4 Questions About Customer Relations

by | Apr 22, 2016 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo

Take a moment and consider these 4 questions about customer relations:
If your best customer was also your best friend, what would you be doing differently in your interactions with them?

If your best friend was also your best customer, what would you be doing differently in your interaction with them?

If you treated all of your new customers the way you treat your best customers, what would you need to do differently?

If you treated all of your current customers the way you treat new customers, what would you do differently?

Take a moment and answer those 4 questions.

Write those answers and ideas down.

Only you know the real answers.

Now I have one more question.

If you implemented the changes and ideas you just wrote down, would your business be more successful and your future more secure?

The Nature of Business Cycles

by | Apr 13, 2016 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo

Most businesses have cycles that are predictable but what is the reason for those ups and downs?

Is the pattern breakable?

Is it worth trying?

Granted, some businesses like the slow months, that’s when they take 3 day weekends, or vacations, but what if you could increase the revenue during those slow times?

Restaurants are typically slower on Monday and Tuesday and pick up as they get closer to the weekends and paydays. Is there something different you can create that your customers and clients will pay you for during the slow times?

By the way, I was talking with an advertising partner of mine that has some business cycles that are out of her control.  Her business deals with precious metals and like other financial oriented markets, she can’t predict the prices 6 months from now.  So she has added other items to their inventory that she can control the price of.

How about you?

Take a realistic look at the business cycles in your business and determine which are in your control and which are not.  Then consider ways to change that.  It may be by changing habits or by adding something to your business.

Want help?  Let’s talk.

Timeless Marketing Rule #2: Don’t Sell, Help Them Buy

by | Oct 8, 2015 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo

Digging deeper today into Timeless Marketing Rule #2: Don’t Sell, Help Them Buy.

This is the 2nd of the Timeless Marketing Rules I mentioned this week:

2. People don’t like to be SOLD something.  But they usually will accept and welcome help BUYING something.  Big Difference.

Here’s where Human Relationship Principles come into play.  We are annoyed by pushy salespeople.  Even when we are ready to buy something, if the salesperson is a jerk we lose trust and may even delay buying.

Sounds Like a Good Deal?

Sounds Like a Good Deal?

There are some stores I refuse to go to because the salespeople are too annoying. That act as desperate vultures who see me and anyone else as fresh meat and they are ready to pounce on to see how much money they can extract from me.

Or so it seems.

There are other stores that you walk in and are desperate to find someone to help you find what you need. This is the opposite problem.  Sometimes I want advice to decide if I should buy this or buy that.  But they only have know-nothing clerks or order takers who are clueless about this, that and everything!

Apply this to your marketing and advertising outreach.

If you and your company are truly experts and knowledgeable beyond knowing how to read the label on the stuff you sell, then you can help people buy.  That’s what we want.

 

Becoming An Advertising Partner

by | Apr 21, 2015 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

Do you like being sold something?  Or would you prefer to buy something?  It’s an important distinction.  Even though the result can be the same.

Yesterday I started telling you the story of how Mike became one of my advertising partners on WOWO Radio.  It is because I did not try and sell him something I wanted to sell him.  Instead I helped him buy something he wanted to buy.

He wanted to buy more qualified leads for his business.  I had the ability to sign him up for an advertising program on WOWO Radio.  But Mike did not initially want to buy advertising on WOWO.  My job was to bridge that gap and together we worked side by side to understand his business dynamics so I could craft a campaign that help him create more qualified leads.

More on Mike coming tomorrow.

My job is to seek out qualified businesses and people who can become advertising partners.

An advertising partner is more than a customer or client to me.  Even those who spend money with me who are used to being treated like just a customer can become an advertising partner if we can develop a partnership. analytics-282739_1280

A partnership goes two ways.  I do certain things and you do certain things.

Here’s an example of what I will do:

  1. To meet regularly, every 2 to 6 weeks, as needed
  2. To keep our advertising messages updated regularly
  3. To offer additional opportunities to use the services and marketing platforms offered by WOWO Radio, Federated Media, Federated Digital Solutions and Federated Entertainment
  4. To be a creative resource and consultant for all your marketing efforts
  5. To offer suggestions and feedback as the relationship continues

And here’s the corresponding expectations of what I ask of my advertising partners:

  1. To be available for regular meetings and communication
  2. To keep me updated when changes and/or new services are offered that we might include in your marketing.
  3. To set up a tracking system to assist in identifying results from our campaign
  4. To stay current with monthly payments as outlined
  5. To inform me of both successes and concerns as we move forward.

As you see, this is not a typical sales person trying to sell the biggest contract and then disappearing, (which happens all to often in the sales world).

Want to see if we could work together?  Contact me.

 

Early Adopters & Late Bloomers

by | Mar 24, 2015 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo

From the ScLoHo 2011 archives:

Changes are occurring faster and faster.

I’m sure my parents and even grandparents felt the same way in their lifetimes.

With the speed of technology improvements, it seems that what was last months new thing, is already outdated.

And there is no sign that any of this shows any sign of slowing down.

So how do you ride the wave of the next new thing?

Understand that the Early Adopters are always going to be looking for the next new thing. These people will not make you rich, but if they have influence, they can help push your new thing to Mainstream.

Once the new thing becomes Mainstream, the Early Adopters may or may not stick around, since they are always on the look out for the next new thing.

But Mainstream is where the money is at. If there is money to be made by your thing, this will be the time. If your thing becomes really popular, you will face competitors, more than you can imagine.

What about the Late Bloomers? Typically these are the hardest to convince. Usually no amount of advertising will ever move them to spend their money with you. Word of mouth and peer pressure along with a low price is what gets them to become your customer.

Once you understand this business cycle, you can create a focus, a strategy, and the tactics to make it work, and worry less about trying to please everyone, all the time.