One, as in one and only, one life to live, one at a time, power of one...
Guiness Book of Records called Joe Girard the “world’s greatest salesman.” For good reasons. He sold, on average 6 cars a day (or was it 9 a week? -- doesn't matter 'cuz it was a bunch). His secret to success was simple. He shared it with me one day when he gave me a solid gold lapel pin with just the number 1. By itself... no # sign or anything else. Just an unobtrusive 1 about 1/4 inch tall. As he pinned it on me he said, “I’m going to give this to you under one condition.”
“Surely,” said I. “What is the condition?”
“You always remember that it is always one person at a time. One conversation. One focus. One sale at a time. One person. Never forget we’re all individuals and love to be treated that way. One at a time.”
I loved that advise. In marketing and journalism of which I’ve been heavily involved, we soon begin speaking to “the great unwashed masses.” We speak of “all of you out there” or “them.” It’s dehumanizing. Stop it. Don’t do that any more.
It’s always about you. You alone.
When you write an advertisement, think of one person; a real person not an avatar you create. Talk to that person about your product or negotiating situation. Listen to what they think, what they feel, and how they react. Then write them a letter explaining how your product or service benefits him or her and only that person. Focus on the one.
Don’t worry about space. You'll later pare it down to fit the size requirements.
Begin your letter with “You...” Continue with how this will “benefit you...” and what it means for their betterment.
I won’t get into the rest of the letter psychology but will another time.
Suffice it to say never say, “all of you” or “for everyone out there.” I see national ads do that, and, it’s dumb. Don’t do it. (And I did use "dumb" precisely.)
Profiling works in certain areas. Personalization in advertising is more effective because humans share so many universal traits. As you address one person you are, in fact, speaking to nearly everyone else.
If you’re performing, do the same. Gladys Knight once stated, and I’m paraphrasing, “When I walk out on stage I scan the audience for a happy, smiling, appreciative face. I sing directly to that person. As their energy comes upon me, my energy rises and I in turn increase that person’s energy. Then it spills out to the whole audience.”
One person at a time.
Have you met a person in a reception line that was shaking your hand but looking over your shoulder to other people? Absurd isn’t it? So is speaking to “them” when you should be communicating with me.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Here's a fun marketing idea
Here's a fun marketing idea.
While the hey day of direct mail marketing is quickly receding into the ethernet, perhaps it is just reseeding. The principles will sprout up in use elsewhere.
Take this idea. I used to put into direct mail letters a return envelop. Usually it would be a Business Reply Envelop or BRE that had the bar code indicia so no stamp was needed to send us a reply. It made it easier for a customer to respond.
But, whenever I could get the budget, I would put "live" or real stamps on the envelop. Why?
1. They were colorful and got noticed.
2. I never put one stamp but always at least three... if one gets noticed, three get thrice the notice. And one stamp is easy for someone to peel off and use elsewhere. They throw your envelop away. But three smaller denomination stamps are just not worth the effort.
3. Put a picture of the product or a selling line boldly on the face of that envelop. Because all of us human beings love to waste money, we're too cheap to throw away a stamp. We're bizarre. By putting three, hard to remove, impossible to throw away stamps on a blatant piece of advertising, I had just bought advertising space in a potential customer's desk or drawer. Every time they see that envelop it calls to them "use the envelop so you don't waste the stamp."
Sure enough the live stamps always increased sales immediately but they also put a long tail on further responses. Months later I'd get responses. My envelop had nagged them into responding. They just couldn't throw me away.
When you send a resume, an inquiry letter, or use a direct mail format, try the live stamps. The allure is more than they can bear.
While the hey day of direct mail marketing is quickly receding into the ethernet, perhaps it is just reseeding. The principles will sprout up in use elsewhere.
Take this idea. I used to put into direct mail letters a return envelop. Usually it would be a Business Reply Envelop or BRE that had the bar code indicia so no stamp was needed to send us a reply. It made it easier for a customer to respond.
But, whenever I could get the budget, I would put "live" or real stamps on the envelop. Why?
1. They were colorful and got noticed.
2. I never put one stamp but always at least three... if one gets noticed, three get thrice the notice. And one stamp is easy for someone to peel off and use elsewhere. They throw your envelop away. But three smaller denomination stamps are just not worth the effort.
