I'll let you in on a little secret; I'm in the editing phase of a new book that can be used by any industry that will have more than one set of marketing ideas for every day of the year. I've been working on it off and on for about 3 years; this thing is chock-full of ways to attract, entertain, engage and build deep-and-long-lasting relationships with more customers in your community.
I specifically wrote it in light of all of the media available today, so the "idea" isn't just there, but the idea and how to use Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms is built in. Contest ideas? Social media posts? Web resources? E-mail marketing instructions? They're all there, and will be at your fingertips!
May 23 is Taffy Day; and 2 principles come to mind.
One is flexibility. When taffy is fresh, it's malleable, flexible; you can work with it, pull it out and reshape it without breaking it. What a great principle for you as a leader as well as for your business.
When it comes to dealing with other people, are you flexible? Are you able to stretch yourself to new lengths? The next time you field a customer complaint or strange request, think about "being the taffy." Be willing to be stretched and folded over and over again, to be blended with new experiences and reshaped into the best piece of taffy you can be!
The second principle that struck me is the "stickiness." How sticky are your marketing messages? If you practice "one and done" marketing, your messages aren't likely to be very sticky in the minds of customers. However, if you create a strong brand across all your marketing channels and across all customer and employee touchpoints, you are much more likely to have a brand that sticks in the minds of your customers and is reflected in the behaviors, attitudes and actions of your employees.
The same holds true for your marketing campaigns. You can't just tell customers about a product or service one time and expect that they will jump for joy and elation and rush to your business. It might take months and a dozen messages before customers suddenly "remember" that new product or service you have that they "suddenly" can't live without. Consistency and constancy are the keys to sticky marketing!
Here's an idea for making May 23 - Taffy Day - work to help build some delicious customer engagement:
Fill a large container with taffy pieces (count first!) and hold a guessing contest. Post a picture of the container online so that people can enter in-store or online. Use entries as a means of collecting contact information to grow your database, get more e-mail subscribers, Facebook or other social media followers. After the contest, extend a special offer to all entrants. Extend a special offer to the employees of local candy or gourmet food stores.
16.5.11
May 16, 2011 Style, Strategy and Marketing Savvy Newsletter - 12monthsofmarketing.net
View online at www.12monthsofmarketing.net/2011may16.html
IN THIS ISSUE
Original Content - Elizabeth Kraus
:: Change the way you play the game to sell more retail
:: You've had an event, now what?
Success Strategies
:: To have and to hold, making the most with Moms on Facebook
:: Build a better customer experience and build more business
:: Facebook better than Twitter for directing traffic
:: The new trend in celebrity hair: hair jewelry
:: New rules for employers on the tip credit
:: Taglines that stick
"The greatest tragedy is indifference." Red Cross motto
IN THIS ISSUE
Original Content - Elizabeth Kraus
:: Change the way you play the game to sell more retail
:: You've had an event, now what?
Success Strategies
:: To have and to hold, making the most with Moms on Facebook
:: Build a better customer experience and build more business
:: Facebook better than Twitter for directing traffic
:: The new trend in celebrity hair: hair jewelry
:: New rules for employers on the tip credit
:: Taglines that stick
"The greatest tragedy is indifference." Red Cross motto
13.5.11
Change way you play the game to sell more retail in the salon and spa
I floated an idea on Facebook a couple of days ago and no one in the industry shot me down, so I wanted to explore the idea in more depth.
What if you changed the way you play the game so that you can sell more retail, get exactly the right products into the hands-hair-scalp-skin-and-nails of the clients and reinforce your role as your client’s personal beauty and style expert?
The “game” as you likely play it now is to move retail by making recommendations at the back bar, telling clients about products you are using during services or asking if they need anything at the point of purchase. And discounting, gifts-with-purchase and other special promotions? They stimulate some purchases but may not be generating repeat purchases.
But what else is a stylist to do?
How about changing the way that you play the game?
More specifically: How about changing the way you structure pricing so that some or even all of your service prices are set to include the cost of a prescriptive care, styling or finishing product?
For instance, when a client has a hair color or texture service performed, you would set the cost of the service to include a retail-sized shampoo and conditioner or a serum, gloss enhancer, texture or finishing product. A manicure or pedicure would be priced to include polish, buffing file or top coat. A massage would be priced to include an aromatherapy candle or an oil or lotion for home care. A skin care service would be priced to include sunscreen or mineral makeup.
