Sandra Martini's Success Strategies

Marketing Mess -- Making Clients Do The Work

I don't know about you, but I love to have fresh flowers on my desk and around my house.  In fact, few things make me happier than having plants of all types around me.

Having spent last week in a rather sterile conference room during an intensive workshop on leadership, I ran out this morning to pick up a bouquet for my desk.

As I walk in, the clerk (who, in this case, was also the owner) was very friendly asking how she could help me, what I'd like, etc.

I gave her my parameters: around $20, colorful and no roses...other than that, she could do whatever was best for her inventory.

As she's puttering about putting my order together, she asked where I worked. 

I mentioned that I was self-employed and worked from home...her first thought was that I was a stay-at-home mom.

So I explained what I do and she immediately began telling me how hard business is right now with the recession and people not wanting to spend money, or at least not spend money on flowers.

She wrapped up my order (I'd also gotten a few neat cards) and I decided that, rather than pop in for flowers when the mood struck, I'd be a lot happier to have them automatically each week.

So I asked if she could automatically deliver a bouquet to me every Monday and I'd give her my card to keep on file.

Now everything's been great up until this point.

Confusion over CAN-SPAM law

I've noticed a bit of confusion about the CAN-SPAM law after my Marketing Mess: 16 out of 21 business owners are guilty post from yesterday. 

This post should serve to clarify at least some of the confusion as the "CAN-SPAM" (you would have thought they could have come up with a better acronym for a NON-spamming law) law was updated last year so that:

Marketing Mess: 16 out of 21 business owners are guilty

It's no secret that I like to send cards to clients and colleagues on their birthdays -- I'm known at our local Hallmark store as "the card lady" since I buy birthday cards there in quantity.

In preparing to send some cards out, a member of my Team was getting me addresses for the ones I don't already have and noted something rather disturbing:

16 out of the 21 business sites she checked had NO address contact information.  That's 76% of the business owners she checked.

Why does this count as a "marketing mess" you ask?

Marketing Mess of the Week: "Soft Selling"

I recently ordered a book from Amazon and the authors signed me up for their newsletter (nowhere on the page or anywhere else I looked did it mention I'd be the recipient of this gift).

Many of their ezines (I received every few days) were brief, largely talking about the importance of "soft selling" and "closing without selling" and generally okay reads. 

Then they started promoting an event and the emails became daily and more and more about how we have to stand up against those who "hard sell" by coming to their event.

Their brief articles about all the benefits of soft selling continued, even as they proceeded to turn into "hard sellers" when it came to the event.

I waited a week to see if the hard selling would stop or even ebb, but nothing...they continued pounding away and I unsubscribed.

Always remember, you have the power to vote with your dollars AND your inbox space!

My Request to You:  Take a look around your business. . .is there any place where you're not congruent, where you're not walking your talk? 

If there is, that's okay...until now...now that you know about it, it's time to fix it.

Marketing Mess of the Week: Hotel Horrors

I travelled to Anaheim, California last week for Adam Urbanski's Info Profit Success 2009 workshop (which was FABULOUS, by the way) and, due to our primary hotel being overbooked, had to spend my first night at another hotel.

Ideal?  No, but it happens and I'd just have to switch hotels in the morning (they're all within walking distance so not a big deal).

So what happened? 

There were several issues with the first hotel (the second, primary hotel was the Marriott and they were great!):

1. My assistant had requested early check-in.  No rooms were ready and I had to wait 4 hours for one.
2. I asked to join their Points/Reward program and the same front desk clerk told me to do it online as it was "easier for her".
3. A new front desk clerk (shift change) and the original (from #1 and 2 above) were yelling (literally) across the lobby about a bellman neither liked -- there were several guests in the lobby watching on in surprise.
4. The front desk told my assistant that a taxi from the airport would be about $35 -- it was $60 (without tip). Note: The $60 was confirmed by the hotel next door as average.
5. No one thanked me for my business.

So what are we to do?

Simple. . .

1. Tell the never-before-seen front desk clerk upon checkout (manager was offsite when I checked in and out) and she was very gracious.
2. Email assistant to put this particular hotel on our "never again" list.
3. Spend the 4 hours walking to/from/around Downtown Disney buying shirts for hubby's band from the House of Blues and having a great time.

No matter what business you're in, it's critical to make your clients feel welcome and appreciated.  How can you do that easily AND automatically?   :-)

Marketing Mess of the Week: Why Won't You Let Me Give You Money?

I was recently out on a site related to feng shui (a hobby and great love of mine) and wanted to purchase a new crystal for my office window.

After clicking NINE different links, I finally got to the shopping cart only to find that there was no "checkout" link.  When clicking to "checkout", the site kept bringing me back to the product description page.

Now it only took about 3 tries for me to get that things weren't going to change and start to hunt for a phone number to call and order this $16 crystal.

No such luck...another site with no contact information on it.

When all was said and done, I left the site grumbling, frustrated and having spent well more than $16 of my time. . .and without the crystal.

Somehow I don't think the business owner intended this to be her clients' experience.

Whenever you create a new product or service, be sure to walk through the steps you're clients will experience as if you were one -- even better, ask your mother (or someone unfamiliar with what you're doing) to order the product WITHOUT you standing over her shoulder.

Is the experience simple?  Or are you frustrated by the amount of time and energy it takes?

Test, modify and test again until the process becomes effortless. :-)

Marketing Mess of the Week

I was recently debating about attending a very high end workshop this spring and, in reviewing the sales page, noticed several things:

1. There were 2 different prices within about 3 inches of space and all related to the current day and time (so "no", I wasn't reading a "regular" versus "early bird" price).

2. When I clicked to purchase the full-pay option, there was a THIRD price, so just for fun, I clicked on the multi-pay option and, you guessed it, a fourth price not seen before emerged.

3. There were two sets of conflicting dates on the site and the event location was given very broadly so I had no real idea WHERE I'd be going (I understand and agree with not listing hotel info, but I do need to know what city I'm flying into when determining cost).

4. I tried to call the business owner to give her a heads up, but couldn't get through on any of the extensions given on rather long, and very "insurance company corporate" sounding voicemail.

I made the decision pretty quick not to attend.  After all, I couldn't reach a live person, I didn't know what city the event was in, there were conflicting dates on the site and I didn't know what the price was.

Why am I sharing this with you?

It's not to embarrass the business owner (reason I'm not providing name or website).  It is however to ask you to take your time when putting an offer "out there" and either double check the information yourself or hire a team worth their salt to do it for you.

All of the above has resulted in my not attending (or promoting) a pretty expensive workshop and possibly signing up for more programs as a result.  After all, if this sales page was THIS sloppy, what does it say of the rest of the business?

Do you want to take that chance with your prospects and clients?