3. Put a picture of the product or a selling line boldly on the face of that envelop. Because all of us human beings love to waste money, we're too cheap to throw away a stamp. We're bizarre. By putting three, hard to remove, impossible to throw away stamps on a blatant piece of advertising, I had just bought advertising space in a potential customer's desk or drawer. Every time they see that envelop it calls to them "use the envelop so you don't waste the stamp."
Sure enough the live stamps always increased sales immediately but they also put a long tail on further responses. Months later I'd get responses. My envelop had nagged them into responding. They just couldn't throw me away.
When you send a resume, an inquiry letter, or use a direct mail format, try the live stamps. The allure is more than they can bear.
Marketing is Motion, not Magic
Much is made of genius. It's a magical thought that someone does better than you because of their innate, born-with mental acumen. It gives us comfort to know there is nothing more we could do to achieve what they've achieved because... they were just born that way.
In this current world of rationalizing so many things because of gene pool back strokes, let's talk common sense which isn't so common.
Genius accounts for little. Few have it and those with it often nominally contribute to the greater good.
Not to be different, in marketing genius is greatly used to dismiss our own lack of success. But it's best to put that behind us and get to the real heart of what matters. My little maxim for all this is "marketing is not magic but motion."
In nearly all advertisements or marketing campaigns I've conducted that have been wildly successful, the path behind them is strewn, littered and piled with massive mistakes I've made. I've tried one idea followed by another. Smartly, I carefully tracked what worked and adjusted. That led to the "genius" idea... eventually.
I've been around many other "marketing geniuses" and worked with dozens. Their tale is no different. The notion of motion matters most. I advise many people and nearly all take the information and stew on it and then look for magic that never comes. I'm reminded of the two turkeys who attend a wonderful all-day session on how to fly. They soared and flapped to the sky. And as they were walking home declared how worthwhile the day had been. Yes, walking home.
The great entrepreneur Larry Miller (lacked formal education, worked in car parts stores and ended up with dozens of car dealerships, owner of the Utah Jazz and a world-class speedway) was once asked the "secret" of business success. That's about as astute a question as "what's the magic of your marketing?". Miller's response was, and I paraphrase: "60% of success is just showing up. Another 20 or 30% is showing up with the right attitude."
Edison is created with the quote, "Genius is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration."
Do something. Even if it is wrong because you'll learn more from your mistakes than your successes although success will seduce you into thinking you're the cat's meow.
Do something today. Now.
In this current world of rationalizing so many things because of gene pool back strokes, let's talk common sense which isn't so common.
Genius accounts for little. Few have it and those with it often nominally contribute to the greater good.
Not to be different, in marketing genius is greatly used to dismiss our own lack of success. But it's best to put that behind us and get to the real heart of what matters. My little maxim for all this is "marketing is not magic but motion."
In nearly all advertisements or marketing campaigns I've conducted that have been wildly successful, the path behind them is strewn, littered and piled with massive mistakes I've made. I've tried one idea followed by another. Smartly, I carefully tracked what worked and adjusted. That led to the "genius" idea... eventually.
I've been around many other "marketing geniuses" and worked with dozens. Their tale is no different. The notion of motion matters most. I advise many people and nearly all take the information and stew on it and then look for magic that never comes. I'm reminded of the two turkeys who attend a wonderful all-day session on how to fly. They soared and flapped to the sky. And as they were walking home declared how worthwhile the day had been. Yes, walking home.
The great entrepreneur Larry Miller (lacked formal education, worked in car parts stores and ended up with dozens of car dealerships, owner of the Utah Jazz and a world-class speedway) was once asked the "secret" of business success. That's about as astute a question as "what's the magic of your marketing?". Miller's response was, and I paraphrase: "60% of success is just showing up. Another 20 or 30% is showing up with the right attitude."
Edison is created with the quote, "Genius is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration."
Do something. Even if it is wrong because you'll learn more from your mistakes than your successes although success will seduce you into thinking you're the cat's meow.
Do something today. Now.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Commercializing a Technology -- Live
Enough theory and examples from the past, how about a quick report on something I'm currently doing. Most of what I'm going to write below was actually written by one of our investors who condensed my daily reports. (I believe in constant and accurate communications between a company and its investors -- positive and negative reports that tell it like it is.)
I'm a managing partner in VMT, (www.vmt-tech.com) (pictured here is our team getting the Innovation Award at UVU) and we're commercializing a new vehicle transmission called the Universal Transmission. It's a "leap frog" transmission because it makes all other transmission obsolete because of it's high fuel efficiency and strength -- Hybrid Efficiency with NASCAR Performance.