You can assign certain products, you can make the choice for the customer based on their skin or hair type or style preferences or you can let the customer choose from among select products.
You can keep track of the products you are prescribing for each customer so that at their next appointment, a different product is included for them to take home (and hopefully, get hooked on!)
You can assign a different product to be included in the cost of services in order to move your customer through a progression of products so that they try a wide variety, or in order to move them into new lines.
By re-thinking your pricing, you have the ability to accurately state that these products are a free gift with the service. By pricing your services this way, you have the ability to put the exact products you know your clients should be at home using into their hands, and you're giving them a product they might not otherwise buy for themselves.
You’re also changing the way the customer perceives the value of doing business with you, because you are giving them a product every time they receive a service. What other salon or spa does that?
And you sell more retail, prescriptively rather than persuasively!
What if you changed the way you play the game so that you can sell more retail, get exactly the right products into the hands-hair-scalp-skin-and-nails of the clients and reinforce your role as your client’s personal beauty and style expert?
The “game” as you likely play it now is to move retail by making recommendations at the back bar, telling clients about products you are using during services or asking if they need anything at the point of purchase. And discounting, gifts-with-purchase and other special promotions? They stimulate some purchases but may not be generating repeat purchases.
But what else is a stylist to do?
How about changing the way that you play the game?
More specifically: How about changing the way you structure pricing so that some or even all of your service prices are set to include the cost of a prescriptive care, styling or finishing product?
For instance, when a client has a hair color or texture service performed, you would set the cost of the service to include a retail-sized shampoo and conditioner or a serum, gloss enhancer, texture or finishing product. A manicure or pedicure would be priced to include polish, buffing file or top coat. A massage would be priced to include an aromatherapy candle or an oil or lotion for home care. A skin care service would be priced to include sunscreen or mineral makeup.
You can assign certain products, you can make the choice for the customer based on their skin or hair type or style preferences or you can let the customer choose from among select products.
You can keep track of the products you are prescribing for each customer so that at their next appointment, a different product is included for them to take home (and hopefully, get hooked on!)
You can assign a different product to be included in the cost of services in order to move your customer through a progression of products so that they try a wide variety, or in order to move them into new lines.
By re-thinking your pricing, you have the ability to accurately state that these products are a free gift with the service. By pricing your services this way, you have the ability to put the exact products you know your clients should be at home using into their hands, and you're giving them a product they might not otherwise buy for themselves.
You’re also changing the way the customer perceives the value of doing business with you, because you are giving them a product every time they receive a service. What other salon or spa does that?
And you sell more retail, prescriptively rather than persuasively!
10.5.11
So you’ve had an event, now what?
So you’ve had an event, now what? How will you follow up in order to capitalize on enthusiasm and intrigue after your wine tasting, skin bar, fashion show, happy hour, ladies night out, couples, singles or other mixer: What will happen after the event?
In post-event euphoria and exhaustion, it can be easy for activities like clean up, debriefing staff and following up with contacts to slip through the cracks; the latter two of which are crucial if your goal was to build for the future. Approach it this way: Until post-event activities are completed, the event is not over.
Plan for time and personnel needed for “take down” of event activity areas, clean up, return of the facility to regular operational setup, return of any rented or catering equipment, and for the return of unsold retail products, tools and equipment to your business. If your event is held in-store, incorporate a plan to return your facility to a business-ready state both in planning and in assignment of responsibilities (unless you are looking forward to doing it all yourself!)
Set up a meeting time with staff (and any event partners) 2-3 days following an event in order to debrief and to be sure that follow up activities are on track. Talk about what went right and what went wrong, but if any one aspect of the event went particularly poorly, don’t allow anyone to become the brunt of criticism. No event will ever go perfectly and people do make mistakes; regardless of any mistakes made, you want to be sure that your staff know their input and assistance was appreciated. Make it your goal as a team to honestly address problems with the goal of learning from them for future events—without throwing anyone under the bus. After all, no one is going to want to help with the next event if they felt terrible after the last one. If something did go seriously wrong, or someone on your team behaved in a way that was truly out of line, address it privately rather than humiliating them publicly.
As soon as possible (or as soon as promised) after an event, add contacts collected to your database (and share them with marketing event partners, if appropriate). Send out a “Thank You” e-mail or direct mail communication to all attendees. Send a confirmation to anyone who booked an appointment at the event, who purchased a pre-paid series or package, or who ordered products from you for future delivery.
