Roy's Blog: October 2011
October 31, 2011
What Does a Customer SECRET Look Like?
Mass Market Gambling
POINTS. Man’s Ascent to ZERO
Are You a Human Being Lover?
Marketing 101 deals with customer NEEDS. BE DiFFERENT Marketing focuses on their SECRETS.
The notion is that we basically have our needs satisfied these days which thus leads us to purchase services and stuff on the basis of what we WANT and DESIRE.
Wants and desires, in turn, are driven by the Secrets we hold as unique individuals. And if we can discover the Secrets of our prospect we will be in a good position to deliver something that she wants or desires.
What’s a SECRET? What are the dimensions of a person’s life that matter the most to them? What are the emotional drivers that make her who she is? What makes her happy? All questions that lead to Secret discovery.
A Secret reveals itself as a habit, bias, dream, hope, skill, competency, lifestyle choice. family priority, ego drive, friendship affinity, recreation or entertainment choice.
A Secret speaks to who she is and what makes her tick. Dig and discover. Ask questions. Learn. Use Secrets to power your marketing machine.
Reap the rewards of a Fan who will shout you to others.
Cheers,
Roy
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October 29, 2011
Guest Blog: You ARe different ? you can?t be like anyone else!
Welcome to my friend and colleague, Lorne Armstrong, who has graciously agreed to contribute to my BE DiFFERENT Blog.
Listen up to his words…..
For over 20 years in executive development in a large multi-national organization, I listened as a never-ending stream of consultants and trainers tried to sell me their services. Early in the job I had difficulty determining telling the difference between their “me too” services.
At first I focused on trying to identify the value of the difference between one approach to time management and another or the specific content of a particular management development program. But they were largely the same!
Oh, there were minor differences in the content or perhaps in how “professional” the material looked. But it soon became apparent that they weren’t talking about the difference I was eager to buy; they were selling “we can do that too”. While they didn’t exactly say, “me too”, they didn’t say anything what ONLY they could do.
I’m reminded of a New Yorker cartoon from years ago. One salesman says to another, “Want to know something; they all try harder.” When everyone is saying it; it’s not an ONLY statement. It doesn’t separate you from the herd.
Being different starts with you. If you don’t see the difference you make, you can’t deliver it. I’m astonished at how many people starting out in the Human Resources consulting business want to be the same as everyone else. Perhaps because “human resources” already sounds like a commodity, they too think they need to be a commodity.
Thirty years later I still remember Lesley and Lynne. Although they didn’t know each other they shared one thing in common. They were committed to providing outstanding service even when it meant referring me to someone else if their product or service wasn’t a good fit for what I needed.
They dared to be different. (No, we don’t do everything that everybody else does. We do what we do and we do it damn well.) They were honestly committed to serving me well even if it meant that some of my business went elsewhere.
Consistently, they were the first people I called - because they knew the difference they were particularly good at making and could be trusted to focus on that!
Stop trying to be like everyone else. Listen for the difference ONLY you can make and go make it!
Lorne Armstrong
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October 27, 2011
Mass Market Gambling
A Press Release is Another Way to Pass Gas
POINTS. Man’s Ascent to ZERO
Are You a Human Being Lover?
I know the odds of winning at Blackjack are low. And hitting a jackpot at the slots is but a remote possibility. But businesses that continue to target the ‘average’ customer through traditional mass market media have even a LOWER chance if success.
These organizations continue to invest ridiculous sums of money in this shotgun method hoping their message will land on someone who will fall for their value proposition and buy their product or service.
The reality is that products diluted to try to appeal to everyone and marketing messages pushed to huge audiences resonate with no one.
Those who continue to follow this approach are taking a HUGE gamble with their money.
Save it for Blackjack. You should at least have fun losing your money.
Cheers,
Roy
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October 24, 2011
I Have No Idea
Are You a Human Being Lover?
Working Harder is NOT a Winning Strategy
A Press Release is ONLY Another Way to Pass Gas
“I Have No Idea”Really?
Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. I ask “I notice you no longer carry the orange Mirage hat. What’s the scoop”“? Answer “I have no idea.”
Not exactly what you want to hear when you ask a customer service person a question.
Of course she has an idea! Saying you don’t is a lazy way of trying to avoid the work involved to answer the question. It’s a brush-off and a de-dazzler of ultimate proportions.
Here are some options when you don’t know the answer.
Remember, above all you want to acknowledge and validate the question being asked. It’s a good question. An observant one. An insightful one. Well done customer for asking it.
1. “Gee I’m afraid I don’t know. Let me check into that for you.”
2. “Wow, I’ve never had that question before. I don’t have an answer for you but let me look into it and get back to you.”
3. “That’s a great question. I will get the answer for you as soon as I can.”
4. “I think I know, but let me check to be sure.”
5. “I wondered that myself. Let me get the answer for you.”
6. “Sorry, I guess we are all sold out. Let me check our inventory.”
However you say it, make the customer feel you are interested in their question and that you care about getting them an answer.
And don’t be ashamed to admit you don’t know.
It’s ok not to know.
It’s NOT ok to say you “have no idea”.
Cheers,
Roy
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