Our VMT team is happy to be back home in Provo after a busy week of meetings with Gibbs Transmission, Allison Transmission, Toyota, Subaru, Honda and a consortium developing a new electric vehicle. (Our transmission is VERY green because it increases an electric car's range by as much as 50% and turns whimpy hybrids into strong vehicles that also conserve fuel.)
The Universal Transmission was very well received by the best engineering minds out there and every meeting went exceptionally well. It was great to see them understand the technology and embrace it as something radically different that will make a difference.
One of the screening engineers at Honda said, “Our purpose is to find technologies that will not just improve what they already have, but technologies like yours that will leapfrog over what is already out there.”
Some of these companies are very hard to get into see because they are approached all day long with new technologies. To have a first or second meeting with everyone asking for more information is huge and tells us we are on the right track.
One of the executives told us, "Your timing is perfect because every manufacturer is scrambling for ways to meet the federal mileage requirements (CAFÉ standards), especially for SUV’s." They think we are going to help them get there.
Our next meetings are in Japan with Subaru, Toyota and Honda after our meetings in Korea in mid-February to meet with S & T Dynamics, the company that makes transmissions for Hyundai and Kia. These meetings were arranged through our very influential contact there.
Things have exploded since our press release in November and the momentum continues to grow.
Note: Never use the press unless you have a strong marketing purpose. Then use it and hit it hard. I have an entire chapter in Marketing Singers showing how to use the press, the angles to take and how to get your press release published where you want it. Once you get the attention and publications then you need to use it as leverage.
I'm a managing partner in VMT, (www.vmt-tech.com) (pictured here is our team getting the Innovation Award at UVU) and we're commercializing a new vehicle transmission called the Universal Transmission. It's a "leap frog" transmission because it makes all other transmission obsolete because of it's high fuel efficiency and strength -- Hybrid Efficiency with NASCAR Performance.
Our VMT team is happy to be back home in Provo after a busy week of meetings with Gibbs Transmission, Allison Transmission, Toyota, Subaru, Honda and a consortium developing a new electric vehicle. (Our transmission is VERY green because it increases an electric car's range by as much as 50% and turns whimpy hybrids into strong vehicles that also conserve fuel.)
The Universal Transmission was very well received by the best engineering minds out there and every meeting went exceptionally well. It was great to see them understand the technology and embrace it as something radically different that will make a difference.
One of the screening engineers at Honda said, “Our purpose is to find technologies that will not just improve what they already have, but technologies like yours that will leapfrog over what is already out there.”
Some of these companies are very hard to get into see because they are approached all day long with new technologies. To have a first or second meeting with everyone asking for more information is huge and tells us we are on the right track.
One of the executives told us, "Your timing is perfect because every manufacturer is scrambling for ways to meet the federal mileage requirements (CAFÉ standards), especially for SUV’s." They think we are going to help them get there.
Our next meetings are in Japan with Subaru, Toyota and Honda after our meetings in Korea in mid-February to meet with S & T Dynamics, the company that makes transmissions for Hyundai and Kia. These meetings were arranged through our very influential contact there.
Things have exploded since our press release in November and the momentum continues to grow.
Note: Never use the press unless you have a strong marketing purpose. Then use it and hit it hard. I have an entire chapter in Marketing Singers showing how to use the press, the angles to take and how to get your press release published where you want it. Once you get the attention and publications then you need to use it as leverage.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Free is still a head turner
No matter if you’re rich or poor, “free” is still a head turner.
Last time we discussed guarantees. Guarantees are just another form of free. It reverses the risk and gives the consumer confidence that you might be worth trying.
Many years ago a couple of motels in the San Francisco Bay area experimented. This was the era when TV in a motel room was often paid for by putting coins into a slot to turn on the TV – and then you’d only get 3 or 4 channels. That aside, one motel advertised its rooms for $17. TV was just $3 more. The other advertised $20 rooms with FREE TV. By a 2-1 margin FREE TV won. Customers paid the same price, but wanted “free”.
Free turns head.
One firm I worked for made its living off of free. Just call to get their product free. Only pay for postage and handling. They made their money on postage and handling. Then they made more because no one wanted just one. The second item was expensive but because the first item was free it seemed like the second item was 50% off. Of course they had other products that the person was asked if they’d like and many bought the add-on or up-graded, or follow-on products. It all began with FREE.