Schedule a series of 2-3 follow up offers and communications to be sent during the 6 weeks following the event. First, because your best chance to cash in on the impression made by your staff and your business will be when the experience is fresh and foremost in the minds of attendees, and second, to establish long-term awareness of your business in their minds by creating additional interactions. If your event included an opportunity to purchase a pre-sold series or package, extend the offer or another version of that offer to attendees for a limited time, and do the same for any product or service offerings made at the event.
Gain feedback from attendees for future events and gauge potential interest in your services and products through surveys taken either at the event itself or in one of your follow up communications (or both). Ask for contact information so that you can match up attendee’ areas of interest to future promotional offers or provide other requested follow up.
A sample post-event survey might include some of the following questions:
Demographics and identifiers:
Event information
In post-event euphoria and exhaustion, it can be easy for activities like clean up, debriefing staff and following up with contacts to slip through the cracks; the latter two of which are crucial if your goal was to build for the future. Approach it this way: Until post-event activities are completed, the event is not over.
Plan for time and personnel needed for “take down” of event activity areas, clean up, return of the facility to regular operational setup, return of any rented or catering equipment, and for the return of unsold retail products, tools and equipment to your business. If your event is held in-store, incorporate a plan to return your facility to a business-ready state both in planning and in assignment of responsibilities (unless you are looking forward to doing it all yourself!)
Set up a meeting time with staff (and any event partners) 2-3 days following an event in order to debrief and to be sure that follow up activities are on track. Talk about what went right and what went wrong, but if any one aspect of the event went particularly poorly, don’t allow anyone to become the brunt of criticism. No event will ever go perfectly and people do make mistakes; regardless of any mistakes made, you want to be sure that your staff know their input and assistance was appreciated. Make it your goal as a team to honestly address problems with the goal of learning from them for future events—without throwing anyone under the bus. After all, no one is going to want to help with the next event if they felt terrible after the last one. If something did go seriously wrong, or someone on your team behaved in a way that was truly out of line, address it privately rather than humiliating them publicly.
As soon as possible (or as soon as promised) after an event, add contacts collected to your database (and share them with marketing event partners, if appropriate). Send out a “Thank You” e-mail or direct mail communication to all attendees. Send a confirmation to anyone who booked an appointment at the event, who purchased a pre-paid series or package, or who ordered products from you for future delivery.
Schedule a series of 2-3 follow up offers and communications to be sent during the 6 weeks following the event. First, because your best chance to cash in on the impression made by your staff and your business will be when the experience is fresh and foremost in the minds of attendees, and second, to establish long-term awareness of your business in their minds by creating additional interactions. If your event included an opportunity to purchase a pre-sold series or package, extend the offer or another version of that offer to attendees for a limited time, and do the same for any product or service offerings made at the event.
Gain feedback from attendees for future events and gauge potential interest in your services and products through surveys taken either at the event itself or in one of your follow up communications (or both). Ask for contact information so that you can match up attendee’ areas of interest to future promotional offers or provide other requested follow up.
A sample post-event survey might include some of the following questions:
Demographics and identifiers:
- attendee name
- e-mail address
- gender
- birthday date/month (this will give you an opportunity to send them a 'happy birthday' direct mail or email offer on or near their birthday)
- age range (such as, 10-18, 19-24, 25-34, 35-44, etc., this can help as you analyze trends in different age groups and as you try to target specific offers to clients)
- zip code (to see if your attendees are clustered in certain neighborhoods; this can help to design targeted marketing to those neighborhoods in the future, launching a door hanger campaign, etc.)
Event information
- which products (or services) most excited or intrigued you? why?
- how did you hear about the event?
- did you come by yourself or with a friend, if with a friend, who?
- what was your favorite part of the event?
- how would you rate the facility? (you can ask about specific areas as well, such as cleanliness, décor and furnishings, rest rooms, food, music, seating, lighting, check in, check out, etc.)
9.5.11
Style, Strategy and Marketing Savvy - May 9
View online at www.12monthsofmarketing.net/2011may9.html
Dear Elizabeth,
IN THIS ISSUE
Original Content
:: 7 ideas to build business in May after Mother's Day
:: The secret to cultivating loyalty with everyone who walk through the door
Success Strategies
:: Shoppers reward good service with higher spending
:: Retailers see big payoff from retail rewards programs
:: Is your marketing focused on what customers really need?
