinking about the business of business.   It simply provoked new thinking and more importantly affirmed my long time belief that business could be different.  It wasn’t about the buzz phrase we hear so often-“thinking outside the box- it was about throwing the box away! Tossing it out and starting all over!  Whether you’re a small business owner or a CEO. of a multimillion-dollar global company, the odds are stacked against you if you’re not willing to embrace the new reality and need to thinkabout your enterprise from a very non-traditional paradigm. The American Business Landscape is abundant with stories of unique businesses….let’s face it……individuals…… managers and  owners, of small companies and large, across multiple industries, who challenged established thinking and ingrained industry rules of competition to not only produce new incremental profits but to change Industries. It all starts with the simple act of thinking, followed by recognizing, that in most cases, incremental improvement is not going to cut it in an age of non-stop innovation.  I met a number of these individuals, first at my Rocky Mountain thinkAbout, and subsequently during other excursions to learn more about The Experience Economy.” 

I love Taylor and Labarre’s concept ‘Nobody is as Smart as Everybody’.  One of the most personally rewarding and inspirational aspects of my journey into the world of business experiences has been the exposure to, interaction with and collaboration, with some incredibly talented and dedicated people.  It all started at thinkAbout. They came from all types, sizes, and kinds of businesses and industries.  Most of them were from outside my own little worlds of video production and Saratoga Springs, New York.   Most inspirational to me is the fact that though they were all different, they all shared a common bond being a member of  a “Tribe” with a passion to re-imagine this thing we call work,  and take a leadership role in transforming the business world. (Yea it needs it!)

So if you would like to meet and collaborate with some incredibly creative and talented business professionals do thinkabout -thinkAbout Minneapolis.  Join me at thinkAbout 2010.

Best to you & REMEMBER to Rock Your Customers !

Bill G

In conclusion, thanks again for sharing your time with me.  As always, if you're interested in having some conversation on marketing, customer experiences or video just drop me a line or give me a shout.  Let me leave you with a final thinkAbout Thought from Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore- "The Experience is The Marketing."

Best to ya and best wishes in staging experiences that Rock Your Customers ! 

Bill

The Connection to Emotions & Customer Experiences

We didn't just pull the word experiences out of a thesaurus or use it because it sounded cool.  The connection was more personal.  We were fortunate to have seen the direct impact of a number of our productions on audiences, as the videos were produced for large special events that we attended.  Having a few hundred people stand up out of their seats and clap at the conclusion of the videos, receiving numerous accolades on how our work had help make the event special,  and the post event buzz the videos created, directly led us to define our work as creating experiences.  This important step eventually led to a Google search on the words 'EXPERIENCES and BUSINESS, to investigate any possible connections between the two. 

WHAT A DISCOVERY !

I remember that Google Search to this day.  Discovering what was being called "The Experience Economy-a shift in the core fabric of business, the progression of new economic value to Experiences.  This emerging strategy addressed the age old business questions of on how to differentiate.  Remember, my initial challenge was  to find a way to differentiate my own company.  After reading my first book on customer experiences,  The Experience Economy by Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore, I was very much interested and excited. Simply stated it had my ATTENTION!  I wanted to explore more !  

BACK TO EMOTIONS- Being interested, excited, stimulated energetic and exploratory, as I was after reading Pine & Gilmore's book, are emotions.  As a matter of fact they are part of what Colin Shaw in  -The DNA of Customer Experience - How Emotions Drive Value  defines as "The Attention Cluster" of emotions.  A little side note before moving to the connection to video.  

The very first stage of any EXPERIENCE is ATTRACTING customers.  It begins by getting their attention.

THE VIDEO CONNECTION - One of the real powers of using the tool of video in business communications is the ability to evoke emotions from your audience.  As mentioned earlier in this post I've witnessed first hand that power with a number of our productions.  A critical component of designing experiences (Including video stories) is to evoke emotions.  How do you want your customers or your audience to FEEL?  It just doesn't happen by chance. It is very deliberate.  When we are producing a video story we always ask a simple question.  How do we want the audience to feel at each stage of the video.  How can we deliberately evoke these feelings into the production that will engage them or connect with them in a personal way resulting in an experience that they will remember and share. 

Food For Thought

My goal for The Rock Your Customers Blog is not to provide content in the form of rules, best practices, do's and don'ts, or guaranteed steps for business success.  It's not as easy as many make it sound.  My goal is simply to provide you some food for thought as you investigate and explore business strategies to address a very changed business world and let's face it a very changed customer.  The reality of today's business world mandates that we all need to THINKABOUT the business of business in new ways.  Easier said than done.

ThinkAbout  the fact that over 50% of all buying decisions are made based on how people feel. When's the lat time you and your team had a serious discussion about how you want to make your customers feel?  

Until next time,thanks again for the visit. As always feel free to comment and share.

Best,

Bill