It doesn’t have to be a give away of your product. Give away something else just for trying your product. As a general contractor we gave away a free dinner for two when a customer closed the sale of their home. The dinner cost us $50 in today’s money. The home cost $300,000. But you’d think the customer’s had just won the lottery when we gave them their gift certificates for a night out. We didn’t advertise the free dinner. That would just be silly – buy our house and get a free dinner. Nonsense. We didn’t even tell them anywhere that they were getting the free dinner. We just found out when they were planning to move in and had a courier delivery the gift certificates for dinner to the couple just before moving in. When the dishes are still in the dish packs and the couple are exhausted from moving, what could be better than an excuse to get away and relax while someone else serves. People loved it. Happy customers are good for business.
Free can also be in terms of Buy One, Get One FREE. I’d rather say it “Choose One and Get One Free.” Anytime I can eliminate the sense of them having to put out money the more I can focus on what they get. They know they’re buying. No need to remind of that. Focus instead on what is free.
Formula 409 got their start this way. They were selling okay in a region and wanted to go national. Because they were selling their cleaning product effectively, Johnson and Johnson figured this was a good area to introduce their new cleaning product. It’s always best when selling a new product to sell to people who already appreciate what the product can do. Competitors have done the work of educating. Now you offer something better, faster, cheaper, longer-lasting, etc. You piggy back on their work. Burger King got its start by locating near a McDonalds. Line too long at MickeyDees, there’s another fast food alternative.
Back to 409. J&J let the word out to the supermarket chains that they were going to have a major test in one of the cities in the region where 409 was located. The 409 guys quickly got the word. Rather than panic, they got smart. They stopped refilling orders to the test city. They pulled their product off the market. If orders came in, they got ignored. If a supermarket buyer called from that city, they got put on hold. Soon there was no Formula 409 to be found in that city. When J&J brought in their cleaner, they had no competition. Sales went through the roof. J&J knew they had a winner.
J&J began preparation for the next test phase to the whole region. 409 guys waited until just before J&J would be shipping. They ran a region wide special. Get one spray bottle of 409 and we’ll give you the huge refill bottle that would last 3 months... FREE.
When J&J’s cleaner arrived, it sat on the shelves. Everyone had their cleaner. Wouldn’t need a refill for 3 months. J&J executives were furious. Head rolled. All product was recalled. The cleaner was dubbed a failure and dropped from the line. Formula 409 had clear sailing.
Free is powerful. Use it smartly.
Special Note to Singers: Give a free concert. Invite the shakers and movers. Or ask only that they donate to some wonderful cause. Be sure to have a way to capture all of the names of those who attend. Follow up with them and volunteer to hold a holiday concert in their home. They’ll pay you nicely for that. Sell your CD’s to everyone who attends. Put everyone on your “house list” that I discuss in detail in “Marketing Singers.” You’re building a Perpetual Job Machine. And, you never know. The shakers and movers know the right people in the theater. They’re likely patrons. Get them to help you get noticed by the opera companies or theater owners. Everyone loves a winner. It all began with FREE.
Last time we discussed guarantees. Guarantees are just another form of free. It reverses the risk and gives the consumer confidence that you might be worth trying.
Many years ago a couple of motels in the San Francisco Bay area experimented. This was the era when TV in a motel room was often paid for by putting coins into a slot to turn on the TV – and then you’d only get 3 or 4 channels. That aside, one motel advertised its rooms for $17. TV was just $3 more. The other advertised $20 rooms with FREE TV. By a 2-1 margin FREE TV won. Customers paid the same price, but wanted “free”.
Free turns head.
One firm I worked for made its living off of free. Just call to get their product free. Only pay for postage and handling. They made their money on postage and handling. Then they made more because no one wanted just one. The second item was expensive but because the first item was free it seemed like the second item was 50% off. Of course they had other products that the person was asked if they’d like and many bought the add-on or up-graded, or follow-on products. It all began with FREE.