:: 5 easy ways to liven up your Facebook page
:: Daily deals not a big deal for finding customers
:: 3 things the boss can't afford to delegate
"Concentrate all your thoughts on the work at hand.
The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus."
Alexander Graham Bell
Make Over Your Marketing: 12 Months of marketing for Salon and Spa by Elizabeth Kraus is available on 12monthsofmarketing.net and amazon.com.
Dear Elizabeth,
IN THIS ISSUE
Original Content
:: 7 ideas to build business in May after Mother's Day
:: The secret to cultivating loyalty with everyone who walk through the door
Success Strategies
:: Shoppers reward good service with higher spending
:: Retailers see big payoff from retail rewards programs
:: Is your marketing focused on what customers really need?
:: 5 easy ways to liven up your Facebook page
:: Daily deals not a big deal for finding customers
:: 3 things the boss can't afford to delegate
"Concentrate all your thoughts on the work at hand.
The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus."
Alexander Graham Bell
Make Over Your Marketing: 12 Months of marketing for Salon and Spa by Elizabeth Kraus is available on 12monthsofmarketing.net and amazon.com.
5.5.11
7 Ways to build business in May after Mother’s Day – 12 Months of Marketing
7 Ways to build business in May after Mother’s Day – 12 Months of Marketing
This Sunday is Mother’s Day and without doubt, you have been putting most of your marketing effort and resources into promotion of Mother’s Day gift sales (and quite right, we deserve it!) But once Sunday’s over, what’s a marketing junkie to do? Here are 7 ways to build business between the Mother’s and Father’s Day observances:
May 9 is Miniature Golf Day
Do you have a miniature golf course nearby? With spring in swing and summer on the horizon, organize a customer-appreciation event or partner with the course to extend a special offer to your customers. Purchase gift cards or passes to gift to a few of your more valuable customers, to gift-with-purchase of specific items or purchases over a certain dollar amount, award in a drawing or as a contest prize or even partner with the miniature golf course to purchase gift cards at half price in order to resell them to your customers.
And speaking of golf, golfers are getting out on courses both miniature and full size now that the weather is improving. Partner with local golf clubs for cross or cooperative marketing. Extend male-oriented offers or donate samples or a gift basket for drawing to local clubs. Purchase branded golf gear such as towels, golf balls and tees, golf tools, hats, polo golf shirts, lip balms, etc. for retail sale, prize awards or gift-with-purchase.
May 10 is Lost Sock Memorial Day (no, really)
Lost socks, we all have them. I have a milk crate in my laundry room which at any given time over the last 15 years has held anywhere from 25-50 socks whose mates never made it into the laundry. Somewhere in my house I expect to find a large pile of single socks, but somehow I never do.
Celebrate lost sock memorial day by giving clients the opportunity to trade a single sock in for a free sample or branded tchotchke. Hold a lost sock memorial happy hour with cover charge being a sock; or request that attendees bring new socks that can be donated to a local charity.
Hold a sock-raiser and ask customers to bring a pair or package of new socks with them to their next appointment to be donated to a local youth services organization, your local children’s cancer treatment center or another charity.
Purchase branded or boutique-quality, one of a kind socks, stockings, tights or slippers to add to retail, gift-with-purchase or enhance your gift baskets. Hold a trivia contest or post facts about the history of socks. Believe it or not, I found a rather lengthy set of historical sock facts at www.lonelysock.com.
The 2nd Wednesday in May is Receptionist’s Day
Extend an offer or send a small gift or gift card to receptionists located in businesses near yours, or to those with which you partner for marketing and events. Be sure that you give your own receptionist/s a special pat on the back, gift, thank you or acknowledgement (and do so more than once a year!) Send flyers or postcards to managers and executives at local businesses to let them know Receptionist’s Day is coming up and to make specific gift suggestions or extend special offers.
Invite local receptionists to attend a reception, open house, luncheon or happy hour. Feature refreshments, hold a fashion show or partner with a stylist or esthetician to provide free mini-makeovers, manicures, pedicures or massages. Invite a local photographer to attend to photo-document the event, take pictures that attendees can use as head shots or as social media profile shots, or purchase for themselves or as a gift to others.
Purchase branded or custom humorous or inspirational message-designed t-shirts, tank tops, pens, notebooks, folios, totes, lunch bags, travel and coffee mugs, note cubes or phone/message pads, stress balls, office supplies or other items to retail or gift at your event, or to add to your regular retail. Extend a thank you and a special offer to attendees following the event via email or direct mail.
May 15-21 – Backyard Games Week
Add a selection of backyard games (croquet, badminton, volleyball, bocce, hula-hoop, horseshoes, toss games, etc.) to your retail for the summer months. To launch and let customers know you have them, give one each away in free drawings every day this week or every day this month.
Create a backyard games gift basket to give away as a contest prize or to be donated to local school or charity auctions. Donate a backyard game (or gift basket) to a local day care, senior center, youth services organization, church, etc.
Purchase branded tchotchkes such as water bottles, sun screen, lip balms, stadium seats, visors, sunglasses or other backyard gear for retail, gift or gift-with-purchase.
Hold a backyard games tournament at a local park; create a larger scale event by working in cooperation with marketing partners and extending invitations to both/all sets of customers and/or special interest groups like day cares, private or public schools, senior centers, churches, large employers, media, civic organizations, etc. Organize a backyard game-themed customer or employee appreciation event. Or work with your marketing partners to hold a larger event.
May 16 is Love a Tree Day
When was the last time that you stood back and analyzed the appearance of the outside of your business? Take time to beautify the area leading to your entrance, check your signs for burned out lighting or dirt, add a sandwich board or large sign with a compelling reason for people to come in to see what your business has to offer or with your employees (or all by your lonesome if necessary!) weed your flower beds and add new trees, shrubbery and flowers. Create an employee or customer outdoor seating area where they can enjoy the scenery while eating lunch or taking a break.
Get involved and support community-wide efforts to beautify your downtown or business park. Purchase branded t-shirts, tank tops or hats and work as an employee team to help weed and clean sidewalks, parking lots, city parks or adopt a local stretch of road.
Partner with nurseries and lawn and garden supply stores for cross or cooperative marketing. Purchase floral or tree starts to gift or gift-with-purchase. Post tips on your Facebook page about local flora and fauna, lawn and garden care, etc.
May 21 – Memo Day
Give away branded memo pads to customers/employees as a token of appreciation, kudos or thanks. Distribute small branded memo pads to customers as bag stuffers or send branded memo pads to the office staff of local businesses or give them away to vendors, suppliers, your landlord, etc.
Hold a contest and award prizes for the cleverest, funniest and most original memo pad messages. Purchase branded or custom message/image designed note cubes or memo pads, pens, pencils, etc. to add to retail or to gift, gift-with-purchase or for contest prizes.
Write memos of appreciation to employees, customers, local leaders, community service organizations, local politicians, public servants, etc.
May 25 is Tap Dance Day
Extend a special offer to dance teachers and the employees of local dance studios, performing groups, stores retailing dance wear, shoes, etc. Partner with local dance studios, performing arts facilities, clothing, shoes and supplies stores, etc., for cross or cooperative marketing.
Partner with a local dance instructor or studio to hold a demonstration workshop for your customers in a cross marketing effort; provide them with a special offer to extend to their customers from your business.
Hold a drawing and reward one or more winner/s with gift certificates they can use for dance lessons or to purchase dance wear or shoes. Hold a history of tap dance trivia contest or post facts and connect people with local resources on your Facebook, blog and email newsletter.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day and without doubt, you have been putting most of your marketing effort and resources into promotion of Mother’s Day gift sales (and quite right, we deserve it!) But once Sunday’s over, what’s a marketing junkie to do? Here are 7 ways to build business between the Mother’s and Father’s Day observances:
May 9 is Miniature Golf Day
Do you have a miniature golf course nearby? With spring in swing and summer on the horizon, organize a customer-appreciation event or partner with the course to extend a special offer to your customers. Purchase gift cards or passes to gift to a few of your more valuable customers, to gift-with-purchase of specific items or purchases over a certain dollar amount, award in a drawing or as a contest prize or even partner with the miniature golf course to purchase gift cards at half price in order to resell them to your customers.