It doesn’t have to be a give away of your product. Give away something else just for trying your product. As a general contractor we gave away a free dinner for two when a customer closed the sale of their home. The dinner cost us $50 in today’s money. The home cost $300,000. But you’d think the customer’s had just won the lottery when we gave them their gift certificates for a night out. We didn’t advertise the free dinner. That would just be silly – buy our house and get a free dinner. Nonsense. We didn’t even tell them anywhere that they were getting the free dinner. We just found out when they were planning to move in and had a courier delivery the gift certificates for dinner to the couple just before moving in. When the dishes are still in the dish packs and the couple are exhausted from moving, what could be better than an excuse to get away and relax while someone else serves. People loved it. Happy customers are good for business.
Free can also be in terms of Buy One, Get One FREE. I’d rather say it “Choose One and Get One Free.” Anytime I can eliminate the sense of them having to put out money the more I can focus on what they get. They know they’re buying. No need to remind of that. Focus instead on what is free.
Formula 409 got their start this way. They were selling okay in a region and wanted to go national. Because they were selling their cleaning product effectively, Johnson and Johnson figured this was a good area to introduce their new cleaning product. It’s always best when selling a new product to sell to people who already appreciate what the product can do. Competitors have done the work of educating. Now you offer something better, faster, cheaper, longer-lasting, etc. You piggy back on their work. Burger King got its start by locating near a McDonalds. Line too long at MickeyDees, there’s another fast food alternative.
Back to 409. J&J let the word out to the supermarket chains that they were going to have a major test in one of the cities in the region where 409 was located. The 409 guys quickly got the word. Rather than panic, they got smart. They stopped refilling orders to the test city. They pulled their product off the market. If orders came in, they got ignored. If a supermarket buyer called from that city, they got put on hold. Soon there was no Formula 409 to be found in that city. When J&J brought in their cleaner, they had no competition. Sales went through the roof. J&J knew they had a winner.
J&J began preparation for the next test phase to the whole region. 409 guys waited until just before J&J would be shipping. They ran a region wide special. Get one spray bottle of 409 and we’ll give you the huge refill bottle that would last 3 months... FREE.
When J&J’s cleaner arrived, it sat on the shelves. Everyone had their cleaner. Wouldn’t need a refill for 3 months. J&J executives were furious. Head rolled. All product was recalled. The cleaner was dubbed a failure and dropped from the line. Formula 409 had clear sailing.
Free is powerful. Use it smartly.
Special Note to Singers: Give a free concert. Invite the shakers and movers. Or ask only that they donate to some wonderful cause. Be sure to have a way to capture all of the names of those who attend. Follow up with them and volunteer to hold a holiday concert in their home. They’ll pay you nicely for that. Sell your CD’s to everyone who attends. Put everyone on your “house list” that I discuss in detail in “Marketing Singers.” You’re building a Perpetual Job Machine. And, you never know. The shakers and movers know the right people in the theater. They’re likely patrons. Get them to help you get noticed by the opera companies or theater owners. Everyone loves a winner. It all began with FREE.
Friday, January 1, 2010
To start 2010, consider the words of Edward Sill about "Opportunity":
"This I beheld or dreamed it in a dream.
There spread a cloud of dust across a plain,
And underneath the cloud, or in it,
A furious battle raged; swords shocked upon swords and shields.
A prince's banner wavered then staggered backward,
Hemmed by foes.
A craven coward hung along the battle's edge and thought,
"Had I a sword of keener steel, that blue blade the king's son bears,
But this blunt thing," he snapped; and throwing it from his hand,
He loweringly crept away and left the field.
Then came the king's son, wounded, sore bested and weaponless,
And saw the broken sword, lying hilt buried in the dry and trodden sand,
And ran; and snatched it up.
And with battle shout lifted afresh, he hued his enemy down,
And saved a great cause that heroic day.
We all hear lots of reasons why something can't be done. Ignore them. Just go make it happen. Do it.
"This I beheld or dreamed it in a dream.
There spread a cloud of dust across a plain,
And underneath the cloud, or in it,
A furious battle raged; swords shocked upon swords and shields.
A prince's banner wavered then staggered backward,
Hemmed by foes.
A craven coward hung along the battle's edge and thought,
"Had I a sword of keener steel, that blue blade the king's son bears,
But this blunt thing," he snapped; and throwing it from his hand,
He loweringly crept away and left the field.
Then came the king's son, wounded, sore bested and weaponless,
And saw the broken sword, lying hilt buried in the dry and trodden sand,
And ran; and snatched it up.
And with battle shout lifted afresh, he hued his enemy down,
And saved a great cause that heroic day.
We all hear lots of reasons why something can't be done. Ignore them. Just go make it happen. Do it.
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