And speaking of golf, golfers are getting out on courses both miniature and full size now that the weather is improving. Partner with local golf clubs for cross or cooperative marketing. Extend male-oriented offers or donate samples or a gift basket for drawing to local clubs. Purchase branded golf gear such as towels, golf balls and tees, golf tools, hats, polo golf shirts, lip balms, etc. for retail sale, prize awards or gift-with-purchase.
May 10 is Lost Sock Memorial Day (no, really)
Lost socks, we all have them. I have a milk crate in my laundry room which at any given time over the last 15 years has held anywhere from 25-50 socks whose mates never made it into the laundry. Somewhere in my house I expect to find a large pile of single socks, but somehow I never do.
Celebrate lost sock memorial day by giving clients the opportunity to trade a single sock in for a free sample or branded tchotchke. Hold a lost sock memorial happy hour with cover charge being a sock; or request that attendees bring new socks that can be donated to a local charity.
Hold a sock-raiser and ask customers to bring a pair or package of new socks with them to their next appointment to be donated to a local youth services organization, your local children’s cancer treatment center or another charity.
Purchase branded or boutique-quality, one of a kind socks, stockings, tights or slippers to add to retail, gift-with-purchase or enhance your gift baskets. Hold a trivia contest or post facts about the history of socks. Believe it or not, I found a rather lengthy set of historical sock facts at www.lonelysock.com.
The 2nd Wednesday in May is Receptionist’s Day
Extend an offer or send a small gift or gift card to receptionists located in businesses near yours, or to those with which you partner for marketing and events. Be sure that you give your own receptionist/s a special pat on the back, gift, thank you or acknowledgement (and do so more than once a year!) Send flyers or postcards to managers and executives at local businesses to let them know Receptionist’s Day is coming up and to make specific gift suggestions or extend special offers.
Invite local receptionists to attend a reception, open house, luncheon or happy hour. Feature refreshments, hold a fashion show or partner with a stylist or esthetician to provide free mini-makeovers, manicures, pedicures or massages. Invite a local photographer to attend to photo-document the event, take pictures that attendees can use as head shots or as social media profile shots, or purchase for themselves or as a gift to others.
Purchase branded or custom humorous or inspirational message-designed t-shirts, tank tops, pens, notebooks, folios, totes, lunch bags, travel and coffee mugs, note cubes or phone/message pads, stress balls, office supplies or other items to retail or gift at your event, or to add to your regular retail. Extend a thank you and a special offer to attendees following the event via email or direct mail.
May 15-21 – Backyard Games Week
Add a selection of backyard games (croquet, badminton, volleyball, bocce, hula-hoop, horseshoes, toss games, etc.) to your retail for the summer months. To launch and let customers know you have them, give one each away in free drawings every day this week or every day this month.
Create a backyard games gift basket to give away as a contest prize or to be donated to local school or charity auctions. Donate a backyard game (or gift basket) to a local day care, senior center, youth services organization, church, etc.
Purchase branded tchotchkes such as water bottles, sun screen, lip balms, stadium seats, visors, sunglasses or other backyard gear for retail, gift or gift-with-purchase.
Hold a backyard games tournament at a local park; create a larger scale event by working in cooperation with marketing partners and extending invitations to both/all sets of customers and/or special interest groups like day cares, private or public schools, senior centers, churches, large employers, media, civic organizations, etc. Organize a backyard game-themed customer or employee appreciation event. Or work with your marketing partners to hold a larger event.
May 16 is Love a Tree Day
When was the last time that you stood back and analyzed the appearance of the outside of your business? Take time to beautify the area leading to your entrance, check your signs for burned out lighting or dirt, add a sandwich board or large sign with a compelling reason for people to come in to see what your business has to offer or with your employees (or all by your lonesome if necessary!) weed your flower beds and add new trees, shrubbery and flowers. Create an employee or customer outdoor seating area where they can enjoy the scenery while eating lunch or taking a break.
Get involved and support community-wide efforts to beautify your downtown or business park. Purchase branded t-shirts, tank tops or hats and work as an employee team to help weed and clean sidewalks, parking lots, city parks or adopt a local stretch of road.
Partner with nurseries and lawn and garden supply stores for cross or cooperative marketing. Purchase floral or tree starts to gift or gift-with-purchase. Post tips on your Facebook page about local flora and fauna, lawn and garden care, etc.
May 21 – Memo Day
Give away branded memo pads to customers/employees as a token of appreciation, kudos or thanks. Distribute small branded memo pads to customers as bag stuffers or send branded memo pads to the office staff of local businesses or give them away to vendors, suppliers, your landlord, etc.
Hold a contest and award prizes for the cleverest, funniest and most original memo pad messages. Purchase branded or custom message/image designed note cubes or memo pads, pens, pencils, etc. to add to retail or to gift, gift-with-purchase or for contest prizes.
Write memos of appreciation to employees, customers, local leaders, community service organizations, local politicians, public servants, etc.
May 25 is Tap Dance Day
Extend a special offer to dance teachers and the employees of local dance studios, performing groups, stores retailing dance wear, shoes, etc. Partner with local dance studios, performing arts facilities, clothing, shoes and supplies stores, etc., for cross or cooperative marketing.
Partner with a local dance instructor or studio to hold a demonstration workshop for your customers in a cross marketing effort; provide them with a special offer to extend to their customers from your business.
Hold a drawing and reward one or more winner/s with gift certificates they can use for dance lessons or to purchase dance wear or shoes. Hold a history of tap dance trivia contest or post facts and connect people with local resources on your Facebook, blog and email newsletter.
3.5.11
The secret to cultivating customer loyalty - with every customer that walks in your door.
The secret to cultivating loyalty with every customer that walks through your door.
Do you know what makes customers and employees develop loyalty to you? Your loyalty to them. You earn loyalty by meeting and exceeding your customer’s needs, in such a way that they perceive to be irreplaceable, over and over again, over time. There is no shortcut to loyalty and there are no guarantees that it will last; loyalty can be eroded more quickly than it can be built.
If it’s so much work, is it worth it? Absolutely. Loyal customers will buy your stuff, and will buy more of your stuff and loyal customers will keep coming back again and again to buy even more of your stuff. Loyal customers will not buy your competitor’s stuff. Loyal customers will refer their friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances to you. Loyal customers will even talk to strangers about you – they’ll sing your praises to anyone they think you can help.
While discounting has been the name of the game for the last couple of years once the effects of the recession really started to hurt the US consumer, discounting definitely doesn’t breed loyalty. Once your lower your price, a competitor is sure to follow, and you find yourself undermining the vitality of your own organization with absolutely nothing to show for it. As those who jumped in to location-based internet offers have quickly learned, many bargain shoppers are loyal to just one thing: the discount.
Many small business owners who tried deep discounts to get customers through the door or lowered prices and then marketed the heck out of their price point advantage are left scratching their heads because what they believed to be true, was not true. They believed that their products or services were totally relevant, that their facility was acceptable, that their staff were qualified and competent. They believed that if they could get them in the door once, they would come back again. but it didn’t happen.
Why not? One (or more) of their assumptions was not correct. Ultimately, the answer is that the customer experience created was simply not compelling enough to stimulate customer intrigue. Intrigue, you ask? I thought we were talking about loyalty. We are! Creating intrigue is the first step to the potential for a long-term, loyal relationship with a customer.
Intrigue (verb) meaning to fascinate, arouse the curiosity of, or amuse.
It might help to think of it this way; while you invest thousands and thousands of dollars on your facility, your personnel, your products and training and you invest even more than that in time and energy. But the customer only sees a microscopic portion of that investment. Some part of their 30, 60 or few-hour-long experience must stimulate intrigue in them in order for them to want to come back and/or to want to try something else that you have to offer.
The editors of television reality shows condense what they feel are the most compelling, provocative, exciting and important conversations, activities and events that occur over the course of a week or even longer, into a one or two hour-long show. That might mean distilling upwards of 168 hours (more than ten thousand minutes) into just 35 or 40 minutes of actual show time, minus commercials and “coming up next” teasers. They try to produce the most intriguing, engaging and provocative episode possible in order to entice viewers to watch the show again, to follow contestants, to visit their web sites and, in some cases, even to decide the outcome of the series via public vote.
Learn to think about and view each client visit as a condensed, exaggerated reality show. In other words, your client will only get to see, hear, smell and experience the elements that you decide – either intentionally or unintentionally – to edit down into the block of time they are present within your business. As the producer and real time editor of the customer experience, how can you orchestrate each one to be intriguing to every customer who walks through your door?
Do you know what makes customers and employees develop loyalty to you? Your loyalty to them. You earn loyalty by meeting and exceeding your customer’s needs, in such a way that they perceive to be irreplaceable, over and over again, over time. There is no shortcut to loyalty and there are no guarantees that it will last; loyalty can be eroded more quickly than it can be built.
If it’s so much work, is it worth it? Absolutely. Loyal customers will buy your stuff, and will buy more of your stuff and loyal customers will keep coming back again and again to buy even more of your stuff. Loyal customers will not buy your competitor’s stuff. Loyal customers will refer their friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances to you. Loyal customers will even talk to strangers about you – they’ll sing your praises to anyone they think you can help.
While discounting has been the name of the game for the last couple of years once the effects of the recession really started to hurt the US consumer, discounting definitely doesn’t breed loyalty. Once your lower your price, a competitor is sure to follow, and you find yourself undermining the vitality of your own organization with absolutely nothing to show for it. As those who jumped in to location-based internet offers have quickly learned, many bargain shoppers are loyal to just one thing: the discount.
Many small business owners who tried deep discounts to get customers through the door or lowered prices and then marketed the heck out of their price point advantage are left scratching their heads because what they believed to be true, was not true. They believed that their products or services were totally relevant, that their facility was acceptable, that their staff were qualified and competent. They believed that if they could get them in the door once, they would come back again. but it didn’t happen.
Why not? One (or more) of their assumptions was not correct. Ultimately, the answer is that the customer experience created was simply not compelling enough to stimulate customer intrigue. Intrigue, you ask? I thought we were talking about loyalty. We are! Creating intrigue is the first step to the potential for a long-term, loyal relationship with a customer.
Intrigue (verb) meaning to fascinate, arouse the curiosity of, or amuse.
It might help to think of it this way; while you invest thousands and thousands of dollars on your facility, your personnel, your products and training and you invest even more than that in time and energy. But the customer only sees a microscopic portion of that investment. Some part of their 30, 60 or few-hour-long experience must stimulate intrigue in them in order for them to want to come back and/or to want to try something else that you have to offer.
The editors of television reality shows condense what they feel are the most compelling, provocative, exciting and important conversations, activities and events that occur over the course of a week or even longer, into a one or two hour-long show. That might mean distilling upwards of 168 hours (more than ten thousand minutes) into just 35 or 40 minutes of actual show time, minus commercials and “coming up next” teasers. They try to produce the most intriguing, engaging and provocative episode possible in order to entice viewers to watch the show again, to follow contestants, to visit their web sites and, in some cases, even to decide the outcome of the series via public vote.
Learn to think about and view each client visit as a condensed, exaggerated reality show. In other words, your client will only get to see, hear, smell and experience the elements that you decide – either intentionally or unintentionally – to edit down into the block of time they are present within your business. As the producer and real time editor of the customer experience, how can you orchestrate each one to be intriguing to every customer who walks through your door?
1.5.11
This week's Style, Strategy and Marketing Savvy Newsletter - now online!
View online at 12monthsofmarketing.net
In this issue:
ORIGINAL CONTENT
:: Loyalty - 30 things that could be costing you customers
:: 16 ways to tell a story to strengthen client and employee relationships
:: Networking - why you're probably doing it wrong
plus SUCCESS STRATEGIES
:: The 5 A's: How to create a culture of profitability
:: 10 tips to get more people to act on your email
:: 10 pros and cons for using groupon
:: 7 Facebook and social media contest ideas
:: 5 pitfalls of price promotions
:: 6 good and even better ways to communicate with your team
:: All marketing is not created equal
:: What really sets you apart? 5 steps to your unique selling proposition
"Vision drives activity."
Susan Ershler in 3 Steps to Reaching your Loftiest Goals (SmartBlog on Leadership)
In this issue:
ORIGINAL CONTENT
:: Loyalty - 30 things that could be costing you customers
:: 16 ways to tell a story to strengthen client and employee relationships
:: Networking - why you're probably doing it wrong
plus SUCCESS STRATEGIES
:: The 5 A's: How to create a culture of profitability
:: 10 tips to get more people to act on your email
:: 10 pros and cons for using groupon
:: 7 Facebook and social media contest ideas
:: 5 pitfalls of price promotions
:: 6 good and even better ways to communicate with your team
:: All marketing is not created equal
:: What really sets you apart? 5 steps to your unique selling proposition
"Vision drives activity."
Susan Ershler in 3 Steps to Reaching your Loftiest Goals (SmartBlog on Leadership)
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